Thompson - Love : The trade that wasn't and the implications for the NBA

Which contending team really wants to move up into the top 10 of the draft? If y'ure in win now mode, you don't trade great role players (who complement a contender well) for pure potential in a top 10 pick. You have a lot to lose by doing that. It's a lot different to a rebuilding team. We are not rebuilding.

 

Excellent post all around. I can't put in any cents on the reasons behind the Thompson-Love scenario as others have but all your points make a lot of sense.

As to the ones I've quoted, the Golden State series did show me a lot about the difference between the two teams. The pesky, eventually succeeding tactic of the Warriors is just to keep themselves games with 3s. I see it as a game-by-game tactic for them more than just an analytical percentage strategy on paper. It works, and they succeed because they're efficient at it, i.e. they really know how to shoot.

Our problem is that you just can't always rely on volume to make up for average shooting. There are only a certain number of possessions in a game. I we shoot like crap, we're done because we've set ourselves to live and die by the three. So, your point makes sense. We need lockdown three-point shooting like the Warriors if we're going to employ that approach. I'd also go so far as to only let GOOD 3-pt shooters take consistent cracks at it. There's NOBODY on our team that's consistent behind the arc. Curry is. He can singlehandedly keep them in any game just with that. We can't employ a three-dominant strategy with much less than that.

 

Lol.

No, no no.

you completely missed the point of OP's argument if you think that.


The only reason the Rockets were able to win so many games and get to the WCF is that they attempted so many threes. The math is clear. We would be even better if we could nail more threes, but shooting threes is the way to go.

 

Very nice post! Just a couple qualifications I would offer...

If it is a guards league controlling the game down the stretch - it's because we've hit a 'perfect storm' of bigs unable to shoot free throws... If you had a big that could make trips to the foul line more beneficial, I'd still rather work the ball inside and finish with 2 hands...

Offense is king - well obviously, you gotta score to win, but I believe defense can still win championship - but nobody plays it anymore... In an effort create excitement and make a more entertaining product the NBA is all about offense - the day of a JVG defense minded team is gone... kinda a chicken or the egg scenario - is great offense fueling championships or is it lack of defense is allowing for championships...

 

The warriors are the best defense in the league.

Defense matters

 

Ditto. Kevin Love had me fooled and I had no idea Klay would take such a big step forward. I felt that Love was not the best fit for the Warriors but still thought he was better than Klay.

Love would probably fit them about like David Lee does.

 

What about the Bogut trade. Curry could be out of the team and Ellis in his place. It was what the Warriors wanted back then.

 

Bogut is the guy that I always underrated. He's very important and effective.

 

Did you happen to see Chris Mullen's jersey retirement where the ignorant Warrriors fans ruined the whole thing by booing Joe Lacob? It was disgraceful. Rick Barry threw gasoline on the fire by taking the microphone away from Lacob and chastising the fans right there on the spot.

They booed because of the Monta Ellis trade to the Bucks.

I'm sure it's on YouTube if you want to check it out.

A true "just wow" moment. I like watching jersey retirement ceremonies and haven't seen one quite like that.

 

^
which shows that most times fans are idiots. lol Especially casual fans. And a lot depends on luck.
GSW would likely not be a contender now, Jackson could still be at the helm and Thompson would likely not have developed so well without Curry pushing him in practices. Harrison Barnes was already thinking about bolting last season, he likely would do anything to leave next year.
And for the Bucks, the owner probably wouldn't have sold the team, Tobias wouldn't have been traded, Giannis never drafted and last season would never happen and Parker wouldn't be part of the team.
The Rockets would probably win a championship this year.
lol butterfly effect.

 

I disagree. Love's versatility at the 4 helped put Cleveland in position to get a good seeding in the PlayOffs as well as help with their first round match up before he went down.