I keep seeing all these trade rumors and suggestions and I can't help but ask myself why? I haven't seen one that is going to take us to the promise land like some people act like it would. Why are we so eager to trade Grange, Hibbert or someone else when this team is finally showing a positive direction?
Yes we had 37 wins. And yes we got in the playoffs because of a terrible Eastern conference after the top teams. But the win total isn't the point here. Its the way this team played. Its the competitiveness this team showed in the series against the #1 seeded Chicago Bulls. Its having a coach who plays to the strength of the players and not his system.
With Coach Vogel at the helm for a full year last season, this team would have won 42-43 games. Thats a 10 win improvement. Thats pretty damn good in the NBA.
I'm getting sick of people acting like last season was the peak of this roster's potential. Thats just bull ****. I think taking games off LA, Boston, Dallas, Miami and our series with Chicago shows that this team has more potential than some people like to give them credit for. And there is this idea we don't have any young talent. Collison, Hibbert, George, Hansbrough, and Stephenson are all talented young players. We don't know yet if they are the long term answer, but can we give them a chance? Collison, a second year player, just gets demolished on here. Let the guy have a coach for a full off season and regular season. He has played so many different roles in his two seasons that any judgement isn't fair. Hibbert has rough patches but the guy is still figuring out how to get his body right. He went through a huge transformation before last season and it was rough adjusting to it. He's working to fix this now. George, well the kid is just a stud. Hansbrough will always have a place on any team. And Lance, we know the potential is there, he just needs to keep himself focused on basketball.
Yes, this team has holes. Some may be answered by the guys above, some may not. We don't know. This roster has been going through so many changes in the past three years. We haven't been able to get an accurate read on anyone really. I want to see what this team can do, under a good coach, for more than half a season.
Is Granger on the LeBron, Dirk, Wade, Kobe level? No. But that doesn't mean we trade him for a draft pick that we hope turns out to be on that level because that guy isn't in this draft. And I don't want to take a step or two backwards to hope to get there somewhere in the future. We are already building towards the future. Plus, Paul George could very well turn out to be that guy we are looking for. I see it in his game. And I don't think I'm the only one.
This team, as it is, will be better next year just from our young guys improving and having a better coach. Will we compete with Miami and Chicago for the ECF next year? No. I don't see any likely trade happening that would allow us to do such a thing.
Obviously we will have to fill out our roster and the idea of this is more about core moves and standing pat with our core DC/George/Granger/Hibbert and to a lesser extent Lance and Hans. I think the PF position is the spot we need most help in. It would help everyone on the court, especially Roy. And we need another scorer as I don't think George is ready for the second option just yet (and I hope I'm wrong about that). I've said I like Nene and Jamaal Crawford (off the bench) for awhile now. And we can get those guys without giving up someone from out core.
Obviously there are exceptions to this idea of standing pat. If someone like Chris Paul or Dwight Howard becomes available, you throw the kitchen sink at them to try and get the deal done. Everyone on here says how we need this franchise player and then wants to do these deals that don't give us one. What's the point of trading Danny for a player on the level of Danny? To make you feel warm and fuzzy inside that a trade was made?
For the most part, I don't want to see a major change in the roster, because it won't be getting us this franchise player that is so highly sought after. A lot of these trades just seem like lateral moves or moves that would set us back a season or so. This team finally got back into the playoffs. It finally showed us a positive sign. I don't want to go backwards. This team can't afford to go backwards.
So I say keep this core together, add to it. Let them develop. Let them become a team.
Yes we had 37 wins. And yes we got in the playoffs because of a terrible Eastern conference after the top teams. But the win total isn't the point here. Its the way this team played. Its the competitiveness this team showed in the series against the #1 seeded Chicago Bulls. Its having a coach who plays to the strength of the players and not his system.
With Coach Vogel at the helm for a full year last season, this team would have won 42-43 games. Thats a 10 win improvement. Thats pretty damn good in the NBA.
I'm getting sick of people acting like last season was the peak of this roster's potential. Thats just bull ****. I think taking games off LA, Boston, Dallas, Miami and our series with Chicago shows that this team has more potential than some people like to give them credit for. And there is this idea we don't have any young talent. Collison, Hibbert, George, Hansbrough, and Stephenson are all talented young players. We don't know yet if they are the long term answer, but can we give them a chance? Collison, a second year player, just gets demolished on here. Let the guy have a coach for a full off season and regular season. He has played so many different roles in his two seasons that any judgement isn't fair. Hibbert has rough patches but the guy is still figuring out how to get his body right. He went through a huge transformation before last season and it was rough adjusting to it. He's working to fix this now. George, well the kid is just a stud. Hansbrough will always have a place on any team. And Lance, we know the potential is there, he just needs to keep himself focused on basketball.
Yes, this team has holes. Some may be answered by the guys above, some may not. We don't know. This roster has been going through so many changes in the past three years. We haven't been able to get an accurate read on anyone really. I want to see what this team can do, under a good coach, for more than half a season.
Is Granger on the LeBron, Dirk, Wade, Kobe level? No. But that doesn't mean we trade him for a draft pick that we hope turns out to be on that level because that guy isn't in this draft. And I don't want to take a step or two backwards to hope to get there somewhere in the future. We are already building towards the future. Plus, Paul George could very well turn out to be that guy we are looking for. I see it in his game. And I don't think I'm the only one.
This team, as it is, will be better next year just from our young guys improving and having a better coach. Will we compete with Miami and Chicago for the ECF next year? No. I don't see any likely trade happening that would allow us to do such a thing.
Obviously we will have to fill out our roster and the idea of this is more about core moves and standing pat with our core DC/George/Granger/Hibbert and to a lesser extent Lance and Hans. I think the PF position is the spot we need most help in. It would help everyone on the court, especially Roy. And we need another scorer as I don't think George is ready for the second option just yet (and I hope I'm wrong about that). I've said I like Nene and Jamaal Crawford (off the bench) for awhile now. And we can get those guys without giving up someone from out core.
Obviously there are exceptions to this idea of standing pat. If someone like Chris Paul or Dwight Howard becomes available, you throw the kitchen sink at them to try and get the deal done. Everyone on here says how we need this franchise player and then wants to do these deals that don't give us one. What's the point of trading Danny for a player on the level of Danny? To make you feel warm and fuzzy inside that a trade was made?
For the most part, I don't want to see a major change in the roster, because it won't be getting us this franchise player that is so highly sought after. A lot of these trades just seem like lateral moves or moves that would set us back a season or so. This team finally got back into the playoffs. It finally showed us a positive sign. I don't want to go backwards. This team can't afford to go backwards.
So I say keep this core together, add to it. Let them develop. Let them become a team.
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