Ranking Every NBA GM: From Jackass To Genius

http://www.complex.com/sports/2014/03/ranking-every-current-nba-gm-jackass-genius/


bob


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Interesting list and rationale for ranking. No argument with Buford as the top GM.

Reasonable list.

I think you really have to be impressed with what Indiana, OKC, and Houston, (to name a few) have done. OKC moved cities and is now an NBA power thanks to smart drafting and finding the right coach. Indiana now has groomed arguably the best center, one of the best wing players, and overall a very good roster of players that fit well and they have a very good coach. Same can be said of Houston.

Ainge is probably the biggest gambler of the top GMs and it's been met with mixed results (mostly positive considering the title and string of contending teams). I suspect that his planning is more based on a period of several years, as opposed to building a contender in one swing. The rebuilding began during the Big Three era, and now the assets are becoming more and more lucid.

There's only a few pieces left that he needs.



KJ

30. Joe Dumars

Current and former teams as General Manager: Detroit Pistons
Experience: 14 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 8

Poor Joe Dumars. After winning the NBA title in 2004, and returning to the Finals again the following season, things had to be feeling pretty good for Joe and his beloved Pistons. However, since Larry Brown and Flip Saunders left their head coaching positions with the team, Joe's decision-making abilities have come farther and farther into question. He has yet to make a good coaching hire since Saunders, and the signings of Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon are now the stuff of legends. As his debut  season with Detroit has worn on, it's been looking more and more like Josh Smith will join them in their infamy. Oh, and Darko? Don't even get me started.

Drafting Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond were solid moves for Dumars and, on paper, the Pistons looked like a playoff team at the beginning of the season. However, with another losing season coming fast into the books, it's clear that a change needs to be made. Dumars' fate is essentially sealed this offseason, and it looks like he'll need to pack his bags, and find a new office.

29. David Griffin

Current and former teams as General Manager: Cleveland Cavaliers
Experience: Rookie
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

When he took over for Chris Grant as the GM of the Cavs in February, David Griffin's job was to stop the bleeding. In fairness, no one could've handled that task so far into the regular season, so you have to give Griffin some props for stepping in and doing the job.

Making the deal with Philadelphia to land center Spencer Hawes has proven useful to Cleveland, as Kyrie Irving finally has someone who can space the floor and open up the offense. However, it's safe to say that Griffin's job isn't even close to done yet, and whether he stays on as GM over the offseason remains to be seen. The Cavaliers may want to consider a hire with more experience.

28. John Hammond

Current and former teams as General Manager: Milwaukee Bucks
Experience: 6 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 2

The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the most uninspiring teams of the past decade, as they've either been unceremoniously swept out of the playoffs, or simply tanked at the bottom of the barrel. Since arriving from Detroit six years ago, John Hammond has done next to nothing to change that identity.

Whether that will change in the future is subject to debate. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo looks promising, and John Henson could develop into a solid post presence. On top of that, Hammond's decision to trade for Brandon Knight is looking defensible, though Knight continues to resemble a shoot-first PG. Will Hammond be able to land a key player in this year's draft to change the fortunes of the club? For the sake of his job, he should hope so.

27. Steve Mills

Current and former teams as General Manager: New York Knicks
Experience: Rookie
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

In just his first season on the job, Knicks GM Steve Mills has already had the rug taken out from underneath his feet. With the team having agreed to terms with Phil Jackson, it appears that Mills will either be out of a job, or play a severely reduced role with the team. Either way, it's probably for the better.

Mills' decision to keep Chris Smith on the roster at the beginning of the season has been widely panned by the media, along with a number of other bogus moves. Right now, Mills is just another symptom of an ailing team. It's possible that booting him could alleviate some of the Knicks' woes.

26. Pete D'Alessandro

Current and former teams as General Manager: Sacramento Kings
Experience: Rookie
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

As GM for the Sacramento Kings, you have to wonder if Pete D'Alessandro drew the short straw or something. However, despite the damaged state of the franchise, D'Alessandro hasn't taken the position lying down, orchestrating a number of key deals in efforts to turn things around.

