How Much Influence Do You Think We Have?

[Andi Obst]

I mentioned Troy Brown Jr. as a great buy-low target in the trade thread a couple of times, so now I know I’m basically running the team and you won’t convince me otherwise.

[DuckIII]

I mentioned Troy Brown Jr. as a great buy-low target in the trade thread a couple of times, so now I know I’m basically running the team and you won’t convince me otherwise.

You’re doing a hell of a job.

[JohnnyTapwater]

I think we have as much influence as media heads.

Media heads get and refine their perspectives from us, not just THIS forum, but places like this.

And by osmosis we are heard. Now - do they care? Is what we prioritize aligned with the organization? Probably not, but I'm sure we're heard at least.

[Wingy]

Influence? None.

But do professional sports organizations monitor the major message boards? I cannot imagine any situation in which they would not. It’s free crowdsourcing of ideas and observations. Sure a lot of them suck, are delusional or impossible, but there are plenty of good ideas mixed in from people with legitimate basketball knowledge.

I’m not suggesting AK sits down to read realgm every morning with his coffee. But having a lackey spend 15 minutes every once in awhile and have him report back if he sees something interesting? Why would anyone not do that?

AK sits down at his breakfast nook, opens up the laptop and logs into RealGM.

***Takes a large sip of coffee***

AK chuckles to himself. He knows after the bad game by Lauri, the Finnish fans will be in excuses mode.

What excuses will they have this time, he thinks to himself...Only one way to find out.

Logging into the Bulls page, he notices the Lauri thread has grown 2 pages. A slight stir rumbles his chest. This is why I took the job, he thinks to himself. Here...we...go.

...But wait. He sees the "Race for the East" thread has a few additional replies. Finally, some respect. Better to start there. The Finnish fans can wait, he thought. They've been waiting 4 years, what's a few more minutes. AK, amused by his own joke, looks over to his cat to try and get a nod of approval, any attention or acknowledgement of his humor. There is none.

I’d give it two +1s if I could.

When “Bulls RealGM - The Movie” gets funded, the script is yours.

[Andi Obst]

I mentioned Troy Brown Jr. as a great buy-low target in the trade thread a couple of times, so now I know I’m basically running the team and you won’t convince me otherwise.

You’re doing a hell of a job.

Your support is much appreciated, regular RealGM poster.

[ZOMG]

AK stands on the shoreline, his collar up against the harsh wind, and stares at the horizon of Lake Michigan.

This is what Zach LaVine once mistook for the Atlantic Ocean, he thinks.

A slight chuckle emerges from his mouth, now almost hidden under his fake blond moustache. He pulls his Denver Nuggets cap deeper over his eyes, both to fend off the cold and to shield him from the suspicious gazes of the seagulls nearby. They've stopped their screeching and are now staring at him with their yellow eyes of death, like a mob of angry season ticker holders. Watching... and waiting. For him to make a move? Or a mistake?

AK feels a sudden panic rising from his gut. He knows the feeling well - it usually strikes when he's watching Zach handle the ball in crunch time. He feels the urge to run, to scream.

He forces himself to take a deep breath. Snap out of it. They're just dumb animals.

The seagulls lose interest in him and resume their infighting.

I never used to be a paranoid guy, AK thinks. But this club... it does things to you. Spies in the locker room? F*ck. And f**king Paxson. He'd heard the stories, and now he knew they were all true.

But still. Arturas Karnisovas... Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. AK mouths the words, slowly, one by one. He still can't believe it. He was just a guy in Denver. Essentially a nobody. And now this. What were they thinking? He has no idea what he's doing. In his darkest moments, AK can't shake the thought that they're onto him. Any day now he'll be found out. Impostor syndrome, they call it. But for AK, it's real. He IS an impostor.

These lonely walks, disguised as the ordinary idiot he really is, have become his lifeline.

AK turns his back to the fierce wind, reaches into the pocket of his powder blue Nuggets coat and takes out his phone. He taps the shortcut for the RealGM Bulls message board. To these people, he's a hero.

He sighs in bemused desperation. Just flailing in the dark. Vucevic? Gimme a break. Orlando begged him to take the guy out of their hands. On RealGM, they're still celebrating the trade as a great victory. Well, they won't be celebrating two years from now. But at least I bought myself some more time, AK thinks grimly.

