RedDawg#8

We have had four top 10 draft picks during this rebuild; three in the top 6. All of them COULD have been a star. Only 1 was. The draft is a crap shoot no matter how sure a guy looks on paper. It’s all just potential at the end of the day. Give me the proven commodity especially if it means trading away proven top talent. Don’t sacrifice Trae’s best years trying to chase draft capital.

This time last year if you told us we would move both Cam and JC within the next 12 months and all we got back was 2 draft picks, Kevin Knox and Justice Winslow (or Harrison Barnes) Schlenk’s head would be at the stake. I understand the market, and what is and isn’t available. But for all the work (and losing) we did to collect assets so that we could make a splash move to acquire a star, just to strike out and give away talent, this is not going well for the FO. We need to seriously think about things. I’d rather just go all in for a proven name, than sell us on more youth that will have to sit and learn, wasting a season or 2 of Trae’s prime.

JC is very VERY valuable both on and off the court. He is a major part of the culture within the organization. I have seen enough to know that his presence is very positive and well respected. Losing him will hurt us in many ways. I would love for him to stay and see this thing through. That being said, he has the most overall value in any trade. Gallo has the best contract to move, but JC is the better overall trade piece. I am not interested in losing JC for a draft pick. I am only interested in bringing back a proven player on the court that is better than whatever we already have on the roster not named Trae. If JC was just good, but stoic and uninspiring, I would be fine moving him for lesser players + assets. But he is the heart of the team. We need to tangibly upgrade the roster if we let him go. Bogi, Gallo, Kev, Clint are my top guys I would rather move. JC is totally a top 10 PF

I tried to check and make sure I didn’t miss anything. Does acquiring Grant mean losing Dre? Asking because having both on the court provide a ton of switchability and defensive pressure. Add a Delon at the point of attack on defense and any of our top bigs at Center (CC, OO, JC) and you have a very good defensive unit in spite of Trae’s presence. The JC lineup gives you four shooters as well. As long as its not an either-or scenario with them, I have no qualms between Dre and Grant.

Regardless of who people on here like or dislike, one thing is certain, we will not be running it back with the same squad next season. Get used to the idea of multiple of your favorite players going elsewhere and being replaced with more expensive yet imperfect players. Any player that we can get our hands on is coming with flaws, as no perfect player exists. The closest there are to perfect players are not available or thinking about Atlanta. It’s all a crap shoot, but the mission is clear. We cannot sit back and wait for things to happen on their own. We have to be aggressive and make moves/spend money if we want to attain real talent that could get us over the hump. The goal is championship. We are going to roll the dice on some guys you may not love, in lieu of guys that make you feel comfortable.

Career playoff record: Trae: 10-11 (.476) Luka: 12-15 (.444) Deepest playoff run Trae: ECF game 6 Luka: WCF game 5 Most wins in a single playoff: Trae: 9 Luka: 7 Career Playoff High Points Trae: 48 Luka: 46 Career Playoff High Assists Trae: 18 Luka: 14 Career Playoff Series Wins against Higher Seed: Trae: 2 Luka: 1 Career Playoff Series Record Trae: 2-2 (.500) Luka: 2-3 (.400) We hear all the time how much better Luka is. Well, here are a few categories in which is simply is not yet better than Trae

Numbers aside (stats, salaries, win shares, etc..), Toronto way overvalues those two guys you mentioned. They would never let Siakam go for anything less than a star, and they see OG the same way we saw Dre or Cam’s potential. They truly believe he will be an All-Star. We would, in their eyes, have to give up a ton just to get Siakam. Adding OG to mix and they would want picks and more.

I understand that everyone on the 1st and 2nd team played on better trams with much better records. However, Ja missed and ton of games and his record when in the lineup was a lot closer to Trae, and that should have given him the nod over Ja. I’m still happy for Trae though

What do we know and feel about this as it relates to Lavine? https://www.nba.com/amp/bulls/news/zach-lavine-injury-update-1

I’d take a mentally defective yet versatile defender like Simmons over an Center with limited range on offense and defense like Gobert. Simmons doesn’t have heart though, and that’s the only thing keeping me off of him. Positions aside, we need an influx of players with heart. That’s why I’m ok with Sexton. He is not the most talented dude but he has a dog mentality. We will never get the return on the value of Dre the player on his current contract. That’s the only reason I would pull him off the table and let him start the season with us, and just field offers for him during the season. If he plays down his value, his contract is still attractive as an expiring. If he plays up his value, we keep him obviously, then can SnT or extend him in the following offseason. But right now, his salary alone brings nothing of equal value back, and you can do a lot worse than a versatile SF with size on his rookie deal.

Heat are such a streaky squad. Like, they will absolutely dominate certain stretches of games. They feed off each other and that momentum carries them. It’s weird how they will look unbeatable, then end up losing a game like game 2. When they dominated half that game.

He was a frontcourt guy. One who could cross match on forwards and bigs. Offensively he was a 4 to me. Idk where this whole 6’10 253lbs stuff came from but at the combine he measured at an even 6’8 barefoot and 235 lbs, which matches up way more with the eye test and side by side comparisons while on the court. So knowing that, he has the body and the game of a true forward.

For the record. I doubt we add a big piece. I will only believe when I finally see it. The best “name” guy that we ever added in recent memory was a past his prime Dwight. The best “talent” we ever picked up was Joe Johnson, and we had to mortgage the farm to get him. And he was playing roughly at the same level that pre injury/game 5 Dre was playing at when we made that trade. So, going by history, we are about to hosed just to bring in a name IF we can get one at all.

