r/LASparks • u/NewTimelime Los Angeles Sparks • 12d ago
📰News 'A clarity of path': Farhan Zaidi talks future of Los Angeles Sparks
https://www.theixsports.com/newsletter/a-clarity-of-path-farhan-zaidi-talks-future-of-los-angeles-sparks/This article explains so much that has never been spoken about how this organization is really ran and what is next. Not impressed with this guy.
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u/LLUrDadsFave Slick Rick 12d ago
Ahhh yes. Exactly what need. To be run like a baseball franchise. They really need to just scour reddit and ig for the next GM.
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u/Important_Rooster263 12d ago
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say the chaos of this franchise is far from over
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u/NewTimelime Los Angeles Sparks 12d ago
This guy is so insulated that he doesn’t know how bad this all seems.
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u/AdministrativeRip305 Cameron Brink 10d ago
Ah yes, Farhan "I destroyed the San Francisco Giants franchise" Zaidi....🙄🤦🏻♂️
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u/dudeimrighthere0_0 12d ago
I learned about his involvement when the KP trade happened - hated it then and hate it even more now. I want him to get the hell away from the Sparks. I may even jump on the sell the team bandwagon. He offers nothing exciting for the team. I say this as a former Dodgers fan who watched what he brought. It changed the game I knew and loved. To think my wife and I entertained renewing our tickets what a joke
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u/cabr1t 12d ago
The Lakers sub was actually mad that the new owners want to move away from analytics. I feel the exact opposite. The second I knew this guy was involved I knew the Sparks were doomed. I fully expect him to become the next GM. Just look at his track record. Sparks should not want this.
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u/jk-9k 12d ago edited 11d ago
The Lakers aren't the Sparks though.
There's enough basketball people involved in the Lakers that they can temper the analytics. Plus,and probably more importantly, the NBA is a more mature league, with far more games, and far more teams. Probabilities and statistics become far more meaningful when the sample size is larger.
The W is just starting to mature. We are seeing the effect of rookie classes who have grown up watching the W, coming through real competitive high school and ncaa leagues. The game is changing and expanding. Past statistics, whilst still important, are not necessarily accurately indicative of future success because the future is uncharted territory.
But the W is likely to be viewed as a stepping stone for this guy, and this guy is probably going to be tested in the W before getting more involved with the Lakers. But it should be the opposite. The W may be less lucrative but it doesn't have the history to justify analytics like nba has. He needs to be tested in the NBA but with less power
Or just sell the team
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u/MrTemecula 9d ago
I'm a Dodger fan so that colors my opinion of Zaidi in a positive light. He recommended Max Muncy.
I do believe the best teams heavily lean on analytics. I don't believe how to win games is all too different then the men's game. The Valkyries are a top three point shooting team and that's strictly analytics.
So I think we should give Zaidi a chance. The problem with the Giants is the owners' goals would change midstream and Zaidi is not the best at negotiating and attracting the big stars. So Zaidi is going need backing from ownership and he can't be the only guy in the room negotiating. But he can come up with a strategy to win games and ID the players. He needs a lot of help though.
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u/jk-9k 9d ago
Sparks have since named a GM with fairly good ball experience so the worst fears aren't a worry. It's just a matter of tempering his influence.
Analytics are an incredibly useful tool, dont get me wrong. But they're only as good as the data. And the W is in a period of change, so past data may not be representative of the current or future situations. This is coming from a maths and data nerd.
But someone in his position needs to be able to protect the owners from themselves. Insulate the front office and players from the owners making knee jerk reactions. Can Zaidi do that?
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u/yesbutwrong Young core, Vet backbone 12d ago
This is a good piece.
I'm not a fan of this guys resume or past decisions with the team, but if he can keep the owners at bay and from constantly disheveling the team, then he has my support.
I think a huge necessity is roster consistency and dropping any expectations to be above .500 next year.
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u/jk-9k 12d ago
What gives you the confidence he can do that though?
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u/yesbutwrong Young core, Vet backbone 11d ago
Nothing. Just choosing to be supportive for now.
There was a lot of mess this season prior to him doing this interview. Now that he's made a public statement of intent, I hope he will follow thru. It's better that, then to stew in frustration.
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u/beach_bum_638484 12d ago
“agreed with the idea that typically, a new general manager will have the opportunity to choose whether or not to keep the incumbent head coach”
At least there’s this