Questions and answers with Sam Presti
Yes, that’s right. Sam Presti was gracious enough to give me a few minutes to ask him a bunch of questions ranging from free agency, next year’s expectations, what he does in his free time and whether he’s decided on OU or OSU. It’s all really great. At least his part of it is. (You can also listen to the interview in full if you so please. Also, I realize I said Earl Watson instead of Chucky Atkins in the first question, so no need to point that out. I was a little nervous, all right?)
Talk a little about bringing in Etan Thomas and trading away Damien Wilkins and Earl Watson Chucky Atkins.
We’re really excited to have Etan. He’s a guy we feel than can contribute to what we’re trying to do as a basketball team. He brings a defensive mentality and physical nature to our and adds more depth to our frontline.
One thing I’ve noticed is that it seems the Thunder has all high-character guys. Is that something high on your priority list? Will you sacrifice a really good player if he has character issues?
We’re looking for guys that we think are going to fit with our team. It’s not necessarily for us to be judge and jury on other people, but we are looking for people that are going to contribute to the kind of environment on and off the floor that we strive to have. And we feel good about the type of guys that we have on our roster in terms of their fit together – on the court, also their fit off the court and their commitment to the organization. We’re looking for guys that feel we can be successful in our system.
Does it factor in at all being in Oklahoma, a conservative state? Does that mean anything in looking for players or trying to find players the fanbase can relate to?
You know, one of the things I said when I first arrived in Oklahoma City about a year ago was that we felt like we as an organization had arrived in a wonderful place because the values that we’re trying to build our team and our franchise with are consistent with the values you find in this state. Resiliency, work ethic, team and commitment to one another. Those are things that we as a basketball are focused on a daily basis and I also feel that those things are in the fabric of the community that we all live in.
You talk a lot about the process and the plan and you refer to the organization as a “program.” Is there any specific reason for that?
I wish I could tell you that there’s a real deep, philosophical, scientific reason as to why we refer to it like that. But I think certainly what we’re trying to do is build a team and an organization that’s sustainable and not necessarily just looking at our work from a year-to-year basis. Certainly we want to be successful every night we take the floor and that’s the goal of our basketball team. But I also have a job to be looking not only at today, but also two, three, four, fives years down the line and balancing those things are important and developing a vision for the team and a direction. I think that kind of rolls into the concept of having a program and having a way of which we’re going to try and see this thing through.
Is there any time whether it be this year or next where you have stop and say, “This isn’t working”?
You’re always evaluating a team and your process. We’ll always be doing that. I feel like we should continue to take steps forward. We like the group that we have and think that is has the potential to continue to grow. Most importantly it has the potential to grow together. We’ve invested in a group of players that are like-minded in terms of their commitment to improving and developing, commitment to being consistent in Oklahoma City, committed to one another. We like that direction. But we have to stay focused on improving those things and staying committed to those things everyday and not necessarily worrying about where the outcome is before we can keep our focus on the daily improvement and the process of getting better.
Kevin Durant recently said the playoffs are a possibility. How are you managing all the building hype and expectation for this team?
Every team wants to make the playoffs. That’s not different. For us, we’ve always said internally, we’re going to focus on the things we think are important for us to be successful. Continuing to play winning basketball, team basketball. Staying committed to playing both ends of the floor. And bringing great commitment and energy to the floor every day, for each other and for our fans. If we can continue to focus on those things we think that good things will happen. In terms of expectations and things of that nature, those are things we can’t control. It’s flattering that people would say those things and feel that way about our team. I wouldn’t place any limitations about our players but at the same time we have a lot of work to do. And we have a lot of areas that we need to improve. The only way that we’ll ultimately be successful is if we maintain our focus in those areas and not let ourselves be distracted or brought off balance by focusing on things that are external.
You got such a reputation around the league for being a genius and whatnot. Do you read that or notice that type of stuff?
You know it’s certainly humbling when people have nice things to say about you but by the same token we have jobs to do here. We can’t allow ourselves to start looking at things like that. I think to me, I think when somebody has something positive to say about the organization I think it’s really a credit to so many different people that work here. We have a great ownership group that is really supportive. We’ve got a great coaching staff. I have a great group of people that I work with every day that I truly enjoy being around. I really look at it as a group of people that understand that we have a lot of work ahead of us but are committed to the organization and we’re just going to do our jobs every day. We hope that we’re able to put a product on the floor that the fans and the people of Oklahoma City can get behind and relate to and continue to support for many, many years.
I know a couple franchises like in Houston with Daryl Morey have embraced advanced statistics? Do you employ anyone that keeps up with those type of specific stats?
