The Consiglieri wrote:I'm not going to continue to argue over the same points again and again tit for tat when there's no common ground, or a little bit of animus involved. I will, however say that you're right to quote that, in the midst of hyperbole on draft night, I can definitely say some things that actually reflect my view, and are in my mind true, but can also very easily be read to be complete b.s. The quote you have above me is both.
I believe 100% that it was exactly that. The fixation on Porter, and seeming refusal to consider other avenues is exactly what Doc argued in my defense. However, you are also 1000% correct in arguing that the move could very well be both a selfish, all about saving my own arse, not about the franchise long term move, and still actually be a good long term move about the franchise absent EG's actual motivation.
You are 1000% right there. I didn't discuss that angle because I was arguing purely from what I believed GM's, and EG do and did in these situations. I've seen it 10,000 times before, I saw it Thursday night, and I'll see it 10,000 more times in the future. GM's act in their own interest like anyone else, it just so happens that it's easy to get an owner to buy into short term filled seats and playoff seeds.
I actually believe both things are equally true, I believe EG, much like Wittman, much like Wall, didn't care about 2017-2027, they're interest is 2013 and 2014, and I also believe that Pelton may be right, and other metric guru's may be right and Otto may develop into an outstanding player, rather than the average to above average one I fear he may become. It's the GM and the owners job to make decisions based on the next 15+ years. Unfortunately when you're a GM whose made a total hash of innumerable key decisions since we were last in the playoffs, you're not looking long term, you're looking at your contract, and that's a fireable offense to me, though an ultimately very, very common offense.
I don't really disagree so much with you, I just disagree in regards to EG's motivations, and where the consequences of that kind of thinking tends to lead. Its why Leonsis should have fired both of his GM's in the past year, one for taking Leonsis's orders and making that cap busting deal a year ago for a quick fix, and GMGM for landing a top 5 prospect in last years hockey draft, and then pawning him off for scrap during the winter trade deadline frenzy to insure a playoff run, and another year as the Caps GM. I want GM's building for the long term, always making decisions that reflect the interest of the fan base that cares far more about the team than the owner, GM, or the players as they have a lifetime investment in said team. Unfortunately this is exceptionally rare. We see it in Pittsburgh, we see it in San Antonio and seemingly OKC, we see it in St. Louis. We don't see it in DC, where we had an idiot of a fan, run our beloved football team into the ground for a decade ignoring the warnings of redskins fans in the west coast like me, who'd already seen Cerrato throw gasoline and a match on the Niners dynasty in the nineties, and then couldn't even hitch a ride with dumb and dumber (Clark and Policy), when they ditched him for operating control of the browns as of 1999... I could go on and on and often do. It's just frustrating to see a team operate purely on the short term, not thinking long term, not making decisions in the best interest of the franchise year after year, decade after decade, while teams you aren't a fan of, actually get the concept. The porter decision is justifiable in a lot of ways, and as I argued earlier in the week, particularly if you think he has every bit the ceiling of Noel or Bennett or Oladipo, and I can support that view point, but I can't support what I know EG's motivations were, nor can I support decisions like Okariza, the '09 debacle etc.
Anyway, we're probably actually somewhat on the same page, and I simply made a hash of explaining why I think EG can be condemned for what he did in terms of motivation, but still accidentally end up having made the right decision, while Otto Porter's supporters here could end up being absolutely right from the jump, and not condemnable in anyway for their philosophy.
I'm actually quite satisfied with all these clarifications and have no real substantive qualms with any of that.
While there was some degree of animus on my part earlier in there as I didn't care for the assumptions you threw out, it probably was not entirely fair to latch onto your heat of the moment comments on draft night either.
In general, I would prefer your philosophy of taking the riskier pick with higher upside. In this particular case, I'd be about like Prada on Bullets Forever in that I'd really need more insider info on Noel's physical situation specifically to be able to say exactly what I think we should have done (as noted, Noel then slipping to sixth, behind a big with an ankle issue and then being traded with a lot of value going to Philly suggests that there were problems).
I will admit, and maybe it's somewhat foolish, that I did not at all fancy that picture of Noel on the bench press with the roadside bomb knee. You can't really let that sort of image impact your decision, but I got skittish in seeing that. Not super excited that he got hurt on a relatively routine run and jump play either, though like most everyone, I was still torn with the Wizards on the clock with Noel on the board.
Anyway, you reasoned it all out, elaborated on the specific points of contention and I'm obviously not not trying to push that everyone here needs to be in perfect agreement or love the pick.
So, we're good.
