(06-17-2021, 10:07 AM)fifteenth Wrote: All you good folks keep throwing out this "10 years" thing. "The results have been subpar for 10 years." Seems like that was a major component of the Cato article. But I have a little push back on that. Lumping the past 10 years into one block is a bit sloppy. Post championship was abysmal. Plan powder was an abomination of the highest order. Since Luka the team has been on an upward trajectory. It's not obvious to me that the past three years have been subpar. The team and Luka seem to be progressing along a learning curve.
KP has been subpar, and they missed on their search for a "next to Luka" guy two years in a row. Nonetheless they've been on an upward trajectory that fits the maturation of a young superstar.
But there's this: They got past up by the Suns and Hawks. And the Mavs drafted the better player than the Suns and Hawks. So that hurts.
And then here's the crux of the matter in my mind: The 2021/2022 season is the reckoning. The development of Luka says that they should be a top four seed and have some playoff success next season. They should be doing what the Hawks and Suns have managed to do this year. If they can't do that then their upward trajectory leveled off way too soon.
This right here, Bravo