# Baylor Out, Dunleavy New Team GM



## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

> Although the Clippers have not made an official announcement, Hall of Famer, Laker legend and NBA icon Elgin Baylor no longer is performing his duties as the team’s vice president of basketball operations and general manager.A NBA executive contacted Tuesday afternoon said he had been told that Baylor no longer was performing his job. Reportedly, legal representatives of the Clippers and Baylor are engaging in dialogue.
> 
> It is not known if Baylor resigned or was relieved of his duties. However, suspicion arose when the 74-year old Baylor was not at the Clippers’ new practice facility when training camp opened nor was he listed in any way in the team’s preseason media guide. Asked about this omission, a team spokesman said that only the coaches’ bios were listed in the guide. However, that was grossly untrue, because in addition to the coaches the director of player personnel, director of scouting, director of international scouting and team physician all were listed.
> 
> In addition to those individuals, the team’s athletic trainer, strength and conditioning coach, equipment manager and broadcast team all were listed. When asked where Baylor was, the same team spokesman said he did not know but believed that Baylor was upstairs in his executive office.


Art Thompson of OC Register

So, does Dunleavy now take that role?

Oh yeah, finally. :smoothcriminal:


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

*Re: Baylor Apparently Out...*

Hooray!

I just read this and am quite pleased. Baylor has been here WAY too long, it was time for a change. Plus it really didn't seem like he was doing much or anything.


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## matador1238 (May 3, 2006)

*Re: Baylor Apparently Out...*

Its about time....he should be retired a long time ago. He is 74 years old!! Go enjoy life and let Dunleavy takes over.


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## Futurama_Fanatic (Jul 21, 2005)

*Re: Baylor Apparently Out...*

the beginning of a new era... we got gordon and jordan as future projects, we're finally making some smart moves, and now baylor is gone


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

*Re: Baylor Apparently Out...*

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2008/10/07/baylor-apparently-out-with-clippers/



> “There’s a dispute going on,” Baylor said. “My attorney advised me not to discuss it.”


From the sound of it I would guess that Sterling doesn't want to pay Baylor.


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## yamaneko (Jan 1, 2003)

*Re: Baylor Apparently Out...*

why should baylor be paid. Baylor should be back paying us for all the boneheaded moves and non moves he has/hasnt done. 

I hope hes gone.


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

*Re: Baylor Apparently Out...*

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2008/10/elgin-gone.html



> The Elgin Baylor Era is over.
> 
> Which means Mike Dunleavy will be the team's general manager, the Clippers coach said Tuesday afternoon.
> 
> "Basically, the team came to me just recently and said that Elgin was retiring and they wanted me to assume those duties," Dunleavy said.


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

> The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that Head Coach Mike Dunleavy will assume the additional role of General Manager, replacing Vice President of Basketball Operations, Elgin Baylor.
> 
> In a related move, the team’s current Director of Player Personnel, Neil Olshey, will be elevated to the post of Assistant General Manager.
> 
> ...


ITS OFFICIAL!!!

This is such great news for the Clippers, and the offseason ends with a bang. Starting with the drafting of Gordon/Jordan/Taylor and ending with Baylor being DONE and Dunleavy the new GM, like many Cipper fans wanted for a while now.


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

I wonder if Dunleavy will continue to do both GM and coach in the future. Regardless this is the great, best off-season ever?


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## Futurama_Fanatic (Jul 21, 2005)

:worthy:


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

Well, we all know that Dunleavy has been running things for the past couple of years. But I think it's absolutely shameful the way this franchise essentially booted Baylor to the curb without even the courtesy of telling him to his face that he was fired. Elgin Baylor did a lot of good things for this franchise that many people have forgotten. He's the one who orchestrated the Brand trade (pretty good in my opinion). He's the one who brought Maggette to LA (for what was it again? - a sack of basketballs and crappy 2nd rounder?). He's also the one responsible for stealing Sam Cassell from the Wolves and creating a roster that was one game away from the WCF just three years ago (which they likely would have made if Dunleavy hadn't made the bonehead decision to put Daniel Freaking Ewing on Raja Bell in the waning moments). Over the course of his career with the Clippers Baylor was completely handicapped by Donald Sterling air-tight purse strings and was unable to make a lot of moves that he wanted to in order to improve the franchise. Now they decide he's finished. Another classless, a-hole move by Sterling. What else is new?