Love Antman. He will forever be the one that got away. His personality is like a modern day Charles Barkley lol His fire next to Ice cold Trae would be the best show in the NBA. 2 killers. Neither afraid or anything. Would be a lot of highlights and viral moments.

Yawn. Let me know when our rotation opens up for rookies again. I'm not even sure JJ or Rife get to play next season at this rate.

Oladipo can play both ends and probably be had for cheaper, leaving the door open to still add a Max player to the roster as our "splash" move Imagine a rotation of Dipo and Wright next to Trae, our perimeter defensive profile would raise tremendously. I don't care too much about the injury stuff as our wings can barely stay healthy as is. He still has that big time player gene inside of him that can create plays out of nothing. We need that. Oh, and there's that whole Nate connection.

Ayton is the guy over Gobert. This is bigger than just covering for Trae defensively. Ayton is a two way player that will open up our offense against defenses like the Heat. We have not had a two way big man in a very long time. Let alone one with star talent. No more limited bodies. Clint is easy to defend when all you have to do is foul and send him to the line. Ayton at least keeps the defense honest.

Here’s why you don’t get caught up in the highs and lows of the championship journey. 2020 Playoffs Miami dominates Milwaukee 4-1 in the 2nd rd on their way to the Finals. Milwaukee was the heavy favorite that season but now looks deeply flawed despite having the MVP and DPOY as their best player. People question Giannis and if he can lead the Bucks to a title or if Bud can make adjustments in the playoffs. Same playoffs, Boston sweeps Philly in round 1 on their way to the ECF where they fall to Miami. Philly looks overrated, fires their coach and begin reconsidering the whole process. 2021 Season Miami comes in as a preseason favorite due to their culture and promising core. They have the Samson complex and coast all season after a trip to the Finals the year prior. Barely miss the play in as a 6th seed. Milwaukee spends the majority of the season integrating Holiday and experimenting with situational gameplans and lineup’s. They are good but not great until they finally turn it on down the stretch of the regular season. They enter the playoffs as the 3 seed and SWEEP the Heat. Less than a year after being embarrassed by Miami in the bubble playoffs. They go on to win the Finals and prove any doubters wrong. Meanwhile, Philly after getting swept in rd 1 the previous year comes back with Doc as head coach and dominates the East on their way to the 1 seed. They look like the best team in the field until they come across a supernova 6’1 PG and his crew of hungry young studs. Hawks stun the world, send Philly packing, and officially end the process for good as Simmons will never suit up for them again. Boston, after making a trip to the ECF comes back with the Samson complex and slips in to the playoffs as a 7 seed and ends up being swept in rd 1 by the Nets. (Remember this). 2022 We all know our story this year. OP did a great job breaking it all down. Miami, after being embarrassed by the Bucks, basically have a chip on their shoulder all season. Jimmy defers all season to his teammates with the mindset of winning a ring being more important than individual numbers. They are locked in on one goal. They easily dispose of a young Hawks team that was banged up and did not have the same gear of intensity as the Heat all season. Boston, was in the ECF 2 years ago, was swept out in rd 1 by the Nets last year, come back in 2022 and pull a Milwaukee by ramping up their play mid season, dominating teams down the stretch of the regular season, and return the favor by sweeping the Nets out in rd 1. The Nets, were a toenail away from the ECF last year. Played with their food all regular season, and despite being favorites to win it all, fall to 7 seed and get bounced in 4 games to a team they did the exact same thing to the year before. Notice the trend? Summary: Be mad at what just happened. Hopefully the players are too. But realize it does not define anything about who we are as a franchise and what we can become. Success is not a straight line to the top. Its peaks and valleys. Every team that looks unstoppable right now was in our exact same position last year, bounced out, embarrassed, at home on the couch watching our Hawks go crazy in the spotlight. We are younger than any of the top teams that I mentioned. They ALL have had their moment of glory followed by setbacks, only to come back stronger. We are still on schedule. No team, not even Jordan’s Bulls, just went straight to the top of the mountain without going through struggles and questioning their identity. This experience will be a crucial learning moment for Trae, Dre and others in that locker room. Hell, even Nate needs to take a look in the mirror. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next year and if this team, after 4 years with Trae, finally learns how to come out of the gate swinging. Finally decides to play every game as if it is a dress rehearsal for the playoffs and not just another game. Excited to see Trae accept the challenge of physicality being thrown his way, and evolve his game further. Maturing from “the regular season is boring” to “every game matters”, and “we have to build winning habits night in and night out.” The journey is not over, it’s actually just beginning. Stay tuned

The awakening has begun. A second star is born. But he has 5 fouls, and I bet Spoelstra is about to go at him to get him number 6

Sit him until the 4th, then don’t take him back out

The Heat are scum plain and simple. The refs been letting too much slide all series and now they think they can do whatever they want

I lost almost 40lbs in recent months, and after watching this crap Im bout to go stress eat…french fries and nuggets will cheer me up Im certain.

You’re trolling now. Aint nothing worse than an opportunistic troll

How hard is it to squeeze the ball strong with 2 hands and swing through contact until the refs make a call or the defender gets the picture to back off? How hard is it to stand on the opposite side of half court before the ref hands the ball off on an inbounds play? How hard is it to stop momentum by calling a timeout BEFORE you get buried by double digits for the 5th game in a row?

What does it have to take call a damn timeout!!!!! Jeeezus Nate. The season is slipping away in front of you