I think if you look in the league now, I think the majority of teams are certainly retaining people that specialize in that area. I think some teams probably use them more than others. But I think everybody now is starting to look to any area to gain an advantage, just given the limitations of the salary cap and the other things that come into play when you’re trying to put a roster together. I think everybody is looking for ways that they can improve their team. You mentioned Daryl Morey in Houston and I think those guys are obviously far ahead of the rest of the league in that area and continue to do great work. And we as a basketball team, we like information. We value different kinds of information. I don’t think just based on one objective piece of information or subjective information. We’re going to try and figure out a balance and apply the information that we think is most impactful for a positive outcome. We’ve looked at those areas, but still we’re trying to balance everything.
The cap dropped this year and is set to drop even more next year. What are your thoughts on that and how does that affect a small market club like OKC?
I think every team certainly is affected when the cap or the tax go down. Every team is trying to manage their payroll in an effective way so they retain some level of mobility and flexibility. For us specifically, we’ve worked very hard to try and create flexibility for ourselves. Now that’s not an easy road in today’s NBA, but those are the realities of being in a league that has a salary cap. We’re in a position where we feel like we have some flexibility to add and grow the basketball team, in addition to the internal and organic development of our players. But we’re also going to be very diligent as we evaluate how we want to use that flexibility and not just look at it and feel that we have to engage in a spending spree right now.
I saw on your Wikipedia page you once took six charges in one game. Is that true?
Yes. I think my college coach would tell you that he didn’t want me to do much else. And that particular night I happened to be in the right place a few different times. I knew my limitations as a player, as a Division III player and tried to find the best way that I could to help the team. A lot of times that meant not trying to do too much.
You don’t strike me as a Twitter kind of guy. Would you ever consider using it?
Not really. To tell you that I know a whole lot about it wouldn’t be accurate. I know that it’s kind of caught fire, but it’s just not something that I’d be interested, at least right now.
Do you have any final words for Daily Thunder readers and Thunder fans in general?
Absolutely. Our experience in Oklahoma has been incredibly overwhelming. Just given the support the passion from our fans, has been just tremendous. Our players and our staff are grateful that we get to represent the city and represent the state, both home and on the road. We’re excited about the upcoming year and we feel that we’ve taken some positive steps this summer. I think having Scott Brooks leading our team on the floor is going to help us a great deal. He’s someone that really coaches towards our values and his identity as a player. I think our fans will be excited to see the improvements that we’ve made. We’re just thrilled to have the opportunity to grow our team and our organization in a place like Oklahoma City. They’ve made us feel so welcome and you really just have to be here for a short amount of time to understand that this is a special place and a special community.
Again, so much thanks to Sam Presti for talking to me and let me tell you people, he’s awesome. Such a gracious, nice person. Which kind of sucks because the team could win four games over the next five years and I might not be able to bring myself to say anything bad about him. Not that they will or anything because as always, I Believe In Sam Presti.
How did you work that interview out? Nice job!
Nice interview. Thanks to both you and Sam.
Let me just say, that I was blown away with Sam’s appreciativeness towards Thunder fans (and even me) at the end of the interview. He was so grateful for our dedication and thanked me and the fans multiple times.
How many propaganda outlets does the Thunder need? Honest question.
I see you cut off the very end!
@Mrs. Daily Thunder
Yes, I did. Nobody needed to hear us giggling like idiots after we hung up the phone.
Does this mean I’m two degrees removed some Sam Presti now? Well, that’s what I’m telling people! This feels like a huge step forward for Daily Thunder. Congratulations and thank you.
@Jim
Need there be a limit to free speech?
Especially when it sounds like he has walking pneumonia…
Was he sick?
@Wilson
I don’t think so. He just cleared his throat a whole lot.
Royce, I imagine you were a bit like a kid at Christmas. I couldn’t think of a better way to start a podcast series.
I also grinned when you plugged DMB. I didn’t see it coming, but when it happened, I knew I should have.
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
Ha, in all honesty, that was the main reason I wanted to ask the drummer question. Carter Beauford is and will always be the greatest drummer in the world to me and I was hoping he’d say he liked him.
I figured this day was coming and it went about as I expected.
I don’t object to anything Sam said but still find it pretty empty of any “news” value except for signaling that Etan is going to play.
I liked this question by Royce
“Is there any time whether it be this year or next where you have stop and say, “This isn’t working”?”
Sam wouldn’t answer it.
I will.
Somewhere between Jan. 2010 and Jan. 2011.
When Sam was first launching in public as the Spurs whizkid years ago he did one or a few web posts on the Spurs site that recited basics about efficiency and 4 factors and such. Nothing beyond the basics though. As a Sonics fan, who paid attention to the Spurs and basketball analytics, I e-mailed him, probably asking for more. Never heard back.
Sam is an amateur musician and a professional basketball manager. This is meant as a question rather than a definitive conclusion but reading Sam words I’ll grant that he knows the words of running a basketball program but does he know the music?
