The easiest roadmap to keeping Towns and winning in the next 1-2 years...

[AbeVigodaLive]

I feel like this is moot...

... considering any secondary moves will only be helpful if the Wolves keep the pick AND pick the right guy.

And as we all know, it's simply a waiting game while we collectively hope/pray for a 40% chance of keeping the pick. That's the ONLY possible, relatively short-term fix for this franchise.

Yikes.

[SO_MONEY]

I am not trading Beasley for Gordon that is a criminal overpay. We finally have an elite shooter, someone who is elite at something and you want to trade that for an average starting PF? No. That is an easy pass. I am not sure Beasley doesn't have more value now than Covington did when we traded him. No.

IF we are to try and Keep Towns, not sure that is the right path or not, but if we are the two problems we have are DLo and Rubio. If you can use that money better and round things out, we will be marginally better. We just have too much money committed to PG with poor performance. If we have another problem it is we have two defensive wings in Okogie and Culver who are limited offensively and really ought to be out of the rotation. The question is if any of this is wasted energy?...at least until we know if we keep our pick. If we keep out pick and we know there is no reason to tank next year then I could see us make moves for marginal gains to hopefully get out of the top few picks to lessen the sting when it goes to GS, but before knowing that, not sure. It is looking to me more and more each passing day that we probably will need to move on from Towns and DLo in the next year or two, but lets start with DLo and/or Rubio and see what that does first.

[Jedzz]

KAT was supposed to be a great defender. Remember that draft?

Dunn was the automatic BPA and supposedly two way stud.

Edwards was instantly going to improve on his best 31% shooting simply by choosing better shots.

Now Cunningham or Suggs are the answer because...

The draft always cures this team.

I think our foundation is going to have to come through the draft. I don't think the fact that we've repeated failed at the draft changes that.

It won't matter if they keep stacking a new pick to develop ontop of ones they already have, replacing the same positions for sideways moves, always assuming the next pick will save them more than the last and all along never actually trying to put their best complete team on the court for the right reasons to compete as far as they can get. Simply getting a good player in the draft doesn't fix everything by itself unless he's Lebron/Jordan good. Plenty of teams building competitive teams each season without endlessly searching for the next Lebron and dumping seasons until then. It could be argued they already had a foundation from prior picks and trades, they just blew it up themselves again this offseason drafting and trading with no eye towards continuing that. They are never building on the good they have. They don't respect their own prior choices. It probably can't be built this way. Someone is just collecting checks making moves.

[Worm Guts]

KAT was supposed to be a great defender. Remember that draft?

Dunn was the automatic BPA and supposedly two way stud.

Edwards was instantly going to improve on his best 31% shooting simply by choosing better shots.

Now Cunningham or Suggs are the answer because...

The draft always cures this team.

I think our foundation is going to have to come through the draft. I don't think the fact that we've repeated failed at the draft changes that.

It won't matter if they keep stacking a new pick to develop ontop of ones they already have, replacing the same positions for sideways moves, always assuming the next pick will save them more than the last and all along never actually trying to put their best complete team on the court for the right reasons to compete as far as they can get. Simply getting a good player in the draft doesn't fix everything by itself unless he's Lebron/Jordan good. Plenty of teams building competitive teams each season without endlessly searching for the next Lebron and dumping seasons until then. It could be argued they already had a foundation from prior picks and trades, they just blew it up themselves again this offseason drafting with no eye towards continuing that. They are never building on the good they have. They don't respect their own prior choices when presented with a different conflicting one. It probably can't be built this way. Someone is just collecting checks making moves.

They don't need the next Lebron, but they do need draft 2 or 3 quality players in a row. Probably the only time in the last 20 years the Wolves drafted two good players in a row was Love and Rubio, then Rubio spent the first 2 years in Spain and then tore his ACL as a rookie.

[Jedzz]

I think our foundation is going to have to come through the draft. I don't think the fact that we've repeated failed at the draft changes that.

