Is "really good" good enough?

[magicblue 315]

Was thinking about our team, the recent moves, the youth, and to a certain extent our depth and was wondering what everyone thinks about the idea of us potentially being really good at every position moving forward without a bonafide superstar. Is this model enough to compete in two or three years or is this just wishful thinking? I know SA is the model, but the core of that team has a championship pedigree, not to mention future HOF'ers, which this team obviously just doesn't have. I'm just wondering what everyone thinks about this model, which is also similar to OKC's re-build but lacks the superstar talent of a Kevin Durant. Can building a team from the ground up without a superstar, but with talent and depth at all positions, work in the current NBA landscape? Are we doomed if we're unable to land a max-worthy player in FA or if none of our guys develop into perennial All-Stars, or can we compete being really good at all positions, but maybe not elite at any?

[Joseph_Kuhr 61]

sa is the model. sa also has the best pf to play the game. this team could be great. 2-3 years is just unrealistic. continuing to add young potential at different positions will pay off. it's just going to be a while. the east isn't going to be this bad forever and I doubt it will stay so in the window of time it will take for us to compete.

[magicblue 315]

sa is the model. sa also has the best pf to play the game. this team could be great. 2-3 years is just unrealistic. continuing to add young potential at different positions will pay off. it's just going to be a while. the east isn't going to be this bad forever and I doubt it will stay so in the window of time it will take for us to compete.

 

I'm not sure I completely understand your response, are you saying you believe we can compete with our current core group of guys in 2-3 years or we can't? Keep in mind by that time Vuc, Harris, and Harkless will be 5-6 year vets on their second contracts and Dipo will be staring down his extension. Will these guys be enough to compete or are we doomed for mediocrity if we don't steal a superstar from another franchise?

[Joseph_Kuhr 61]

I'm not sure I completely understand your response, are you saying you believe we can compete with our current core group of guys in 2-3 years or we can't? Keep in mind by that time Vuc, Harris, and Harkless will be 5-6 vets on their second contracts and Dipo will be staring down his extension. Will these guys be enough to compete or are we doomed for mediocrity if we don't steal a superstar from another franchise?

 

we aren't doomed for mediocrity. the foundation is just very new and the playoff aspirations and title contention dreams are father than most people think.

[Catman 380]

Remember this. We have had Shaq, Penny, TMac, Grant Hill and Dwight Howard.

 

We CAN and most likely will get another star. You never know what can happen in the next few years.

 

Maybe our next one is Aaron Gordon. Maybe not, Maybe it's a free agent who blossoms over the next few years. Maybe we draft one. All we need is one guy to slide in with what we have now and things are going to be looking real good.

[the notorious S.A.C. 89]

Not that there were a lot of options for Henny in cleaning the Otis garbage out but I am surprised Henny could sell a 5 year rebuild to the ownership with a new arena staring them in the face. I doubt he sold a three year until championship contender to them because it likely could not be done. It will be interesting to see if ownership is patient with a prolonged rebuild but done the right way or will pull the plug if we once again are in the bottom three.

[magicblue 315]

What I'm asking is theoretically, if our starting five and lets say our sixth man maxed out as borderline all-stars (really good two way players, but not top 5 or 6 players at their respective positions) and we maintained our depth and lets say a bench in the top 5 or 6 in the league, would that be enough for us to compete for a championship in two to three years? Is it an absolute necessity that one of our own current players blossoms into superstar or that we add one via FA, or can a well-balanced team with everyone in the rotation averaging 14-18 PPG get the job done? I guess its more of a theoretical question than an actual "where are we heading" question.

[KandiKane 136]

What I'm asking is theoretically, if our starting five and lets say our sixth man maxed out as borderline all-stars (really good two way players, but not top 5 or 6 players at their respective positions) and we maintained our depth and lets say a bench in the top 5 or 6 in the league, would that be enough for us to compete for a championship in two to three years? Is it an absolute necessity that one of our own current players blossoms into superstar or that we add one via FA, or can a well-balanced team with everyone in the rotation averaging 14-18 PPG get the job done? I guess its more of a theoretical question than an actual "where are we heading" question.

 

I think so. Detroit did it, Spurs have shifted towards it without relying only on Duncan, Ginobilli and Parker as much as they use to. I think we will. I still think that we are 2-3 years off having that season where we become contenders, but I do see that it will happen, maybe not this season or the one after, but that following one, could be the one that makes us all forget about the 2009 finals and have new better memories of watching great team basketball and succeeding at the same time.

 

I have patience and am more about the journey more than the outcome, it will be nice to win a Championship, but I get more enjoyment out of watching young guys and a team develop, and it is easy when you have players who are legitimately good people.

[God Hates Otis Smith 153]

The "SA" model worked because they had a top 10 player of all time to build around.

funny how much better a "model" works with a generational talent

[KandiKane 136]

The "SA" model worked because they had a top 10 player of all time to build around.

funny how much better a "model" works with a generational talent

 

No one is arguing against that, and even then they have been successful in the last few years with both Duncan and Ginobilli both well and truly into their end stretch of their careers. They have become a much more balanced team that has great chemistry, that is where I see our team heading.

[God Hates Otis Smith 153]

you are right, but for any model to work it needs that centerpiece and i don't know if we have it yet

[Mike1989 68]

What I'm asking is theoretically, if our starting five and lets say our sixth man maxed out as borderline all-stars (really good two way players, but not top 5 or 6 players at their respective positions) and we maintained our depth and lets say a bench in the top 5 or 6 in the league, would that be enough for us to compete for a championship in two to three years? Is it an absolute necessity that one of our own current players blossoms into superstar or that we add one via FA, or can a well-balanced team with everyone in the rotation averaging 14-18 PPG get the job done? I guess its more of a theoretical question than an actual "where are we heading" question.

 

Weren't the Nuggets under George Karl a similar type of team? A lot of good to very good players, but no true star player. Granted they didn't win a championship, but they were an exciting team to watch at times and competitive. Their team was built around a solid line up for productive players at each position, with a good bench.

 

A team to watch could be the Charlotte Hornets. They don't have a true star player. Their line up of Kemba / Stepehenson / MKG / Williams / Jefferson - plus the likes of Henderson, Neal, Zeller, Vonleh etc off the bench, could provide a tough challenge for most of the teams in the Eastern conference. If they can challenge for the top spot, or at least top four, then there is no reason why we can't match that level in a season or so time with the addition of a big name free agent or two.

 

All we need is for one of our current crop to become a star, or to acquire one by the draft or free agency. We've landed big(ish) names in free agency before. Likewise, we've done well in the draft as well. Not sure if there's a Durant type guy coming out in the draft next year or soon, but free agency could offer a route to grabbing a franchise changing talent.