Donn Beach wrote: ↑Mon Jun 01, 2026 3:26 pm
Sure, I have confidence in JS but there is luck involved, opportunity. I've always said you make your luck, you have a role in it. You have to be available to the luck. I see J5 as being like that. He was lucky to find Teasley but that turned on him being the only one to reply to his letter. I think that's a great example of how that works
This isn't even close to the first FO executive we have lost in John's era. I have hammered on John for his shitty O Lines, but really? What complaint other than that can we have, and even that seems to have been corrected. IMO? The FO's problem was Pete Carroll. The further Pete got away from his college days, knowing the players that he either coached, coached against or recruited? Our drafts got worse and worse. The fix was to get him out of John's way.
The constant hand wringing over little shit is funny though. We lost an executive, oh no.
Since taking over in 2007, the Thunder have lost at least 8 notable front office executives and high-ranking staffers to other NBA franchises.
Sam Presti’s tree has produced multiple general managers and top decision-makers. The most prominent departures include:
Troy Weaver: Left in 2020 to become the General Manager of the Detroit Pistons (later serving with Washington and New Orleans).
Will Dawkins: Left in 2023 as Vice President of Basketball Operations to become the General Manager of the Washington Wizards.
Michael Winger: Left Oklahoma City to become the GM/President of the LA Clippers (later taking over the Washington Wizards).
Rich Cho: Left in 2010 to become the General Manager of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Mark Bartelstein: Left to join the Chicago Bulls in an executive role.
Matt Lloyd: Left the Thunder organization to become the Orlando Magic's Director of Scouting.
Acie Law IV: Left the Thunder's basketball operations staff in 2025 to join the Brooklyn Nets front office.
Mitch Johnson: Formerly an assistant coach/scout in the OKC system, he transitioned to become a coach and later a front office figure with the San Antonio Spurs
Good organizations lose people. You move on. I really don't think this is going to hinder us a lot. Next man up.