2017-2018 Official Season Discussion Thread

[jec 427]

5 hours ago, ROCK LEGENDS PHOTOGRAPHERS said:

And reality sets in for the Suns fans.

"Good God, Payton is so terrible on defense. I underestimated how bad he really is on that end. Even on this Suns team full of bad defenders, Payton's awful D really stands out."

Let it go, man. He's gone.

[Magicman28 295]

9 hours ago, ?4thewin said:

I'm not sure how we're supposed to tank effectively.  Can't sit Gordon in a contract year and risk him demanding a trade. Can't sit vets and play youth because i think we'd all agree it helps us win focusing on isaac, Gordon, Mario, iwundu, birch. Can't out tank Memphis or Atlanta based on roster construction and phoenix and Sacramento have rough schedules going forward while we're entering the easiest stretch of our schedule.  

So rather than manipulate success just try to develop winning habits. It'd be one thing if this was a one off season but some of these guys need something positive

Developing winning habits puts you at 35-40 win club. Drafting an transcendent player increases that  15-20 games down the road.

[Soul Bro 1,418]

The Pacers are 4th in the East, only a half game behind the Cavs for 3rd. Absolutely nobody predicted this success when they traded PG. I’m happy for Dipo, but I still ache inside over that Ibaka trade. Imagine having Dipo and Sabonis with our current core, obviously save Biz and his contract. Man...

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

22 minutes ago, Magicman28 said:

Developing winning habits puts you at 35-40 win club. Drafting an transcendent player increases that  15-20 games down the road.

What if the transcendent player is zhaire smith and we can win while drafting him

[JJZFL 618]

42 minutes ago, Magicman28 said:

Developing winning habits puts you at 35-40 win club. Drafting an transcendent player increases that  15-20 games down the road.

Yeah if you draft a hall of famer.  Otherwise, you’d best try to improve the group that you have incrementally, rather than hoping for the “Hail Mary” which usually doesn’t connect. Did you think Fultz would be a transcendent player this time last year?

[Soul Bro 1,418]

Fascinating take from the recent MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference on tanking:

“I actually don’t think statistically that the process, as it’s defined to me, actually works,” Pagliuca said. “Because there just [aren’t] enough good odds to get the great player, so if you really bottom out, first of all, you have to get the pick. You have to win the lottery. Second of all, there has to be a great draft where there is a LeBron. Most drafts, the ninth player in one draft is as good as the best player in the next draft. So when you do all the odds, surely going in that direction, to me, is a bad strategy.” - Celtics Co-Owner Steve Pagliuca

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2018/03/tanking-the-process-views-from-the-2018-mit-sloan-sports-analytics-conference.html

[Magicman28 295]

1 hour ago, ?4thewin said:

What if the transcendent player is zhaire smith and we can win while drafting him

He's Norman Powell. Not transcendent.

We'd be in the same spot this time next year. Maybe slightly better. Not a playoff team. Worse draft pick.

[Magicman28 295]

37 minutes ago, JJZFL said:

Yeah if you draft a hall of famer.  Otherwise, you’d best try to improve the group that you have incrementally, rather than hoping for the “Hail Mary” which usually doesn’t connect. Did you think Fultz would be a transcendent player this time last year?

Nah. Just draft an all star. 

Jury is still out with Fultz but if he gets healthy I think he's an all star. Philly potentially would have 3 all stars and are ahead of us. They tanked.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

4 minutes ago, Magicman28 said:

He's Norman Powell. Not transcendent.

We'd be in the same spot this time next year. Maybe slightly better. Not a playoff team. Worse draft pick.

Norman Powell can't touch the top of the backboard

 

[Magicman28 295]

1 minute ago, ?4thewin said:

Norman Powell can't touch the top of the backboard

 

He'll be an contestant in the dunk contest. Awesome.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

Also, Norman Powell blocked 57 shots I  143 career college games.  

Smith is at 31 in 31 games

[Magicfan1987 266]

10 hours ago, Odin said:

Who is everyone hoping to root for in the playoffs?

In the East, I hope the Pacers and Bucks do well, and in the West I would like Davis and the Pelicans to do well, and I hope Denver makes the playoffs.

Houston, Pelicans & Cavs Philly