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## leidout (Jul 13, 2005)

This officially makes this the greatest offseason of my life as a clipper fan. Elton Brand or not, Elgin Baylor was the worst GM ever. He's NEVER chosen an all-star level draft pick (with more top 10 chances than any GM in the NBA, ever.) 

And please explain the other great deals he's made in his 25-year tenure? Because...
1) Brand fell in his lap on draft day.
2) Cassell was Dunleavy's deal (signing Jaric seemed to be Baylor's idea)
3) With Maggette i think he just got plain lucky for once.


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

I don't think that Brand exactly fell into his lap. Chicago, along with a lot of other teams were very high on Tyson Chandler and it took guts to trade a hometown phenom whom people thought would be a perennial all-star. Whatever the case, he brought him to LA, where he stayed for 6 seasons and became the face of the franchise, something hadn't had since...well...Danny Manning? 

Speaking of Manning (who was an all-star level player, but never got the recognition because he was a Clipper), Baylor also stole his teammate Ron Harper from Cleveland in that Danny Ferry deal. That might have been his biggest coup ever, considering the piece of crap Ferry turned out to be. As for the draft picks, a lot them were not his fault. Sterling had a lot of influence over exactly who he wanted, and did not want on his team. Sterling has run this franchise the way Al Davis has run the Raiders over the past three decades: does as I say, or else. And straight into the ground. He kept his payroll at the absolute league minimum for years and refused to sign his free agents, let alone pursue any impact free agents who became available. It wasn't until he got his deal with Staples center that he began to loosen his constraints and spend a bit more money on the team, which was only because of the increased revenue he began to enjoy by virtue of moving out that rat-infested hellhole called the Sports Arena. 

I'm just sad for Baylor that he wasted the last 25 years of his life working for a giant douchebag like Sterling, instead of becoming a GM for a team that would allow him to run things the way a GM should. Maybe he was just comfortable being in LA, because this is where his home and family are rooted, but whatever the reason, he was dedicated to this franchise for 1/4 of a century only to get unceremoniously dumped like a bag of trash. That, no matter what your opinion of him or his job performance is downright shameful. Period.


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3631631



> A source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that Baylor resigned because the Clippers were willing to let him retain his salary and title but were stripping him of any authority. The source also said the Clippers were willing to have him return in a consultant's role. The Clippers are now not expected to fill his position.
> 
> Clippers owner and chairman of the board Donald T. Sterling issued a statement on Tuesday.
> 
> "We greatly appreciate Elgin's efforts during his time with the Clippers, and we wish him the very best," it said.


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## ElMarroAfamado (Nov 1, 2005)

craaazy.


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## Shaolin (Aug 6, 2004)

I echo everything that Showtime87 just said. Every word of it was the truth.


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## Redeemed (Feb 2, 2008)

Showtime87 said:


> (which they likely would have made if Dunleavy hadn't made the bonehead decision to put Daniel Freaking Ewing on Raja Bell in the waning moments)


That was James Singleton if I remember correctly. One of your best defenders.


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## leidout (Jul 13, 2005)

Showtime87 said:


