Denver Nuggets team President Josh Kroenke prevented the departure of Arturas Karnisovas with a clever front office shake-up.
Denver Nuggets team president Josh Kroenke has announced the title change of two key figures in his front office. Former general manager Tim Connelly has been promoted to president of basketball operations, clearing the way for a promotion of Arturas Karnisovas, Connelly’s highly coveted right hand man.
Karnisovas will step into the role of GM, according to the latest Woj Bomb.
The move was an important and timely one. Karnisovas has played an integral role in the construction of an impressive young core, and he emerged as the favorite to land the general manager gig in Milwaukee.
But Kroenke moved fast. He offered him the same role in Denver with the hope that he would stay. As a result, Arturas pulled his name from the hat in Milwaukee’s search for their own GM. This is a big win for Denver.
Early reaction to the Nuggets GM/President of Ops news: Kroenke needed to step up to the plate and he did. Couldn't risk losing Arturas.
— Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares) June 14, 2017
It’s still unclear as to how exactly the title changes will affect the responsibilities of the two executives. But it keeps this front office together, and that’s important for a team with Denver’s timeline.
Owners want to win, and they want to make money. No one wants to sit on their hands and simply wait for the reign of Golden State and Cleveland to end. But that’s what a team in Denver’s position should be doing. And this move seems to reflect that Kroenke is indeed prioritizing patience.
There was a worry that the team would pivot to short term success or bust mentality. It appears almost certain that is not the case.
— Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares) June 14, 2017
The re-shuffling of a front office can lead to changes in philosophy and unexpected alterations to a team’s blueprint for a path to contention. Kroenke’s proactivity will keep the two masterminds of the team’s current vision in place. This is an especially encouraging thing for Nuggets fans with the 2017 NBA Draft just around the corner and a late lottery pick in their back pocket.
The Nuggets are headed in the right direction, and after losing their senior vice president of business and team operations, Pete D’Alessandro, they couldn’t afford to lose one of their two most important executives.
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This move ensures some much needed stability in this front office and it assures the fans that this franchise will stay the course, as it patiently wait its turn in this loaded Western Conference. Now we wait and see what Connelly and Karnisovas do with this 13th pick.