Wolves officially hire Tony Ronzone
by Stop-n-Pop on May 17, 2010 12:50 PM CDT
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PrintThe team's press release:
Minneapolis/St. Paul – Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations David Kahn today announced the hiring of Tony Ronzone as the franchise's Assistant General Manager/Player Personnel. Ronzone has been with the Detroit Pistons for the past nine seasons, most recently as the team's Director of Basketball Operations. Ronzone will report directly to Kahn."We are excited to be able to add a person with Tony's extensive basketball experience to our player personnel staff," Kahn said. "Even though Tony's reputation is largely tied to international scouting, I believe he has always had a firm handle on NBA and college personnel as well. He is a relentless worker and we are fortunate to have him join us."Ronzone began with the Pistons in 2001, serving as the team's Director of International Scouting until 2005 and as Director of Basketball Operations from 2005-10. In his most recent role with Detroit, Ronzone directed all of the Pistons' international scouting activities and assisted with college scouting and evaluating NBA personnel. Ronzone began his NBA career as a scout with the Dallas Mavericks from 1998 through 2000."I'm pleased to be joining a great organization like the Minnesota Timberwolves and excited to work with David Kahn and the entire basketball staff," Ronzone said. "This is a great opportunity and I look forward to using my knowledge and past experiences in helping the organization achieve its goals."Ronzone began his front office basketball career as a player/coach in New Zealand. In 1990, Ronzone returned to the U.S. as an assistant coach at Arizona State. He also coached the Saudi Arabian National Team in 1992, and spent five years as a coach in United Arab Emirates. Ronzone's international coaching resume also includes stints as an assistant coach for the Chinese youth national team in 1998 and the Chinese National Team in 2001. He was the first American to ever coach with the Chinese National Team.Ronzone played college basketball at the University of Nevada before finishing his collegiate career at Long Beach State. He played professionally overseas in New Zealand, Australia and the Philippines.Ronzone is involved with USA Basketball, where he serves as Director of International Player Personnel. In this position, he assisted with the gold-medal winning men's basketball team at the 2008 Olympics. He is also active in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program.
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Why not?
Experience isn’t always a proxy for talent, as we can see throughout sports when retreads continue to get jobs in front offices and as coaches, but he’s certainly seen a lot. One might reasonably assume that he had a hand in getting the Pistons to draft Jonas Jerebko, which was pretty sweet, so he hasn’t completely lost his touch.
My question is why he took the job? It doesn’t really seem like a promotion, and I can’t imagine that the Wolves are particularly appealing to front office talent, especially for guys who already have jobs. Maybe he was on his way out in Detroit, for some reason?
We Are the Washington Generals
by Eric in Madison on May 17, 2010 1:04 PM CDT reply actions
Pistons are for sale, so I imagine they are cutting down on the expenses, i.e. scouting. Or maybe he didn’t want to stay on a sinking ship.
As opposed to one already at the bottom of the sea?
You are probably right about the Pistons, though.
We Are the Washington Generals
by Eric in Madison on May 17, 2010 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions
“Sinking” in terms that almost everyone on the current Pistons FO will probably be canned, when team gets sold. So maybe he saw the writing on the wall and desided to jump ship early.
or more appropriately
jump to a team that has lots of draft assets.
A Darko Fan since 2010!
by TheEvilProfessor on May 17, 2010 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions
It's a parallel move by all indications, yep.
In actual practice, though, for this draft? I note:
Ronzone will report directly to Kahn.
He’s an “assistant GM” on a team with no actual GM, reporting directly to PO-Ball. The de facto role this time might actually be pretty danged central to the whole summer.
The idea that the Wolves are going to hire Hoiberg’s replacement later in the summer makes me think they might just bump Ronzone up at that point. Maybe they’re waiting on the various contracts to run out before they do that, money wise?
"No experience has been too unimportant, and the smallest event unfolds like a fate..." RMR
Further evidence that Ronzone's a big voice at the table right now
(and that Kahn is Mr. Networking):
He is well thought of in NBA circles as an international scout, but Kahn said Ronzone will play an integral role in help filling the void created when vice president Fred Hoiberg left to become the head coach at Iowa State.
Ronzone will help with draft preparations, including bringing prospects in for workouts and evaluating the roster when free agency opens on July 1.
“He has a very firm handle on college players and NBA personnel,” Kahn said. “Most of all, he is very well networked. Tony really does know everybody.”
"No experience has been too unimportant, and the smallest event unfolds like a fate..." RMR
Oh, and about those positions:
Ronzone is not a direct replacement for Hoiberg. Kahn said he is still trying to decide if he will hire a new vice president for basketball operations or realign his front office staff.
"No experience has been too unimportant, and the smallest event unfolds like a fate..." RMR
I think it's a good signing.
I mean, when consider that the position has less overall impact than Kahn’s or Rambis’, the difference between a good signing and a mediocre signing is probably in how much influence they have with their opinions. Ronzone has proven that he belongs at the table when talent discussions are happening. He can run a scouting operation, has a lot of experience at it, and is well known for doing it. Ronzone has cache and experience. That is not something the Wolves have had at the top of the talent scouting group.