> I don't think that Brand exactly fell into his lap. Chicago, along with a lot of other teams were very high on Tyson Chandler and it took guts to trade a hometown phenom whom people thought would be a perennial all-star. Whatever the case, he brought him to LA, where he stayed for 6 seasons and became the face of the franchise, something hadn't had since...well...Danny Manning?
> 
> Speaking of Manning (who was an all-star level player, but never got the recognition because he was a Clipper), Baylor also stole his teammate Ron Harper from Cleveland in that Danny Ferry deal. That might have been his biggest coup ever, considering the piece of crap Ferry turned out to be. As for the draft picks, a lot them were not his fault. Sterling had a lot of influence over exactly who he wanted, and did not want on his team. Sterling has run this franchise the way Al Davis has run the Raiders over the past three decades: does as I say, or else. And straight into the ground. He kept his payroll at the absolute league minimum for years and refused to sign his free agents, let alone pursue any impact free agents who became available. It wasn't until he got his deal with Staples center that he began to loosen his constraints and spend a bit more money on the team, which was only because of the increased revenue he began to enjoy by virtue of moving out that rat-infested hellhole called the Sports Arena.
> 
> I'm just sad for Baylor that he wasted the last 25 years of his life working for a giant douchebag like Sterling, instead of becoming a GM for a team that would allow him to run things the way a GM should. Maybe he was just comfortable being in LA, because this is where his home and family are rooted, but whatever the reason, he was dedicated to this franchise for 1/4 of a century only to get unceremoniously dumped like a bag of trash. That, no matter what your opinion of him or his job performance is downright shameful. Period.


That's my point, Chicago and a lot of other teams were too high on Chandler, resulting in them getting excited and offering way too much in a lopsided trade. It's also pretty reasonable that Chicago approached the Clippers in that trade, because we're known for making no draft day moves. (In other words, trading for Brand was a no-brainer when they offered)

Granted the Ron Harper move was a good one, but don't you see something wrong with having to go back over 15 years to find a good trade he brokered? 

And Danny Manning was a two time all-star who broke 20ppg only one year, but I suppose you think that makes up for him passing on Scottie Pippen & Reggie Miller the year before?? Does it also make up for skipping Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice & Tim Hardaway the next year?

Most owners want to be cheap as possible and they have their favorite players of course. But it is the GM's job to convince the owners to shell out money for quality players and be strong-willed enough to do what is right for the franchise (even getting rid of "favorites" like Maggette, when it helps the team, like Dunleavy has done.) 

If you want to congratulate Elgin Baylor for being a "yes-man" for nearly 25 years in order to keep his job, that's fine. But in my opinion, that's a ****ty GM, a real GM would've butted heads with the owner in order to produce a winning team, but if you think barely doing enough to stay employed is worth a big celebratory send-off, then so be it. I won't argue with nonsense.


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## bootstrenf (May 24, 2006)

DienerTime said:


> That was James Singleton if I remember correctly. One of your best defenders.


obviously, you don't remember correctly...


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## qross1fan (Dec 28, 2004)

leidout said:


> That's my point, Chicago and a lot of other teams were too high on Chandler, resulting in them getting excited and offering way too much in a lopsided trade. It's also pretty reasonable that Chicago approached the Clippers in that trade, because we're known for making no draft day moves. (In other words, trading for Brand was a no-brainer when they offered)
> 
> Granted the Ron Harper move was a good one, but don't you see something wrong with having to go back over 15 years to find a good trade he brokered?
> 
> ...


Bingo. Baylor had 20+ years to persuade Sterling to spend money and build a contender, but he wasn't able to do it. Good riddance I say, I don't care how much time he put in, he wasn't able to do squat.


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## sertorius (Sep 24, 2005)

Lamar Odom easily hitting one of the most laughable quotes of the upcoming season already while commenting on the situation: "Loyal person," he said. "He doesn't deserve that. That's too bad. He's a good man." 

Really you douche? Is that why you turned your back on him and ran out of town like the rat you are as soon as you got a chance? Go F' yourself, and ditto for all of the laker organization douches commenting on this story.


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## Futurama_Fanatic (Jul 21, 2005)

DienerTime said:


> That was James Singleton if I remember correctly. One of your best defenders.


no it was daniel ewing


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

All in all Baylor has been here over 2 decades, way too long. During this time how many winning season have the Clippers had? How many busts were drafted? Baylor is a nice guy and was a heck of a player but as a GM he always seemed to drop the ball. All these year it seemed like Baylor was playing it safe and doing the bare minimum to keep his job, how he convinced Sterling to keep re-signing him is beyond me. It will be nice getting a fresh face running things.


