http://nypost.com/2013/11/30/can-the-mba-crowd-save-the-knicks-rangers/

We have not starphuched and NOT traded a first round pick since we did for Bargnani.

A curiosity emerged from James Dolan’s wide-ranging interview with The Post’s Mike Vaccaro last week: He hired McKinsey & Company, the world’s premier management consulting firm, to help him with the ongoing problems known as the Rangers and the Knicks.

This is big news, not only because the famous control freak Dolan is willing to take someone else’s advice. It shows that his sports teams are joining the corporation-like, data-driven model of the future.

So, who is McKinsey? They’re managerial experts, the businessman’s businessmen. They’re the ones who get called in to help a company’s CEO figure out just what the heck he or she should do, whether its cutting costs, changing strategies or redrawing the entire organizational chart.

Founded nearly 100 years ago by a Chicago accounting professor named James McKinsey, they bring a “fact-based and analytical approach” to corporate problem solving, as well as an outsider’s ability to see things more clearly than those stuck in the weeds. They are the anthropologists of the modern and evolving social organism called the corporation. And they are also its engineers — they know as well as anyone how this human machine works.

That’s all well and good, you might be thinking, but you might also be wondering what a bunch of white-shoe consultants — we’re talking about the Harvard MBA crowd here — have to offer a sports team other than a steady stream of money spent entertaining clients at home games.

McKinsey is no stranger to the NBA. The firm has been working with the league since 2003, in fact, analyzing individual teams’ effectiveness at maximizing revenues, particularly in their local markets. The consultants have also worked with the league in analyzing its revenue-sharing agreements.

But what about at the individual team level? It’s not like McKinsey is going to help the coaches design plays, is it? I certainly hope not. But there is a lot they will be able to do.

For starters, let’s talk about Big Data. Sports teams — and fans — have always been stat happy, especially in the “Moneyball” era, but data analysis is becoming an ever-more-important part of player selection and development. Forget the simple statistics everyone used to determine a player’s value: We’re talking about advanced analytics that measure everything from how much time athletes spend sleeping to gauges of their perspiration, their respiration and the effects of physical impact.

More resources are being poured into the search for correlations between player development — in practices, games and even at home — and, ultimately, wins. Believe it or not, but the Holy Grail of coaching—knowing who is contributing the most to wins and how — is as likely to be found in a spreadsheet than it is anywhere else.

And here’s the thing: Most teams aren’t even equipped to collect that kind of data, let alone analyze it or use it to make decisions. And it isn’t simply a data problem — it’s also a management problem. Once you finally know all you can about your talent, you’ve then got to decide what to do with it. Talent management is a McKinsey specialty — and while they’ll work on it for any kind of client, from a factory making frozen peas to a charity organization, they can certainly do the same for a sports team.

The consultants also specialize in those areas fans don’t pay much attention to: television rights, Internet rights, sponsorship sales, arena configuration and optimization of ticket prices.

(Okay, fans pay attention to that last one, but not in the way that McKinsey does.) It doesn’t matter if the Knicks and Rangers already sell out most games and have big money sponsorships to boot.

Because McKinsey also specializes in squeezing blood out of stones. And the more money that you bring in, the more you can spend on elite players. And the more you know about those players, the more effectively you can use them. Then you win more, and then your TV rights are worth more and your ticket prices go up. The virtuous circle.

Before we get too excited, I should point out that Dolan’s stated reason for hiring McKinsey was because he’d realized the need to “reprocess” both teams. What the hell does that even mean? I’ll tell you what I think it means — that Dolan was trying to sound smart, and didn’t succeed. It’s just a word, that’s true, but it’s also one that might never have been used in the context of professional sports management. At least he’s trying.

Of course, seeing the news that Dolan had hired McKinsey made me think of one other thing. Since its founding, McKinsey has had a reputation for speaking truth to power, for telling the boss the bad news that no one else has had the guts to say out loud. If they stay true to that promise, they might just end up telling Dolan that he is the problem, and that the solution is to fire himself. But don’t get your hopes up.

Duff McDonald is a New York-based business writer. His latest book, “The Firm: The Story of McKinsey and Its Secret Influence on American Business,” was released by Simon & Schuster in September.

