Does tanking truly work...?

[tlance]

Tanking does not work imo

Getting lucky and landing a star is what works

Look at the last 10 championships (all landed a star through the draft)

Cavs- drafted Lebron
Heat- drafted Wade
Lakers-drafted Kobe (sorta)
Boston-drafted Pierce
Golden state-drafted Curry, thomspon
Spurs-drafted Duncan

The common denominator even with the large markets was landing a star in the draft. Teams without championships...Wizards, Clippers, Hornets, Grizz, Knicks, Timberwolves, Nets, Pacers, Pelicans, Jazz, Magic, Suns, etc...either never hit that superstar or messed up the FA part

A few select teams like the tragic and thunder have landed multiple stars through the draft and still struck out. It also takes a decent front office after you land a star, so trades play a role, but i would say getting a star in the draft first is the most important part.

How do you think the small market team gets lucky and lands that star?

It usually isn’t by winning 45 games and losing first round of the playoffs.

 

[bksballer89]

Imo there is more than one way to build a winning team. some think the best way is through compiling draft picks, some pick up superstars and surround them with talent, etc....

just thought it would be a fun topic to discuss among some of you armchair GM's...

obviously many roads, but how would YOU build a winner...?

Depends on the market I'm in.

If I'm in a big market that can attract free agents then I'm going the route of free agency/trades. Smaller market then I'm building via draft and trades

 

[trojanfan12]

Tanking does not work imo

Getting lucky and landing a star is what works

Look at the last 10 championships (all landed a star through the draft)

Cavs- drafted Lebron
Heat- drafted Wade
Lakers-drafted Kobe (sorta)
Boston-drafted Pierce
Golden state-drafted Curry, thomspon
Spurs-drafted Duncan

The common denominator even with the large markets was landing a star in the draft. Teams without championships...Wizards, Clippers, Hornets, Grizz, Knicks, Timberwolves, Nets, Pacers, Pelicans, Jazz, Magic, Suns, etc...either never hit that superstar or messed up the FA part.

A few select teams like the tragic and thunder have landed multiple stars through the draft and still struck out. It also takes a decent front office after you land a star, so trades play a role, but i would say getting a star in the draft first is the most important part.

True, but to draft that star you have to, with very few exceptions, be bad enough to be picking in the lottery. Tanking helps with that.

You're Cavs didn't get Kyrie because they were trying to win a lot of games.

 

[The Q]

Not any more with only a 14 percent chance, but it damn sure worked for the sixers.

even then it only worked because of embiid's injury.

Otherwise he is the slam dunk 1-1 pick.

 

[The Q]

How do you think the small market team gets lucky and lands that star?

It usually isn’t by winning 45 games and losing first round of the playoffs.

All if those guys were lotto picks. Even if they Weren’t high lotto.

Some of it was dumb luck like Pierce being mocked at 3 and unexpectedly falling to 10.

Or kobe forcing his way to la cost him at least a few spots in the draft

 

[The Q]

True, but to draft that star you have to, with very few exceptions, be bad enough to be picking in the lottery. Tanking helps with that.

You're Cavs didn't get Kyrie because they were trying to win a lot of games.

They got kyrie because the clippers apparently didn’t know what draft protection was.

 

[lebron23james]

They got kyrie because the clippers apparently didn’t know what draft protection was.

Yeah, they had a 1% chance of the #1 pick and got it. The Clips got Barron Davis tho lol

 

[The Q]

Yeah, they had a 1% chance of the #1 pick and got it. The Clips got Barron Davis tho lol

Wasn't that clippers pick like 6th before the move up?

 

[dtgold88]

Yeah, they had a 1% chance of the #1 pick and got it. The Clips got Barron Davis tho lol

Cavs got Davis. Received the pick because they were willing to take on the Davis contract.

 

[shopson67]

Wasn't that clippers pick like 6th before the move up?

8th, they had a 2.8% chance at #1. The worst three teams ended up at 2 (Min), 4 (Cle own pick), and 5 (Tor); the Nets also jumped up from 6th to 3rd, 7.5% chance.

NBA Draft Lottery History - RealGM

 

[The Q]

8th, they had a 2.8% chance at #1. The worst three teams ended up at 2 (Min), 4 (Cle own pick), and 5 (Tor); the Nets also jumped up from 6th to 3rd, 7.5% chance.

NBA Draft Lottery History - RealGM

Still. Zero protections for a salary dump like that? Awful franchising

 

[shopson67]

Still. Zero protections for a salary dump like that? Awful franchising

Clippers gonna Clipper.

 

[The Q]

Clippers gonna Clipper.

I think the Clippers GM should be keynoting the next Atrocious GM Summit.

 

[shopson67]

I think the Clippers GM should be keynoting the next Atrocious GM Summit.

That was then, though. Current front office is solid with West advising Winger.

 

[Myles]

Tanking obviously works. Is it the best way? For some small market teams it might be.

 

[The Q]

Tanking obviously works. Is it the best way? For some small market teams it might be.

it's the best opportunity to work.

the execution isn't easy.

the best way is to tank and get a franchise player like the Spurs did with Duncan.

But those guys aren't always available. So the best way to just to get as many picks as you can to build young core pieces that can be traded.

The Celtics Big 3 era roster is probably more feasible than praying to the ping pong gods to deliver you a Shaq or a Duncan or a Lebron.

 

[dtgold88]

it's the best opportunity to work.

the execution isn't easy.

the best way is to tank and get a franchise player like the Spurs did with Duncan.

But those guys aren't always available. So the best way to just to get as many picks as you can to build young core pieces that can be traded.

The Celtics Big 3 era roster is probably more feasible than praying to the ping pong gods to deliver you a Shaq or a Duncan or a Lebron.

No doubt you need to get lucky by either getting a top pick when a star is there, or lucking into a Giannis later.

 

[shopson67]

No doubt you need to get lucky by either getting a top pick when a star is there, or lucking into a Giannis later.

Or you amass trade chips until you can acquire a star with a package deal...a la AD and KG.

 

[lebron23james]

Cavs got Davis. Received the pick because they were willing to take on the Davis contract.

I thought they traded Davis for the pick

 

[dtgold88]

I thought they traded Davis for the pick

Traded Mo Williams and Moon for Davis and a first rounder I believe.