I'm not confident about keeping the pick, but I certainly don't rule it out with the way Byron is coaching. And while I don't like conspiracies, I do wonder if the league will reward the crap going on in Philly by letting them get the top pick.
In preseason I would have said, and probably did that there was no way we'd be down that far in the bottom to come close to keeping our pick. But wow, after seeing Byron in action thus far this season I'd say we have a whole lot more likelihood of keeping the pick than sniffing any kind of a decent record (meaning thirty plus wins). We aren't going to win games this way. And as Lakers2015 said, this is the EASY part of our schedule.
Even if we end up with the worst record in the NBA, the chances of keeping that pick aren't good enough for my liking. I refuse to root for tanking, I'm rooting for player development, for a change in culture, and I'd hope the FO is too and isn't stupid enough to not fire B0ron if we are one of the worst teams in the NBA in a couple months. The losing is one thing, but the WAY we are losing, the stubbornness that is causing it, should not be tolerated.
No doubt, it's possible. If Boron remains our coach, and he continues to coach this way, we could finish bottom 3 worst record at which point it's possible. We have had a really easy schedule thus far and we still have only squeaked out 2 wins. It seems like destiny for us. The top two recruits are a center and sg...our two spots not being occupied by our foundation. Next season Byron will run out a lineup of pg-Randle sg-Skal sf-Russell pf-Clarkson c-Swaggy Because there are no positions in this new NBA as Byron sees it.
Oh no doubt. Not saying I'm rooting for tanking. Unless we are like the worst record in the NBA by 3-4 games with 5 games remaining, then I may root for the tank. Tanking, despite getting a real good player, would be so detrimental for the development of Russell, Randle and Clarkson. And having those 3 develop this season is more valuable than whatever player we get in the draft...unless Simmons ends up being what everyone says he'll be.
Don't get me wrong Weezy, I'm NOT rooting for tanking in anyway or advocating it. I am rooting for development and wins so that we can attract some top tier free agents. What I'm saying is that the way things are going I think there's actually becoming a big chance that we will end up in position to keep our pick. That's sad. There's no reason we should underachieve this much. It's on Byron completely and it sucks.
I'll never root for tanking either. I think it creates a losing culture and that's what we've had the last few seasons. Problem is while we're talented not enough so to overcome such poor coaching.
Ben Simmons and Dragan Bender are the only names your need to know for next years draft. Everyone else is second tier.
I see Bender going 3 at this point, but he could end up in the top two given how well Kristaps is doing.
Assuming we don't keep our pick, I'd love to find a way to wind up with Sabonis. He could play 5 for us.
Sabonis. There's a son (?) of Arvydas coming this year? Son of his plus son(s) of Shaquille doing battle in the future? Wow. We always wondered about prime Arvydas if he'd have been in the NBA.
What is he height and weight and age? Being lazy Shaq's oldest kid is going to be a monster with great size, skills to put on the floor and shoot from distance and young Shaq's quickness.
This is the one I saw. I was thinking he was close to 17 but he's 15-16 instead. How tall was Shaq I wonder at 15?
Wow he's pretty damn good and very young .... will turn 20 in March 2016. 6'10 235lb and very skilled already. He and Julius will be battling in the future if as is likely he's not a Laker. From just 4 days ago:
Sabonis was playing pro ball in Europe at 17, I think. As a Frosh he averaged 10 and 7, shot 67% from the field. This season, just two games, he's averaging 20.5 points and 10.5 boards, shooting 83% from the field.
Children of GREAT players don't seem to pan out. Dell Curry and Joe Bryant were good players but not great.