@Jim
The key factor behind propaganda is that it is spread in a form that is masked as unbiased, honest information or through professional reporting.
DailyThunder is a FAN site.
Surely I don’t need to say anymore.
Let me know when we hire @Crow as an EVP or coach.
That guy is never happy with anything!
“The music” is about intelligent and artistic construction
and underlying how you manage it is really a control of “the math”- what instruments making what sound patterns at a particular volume and a particular interplay pattern.
I am fairly happy about most things, but I am pretty demanding when it comes to analyzing basketball- because you have to be to win and beat everyone else. Give me the shot Presti has I think I could do as well or better. Not a rare thought. But I feel that way, so far based on what I see. I might be wrong on Presti. Time will tell. I have given several NBA teams the chance to hire me. They sniffed and passed. Whether they were right or wrong is a guess or opinion. I think they missed a useful piece of a team but they get to decide.
Congrats Royce
@Crow
Wow…
That’s the funniest stuff I’ve read…
I put you as level headed and realistic. I hope that was a sense of humor trying to shine through…
@Crow
I think Sam answered the question in the same terms that were used to ask it: meaning very generally.
If the question were more poignant, more precisely defining what “this” is in the “This isn’t working” statement, I think you would have seen a more precise answer.
But Presti basically said that you are always evaluating your team. Which to me means that Presti has a goal in mind, and expectations of how this team will meet that goal, and he is evaluating how those expectations are being met week by week.
So if the question was “Is there any time whether it be this year or next where you have stop and say, “Coach Brooks isn’t working”?”, I would say that Presti could answer that in definite terms. Not that he would give us those definite terms, seeing as how he is very political with his interviews, but nonetheless, he would have those terms regardless.
But if you take the question as an overall question of “Is there any time whether it be this year or next where you have stop and say, “Our whole basketball philosophy in general isn’t working”?”, then you probably won’t get any kind of an answer, simply because it’s hard to evaluate what that means. If we win 26 games next year, then something isn’t working. But I’m sure there would be dozens of reasons for that, with “poor basketball philosophy” being way down the list. You see it all the time in blogs and articles all over the country; i.e. we’re still rebuilding, or our players are hurt, or we have bad chemistry, or our coaching staff needs to be replaced, or we’re missing a piece, etc…
I am level headed and realistic and dead serious about what I said.
@Crow
Haha…You’re killing me…
Jax you are right Presti’s answer talks about evaluation and I sure he will and probably on roughly the time frame I mentioned. But I mentioned the specific time period. To answer Royce’s question.
You get them good!
I couldn’t get the audio to play?
Nice scoop Royce. I was hoping you would ask him why we have so many pick and pop guys and no back to the basket guys, and why he’s traded for 3 swingmen, but in hindsight, the general stuff rather than roster specifics are probably better for this format. Presti is really good at using a lot of words without ever really getting specific. I think that’s just the way he communicates. Still, it was very nice for him to come on board and give Daily Thunder a little love.
got*
Whatever that means…
If Thunder finish in 12th place next season will folks say “Woohoo!! Moved up a spot” or are more folks going to say “Is that it?”
If they finish 11th will be any different?
Make your own choice: i could see either side.
Finish 10th or higher, good job. Or better.
13-15th??? ….
And yeah next season still doesn’t really matter so project this onto 2010-11 which does matter.
Jerry West has been described as a grinder. Constantly reviewing everything that went wrong or could go wrong or could go better. Put me in that camp- on style.
You’re just trying to one up our interview with the Governor. Nice job!
Alternate listening link. Also download link in case anyone wants to listen to it on their iPod or something.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/63581019566d75bc/
If by January 2011 the Thunder are not either 1) near .500, 2) near last playoff spot contention or 3) near or fully in “contention” will people give Sam and the program more time still or will they say “This isn’t working” as thought or hoped? If they aren’t to at least the first standard by then I’d think a good number of people will at least think it, if they don’t say it loudly. Maybe the 3rd standard is too tough but that is what Presti says he is aiming to build so eventually that standard is fair to raise- it is just a question of when. if not 2011, then 2012, 13 or when? The middle standard seems fair to me for 2011. I think most expect that. Including Sam, the players and the owners.
Recognizing “This isn’t working” by January 2011 at the latest gives you a chance to get to work to fix it in February or that next summer at the latest. To make year 4 what you need it to be to sign Durant summer 2011 or at least make year 5 what you need it to be to sign him in summer 2012. If the whole point of the plan was a long-term Durant led team.
Maybe it will work well enough that you don’t face a “This isn’t working”.
Or folks will interpret it in a way that they don’t face that moment or change dramatically. Still have to get to the goal.
@Jay
Thanks a lot for that.
Anyone else having trouble with the audio? Let me know and I can get a new link up.
Congrats to Royce for the interview and props to Sam for giving it.