This lead to the firing of Grunwald and bought back Mills. Phil was bought in and given "autonomy". Im not Griff was deserving of this but I'd say that NOBODY had it prior to Phil and Dolan meddled for years. He even admitted to as much. So if Mills has this autonomy, then really Mills needs a GM to work WITH him. I realize Mills does not have a track record of success but he, nor anyone else had the power except perhaps Checketts. Phil did reset the franchise and move it in a direction that was positive until he took KP's snub way too personal. Its not just Phil's cultural revolution, it was the shift that dolan took to remove himself from the process. I do think this covenant was broken

If all this is true, then there is not reason to starphuch a new housecleaning regime with knicks. As long as Dolan is not meddling, it already is happening.
I think Phil gave one consession with Dolan and that was Melo. Perhaps Melo was on board with Phil and did try to fit in and make it work. We don't know why Phil was really fired/left. I wonder if "Phil Files" will conflict with the usual Dolan contracts that insist no bad mouthing if you want to get paid. I have a feeling phil might be silent for a while.

Still, the circumstances of Mills’s return last month were odd even by Knicks standards. Dolan tapped Mills for the job after removing Glen Grunwald, who had played a significant part in reshaping a team that was 54-28 last season and won its first playoff series since 2000.

Unlike Mills, Grunwald had plenty of experience as a general manager when he took on that job for the Knicks in 2011. He acquired Tyson Chandler, toed the company line by generally avoiding reporters and coped with an onerous payroll (see: Amar’e Stoudemire) by surrounding Anthony with effective role players.

“Well, I’m a big fan of Glen,” said Mark Bartelstein, a prominent agent. “I thought he did a good job, so I’m surprised from that standpoint.”

He is not the only one, of course. Mills’s experience in evaluating players is limited. And if that does not make fans skeptical, there is, and will continue to be, that affiliation with Thomas.

Mills said he would seek advice from the rest of the team’s front office, which includes John Gabriel and Mark Warkentien, who have worked as N.B.A. general managers.

The band never broke up. Expect the same group to get a little better results because player evaluations are not based on fitting the triangle.

Nalod wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:Giving a former NBA big name coach 60 million to run the front office, who had no experience previously.... The definition of Starphuck!!

Yes, it most certainly was!
Grunwald was fired as part of this change. Mills was bought in. Phil was face of it and if MSG had to pay 60mil to keep Dolan away, it was worth every penny.
Im not here to blame Phil, Walsh, or Dolan for Melo's contract. I think it was a concession by phil and thought it could be woven into the new plan which was compete with him, be the alpha of a new culture and build with yoot. Melo was not the dude to do this with and Phil was not flexible. Not a good combo.

The time line of the Mckinsey findings produced the ouster of Grunwald in October of 2013. Who fires its GM right before the season starts? It installed Mills.
Mills was not part of the team at this point. I think this was an attempt to install a new regime that was autonomous. Grunwald was not a bad GM, he was a pansy and under Dolans control. It was cold, but he had to go. He was hold over from Isiah and I don't think had the pulp in his juice card to lead the knicks with Dolan. Mills did. IN retrospect forget the money and the starphuch, It should have been Mills as president and phil under him. Thats how it should have been. But Phil wanted to answer to no one. Dolan likey told mills to let phil do the heavy lifting and Mills can stay long after.
Phil was wooed in December and they spend the winter seducing Phil with more and more money. My take was Phil was the cultural leader and Mills was to install it. This is why I don't have a problem with Mills now in charge. The culture must remain autonomous and Mills needs to hire a basketball guy like Grunwald, but instead of being under Dolan's starphuch ways, he is under Mills directive.

At this point we know Mills wants a young team developing. Why would anyone have a problem with that at this point.
Lets address Noah's contract. To me, my opinion it was a tandem effort for phil to be over ambitious and "win now" with Rose, melo and Noah with KP learning the ropes and eventually being a big part of this.
What was wrong was the fragile health of our new chicago imports.

And, what really might have been the ultimate "Blame" was Phil deviated from the youth plan and got fancy with Rose/Noah. It did not work. Under pressure Melo was ok and did what melo does, but Phil somewhere blew it with KP. Its why phil had to go. So maybe Mills is not a bad thing. Perhaps Griff is right to want his own gig, but at this point his skills as a youth developer (he was hired to rebuild Cav's before Lebron came). Under MIlls, griff would be a good fit. But its MSG and he wanted to that freedom and job security. He might have have had it, but he had to earn it. Im not in agreement one way or the other, just dissecting for conversations sake. Seems that Griff and Mills got far enough along the process but reached some stalemate with wanting to bring in Griffs Clev guys. In some fashion the current direction of the knicks is not dysfunctional regarding yoot and with Phil gone that itself might be enough FOR NOW to smooth the process for a while.

Could Rambis be the next GM???? He was assistant in Laker land? Oh boy.
Does Isiah work under Mills?
Is H20 ready to step up?
Mills go out of house, consolidate his power and have someone work with whats in place (Griffin concept).

