prime1time wrote:TGW wrote:This feels very much like the Grunfeld years. The team still reeks of desperation and has a bottom-tier aura. There are no young stars...just hope that maybe one day the recent draft picks can contribute to a winning team. Management still looks clueless. There is no plan or direction other than "8th seed or bust" every year.
If Grunfeld was still the GM, people would be calling for his head. I don't see why his flunky is getting the benefit of the doubt.
I know we should tear him a new one for finding Kyle Kuzma. Bringing in Porzingis. Getting off of Wall's contract. Drafting a player in Hachimura who's turned into a 3-point shooting marksman. Drafting Corey Kispert who looks like a lock for 15 year career. Even if you stack up his mistakes vs. his losses Sheppard comes out on top. Beal is injured, Porzingis is on minutes restrictions and we can't beat a motivated Lakers team coming off an embarrassing loss to the Rockets. You do realize that losses aren't a bad thing right?
As far as 8th seed or bust "every year." This isn't even based on reality. We have no idea how Porzingis and Beal will fair together. In addition since January Kuzma is averaging 21/9/4. And his last several games he's shown the ability to play make and create for others. Kuzma, Beal, Porzingis, Rui, Kispert, KCP, Gafford + our 1st round draft pick, an improved Deni Avdija and a solid pg. That sounds like an 8th seed or bust? No. It doesn't. Now is it going to beat a healthy Nets in a 7 game series? Probably not. But let's at least be honest. That has the makings of the best team that we've had in years.
Complain all you want, but unless you have a way to bring a superstar player to DC the chances of building a significantly better team is slim to none. And here's another truth. Tearing a team down doesn't guarantee that we get a superstar player. That's why we have been where we've been for the last 40+ years. Sheppard has done a GREAT job given what he was working with.
Nothing like Grunfeld inasmuch as every year and every offseason Sheppard has totally shuffled the deck on what we have. Overall we have gotten younger and picked up future assets. Grunfeld rode each roster until the wheels fell off. To fix it he brought in late career vets on expiring contracts, hoping to cash in on their motivation to cash in. He traded away 2nd round picks for a player named Cash Considerations who never made it off the bench.
The results may be similar but the methodology is different. Tommy has managed some insane deals that nobody else would even try (5 way team deals noted as one of the most complex ever). Ernie would just pull off some halfassed work and then go on vacation, only really trying anything significant when his own contract was expiring. Tommy's deals may not have come to anything (yet?) but long term they have a better chance of working eventually than Ernie's save-his-a55 moves. Both have to operate under Ted's "Never Tank, Ever" edict though, which means that yeah the team scrapes for the 9th seed every year. Which now that it is an actual thing, not merely an ironic witticism, means we fight for the 10th seed. Still, no one can say Tommy has folded his cards and done nothing. Even when it seemed like it was going to be impossible to do anything, Tommy has managed to wipe the whiteboard and re-ink the roster radically.
If it is going to work then a little bit of time to build chemistry might help. Plus: first year new coach. All of which is why fans are somewhat more willing to be patient.
Personally I like this team. The talent level might not be there, or maybe the experience is lacking, but the way the team plays is entertaining to watch. The ball moves crisply to the right player (even if he misses the shot). On defense nobody is standing around watching. On offense players make cuts to get open. Watching the squad, it seems like the team should be better than their record. But. They're not. The hell can you do.