I’m using Jay’s ’cause I couldn’t get the official link to work for me.
I couldn’t help but laugh thinking about presti in common life situations with this “being the way he communicates…”
And Sam, do you take this woman to be your wife?
Sam – “Well I think looking at the direction I’m going with my life I think this will be very beneficial moving forward. I’m very excited about the potential of this and think that it will pay off in the future”
=Wife/mother in law very mad
Did you hear? Sam had a baby…Sam was it a boy or a girl, and what did you name it??
Sam-”Well I just think we need to focus on the fact that we are bringing in another very valuable asset to the Presti family. Obviously we are all very excited about this and we have done our research and think that this person will be great moving forward. They really add something that we didn’t have before, but obviously we need to watch them perform a little bit to see how they completely mesh with the Presti family, but obviously we are very excited and think it was a great addition.
Baby grown up: Daddy, where do babies come from?
Sam-”Well you see there is a lot of time and research required to fully understand this option. A man and a woman should do their homework, very thoroughly and not just simply to decide. They need to know when, where, why, how, and make sure that the decision will only be beneficial and they have properly weighed the outcomes. What sacrifices and gains will they be adding? Have they checked their salary cap to make sure they will be able to afford another member to the team? Have you ensured that you bond with the other half of the management team? When you hire that management you have them for life, and when you get this additional member, you have them for life, thus recquiring all the extra time, research and effort to check all angles.”
=Kid walks away to ask mom where babies come from…
@Kyle
It’s funny because I went back and counted how many times he said “committed” or some form of it. It was a lot.
@Patrick
Until there’s a Daily Thunder Day, you guys still own the Oklahoma blog world.
The Brooks hire will probably have to pass the “working” test by April 2010. You rarely move up instantly with a mid-season hire unless you get a special opportunity.
Presti: “but I also have a job to be looking not only at today, but also two, three, four, fives years down the line…
Add 2 years that are already in the books and that makes a fair loose timeline that stretches to year 7. I assume the year 7 goal is real contention, at the latest. Year 7 might be realistic. Using my preferred dating the Blazers enter year 6 will they truly be contenders or still a step away? Will be interesting to watch.
Presti” “We’re really excited to have Etan. He’s a guy we feel than can contribute to what we’re trying to do as a basketball team. He brings a defensive mentality and physical nature to our and adds more depth to our frontline.”
I am willing to wait n see but I am not excited. Not knowing Thomas was near or at career lows on 9 important measures last season and has never shown much defensive impact on team +/-. He was an above average 1 on 1 defenders thru spring 2006 but that was awhile ago and several health issues ago.
Well that’s bold.
@Crow
Did you expect Presti to say “We’re not excited to have Etan at all” or “I can’t wait to trade him before the deadline for more picks” ?????
Maybe. But it is honest and said only after being dissed or dismissed by Dooney.
Sam values flexibility. Flexibility is valuable if you need it or admit the possibility of needing it. So he is either level-headed and realistic about the need for adjustment… or just using the politically wise buzzwords. If the plan was brilliant or perfect you wouldn’t need much flexibility.
No Nix I don’t expect him to say that after foregoing possible flexibility to get Thomas. But I didn’t pick him and wouldn’t have. Unless he serves a useful purpose in a forthcoming trade and I don’t know the inside GM trade market well enough to judge that well.
Minny trade for Thomas was a dump of their guys, not seeking Thomas. They certainly dumped him next. It is more likely the next trade for Thomas will be a dump something trade rather than an actively want him trade. Washington tried to trade Thomas for years without getting what they wanted. They did well but that was sorta more being in right place, right time than about Thomas, in my opinion. Which type trade Presti did remains to be seen.
Who could you get for Thomas? I’ll check on that later. There are so many possibilities but if comes down to unique, personal GM thinking more than just stock rational assessment given their situation.
@Crow
I guess it is just an observation of mine that over the past 11 months, there has been one constant naysayer on the board and it seems to always be you. This is a public board and it is your opinion to say those things as much as it is mine to say these, but I laugh at your discontent over everything Thunder. Hope to see you on the team bench someday, hopefully year 7.
@Crow
What were you hoping to get with Wilkins & Atkins?
Presti consolidated those two players contracts into one contract.
Wilkins & Atkins would have seen 0 time for our team. Thomas will get some playing time. On top of that he’ll be an expiring contract for teams who are going to need even more cap space then they originally expected for next season.
I’m just confused about what you wanted for Wilkins & Atkins. What would you, the one who could do as well or better then Presti, be able to get for those two guys? Or what would you even try to get?
If you read carefully you’ll see positive comments here and there and the critique is meant largely in the framework of what is needed to improve.
Laugh as you wish.
I won’t be on the Thunder bench but I be watching where they are with his plan in year 3,4, 5, 6 and 7.
Mainly because I like basketball and thinking about basketball.