Steve Rosenbloom wrote:
Bulls GM to quit? Doesn't sound like the Paxson I know
It’s Friday, and I have all the answers . . .
This doesn’t sound like John Paxson, the person, and the writer in the New York Post says he doesn’t know this for a fact, but the short story cites two sources that claim Paxson will resign as Bulls director of basketball operations after Thursday’s trade deadline. Director of player personnel Gar Forman supposedly would take over. The story, which was confirmed by another Chicago news outlet, rambles on about more Doug Collins talk after the season.
Disillusioned or not about how badly things have turned with his core group of players -- the way they have turned into typical NBA players -- this just doesn’t sound a bit like Paxson. At least, not Paxson the person I know, Not in the middle of the season, even after the trade deadline.
Or maybe especially not after the trade deadline because it would create horrible suspicions about Paxson and his intentions and how much he really had the franchise’s best interest as his interest.
I can see Paxson’s telling Chairman Reinsdorf he isn’t able to do the job. But not when it might cause major harm to the franchise he has always loved and treated him well, and believe me, Paxson’s pulling a disappearing act the day after the trade deadline would prompt ugly accusations.
Say Paxson trades for Amare Stoudemire, then quits. You’d have to wonder why, and then you’d wonder if he did enough background checking on Stoudemire or did he just stick his suddenly former employer with an overrated player?
Or say Paxson doesn’t make a deal, and then quits. Hoo boy, would that prompt screaming. He didn’t try to make the team better, who knows which players he let go to other teams, and jeez, Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden would still be here.
I’ve called for Paxson to be fired. Same goes for Vinny Del Negro. I don’t feel I’ve seen enough to change my mind, but the Chairman isn’t listening, so it doesn’t matter. But it’s a different deal when a guy gets fired compared to when he up and quits.
A guy gets fired, he’s failed. Period. That’s the verdict from the boss.
But when a guy quits --- and if he quits right after a franchise-changing day --- omigawd, every possible agenda and motive, evil and otherwise, are in play.
If Paxson indeed intends to quit, he needs to be removed today. Right now. Immediately. Better for the Bulls t make no player moves than to allow a short-timer to add to his list of bad player moves.
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