Because that's what it's all about, isn't it? Just holding on to a job. That f**ker John Paxson knows something about that.

AK scrolls to a post criticizing the Vucevic trade and taps "And1", puts the phone back into his pocket, touches his moustache to make sure it's still there and starts walking back to the city.

[sco]

I mentioned Troy Brown Jr. as a great buy-low target in the trade thread a couple of times, so now I know I’m basically running the team and you won’t convince me otherwise.

You’re doing a hell of a job.

Your support is much appreciated, regular RealGM poster.

I do remember your post...so kudos. Hope he sticks as a meaningful rotation guy.

[Andi Obst]

You’re doing a hell of a job.

Your support is much appreciated, regular RealGM poster.

I do remember your post...so kudos. Hope he sticks as a meaningful rotation guy.

On a more serious note, NBA twitter was full of people who wanted to get TBJ out of Washington. There were a lot of people here who wanted him, wasn’t just me. It didn’t seem to make much sense for the Wizards to ignore him after his really solid 19/20 season. It just was cool to see a (minor) move that I wanted to happen actually happening.

I hope TBJ sticks around for a while. He’s got talent, but he’ll have to improve offensively to become a reliable role player.

[sco]

Your support is much appreciated, regular RealGM poster.

I do remember your post...so kudos. Hope he sticks as a meaningful rotation guy.

On a more serious note, NBA twitter was full of people who wanted to get TBJ out of Washington. There were a lot of people here who wanted him, wasn’t just me. It didn’t seem to make much sense for the Wizards to ignore him after his really solid 19/20 season. It just was cool to see a (minor) move that I wanted to happen actually happening.

I hope TBJ sticks around for a while. He’s got talent, but he’ll have to improve offensively to become a reliable role player.

I thought you meant the people who wanted him out of Washington were Wiz fans...LOL

[nomorezorro]

coldfish made the vooch trade happen

[nanokooshball]

AK stands on the shoreline, his collar up against the harsh wind, and stares at the horizon of Lake Michigan.

This is what Zach LaVine once mistook for the Atlantic Ocean, he thinks.

A slight chuckle emerges from his mouth, now almost hidden under his fake blond moustache. He pulls his Denver Nuggets cap deeper over his eyes, both to fend off the cold and to shield him from the suspicious gazes of the seagulls nearby. They've stopped their screeching and are now staring at him with their yellow eyes of death, like a mob of angry season ticker holders. Watching... and waiting. For him to make a move? Or a mistake?

AK feels a sudden panic rising from his gut. He knows the feeling well - it usually strikes when he's watching Zach handle the ball in crunch time. He feels the urge to run, to scream.

He forces himself to take a deep breath. Snap out of it. They're just dumb animals.

The seagulls lose interest in him and resume their infighting.

I never used to be a paranoid guy, AK thinks. But this club... it does things to you. Spies in the locker room? F*ck. And f**king Paxson. He'd heard the stories, and now he knew they were all true.

But still. Arturas Karnisovas... Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations. AK mouths the words, slowly, one by one. He still can't believe it. He was just a guy in Denver. Essentially a nobody. And now this. What were they thinking? He has no idea what he's doing. In his darkest moments, AK can't shake the thought that they're onto him. Any day now he'll be found out. Impostor syndrome, they call it. But for AK, it's real. He IS an impostor.

These lonely walks, disguised as the ordinary idiot he really is, have become his lifeline.

AK turns his back to the fierce wind, reaches into the pocket of his powder blue Nuggets coat and takes out his phone. He taps the shortcut for the RealGM Bulls message board. To these people, he's a hero.

He sighs in bemused desperation. Just flailing in the dark. Vucevic? Gimme a break. Orlando begged him to take the guy out of their hands. On RealGM, they're still celebrating the trade as a great victory. Well, they won't be celebrating two years from now. But at least I bought myself some more time, AK thinks grimly.

Because that's what it's all about, isn't it? Just holding on to a job. That f**ker John Paxson knows something about that.

AK scrolls to a post criticizing the Vucevic trade and taps "And1", puts the phone back into his pocket, touches his moustache to make sure it's still there and starts walking back to the city.

Incredible,

Can you do a weekly series with this format? I'd look forward to it each time.

[ThisGuyFawkes]

I'm definitely 100% not AK's lackey who spends 15 minutes per day browsing this forum and reporting back. It can't be proven.