Imagine being the Executive of any franchise and making the following "insignificant trades" along the way:
Traded for the future 2013 1st round pick of the Raptors on July 11, 2012.
Traded for the future 2016 1st round pick of the Nets on July 12, 2013.
Traded for the future 2017 1st round pick of the Kings on July 9, 2015.
Picked a power forward late first round in the NBA draft on June 23, 2016.
Signed an undrafted free agent on July 18, 2016.
Traded for the future 2017 1st round pick of the Pelicans on February 20, 2017.
Traded for the future 2017 1st round pick of the Wizards on Feb 22, 2017.
Traded for the Nuggets 13th pick during the NBA Draft on June 22, 2017.
Picked a point guard late first round in the NBA draft on June 21, 2018.
Traded for the Hornets 11th pick during the NBA Draft on June 21, 2018.
This could have led to the following, on it's own, talented roster in 2020:
C: Jarret Allen/Bam Adebayo
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo/Pascal Siakam
SF: Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown
SG: Donovan Mitchell/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
PG: Fred VanVleet/Devonte' Graham
But this also means you possibly had all the cap space needed to sign any 2 free agent or do any trade in the past 5 years.
Among them:
Nikola Vucevic
Kawhi Leonard
Kyrie Irving
Jimmy Butler
Kemba Walker
LeBron James
Nikola Jokic
Chris Paul
Paul George
Stephen Curry
Kyle Lowry
DeMar DeRozan
Anthony Davis
Russell Westbrook
Could the addition of any 2 players lead to the first team ever to get 90 wins in less than 100 games (74+ wins RS, 16-0 or 16-1 PS).
Which two players would you pick?
Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
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Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
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- Sixth Man
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Re: Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
- RCM88x
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Re: Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
Add Lebron and Curry and you would win 74+ games yes. If those players weren't also playing for other teams then 16-0 in the playoffs would be pretty easy to I reckon.
Of course, drafting the best player available with every single pick for almost a decade is impossible.
Of course, drafting the best player available with every single pick for almost a decade is impossible.
LookToShoot wrote:Melo is the only player that makes the Rockets watchable for the basketball purists. Otherwise it would just be three point shots and pick n roll.
Re: Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
- Dupp
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Re: Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
How much different would Lakers roster be if they signed kawhi? Think they could have kept a few of the guys and been pretty great.
Re: Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
- nate33
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Re: Was 2020 the year to possibly form the best team ever?
Consider Boston.
In 2016 they had the #3, #16, #23 and #35 picks.
They could have drafted Jaylen Brown, traded the #16 for the 2017 DEN pick, drafted Siakam and drafted Brogdon
In 2017 they had the #1 overall pick (from Brooklyn, I think?) and traded down to #3 for Jayson Tatum. But in that trade-down, they got the rights to the Lakers 2018 pick if the Lakers finished with the 2-5 pick. The Lakers ended up with the 10th pick, but imagine if they finished 3rd. That's Luka Doncic! And with the 2017 DEN pick that they traded for in 2016, they could have drafted Bam.
In 2018, they draft Doncic at #3 and draft Mitchell Robinson with their #27 pick (which would probably be more like #29 given how good they were).
They already had Smart from the 2014 draft, and they signed him to a reasonable deal.
So now it's:
PG Brogdon
SG Brown, Smart
SF Doncic
PF Tatum, Siakam
C Adebayo, Robinson
Now add two max free agents to THAT team!
In 2016 they had the #3, #16, #23 and #35 picks.
They could have drafted Jaylen Brown, traded the #16 for the 2017 DEN pick, drafted Siakam and drafted Brogdon
In 2017 they had the #1 overall pick (from Brooklyn, I think?) and traded down to #3 for Jayson Tatum. But in that trade-down, they got the rights to the Lakers 2018 pick if the Lakers finished with the 2-5 pick. The Lakers ended up with the 10th pick, but imagine if they finished 3rd. That's Luka Doncic! And with the 2017 DEN pick that they traded for in 2016, they could have drafted Bam.
In 2018, they draft Doncic at #3 and draft Mitchell Robinson with their #27 pick (which would probably be more like #29 given how good they were).
They already had Smart from the 2014 draft, and they signed him to a reasonable deal.
So now it's:
PG Brogdon
SG Brown, Smart
SF Doncic
PF Tatum, Siakam
C Adebayo, Robinson
Now add two max free agents to THAT team!