The reason most tanks don't work is that the tanking team let their roster become so depleted before pushing the button that they had nothing to trade in to kick start the fast rebuild.
The alternative to tanking is to try and play tread-mill, fringe playoff strategy. It can work and you can "make" the playoffs. But this strategy has a tendancy to deplete rosters. Weak investment in the now creating a bigger cost to future potential.
The only way to do the fast tank (1 1/2 seasons) is to know when to cash in on "GOOD" assets and create future gain. The Hawks have just let that opportunity slip away. Last off-season and this trade deadline were the last opportunity for the Hawks to do the fast tank. We have now reached a talent depletion that leaves us with very little trade in value.
Ferry and Budcox have put us in this situation. Ferry made some nice early moves, but whiffed on the chance to take advantage of a short window in the 60 win season by not aggressively adding to that team. When that team wasn't good enough, he went the band-aid route. Budcox has continued the band-aid route, but with less assets and no window. Next off-season we are going to see either the beginning of a slow tank or more treadmill with even less present assets on the team.
The clear result of this STRATEGY is a late seed playoff team trending down with depleted assets and little growth potential. The chance at a fast tank is out the window. So declining treadmill or slow, crappy tank.
