Anti-Depressants! Get yer anti-depressants!

[Ryan, Patrick S Maj RES USAFR 439 MSG]

"We need to clean house before the draft.  That means Doc and Danny.  Though
I am not sure who would replace them, I am pretty sure anyone could do just
as poorly." - RMN

 

This remains a tough sell for me.  I'm more of a one or the other guy
personally, and I'll tell you why. The NBA is a league of continuity. My
opinion, and that's what we do here - spout opinion, is that teams that are
formed, stay relatively constant in management, coach, style, and players
tends to improve consistently as well. There are exceptions of course in
both ways; Detroit won with the change to Flip Saunders, but they played the
same defense which was their core competency anyway, just a new offensive
system. Miami won with Riley over Van Gundy. In the other direction the
Knicks crashed and burned with Larry Brown which supports the "it's the
players' talent stupid" theory you're hanging your hat on.

 

Big picture wise I'm not sure I can be sold on starting all over again - and
that's what a new GM and coach will be doing - their players, their style,
their system. So for the third time in twenty years we'll be starting from
scratch - meaning all the requisite having to take on bad deals to get of
rid of players on other teams' terms and its related cap nightmare just to
get the new GM/Coach's "type" players in here, new playing style and the
players that are maintained getting adjusted to it, etc.  That's why I'm
much more sold on just a new coach this off-season.  While I agree
wholeheartedly that this season has been the worst (possibly ever) I'm
heartened that history, recent and otherwise, has shown that even just one
top five draft choice tends to return a team to prominence (meaning REAL
contention) within two to four seasons (this does NOT include expansion
teams which take longer). Add in my below comment as a potential; a free
agent with the exemption that can actually contribute (is the exemption
available this year to us?), and this year is the exception and not the
rule.

 

 
"Why would Memphis want to do this trade? Why is it good for them?
      - Asterix
 
They wouldn't.   They wouldn't take on Pierce's contract.   
They only want a low draft pick, a young prospect or
two, and an expiring contract to match salaries. 
 
Gasol is not a team leader/franchise type player, IMHO.
He would be a great addition to Pierce, but not a good 
replacement for Pierce."
 
Egg
 

Nail head meet hammer. Can we put to bed Pierce for Gasol for good now?
Never is, never was, never shall be. Now I will say that the prospect of
trading for Gasol at the end of the season is MUCH better now that he didn't
go at the deadline. Now Ratliff's deal IS expiring (and insured) and if the
ping pong balls go our way we COULD trade Jefferson AND Green with some
greater degree of confidence. Add Gasol to Pierce and a #1 or #2 draft pick
and suddenly we're looking pretty well off.