Sources say Silvestri, who took a seat on the board last year, has emerged as an atypically opinionated presence around the Air Canada Centre. Along with criticizing Colangelo’s record as GM, Silvestri, one league source said, has also been heard to deride Colangelo’s career as the product of nepotism. Colangelo’s father, Jerry, was owner of the Phoenix Suns when Bryan became that franchise’s general manager in 1995.Bryan Colangelo, who was GM in Phoenix for 11 years before he succeeded Rob Babcock in Toronto in February 2006, has had success outside his father’s shadow. He was named the NBA’s executive of the year in Toronto in 2007 for inheriting a 27-win team and turning them into the 47-win champions of the Atlantic Division.
He has made plenty of missteps in the wake of that triumph, to be sure. The Jermaine O’Neal deal, which insiders pin on Colangelo’s wish to assuage then-coach Sam Mitchell’s constant harping for more defence and rebounding, was a miss. Ditto Hedo Turkoglu. And Colangelo’s call-out of Chris Bosh, this in the wake of Bosh’s exit to Miami last summer, raised eyebrows among those concerned about the team’s ability to retain and land free agents.
Finally someone with some balls in the organization. It's quite clear the likes of Mr. Peddie and Mr. Tanenbaum, both supporters of Bryan Colangelo, are willing to give Bryan his extension despite the massive miscalculations and lack of foresight on his roster moves. Colangelo has often tried to mask his failures, one of his job responsibilities, connecting it to 'bad luck' and 'unpredictable circumstances' as opposed to his flawed 'vision' that led to the sub-par yet often overrated product on the court that MLSE tries to sell to Toronto year after year.
I'm still waiting for the game to evolve when big men can play like guards and not have to worry about the responsibilities required up front. Unfortunately the man is out to lunch.
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