Schlenk's Press Conference This Morning

[sturt]

29 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Yeah, what I took from it w.r.t. Sap .. he gone.

Very non-committal answers.  Lots of talk about the importance of maintaining flexibility, developing young players and being able to attain a superstar via trade.

None of that smells like locking an aging guy in to a long-term deal.

I think he handled it well though.  Called Sap 'perhaps the best player on the team' and acknowledged his leave/return decision was an important part of the discussion on team direction.

I wish Budz would've been there though.

I think it was too non-committal to even make a solid guess--for reasons you just outlined. Yes, he spoke of all those things being important, but yes, he also talked about Sap in those terms and highlighted that he's a 4-time All-Star. If anything, to be honest, I'd already presupposed Sap would be gone, but if anything, I'm 1% less certain of it than before.

And here's a thought that maybe someone already posted (and if so, sorry to repeat)... if they really wanted Bud to be at the presser, wouldn't they have scheduled it at a time when Bud had no other obligations and could be at the presser? Who's kidding whom?

Clearly, they just didn't want Bud to have to answer any questions... which now seems to explain why they "had" to wait until this morning... a week after the decision being announced... to have the presser, right?

Something about that apparent avoidance doesn't sit right.

 

[Guest]

@sturt, it's like you reached into my brain and fished those thoughts out.  I didn't want to be the one to stretch to get to that conclusion.  But you're clearly a former gymnast so you could get it done.

I'm also of the opinion that the timing could've been moved so Budz could be there but, it wasn't.  Why it wasn't, is anyone's guess.

If I read your nonsensical ramblings correctly, you're suggesting it's so Budz wouldn't have to walk in the locker room and answer some uncomfortable questions from players or so he wouldn't have to answer (today) to some statements he's made regarding players' futures.

On the other side of that though, Ressler's been pretty strong in terms of pro-keep w.r.t. Sap so it's not like the questions weren't there to be asked.  Media candy-arses just chose not to go there.

[macdaddy]

20 minutes ago, sturt said:

I think it was too non-committal to even make a solid guess--for reasons you just outlined. Yes, he spoke of all those things being important, but yes, he also talked about Sap in those terms and highlighted that he's a 4-time All-Star. If anything, to be honest, I'd already presupposed Sap would be gone, but if anything, I'm 1% less certain of it than before.

And here's a thought that maybe someone already posted (and if so, sorry to repeat)... if they really wanted Bud to be at the presser, wouldn't they have scheduled it at a time when Bud had no other obligations and could be at the presser? Who's kidding whom?

Clearly, they just didn't want Bud to have to answer any questions... which now seems to explain why they "had" to wait until this morning... a week after the decision being announced... to have the presser, right?

Something about that apparent avoidance doesn't sit right.

 

Yes.  That's troubling.  

[sturt]

Put it this way, @kg01...

I heard a lot of things that made me feel good about the potential for Bud and the Colonel to work well together. I'd even say "really good."

And then.

When I read your post and the synapses finally connected and I realized "waaaaaaaaait just a doggone minnnnnnnute!!!"

I realized how much more good I would have felt than merely "really good" if Schlenk had said those things with Bud sitting right there beside him... and it came to me that if you're Ressler, you'd seemingly have made sure that that optic was ready-made to occur when you decided when to schedule the damn press conference.

Suddenly, I was led to believe Ressler foresaw a bigger risk/downside in the imagery of the former Pres of B-Ops sitting beside his new boss and/or the potential for the former Pres of B-Ops to be asked awkward questions.

And I'm disappointed now.

The message could have been a loud "all for one and one for all" thing if that was the complete God-honest vibe going on behind the scenes, and if fear kept them from that, then the natural conclusion is that it's not the complete God-honest vibe going on behind the scenes.

 

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, kg01 said:

@sturt, it's like you reached into my brain and fished those thoughts out

There are thoughts in there?

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, kg01 said:

This is insensitive.  I identify as white on the phone with your gf.

ETA: Oh crap, does this mean I'm catfishin' your gf?  lol

I love that show...actually I don't love it but if you are on the channel and it's one minute into the show ur fuckd...ur stuck watching it lol

[Guest]

Just now, Spud2Nique said:

There are thoughts in there?

Yep, and memories of your gf bucked nakid.  Ha!

On topic, @sturt, the positive take-away for me was the guy seemed ultra-sincere when he spoke of his respect for Budz.  I don't fear that they aren't on the same page.

I do think the absence was purposeful in order to avoid those already awkward questions regarding him basically demoting Budz by his mere presence.  I get that, I guess.

Just now, Spud2Nique said:

I love that show...actually I don't love it but if you are on the channel and it's one minute into the show ur fuckd...ur stuck watching it lol

I saw the movie, never watched the show.  It was on MtV so I figured I was too high-brow to watch it.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, kg01 said:

I saw the movie

There's a movie? Lol.

[sturt]

Yeah, @kg01... this is a Ressler thing, not a Schlenk thing... Ressler had control over it all.

Not saying that Bud didn't, himself, say "this should be the new GM's moment, so I'd like you to think about how to finagle it so there's an excuse for me not to be there... and by the way, I have a graduation I'm attending Friday."

Not saying he did, either.

