Bensational wrote:I get that the losing sucks, but look at the team we just lost to:
2018-19: LeBron leaves them in free agency. They had picked Sexton with the #8 pick the offseason prior (traded from Brooklyn) finish tied for 2nd last with a 19-63 record. They get the #5 pick and draft Garland.
2019-20: Garland's rookie season, he plays 59 games and averages 12ppg and 4apg. Sexton leads the team averaging 20ppg. They finish 19-43 and tied for 2nd last again. They draft 5th again. They pick Okoro.
2020-21: Okoro's rookie season, he's a complete non-factor averaging 9ppg, 1.9apg, 3.1rpg and shooting 29% from 3. Sexton is averaging 24ppg and Garland 17ppg (on 50 games played), and they finished 22-50 and tied for 4th last. They get the #3 pick and draft Mobley. During the season they had added Jarret Allen in the Harden/Simmons trade.
2021-22: They add Lauri and Rubio in the offseason and LeVert at the trade deadline. Sexton goes down for the season and Garland takes over. Garland averages 21ppg and 8apg shooting 40% from 3. Mobley averages 15ppg and 8rpg and his biggest impact comes on defense. Okoro is a role player. They finish 44-38 and 8th in the East but get knocked out in the play-ins.
2022-23: They trade Sexton and Lauri for Donovan Mitchell in the offseason. They're currently 3rd in the East with a 15-8 record.
SUMMARY
It took Garland 2 seasons and the right role/support around him before the Cavs could reach the play ins. Early on, Sexton might have looked like 'the guy' for them to build around, but he wasn't. Love, Allen, Rubio and LeVert were all pretty key veteran additions made through trade.
This time 2 years ago Vuc, Gordon and Fournier were still on the team. It's very early days in our rebuild. We're not on a path towards being cellar dwellers again. We've got 2 potential future Allstars, the emergence of Bol Bol, Supervalue C WCJ and 2 more picks coming our way in the next draft. That's before we even count the injured reserves.
Cavs were willing to wheel and deal talent and give up on players. Magic aren't.
January 1st, 2021. 2021-22 season. Season opening, Cavs gave up Bucks unprotected 2022 draft pick to add Jarret Allen.
They won 22 games that year but they were already moving figures on the chess board.
Januardy 22, 2021. They removed cancer named Kevin Porter Jr for second round pick. Addition by substruction.
August 28th, 2021, traded for Lauri Markannen.
February, traded Rubio and pick ( lottery protected ) for Caris Levert
Donovan Mitchell trade was last chess move. They created everything needed over one year.
Magic simply don't make moves until somebody steps in public and demands a trade.
Magic are in year 3 of tanking, you can argue year 3 of rebuild. Actually minus one year, they are in year 12 of rebuild but whatever.
Weltman and Hammond don't know how to construct contures of future team. That's why from year to year you have aimless "throw s** at a wall to see what sticks" approach.
Do we need to go any further than FUltz- Suggs- Cole- Hampton situation to understand there is no logic behind building roster? How many ball dominant, mediocre shooters one roster can handle at PG?