Is the cost of 3rd place too high? A plea for 6th

[wallz]

The Raps are not winning 60 games. The Raps are not Championship contenders. The Raps weren't expected to even be contending for the division, so we are playing with house money at this point. We have 2 high lottery picks (top 10) that lose minutes to a 34 yr old journeyman (who can be bought up before July for $1M and will likely be gone next year) shooting 37% FG% and a 30 year old journeyman center who is shorter than our starting SG.

How is that not a problem?

.

The coach is doing his job. Young guys are getting enough minutes to gain experience/develop and the team is winning games. If Masai wants to risk losing for more playing time for the youngsters, I'm sure he'd let the coach know

[Raptor Jesus]

As for the bold, are you certain? Coaches in the NBA are brilliant basketball minds, but they all have their strengths and weaknesses. Casey sure knows how to coach a defence, but there isn't much evidence to suggest that he is very capable at player development. Following blindly, without questioning motives and decisions, isn't a very good thing to do. If you want to be a lemming and follow the leader off the cliff, then have at it. But decision makers should always be questioned to ensure that they are staying vigilant and making the best choices for all.

We all want the same thing here, a championship team. I happen to have an opinion on ways to get there and joined a forum to share and discuss it. Since we are on page 6, I'd say lots of people don't want to join the lemming stampede.

At what point do you stop questioning decision makers and follow their decision?

Casey has a team of coaches around him. They all have their expertise. The organization is constantly monitoring the affects of their assets. If they felt something was askew they'd make changes.

[Axel]

The coach is doing his job. Young guys are getting enough minutes to gain experience/develop and the team is winning games. If Masai wants to risk losing for more playing time for the youngsters, I'm sure he'd let the coach know

At what point do you stop questioning decision makers and follow their decision?

Casey has a team of coaches around him. They all have their expertise. The organization is constantly monitoring the affects of their assets. If they felt something was askew they'd make changes.

It's posts like these that make me question why people bother joining a forum. What were you expecting the topics to be about? There are only so many ways to talk about "Demar scored 24 points last night".

If you aren't willing to explore different ideas and discuss their validity, then perhaps you should stick to the game threads and box scores.

[Raptor Jesus]

It's posts like these that make me question why people bother joining a forum. What were you expecting the topics to be about? There are only so many ways to talk about "Demar scored 24 points last night".

If you aren't willing to explore different ideas and discuss their validity, then perhaps you should stick to the game threads and box scores.

It's the interest to be the first to scream the sky is falling that I never understood. If you're right the best case scenario is you feel smug right before we all die.

Box scores get torn to pieces by people with an angle. Just as much as individuals hard up when their interests go unmet. Worse still while the opposite sees success.

There's plenty to be said about the first playoff appearance in forever and the prospect of expectations beyond limp into 8th.

[wallz]

It's posts like these that make me question why people bother joining a forum. What were you expecting the topics to be about? There are only so many ways to talk about "Demar scored 24 points last night".

If you aren't willing to explore different ideas and discuss their validity, then perhaps you should stick to the game threads and box scores.

Discussing different ideas is exactly what we're doing. I'm just disagreeing with the idea that Casey isn't doing his job properly . People aren't aloud to have a minority opinion around here or what?

[Axel]

Discussing different ideas is exactly what we're doing. I'm just disagreeing with the idea that Casey isn't doing his job properly . People aren't aloud to have a minority opinion around here or what?

Sorry if I improperly lumped you in with people who post things like "Casey knows more than you so why bother discuss it". I got that vibe from your post, and it would have been one of several to that affect lately that frustrates me. If that wasn't your intent, then I apologize.

That said, why do you think Casey is doing his job?

[Axel]

It's the interest to be the first to scream the sky is falling that I never understood. If you're right the best case scenario is you feel smug right before we all die.

Box scores get torn to pieces by people with an angle. Just as much as individuals hard up when their interests go unmet. Worse still while the opposite sees success.

There's plenty to be said about the first playoff appearance in forever and the prospect of expectations beyond limp into 8th.

Funny, I don't seem to remember mentioning anything about the sky falling. Perhaps re-read the OP.

To your bold, that is a part of the essence behind the OP. Before the season started, we weren't all thinking that we need to win the division, or even have home court. We were thinking we were going to either sneak into the playoffs and gain valuable experience, or blow the team up. So if that was the season goal, why re-write that goal to win 3rd if it means less development for our young players? Winning 3rd won't help us in the long-term but developing JV and Ross will.

[wallz]

Sorry if I improperly lumped you in with people who post things like "Casey knows more than you so why bother discuss it". I got that vibe from your post, and it would have been one of several to that affect lately that frustrates me. If that wasn't your intent, then I apologize.

That said, why do you think Casey is doing his job?

As I said before, coaches job is to get the most out of his players and win games. He's doing this all while giving the sophomores minutes to develop. I understand that those minutes are unpredictable, and that is a legitimate fault of his. But for the most part he's doing what he's supposed to be doing, IMO.

I guess I should stop arguing the same topic, I'm gonna turn into '"you know who" soon enough

[Raptor Jesus]

Funny, I don't seem to remember mentioning anything about the sky falling. Perhaps re-read the OP.

To your bold, that is a part of the essence behind the OP. Before the season started, we weren't all thinking that we need to win the division, or even have home court. We were thinking we were going to either sneak into the playoffs and gain valuable experience, or blow the team up. So if that was the season goal, why re-write that goal to win 3rd if it means less development for our young players? Winning 3rd won't help us in the long-term but developing JV and Ross will.

You've monitored your thread you know I've pitched in my 2 cents: 2 hours of court time and 3 draft slots isn't as valuable as home playoff games.

I responded several times to posters looking to dig in an rehash the rebuilding/tanking/development failed opportunity. The fact is this season went a different route. Short of belabouring the point further; we've accomplished much and can anticipate more. Doubling back to get even more diverts our focus.

[Axel]

You've monitored your thread you know I've pitched in my 2 cents: 2 hours of court time and 3 draft slots isn't as valuable as home playoff games.

I responded several times to posters looking to dig in an rehash the rebuilding/tanking/development failed opportunity. The fact is this season went a different route. Short of belabouring the point further; we've accomplished much and can anticipate more. Doubling back to get even more diverts our focus.

I really don't think this has anything to do with rebuilding or tanking. Development needs to always be on the radar, even if we are winning 60+ games per year, we still need to keep developing, so I don't see how that topic diverts our focus.

If the season long goal was to make the playoffs, then mission accomplished. No reason to try and go for broke by becoming over-reliant on players that are on their way out the door.

[Raptor Jesus]

I really don't think this has anything to do with rebuilding or tanking. Development needs to always be on the radar, even if we are winning 60+ games per year, we still need to keep developing, so I don't see how that topic diverts our focus.

If the season long goal was to make the playoffs, then mission accomplished. No reason to try and go for broke by becoming over-reliant on players that are on their way out the door.

Fair points.

Rentals getting minutes over longterm players is less than ideal. But if the rentals get us into more meaningful contests; like the 3 'playoff atmosphere' games we've had against the Bulls, Nets, and Washington will the diminished minutes our long term players get be more meaningful? Like would the challenge of fending off 3 teams for third be more useful than heavier minutes as we descend to 6th? Supposing that JV and TR don't give us better chance to win by giving them additional minutes.