Ultimately, all we can really deduce with any certainty is that if Ressler wanted Bud to be there, Bud would have been there. And for some reason, he must not have wanted Bud to be there.

[Bankingitbig]

Well that's a plus! Though doesn't exactly scream to me that Schlenk has complete control of the roster.

Edited June 2, 2017 by Bankingitbig

[macdaddy]

2 minutes ago, Bankingitbig said:

Well that's a plus!

Geez isn't that just another knock on bud since he was making basketball decisions the last few months?   Plus that definitely reads 'this is my way to not re sign sap and not look like a jerk for saying it was my #1 priority'

I wonder what the chances are the Bud is thinking about resigning?  

[JTB]

Sorry but I think you all are reaching on bud not being there. I believe bud still has a big voice for sure and it's not something ressler or Schlenk is trying to take away but perhaps if you all are right about bud not being there to avoid awkward questions I think it has more to do with them needing to communicate more before addressing the press.

nothing wrong with that...bud is very close to his players and sometimes his emotions take over however he's a very smart coach that can see other point views being beneficial for the franchise. Until they get to sit down and talk things through more to get on the same page in terms of players to go after and players to keep , I don't expect to see them addressing the media at the same time.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Geez isn't that just another knock on bud since he was making basketball decisions the last few months?   Plus that definitely reads 'this is my way to not re sign sap and not look like a jerk for saying it was my #1 priority'

I wonder what the chances are the Bud is thinking about resigning?  

Nah, I think you're reaching on the Budz resigning stuff.

I do agree though that Ressler's trying to cop out of all his 'Sap's the #1 priority' speech.

[Bankingitbig]

2 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Geez isn't that just another knock on bud since he was making basketball decisions the last few months?   Plus that definitely reads 'this is my way to not re sign sap and not look like a jerk for saying it was my #1 priority'

I wonder what the chances are the Bud is thinking about resigning?  

How do you feel if you're Wilcox? Seemed to me that Wilcox has been in favor of rebuilding/retooling the roster for awhile and wasn't able to because of Bud (and possibly Ressler). But let's be real - no one was ever truly a fan of his (poor guy)...

[Guest]

Schlenk wll be on 92.9 The Game radio in a few minutes.

 

http://player.radio.com/listen/station/929-the-game

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Geez isn't that just another knock on bud since he was making basketball decisions the last few months?   Plus that definitely reads 'this is my way to not re sign sap and not look like a jerk for saying it was my #1 priority'

I wonder what the chances are the Bud is thinking about resigning?  

Ressler wasn't making basketball decisions previoulsy.  Remember he said Bud nor Wilcox brought the potential to trade/not trade Millsap to his desk.

Bud was scouting Euro League and hanging with Dennis - don't see a reason to resign particularly since there are currently no job openings.

[JTB]

9 minutes ago, Bankingitbig said:

Well that's a plus! Though doesn't exactly scream to me that Schlenk has complete control of the roster.

I don't think he deserves complete control over the whole roster. In fact he said himself that the Warriors were built by a committee (ownership and front office)...he stated that he's going to get everyone's opinion and not just go off his own.

Everyone will be involved just like the warriors and Spurs. Ressler, Schlenk, Bud, Wilcox, Sund..etc will all have a part in building this team up.

[sturt]

@macdaddy it's a legitimate question.

My own conjecture has been that Bud and Wilcox got together after hearing all the player exit interviews, and both almost certainly concluded/admitted that zero of the four major decisions they'd made in the last 12 months worked out particularly well (Dwight, Baze, Horford, and then the deadline decision on Sap)... and that something big had to change in the decision-making apparatus in order to not go down the tubes.

So, my presumption has been that Bud already read it that way on his own. And I respect him for that, assuming that's accurate. Most people have too much pride, even in the face of what seems obvious to most, to step back and let go of some power/control.

And so then, I don't think he'd be thinking about resigning because I don't think he's that kind of inflated ego that's driven by insecurities like that.

But I do think--assuming we set aside the idea that Bud requested of his own accord that the presser be planned in a way so that there was an easy excuse so he wouldn't appear beside Schlenk today--that Bud has to recognize that the optics convey Ressler has a higher... and that's different from saying "equal"... allegiance for his new GM over his old and current coach.

[sturt]

12 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Schlenk wll be on 92.9 The Game radio in a few minutes.

 

http://player.radio.com/listen/station/929-the-game

Couldn't get that link to work before the presser, whether on my laptop or my Kindle... still can't... don't know why.

[macdaddy]

8 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Ressler wasn't making basketball decisions previoulsy.  Remember he said Bud nor Wilcox brought the potential to trade/not trade Millsap to his desk.

Bud was scouting Euro League and hanging with Dennis - don't see a reason to resign particularly since there are currently no job openings.

I don't know.  Just month ago he made a big point of saying that he made the final decision on all the deals.   To me that's making basketball decisions.   

But the owner also dismissed any suggestion that Budenholzer is the final decision-maker.

“I make the final decision,” he said.

“If you think Bud makes a final decision on everything that we do, you don’t understand the way the Atlanta Hawks are run. … The president of basketball operations is what I say it is, not what you say it is. (Budenholzer) has the loudest voice, not the final word. There’s a dramatic difference.”