Tank World Order (6.0)

[will]

Will is slowly turning face and is on the verge of turning against tWo and joining Team Compete.

FREE MONEY BONUS! Since will was the most ardent anti-tanker. He didn't even flip last year until the bitter end.

I'm waiting for your ninja flip bro!

I will flip when Masai gives the order.

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

[NinjaBro]

FREE MONEY BONUS! Since will was the most ardent anti-tanker. He didn't even flip last year until the bitter end.

I'm waiting for your ninja flip bro!

I will flip when Masai gives the order.

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

Scottie developed faster than anyone in the organization expected. The timeline has changed. We'll see what happens at the trade deadline.

[C_Money]

I will flip when Masai gives the order.

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

Scottie developed faster than anyone in the organization expected. The timeline has changed. We'll see what happens at the trade deadline.

Trent and OG as well. When Masai warned us of tough times ahead this season, he didn’t know how good these 3 would be.

[mihaic]

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

Scottie developed faster than anyone in the organization expected. The timeline has changed. We'll see what happens at the trade deadline.

Trent and OG as well. When Masai warned us of tough times ahead this season, he didn’t know how good these 3 would be.

our January and early February record will determine the tank fate. We are .500 so it can go either way. A few games vs Heat Jazz Phx will be good early indicators too. Unfortunately both upcoming Bucks games are on wrong end of a back to back.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

FREE MONEY BONUS! Since will was the most ardent anti-tanker. He didn't even flip last year until the bitter end.

I'm waiting for your ninja flip bro!

I will flip when Masai gives the order.

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

A development year with proven winners ready to compete and PUSH IT IN for the playoffs!

Erm, or playin! Whatever, it's all good!

[Kingsway_fan]

Team looks playoff bound... looks like team will be drafting in the 12-18 range

[ATLTimekeeper]

FREE MONEY BONUS! Since will was the most ardent anti-tanker. He didn't even flip last year until the bitter end.

I'm waiting for your ninja flip bro!

I will flip when Masai gives the order.

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

Webster said they're going for it, though. He referenced the 2013/14 season, and the mid-December Rudy Gay trade was the turning point there. JV and TRoss still got their minutes, though. I think we've seen a similar pivot this year (6-4 in last 10, 8-7 in last 15), with covid being a slight disruptor.

[DelAbbot]

I will flip when Masai gives the order.

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

Scottie developed faster than anyone in the organization expected. The timeline has changed. We'll see what happens at the trade deadline.

When to go for playoffs: ninjabro can be the judge
When to go for tanking: wait for Masai to judge

[Psubs]

Team looks playoff bound... looks like team will be drafting in the 12-18 range

Nikola Jovic or have a player drop?

[And1+2]

Will be interesting to see how we fair against healthy contending teams now that we are healthy ourselves...

[NinjaBro]

Masai did advise that this is a development year.

Scottie developed faster than anyone in the organization expected. The timeline has changed. We'll see what happens at the trade deadline.

When to go for playoffs: ninjabro can be the judge
When to go for tanking: wait for Masai to judge

DelAbott: Tank for Wiggins
DelAbott: Tank for Wiseman

[DelAbbot]

Scottie developed faster than anyone in the organization expected. The timeline has changed. We'll see what happens at the trade deadline.

When to go for playoffs: ninjabro can be the judge
When to go for tanking: wait for Masai to judge

DelAbott: Tank for Wiggins
DelAbott: Tank for Wiseman

I never wanted to tank even at beginning of Tampa season. I thought with Lowry we had too much talent to be bottom 10 bad. Then a few games in and I realized Masai left the roster with Baynes as replacement for Ibaka/Gasol - it was a sign that we tanking.

So no, I never advocated for Tank for Wiggins or Tank for Wiseman.

[PhilBlackson]

Team looks playoff bound... looks like team will be drafting in the 12-18 range

Personally I've been saying 11-17...

Because I can see a WORST case, kind of remaining where we are below BOS, WAS (definitely not sold on it) with the possibility of ATL figuring it out. I mean remember the Hawks had a poor start to their season last year and then took off. While they may not have a run like that again this year I still give them a chance to improve. But my biggest problem is I'm really not sold on BOS or WAS staying ahead. BOS has the talent to but there's already been rumblings of guys being frustrated with how Tatum & Brown play, they have a new coach and when I've watched them, they really don't look like a cohesive group of guys that like playing together. WAS just seems overrated in general. I think they caught teams off guard because they have a completely new group and new dynamic but teams are catching on to what they do. The Knicks aren't even worth mentioning because they were quite clearly the biggest overachievers of last year, no one expected them to do as well as they did then and there's reason for it.

