Yeah, I hope he works hard, cause like I said there are some flashes there and he seems to have that natural bbiq. Just kind of a wait and see approach for me.
I’m pretty bullish on Zach’s future. This article gives a pretty good summary of his season and plans for the summer: https://www.google.com/amp/www.spok...-zach-collins-makes-impact-a/?amp-content=amp
I am a believer in their system, although acknowledge that there is a bit of luck required in the lottery. Here is how I would do it: 1) until you are able to draft a potential game changer, you draft project big men and very young, high risk high reward players; 2) you develop those players, and lose, until you finally get a shot at your game changer (Tatum, Simmons, etc.). 3) once you draft your game changer, then you are on a short window and maybe get one more decent draft pick; 4) along the way, make sure not to get locked into big contracts or any that carry you beyond your game changer's second season; 5) after game changers second or third season, when the team is winning, then you use your cap space to add in big talent ring chasers.
How does that differ from what The TWolves have done? So far their supposed game changers (Wiggins and KAT) haven’t changed much, and now KAT is making noise about wanting to be traded. No matter the “system”, it still takes luck.
This. If you want to succeed in this league, you need a LOT of luck. The Blazers were VERY lucky, getting the #1 overall pick in a draft with a once-in-a-generation center, drafting the best player in a draft with the 6th pick, getting the Bulls to take our previous pick in the 20s to move up to #2 to snag a multiple allstar. I wasn't dreaming of a championship, I was dreaming of a dynasty. Unfortunately, our luck ran out when Oden's knees disintegrated, Roy's injuries destroyed him, and that multiple allstar said he wanted to stay, then left. More to the point, I think it is reasonable to model your organization like the Spurs or Warriors or whoever, but at the end of the day you need a lot of luck.
Wiggins was a poor draft pick. Let's assume KAT is their game changer. They probably should have waited another year or so after KAT was drafted before picking up someone like Butler and Teague. By my logic, they would have drafted Embiid, then next year drafted KAT, likely trade one for a high value player, but still suck, possibly could have had a better lottery shot at Simmons, if not then let KAT and/or Embiid develop, then one year before KAT's final rookie contract year try and fill in the holes. Signing Butler and Teague rushed the build so they are now locked in with that lineup.
Wait, I don't buy that you get to play the "Wiggins was a poor draft pick" card and use that as a reason to re-write history to support your team-building theory. Going into the 2014 draft the prevailing discussion was that it was going to be a top draft class. Wiggins was the consensus number one pick, primarily because people thought he was going to be great and because Embiid was injured and going to miss his first season. Even as late as November of 2016, SI was writing that the top-3 picks were panning out as being worth the pre-draft hype: https://www.si.com/nba/2016/11/23/a...rker-joel-embiid-nba-draft-wolves-76ers-bucks. I'd say at this point that Wiggins looks to be good, but not a franchise-level talent. Maybe he gets there, but a 13.0 PER last season isn't really encouraging. Playing draft roulette is always going to be risky. Your model is good as far as it goes, but you have to accept that there are going to guys like Wiggins and Oden who look like sure things but aren't.
I'm not saying I would have done it perfect in hindsight. I am saying there was a path forward that would have put the tpups in a better place had they seen it. Yes, Wiggins not being what people thought, and Towns dominating sooner hurt their window. But, I would have suggested they wait another year before adding pieces like Butler and Teague. That is the main point. Adding the vets as early as they did ended their draft pick acquisition window too early and left them with no quite enough talent to compete. Even if they took Wiggins, without adding vets and playing to develop rather than win, they might have had a shot at Simmons or Ingram. Certainly in 2017 they would have had one of Tatum, Fox, Collins or Mitchell. And, if they developed rather than win, they would likely have a good lottery pick this year.