Since taking over, D'Alessandro has brought in Rudy Gay, drafted Ben McLemore, and cut ties with Jimmer Fredette in order to revitalize the team. Unfortunately, the Kings still have yet to see much improvement from any of these moves. Granted, it's early, and Sacramento fans should be patient with D'Alessandro, but he certainly has his work cut out for him in order to right this ship.

25. Gary Sacks

Current and former teams as General Manager: Los Angeles Clippers
Experience: 2 year
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 1

When Doc Rivers stepped in to take over as the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, Gary Sacks' role as the GM for the team became much shadier. For now, it appears that Rivers has the final say on all personnel decisions, and that Sacks is merely a supplementary presence to the head coach.

The demotion has to be disappointing for Sacks, as well as the trade he concocted for Eric Bledsoe over the offseason. The Clippers received Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick in return, but have yet to see either player pan out in the way they'd hoped. Now, whether it's Sacks or Rivers making the decisions, it's clear that someone needs to be making smarter ones in order for the Clips to get to the next step. The team is still in need a back-up big man to spell DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin.

24. Tim Connelly

Current and former teams as General Manager: Denver Nuggets
Experience: Rookie
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

Tim Connelly places low on this list because of the steep drop-off the Nuggets have taken this season. Newly hired head coach Brian Shaw hasn't been working out the way his supporters had hoped, the loss of Andre Iguodala continues to burn the team, and it's concerning that the team no longer has Masai Ujiri to lead them.

Connelly undoubtedly had big shoes to fill when Ujiri left, and it isn't fair to say that he would be able to step in a take over for last season's Executive of the Year without any hiccups. However, it wasn't supposed to be a rebuilding year for Denver. Much of the talent that took them to the playoffs last year is still around. Connelly will have a lot of work to do this offseason to figure out what went wrong.

23. Dell Demps

Current and former teams as General Manager: New Orleans Pelicans
Experience: 4 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 1

Dell Demps' tenure with the Pelicans hasn't been perfect, and New Orleans is currently on their way to another early offseason, but it also hasn't been a total wash for Demps. Grabbing Anthony Davis is looking better and better with every game, and the acquisition of Jrue Holiday over the offseason could prove beneficial when Holiday is finally healthy.

However, signing Tyreke Evans hasn't paid any dividends for the Pels yet, and it doesn't appear promising. Furthermore, Eric Gordon needs to be traded away for some strong role players to complement Davis. If Demps can pull that move off, he may see his standing among other GMs improve.

22. Ernie Grunfeld

Current and former teams as General Manager: Washington Wizards, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks
Experience: 21 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 4

Ernie Grunfeld has been around the NBA for decades both as a player and an administrator, now serving as GM for the Washington Wizards. After a four year stint with the Bucks in which they made the playoffs twice, Grunfeld moved to Washington to oversee the Wizards. His time has been checkered, but not completely unsuccessful.

Yes, the Wizards have never been a legitimate championship contender, but they at least made the playoffs when Gilbert Arenas was their star, and appear poised to do so this season with John Wall and Bradley Beal now playing the roles of franchise leaders. The most promising thing about Wall and Beal is that they're starting to look like solid, dependable talents who could be signalling a new era for Washington. After years of ineptitude, Grunfeld would certainly be happy to see a change.

21. Donnie Nelson

Current and former teams as General Manager: Dallas Mavericks
Experience: 16 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 12

Though he had long been regarded as one of the best GMs in the league, Donnie Nelson has recently seen a change in his role during a turbulent offseason and regular season for the Mavericks. In July, the Mavs had hired Gersson Rosas from the Houston Rockets to replace Nelson as GM, with Nelson taking a step back and moving to the office of team president. However, after some confusion regarding his role, Rosas moved back to Houston.

