Number 1 pick or Trying to Win a Title.

[Rerisen]

The Bulls are the perfect team to ask this to.

They were in the playoffs 3 straight years before last. So if playoffs is how you define as "trying to win a title" then I'm taking the #1 pick over another 1st or 2nd round exit without any real legitimate chances to make it all the way.

Now if our pick would have landed where it should have, then I would have rather taken another season of the playoffs. But getting the #1 gives you a chance to change your fortunes for the next 10 years or so in a pretty drastic way.

[JordansBulls]

I'll take the Rockets.

The #1 pick could be a bust.

[Cliff Levingston]

You pretty much need a superstar talent or two to legitimately compete for a championship. Considering that the #1 pick is the best place to get that superstar talent, Cliff Levingston will go with the #1 pick.

[NOOB77]

Give me the playoffs every time all the time.

Draft picks are draft picks you never know what you are going to get. Players picked at #1 aren't always a sure team. So I will take a playoff appearance over a gamble with a prospect.

[kooldude]

#1 picks since 2000:

Code: Select all

2007   NBA   Portland Trail Blazers   Greg Oden   Ohio State University
2006   NBA   Toronto Raptors   Andrea Bargnani   
2005   NBA   Milwaukee Bucks   Andrew Bogut   University of Utah
2004   NBA   Orlando Magic   Dwight Howard   
2003   NBA   Cleveland Cavaliers   LeBron James   
2002   NBA   Houston Rockets   Yao Ming   
2001   NBA   Washington Wizards   Kwame Brown   
2000   NBA   New Jersey Nets   Kenyon Martin   University of Cincinnati


You have 3 All-NBA players, 2 busts, 2 average, and 1 uncertain. I'll take the contender team.

[crowd goes wild]

It depends. If I'm the first or second seed then I'll take the shot at the title.

[Cliff Levingston]

If I'm the first or second seed then I'll take the shot at the title.

This, and the whole thread in general, doesn't make much sense. The ultimate goal is to win a championship so obviously everyone wants to compete for it, but not everyone can. Good teams will want to compete rather than gutting themselves to look for the #1 pick. Bad teams will want to be bad enough to get the #1 pick in hopes of eventually being able to compete.

And Cliff Levingston will note that there's not a single team that wouldn't want the #1 pick this year or any year regardless of whether they're competing for a championship or not.

[croz24]

more often than not, having the #1 pick results in a title contending team.

[Muhammad_Ali]

Take the Boston approach...it obviously works.

Tank horribly and obviously trying to get a once a decade center.
If that works, pair him with a very good PF and an all star SF.

If that doesn't work, trade your very good PF and scrubs for a first ballot hall of famer PF, and send your draft pick with some other scrubs for a former all star SG who's still effective despite being on the decline of his prime

[xbrxx]

This is like asking whether you would tank a season to get a high draft pick or compete for the playoffs and title. Lose today does not equal winning tomorrow. Getting the #1 pick doesn't equal guarantee anything tomorrow. At least competing for a title in the playoffs gives us fans something to cheer for and allows us to know they are out there giving their best. Look at the Hawks. If I was Hawks fan I would be damn proud of them, seeing them compete like that even the odds were completely against them versus the Celtics. The could have went in tank mode like Miami did mid season, but instead they fought to get to the playoffs, and against the best team in the league.

So for every team in that made it to the playoffs this year.... screw the #1 pick. Be proud your team didn't pull a Miami.

[_BBIB_]

The #1 pick if I think there is a franchise player.

Sacrificing your future for a shot at the title is only something if you get lucky and trade for HOF talent like the Celtics did.

[BrettNYK]

It depends what kind of team you are... If you are fighting for the 7th or 8th seed, then I'd want the #1 pick. If you are team with a lot of talent, but had star players injured, which lead to you fighting for a playoff position in the West, then I'd want to fight for the title. It's unfair to ask this question without giving us an idea of the team.

[wfiles]

2007 Greg Oden hasn't even played a game yet
2006 Andrea Bargnani
2005 Andrew Bogut

Look at those #1 picks.