11-08-2025, 11:15 AM
(11-08-2025, 10:52 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: I figured our vets would be vets and actually came ready to play.
It's quite the opposite. AD came in overweight (a cardinal sin we lambasted our former star over continuously for). Every vet seems to be playing for themselves. No one can create a shot. And worst of all, it seems like no one really gives a shit.
Just going through the motions, accepting defeat.
We have players on the roster tweeting at Luka sad emojis. Going to fans saying how they miss Luka. Playing sad songs at practice.
The vibe is toast.
The one bright side is that there is actually something to build on. I think Flagg and Lively is a fantastic starting point. Heck Christie has surprised me too. That right there is 3 guys worth a ticket. Adding a top 5 pick to that core (hopefully a dynamic playmaker and scorer) and we're cooking. Of the guys remaining I only really want to keep PJ.
____/Christie/PJ/Flagg/Lively is a solid start.
It´s a start, if you get another generational talent in the draft and you make smart moves over the next two years.
Then maybe in 2-3 years you are what Orlando is now. That´s literally what these people have done to the franchise.
The remaining players are completely dead inside and who can blame them. They literally could have gotten Sexton and Westbrook for FREE. They chose Exum.
Nobody would want to work hard for Nico/Dumont. They destroyed the workplace. If Kidd had any involvement or just knowledge of the trade he has to go too.
In that situation you look for leadership from your star player, but AD is exactly the kind of sulking personality that would crumble under this kind of trade pressure. Prime Westbrook would be like: I´m better than Luka. Let´s go. AD is like: it´s so mean that people expect me to work out in the off-season, actually run during games and try hard every night. I´m not Luka. Leave me alone, let me play golf, drink and smoke and show up for 30 games a year.