Prove Me Wrong: Only 2 Teams are Tanking So Far

[MojoPharoah]

So a team that addressed none of their needs, the star player admitting the team is playing to lose, the owner basically willing to stand pat by saying everyone is safe and every media having the teams thinking of said team not improving in any facet that impedes a season plans two years from now doesnt fit tanking?

I would say no, because the management was just bad. Every management move has been a case of flawed myopic shortsightedness, with a distinct inability to understand how to properly build a cohesive team. They run toward talent(especially scorers) and names, failing to realize that doing so does not make a contender. Doesn't equal tanking, though, because the intent was always winning, not stomaching the accumulation of losses today in order to achieve some future goal.

Knicks aren't tanking, neither are the Nets. What the Knicks did in the runup to 2010, to clear space... That would be tanking

You must hadnt heard of the 2015 plans...

The 2015 plans regarding what new Free Agent pipe dream doesn't constitute tanking, because the team is still plans to do such things like max out Melo. Right now, the Knicks are frozen because they are out of bullets to actually improve the team. Melo and Chandler are basically untouchable and nobody else will get much and there are no draft picks to use as sweeteners. Once healthy, they will be a mediocre at best unit filled with holes and issues featuring a trio of one-dimensional scorers and an overworked defensive anchor. There is no MAJOR move they can make, because the only other super-sucker GM(King) is also fresh out of bullets too. Nobody else wants their parts, so they are left with banking on 2 things: continuity and hope. Still, that isn't tanking, its Purgatory.

[Bo Outlaw]

The only blantant tanking team is Philly. It's actually very embarassing and they should be punished for intentionally not even fielding an NBA-caliber team. At least teams like the Bucks and Bobcats actually tried to add NBA-caliber players.

Why do you mention the bobcats? There not a terrible team.

[ChuckChilly]

A lot of people are in denial in this thread, and strangely it's on the side of them thinking their team is legitimately tanking.

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[DusterBuster]

The only blantant tanking team is Philly. It's actually very embarassing and they should be punished for intentionally not even fielding an NBA-caliber team. At least teams like the Bucks and Bobcats actually tried to add NBA-caliber players.

Why do you mention the bobcats? There not a terrible team.

Probably just a force of habit.

[Westbreezy]

If there are only 3 playoff teams in the East over .500 by the end of the season, then we'll know something was up. Can someone check to see the highest number of playoff teams in one conference under .500 in one year?

[Young_Star11]

Philadelphia laid their intentions clear very early.

[Dropkick_Murphy]

It just goes to show how irrelevant the Bucks have become if people actually think this team is trying to tank. All the veteran guys Ayt mentioned were brought in to chase Herb Kohls precious 8th seed. If it wasn't for injuries to the vets young guys like Giannis & Middleton would be buried deep on the end of the bench. Fate & luck is what's causing the Bucks losing season, not some genius front office tanking plan. The words 'genius front office' and the Bucks management are polar opposites of each other.

[DRK]

Realistically how do the Bucks compete this season? What need did they not address that they could of? The same with Orlando, Utah, or Philly?

Tanking is a myth, it really is. I regret ever using the term now since people take it literally.

Certainly isnt a myth, so we gotta establish that first....there are clear examples in the history of the sport.

"Clear examples," but is there concrete evidence? Has anyone of importance in said "tanking team" ever come out and said "yep, we're tanking." There is no evidence to prove that tanking exists. None.

[sipclip]

It just goes to show how irrelevant the Bucks have become if people actually think this team is trying to tank. All the veteran guys Ayt mentioned were brought in to chase Herb Kohls precious 8th seed. If it wasn't for injuries to the vets young guys like Giannis & Middleton would be buried deep on the end of the bench. Fate & luck is what's causing the Bucks losing season, not some genius front office tanking plan. The words 'genius front office' and the Bucks management are polar opposites of each other.

You can't help but feel good for bucks fans who have had to deal with incompetent management trying to win when they should have been rebuilding. They are now getting a chance to see what looks like a pretty good young core with Sanders, Henson, Giannis, Middleton, Knight, Mayo, Ilyasova and Wolters. Add a guy like Parker, Wiggins or Randle that could turn into a go to scorer then they look really good.

