Pretend You're an NBA GM and We'll Guess How Much of a Risk-Taker You Are

Cassidy Allen Chubb

6 Min Quiz

Wiki Commons by Chensiyuan

Were you surprised that Kawhi Leonard didn't re-sign with the Raptors?

I could see it coming.

No, he's from California and wanted to be back home.
Not at all.

Yes

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If Carmelo Anthony expressed interest in playing for your team, would you sign him?

I'd pass, just because he's not ready to come off the bench.

Yes, he still has a lot left to give the game.
If we could come to an agreement on his role, yes.

Probably not.

Jim Arbogast / DigitalVision / Getty Images

You have a young team. Realistically, how long do you think it'll take to become playoff contenders?

By next season for sure

Three years
Five years

Two years

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A player you were planning on selecting is getting surgery before the draft. Will you still pick him or go after someone else?

No, it's too risky.

Yes, it's just a small procedure.
Yes, but only because I know the surgeon.

It depends on how the surgery goes.

skynesher / E+ / Getty Images

Your team hasn't made the playoffs in five years. What are you going to do to turn next season around?

Give our head coach another year before making any drastic changes.

Trade four starters for Kevin Durant.
Make a lot of trades to get higher draft picks.

Be too worried about losing my job.

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There's a G.M. vacancy with the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks. Which team would you choose to be the G.M. for?

I'd want to go to the Warriors for sure.

I'm ready to rebuild a team. Let's go to the Big Apple!
Ship me to New York.

I think Golden State would be a better fit.

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Rumors are circulating that your veteran power forward is retiring before the season is over. How do you handle that?

Ignore and deny the rumors.

Address it head on with a press conference.
Wait until the season is over.

Release a press release to the media.

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What're your thoughts on Vince Carter taking up a roster spot in his 22nd NBA season?

He needs to just retire.

It's just one spot, he won't even play that much.
It's not fair to yougner guys.

He's a veteran and has the right.

Wiki Commons by Keith Allison

Imagine you're the G.M. of the Cavaliers and Lebron leaves after winning your team a ring. How do you recover from such a huge loss?

Offer him his max and try to beg him to stay.

Go after big players in free agency.
Trade up in the draft to getting higher draft picks.

Rely on Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith and Tristan Thompson to step up.

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The star point guard on your team is out with a season-ending injury. How do you move forward?

Adjust the lineup to have four bigs and one guard now.

Make a mid season trade and go after a big player.
Bring up a player from our G-league.

Rely on the back up to step up in his absence.

Martinns / E+ / Getty Images

What do you think of teams who tank to potentially get a better draft pick?

It's ruining the game of basketball.

It's risky, but it works for some teams.
I don't think it's as good of a strategy as most think.

I think it's cheating, and pretty obvious too.

peepo / E+ / Getty Images

Would you rather have a young team with a bright future or a team with superstars, but everyone's on their way out?

I'd want the young team. I'm all about the future.

Superstars for sure.
Young team

Superstars. They have more experience!

FatCamera / E+ / Getty Images

Do you plan to bring players up from the G League and use them during the season?

It all just depends on how the season goes.

I don't really plan to.
Only if it's necessary.

Yes, because I want those guys to have experience.

Doug Menuez / Valueline / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

You have the chance to sign one of the top players in the league, but he always is getting into trouble. Are you going to pass or take the risk?

Sign him, but with certain conditions.

Take the risk, because he's worth it.
Pass on him.

Stay away from this player and go for someone else.

slobo / E+ / Getty Images

The arena suffered severe damage and isn't safe to use for the remainder of the season. What are you going to do?

Consider our local college's gyms.

Play at the G League arena and triple the ticket prices.
Look into options at our NFL stadium

Just cancel the rest of the season.

Robert Daly / OJO Images / Getty Images

Your sponsorship deal on your arena is expiring in two years. Would you keep the same one or look for another?

Re-sign with current sponsorship.

Go after another one for more money.
Keep the same one, but change the terms of our contract.

