04-23-2008, 08:00 AM
|
#1 (permalink)
|
|
Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 5,786
|
Hammond builds his team
Quote:
New Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond already has proved he can work quickly.
He hired Scott Skiles as the Bucks' coach on Monday, giving him authority with a four-year, fully guaranteed $18 million contract. The move came only three days after Hammond fired coach Larry Krystkowiak, who had led the Bucks for 100 games.
Earlier, Hammond appointed 43-year-old Jeff Weltman as the Bucks' assistant general manager and announced that Dave Babcock would be retained as director of player personnel.
Hammond is putting a team in place to rebuild the Bucks, with an emphasis on "team."
"It's important to send a message to our fans and to people around the league that we mean business," said Weltman, who attended the news conference Monday as Skiles was introduced as the team's coach.
"I've worked with John. The city of Milwaukee is going to find out that John is about as shrewd as they come in this business."
Weltman first worked with Hammond in the early 1990s in Los Angeles and again in the 2000-'01 season, when Hammond was an assistant coach with the Clippers and Weltman was in the front office. They reunited in Detroit during the past season, where Weltman was director of basketball administration and Hammond served as vice president of basketball operations.
"I've known Jeff for many years," Hammond said. "Jeff's strengths are my weaknesses. You always want to surround yourself with people who can make you better. He's a very bright person, a very creative mind, excellent at trade analysis, has a good handle on the salary cap.
"He's been evaluating talent for almost 20 years. He's done everything you can do in the front office."
|
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=742606
|
|
|
Hammond builds his team
Linear Mode
