Suns just promoted Vinny Del Negro to assistant GM.
Just to give you idea of Del Negro's keen insight on player worth and relative value, he's the guy who in the summer of 98 turned down what I believe was 3/9 and demanded instead 4 million a year.
So the Spurs told him to go find it somewhere else while they signed Mario Elie for like 1.5.
Then Del Negro was shamed into taking a deal worth like 2/3 from the Bucks, then was forced into retirement with non-winners like the Suns.
As if by coincidence . . . the very season the Spurs replaced Del Negro at shooting guard with Mario Elie, they win their first title.
So in summation, Del Negro is still missing about a total of 5 million dollars from his career that he would have had if he knew what his value was due to demand around the league.
But he thought a no defense jump shooter was worth more.
hmmmmmmmmmm
Should fit right in with Phoenix! lol, except Del Negro's range ended at 21 feet.
Sorry Maddog.
Vinnie was awesome at NC State
Vinnie got plenty of money in Italy but still no ring. D Wilkens went to Italy also instead of signing with the Spurs and passed up on a ring.
incorrect.
Spurs originally got Vinny from Italy, and he only returned during the lockout for a short time, he didn't make near as much as he turned down.
The Spurs got Dominique AFTER he had been in Greece where he actually was making more, and after his one year was up the Spurs didn't even want him back.
The one year he was there was the disaster year, after that the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan and the number 21 was never to be worn by anyone other Spur ever again.
before I even comment on this, what happened to david griffin? I cant find any info on him being released and at least as far as I knew Kerr wanted him as the ast. GM even though other teams like Memphis were courting him for the head GM.
WTF?
Never mind Griff is VP of Bball operations, he hasnt been the ast gm since last season.
Vinny has been a pretty positive character since he joined the FO in 03. And shit, any guy that was bad news for the spurs is good news for us IMO.
Hes not exactly the guy with the finger over the red button or anything, lets be real.