Russ Granik
Russ Granik
Russ Granik is an American sports executive who served as Deputy Commissioner of the NBA for 22 years. He retired from that position on July 1, 2006, after 30 years with the NBA. Granik was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013, alongside basketball legends including Gary Payton, Bernard King, Rick Pitino, and Jerry Tarkanian. He was enshrined into the Hall of Fame by Jerry Colangelo. During his professional career, Granik served as the...
difference draw fan journalist limiting line looked lottery problem protection seriously teams type whether
I think that one problem is ? and we really haven't looked at this seriously ? is where you draw the line. I think lottery protection ? I don't think it's one that's too serious because I think teams want to be in the playoffs, not the lottery. When you draw the line in other places, that's where a fan or a journalist could say what's the difference whether they're between 10th or 11th or 20th or 21st? And I think we just have to look at how that works, but I don't think we'd be limiting lottery protection entirely, we may just be limiting some type of protection.
allow expect games lottery minnesota ought particular percentage player players problem reason supposed teams trades view whether win
I think our view has always been we expect teams to try and win games, and if a player is not injured, you are supposed to play him. And from everything I have heard, these players are legitimately hurt. I think we ought to look at whether and how we allow trades to be made in the future. That is really the issue. But I don't think we have any particular problem with Minnesota right now. But it may be the same reason we have a lottery now is to give teams that don't win games a better percentage in the lottery.
draw problem
One problem is where you draw the line.
anytime debate issue judging lack room whether
I think there's some substantial reservation at this point, again, just judging from the debate or lack of debate in the room about whether it really is an issue that has to be addressed anytime soon.
anytime issue playoff talk view whether
I think there' s some substantial reservation ... about whether it really is an issue that has to be addressed anytime soon. My view is that there are just a lot of anomalies that come into play when you talk about playoff pairings, particularly in the first rounds.
ahead concern everybody playoff seem talk teams view west year
My view is that there are just a lot of anomalies that come into play when you talk about playoff pairings, particularly in the first rounds. I think the concern this year is because we have two teams in the West that seem to be way ahead of everybody else.
perfect
We want the fairest arrangement we can. There is probably no perfect system.
building monitor
We're going to monitor just to (see) how things are progressing, how the building is doing.
hope stay within
We'll see what's available. We hope to have it done within a week. We'd like them to stay in one place if it were possible.
optimistic reason
I don't have any reason to be optimistic here.
arena games impossible orleans
Even if the arena is operable, it still may be impossible to play games in New Orleans for some time,
focus orleans remaining team
right now the focus is on the team remaining the New Orleans Hornets.
good
On this one there was a pretty good consensus.
cure issue record team
We can probably cure the issue of the team with the second-best record being seeded fourth.