[jwplayer uUaz3JG9-z6KDnl0B]
This offseason, The Athletic surveyed a group of 20 NBA agents and asked a variety of questions ranging from specific players to the draft to front office staff members.
Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti got a glowing review from them.
When asked who the smartest general manager or front-office leader is, 10 agents said Presti.
One agent told the Athletic:
“Sam Presti because he unloaded a lot of money. Even though I’m an agent and I go get the money, it’s so out of whack that reducing what you’re spending is smart.”
Another said it’s Presti not just because of his intelligence, but the relationships he’s able to create.
“The smartest in terms of IQ, which is total comprehension of what they’re doing, but also EQ, because they know the relational aspect is just as important as the competency aspect, I might have to go with Sam Presti. I think he’s developed. He’s gotten better over time. A smart person is one who is a developing person. I would say Sam Presti has developed.
This agent said Presti is always the person he deals with when he’s working with Oklahoma City. The Thunder don’t have a variety of front office personnel who may go out to meet with agents and other figures.
“Most of these teams, you’re dealing with a couple of people, but with him, he’s the only one you’re dealing with. You could say Pat Riley, but you’re dealing with Andy (Elisburg) and those other guys. But with Sam, he’s the only one you’re dealing with.”
This wasn’t the only question which Presti’s name arose.
He earned two and a half votes as the best talent evaluator (an executive earned half a vote if he was one of multiple answers for the same agent for a question).
One agent said:
“You don’t hit on Harden and Westbrook and Durant in back to back to back years without knowing what you’re doing and then you fuck that up and then you rebuild, I gotta give you props.”
One agent said that if they could choose any general manager to hire, he would go with Presti. It’s a safe guess that this agent one of the 10 who voted him as smartest.
“(Presti is) the smartest. He works very, very hard. He’s deliberate and he always has a plan.”
Presti has served as the team’s general manager since the 2007-08 season, and helped the Thunder complete their move to Oklahoma City, rise, and remain in contention.
His moves have also helped set them up for the future. The impact is noticed.
[lawrence-related id=438399,438370]