[Winglish]

Utah went with a youth movement. It was time to see what Favors and Kanter could do. The Jazz traded UP in the draft to get the player they wanted. Trey Burke arrived late on the scene due to injury, but he is too good and has too much will to win to play for a loser. The Jazz are 5-5 in their last ten games. Trey Burke is single-handedly ruining any chance Utah had to be the worst team. In fact, the Jazz are not too bad these days.

[Orlwillbeback]

The Magic traded Dwight Howard for Aaron Afflalo, Al Harrington, young unproven players and draft picks. If that aint tanking, I don't know what is.

[lilojmayo]

Tanking to me is putting your team in a position to lose, cant truly think of too many teams that fit this definition....the Bucks yes, as they didnt improve their situation at all and solely was the helper to make everyone else improve.

The Bucks added a ton of veterans to the team in an attempt to win. They didn't bring in Mayo, Pachulia, Butler, Neal, Ridnour, Delfino for the hell of it. None of those players are great, but they are undoubtedly useful NBA rotation players. The Bucks owe Mayo, Pachulia, Neal, and Delfino a combined 20M next season as well so it isn't like they were signing these guys to one off deals.

They traded Jennings because it simply wasn't working for either side and actually got back excellent value in Knight and Middleton.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIJtSZgPLes[/youtube]

The moral of the story with the Bucks is the veteran play is garbage, lead by OJ Mayo and to a lesser extent Caron Bulter. Talk about a guy that plays decent for one year, gets paid and stops caring about winning/improvement. The worst i've seen him as a pro, eptimoe of inconsistency

JR Smith and OJ Mayo are prime examples of players that get paid and give you nothing after they sign that contreact. I feel like Nick Young is the next player that this will happen to, but I hope he proves me wrong.

With that being said this Giannis Antetokounmpo guy shoudl have been #1 overall pick, and if the draft were to be re-done would be according to Chad Ford. Any time I watch him its clear we are looking at a future Top 5 NBA player, and probably will be every bit the triple double threat in his prime that LeBron James and Jason Kidd were. His potential could be bigger than anyone we have seen before outside of LeBron. He is already 6'10, and the doctors sqaid he will grow to 7'0. Giannis the same natural feel for the game that LeBron has, something that Kevin Durant doesn't possess, but tries awful hard to do.

I just hope Bucks don't delay his development. If Bucks get Jabari Parker paired up with Giannis then it could be the start of something big...........

[Liver_Pooty]

Tanking to me is putting your team in a position to lose, cant truly think of too many teams that fit this definition....the Bucks yes, as they didnt improve their situation at all and solely was the helper to make everyone else improve.

The Bucks added a ton of veterans to the team in an attempt to win. They didn't bring in Mayo, Pachulia, Butler, Neal, Ridnour, Delfino for the hell of it. None of those players are great, but they are undoubtedly useful NBA rotation players. The Bucks owe Mayo, Pachulia, Neal, and Delfino a combined 20M next season as well so it isn't like they were signing these guys to one off deals.

They traded Jennings because it simply wasn't working for either side and actually got back excellent value in Knight and Middleton.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIJtSZgPLes[/youtube]

The moral of the story with the Bucks is the veteran play is garbage, lead by OJ Mayo and to a lesser extent Caron Bulter. Talk about a guy that plays decent for one year, gets paid and stops caring about winning/improvement. The worst i've seen him as a pro, eptimoe of inconsistency

JR Smith and OJ Mayo are prime examples of players that get paid and give you nothing after they sign that contreact. I feel like Nick Young is the next player that this will happen to, but I hope he proves me wrong.

With that being said this Giannis Antetokounmpo guy shoudl have been #1 overall pick, and if the draft were to be re-done would be according to Chad Ford. Any time I watch him its clear we are looking at a future Top 5 NBA player, and probably will be every bit the triple double threat in his prime that LeBron James and Jason Kidd were. His potential could be bigger than anyone we have seen before outside of LeBron. He is already 6'10, and the doctors sqaid he will grow to 7'0. Giannis the same natural feel for the game that LeBron has, something that Kevin Durant doesn't possess, but tries awful hard to do.