It won't matter if they keep stacking a new pick to develop ontop of ones they already have, replacing the same positions for sideways moves, always assuming the next pick will save them more than the last and all along never actually trying to put their best complete team on the court for the right reasons to compete as far as they can get. Simply getting a good player in the draft doesn't fix everything by itself unless he's Lebron/Jordan good. Plenty of teams building competitive teams each season without endlessly searching for the next Lebron and dumping seasons until then. It could be argued they already had a foundation from prior picks and trades, they just blew it up themselves again this offseason drafting with no eye towards continuing that. They are never building on the good they have. They don't respect their own prior choices when presented with a different conflicting one. It probably can't be built this way. Someone is just collecting checks making moves.

They don't need the next Lebron, but they do need draft 2 or 3 quality players in a row. Probably the only time in the last 20 years the Wolves drafted two good players in a row was Love and Rubio, then Rubio spent the first 2 years in Spain and then tore his ACL as a rookie.

Good example, and then love broke his Hand...endless.

But they've been in the lotto forever it seems. Each year the claim is this new lotto pick will save all and all the eggs are thrown into their minutes as starters, the players don't develop right and we move on the the next.

I'm not sure if it is the coaches or Rosas that makes some of these player/game decisions because they don't mesh from year to year. The story has kept changing. Someone please stand up and remind Rosas that the great Houston expirment was an utter failure with better guards than he's showing capable of finding. He doesn't even respect the good ones he found like little Mac. Or the one he traded for last year in Dlo. Or the one he traded for this offseason in Rubio. At least his coaches haven't in games. We are really going to put it all in the hands of another green draft pick in Edwards..yes he has, and they will do it again with the next pick and Edwards will be slid in the corner like Culver. This is going nowhere fast this way. I have no doubt in my mind that Suggs and Edwards will conflict, or Edwards and Cunningham or you name it enough that neither ends up in their best position to succeed. They have to start filling in the gaps with choices and allowing the good they have to shine.

[TRik]

I don't get it.
Why do people not understand that the least thing the Wolves needs is another undersized PF in Aaron Gordon?

If this was my team, Towns would have long been moved to the PF spot and the first thing to do is acquire anyone available 6-11 or bigger to solely focus on rim protection, rebounding and blocking shots for at least 25 minutes a night.

That said, I believe everyone knows it already...I would also sell Towns to the highest bidder as soon as possible if I got a good offer.

Yup. Which is why I’d like to see us start Reid with KAT until a better option becomes available. People poo-poo that idea, but we’re the worst team in the league...so I’m down for trying out different things.

[TRik]

I don't think KAT or DLO are "The" guys to win a title.

I actually think this draft has the future guy for this team to win & KAT/DLO are the 2/3 guys.

Jalen Suggs reminds me of Lillard...I want him so bad. I think he can be the guy right away just like Dame did for Portland his rookie year

DLo isn't really a 3 guy, maybe an 8th guy. I'm not sure he can even be on good team at his current salary. Him and Towns aren't really close to the same tier.

Truth.

[Heimdal]

Towns and Gordon takes you nowhere.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/30956653/five-big-trades-want-see-2021-nba-trade-deadline

Bobby Marks believes it would take Layman, Culver, Juancho and a 2nd, and still that would have serious downsides.

Magic move on from Gordon
Charlotte Hornets get: Jake Layman, 2025 second-round pick (from Minnesota)

Minnesota Timberwolves get: Aaron Gordon

Orlando Magic get: Jarrett Culver, Juancho Hernangomez

The details: This trade is more about the 2021-22 season and less about now, considering Orlando and Minnesota sit at the bottom of the standings in their respective conferences.

The addition of Gordon gives Minnesota a legitimate power forward to pair next to Karl-Anthony Towns. Although he has struggled this season with injuries, Gordon has still managed to shoot a career-high 36.9% from 3 and average 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds.

The downside to this type of trade is that it puts Minnesota in the luxury tax for a second consecutive season (a scenario a lottery team should not be in) and close to the tax in 2021-22.

