Brinbe wrote:YogurtProducer wrote:Brinbe wrote:
Yes and that team was built through years of losing/development plus smart pick-ups in the 2nd round/UDFA until it was time for trades to make a final push.
But it's not an anomaly and it doesn't have to be a one-to-one. Look at the contenders now. The Celtics, Twolves, Thunder, Pacers have good/decent depth and even the Knicks have been able to survive after having a star in Randle and two rotation level guys in OG/Robinson be out with injury. The Cavs/Mavs are more top-heavy but they haven't done too bad roster-building as well.
Of course it helps that they have top-tier stars and that's where we lack too as Scottie isn't on that level yet and may never get there. RJ has proven that he can be a playoff performer but that's not nearly enough firepower, not to mention that Olynyk/Ochai/Gradey isn't exactly scaring anyone. And that's my point. We've seen this in the past two/three years, where we had good players and no bench to carry things once they hit the bench.
We're a far ways away from competing anytime soon no matter what aging star you add. Ideally we add a young player with potential on-par with Scottie's and play the long-road of growth for this team.
It is 100% an anomaly.
If the Knicks lose Brunson and Donte are they winning 50 games next year like we did in 2020? Celtics lose Tatum and White? TWolves lose Ant and McDaniels?
I think we are vastly underrating the power of a star here though. We would not be a Celtics, but IMO if we just plunked a star here in TO there is no reason why we would not expect to be a NYK / CLE level of a team.
I'm just not as high on this team as you are and that's fine. We're a long ways away from being on the Cavs or Knicks level. Those teams have more effective/proven stars, more depth and are much-better coached. We've already seen all this play out over the past 2/3 years. Literally had Siakam/OG/Fred/Scottie/Yak as a core plus Nurse as a coach and it amounted to nothing.
What have the Cavs or Knicks accomplished though? Sure the NYK is prob going to conference finals but so did the Trae Hawks and we saw how thats played out (ECF run due to an easy run).
We are a long way away - but adding a legit star is the fastest and easiest way to expediate that process. That prior team did not have a talent problem - it was definitely a fit problem. Slide PG13 next to Barnes and the Barnes/PG fit is pretty damn incredible compared to Barnes/Siakam.
I think we are just undervaluing what having a guy who can be a #1 scorer would be. That is something we really have not had since Kawhi and occasionally Siakam (but inconsistently). Suddenly if Barnes slides down to a #2, IQ to #3, RJ to a bench player, etc. and guys play their right roles everyone looks better when asked to do less.
Again, not really a contender but neither is NYK or CLE.