During his undeserving lengthy tenure since July 2010 as the general manager of Brooklyn Nets, Billy King has done a magnificent job improving multiple NBA teams. His employer, unfortunately, has not been one of those teams. Over many years, his incompetence has deceived and betrayed the enthusiasm of New Jersey, Brooklyn and Mikhail Prokhorov, one of the most financially invested NBA team owners of all time. With the rumors of his contract extension rumbling I cannot hide my disgust at the fact that King has not yet resigned from his position. Along with Sam Hinkie of Philadelphia 76ers, he is one of the people that must be banned from the NBA's GM role for life.
The disaster began when King, managing the then New Jersey Nets, failed to trade for Carmelo Anthony in 2011 and looked in the direction of an all-star Utah Jazz point guard at war with his legendary coach Jerry Sloan. With his team's losing record supplanting the Nets near the bottom of the Eastern conference, King was desperate to make a 'splash'. He began displaying one of the worst habits for a front office executive: paying heavy prices with future resources for instant gratifications.
[Feb 2011] NJN - UTA
Trade 1: Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two future first-round picks for Deron Williams
Heroics of Williams, who was a prolific player back then, proved insufficient in turning around a broken franchise as the New Jersey Nets finished the season with 24-58 record. The lockout-shortened season that followed returned only a slightly better 22-44 mark. Today, Williams is battling nagging injuries and considered one of the most inconsistent former all-stars. On the other hand, Jazz were given some players that were starters this season. Although Harris is no longer with the team, Derrick Favors forms the best defensive two-big combination in the league alongside the emerging Rudy Gobert. One of the first-round picks that King surrendered to Utah hit top-3 lottery and became Enes Kanter. This is already making an awful resume for King, but lets call it a mistake for now.
Going through another disappointing season, it was widely questioned whether Williams, an unrestricted free agent, would return to the Nets. King made another desperation move on the trade deadline of 2011-2012 season to acquire a player just good enough.
[Mar 2012] NJN - POR
Trade 2: Shawne Williams, Mehmet Okur and a top 3 protected first round pick for Gerald Wallace
Billy found Gerald Wallace, a productive former all-star forward with injury history that was just about to turn 30. King defended the weak pick protection saying that he saw only three worthy players: Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson. He went on to give Wallace a 4 year - 40 million dollars extension, which is now considered one of the league's worst contracts and cost the Nets more draft picks to rid of. The Portland Trailblazers went on to draft Damian Lillard who would become the Rookie of the Year and All-Star selection for all seasons after. Billy King saved the Blazers.
Remember that 2011-2012 season ended 22-44 despite the acquisition of Gerald Wallace. Only four months after the Wallace trade, King convinced poor Mikhail Prokhorov to undertake the NBA's absolute worst contract: Joe Johnson's deal that would pay him 89 million dollars over the next four seasons. He handed over another future first-round pick in that process.
[July 2012] BKN - ATL
Trade 3: Deshawn Stevenson, Jordan Farmar, Anthony Murrow, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, first-round pick 2013 and second-round pick 2017 for Joe Johnson.
To be fair, the pick did not turn into another all-star; It was a Shane Larkin. In the same draft, Nets picked Mason Plumlee who panned out much better as a player than Larkin. Williams re-signed with the Nets, reasoning that the Johnson trade showed the team's will to win now. However, rookie scale contracts are absolute must in order to run a team while staying under the salary cap. King kept trading away future picks for old, fading stars and would eventually pay the price. On the other hand, Atlanta was able to remove bad contracts and re-tool the team with Paul Millsap while wisely re-signing Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver. Atlanta has a pick-swap option in 2015 with Brooklyn, which they will certainly take advantage of. Billy King saved the Hawks.
The following season, Nets had a winning record and defeated Toronto Nets to advance to the second round of playoff. The core of Williams, Johnson and Brook Lopez was looking upward. People were excited in Brooklyn and so was Billy King. Entering the absolute 'win-now' mode, he made one of the biggest head-scratching trades in our recent memories.
[July 2013] BKN - BOS
Trade 4: Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, Marshon Brooks, Kris Joseph and 2014, 2016, 2018 first-round picks and the right to swap 2017-first round picks for Jason Terry, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett
3 first-round picks for players who were already pondering retirement must have seemed like a great deal to King. Celtics, who were preparing for the life after their Big 3, happily accepted the deal. The Nets of Brooklyn entered the 2014 season with the historic 80 million dollars luxury tax bill, and finished in mediocrity. It was only a year later when Paul Pierce became a veteran leader on the Washington Wizards. Kevin Garnett is preparing for retirement in Minnesota. With its young and inexperienced players, Celtics still ended the 2014-15 season with a better record than the Nets did. With the draft picks, rising coach Brad Stevens and its young core, Boston has prepared trade assets to jump into title contention again.
Brooklyn still owes two more picks to the Celtics. In this coming draft, Brooklyn is forced to swap its 15th overall pick with Atlanta's 29th because of Joe Johnson trade. Of course, Atlanta is picking 29 because King helped the Hawks achieve NBA's second-best record. After first-round exit from the playoff, Nets are hoping that Brook Lopez does not leave as an unrestricted free agent. This organization of misery is Billy King's latest resume. He needs to go.
P.S.
Dear Mr. Prokhorov,
if you read this blog please remove this cancer and hire me as your general manager. I will dedicate my life and do it for free for two years if you let me sleep in the team's practice facilities and pay for my Uber rides. You deserve better. Brooklyn deserves better.
Sincerely,
Choong
