He makes Dame look like a good defender, and that is very hard to do. Dame might take the wrong angles and get demolished on picks because of shit reads, but he at least tries 90% of the time.
What big names has GSW really acquired though? Iggy? Bogut? I'd almost put them in the SAS ilk. I'd actually put Boston in the "middle" with Rondo and Pierce, with Allen (Though he came from Seattle... I pretty much see him as a Celtic, even though he had great years in Seattle) Garnett, in my memory, is the "big" guy they got. Was Pierce drafted by Boston? I want to say he was. Miami, yeah... but that's Lebron James. That's a transcendent star. A once in a 20 year guy. Of course you're gonna do well there.
Celtics acquired ray allen and kg in one offseason. Rondo was an unknown at that point. Yes they drafted pierce, but if acquiring two all stars in one offseason isnt swinging for the fences, nothing is. Golden state drafted curry, barnes, thompson, green. But they also signed iggy to a max deal when he was still good. And kicked david lee, who was one of their better players to the curb because they realized addition by subtraction. And they acquired bogut. So they might lean towards let the cake bake, but not at the sas end of the spectrum imo.
If you think you can contend for a championship then I think you should swing for the fences. History is littered with examples of teams that looked like they would be in the finals for years to come and then things happen. OKC 4 years ago, everyone thought they would be in the finals tons more times but they haven't been to the finals since and now that franchise might lose its best player this year and its second best player next year. Hell look at us 8 years ago with Roy/Oden/LMA, it looked like we had a dynsty brewing and then injuries fucked us over. The Celtics with Allen/Peirce/Garnett looked like a dynsty but injuries at wrong times ment they only got 1 ring when you could have argued that they should have gotten 2 or 3 at least. It doesn't' always work but anything can happen that could ruin a championship run so if its in your sites take a swing for it imo.
Okay, I can see that. I'd still say GSW is more the "cake baking". Iggy was sought after, but wasn't the #1 if I believe.
The problem with 'swing for it' is usually team make an addition they know is likely stupid with a remote chance of success. Than they do more such gambles. The result is never good. Most said the Warriors needed to make such a play trading for Love instead of keeping Thompson. Most thought the Spurs were too old 5 years ago and needed to rebuild. Most thought Dallas could never win with Dirk leading a team because he had so many playoff failures. The Knicks recent history is filled with 'swing for it' moves and it never works. When teams don't win there's a strong impulse to do something to fix it. If anything NBA history has shown us teams with patience and fewer changes win the most.
Iggy was one of the prized jewels of that free agency year. The others were dwight howard, chris paul(who nobody thought would actually leave) and andrew bynum.
