By FRED KERBER
The Nets lost a good executive and a great guy when Ed Stefanski went to Philadelphia as team president/general manager/bigwig.
“I’m very happy for Ed. I think it’s a great opportunity for him, one that he’s certainly highly ready for,” said team pres Rod Thorn, who will be doing double duty for a bit. “He’s in his hometown and a place he’s well respected by everybody…On a personal level we’ll miss him a lot. I think he was instrumental in the success we’ve had here over the past six-plus seasons.”
Stefanski, who was in his ninth season with the Nets, is considered a terrific talent evaluator. He had a network of scouts working under him and he traveled throughout Europe for the Nets – yup, he landed them Nenad Krstic. He helped engineer the trade for Vince Carter. He was instrumental in piecing together the deal that turned the drafting of the late Eddie Griffin into Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong. Stefanski kicks himself on the last pick. “I outsmarted myself,” Stefanski has said more than once, referring to his going for a possible sleeper, Armstrong, over the guy he really wanted, a fellow named Gilbert Arenas.
Ooops.
So now Stefanski has a tough job ahead turning around the Sixers, who have been in a downward spiral. The Sixers are 5-12 and missed the playoffs three of the last four years.
“I’m not adverse to change,” he said at his introductory press conference this morning.
The Sixers canned Billy King for Stefanski, who now has authority over all aspects of Sixer basketball. Stefanski’s ascent does not bode well for special advisor Larry Brown if he were looking to advance.
Philly called Thorn about a week ago seeking permission to talk with Stefanski, who’s as Philadelphia as cheese steaks and Liberty Bell cracks. He was a 10th round pick of the Sixers in 1976 after playing for Chuck Daly at Penn. He later coached Monsignor Bonner High School, winning the Philly Catholic League championship in his final season.
“This is a dream come true for me, having the chance to come home and run the Sixers. I grew up here, played and coached here, and I live here,” Stefanski said.
“I granted it,” Thorn said of the permission given. “There was a meeting and then there was a negotiation and everything came together.”
Said Stefanski, “It’s always flattering when someone comes after you.”
Thorn insisted he’s not worried about Stefanski taking a few pieces from the cupboard along with him. There are the scouts to consider, most were hired by and worked for Stefanski. Perhaps more importantly, is VP of Basketball Operations Bobby Marks, an invaluable behind the scenes guy who is a wiz with contracts and all salary cap implications. Every team needs one.
As for replacing Stefanski, Thorn said he already has been inundated with calls from his 738 new best friends looking for a job. He’ll handle the double duty for a while – and likely will hire someone. In-season is not the best time, so it could be a temporary, trial-basis thing with the permanent hire coming this summer. Thorn seemed in no hurry.
Thorn said he had no reservations about letting Stefanski talk to Philly. the Nets jumped him in pay and gave him a promotion in the past when the likes of Portland and Toronto came calling. But this was Philly. This was different. It was a chance for “personal advancement,” Thorn said of the opportunity.
“Ed knows how we feel about it him. We would love for him to stay. But he’s going from being a GM to the president of the team. There aren’t a lot of those jobs. When one becomes available in a place you feel very comfortable, you know everybody, you got a relationship. That’s very, very difficult to pass up,” Thorn added.
Again, Stefanski is also just a downright nice guy. He would return phone calls from the media. And if you don’t think that means something to media types, think again.
I had an easier time getting to and interviewing Richard Nixon (granted, well after his resignation – it was after the Shah died) years ago than some NBA types. Stefanski has always been a gentleman and a good guy with a great ability to laugh at himself.
And he did a pretty good job drafting: Martin, Wright, Sean Williams, Krstic …
***
So back to tonight.
Figure Antoine Wright is a scratch. He didn’t make shootaround, got treatment instead. Has a sore left shoulder he injured at Detroit in the second quarter fighting through a screen. Went for an MRI. It was negative.
“He wants to play but we’ll list him now as a game time decision but if there was a scale, he’d probably be less likely than more likely,” Frank said.
Beyond that, same starting five as last game: Kidd, Carter, Jefferson, Allen, Collins.
***
Kidd called for a concerted team effort on the glass. The Cavs demolished the Nets in rebounding in the playoffs and after trying to solve LeBron, rebounding is the prime problem.
“A team effort tonight rebounding,” Kidd stressed. “We know this team pretty well in the sense they go to the offensive glass as good as anybody. If we want any chance, we’ve got to keep those guys off the boards.”
Which brings us back to Jamaal Magloire. Frank essentially said Magloire’s defensive shortcomings outweigh his rebounding.
“We have to defend. We have to guard. Part of guarding is rebounding,” Frank said, later noting “Magloire is one guy who can get rebounds but don’t let the stats mislead you in terms of just because a guy does or doesn’t get rebounds doesn’t mean he is playing well or he is. So the numbers sometimes can be helpful, can be misleading. We said this last week – Jamaal is going to get another spin at it. It’s not necessarily because of rebounding, it’s because we’re looking for who can help us win.”
So there. Just figured a guy who once averaged double figure boards might be able to help a team getting pushed around on the glass lately.
***
And of course, the NBA’s two leading triple double guys go at it tonight (assuming LeBron plays and it looks like he will). Both Kidd and James have four triple doubles apiece.
“It’s very hard and it takes a lot out of you,” Kidd said of amassing a triple double – he would know, he’s got 91 in his career.
***
In honor of Zydrunas Ilgauskas – and Nenad Krstic and the departed Mile Ilic:
Movie Quote of the Day: Wesley Snipes (Sidney Dean) – “You can put a cat in an oven but that don’t make it a biscuit.” – “White Men Can’t Jump”