Even Larry Harris shouldnâ??t be ranked as low as he is. Injuries have plagued the last couple of seasons in Milwaukee, but Harris hasnâ??t done a bad job in his tenure.

Forbes.com came out with its inaugural ranking of general managers in the four major sports this month, and not unlike the NBA standings, the Milwaukee Bucks are very near the bottom of the list.

Bucks GM Larry Harris ranks 91 out of 98 on the list, which includes general managers with a minimum of three completed seasons on the job.

Minnesota Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale finished atop the controversial list, while Michael Lombardi (no relation to Vince, obviously) of the Oakland Raiders found himself in a familiar situation with a last-place finish in the rankings.

Former Bucks GM and current Washington Wizards boss Ernie Grunfeld, who was on the losing end of what was arguably the worst trade in NBA history when he shipped Ray Allen out of Milwaukee, finished at 25.

Brewers GM Doug Melvin finished at a respectable 70, while Packers GM Ted Thompson avoided embarrassment because he has net yet met the minimum number of years required for evaluation. Good luck next year, Ted.

The general managers were ranked based on their teams performance, which includes their regular season winning percentage as well as playoff wins, and their payroll by comparison to their predecessor.

Not everyone agrees with the opinions of Forbes.com, however. McHale has been heavily criticized for his inability to build a powerhouse around Kevin Garnett, who, like most people, gets a year older every 365 days or so. The list also features several odd rankings, including Grunfeld cracking the top 25 despite his sins back in his Milwaukee days.

Elsewhere, Toronto Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo has already turned around Canadas team in his first year up north after a very successful stint with the Phoenix Suns. His ranking? 94! According to Forbes.com, anyways.

Meanwhile Philadelphia 76ers GM Billy King finished at No. 3 despite some very questionable moves with the Sixers, another ranking which could lead some to believe that the list is completely backward.

Even Larry Harris shouldnt be ranked as low as he is. Injuries have plagued the last couple of seasons in Milwaukee, but Harris hasnt done a bad job in his tenure. He locked up Michael Redd to a long-term contract and lucked with the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, which was used to select Andrew Bogut.

He also brought starters Mo Williams and Charlie Villanueva to town, although a pricey free agent contract given to brittle Bobby Simmons currently hangs over his head. Terry Stotts has been brutal at head coach, but that was up to owner Herb Kohl, not Harris.

All in all, Larry Harris has done a decent job for the Bucks, and is vastly underrated in the world of sports general managers.

Arbitrary as the list may be, it cant be much more meaningless than some of the games the Bucks have been a part of recently. After winning three straight, Milwaukees struggles have resumed, and talk of the playoffs is laughable at this point.

While injuries have played their part, the Bucks are clearly lost out on the court. Unlike its GM, this team is deserving of its place near the bottom of the standings.

> Comments