RealGM

So, we're done with what kinds of has to be though of as a "lost season." Not lost as in losing record, but lost as in lost time, lost effort.

The progress in wins is notable but subdued by what really was a pretty awful last month that showed some signs of regression if not just exhaustion. We are well positioned for cap management, we have high hopes for locking in the "future core" this summer, we have either a ton of capspace comming from a Baron opt out or another contract year (or half year) from him. We will have two sophmores hopefully making strong impressions and getting to the rookie/soph game, and we have a reasonable hope of Monta making the AS game as a reserve.

What do you see in the cards as far as objectives for the actual season(make whatever summer assumptions you'ld like to support your objective)?

Nelly doesn't win championships, and no we won't make the playoffs again because of the tight race now that the Blazers will get involved.

I picked the sedond option (anything less during Nellie's last season will be a failure as far as he's concerned) but I would like to qualify "without sacrificing any of our youth" which I think is possible. I don't think we can quite get there (a ring or even to the finals) but I think that's what should be set as a goal. This "rebuild" thing is "for the birds" as far as I'm concerned.

I think we could make the playoffs just with the addition of a competent year from Beli and Brandan, and replacing any two of Pete, Bukie, CJ, Barnes with established NBA rotation players. I keep Bukie and Barnes (he will be dirt cheap and might overachieve again with this nightmare year behind him.)

Assuming Baron won't opt out and free up that 17 milion for us, I would probably choose the playoff option. Get every last bit of juice out of the 17mil we have to pay him, and get the youngsters more playoff experience.

If Baron does opt out, I probably choose the rebuild mode. I don't have a lot of use for Jack without Baron. You can get Jack's defense from another player without all the chucking and acting out. Al is probably opting out anyway, which means that we would have Jack here without his buds, and he'd take Monta and Wright out drinking all the time. We don't need that. I don't think I want to immediately roll Baron's salary into one player who might or might not get 100% healthy like Brand, and I really don't want to watch Gilber play 82 times a year.

It depends on what sort of players are available on the trading market, and it depends on what pick in the lottery we get (0.5% lol), and it depends on whether or not Baron opts out, and it depends on whether or not Don Nelson decides to return.

Basically, until I see how a lot of things play out, I can't even begin to formulate any expectations for next season.

The sooner they start building the team around Ellis, Biedrins, and Wright, the better. It's been a fun 14 months, but this group isn't going to take us very far since Cohan isn't willing to go into the tax to get another needed piece of the puzzle. We need the 35M/yr salaries of Davis/Jackson/Harrington to allocate elsewhere to build around the Future 3.

It may take a few years to get up to snuff, but I'm willing to tough it out if they do it the right way. Bringing in vet minimum has-beens and never-weres isn't going to put this team over the top.

Portland and LA Clippers will get better and pose matchup problems for GS so I expect them to fall even more from the playoff picture with also the impending roster turnover.

I expect Nellie to come back... I do not expect Baron to.

I expect another 40+ gimmicky season.. I do not expect or really desire the playoffs from a team standpoint... the quicker we look out of it, the quicker Nellie begins to pass the torch, and we can gradually move away from gimmick ball..

Thats my only goal for 08-09... give up the gimmick. If we do that... its a success.

Portland should improve but not sure how much (next year will be Oden's rookie year instead of his 2nd which means he's going to still have a learning curve) and I don't know about the Clips. Depending on how they handle Brand and Maguette, and with Kaman coming off injury again they could be just as bad next year as they were this one. The do get Livingston back, but he's also an uncertainty. They may decide to break things up and go into rebuild mode for a couple of years. The only way I worry about them is if we trade them Baron, then yes he'll single-handedly kick our a$$es when it's our turn to play them and make it a point to beat us out for a playoff spot.

510Reggae wrote:I expect Nellie to come back... I do not expect Baron to.

I expect another 40+ gimmicky season.. I do not expect or really desire the playoffs from a team standpoint... the quicker we look out of it, the quicker Nellie begins to pass the torch, and we can gradually move away from gimmick ball..

Thats my only goal for 08-09... give up the gimmick. If we do that... its a success.

Best case scenario is that Nellie will leave the team with 6 to 8 weeks left in the season in order to let Smart get a jump on 09-10..Not likely though..

Why can't we sign Brand by dumping some contracts?

510Reggae wrote:I expect Nellie to come back... I do not expect Baron to.

If there is a true rift, maybe. However, letting Davis go when Nelson is on his last legs as an NBA head coach would signal that we are rebuilding around younger players and I don't think Nelson is going to want to spend his last season with Ellis at PG and Brandon Wright in the starting lineup. I don't have any problems with that but I think if Davis doesn't return, Nelson heading back to Hawaii becomes more likely.

I'm goin playoffs, with a small chance at a title run if we were lucky enough to have a guy like Brand opt out and keep most of vthe rest of the team intact.

I can't vote for title run though because it's unrealistic based on the position we're in.

Pietrus and Barnes are 2 rotational guys that pee'd on us this year for various reasons.

My realistic offseason plans are to get better than those 2.

I need an upgrade on those 2 guys, and an upgrade on CJ Watson. I also need Another back-up center who can block shots.

To get into title position Wright needs to dominate. He might, but next year I see production, not domination.

Back-up PG
Back-up center
Rebounding forwards.

Then make the playoffs again.

I see the Warriors as the 11 best team in the west next season, unless they make changes.

The Warriors are still on the fence and they need to make a decision which side of the fence they should be on. If there are able to make an impact type trade, then they should try to win now. If the direction of the organization is to see where they can get with the same line up with just some minor changes, they need to blow the thing up instead.

I would rather see them rebuild around Biedrins, Ellis and Wright, than to watch them struggle for the 14th pick in the lottery.

if i was a GM, here's my philosophy:

1. fill out a squad that challenge the title, regardless of cost
2. if can't be achieved, then look to make the playoffs, while also developing necessary players to get to point 1
3. total rebuild if can't even get to #2

the Warriors are in the #2 zone, so yes i think they should try and make the playoffs and also develop Wright and Belinelli, plus whoever they are going to get at this year's draft assuming they don't trade it away.