Find another one, but for the same money as previous deal.

Jim Arbogast / DigitalVision / Getty Images

The starting center is suspended for the rest of the season. Do you replace him with another center or turn your power forward into a center?

Replace him.

Turn power forward into a center.
Depend on his back-up.

Bring a player up from G League.

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If only one player from your team made the NBA All-Star team who would you want it to be?

Kawhi Leonard

Lebron James
Kevin Durant

Kyrie Irving

Dmytro Aksonov / E+ / Getty Images

You have two second-round picks. Do you use both of them, or do you trade one and keep one?

Trade the later pick.

Keep the earlier pick.
Trade both.

Use both of them.

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Would you have hired Ty Lue to be the Lakers head coach?

Yes, but under certain terms.

Duh, of course.
I'd be on the fence.

Depends on the contract.

Mark Weiss / Corbis / Getty Images

There are a few spots left to fill on your roster, but you have limited cap space. How are you going to get good players with little money to offer?

Try to do what I can with what I have.

Guarantee playing time.
Offer a long contract.

Hook them up your connection for a shoe deal with Nike.

Wiki Commons by Angela George

Who would be the first woman that you add to your coaching staff?

Becky Hammon

Lisa Leslie
Lindsey Harding

Lindsay Gottlieb

Jim Arbogast / Photodisc / Getty Images

Your newly hired head coach wants the title of president as well. How are you going to react?

Tell him yes, but we will have to negotiate salary.

Let him have both titles.
Tell him no, because we already have a great president.

It depends on his experience ...

Dmytro Aksonov / E+ / Getty Images

Today is the deadline to cut a player to save money in your cap space for next year, but his whole family came to watch him play. Are you going to go through with it?

No, I'll wait until the next day and accept the fine.

Yes, it's a business.
Yes, but only after all of his family has left.

No, I've changed my mind and will keep him on the roster.

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When you retire, what would you want to have accomplished?

Coached Team U.S.A.

Won multiple championships
Over ten conference championships.

Coached the All-Star team

Wiki Commons by Keith Allison

Which player from the Big3 would you sign back to an NBA contract?

Joe Johnson

Nate Robinson
Glen Davis

Metta World Peace

Wiki Commons by Keith Allison

Your team needs a superstar if it stands any chance of making the playoffs, let alone winning a championship. Which big player would you go after?

Kawhi Leonard

Kevin Durant
Klay Thompson

Kyrie Irving

Wiki Commons by Keith Allison

Your team's arena is old and it's time for a facelift, but it'll force your WNBA team who you share the arena with to find somewhere else to play while constructions is done. Do you proceed anyway?

No, it's not fair to them.

Yes, it needs to be done.
Yes, but I'll help them find somewhere else to play.

I'd wait until it absolutely had to be done.

Wiki Commons by Susan Lesch

Which player riddled by injury would you sign and take a chance on?

Derrick Rose

Jabari Parker
Boogie Cousins

Steph Curry

Wiki Commons by Pete Souza

If you could add any retired player to your roster, who would it be?

Larry Bird

Michael Jordan
Wilt Chamberlain

Steve Nash

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About This Quiz

General Managers of any sports team, whether its the NBA, NFL or MLB, have some pretty tough decisions to make. It's a big job to have, but it does come with some pretty nice pay! All the hard work and strategic decisions by the G.M. are definitely what lead the team to success or failures. G.M.'s aren't always seen in the front, like the players or coaches, but they do all the work behind the scenes. It just takes one great decision by the GM to have an amazing season, but a bad one could put a team in a tough position as well. A lot falls on the shoulders of the G.M.!

If none of this is making you back down from the challenge of making decisions like you're a G.M., then you should take this quiz. In this quiz, you'll be given scenarios that NBA G.M.'s navigate all the time, and we'll put your skills to the test. Do you think you'd be able to make the right choice in picking up players in free agency? That may sound like a piece of cake to you, but there's a lot more to being a GM than just picking players in the offseason. So don't wait anymore. Take this quiz already!

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