Gordon would also be on an expiring contract next season. Although he is eligible for an extension in the offseason, he is projected to be one of the top free agents in 2022 and would likely be in line for more money by waiting, bringing in the risk that Minnesota would lose him for nothing after next season.

Minnesota would also be waving the white flag on a player selected sixth overall in the 2019 draft. The selection of Culver was the first big move for head of basketball operations Gersson Rosas. Culver and Hernangomez are on team-friendly contracts (both will earn less than $7 million next season) and would give the Magic much-needed depth.

The Hornets enter the picture as the third team because Orlando cannot do a three-for-one type of trade because of roster restrictions (the Magic would still need to waive a player for this trade to work). Layman fits into the Hornets' $4 million cap space and gives them scoring off the bench. The Hornets would also pick up a future second-round pick from the Timberwolves (one that could be high in the round if Minnesota's playoff drought continues).

-- Bobby Marks

[wolfen]

Towns and Gordon takes you nowhere.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/30956653/five-big-trades-want-see-2021-nba-trade-deadline

Bobby Marks believes it would take Layman, Culver, Juancho and a 2nd, and still that would have serious downsides.

Magic move on from Gordon
Charlotte Hornets get: Jake Layman, 2025 second-round pick (from Minnesota)

Minnesota Timberwolves get: Aaron Gordon

Orlando Magic get: Jarrett Culver, Juancho Hernangomez

The details: This trade is more about the 2021-22 season and less about now, considering Orlando and Minnesota sit at the bottom of the standings in their respective conferences.

The addition of Gordon gives Minnesota a legitimate power forward to pair next to Karl-Anthony Towns. Although he has struggled this season with injuries, Gordon has still managed to shoot a career-high 36.9% from 3 and average 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds.

The downside to this type of trade is that it puts Minnesota in the luxury tax for a second consecutive season (a scenario a lottery team should not be in) and close to the tax in 2021-22.

Gordon would also be on an expiring contract next season. Although he is eligible for an extension in the offseason, he is projected to be one of the top free agents in 2022 and would likely be in line for more money by waiting, bringing in the risk that Minnesota would lose him for nothing after next season.

Minnesota would also be waving the white flag on a player selected sixth overall in the 2019 draft. The selection of Culver was the first big move for head of basketball operations Gersson Rosas. Culver and Hernangomez are on team-friendly contracts (both will earn less than $7 million next season) and would give the Magic much-needed depth.

The Hornets enter the picture as the third team because Orlando cannot do a three-for-one type of trade because of roster restrictions (the Magic would still need to waive a player for this trade to work). Layman fits into the Hornets' $4 million cap space and gives them scoring off the bench. The Hornets would also pick up a future second-round pick from the Timberwolves (one that could be high in the round if Minnesota's playoff drought continues).

-- Bobby Marks

I respect all opinions, I really do. The thing that sticks out there is the short contract that AG does have, and you line that up with Beasley's long term and cap friendly contract, I can see the pause.

So let's take a 180 on this convo. With the goal in mind of having a starting vet PF next to KAT next year, AND keeping Beasley (while drafting Cunningham or Suggs), what is the play there? Looking at free agents this summer, possibilities could include Olynyk, JaMychal Green. There are some others that are solid and would give us some experience at that spot, but I'm not sure they'd push the needle forward as a starter (Portis, Birch). I'm thinking of the types who are somewhat on the same timeline as KAT and also could be affordable if we somehow make other deals to clear some space.

The elephant in the room here is DLo. My original contention is that we're going nowhere with a DLo / Beas / Ant backcourt for defensive reasons. Ant is going nowhere and if we want to keep Beas in this new scenario, then we'd have to somehow unload DLo. Suggs would be the perfect PG replacement for DLo, but Cunningham is better, but I think he plays the SF and runs a lot of offense. I don't think he would be our PG, Suggs would fit better (but of course you don't draft for fit in the lottery).

