Around the League News: Week 20 (2/27 - 3/5)

[Flagrant Fowl]

My only qualification is winning a title, none of this almost crap. OKC never won a title.

Sorry, I missed that qualifier.

Is it not assumed? What's the point of developing players and building a roster if the goal is anything else?

[TOO]

My only qualification is winning a title, none of this almost crap. OKC never won a title.

Sorry, I missed that qualifier.

Is it not assumed? What's the point of developing players and building a roster if the goal is anything else?

Because mock drafting in the lottery all year is a hoot?

[Split T]

OKC landed 3 future mvps, including one that’s a top 10-15 player of all time. They also didn’t have to be that patient, they made the playoffs in KD’s 3rd year, conference finals in his 4th and finals in his 5th. He was 23. Westbrook and Harden were 1 and 2 years behind KD.

The fact that they turned out to be MVPS is kind of irrelevant. And you talk about accomplishing things in years 3/4/5 - where is OKC now on the timeline? Jaylin/Jalen and Dieng are rookies, Giddey is in year 2, Chet's career hasn't even begun yet. I'm leaving out SGA because they didn't even draft him.

And it wasn't just the future MVPs that they were developing. There was Jeff Green, Ibaka too.

How is it irrelevant? My point is it worked because they absolutely nailed 3 picks in a row. Maybe you feel that way about Chet, Giddey, and SGA…way too early to say for me.

And I was also referring to FF saying they could develop those guys 3-4 years and compete in years 5-7. OKC didn’t have to be that patient with KD because their guys were such elite players. We’ll see if these OKC guys can do that, but I think that’s what FF was saying…that they’ll need to bring in a vet to speed up the process.

[INFORMER]

My only qualification is winning a title, none of this almost crap. OKC never won a title.

Sorry, I missed that qualifier.

Is it not assumed? What's the point of developing players and building a roster if the goal is anything else?

In terms of roster-building strategies, I think you're working to create a contender. Yes, the goal is to win a championship, but failure to do so usually rests on micro elements (coaching, a star player not being better than the opposing star player), not the macro strategy.

Take OKC during the Durant era. They made it to the finals and conference finals. When they lost, I don't think a reasonable person's takeaway is that the strategy they started with, being draft-dependent and developing numerous prospects at once, was the reason why the didn't win it all.

[INFORMER]

Maybe they'll try that strategy, I just can't recall any team having that much patience.

OKC.

Bow down to your gods. OKC and those pictured in your avatar.

I wasn't mentioning OKC to praise them; I just thought they fit what FF was talking about. Presti is too comfortable with ignoring the product on the court for my liking.

And I am definitely not a fan of "those pictured in (my) avatar."

[Flagrant Fowl]

My only qualification is winning a title, none of this almost crap. OKC never won a title.

Sorry, I missed that qualifier.

Is it not assumed? What's the point of developing players and building a roster if the goal is anything else?

In terms of roster-building strategies, I think you're working to create a contender. Yes, the goal is to win a championship, but failure to do so usually rests on micro elements (coaching, a star player not being better than the opposing star player), not the macro strategy.

Take OKC during the Durant era. They made it to the finals and conference finals. When they lost, I don't think a reasonable person's takeaway is that the strategy they started with, being draft-dependent and developing numerous prospects at once, was the reason why the didn't win it all.

I agree it's not the reason they didn't win it all. There's a good chance they'd have eventually won it if the owner didn't pinch pennies. However, it's unrealistic to project that level of draft luck and talent evaluation. I think it's easier to get the micro elements correct by using development assets on proven players when the time comes to push for a ring.

[Flagrant Fowl]

OKC landed 3 future mvps, including one that’s a top 10-15 player of all time. They also didn’t have to be that patient, they made the playoffs in KD’s 3rd year, conference finals in his 4th and finals in his 5th. He was 23. Westbrook and Harden were 1 and 2 years behind KD.

The fact that they turned out to be MVPS is kind of irrelevant. And you talk about accomplishing things in years 3/4/5 - where is OKC now on the timeline? Jaylin/Jalen and Dieng are rookies, Giddey is in year 2, Chet's career hasn't even begun yet. I'm leaving out SGA because they didn't even draft him.

And it wasn't just the future MVPs that they were developing. There was Jeff Green, Ibaka too.

How is it irrelevant? My point is it worked because they absolutely nailed 3 picks in a row. Maybe you feel that way about Chet, Giddey, and SGA…way too early to say for me.

And I was also referring to FF saying they could develop those guys 3-4 years and compete in years 5-7. OKC didn’t have to be that patient with KD because their guys were such elite players. We’ll see if these OKC guys can do that, but I think that’s what FF was saying…that they’ll need to bring in a vet to speed up the process.

