Oklahoma City Thunder 2023-24 Season

[G.Walker]

Why do you think I don’t like Presti? I never said that. He’s arguably the best GM in the league.

I disagree, he does have the exceptional capability and track record of drafting players with potential and building a team. But he has yet to win a championship with him as a GM. So until he does that, I reserve to say he is the best GM in the league. At some point you need to get out of build/project mode and go all in to win a championship.

[Just_Curious]

I disagree, he does have the exceptional capability and track record of drafting players with potential and building a team. But he has yet to win a championship with him as a GM. So until he does that, I reserve to say he is the best GM in the league. At some point you need to get out of build/project mode and go all in to win a championship.

Agree completely. He's near the top tier. And we could certainly do far worse. But at some point, championships matter. Nobody says it's easy to win one, but he is entering his 18th season as a GM. During that span, 6 teams have won multiple titles. Until the Thunder hang a banner, he can't be included in that elite upper echelon.

[BoulderSooner]

Presti has been terrible when picking in the 20s.

who has been good drafting in the 20's presti has Ibaka reggie jackson

[G.Walker]

Agree completely. He's near the top tier. And we could certainly do far worse. But at some point, championships matter. Nobody says it's easy to win one, but he is entering his 18th season as a GM. During that span, 6 teams have won multiple titles. Until the Thunder hang a banner, he can't be included in that elite upper echelon.

With that being said, one could argue that he tried to go all in when he brought in Paul George and Melo to compliment Russell Westbrook, but that experiment didn't work out.

[Bill Robertson]

With that being said, one could argue that he tried to go all in when he brought in Paul George and Melo to compliment Russell Westbrook, but that experiment didn't work out.

That argument actually makes the case for Presti not being the best GM. The best, "Super GM" swings and hits.
I would agree completely, absolutely, totally that he's one of the top tier. But maybe not the best. At some point results have to happen, Championships have to be won to be called the best at something. Especially when in the same time frame others have won multiple championships.
Maybe I look at it a bit personally. I'm a HUGE Dolphins fan. Until Brady broke all of everyone's records it was arguable that Marino was the best QB that ever played. But the biggest argument against him is that he only went to the Super Bowl once and lost. Even though for years he held about every passing record a QB can hold.

[BoulderSooner]

I'm a HUGE Dolphins fan.
it was arguable that Marino was the best QB that ever played..

lol no one other then dolphins fans ever thought that ..

[Dob Hooligan]

So, who is/has been better over the last 18 years? And who would you hire instead of Presti if anyone were available?

[dankrutka]

who has been good drafting in the 20's presti has Ibaka reggie jackson

You can do the research, but plenty of GMs and there are plenty of examples. In fact, if you just look at the Thunder picks in the 20s you’ll see Presti traded picks that resulted in really good players like Immanuel Quickley. Presti traded up to draft Bazley and Memphis drafted the more popular player in Brandon Clark. Drafting good players in the 20s is hard, but it happens every year. Presti does incredible work in the lottery and also has had success in the 2nd round/undrafted. He just seems to struggle after the lottery in the 1st round.

[dankrutka]

Saying Presti isn’t the best GM because he hasn’t won a championship is a bit too restrictive a view in my opinion. OKC has been, I believe, the second winningest franchise since arriving in OKC. That’s an incredible accomplishment in this market. Presti is unmatched at identifying stars in the lottery. It’s fair to argue for other GMs, but there’s also plenty of evidence to support an argument that Presti is at the top. We’re very lucky.

[Just_Curious]

So, who is/has been better over the last 18 years? And who would you hire instead of Presti if anyone were available?

Bob Myers, Jon Horst, Andy Elisburg, Brad Stevens, and maybe Bobby Webster without putting too much thought into it.

[Bill Robertson]

So, who is/has been better over the last 18 years? And who would you hire instead of Presti if anyone were available?

The second question is tougher. Who would be better "that's available". No one. And without a crystal ball no one knows who could be better if everyone were available. But the point brought up was if Presti deserves the title of "best GM" or "Saint Sam". Which he hasn't yet.

[citywokchinesefood]

Bob Myers, Jon Horst, Andy Elisburg, Brad Stevens, and maybe Bobby Webster without putting too much thought into it.

Pat Riley can not be left off this list. Presti has one of the best trade and drafting resumes of any GM though.

[Dob Hooligan]

Bob Myers, Jon Horst, Andy Elisburg, Brad Stevens, and maybe Bobby Webster without putting too much thought into it.

I will say I think that Myers and Elisburg have been strong and solid executives over their terms. I think everyone you have listed have been part of strong organizations, with many people at the top. I think Elisburg is the only one did the job longer than Presti.

