Hammond leaving for Milwaukee (old thread)

[Glenn]

Per ESPN

[Tahoe]

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Glenn]

Sources: Bucks lure Hammond away from Dumars' side to be new GM

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Updated: April 11, 2008, 12:17 PM ET

Various teams have tried in recent years, but it's the Milwaukee Bucks who have managed to lure John Hammond away from the Detroit Pistons to be their new general manager, according to NBA front-office sources.

Hammond's first task in Milwaukee, according to sources, will be hiring a veteran coach. Sources told ESPN.com last month that Larry Krystkowiak's dismissal at season's end was considered a certainty no matter who succeeded GM Larry Harris because of owner Herb Kohl's desire for more experience on the bench.

Sources told ESPN.com on Friday that Hammond, pursued in recent years by Portland, Toronto and others after a long and successful run as Joe Dumars' top aide in Detroit, has accepted the Bucks' offer and will be officially introduced as Larry Harris' replacement as early as Monday.

The Bucks and Harris parted company on March 19 after Harris, with his contract expiring in June, initiated a series of meetings aimed at either securing an extension or bringing a halt to the growing uncertainty surrounding his lame-duck status before the end of the regular season.

Milwaukee did show interest in new Knicks president Donnie Walsh as well as TNT analyst Doug Collins. Yet the Bucks knew landing either of them to replace Harris was a long shot given New York's desperation to hire the longtime Indiana Pacers executive and Walsh's strong urge to take over his hometown team, as well as Collins' reluctance to leave the TV arena.

Hammond also initially resisted the Bucks' overtures but eventually decided that this was the right time to leap after working in the Pistons' front office since the 2001-02 season, operating closely with Dumars in the construction of a roster that has delivered seven consecutive 50-win seasons and five straight trips to the Eastern Conference finals, highlighted by Detroit's run to the championship in 2004. Hammond has also been an assistant coach in Detroit and previously worked on the bench and in the front office with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Hammond's first task in Milwaukee, according to sources, will be hiring a veteran coach to help the Bucks make a firm assessment of their talent after a group expected to compete for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference woefully underachieved in Larry Krystkowiak's first full season on the bench. The Bucks awoke Friday with a record of 26-52, placing them a lowly 13th in the East. Sources told ESPN.com last month that Krystkowiak's dismissal at season's end was considered a certainty no matter who succeeded Harris because of owner Herb Kohl's desire for more experience on the bench.

In addition to Walsh and Collins, other candidates Milwaukee considered include Phoenix Suns vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, two veteran GMs in Rick Sund and Billy King, Washington Wizards executive Tommy Sheppard and the two top aides to R.C. Buford in San Antonio: Dennis Lindsey and Dell Demps.

Although the Pistons were reluctant to lose Hammond to a division rival, Dumars still has a strong staff that includes director of basketball operations Tony Ronzone and director of basketball administration Jeff Weltman.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

Wow, I'm surprised he took the job. He's walking into one tough situation, but he's earned the opportunity to get a chance. I suppose he's definitely a better option than Bill Simmons. It will be interesting to see what he does this offseason, I imagine he's going to try and resign Bogut long-term, and I wouldn't be shocked if they try and unload Mo Williams or Michael Redd...

Not to mention, Krystkowiak will almost surely be fired, so he will also need a coach. Larry Brown seems like a fit all of a sudden.

Still, I don't see the Bucks being competitive next year...



Joe Dumars Front Office Management Tree
/ \
John Hammond Steve Perry



Ronzone almost joined Houston's front office this past offseason as well...

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

I will miss hearing him on the 1130 rock financial pistons pre-game show with rob otto or matt dery

[Glenn]

This is a great hire for the Bucks, IMO.

I think he's got a lot of pieces in place already, he'll just Pistonize them and they'll be much improved.

Speaking of that, will he try to pillage the Pistons?

Since Kohl wants an experienced head coach, I suppose you won't see Michael Curry or Lindsey heading there, but what if he throws a bunch of $ at Arnie Kander?

[Tahoe]

I don't know about anyone else but Arnie Kander won't go. Remember GHill offering some good dough to go to Florida and he turned Hill down.

I think I was more pissed at Hill for that move than dissing JoeD.

[MoTown]

And yet Orlando still blames the Pistons organization for ruining Hill.

[Black Dynamite]

And yet Grant still blames the Pistons fans for ruining Hill.

fixed.

[Higherwarrior]

i hate to see him go. especially to a situation like THAT. lol

oh well. anybody else think that lindsey will be groomed to be joe's new right hand man.....? don't know if lindsey has it in him but they keep talking about how he wants to get into a front office position when he retires, not coaching.

hammond was one bright, valuable guy. hopefuly we can find someone to replace him. i'm drawing up my resume ASAP.