Yes. SGA is ready right now and they must make the playoffs next season assuming he's healthy, which has been an issue for him. Comparing again to the Suns, it became clear a few years ago that Booker was ready to compete at the highest level, he just needed a real team around him. That's where OKC is sitting right now. They need to follow the Cavs 2022 offseason playbook.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

OKC is a good example on draft building, especially if they make it work again with this current iteration of that strategy, otherwise "they just got lucky" has some legs.

I believe that there are different paths to compete and, as Informer said, that is the limit of a construction strategy, because crossing the finish line implies a lot of context and conjunctural luck (a season ending injury, coexisting with a juggernaut, Kahwi lucky bounce on that shot) Championship or bust is the worst way to evaluate an building strategy.

But OKC's way is far from proven recipe, the same with collecting stars trough trades and free agency, but still, it's always worse the Knicks' way, wich is not having patience for any path.Eeery path is a gamble, but you have to keep your bluff all the way.

[Split T]

Part of it is also that OKC almost has too many guys to develop now…not to mention they have hoards of picks still in future drafts. They don’t have to trade off their top prospects, but adding a more experienced win now piece to SGA would be smart. Compete now while still developing the future.

KAT makes some decent sense to me. I know some people don’t think he has what it takes to be a winner, but he’s a pretty good fit for what OKC is doing. He doesn’t have to be the alpha(that’s Shai) and OKC has a versatile defensive 4-5 in Chet that would cover a lot of KAT’s defensive shortcomings and not get in his way as much as Rudy has. I think Giddey and Jalen Williams(the wing) are the other keepers.

Would Minny be interested in a Dort, Jaylin Williams, Tre Mann and picks for KAT deal? Seems to make some sense for both.

[Flagrant Fowl]

That's what I've been thinking for the past couple of weeks, but if I were Minnesota I would insist on Giddey or Jalen Williams. Otherwise they can probably get a better offer elsewhere.

[Superbone]

Maybe they'll try that strategy, I just can't recall any team having that much patience.

OKC.

Bow down to your gods. OKC and those pictured in your avatar.

I wasn't mentioning OKC to praise them; I just thought they fit what FF was talking about. Presti is too comfortable with ignoring the product on the court for my liking.

And I am definitely not a fan of "those pictured in (my) avatar."

Gotcha on the OKC thing. I am puzzled by your avatar choice then.

[specialsauce]

Everyone’s favorite loser not named Ish or Hack Landale, Jonathan Isaac is done for the year again

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/357 ... ng-surgery

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Everyone’s favorite loser not named Ish or Hack Landale, Jonathan Isaac is done for the year again

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/357 ... ng-surgery

Dec 21, 2020
"Isaac agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal, his agent, Jeff Wechsler, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Fultz agreed to a three-year, $50 million extension, according to his agent, Raymond Brothers of Roc Nation Sports."

Must be the most expensive 11 games paid by Orlando

[Superbone]

Is it my imagination Aztec or did your avatar adopt Suns colors? (Both old and new.)

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Is it my imagination Aztec or did your avatar adopt Suns colors? (Both old and new.)

Yeah, I was looking por an update, and those "Happy Durant Eve" comments prompt me to do it, precisely with classic Suns coloring palet, I came here long before planet orange, have always been a fan of the Purple!!!

[Superbone]

Is it my imagination Aztec or did your avatar adopt Suns colors? (Both old and new.)

Yeah, I was looking por an update, and those "Happy Durant Eve" comments prompt me to do it, precisely with classic Suns coloring palet, I came here long before planet orange, have always been a fan of the Purple!!!

I dig it!

[bajanguy008]

Yikes to both the vid and stat

[Split T]

Everyone’s favorite loser not named Ish or Hack Landale, Jonathan Isaac is done for the year again

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/357 ... ng-surgery

Dec 21, 2020
"Isaac agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal, his agent, Jeff Wechsler, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Fultz agreed to a three-year, $50 million extension, according to his agent, Raymond Brothers of Roc Nation Sports."

Must be the most expensive 11 games paid by Orlando

The last 2 years only have 7 million guaranteed now because Isaac didn’t play enough

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Everyone’s favorite loser not named Ish or Hack Landale, Jonathan Isaac is done for the year again

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/357 ... ng-surgery

Dec 21, 2020
"Isaac agreed to a four-year, $80 million deal, his agent, Jeff Wechsler, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Fultz agreed to a three-year, $50 million extension, according to his agent, Raymond Brothers of Roc Nation Sports."

Must be the most expensive 11 games paid by Orlando

The last 2 years only have 7 million guaranteed now because Isaac didn’t play enough

Only 7 millions... still, the Isaac family is set for several generations with some basic money discipline, basically just because "grandpa used to be 6-foot-11 tall"

[Split T]

But Orlando doesn’t have to pay the rest of the 35 million, just 7…and in Isaac’s defense, he was very good when he played…He didn’t just get paid for being tall.