On the bright side, the Mavs are in position to make the playoffs after falling out of contention last season, and that resurgence alone is reason enough to celebrate. However, with Dirk Nowitzki in the twlight of his career, Nelson will need to step up and start making some moves soon in order to show everyone that he has a plan for this franchise, and can still reliably lead the team. For a man who was a part of the Mavericks 12-season playoff streak, it doesn't seem like it should be difficult, but only time will tell. Nelson deserves to be higher on this list, but the uncertainty regarding his status with the team makes it difficult to say exactly how much power Nelson has right now.

20. Billy King

Current and former teams as General Manager: Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers
Experience: 13 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 1

Billy King has been heavily criticized over his tenure as a GM in the NBA, having failed to lead the 76ers out of mediocrity in the post-Allen Iverson era, and now having shaped an initially uninspiring Brooklyn Nets squad. However, now that Jason Kidd is starting to find his footing as a coach, and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are starting to rediscover their talents, the Nets are suddenly looking like a dangerous team for these playoffs. Veteran experience can't be underestimated when it comes to the postseason, and King certainly understood that when he made the trade for Garnett and Pierce over the summer. Will his move pay off? Or has he just set the Nets back even further than before?

19. Rich Cho

Current and former teams as General Manager: Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers
Experience: 4 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

After a short-lived stint with the Portland Trail Blazers, it seemed confusing that the Charlotte Bobcats would hire Rich Cho as their GM in 2011, and until this season, little had been accomplished to disprove those concerns. However, the Bobcats are steadily coming on this year, and Cho's decision to sign Al Jefferson over the offseason has to be regarded highly. The only question: will these Bobcats prove to be one-and-dones next season, or will they actually be able to build upon these successes? Cho will play a key role in deciding which course they end up on.

18. Dennis Lindsey

Current and former teams as General Manager: Utah Jazz
Experience: 2 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

The Utah Jazz have been essentially nameless since Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan departed, as a once-proud franchise slowly spun out of control. However, with Dennis Lindsey in charge, the tides seem to be turning. Trey Burke looks to be one of the best players from his draft class, and the continued development of players like Gordon Hayward, Enes Kanter, and Derrick Favors has to be promising to fans.

It'll be interesting to see what Lindsey's decision is on head coach Ty Corbin this offseason, and the choice he makes on whether to keep Corbin around shouldn't be taken likely. Young players like the ones on the Jazz's current roster might be better suited by a veteran coach to lead the way. Lindsey should be sure to consider that option at the end of the season.

17. Sam Hinkie

Current and former teams as General Manager: Philadelphia 76ers
Experience: Rookie
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

Being a rookie GM for one of the worst teams in the NBA can't be easy. You have to stick to your guns, trust in the plan you created, and execute it despite what the fans or the media might be saying. So let's not talk about the Sixers' deplorable record right now, or the fact that they could conceivably go the rest of the season without winning a game.

Let's look at the bright sides here: Michael Carter-Williams is the likely Rookie of the Year and looks like a franchise point guard. Nerlens Noel will be back from his injury next season and is still only 19 years old. Andrew Bynum is gone. Things are starting to look up, right? Year one is never easy when there has been a massive changeover for your team, but Sixers fans have reason to be optimistic that the next couple seasons will be an improvement.

Current and former teams as General Manager: Minnesota Timberwolves
Experience: 11 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 8

Hired over the offseason, this isn't Flip Saunders' first go-around as the GM for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In fact, Saunders was the GM and the head coach for some of the franchise's best years before being let go in 2005. However, since then, the T'Wolves have failed to make a playoff appearance, and have been hindered by poor management (David Kahn) and coaching the whole way through.

With Saunders, Minnesota is hoping that they'll be able to recapture their old magic, but that will largely depend on whether the team can manage to keep Kevin Love and continue to develop Ricky Rubio. How much of a difference Saunders' presence will make remains to be seen.