Let's play around with this a little. Assuming we kept our pick and we somehow traded DLo away, Cunningham vs. Suggs as it pertains to the lineup...

Cunningham / Beas / Ant / XX / KAT
or
XX / Ant / Cunningham / XX / KAT with Beas as the 6th man

Suggs / Beas / Ant / XX / KAT

Delly is a free agent and plays great defense. 37% career shooter from 3. He's got some tread left in the tires, plus he would come dirt cheap.

Delly / Ant / Cunningham / XX / KAT with Beas as 6th man

That's at least an average defense with Delly in there. CC and Ant would be the initiators of the offense, Delly would play defense and space the floor and help out with ball handling when needed. Let's say this did happen (Delly and Cunningham) and Delly actually does exactly what is needed and what we want him to, and on a cheap 2 year contract. Who knows what we'd get back from a DLo trade. Maybe the package going out vs in actually saves us money this off-season, allowing us to sign either Olynyk or Green. Let's say it's Green...

Delly / Ant / Cunningham / Green / KAT

Reserves: Beas, jMac, Nowell, Big Mac, Reid, Vando

That gives you a vet team (2 starters) to appease KAT. The floor would be spread out (Delly 37% from 3, Green 38%, KAT 40%) for Cunningham to run the show and Ant to slice through all of that space. Defense would be much improved with Delly replacing DLo and adding Green in there, he's a solid defender, if not above average. Then you've got super cool Beas scoring 20 off the bench.

Another PG that would fit in that scenario is Jalen Brunson. Maybe he comes back in the DLo trade (Cuban!!!). Some sort of 3 and D PG in this scenario would do the trick, since Cunningham and Ant will be the defacto offensive initiators...

[Dewey]

Trades ... any trades ... people need to move on from a players previous draft status and/or where they were ranked. Nobody really cares. It’s largely why teams pursue proven players and are willing to give up lots of unproven picks to acquire them.

Future Picks ... young players who have struggled to find their stride ... young players with a glimmer of stardom and shown potential ===>> These are all hypothetical unknowns and top franchise teams roll them out the door for proven talent every chance they get. If one of them becomes something - guess what - those teamS will be back with more unproven picks and players

[Jedzz]

Another PG that would fit in that scenario is Jalen Brunson. Maybe he comes back in the DLo trade (Cuban!!!). Some sort of 3 and D PG in this scenario would do the trick, since Cunningham and Ant will be the defacto offensive initiators...

Stop making me want to puke please.

Cunningham and Ant
Suggs and Ant

If those are your players than you don't need anymore stinking PGs. Trade everyone away and don't take any back. Trade away Rubio, Dlo, JMac and shove you Jalen Brunson where the sun don't shine already. Is my opinion clear on this one?

You guys don't like the vets. Well I can't stand this young garbage that can't play yet. Send Edwards out for any vet with a pulse and the team is instantly improved. Same goes for Culver. Prove me wrong. Stop making us watch this kindergarten crap and calling it Pro ball.

[SO_MONEY]

Another PG that would fit in that scenario is Jalen Brunson. Maybe he comes back in the DLo trade (Cuban!!!). Some sort of 3 and D PG in this scenario would do the trick, since Cunningham and Ant will be the defacto offensive initiators...

Stop making me want to puke please.

Cunningham and Ant
Suggs and Ant

If those are your players than you don't need anymore stinking PGs. Trade everyone away and don't take any back. Trade away Rubio, Dlo, JMac and shove you Jalen Brunson where the sun don't shine already. Is my opinion clear on this one?

You guys don't like the vets. Well I can't stand this young garbage that can't play yet. Send Edwards out for any vet with a pulse and the team is instantly improved. Same goes for Culver. Prove me wrong. Stop making us watch this kindergarten crap and calling it Pro ball.

Most fans don't want to be mediocre. Most fans would find average basketball less fulfilling than development. So if you can't watch a team who is bad just know lots of people out there won't watch if AT BEST they are a 1 and done in the playoffs. No point to watch that crap. Zero hope. GROSS.