When a team has difficulties attracting the attention of players because of the team’s record and prospects, the team needs to try to bring in personnel with a high level of recognition and track record.
Still, this will only be successful if Ronzone has good ideas and great success with his talent search, is able to communicate to the team’s decision makers, and gets their buy in. Then it still has to work on the court.
plus he also probably knowns
who the pistons like and don’t like. that has to help with the 16th pick.
A Darko Fan since 2010!
by TheEvilProfessor on May 17, 2010 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions
What does David Kahn believe in?
At least two things we know of:
1. Hard work. He harps on this all the time. Never talks about how systems work, how decisions are structured, but he always talks like this press release quote.
“He is a relentless worker and we are fortunate to have him join us.”
2. Networking. Ronzone’s world is about calling everyone, talking all the time. Kahn himself does this too. The TIME profile on Ronzone from a while back described him arriving on some foreign shore and basically talking his way into the local basketball scene.
"No experience has been too unimportant, and the smallest event unfolds like a fate..." RMR
We don't have time to sharpen anything!
And I don’t care what “Lumberjack Weekly” said about Multiple Angle Cuts and Trees Per Hour.
Just start swinging that axe!
"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." -- Yogi Berra
by Wile E Coyote on May 17, 2010 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Succinctly put.
That’s my beef, so far, with Kahn.
"No experience has been too unimportant, and the smallest event unfolds like a fate..." RMR
Umm.. not to be negative-ned here...
But the article above said. “Ronzone began with the Pistons in 2001, serving as the team’s Director of International Scouting until 2005.”
Does that mean that he was the person that convinced Joe Dumars to take Darko Milicic ahead of Wade, Melo and Bosh? Just curious.
But hindsight is 20/20, plus, he made a good call with Jerebko last year.
luckily there isn't
a lot of questions with the top four picks. And we don’t have Larry Brown.
A Darko Fan since 2010!
by TheEvilProfessor on May 17, 2010 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions
A factor
not to underestimated in the understanding the early events of the tragedy known as Darko.
"Styx might be the mullet of bands."
I mean wow
Larry Brown and D’Antoni as coaches for a player that isn’t really a vet from a complete experience perspective? That’s got to suck…hard.
A Darko Fan since 2010!
by TheEvilProfessor on May 17, 2010 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions
If so,
He also deserves credit for convincing him to take Mehmet Okur and Carlos Delfino.
by pagingstanleyroberts on May 17, 2010 4:20 PM CDT up reply actions
And for bringing future star
Kevin Serpahin to the TWolves at 23? :)
And the #1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft goes to...
Sorry, hard to focus on anything else.
Nyets
Big Market and highest odds.
"Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have." Steven Wright
What about Kiwi players?
I heard Kirk Penney is back in d league could we sign him to camp?
Let's get Pero Cameron!
"I was trying to focus on breathing," Milicic said. "I was just focusing on breathing so I didn’t die."
by Auswolf on May 17, 2010 9:02 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
According to Zgoda, apparently
Darko wants to return
I can’t say I’m all that enthusiastic about this, though obviously who knows what sort of contract we’re talking about. But I’m not too psyched about committing cap space and playing time to a guy who could barely play in the league, and even with the Wolves was no more than an adequate backup in terms of quality.
We Are the Washington Generals
by Eric in Madison on May 17, 2010 10:36 PM CDT reply actions
Considering how pathetic our international scouting was under McHale...
…any legit attempt to get our eyes and ears going overseas has to be a positive.
Reminds me of the Twins
they missed the boat on Latin America big time, but they’ve made steady progress over the years and are now getting some very good international players in their pipeline. I don’t care if Ronzone is ‘10 years too late’ – improving our scouting improves our chances of becoming competitive again, period.
"Styx might be the mullet of bands."
by biggity2bit on May 18, 2010 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions
So Blakeley is a Cake-Eater, eh?
West side or East side?
Blakeley (Edina, MN)
You gave MN favorable reviews for their recent hire of Tony Ronzone. What about Ronzone impresses you so much?
Chad Ford (1:29 PM)
Amazing eye for talent. I’ve known Tony for years. He’s got a sixth sense about college and international players. For a GM like David Kahn who didn’t come up from a traditional scouting background, a guy like Tony is perfect. The move gave me a lot more faith in the Wolves to make some good decisions the next few years.
Well, it makes sense
like all of us posters here, he needs attention everyday.
"Styx might be the mullet of bands."
E-town East Side!
I know it explains a lot.
As someone that recently gave Kahn a “Fail” on PoorDick’s poll, this response from Chad Ford gave me a lot of hope. My biggest issue with Kahn has been his lack of credentials in terms of scouting, coupled with his desire to serve as “lead draft scout”.
If Kahn begins to defer to someone like Tony Ronzone, I’ll be very excited.
Good to hear it's East Side
I didn’t think there were too many Indian Hills residents around these parts, but one never knows.
I share your hope gained from that Ford response.
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