Bryan Colangelo becoming his own legend

In 2002, we would joke bitterly that then Phoenix Sun's General manager Bryan Colangelo should be awarded NBA Executive of the Year, for getting three different teams into the playoffs. Not the Suns, who missed the playoffs that season for the first time in eight years, but his trades elevated three other franchises to the post season after being out for a few years. The Detroit Pistons benefited from the interior defense of Cliff Robinson. The Boston Celtics benefited from the offense of Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers. And the New Jersey Nets suddenly became Eastern Conference contenders by acquiring Jason Kidd. The Suns, meanwhile, went through 20 different players and a coaching change, and finished with a losing record.

Four years later, no one is sneering now. If his success took you by surprise, you were probably blinded by the glare from his legendary father and boss, Jerry Colangelo, who effectively founded the franchise and has been elected to the Hall of Fame.

If you were squinting enough through the glare, though, you might have noticed that the younger Colangelo has two Arena Football Championships and an AFL Executive of the year from his stewardship of the Arizona Rattlers. Though his father was a guard with Illinois, Bryan earned a business degree from Cornell, which is not a basketball powerhouse, but respected in some circles nonetheless.

Last week, Bryan Colangelo gathered up his trophies and bolted to the Toronto Raptors, for a GM job at triple the salary.

There's a whispered joke among the Suns organization that the difference between Jerry Colangelo and God is that Colangelo has a nicer office. Soon they'll be telling a version of that joke in Toronto.