ESPN NBA

Updated: November 22, 2006, 6:06 PM ET

Top 10 Daily Dish moments

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By Chad Ford
ESPN.com

It's been roughly three weeks since we began our Daily Dish podcasts and we've had many of the league's top decision-makers on the show.

Some have been candid, others guarded. Many say one thing on the air and then, off the record, tell me what they really think once the show's over. That's always been part of the business.

But overall, I've been really excited about some of the revelations we've received in the Daily Dish.

Here are my favorite Top 10 …

1. Grizzlies president Jerry West on his disappointment with the way the Grizzlies are playing. West has always been pretty frank and I thought that showed when he discussed the job Mike Fratello was doing in Memphis.

While West said that we shouldn't blame the coach, the rest of what he said sure seemed to be heading that direction. He said he was unhappy with the style of play (he prefers a more uptempo style), the lack of playing time for the rookies (especially point guard Kyle Lowry) and the lack of effort on the court from some of the veterans.

While West said it wasn't about Fratello, at the end of the day, those are all things coaches control. As a bonus, check out the Question of Fear where West talks about Shaq and Kobe's divorce in L.A. He says he would've found a way to make it work … and I believe him.

2. Raptors President and GM Bryan Colangelo on Andrea Bargnani. Again, Colangelo said all the right things, but listen between the lines and it sounds like he's pretty frustrated that head coach Sam Mitchell isn't playing Bargnani more. Colangelo is trying to build for the future. Mitchell's trying to win every game. Sometimes the two don't mix.

3. Pistons President Joe Dumars on … just about everything. Whenever I'm around Joe D, I'm always struck by how intelligent the guy is on almost every subject imaginable. People will probably want to tune in to hear his take on losing Ben Wallace and keeping Chauncey Billups next summer.

But what really interested me was his take on players taking more of an interest in politics. It was election day when we spoke and Dumars makes eloquent arguments as to why players should … and shouldn't get more involved in politics. And he works in a fun reference to Ludacris that's worth the listen.

4. Celtics VP Danny Ainge spoke to me when the team was really struggling and lots of people were calling for Doc Rivers' head. My favorite part of the interview was when Ainge and I went back and forth about the possibility that the Celtics owners may pull a James Dolan on him and tell him to coach the team. That move shook Isiah Thomas to the very core. Danny says he wouldn't do it … which leads to the obvious question: So you'd rather lose your job than coach these guys?

5. Pacers President Donnie Walsh has been through the ringer the past two years with Ron Artest and now the Stephen Jackson shooting/strip club fiasco. Walsh was really open in discussing the problems the team has faced and is facing, but as he says in the interview, he really has to cringe through much of the description of his team the past few years.

6. Many of you don't know Blazers Assistant GM Kevin Pritchard very well, but he's been a huge part of the rebuilding process in Portland … mostly behind the scenes. With so many feel-bad stories coming out of Portland, it's great to hear the perspective of a guy like Pritchard.

His description of how the Blazers pulled off all the draft-day deals, including a game of chess with the Timberwolves over the rights to Brandon Roy, is really compelling. So is his take on the Question of Fear about talent versus character. The Blazers are trying to clean up their act and Pritchard talks about how they're doing it.

7. I've been hard on the Warriors for years, but it looks like things have started turning around in Golden State this year. I like how Chris Mullin talks owner Chris Cohan into rehiring mortal enemy Don Nelson … though I must admit that I like my version of events a little better. Also, while not definitive, it sounds like Mully offered to either shave his head or grow out that famous flattop if the Warriors could make the playoffs. We're going to follow up on that one.

8. Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor has taken a lot of heat for his draft picks, especially the decision to pass on Chris Paul and take Deron Williams instead. O'Connor makes his case for Williams and, since the interview, Williams has been seriously backing that up.

9. Suns GM and head coach Mike D'Antoni was fun as always … especially taking on three important topics: why Steve Nash is the best player in the league, why the media reports about a rift between himself and Amare Stoudemire are exaggerated and why he believes that in the end, American hoops still trumps international ball.

10. Bulls GM John Paxson was our very first guest on opening night. Both of us were giddy about the Bulls' future and he took us through the acquisition of Ben Wallace this summer. Now that his team is 3-8 … I'm wondering if he still feels the same way. I'm not sure I do. I'll have to get him on the show again soon.