The question is if being the "King" of a small market team is better than being the "Target" of a large market team? Large market team probably has the resources and, maybe, willingness to go deep into the luxury Cap. I would say the stress could be more intense, but that is probably more self-motivated at their executive level.

[Dob Hooligan]

Pat Riley can not be left off this list. Presti has one of the best trade and drafting resumes of any GM though.

Agree

[Bill Robertson]

Ok. Not GMs but how many head coaches of all college and pro sports get fired every season even after getting to quarterfinals or semifinals. Sports management is judged on results and Presti hasn't had "Best GM" results.
I'm not saying he needs replacing but calling him the best GM is a push.

[dankrutka]

It’s not a push at all to say Presti is the best GM. Search for any list of best GMs, he’s going to be there. He’s #1 on the first list that I found: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...neral-managers

The second list my search returned has Presti #3 in NBA history: https://sportsbrief.com/nba/24049-ra...-managers-nba/

[PhiAlpha]

Yeah saying that some of those large market GM’s are a step or two above Presti just because they’ve won a championship is kind of a weak argument. Those guys have their pick of whoever they want in free agency. All they have to do is make the roster/cap space and out bid or out pitch the other larger markets. What Presti has done in the smallest market in the nba from 2008 to now is way more impressive than most of the guys I’ve seen mentioned here. If larger market GMs have won a ton of championships and been successful for years, that’s one thing but I wouldn’t put them over Presti because they won a single championship or maybe even two.

In college football it’s like claiming Jimbo Fisher, Gene Chizik or even someone like Jim Harbaugh is a better coach than Bill Snyder or Mike Gundy. Sure, they’ve won a national championship but they did it at schools that are way easier to recruit at than OSU or KSU. Someone like Urban Meyer, Nick Saban or Dabo Sweeney…sure (especially Dabo doing it at Clemson) but they’ve done it multiple times. Just winning a single championship wouldn’t put many guys over what Snyder or Gundy she’s been able to accomplish at schools that had historically been awful prior to their taking over.

[Bill Robertson]

So if Presti gets to be rated by a lower bar that would mean that OKC never winning a Championship is totally acceptable.

[Bellaboo]

Sam Presti is really good. Be happy we've got him.

Our tear down build up took about 3 years max.

Take a look at 20 other teams and they will be a lot worse.

[Dob Hooligan]

So if Presti gets to be rated by a lower bar that would mean that OKC never winning a Championship is totally acceptable.

That's kind of a sports radio question.

I take the premise that using your logic then Joe Castiglione, Mike Holder, Bob Stoops and Mike Gundy should have been run off years ago.

It is hard to win regularly. It takes luck to win a title.

[Bill Robertson]

That's kind of a sports radio question.

I take the premise that using your logic then Joe Castiglione, Mike Holder, Bob Stoops and Mike Gundy should have been run off years ago.

It is hard to win regularly. It takes luck to win a title.

It takes a lot of luck. And a lot of being positioned to take advantage of luck or be able to overcome the lack of luck. There are teams have won multiple NBA Championships in the last 18 years. They had those qualities. And I've never said anything about running anyone off. I've said that I agree Presti is a top tier GM.

[Dob Hooligan]

It takes a lot of luck. And a lot of being positioned to take advantage of luck or be able to overcome the lack of luck. There are teams have won multiple NBA Championships in the last 18 years. They had those qualities. And I've never said anything about running anyone off. I've said that I agree Presti is a top tier GM.

Agree with you there. I think if the Thunder had the luck of Steven Adams hitting his free throws in game 6 in 2016(?) against the Warriors, they would have won the title, KD would have stayed around for a few more years, and they would have won 1 or 2 more.

[G.Walker]

It’s not a push at all to say Presti is the best GM. Search for any list of best GMs, he’s going to be there. He’s #1 on the first list that I found: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...neral-managers

The second list my search returned has Presti #3 in NBA history: https://sportsbrief.com/nba/24049-ra...-managers-nba/

The first list is from 2013, lol. Now your reaching.

[dankrutka]

The first list is from 2013, lol. Now your reaching.

Find any list you want and Presti will be near the top.

[king183]

The first list is from 2013, lol. Now your reaching.

Let’s just put it this way: if Sam Presti decided to leave OKC tomorrow, he would be at the very top of every team’s list to hire. Anyone who knows anything about NBA basketball would put Sam Presti at the top of best GM list, most importantly NBA GMs themselves. Other GMs widely consider Presti to be one of the best in the entire league, not only for his player drafting and management but also because of the overall quality and competence of the organization, which is constantly cited as one of the best in the NBA.