I just hope Bucks don't delay his development. If Bucks get Jabari Parker paired up with Giannis then it could be the start of something big...........

I hope the Bucks continue to lose for you guys' sake. Your team has been on the treadmill for so long that its insane. Id be happy for Bucks fans to get a brand new arena, and the #1 pick in next years draft. Parker, the stud with a 10 syllable last name, and a healthy Sanders is something potentially special.

[Damon_3388]

Has anyone ever stopped to consider that some of these teams might just genuinely be bad?

[NaturalBuns]

Tanking clearly doesn't start till after the ASG.

I don't think any team is tanking right now except the 76ers.
But I do think a handful of GM's planned for the future and not now including the Suns.
Like some people have said the Celtics and Raptors are pretty bad but the East is so bad that they are having bad good success if that makes sense.

I'm not sure we will ever know this year if the East is tanking after the ASG

[DusterBuster]

Tanking clearly doesn't start till after the ASG.

They start trying to tank on draft night, but they don't start really making the final push for the tank until after the ASG.

[DusterBuster]

Has anyone ever stopped to consider that some of these teams might just genuinely be bad?

As I've been saying 'bad' doesn't equal 'tanking'.

[Sixteen]

As a Philly fan I'm glad the thought of us tanking ticks some people off. Heck is more of a thought than anyone has ever gave us in 10 years. We are way more relevant now than actually competing for the 8th seed? Remember all those back to back years when the Sixers competed for the 7th/8th seed and nobody paid them no mind? Oh you don't? Be upset, you'll be even more upset when we finally and hopefully get our star to build around.

[The Rebel]

As a Philly fan I'm glad the thought of us tanking ticks some people off. Heck is more of a thought than anyone has ever gave us in 10 years. We are way more relevant now than actually competing for the 8th seed? Remember all those back to back years when the Sixers competed for the 7th/8th seed and nobody paid them no mind? Oh you don't? Be upset, you'll be even more upset when we finally and hopefully get our star to build around.

Don't the 76ers already have a guy who was drafted 2nd overall just 3 years ago? Do they not have 2 or 3 other lottery picks on the roster as well? Who is to say that this pick ends up better than who you already have and who you gave up to tank? Hell you guys gave up a young all star PG for a couple of chances at the lottery, I do not understand why 76ers fans would be so happy about that.

In fact that brings me to my next point, history has shown that there is nothing guaranteed about the lottery, people remember the Lebron's, Howards, and Durants, but they seem to forget the Darkos, Beasleys, Bargnanis, and even Turners. You see when you start doing research you realize that the average top 5 lottery pick outside of the top pick, is actually much more likely to be a quality starter than a superstar.

I know people like to dream about the huge lottery pick when their team has nothing going for it, but to watch a team trade already proven young talent for a chance at the lottery would drive me insane. I have spent enough time watching a team go through 14 years of lottery hell, trying 3 times to rebuild, to finally get it somewhat right. But people want to believe in 1 year they will be the next OKC thunder as opposed to the timberwolves.

[underpressure]

So you want to know why the majority of the Sixers fans are satisfied with the route the management has taken. Well here you see the records of the past 10 years:

2003-4: 33-49
2004-5: 43-39
2005-6: 38-44
2006-7: 35-47
2007-8: 40-42
2008-9: 41-41
2009-10: 27-55
2010-11: 41-41
2011-12: 35-31
2012-13: 34-48

There was one aberration, namely when the complete ineptitude of Eddie Jordan made the Sixers somewhat of a bottom-feeder. When that fool was replaced, the Sixers were again the definition of mediocriy.

The cause can be made that the Sixers wouldn't have escaped mediocrity if they kept Holiday. For sure, they would NOT be in the race to capture one of the best picks in the upcoming draft.

And this, in short, captures the feelings of many Sixers fans. They are completely disgusted by the last few years and are happy that this franchise finally broke with their mediocre play, for better or worse.