[Norseman79]

So, you want a roadmap to keep Towns, even though I don't agree with the direction...it's actually pretty easy...

Send Rubio, Mcdaniels and fill to Toronto for Anunoby.

Send Edwards and fill to ATL for Collins.

Resign both.

DLo
Beasley
Anunoby
Collins
Towns

If that can't get it done...well then blow it all the way up and start over.

[Jedzz]

Another PG that would fit in that scenario is Jalen Brunson. Maybe he comes back in the DLo trade (Cuban!!!). Some sort of 3 and D PG in this scenario would do the trick, since Cunningham and Ant will be the defacto offensive initiators...

Stop making me want to puke please.

Cunningham and Ant
Suggs and Ant

If those are your players than you don't need anymore stinking PGs. Trade everyone away and don't take any back. Trade away Rubio, Dlo, JMac and shove you Jalen Brunson where the sun don't shine already. Is my opinion clear on this one?

You guys don't like the vets. Well I can't stand this young garbage that can't play yet. Send Edwards out for any vet with a pulse and the team is instantly improved. Same goes for Culver. Prove me wrong. Stop making us watch this kindergarten crap and calling it Pro ball.

Most fans don't want to be mediocre. Most fans would find average basketball less fulfilling than development. So if you can't watch a team who is bad just know lots of people out there won't watch if AT BEST they are a 1 and done in the playoffs. No point to watch that crap. Zero hope. GROSS.

I call BS on that Sir! You don't have the authority to speak for "Most". More people would love to support this team if they were competitive all season and a factor come playoffs instead of this constant clown show every year for 70-80 games. You are watching crap right now. Zero hope right now. And it's all because of people like you involved with this team who believe they should dump every season just to play a one day game of draft poker that the team fails to win hands in.

If you were right about "most" people, then there wouldn't be any teams in this league fighting for the playoffs and yet there always is. Because those teams know if they are good enough to deserve to be there, then they might be only one player away from getting further. They also know those fools at the bottom are 3 or more players away if they are lucky.

You have near Zero hope of drafting a generational talent top3 that instantly lofts your team into relevance. Even if this team drafts one, they still have to get out of their own way and realize it, develop it, and try to win. When is that ever going to happen when they can't stop tanking for the next draft's great wonders? They have two #1s, a #2, a #5, a #6 already and four other former FRPs. Will it take 5 former #1s to finally try to build something and try to win?

[SO_MONEY]

Stop making me want to puke please.

Cunningham and Ant
Suggs and Ant

If those are your players than you don't need anymore stinking PGs. Trade everyone away and don't take any back. Trade away Rubio, Dlo, JMac and shove you Jalen Brunson where the sun don't shine already. Is my opinion clear on this one?

You guys don't like the vets. Well I can't stand this young garbage that can't play yet. Send Edwards out for any vet with a pulse and the team is instantly improved. Same goes for Culver. Prove me wrong. Stop making us watch this kindergarten crap and calling it Pro ball.

Most fans don't want to be mediocre. Most fans would find average basketball less fulfilling than development. So if you can't watch a team who is bad just know lots of people out there won't watch if AT BEST they are a 1 and done in the playoffs. No point to watch that crap. Zero hope. GROSS.

I call BS on that Sir! You don't have the authority to speak for "Most". More people would love to support this team if they were competitive all season and a factor come playoffs instead of this constant clown show every year for 70-80 games. You are watching crap right now. Zero hope right now. And it's all because of people like you involved with this team who believe they should dump every season just to play a one day game of draft poker that the team fails to win hands in.

If you were right about "most" people, then there wouldn't be any teams in this league fighting for the playoffs and yet there always is. Because those teams know if they are good enough to deserve to be there, then they might be only one player away from getting further. They also know those fools at the bottom are 3 or more players away if they are lucky.

