Latest news with #TommyBalcetis
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
The Nuggets still have no GM just 8 days before NBA Draft
The Nuggets still have no GM just 8 days before NBA Draft The NBA Draft is in nine days, the Nuggets do not have a POBO, GM or AGM. — Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) June 17, 2025 At the time of this writing, the Denver Nuggets do not have a general manager. They do not have a president of basketball operations. Heck, after Monday night's news about them parting with long-time executive Tommy Balcetis, they don't have an assistant general manager, either. And guess what? We're only eight days from the 2025 NBA Draft. This is critical even for the draft-pick-less Nuggets, because the draft is traditionally one of the biggest transactional periods in the NBA's calendar. If the Nuggets have anyone competent running the show right now, anyone at all, while Nikola Jokić twists in the wind hoping (praying?) for more depth, they're doing a terrible job of showing it. This is not how I believe anyone rational would characterize taking care of the prime of one of the best players in basketball history. Not at all: In the interest of giving Denver the benefit of the doubt, there could be a reasonable explanation for this bizarre delay. Perhaps the Nuggets are ironing out the finer details with former Golden State Warriors architect Bob Myers, who is currently working the NBA Finals as an analyst for ESPN. That would at least partly explain why they parted ways with Balcetis, as a big fish like Myers would probably want his own preferred front office structure. Maybe they're busy working on a reunion with former team president Tim Connelly, who famously had a passive-aggressive falling out with the Kroenke family before jumping ship to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Someone like the respected Matt Lloyd, who is Connelly's general manager/lieutenant in Minnesota, might also be in the picture. Any of these moves would qualify as taking a much-needed big swing for Denver that likely needs time to orchestrate and finalize. They would justify the wait, as painful as it seems right now. Of course, if we're being less charitable, the Nuggets could just be biding their time before officially promoting interim general manager Ben Tenzer. They could literally be running it back all around with no outside eyes offering a new perspective anywhere. That, in itself, would be a massive, shortsighted disaster centered around wasted time and insular viewpoints. No one knows what team owner Stan Kroenke and vice chairman Josh Kroenke are cooking behind the scenes. The more time goes on, the more it seems like there's nothing meaningful happening at all.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Denver's Brain Drain: Why the Nuggets Let Go of the Man Behind Jokić's Dynasty
The Denver Nuggets have recently made a significant front-office change by parting ways with Assistant General Manager Tommy Balcetis , ending a long tenure that began in 2013. Balcetis, a Harvard graduate with a background in economics and business consulting, was a key figure in the Nuggets' rise over the past decade, contributing extensively to analytics, scouting, and salary cap strategy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Tommy Balcetis joined the after initially working for the NBA in Europe and Africa, where he managed media rights distribution. His transition to the Nuggets came through a connection with Tim Connelly, then the New Orleans Pelicans assistant GM, whom Balcetis met at a Basketball Without Borders event in Moscow. When Connelly took over the Nuggets front office in 2013, he brought Balcetis on board to help build the organization's analytics capabilities from the ground up, as the NBA was just beginning to embrace advanced data analytics in team-building. Over the years, Balcetis climbed the ranks within the Nuggets organization, evolving from managing basketball analytics to becoming Assistant GM in 2020. He played a vital role in shaping the Nuggets' roster, including supporting the general manager in key decisions that led to the team's 2023 NBA championship. His expertise in analytics and salary cap management was instrumental in maintaining a competitive and deep roster around superstar . Despite his long service and contributions, Tommy Balcetis was passed over for the general manager position after the firing of Calvin Booth in 2025. Instead, Ben Tenzer, a Denver Nuggets veteran front-office member with over 15 years of experience and a strong background in salary cap expertise, was named interim GM. Tenzer also serves as GM of the Nuggets' G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, and is considered a leading candidate for the permanent GM role. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Nuggets owner, Josh Kroenke, has taken an active role in the front office during this transitional period, serving as interim president of basketball operations and overseeing the search for a new GM. Kroenke has emphasized the importance of maintaining the team's competitive edge while balancing input from star players like Jokić, though ultimate decisions rest with the front office. Also read: Tommy Balcetis's departure marks the end of an era for the Denver Nuggets' front office, which has been defined by a strong analytical approach and steady roster building. The team now faces a pivotal offseason to determine its leadership and future direction as it seeks to build on recent success and remain a championship contender.