16. Flip Saunders

Current and former teams as General Manager: Minnesota Timberwolves
Experience: 11 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 8

Hired over the offseason, this isn't Flip Saunders' first go-around as the GM for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In fact, Saunders was the GM and the head coach for some of the franchise's best years before being let go in 2005. However, since then, the T'Wolves have failed to make a playoff appearance, and have been hindered by poor management (David Kahn) and coaching the whole way through.

With Saunders, Minnesota is hoping that they'll be able to recapture their old magic, but that will largely depend on whether the team can manage to keep Kevin Love and continue to develop Ricky Rubio. How much of a difference Saunders' presence will make remains to be seen.

15. Chris Wallace

Current and former teams as General Manager: Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics
Experience: 14 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 3

As the GM for the Boston Celtics, Chris Wallace was widely reviled by the fans and media, and with the Memphis Grizzlies, his reputation was nearly the same until Lionel Hollins, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol were able to lead the team to the playoffs. Until then, Wallace had mostly been known as the guy who traded away Pau Gasol for what looked like a bag of peanuts. However, once the younger Gasol began to develop, and Randolph sorted out his temper issues, the Grizzlies became the tough team they are today. On top of that, give thanks to Wallace for drafting Mike Conley Jr., who has proven to be a dependable presence at the point guard spot for years now.

14. Danny Ferry

Current and former teams as General Manager: Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Experience: 7 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 1

You have to give Danny Ferry credit for building the Cavaliers into the contender that they were with LeBron James, but you also have to hate him when he failed to ever bring in a suitable sidekick for King James. With the Hawks, Ferry has had none of that pressure, as the team is simply trying to stay in the playoffs under new coach Mike Budenholzer. It looks unlikely this season, and that has probably has something to do with Ferry's decision to let Josh Smith sign with the Detroit Pistons, and the team's failure to land Dwight Howard in the offseason.

However, as Smith has shown this season, the Hawks are probably better off without him, and the success that Ferry enjoyed last season with the team can't be discounted because of one bump in the road. So long as they get back on course next season, Ferry should still be regarded as a fine GM in the league.

13. Ryan McDonough

Current and former teams as General Manager: Phoenix Suns
Experience: Rookie
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

The Phoenix Suns are experiencing something of a resurgence this season, and give credit to their new GM for sparking this turnaround. After McDonough traded for Eric Bledsoe, he also brought back big man Channing Frye, traded away Marcin Gortat's contract, drafted Archie Goodwin and Alex Len, and tabbed Jeff Hornacek to lead this revamped squad. The results have been promising. The Suns have fighting for the eighth seed in a crowded Western Conference all season, and while it's too early to say whether they're in or they're out, the most important thing is that they've at least got a chance.

12. Bob Myers

Current and former teams as General Manager: Golden State Warriors
Experience: 2 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 1

As GM for the Golden State Warriors, Bob Myers has helped change the team's luck with his moves to land Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Jarrett Jack, and the contract he gave Steph Curry to lock the star guard up for years to come. With Mark Jackson in charge, the Warriors look more sustainable than ever, and are currently looking like a lock for the NBA playoff picture. Anyone who thought that last year's playoff appearance was a one-and-done deal should think twice.

11. Rob Hennigan

Current and former teams as General Manager: Orlando Magic
Experience: 2 year
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

As one of the youngest GMs in the league, Rob Hennigan has had to hustle in order to prove his talents, and he has yet to disappoint. Sure, the Magic are still in the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but it's hard to argue that this team isn't headed in the right direction. Hennigan's decision to draft Victor Oladipo is proving ingenious, and the trade he orchestrated for Dwight Howard is looking strong in retrospect. Many felt that Orlando had gotten frisked when they traded Howard away, but Nikola Vucevic and Moe Harkless have proven themselves to be some of the best players involved in the transaction. Meanwhile, Howard, while enjoying a resurgence of sorts with the Rockets, has been unable to regain the dominant form he showed with the Magic. Hennigan's decision to dump his star player wasn't an easy one. Doing it as such an unproven name took serious guts.

