The Front Office Revolution Continues with Gupta

[Lipoli390]

Below is an excerpt from a recent article about Gupta by Jon K in the Athletic:

Sachin Gupta is, of course, so much more than the brains behind ESPN's NBA Trade Machine, which incorporates the salaries of every player to allow everyday fans the chance to get on the computer, propose the simplest or most elaborate trades their minds can conjure and see if the deals are legal under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement.

He plans to leave his post as assistant GM for the Detroit Pistons to join the Timberwolves as executive vice president of basketball operations, the No. 2 spot in the front office pecking order behind Rosas, sources said. Gupta served as Sam Hinkie's right-hand man in Philadelphia and worked with Rosas under Daryl Morey in Houston before that.

Gupta has forged a reputation as an expert in the minutiae of the salary cap and collective bargaining agreement and someone steeped in the process-oriented analytics popularized by Morey in Houston and Hinkie in Philly. But those who know him well say he also played a key role in negotiating and proposing trades and contract terms, both as an up-and-comer lower on the organizational flow chart with the Rockets and as the established wingman for Hinkie with the 76ers.

According to a 2017 profile written for Philly Mag by Derek Bodner -- who's now with The Athletic -- Gupta played roles in several significant deals for the Rockets and Sixers, including:

-- Feb. 18, 2010: The Rockets traded Tracy McGrady's expiring contract to New York as part of a three-team trade that netted them Kevin Martin from Sacramento. Martin became one of the main pieces the Rockets would use in 2012 to get James Harden from Oklahoma City.

-- July 9, 2015: The 76ers fleeced the Kings by absorbing the contracts for Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and Nik Stauskas in exchange for the right to swap picks in both the 2016 and 2017 drafts and a future first from Sacramento. The Sixers only had to part with the 47th and 60th overall picks in the 2015 draft to do it. They exercised the swap to get the No. 3 pick in 2017, then after Hinkie left, new GM Bryan Colangelo used the ammunition from that deal to move up from 3 to 1 and take Markelle Fultz in 2017.

[kekgeek]

Just from the outside looking in it looks like Taylor for the 1st time in his career has hired the right people to create a solid front office.

Not guys with little to no front office expense in McHale, Kahn, flip, thibs.

These guys still need to perform but seems like we are putting outside the box thinkers in powerful positions and I love it

[WildWolf2813]

Til they do anything here they're just names to me.

[Monster]

I posted the article in another thread from a couple years ago written about Gupta but note that Sam Hinkie weighted in on Twitter himself.

https://twitter.com/samhinkie/status/826518834743906304?s=21

"Great article, but I'd change the title -- Meet Sachin Gupta, The Driving Force Behind *All* of Sam Hinkie's Trades"

[Lipoli390]

What we're seeing from Rosas is something we've never seen before in the Wolves organization. For the first time, we have a respected President of Basketball Operations, Rosas, who has years of NBA front office experience with a successful organization. And now that PBO is staffing his front office with individuals who are also highly regarded and accomplished in NBA circles. Obviously, it's results that count and this new front office, which is still taking shape, hasn't make any player personnel decisions or moves yet. But for the first time in the 30-year history of this franchise, there's reason to believe that the Wolves organization will operate at a highly professional level and make sound, possibly even excitingly creative decisions.

[Monster]

What we're seeing from Rosas is something we've never seen before in the Wolves organization. For the first time, we have a respected President of Basketball Operations, Rosas, who has years of NBA front office experience with a successful organization. And now that PBO is staffing his front office with individuals who are also highly regarded and accomplished in NBA circles. Obviously, it's results that count and this new front office, which is still taking shape, hasn't make any player personnel decisions or moves yet. But for the first time in the 30-year history of this franchise, there's reason to believe that the Wolves organization will operate at a highly professional level and make sound, possibly even excitingly creative decisions.

I agree with what you have written here. I was messaging a friend and saying I think this is the first time in the Wolves franchise history they are putting together a legit NBA front office. These guys are experienced and well thought of. Heck we now have Scott Layden basically now a guy that probably is somewhat above being just a scout which is probably where he has some value in that role. To one extent or another at points in time McHale and Flip were more than adequate hires that were smart basketball people but nobody knew if they really had the chops to do this. Rosas has been prepared for this. He is surrounding himself with some other legit people born from a pretty good executive tree in Houston. Maybe it doesn't work but if it doesn't it won't be because they hired some people without a worthwhile resume or they didn't fit what the goal was when hiring. Soon we will find out what assistants they bring in and it could be a whole new group as there have been reports Malik Allen may end up in Miami.

It's gonna be weird but we may be able to like sit back and actually have some sort of confidence the people getting paid to make basketball decisions will actually like so good at their jobs. Gonna be hard to let that go right guys? Lol

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

With the front office done, I want him to start focusing on the developmental side.

When Masia took over, he changed the focus to more developmental. And we are seeing some of those dividends pay off now.

This teams core is still relatively young, there is time to change. Rosas needs to find a better way for the players and coach to fit on the court and not just off.

[Lipoli390]

With the front office done, I want him to start focusing on the developmental side.

When Masia took over, he changed the focus to more developmental. And we are seeing some of those dividends pay off now.

This teams core is still relatively young, there is time to change. Rosas needs to find a better way for the players and coach to fit on the court and not just off.

Excellent points. But I don't think Rosas is done revamping the front office. I can see him hiring another assistant GM or two. Hopefully, he brings in a front office person along with assistant coaches who excel at developing young players. Just looking at the roster players who are under contract through next season or restricted free agents (Tyus), the team is, as you indicated, still relatively young. Here's a list of those roster/RFA players and the age of each one when the season starts:

1. Okogie - Age 21 (turns 21 a month before the season starts)
2. T. Jones - Age 23 (doesn't turn 24 until a month after the season ends. RFA next season)
3. KBD - Age 23
4. KAT - Age 23
5. Wiggins - 24
6. Reynolds - 24
7. Saric - 25
8. RoCo - 28
9. Gorgui - 29
10. Teague - 31

I'm not sure much more can be extracted from Wiggins, given how long he's already been in the League and considering his lack of competitive fire. But Okogie and KBD should still have huge upside potential. Tyus Jones is still very young and has hasn't played a lot of minutes or consistent minutes since being drafted. So I see Tyus still having a lot of upside. Saric, Reynolds and KAT are all young enough and sufficiently competitive to show significant additional improvement over last season with continuing improvement over the next couple years at least. I don't see any remaining untapped upside in RoCo or Gorgui, but both should be in their prime for the next several seasons.

[bleedspeed]

I don't have as much faith in upside or KBD and Tyus. This draft could go a long ways for Rosas giving this team direction.

[Lipoli390]

I don't have as much faith in upside or KBD and Tyus. This draft could go a long ways for Rosas giving this team direction.

Bleed - Take a look at video highlights of KBD from last season. He showed some really good stuff on both sides of the ball. There's a lot of upside there.