Our guys on the otherhand do like playing together and seem driven to make it back in and just have too much pride. So it's going to be interesting to see who out of us, BOS, WAS is the one to make it but I don't see us getting to the point where we're 18th and overtake PHI in the standings unless Embiid goes down again (ofc that is within the realm of possibility & why Morey needs to stop f'ing around).

[will]

Can't wait to see who the Raps add to the squad via the NBA Draft in 2022.

[KrazyP]

For those fans that will be in tears if the Raps end up in the play-in territory, its instructive to look at the top 8 teams in the NBA this year and review how they got there.

Nets - built through free agency

Bulls - Tanked for several years which created a team a tier below mediocre. They gave up on tanking last year and now are actually good.

Bucks - created championship team with middling "play-in" pick Giannis (2013-#15) and the under the radar trade for Middleton who was picked in the 2nd round

Heat - Core built through free agency (Butler) and "play-in" picks in Bam (2017-#14) and Herro (2019-#13)

Suns - This one is interesting. They did a hard core tank job for 4 years straight which produced ONE player in Ayton (2018-#1) and 3 scrubs Culver (2019-#6) , Jackson (2017-#4), Bender (2016-#4). The rest of their core is built around play-in picks Booker (2015-#13) and Bridges (2018-#10 - acquired by trading lower picks). With all that said, if they didnt trade for Chris Paul who NOBODY wanted at the time (age and giant contract)...this would be a treadmill team.

Warriors - Steph Curry (2009-#7). Tank Nation will take this as a win and ignore the fact (1) this wasnt a blatant tank job as they were actually trying to win with a veteran team of Magette-Harrington/Crawford-Jackson-Ellis but they were riddled with injuries that year and (2) the rest of their core was made through play-in pick Klay THompson (2011-#11) and a 2nd rounder in Draymond Green

Grizzlies - This is the only team in the list that was a blatant tank job. Morant (2019-#2) and Jaren Jackson (2018-#4).

Jazz - Built around middling picks and solid team building. Their core is essentially Gorbert (2nd rounder) + play-in pick Mitchell (2017-#13)

Looking at the above winning teams, (1) there arent many that were created by blatant tanking that some posters advocate for and (2) there are a surprising amount a core pieces picked in play-in territory. Perhaps the success and failure of teams actually has to do with scouting, development, asset management and a little luck rather than tanking for the highest pick possible?

[will]

For those fans that will be in tears if the Raps end up in the play-in territory, its instructive to look at the top 8 teams in the NBA this year and review how they got there.

Nets - built through free agency

Bulls - Tanked for several years which created a team a tier below mediocre. They gave up on tanking last year and now are actually good.

Bucks - created championship team with middling "play-in" pick Giannis (2013-#15) and the under the radar trade for Middleton who was picked in the 2nd round

Heat - Core built through free agency (Butler) and "play-in" picks in Bam (2017-#14) and Herro (2019-#13)

Suns - This one is interesting. They did a hard core tank job for 4 years straight which produced ONE player in Ayton (2018-#1) and 3 scrubs Culver (2019-#6) , Jackson (2017-#4), Bender (2016-#4). The rest of their core is built around play-in picks Booker (2015-#13) and Bridges (2018-#10 - acquired by trading lower picks). With all that said, if they didnt trade for Chris Paul who NOBODY wanted at the time (age and giant contract)...this would be a treadmill team.

Warriors - Steph Curry (2009-#7). Tank Nation will take this as a win and ignore the fact (1) this wasnt a blatant tank job as they were actually trying to win with a veteran team of Magette-Harrington/Crawford-Jackson-Ellis but they were riddled with injuries that year and (2) the rest of their core was made through play-in pick Klay THompson (2011-#11) and a 2nd rounder in Draymond Green

Grizzlies - This is the only team in the list that was a blatant tank job. Morant (2019-#2) and Jaren Jackson (2018-#4).