10. Neil Olshey

Current and former teams as General Manager: Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers
Experience: 4 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

With the Los Angeles Clippers, Neil Olshey was the GM responsible for bringing Chris Paul over to the team, thus altering the franchise's direction for years to come. In Portland, Olshey has had a similar effect, as he drafted point guard Damian Lillard and brought in guys like Robin Lopez to help focus the team, and complement the talents of their star power forward, LaMarcus Aldridge. Portland is now headed to their first postseason appearance since the 2010-2011 NBA season, and even better, they're doing it as one of the top teams in the league. Olshey's hand has played a considerable part in that success.

9. Gar Forman

Current and former teams as General Manager: Chicago Bulls
Experience: 5 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 4

All praises are due to the Chicago Bulls for their remarkable ability to endure two season-ending injuries to superstar Derrick Rose. Many teams would completely blow up their roster, and hope to land a high draft pick in order to supplement Rose when he returns. However, the Bulls have done things the right way, instead opting to stay competitive and create an identity based around hard-nosed defense and the unfailing energy of Joakim Noah.

As the winner of the NBA Executive of the Year in 2011, Gar Forman has been a key decision-maker with the Bulls for the last five years, and even before that when he was a top personnel man for the team for years. With Forman in charge, the Bulls have only become a stronger team, and have been built around selfless, hard-working players like Taj Gibson, Kyle Korver, and C.J. Watson. His decision to hire Tom Thibodeau was also a game-changer for the team.

8. Larry Bird

Current and former teams as General Manager: Indiana Pacers
Experience: 10 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 6

Given his supernatural understanding of the game of basketball, Larry Bird's success in building the Indiana Pacers into the franchise they are today should be unsurprising. But that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve whatever accolades he receives for it. Bird has already won the NBA Executive of the Year Award, and he was certainly a worthy recipient. After taking over the team in 2003, Bird has built and rebuilt the Pacers franchise, enduring the tumultuous loss of Ron Artest, and total change in identity for the team throughout the late 2000s.

Now, the Pacers are one of the top teams in the league in character, chemistry, and talent. Keen draft decisions like Paul George and Roy Hibbert were key, along with Bird's decision to take a chance on Lance Stephenson. After taking last season off due to health issues, Bird is back and in charge of the team once again. It's hard to see him stopping until he's able to pick up another NBA title.

7. Masai Ujiri

Current and former teams as General Manager: Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets
Experience: 4 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 0

After winning the NBA Executive of the Year Award last season with the Denver Nuggets, Masai Ujiri jumped ship to move to Toronto, where the Raptors were in desperate need of a sure hand to guide the franchise. So far, the fit has been perfect, as Ujiri has the Raps firmly locked in for a playoff spot this season.

It hasn't happened by accident either. Ujiri's decisions to trade away Rudy Gay and Andrea Bargnani have proven his eye for talent, and his understanding of what a playoff roster should look like. In Denver, Ujiri was hailed for his ability to build a playoff team without a clear star on the roster. With DeMar DeRozan shouldering the load in Toronto, Ujiri won't have to do that now. Right now, it's looking like the sky is the limit for the Raptors.

6. Mitch Kupchak

Current and former teams as General Manager: Los Angeles Lakers
Experience: 14 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 12

With a franchise like the Los Angeles Lakers, winning is expected. It's supposed to be a given. So give credit to Mitch Kupchak for continuing that tradition. In the early 2000s, he was one of the primary architects of the Lakers' championship dynasty, and was able to build the team around Kobe when Shaq was traded away after the 2004 season. From there, Kupchak kept the Lakers viable, and was eventually able to land the pieces necessary (along with a certain coach named Phil Jackson) to bring two more titles to Tinseltown at the turn of the decade.

Today, things aren't as great for Los Angeles, and it's hard to feel optimistic with Mike D'Antoni as head coach, and the roster looking like it currently does. After a failed attempt at building a new dynasty with Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Pau Gasol, the Lakers are now trying to decide what their next move is. However, Kupchak has shown numerous times that he can't be counted out when a good deal needs to be made. Why would now be any different?