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## Free Arsenal (Nov 8, 2004)

Baylor is like school in summertime.


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## MicCheck12 (Aug 12, 2005)

So if Dunleavy becomes Gm would he still be coach? I would love to see Avery as our new coach


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## PAIDNFULL23 (Jul 9, 2005)

The only way I see this having an impact on the organization is if another GM is hired, preferably someone from the outside, because Dunleavy has been running things in the Front Office ever since he got here and Elgin just had been a figurehead away, so with him out it doesn't really change anything.

And I don't know about any of y'all, but officially having Dunleavy as both GM and coach scares the **** out of me. Combining the GM and coach together rarely works and it isn't the most healthy situation. Those 2 jobs need to be keep separate, especially with some as egotistical as Dunleavy. There needs to be a GM who offers a different perspective on personnel decisions and plays good cop/bad cop.


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## leidout (Jul 13, 2005)

PAIDNFULL23 said:


> The only way I see this having an impact on the organization is if another GM is hired, preferably someone from the outside, because Dunleavy has been running things in the Front Office ever since he got here and Elgin just had been a figurehead away, so with him out it doesn't really change anything.
> 
> And I don't know about any of y'all, but officially having Dunleavy as both GM and coach scares the **** out of me. Combining the GM and coach together rarely works and it isn't the most healthy situation. Those 2 jobs need to be keep separate, especially with some as egotistical as Dunleavy. There needs to be a GM who offers a different perspective on personnel decisions and plays good cop/bad cop.


I agree completely, Dunleavy is a very good GM, but as a coach he's just average at best. How many years does he have left on his coaching contract? Unless he does something remarkable this year, I'd love to see him step aside and bring in a new coach to shake things up a bit.

We missed out on our chance for Stan Van Gundy or Rick Adelman, so possibly he could break new ground altogether and hire some of Caltech's most promising programmers to design an artificial coaching lifeform that would instantaneous read the emotional, physical & statistical variations of all participants. And instantaneously play motivational speeches/music/videos, exploit any size/speed advantages and draw up advantageous plays against the opposing lineup. It could also have lasers and stuff too!
:thinking:


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/clippers/la-sp-clippers9-2008oct09,0,5876543.story



> Now it appears Baylor is gearing up for a battle, hiring attorney Carl Douglas and employment law specialist Alvin Pittman.
> 
> "Elgin gave 22 years of his life to the Clippers and it's regrettable they are trying to put him out to pasture in this way," Douglas said.
> 
> Douglas acknowledged that there "is a dispute over the circumstances of his [Baylor's] separation" with the Clippers. They are trying to get the matter resolved informally. If that doesn't happen, Douglas said they will "leave our options open."


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## bootstrenf (May 24, 2006)

i don't like the idea of dunleavy being the GM....

i don't agree with his base philosophy......he seems to covet old veterans with no althletic ability nor potential....players are almost penalized for being athletic.....and he makes no significant moves.....sure, he'll trade a 3rd string pg for a 3rd string pf once in a while, but he makes no blockbusters.....

since he is the one who built this current roster, he will never make any significant changes.....even if the roster needs tweaking or a major rehaul, he is too stubborn and headstrong to admit that the roster he built sucks......he will stick with and go down with the ship, all the while, never making any significant changes.....

a good GM should always be making offers and considering trades that can make the team better.....activity is a good thing.....look at kevin pritchard.....

a very active GM that built the team with youth and potential.....look how that seems to be turning out.....

i just hate dunleavy's philosophy of building the team with old, slow, unathletic players......


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

Baron, Ricky, Thornton, and Eric Gordon are all fast and athletic players taken these last 2 years. I don't really see any slow or unathletic players on this team.


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## Futurama_Fanatic (Jul 21, 2005)

Weasel said:


> Baron, Ricky, Thornton, and Eric Gordon are all fast and athletic players taken these last 2 years. I don't really see any slow or unathletic players on this team.


paul davis, cuttino mobley, sam cassell, yaraslov korolev, benching james singelton, tim thomas.

it looks like he has changing his approach but bootstrenf had a point.


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