07-28-2022, 11:05 AM
(07-28-2022, 07:08 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I tracked with you pretty well up to this paragraph (though I doubt you are seriously advocating a SA style tear down while you have a generational talent you are trying to keep happy).
I will point out though that you are telling me that something that actually happened (WCF's appearance) can't be used to validate a positive view because of something that will never happen and can't be proven (Luka and his national team scrubs would find NBA success).
Success absolutely validates a positive outlook when the outcome is known. It might not prove (yet) we can be a good team even after losing Brunson for nothing. But success definitely proved wrong those opposed to the Kidd hire. And, those who thought the return we got in the KP trade was horrible were wrong too. How do I know? A dramatic turnaround in performance validated by a level of team success not approached prior to said trade. One of the rules I use when hiring people is if you want to find people who will be successful in the future, find success in their past. Success is a pattern and we are on a better roll right now than some want to give credit for.
Not what I'm saying. You can have positive view of any team no matter their success level. We are fans after all. Using a WCF appearance as the sole measuring stick for roster construction and improvement to prior year(s) would discount other factors (competition, improvement of existing players, etc.).
Was the team more successful this year? Sure. is the team head and shoulders better than the previous year(s) based only on that WCF run. Not in my view. Not facing the Clippers helped. Jalen and Luka being better versions from the previous year helped. Bullock helped so that's a plus for roster improvement. I'd argue the TDL trade didn't have much impact in the playoffs. Dinwiddie was great in the regular seeding and certainly helped get our seeding. I'm not sure how to grade that honestly.
We took a step forward this year, certainly. Does our offseason so far seem like we've taken another step forward? The hopeful part of me would say we went sideways but I can also see us sliding backwards.
I also don't think we are on a roll of success. Luka is going to keep the floor of this time pretty dang high. This past season was the outlier. Repeat the success again and we can say we are on a roll.