You have near Zero hope of drafting a generational talent top3 that instantly lofts your team into relevance. Even if this team drafts one, they still have to get out of their own way and realize it, develop it, and try to win. When is that ever going to happen when they can't stop tanking for the next draft's great wonders? They have two #1s, a #2, a #5, a #6 already and four other former FRPs. Will it take 5 former #1s to finally try to build something and try to win?

You're right it is not MOST it is *correction* almost ALL fans that don't want to be mediocre. Mediocre is not competitive. Mediocre is pointless. Mediocre is not worth watching. Either be good or really bad or working towards one of the two, you don't play to the middle. Players are going to do what players are going to do, if you middle it is not like these players are going to try and lose games, even if it means fans lose intrest or all hope...they get paid either way and are trying to get their next contract and not be out of the league. A draft pick does nothing for the players, but it does for the fans. So, NO not BS. Middling teams are stuck and uninteresting and that is reality, they can't, won't or have little benefit to tank and few resources to improve. Truth be told no one wants that except you apparently...

[Jedzz]

Most fans don't want to be mediocre. Most fans would find average basketball less fulfilling than development. So if you can't watch a team who is bad just know lots of people out there won't watch if AT BEST they are a 1 and done in the playoffs. No point to watch that crap. Zero hope. GROSS.

I call BS on that Sir! You don't have the authority to speak for "Most". More people would love to support this team if they were competitive all season and a factor come playoffs instead of this constant clown show every year for 70-80 games. You are watching crap right now. Zero hope right now. And it's all because of people like you involved with this team who believe they should dump every season just to play a one day game of draft poker that the team fails to win hands in.

If you were right about "most" people, then there wouldn't be any teams in this league fighting for the playoffs and yet there always is. Because those teams know if they are good enough to deserve to be there, then they might be only one player away from getting further. They also know those fools at the bottom are 3 or more players away if they are lucky.

You have near Zero hope of drafting a generational talent top3 that instantly lofts your team into relevance. Even if this team drafts one, they still have to get out of their own way and realize it, develop it, and try to win. When is that ever going to happen when they can't stop tanking for the next draft's great wonders? They have two #1s, a #2, a #5, a #6 already and four other former FRPs. Will it take 5 former #1s to finally try to build something and try to win?

You're right it is not MOST it is *correction* almost ALL fans that don't want to be mediocre. Mediocre is not competitive. Mediocre is pointless. Mediocre is not worth watching.

100% wrong imo. I've had this convo before. There are many examples of teams that keep fighting for years and finally add one player through a trade when the opportunity comes and it all clicks. Toronto was a recent one. They even fired their coach because they were stuck in the playoffs and not going higher. But they didn't blowup the team, it just took one well timed trade for a good player. Afterwards they lost that player and returned to where they were. it wasn't a new coach. it was the final piece needed for a good team.

There are a good 6 to 8 teams every season that no one believes has a shot and they fight anyway, get as far as they can. Half the battle is wanting and believing it enough to put enough effort into the games for the long haul. Then seize an opportunity when it presents itself.

Were the Miami Heat idiots for fighting to the finals even though they were typecast as going nowhere before the season? No one really believed they would take the Lakers anyway, so why did they try? The heat are only 6th now this year mid season. Maybe they should turn and tank now, right?

This mediocrity thing of yours is a buzzterm from the mid 2000s and it was a hogwash defensive mechanism back then too. learn something new.

[SO_MONEY]

I call BS on that Sir! You don't have the authority to speak for "Most". More people would love to support this team if they were competitive all season and a factor come playoffs instead of this constant clown show every year for 70-80 games. You are watching crap right now. Zero hope right now. And it's all because of people like you involved with this team who believe they should dump every season just to play a one day game of draft poker that the team fails to win hands in.

If you were right about "most" people, then there wouldn't be any teams in this league fighting for the playoffs and yet there always is. Because those teams know if they are good enough to deserve to be there, then they might be only one player away from getting further. They also know those fools at the bottom are 3 or more players away if they are lucky.

