If we are around 8th by ASG, the future looks bright. That is NOT a worst case scenario. We absolutely do not know which rookies will step up their game by mid-season. We might have all of our PFs playing extremely well but suffer a major injury at another position. At which time, trading one PF will be the logical move. This kind of scenario can happen and we can't really say, one way or another, which will be the worst case. I also want our young players properly developed but not at the cost losing their confident when they aren't NBA ready or hand them their playtime on a silver platter. Each one of them has to earn it! I have the confident that our coaching stuff will do what is best for them.
Anti-Tankers (anti-rebuild) don't want Wiggins. They'd rather have a team that battle-fights and grinds it's way to the 8th seed only to get smashed in 4 or 5 games and do this OVER AND OVER again. It boggles the mind really. Not draft a player that most scouts think has unlimited potential and will transform your franchise. No no, that's wrong.
The real losers are fans who settle for mediocrity instead of strive for championships. Some of us here have been watching NBA ball for too long. We know superstars bring you championships. Teams like the Pistons happen what...once every 15 years? All those other teams are built around superstar players who were drafted early. If you are not L.A or New York you just can't get these superstars unless you already have one on your team...and the only way to get one is through the draft...and the best chance you have at getting one is picking high...
Ok, but if the Rockets got rid of all their veterans and win 20-25 games to get a top 5 pick, it is bad for the 4 rookies to play on a team like that. For example, Johnny Flynn #6 pick and Terrence Williams #11 pick were on bad teams as rookies and they both just got cut by the Pistons. Also, as a rookie Kevin Martin played only 10 minutes per game when the Kings had a good team. He did not average 20 points per game until his 3rd season: http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/2394/kevin-martin
I kinda agree with OP. Just look at the Wizards.. Drafted Wall as 1st pick, still sucking after 2 years and will most probably suck this year too
Most top 5 draft picks play on terrible teams... Bringing up Kevin Martin is not a good comparison. Because we are not trying to acquire another Kevin Martin...we should be trying to acquire the next Chris Paul, Rose, Durant, James, Howard...you know, ELITE players. Not players like Martin. A good player, but he's not even a all-star level player. As someone else mentioned. The only teams that get stuck in lotto land are teams with horrible front offices that draft bust after bust. Look at the better teams, like the Spurs and thunder. They hit on who they draft, it's not a coincidence and it's not all luck. They have good scouts and they know what they are doing.
It's not that we anti-tankers don't understand the potential benefits of landing a top pick, it's just that we recognize that tanking isn't going to happen. So why argue in favor of a pointless endeavor? Additionally, it also seems to be in opposition to the essence of "ClutchFans" (never underestimate them boyz from Htown). Why not live in reality and root for the troops that you have, rather than wishing for failure? The anti-tanking road may have a steeper climb, but at least this road exists.
If the team purposefully tanks games. This will ruin competitive sports and you can leave me out of it. If the management trades players like Scola etc to better position themselves for the future and we end up sucking and getting Ender next next year, great. I meant purposeful tanking by players and coaches for positioning themselves better on the lottery
My contention is, and I'm agreeing with the OP here, this team is too talented to get a position in the lottery. A talented Defensive monster at the 5 with promise, Kmart looking like an all star and showing energy on the defensive end, CBang showing maturity and looking solid, PPat looking good, Jones surprising, Lin running things well, albeit only preseason, the defense especially looked solid! and defense doesnt just go away. Thus actively rooting against our team and hoping that our players turn out to be busts in the name of playing out some fantasy management dreams that tankers might have is distasteful to say the least. These are players dreams, careers and hopes and you can't cheer for OUR OWN PLAYERS to fail. I saw so many tankers last year here as well. I hope all the tank talk can die down after having a great season with clear promise and cap room for a signing. I'll say this: Asik looks good. If Lin can bring it on the offensive end while keeping the team running as he has been and with good defensive intensity, we playoff-bound
This is the kind of comment that really bothers me. You can't berate fans for wanting to win. Fans != management... I'm all for criticizing management and being OK with losing streaks - but I draw the line at complaining about winning.
Is the NBA the only League in which a teams own fans actively root for them to fail? Such a flawed but somewhat understandable system.
