MAVS NEWS:

[mvossman]

HoosierDaddy is also a Pistons fan, I believe, so I can understand how he'd be protective/resistant to ideas like this. To be fair, DET does seem to have something good going, so I kind of agree that people might not be looking to jump ship from that organization right now, even for a promotion. There might be better promotions just around the corner if they can keep that project on track a while longer. 

But also, I still do NOT understand this board's fascination with Linsey. He might be great, don't get me wrong, but there is nowhere even close to the amount of evidence supporting that conclusion as what's circulated in this echo chamber on a daily basis. That is maybe the most grasping at straws thing I've ever read in this community, which is really saying something. 

He happened to work here when some good moves were made. Agreed. Not all of them were good, and they tried to make some that I believe would've numbered among the team's worst deals of all-time while he was here, too. The truth is that none of us have the first clue what even his role was here. Like, at all.

I watched this organization bumble and stumble around for many years.  Its been mostly a shitshow.  We had a GM who did very little other than having an eye for generational European talent (Dirk, Luka and should have been Giannis) and an owner who was willing to pay his way out of his many mistakes prior to the championship.  I saw no change in the first two years Nico was here (complete free agency failure, another Nash in Brunson, wasted trade exceptions, devaluing the draft, etc.).  But I noticed an immediate change in methodology when Linsey got here.  It was not about the specific players that were targeted.  It was more about the process.  It started with coming to a reasonable deal with Kyrie (many of us thought Cuban would pay him the max).  Then all of the smart moves during the draft including taking on bad salary for a pick and actually leveraging a trade exception. All the things we had been begging this organization to do for years.  There was also the obvious focus on younger players.  Just about every free agent signing and trade target were in the mid 20s.  It was the only year in my memory where it felt this was a competent organization.  

You are right we don't know how much actual influence Linsey had, but I sensed the change immediately when he got here. I also sensed it immediately when he left.  They had just made the Grimes trade before he left (another move that fit the overall change in method) and literally the day after he left the rumors went from DJJ being top priority to they are going after a 34 year old Klay.

I'm not arguing that Linsey is some kind of miracle worker.  Only that he is competent.  He had a fairly successful stint as GM and seems to have a positive impact wherever he goes. I'm sure there are better options to fill the role, but I have no faith that Dumont will find them (or be willing to pay). Linsey is an easy target because he was here recently, has the right experience, and can be associated with most of the good things that happened here while distanced from the bad. I simply think he is a guy Dumont might be more likely to hire due to the above reasons and I think he would bring a level of stability this organization desperately needs.