5. Danny Ainge

Current and former teams as General Manager: Boston Celtics
Experience: 12 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 9

When we talk about Big Threes in basketball, we can't go anywhere in the conversation without mentioning Danny Ainge. The Celtics GM started the trend for this generation of talent when he traded for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the summer of 2007, forming a championship core based around the two and Paul Pierce. The move paid off handsomely, as the Celtics were suddenly transformed from a broken franchise to an instant NBA champion, marking one of the biggest single-season turnarounds in NBA history.

However, Ainge hasn't always been a saint with the team. He's been unafraid to put beloved players on the trade block (Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins) or butt heads with coaches (Jim O'Brien). All that being said, you have to love his recent hire of Brad Stevens, and you can't help but feel that, despite the C's misfortunes this season, as long as Ainge is leading the way, the franchise will continue to have a shot in the future.

4. Sam Presti

Current and former teams as General Manager: Oklahoma City Thunder
Experience: 7 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 4

Sam Presti likely still regrets the James Harden trade, and he probably should, as the Thunder very well could have made another Finals run last season had Harden been on the squad. But don't let one (possibly colossal) mistake ruin Presti's otherwise sterling reputation in the league. The Oklahoma City GM was responsible for building the Thuder into the powerhouse they are today, having drafted Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and other key contributors to the current roster. With Presti running the show, Oklahoma City has quickly gone from a cellar-dwelling doormat to a young, hungry force.

3. Daryl Morey

Current and former teams as General Manager: Houston Rockets
Experience: 7 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 3

Daryl Morey is to basketball what Billy Beane is to baseball. Known as "Dork Elvis," Morey has made statistics an integral part of judging talent and forming a cohesive team in basketball. For years now, Morey has been grinding away with the Rockets, turning dimes into dollars just to make viable, competitive teams. Morey has an unorthodox eye for talent, and it has served him well time and time again.

Now, with Dwight Howard and James Harden leading the team, Morey has begun to take the superstar approach to creating a championship squad in the NBA. He may be different, but that doesn't make him dumb, and Morey has clearly seen that star power is ultimately what separates the winners from the losers. Will his moves finally end up paying off for Houston? The 2014 playoffs will give a strong indication of where the franchise is headed.

2. Pat Riley

Current and former teams as General Manager: Miami Heat
Experience: 19 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 15

A former player, and a coach for the Showtime Lakers, the '90s Knicks and the Miami Heat, Pat Riley has done little else but win during his storied lifetime with the NBA. Some people were just put on this Earth to do a certain thing, and Riley's was to be around the game of basketball. As a GM for the Miami Heat, Riley brought respectability to a franchise that was desperately in need of a new image. While he made the team playoff contenders in the '90s, Riley completely stepped up his game in the aughts, trading for Shaq and drafting Dwyane Wade to lead the Heat to their first ever title. Of course, we're all familiar with what he did after, when he landed Chris Bosh and LeBron James to form Miami's current championship nucleus. Clearly, Riley was a born winner.

1. R.C. Buford

Current and former teams as General Manager: San Antonio Spurs
Experience: 12 years
Number of playoff appearances with current team (excluding the 2013-14 season): 11

The San Antonio Spurs have been paragons of consistency in the NBA for the better part of the past 20 years, and they have more than enough rings to prove it. Gregg Popovich has played a big role in that success, as he was the former GM before turning the keys over to R.C. Buford so that Pop could become head coach. However, that doesn't mean that Buford has been a puppet for Popovich since taking over. If anything, Buford's talent has allowed Popovich to better embrace his own abilities as a coach.

Despite their age, the Spurs continue to chug along as one of the best franchises in the league. It starts with guys like Buford, who know how to fill out a roster with the glue guys and roles players necessary for a ring. Kawhi Leonard, Marco Belinelli, Matt Bonner, and Danny Green are just a few of the players who have been essential to the Spurs' continued success for the past couple seasons. Credit Buford for making those moves, and many more over the past decade.