You have near Zero hope of drafting a generational talent top3 that instantly lofts your team into relevance. Even if this team drafts one, they still have to get out of their own way and realize it, develop it, and try to win. When is that ever going to happen when they can't stop tanking for the next draft's great wonders? They have two #1s, a #2, a #5, a #6 already and four other former FRPs. Will it take 5 former #1s to finally try to build something and try to win?

You're right it is not MOST it is *correction* almost ALL fans that don't want to be mediocre. Mediocre is not competitive. Mediocre is pointless. Mediocre is not worth watching.

100% wrong imo. I've had this convo before. There are many examples of teams that keep fighting for years and finally add one player through a trade when the opportunity comes and it all clicks. Toronto was a recent one. They even fired their coach because they were stuck in the playoffs and not going higher. But they didn't blowup the team, it just took one well timed trade for a good player.

There are a good 6 to 8 teams every season that no one believes has a shot and they fight anyway, get as far as they can. Half the battle is wanted and believing it enough to put enough effort into the games for the long haul. Then seize an opportunity when it presents itself.

Were the Miami Heat idiots for fighting to the finals even though they were typecast as going nowhere before the season? No one really believed they would take the Lakers anyway, so why did they try? The heat are only 6th now this year mid season. Maybe they should turn and tank now, right?

This mediocrity thing of yours is a buzzterm from the mid 2000s and it was a hogwash defensive mechanism back then too. learn something new.

Whatever, not reading it at this point.

[Jedzz]

You're right it is not MOST it is *correction* almost ALL fans that don't want to be mediocre. Mediocre is not competitive. Mediocre is pointless. Mediocre is not worth watching.

100% wrong imo. I've had this convo before. There are many examples of teams that keep fighting for years and finally add one player through a trade when the opportunity comes and it all clicks. Toronto was a recent one. They even fired their coach because they were stuck in the playoffs and not going higher. But they didn't blowup the team, it just took one well timed trade for a good player.

There are a good 6 to 8 teams every season that no one believes has a shot and they fight anyway, get as far as they can. Half the battle is wanted and believing it enough to put enough effort into the games for the long haul. Then seize an opportunity when it presents itself.

Were the Miami Heat idiots for fighting to the finals even though they were typecast as going nowhere before the season? No one really believed they would take the Lakers anyway, so why did they try? The heat are only 6th now this year mid season. Maybe they should turn and tank now, right?

This mediocrity thing of yours is a buzzterm from the mid 2000s and it was a hogwash defensive mechanism back then too. learn something new.

Whatever, not reading it at this point.

mediocre posting effort now?

[SO_MONEY]

100% wrong imo. I've had this convo before. There are many examples of teams that keep fighting for years and finally add one player through a trade when the opportunity comes and it all clicks. Toronto was a recent one. They even fired their coach because they were stuck in the playoffs and not going higher. But they didn't blowup the team, it just took one well timed trade for a good player.

There are a good 6 to 8 teams every season that no one believes has a shot and they fight anyway, get as far as they can. Half the battle is wanted and believing it enough to put enough effort into the games for the long haul. Then seize an opportunity when it presents itself.

Were the Miami Heat idiots for fighting to the finals even though they were typecast as going nowhere before the season? No one really believed they would take the Lakers anyway, so why did they try? The heat are only 6th now this year mid season. Maybe they should turn and tank now, right?

This mediocrity thing of yours is a buzzterm from the mid 2000s and it was a hogwash defensive mechanism back then too. learn something new.

Whatever, not reading it at this point.

mediocre posting effort now?

You are comical in a depressing way, but hey it is all good, just don't expect me to care what you write.

[Jedzz]

Whatever, not reading it at this point.

mediocre posting effort now?

You are comical in a depressing way, but hey it is all good, just don't expect me to care what you write.

Don't get mad man. Get even. I can take the tongue lashing and usually deserve it. But I'm not excusing this mediocrity avoidance defensive mechanism claim anymore. You say mediocrity sucks. I say losing by 20-30-40 every game sucks. I'll take .500 ball every day of the week over this.