Any MBA's wish to chime in on this?

Grunwald was fired a month and a half before McKinsey was brought in. After Grunwald/during Mills tenure, there was a lot of speculation that CAA was running the Knicks.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/HowardBeck/status/887467242862108673/actions

knicks1248 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/HowardBeck/status/887467242862108673/actions

Im sure it had a lot to do with LIN and wanting more of a final say in matters, especially after getting the knicks to the 2nd round in a decade.

CrushAlot wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/HowardBeck/status/887467242862108673/actions

Im sure it had a lot to do with LIN and wanting more of a final say in matters, especially after getting the knicks to the 2nd round in a decade.

The tweet was about the Bargs trade.

OH ok

CrushAlot wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/HowardBeck/status/887467242862108673/actions

Im sure it had a lot to do with LIN and wanting more of a final say in matters, especially after getting the knicks to the 2nd round in a decade.

The tweet was about the Bargs trade.

IM glad you posted this. I have long been telling folks Dolan, not Grunwald was the architect of our pain!!! From Layden, to enabling Isiah, to stepping on Walsh to steamrollling Grunwald. No Sane person does half of what we done. No neophyte has the power to sign 100million dollar uninsurable contracts!!!!!

Mills in charge is a good thing. A very good thing (Im sure I'll live to eat those words!!!!!)

Swishfm3 wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:We were never on a youth movement with phil, the 17 win season force him into a high draft pick, and every off season he signed more veterans, and traded for calderon and rose. He traded THJ, shump and Grant because he didn't think they were that good.

This youth movement comes as a "no other option" For mills. Im telling you now, that Baker signing is going to be the death of MILLS tenure if he doesn't trade for a Veteran PG. Even though i like KOQ, LEE, and LANCE, one, if not all, should have been gone on draft night, or before.

WE HAVE NO MONEY, with one of the most incomplete rosters in the league.

100%

I dont understand why the Knicks never bother to focus on the PG position. I think we can all agree that, that is the most important position and we continue to fill it with 3rd tier players. The last time we had a capable player in that spot, we went on to win 50+ games and completely collapsed when he went down!

Bonn1997 wrote:

EnySpree wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:We were never on a youth movement with phil, the 17 win season force him into a high draft pick, and every off season he signed more veterans, and traded for calderon and rose. He traded THJ, shump and Grant because he didn't think they were that good.

This youth movement comes as a "no other option" For mills. Im telling you now, that Baker signing is going to be the death of MILLS tenure if he doesn't trade for a Veteran PG. Even though i like KOQ, LEE, and LANCE, one, if not all, should have been gone on draft night, or before.

WE HAVE NO MONEY, with one of the most incomplete rosters in the league.

I'm tired of you.

Phil's first year he tried to clean house of all players that resisted the changes Phil wanted to make towards team ball and running system basketball. He purposely tanked after that season went to ****. We earned KP. The next year as KP rookie year. Phil tried to do what we are doing now, he tried to draft a point guard and have a veteran mentor him. Melo couldn't attract free agents so he had to improvise. Of course we were going to lose again. The 3rd year, aka KP second year was an attempt to get in the playoffs. He signed Noah and Lee. Everything was working good until the floor fell out again. This off season is almost like a reset of the year we traded Thjr for Grant. We kept our draft pick in thjr... we have several decent vets. We have a Melo trade on the horizon... we have a 18 year old pg. We're looking for a vet to play ahead of him. Might get that guy via trade. We're looking at another high pick next off season.

There's absolutely nothing to cry about. We're not in s space where we are contending for a championship. Stop bitching. We are building up our team. Right now we are in a healthy situation. No use crying about losing when going 0-82 would be the best thing that ever happen to us.

Every year Phil tried to clean house of the players he brought here. You don't get credit for doing that. We're better off without him. At this point, I'm hopeful that Mills and Perry know what they're doing but it's just hope since we don't know what they're going to do.

First of all EnySpree, when did the knicks stop playing team ball, when phil got here?

we were on of the top passing teams in the league during the 54 win season when melo won the scoring title (if I'm correct) and we made the playoff with amare, jr, shump, and melo every yr since that group played together.

The year phil got here we had a lot of injuries and not a lot of depth (thank mills for that) by the time the roster got healthy, we came up a game short.

no one on the roster could figure out the triangle, and fisher wasn't down with that bull crap triangle either, and so phil decided to dump those guys only by default.

BONN is absolutely right, phil continued to search the globe for these triangle players, and made us a laughing stock across the league.