phanman wrote:OkcSinceSGA wrote:You are speaking from the perspective of someone that hasn’t endured 20+ years of mostly bad Clippers seasons. I’m speaking as someone who was there for the Olowokandi era. As for you “can develop” young talent while keeping the core, sure a smart team could. But the Clippers aren’t smart and literally don’t play these guys even a minute, or even garbage time usually.
So it’s a literal dichotomy of them either playing an aging, injury team, ball pounding, not entertaining team that isn’t good enough to win… or playing young talent to develop them. They won’t do both.
As for the actual talent, I disagree. Kobe, Boston, Miller decimated the G League and were in MVP race. I realize it’s just the G League, but clearly they can play basketball. Bones has already shown he can be a contributing bench player and his defense was way better this year. They aren’t going to be stars but I guarantee you 2 of those 4 can be mid level starters some day.
These type of finds and development are vital to ANY team wishing to contend. Zubac for example was signed for just 7 million per year, an incredible value. The team needs several situations like that.
I mean I get it, but once again you don't just decide to let 2 all-star caliber players walk to develop Kobe. Boston or Miller. These guys aren't exactly young and if they weren't good enough to crack the rotation for Lue in the RS then they simply just aren't good. Using G league stats is a giant waste of time because the talent disparity is so just so glaring.
You also just proved my point admitting that the Clippers aren't exactly smart and don't have that track record of internally developing guys. Hoping that a few of these prospects turn into a mid level starter is just a losing strategy through and through. Any way you slice it, without James and PG back next season, the Clippers would be down in the cellar with the likes of Blazers.
I don't disagree that they need to find way to develop younger talent on the cheap, but that has to go hand-in-hand with having the marquee guys to slot them around.
There are several players that don’t get played or utilized by coaches at once place, and go on to kill it somewhere else. Just because Lue doesn’t play them, that’s not indicative of the talent you actually have. The same Lue also plays Plumlee as the backup big when we have 2 superior backup bigs he DNP’s. He also wouldn’t stop playing Marcus Morris and Tucker. It means nothing other than he’s not playing the right guys.