Jazz - Built around middling picks and solid team building. Their core is essentially Gorbert (2nd rounder) + play-in pick Mitchell (2017-#13)

Looking at the above winning teams, (1) there arent many that were created by blatant tanking that some posters advocate for and (2) there are a surprising amount a core pieces picked in play-in territory. Perhaps the success and failure of teams actually has to do with scouting, development, asset management and a little luck rather than tanking for the highest pick possible?

I see the point you are attempting to make.

A lot of teams also sign big time free agents. Raps have not been able to do that.

So it comes down to building equity through the draft or signing free agents no one wants

[PhilBlackson]

For those fans that will be in tears if the Raps end up in the play-in territory, its instructive to look at the top 8 teams in the NBA this year and review how they got there.

Nets - built through free agency - BKN is FA destination, is TOR? guessing you know the answer, I mean besides their core all being top lottery picks that joined together...

Bulls - Tanked for several years which created a team a tier below mediocre. They gave up on tanking last year and now are actually good. - used their LOTTERY pick to obtain Vuc, traded Jimmy Butler to get LOTTERY picks Zach LaVine, Lauri Markannen

Bucks - created championship team with middling "play-in" pick Giannis (2013-#15) and the under the radar trade for Middleton who was picked in the 2nd round - the one anomaly that fluked into Giannis, congrats

Heat - Core built through free agency (Butler) and "play-in" picks in Bam (2017-#14) and Herro (2019-#13) - still lottery picks & again Miami is a FA destination hence why both Jimmy & Kyle WANTED to go there, again is TOR a FA destination?? If not fairly moot again

Suns - This one is interesting. They did a hard core tank job for 4 years straight which produced ONE player in Ayton (2018-#1) and 3 scrubs Culver (2019-#6) , Jackson (2017-#4), Bender (2016-#4). The rest of their core is built around play-in picks Booker (2015-#13) and Bridges (2018-#10 - acquired by trading lower picks). With all that said, if they didnt trade for Chris Paul who NOBODY wanted at the time (age and giant contract)...this would be a treadmill team. - other than CP3 their entire core is LOTTERY picks Ayton, Booker & Bridges...well CP3 was one back in his day but you know what I mean

Warriors - Steph Curry (2009-#7). Tank Nation will take this as a win and ignore the fact (1) this wasnt a blatant tank job as they were actually trying to win with a veteran team of Magette-Harrington/Crawford-Jackson-Ellis but they were riddled with injuries that year and (2) the rest of their core was made through play-in pick Klay THompson (2011-#11) and a 2nd rounder in Draymond Green - Draymond isn't a damn thing without Steph & Klay both of course LOTTERY picks

Grizzlies - This is the only team in the list that was a blatant tank job. Morant (2019-#2) and Jaren Jackson (2018-#4).

Jazz - Built around middling picks and solid team building. Their core is essentially Gorbert (2nd rounder) + play-in pick Mitchell (2017-#13) - wish you stop calling it "Play In" when it didn't even exist, Mitchell was a LOTTERY pick, so are you ok with remaining in the lottery or not?! Because that's really what people are wanting to avoid, again squeeking in as a 7/8th seed for a 1st rd elimination

Looking at the above winning teams, (1) there arent many that were created by blatant tanking that some posters advocate for and (2) there are a surprising amount a core pieces picked in play-in territory. Perhaps the success and failure of teams actually has to do with scouting, development, asset management and a little luck rather than tanking for the highest pick possible?

Personally I'm not one for blatant & all out tanking due to that I think your point falls a bit flat (at least with me) because majority of those cores (with the exception of MIL) were in fact built primarily IN THE LOTTERY and that's just the bottomline.

What most people are arguing against is squeeking into the Playoffs as 7-8th seed and getting stomped by one of BKN or MIL in the 1st round. From what I've seen you pointing out supposed "Play In" picks (which didn't exist at the time lol) is a fairly moot point unless you're saying you don't want to tank because you're perfectly fine with remaining IN the lottery as failed Play In team...if not and we make the Playoffs well then other than outlier MIL and BKN who's a major market & FA destination that TO will never be, I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to prove...

[Steelo Green]

So we should sign big ticket FAs? We’ve been wrong this entire time!

[will]

So we should sign big ticket FAs? We’ve been wrong this entire time!

[PhilBlackson]

So we should sign big ticket FAs? We’ve been wrong this entire time!

+1000

We already landed Hedo & Swag Daddy Carrol.