Budcox should learn from Warriors building strategy.

[AHF]

2 hours ago, sturt said:

Setting aside the point that there is always the next superstar waiting in the wings, and that Durant's contract is pretty dang short...

I believe that's what they said about MIA's fortunes.

How'd that turn out. Didn't quite turn out as designed. Life has a way of getting in the way of this kind of thing.

2 rings and 4 consecutive finals appearances.  They can probably live with that.

[Atlantaholic]

21 minutes ago, AHF said:

I'm more convinced than ever that the league needs to eliminate max salaries.  That will stop the stacking of teams in a hurry.

Bingo.

[sturt]

17 hours ago, sturt said:

Cleveland and Golden State are going to own the league for the next 5 years.

 

15 hours ago, AHF said:

2 rings and 4 consecutive finals appearances.  They can probably live with that.

 

Um. Hardly fair, imo @AHF ... that is, given the post I was responding to.... trying to be fair to you, perhaps your definition of "owning" is somewhat lower than mine. When I hear/read "owning," I think the stuff of dynasties... several consecutive championships.

[NBASupes]

GS and whoever has LeBron will Duke it out

[sillent]

1 hour ago, AHF said:

I'm more convinced than ever that the league needs to eliminate max salaries.  That will stop the stacking of teams in a hurry.

It will also stop the will to be the best lol...Communism vs Capitolism. If everybody is getting paid the same as me why should I go harder. It would be fewer and fewer stars because remember it is a business. Would you work 3-10x harder than your fellow employee when both of y'all are getting around the same pay? I do but that is far and few believe me. The max is a goal to reach for those that are good enough to reach it and teams that are dumb enough to pay unworthy players for it..

[sturt]

11 minutes ago, sillent said:

It will also stop the will to be the best lol...Communism vs Capitolism. If everybody is getting paid the same as me why should I go harder. It would be fewer and fewer stars because remember it is a business. Would you work 3-10x harder than your fellow employee when both of y'all are getting around the same pay? I do but that is far and few believe me. The max is a goal to reach for those that are good enough to reach it and teams that are dumb enough to pay unworthy players for it..

Don't think @AHF was proposing same salaries for everyone. I'm not precisely sure what he is proposing, but I take it that he's proposing that there ought not be any max at all for teams to keep their own Bird rights players, which to the contrary, would actually be a capitalist play, not a socialistic one. I'm sure he'll correct me to whatever extent I'm missing it, but that's my takeaway. It's an idea worth thinking about.

[Dimesadozen]

Want to make it clear that you did not see the words "tank," "firesale," etc. In the original post.  I'm not suggesting the Hawks just lose as many games as possible to get a top pick.  I am suggesting considering trading a couple of the older vets that can net assets that give us ammunition to position ourselves for such a pick...  Sap included.

[AHF]

3 hours ago, sturt said:

Don't think @AHF was proposing same salaries for everyone. I'm not precisely sure what he is proposing, but I take it that he's proposing that there ought not be any max at all for teams to keep their own Bird rights players, which to the contrary, would actually be a capitalist play, not a socialistic one. I'm sure he'll correct me to whatever extent I'm missing it, but that's my takeaway. It's an idea worth thinking about.

Yes.  Let Philly bid $50M for Durant and see if he takes half of that to go play with GS.  No more Miami situations - each of prime Wade, Lebron and Bosh would get massive offers that would preclude the three of them joining teams.  Max salaries are the only reason the super friends thing works and give teams with superstars an even bigger advantage.  I think it would work even if you keep the rest of the cap rules the same - just no more max salaries after a player's rookie contract.

[Macknsweetjones]

Don't we have a Minnesota or Utah pick ? 

[yungsta]

I have always been a pro tank kind of person but no way I am supporting that pathway now after seeing our drafting for the past few years. We would just keep drafting the oldest most "nba ready" or trade away our picks for win now players in order to try to get ourselves out of the lottery and be right back on the treadmill.

Edited July 5, 2016 by yungsta

[jhay610]

The Warriors build can't be replicated. They got a massive discount on Curry because of his ankle and hit a sleeper homerun on Draymond. They drafted Klay, who was a hit -- good on them for that -- and were able to add Iggy because of the discount they got on Curry. They were reportedly close to walking away from Curry -- his ankle was viewed as a serious risk at the time and no one projected the impending supernova that he would become. 

Now all that has coalesced and they are a brand name at the perfect time, right as mass dollars are added to the cap and a premier superstar is coming on the market. A superstar who just gave them all they could handle in a 7-game series. 

Give them credit for some shrewd moves, but they have also been extremely fortunate. For the most part, the new CBA has been effective at maintaining parity, with only a few teams going into the luxury tax and most keen to avoid the repeater tax. The TV dollars just worked out in the Dubs' favor to spectacular effect. 

The rich get richer. Obscenely, grossly, over-the-top wealthy, actually. 

[Dimesadozen]

3 hours ago, jhay610 said:

The Warriors build can't be replicated. They got a massive discount on Curry because of his ankle and hit a sleeper homerun on Draymond. They drafted Klay, who was a hit -- good on them for that -- and were able to add Iggy because of the discount they got on Curry. They were reportedly close to walking away from Curry -- his ankle was viewed as a serious risk at the time and no one projected the impending supernova that he would become. 

Now all that has coalesced and they are a brand name at the perfect time, right as mass dollars are added to the cap and a premier superstar is coming on the market. A superstar who just gave them all they could handle in a 7-game series. 

Give them credit for some shrewd moves, but they have also been extremely fortunate. For the most part, the new CBA has been effective at maintaining parity, with only a few teams going into the luxury tax and most keen to avoid the repeater tax. The TV dollars just worked out in the Dubs' favor to spectacular effect. 

The rich get richer. Obscenely, grossly, over-the-top wealthy, actually. 

It all starts with drafting top talent.  Sometimes it takes a little luck, but youbhave to put yourself in position to hit the homerun.  Next year's class is said to be loaded.  Hope the Hawks are creative and get up there and find a difference maker.

[AHF]

The three placees teams have massive advantages:

1. Players on their rookie contract;
2. Guys criminally underrated in FA for what they will be over their next contract (how many do you expect to see form this FA market?); and 
3. Guys who are maxed but worth wayyyyy more than the max.

The first category is limited to 4 years and available to any team that plays in the draft.  The second category is rare but open to every team.  Someone could have offered Curry a max deal.  They didn't.  

The third category is where change could happen.  A max contract for Batum doesn't drive any big value.  Good player and nice on the floor but there is no massive competitive imbalance because you sign him.  Getting LeBron for the max is a massive imbalance.  He would be worth twice that amount at least on an open market so some team captures $60M or whatever in value for half the cost.  Anyone ever done a fantasy auction?  This is how no one gets all the top players because they get bid up to the point where you can't afford more than one or two of them and you have to then fill the rest of your roster out with your remaining money.  Free the max salary and stop the Super Friends version of the NBA.