http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1083839753115330.xml More should follow Bass to exits for Hornets Thursday, May 06, 2004 John DeShazier If the Hornets are serious about wanting to win an NBA title or compete in the Western Conference, the retirement of Bob Bass must be only the first move in the reshaping of the team. The team, fresh off a second consecutive first-round playoff exit in a 4-3 series loss to Miami, needs change. Major change. "I just think it's going to be a very interesting offseason," said forward P.J. Brown, one of five players who attended the Wednesday retirement announcement by Bass, the team's general manager and executive vice president of basketball operations. Hornets fans should recognize the good Bass did -- drafting All-Stars Baron Davis and Jamaal Magloire, acquiring P.J. Brown and Jamal Mashburn, hiring Dave Cowens and Paul Silas as coaches -- and applaud those positives. Bass has been a key reason the team hasn't had a losing record since the 1991-92 season. "To me, he's the most knowledgeable guy in the NBA, in all of basketball," majority owner George Shinn said. "You just can't say enough good things about Bob Bass." But let's not conveniently ignore the misses. Malik Rose and All-Star Brad Miller slipped away on his watch. Some draft picks (Kirk Haston) and free agents (Bryce Drew) didn't pan out. And don't issue a pass on the hiring of Tim Floyd as coach, a bout of organizational arrogance that must be corrected. It was unwise for the front office to assume the Hornets' collection of talent was so vast that almost anyone could coach the team. It was misguided to believe that the proper move for a veteran playoff squad was to hire a coach who never had been to the playoffs. It was naive to think players wouldn't question his credentials. Do you believe Jerry West of Memphis, Mitch Kupchak of the Lakers, Joe Dumars of the Pistons or Geoff Petrie of the Kings -- all presidents of basketball operations or general managers of note -- would have made the same hire under similar circumstances? Imagine one of them handing over, to a coach with no NBA playoff experience, a veteran NBA team that was believed to be ready for the next step. Having a hard time visualizing it? Me, too. Perhaps the next Hornets general manager will be Bass' assistant, Allan Bristow. But here's a thought for Shinn: Go outside the office; be bold; wipe the slate clean. Call the Grizzlies and request permission to speak to whoever serves as the right-hand man to West, a Hall of Fame player and extraordinary talent evaluator. He knows how to build teams and maintain excellence, a feat he accomplished with the Lakers and is doing again in Memphis. Anyone he trusts with responsibility has to be sharp. If the right-hand man isn't available, go to the next in command or the next, so long as it's a person off that tree. Because two or three degrees of separation from West, who's the best in the business, probably is better than most current general managers. Even though the Hornets will be in the Grizzlies' division, it would be hard for Memphis to hold on to a West assistant who is offered a chance to move up. And here's another suggestion: Don't mimic Tony Soprano and have the new general manager do the dirty work and whack Floyd. Do what should be done yourself, because the new general manager will have enough on his plate, having to rework a roster that needs purging, one in which all except four players (Davis, Magloire, Brown and David West) should be touchable. The Hornets should be busy this summer, breaking apart an aging, declining team and bringing in leadership that's respected. Wednesday was a start. It shouldn't be the end. . . . . . . . John DeShazier can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3410. --

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