SpreeChokeJob wrote:WarriorGM wrote:SpreeS wrote:Lebron/Davis both could miss two weeks and its almost guarantee play in spot (7th). Its 50% to meet LAL in play in tournament. Whats the point to play hard for PO spot? We will be 23-28 after tomorrow game and possible at 11th place in the West. We could get TOP8 pick w/o trying a lot and if we try harder, its possible to get TOP6 pick.
Because I'd rather take my chances watching a Steph playoffs performance in the anticipation of seeing greatness than I would getting a draft pick several slots higher. It doesn't matter if the odds say they're most likely to be swept, the chance that Curry might be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat is worth going for it.
If Steph could replicate his debut 2013 playoffs performance that would be more than worth it.
Remember even though that 2013 run fell far short of a championship, it wasn't just a memorable statement of arrival, it had very consequential lasting effects that set the foundations of the coming dynasty. Iguodala experienced first hand what Curry and the Warriors could do. I don't see anything else that could have convinced him to join the Warriors as much as the Nuggets losing to them despite being the favorite.
Curry is a game changer who has the capacity to change the direction of the league. You give him every opportunity to do so.
Everyone knows what Steph can do, but if the Warriors want to set the foundations for the coming dynasty they need to grab everything they can get for next year. Assuming they don't get Minny's pick and they are out of the Lotto. You think they are going to attract anyone to come play here, and they only have a few slots of salary they can maneuver. They only attracted people because they were a young and upcoming team, now they are getting older and capped out with marginal players.
Their best shot is get the draft picks to deal it in the offseason. And they might not even get that if they are unlucky. If they don't win the lotto the Warriors will be like the Clippers if West didn't join them. Capped out, injured, and with one star in Paul. If Balmer stuck with Rivers at GM, the Clippers would die a slow death instead of competing for a championship. Imagine them if they kept Paul, Blake and reupped Jordan. That's where this team is heading, they are not going to attract anyone with that.
Everyone knows what Steph can do? Is that so? I wish. Apologies to the couple of guys that didn't shy away but the overall feeling I've had is that each time I've challenged a so-called Warriors fan here who was giving me smack to unequivocally state that Curry is the best player in basketball they've slinked away unable to do so.
A strong demonstration and reminder of what Steph is truly capable of would do far more immediately than some draft pick a few slots ahead. All these dumb narratives are still circulating: "He needed KD." "He needs Draymond." The popular one du jour is "He needs Klay." Here's what I think: No he doesn't. He doesn't need anything special. Curry is capable of taking an average team and making them a threat against anyone. The problem unfortunately for Steph is that for the past couple of years the front office has been grossly incompetent and has weighed him down with what is arguably one of the historically worst supporting rosters ever. For all the talk of other stars carrying bad teams I struggle to find cases where they had to do so with literally the worst team in the league without them which is the case with Curry today. And he still has them near .500!—despite missing several games too!
"If they don't win the lotto the Warriors will be like the Clippers if West didn't join them?" What!? Is it somehow slipping your mind that the Warriors have Steph and the Clipper you are referencing didn't have anything remotely comparable? The moment those Clippers got Kawhi the story about them changed dramatically. This should illustrate starkly what has been one of my main points all along. The Warriors are not utilizing Curry—who is by FAR their greatest asset—correctly.
Paul? What are you talking about? From what I can remember he had already been shipped out to Houston before West joined the Clippers. But even then I take issue with your comparison. Paul is not Curry. Curry has made and won multiple finals whereas Paul has not made even one finals. "Imagine them if they kept Paul, Blake and reupped Jordan." Huh? They never won anything or even gotten past the second round of the playoffs. On the other hand I can easily imagine Curry, Klay and Draymond who've previously dominated the league, set all-time records, and changed how the game is played winning another.
