Operation Tanking: Cooper Flag (2024/2025 Season is Lost Already)

Christian Laettner was on the Dream Team. USA selection doesn't mean all that much in context.

 

I've always questioned how the NBA has seemed rigged, whether it's the lotto, or the refs, especially in NBA playoffs. There's often corruption in businesses where billions are made by not only the TV and media, but when it fuels the gambling empires.

 

On the other hand, this isn't professional wrestling. I don't want to see a fake product with pre-determined outcomes and neither does anybody else. If scandals like that were revealed, it could destroy a multi-billion dollar empire. That's a whole lot to risk for what? I'm just not sure what that even gains them. I have a hard time believing that increasing profits marginally would be worth risking ruining the whole business.

 

See I do generally share this opinion, as it just seems ridiculous. But certain draft lotteries have been VERY suspicious. Wemby to San Antionio especially just really did seem rigged.

 

A player who hasn’t even played one NBA regular or pre season game.

 

It's a lot more than that. Now you are being silly.

Flagg isn't just considered the likely No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. He's also regarded as a potential franchise changer, with Davis in 2012 standing as perhaps the best recent analogue.

https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/amen-thompson-cooper-flagg-team-usa-19562669.php

Whether it’s guarding his own man on-ball in space, defending in the post, protecting the paint, or even making things happen off-ball and as a weakside defender, Flagg does it all. His unique combination of physical tools and mental processing on that end is unmatched. He has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the NBA one day. The Duke freshman is truly an elite shot blocker as well.

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/prospect-profiles/nba-draft-scouting-report-duke-cooper-flagg

The first thing you'll notice about Flagg is the intensity he plays with. He is a relentless competitor who has a never-back-down-type attitude. Flagg is a true three-level scorer on offense and an elite — and I mean elite — shot blocker on defense.

He can play inside or out, doing everything from knocking down 3s to flushing lobs. He's a terror in transition with or without the ball because of his fluidity and long strides. He is also a willing passer, capable of sensing the attention he draws from opposing defenses to find open teammates.

There are NBA scouts who have compared Flagg to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Andrei Kirilenko. Garnett is, of course, an insanely lofty comparison, but I see shades of KG when I watch Flagg.

To be clear, there will never be another Garnett. But Flagg plays with a similar fire and passion.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba...report-nba-potential/326fed9fa252876da6ec8348

Flagg is the best American basketball prospect in more than a decade, but it’s not because he’s got so much more time to grow. He’s the best since Anthony Davis entered Kentucky in the fall of 2011 because he’s that damned good.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nca...er-top-prospect-2024/aec379d01c7894c051576321

 

I can't understand the logic there. San Antonio is a small market team. Why would the NBA want him to go there over a bigger market?

 

Did you not hear all of Wemby's opinions on the matter beforehand? He literally went EXACTLY where he wanted to go, and they weren't exactly high odds to land him.

 

All the other stuff is completely different, you mentioned the USA select team. Are you trying to say that being on the USA select team means more than being on THE DREAM TEAM? Literally the greatest collection of basketball players in history?

 

What? How did you interpret that from the video I shared? Did you watch it? I didn't say that. I said he was praised by the Vets of the Dream Team, and did really well in the practice game against some of the best in the league, especially for being 17, and the only teenager on the Select Team.

 

Yes, but we won’t draft any of them even if they’re the best player available because we don’t do that.

 

Hence the 'smeiley face'. While I had a number in mind, I asked because I'm curious what others perceived his value.

As a hypothetical, how many of the young cores is Flagg worth? Let's take Sengun/Green out of the list for now; since they could trigger their respective fanbases.

Flagg

vs

Bari / Amen

If those two are not enough, what happens if one keeps adding: Cam, Tari and Reed.

Is Flagg worth 2 of our young cores, 3, 4, 5? At what point do folks say... ok this number is enough.

 

Are we the new Orlando Magic post Dwight Howard?

 

Even if we tanked the NBA wont give us that first pick.

 

Ehehehegehehegeehehehehehegegehehehe

 

No idea, but I doubt any two young players would tempt whoever gets him, since no young players right now have been talked about as such a great overall player at only 17, and an even called an elite defensive player at such a young age in a decade. Those type guys are too rare to trade for two or 3 good young players.