Said just after trade that Danny would have to give uo eithrr the Brooklyn pick or the LA pick. I said a lot of people will be surprised if in the end, Danny kept the right pick.
Consider me surprised. Thought this was the least talented team in the NBA.
Still believe that actually. Hats off to Atkinson and these players. They play HARD every single night.
I think you underrate their talent upgrade, especially for the type of style they want to play. Maybe they don't have many "names" but guys like Crabbe and Carrol are legit NBA talents that had significant roles on playoff teams.
Those guys are OK players, but neither are nearly as good as Brook Lopez in my book.
Plus look at the talent on some of the squads below them. The Hawks have Bazemore and Schroeder Ilyasova and Dedmon are pretty decent too.
The Lakers dont have much but KCP, Lopez, Ingram, Clarkson, Randle, Ball etc. They have more talent.
Orlando has Aaron Gordon Fournier, Vucevic, Payton, Simmons and Ross
Sacramento is pretty bad.
Dallas has Barnes and Dirk and Wes Matthews
Chicago has Mirotic and Portis and Lopez and Dunn and will get Lavine soon.
Phoenix has Devin Booker, Greg Monroe and a couple recent top 10 picks.
Charlotte is obviously way more talented, and yet Brooklyn has a better record than all these teams. Its unbelievable what Atkinson has been able to do.