GT Wizards vs Pistons

[AFM]

I wonder if George is going to make Bilal expendable. He has to show improvement this year.

[payitforward]

Doc's post just above nails it.
gesa's too.

So does badinage:

...As for Will — I think he’s done very well with what he’s been given. Very well....

You need luck, big luck; and we haven’t had it in the draft. But soon? One day? Who knows.

OTOH

...to build a 50-52 win team… you don’t need to tank and tank hard for 4-5 years.

...is incorrect.

That's exactly what you need to do!

A grand total of 5 teams won over 50 games last season! That's it.

Plus, a lot depends on your starting point, what you are building from. Will was building from a team with zero future, one over the hill "star" who could only be traded for assets that trickled/trickle in slowly over a long time, & one good (but not yet entirely proven) young player.

That's it. It had taken most of 2 decades to get us into the mess that defined us. To get from that starting point to a 50+ win team, I'd say that, yeah, Will had to tank very hard indeed. I.e., the draft & only the draft could get you there.

Portland provides a reasonable test of my claim -- tho overall they have had much more & better draft capital than we've had!

They've had a top 7 pick (Sharpe), a top 3 pick (Scoot), another top 7 pick (Clingan), yet another lottery pick (Coward), & even one more R1 pick (Murray).

Plus, they got Jabari Walker in the 50s, and he's been a very good player.* & they got Camara in the 50s, a guy who's established himself fom the get go as one of the league's top defenders!

All in the last 4 years!

Plus, of course, they acquired Deni, who added about 8 wins on his own.

Yet, they're still a sub .500 team -- a long way from a 50+ wins!

*I would have liked to get him in the Deni trade!

[nate33]

I wonder if George is going to make Bilal expendable. He has to show improvement this year.

I don't thinks so. Bilal is still a better point of attack defender, particularly against smaller guards. Ultimately, you need more than one of these types of guys anyhow.

It's getting pretty lonely out here on Bilal Coulibaly Island. I need to buy up some more beachfront property while it's still cheap.

[payitforward]

I wonder if George is going to make Bilal expendable. He has to show improvement this year.

I don't thinks so. Bilal is still a better point of attack defender, particularly against smaller guards. Ultimately, you need more than one of these types of guys anyhow.

It's getting pretty lonely out here on Bilal Coulibaly Island. I need to buy up some more beachfront property while it's still cheap.

LOL !!!

I'm with you, nate -- he is an exceptionally talented, exceptionally athletic 21-year-old. Already an outstanding defender. I look for several more years of development/improvement from Bilal !!!

[dobrojim]

I wonder if George is going to make Bilal expendable. He has to show improvement this year.

I don't thinks so. Bilal is still a better point of attack defender, particularly against smaller guards. Ultimately, you need more than one of these types of guys anyhow.

It's getting pretty lonely out here on Bilal Coulibaly Island. I need to buy up some more beachfront property while it's still cheap.

It's just been a minute since one of those holy $h-t dunks
where Bilal's head is at the height of the square.