All Wiggins all the time

[The Playmaker]

Here's my way of thinking about it.  Obviously Wiggins is the guy everyone wants but even if we miss on him and still land in the top 5 then we're still getting a franchise player.  Parker, Randle, and Smart are the next tier after Wiggins.  Then after that you have Gordon, Harrison, Selden, and Young.  Very very impressive class coming up.  If it was up to me I would use some of our other additional picks to make sure we have 2 selections in the top 10 next year.  Then throw the money we're saving up at a couple nice FA's and we're probably contending for a championship in a couple of years.

[truthteller]

Here's my way of thinking about it.  Obviously Wiggins is the guy everyone wants but even if we miss on him and still land in the top 5 then we're still getting a franchise player.  Parker, Randle, and Smart are the next tier after Wiggins.  Then after that you have Gordon, Harrison, Selden, and Young.  Very very impressive class coming up.  If it was up to me I would use some of our other additional picks to make sure we have 2 selections in the top 10 next year.  Then throw the money we're saving up at a couple nice FA's and we're probably contending for a championship in a couple of years.

Yup.  That's it.  And it's not even that complicated.  Upside is a 10.  Risk is low.  So excited for our future!

[rondoallaturca]

I just love how people expect rookies, no matter how talented, to come right in and make the team an automatic contender. Looking at the current stars, not even Lebron/KD did it. Wade needed 3 years to win his first, and that's only because they brought in Shaq. RETOOLING is what will get us contending in a couple years. REBUILDING through the draft is what will get us contending no earlier than 5 years.

[vinnie]

I keep reading that Danny Ainge is "brilliant." Giving him all the credit in the world for putting together a team that won a championship, that is one championship in how many years, 9? Or it it more years? Wouldn't a "brilliant" GM have won more than 1 championship by now?

[LilRip]

Obviously winning the lottery would be great, but people need to start "opening their minds" a little to the possibility that "high lotto pick" is not our only option. We missed out on Durant in 07 and still won a championship in 08. Not saying its guaranteed we win a championship next year, but I think with a creative and forward looking GM at the helm, were not in too bad shape.  We have options for the next years.

[gar]

All we need is a couple of top 10 picks. The rest we can get from FA. We have enough picks. Time to see what we can do with trades and FA signings once we get under the cap. Key is to not take back to many more big contracts.

No need to tank.

[D.o.s.]

I just love how people expect rookies, no matter how talented, to come right in and make the team an automatic contender. Looking at the current stars, not even Lebron/KD did it. Wade needed 3 years to win his first, and that's only because they brought in Shaq. RETOOLING is what will get us contending in a couple years. REBUILDING through the draft is what will get us contending no earlier than 5 years.

Lebron, Wade, Melo and Durant definitely made their teams automatic contenders.

You Retool around talent, and one of the best ways to acquire talent under the new CBA is to get potential superstars on rookie contracts.

My hope is that we can contend for a high lottery pick without moving too many of our core pieces. Our team has a great complimentary player in Jeff Green and a force of nature in Rondo, but in all likelihood those two guys aren't going to get us past the Heat.

Now, imagine a scenario where we're able to pair Rondo and Green with a player who has the potential to be a Tim Duncan-like presence in the organization. The Spurs have been able to retool so effectively because they were bad enough to snag Timmy Dunks in the draft, not in spite of that.

[rondoallaturca]

I keep reading that Danny Ainge is "brilliant." Giving him all the credit in the world for putting together a team that won a championship, that is one championship in how many years, 9? Or it it more years? Wouldn't a "brilliant" GM have won more than 1 championship by now?

No matter what, winning 1 championship in 9 years is very impressive. There are still some franchises that haven't won a thing in their entire existence.

[vinnie]

I keep reading that Danny Ainge is "brilliant." Giving him all the credit in the world for putting together a team that won a championship, that is one championship in how many years, 9? Or it it more years? Wouldn't a "brilliant" GM have won more than 1 championship by now?

No matter what, winning 1 championship in 9 years is very impressive. There are still some franchises that haven't won a thing in their entire existence.

And I give him all the credit in the world for that championship. The word "brilliant" to me goes a little to far in terms of describing Danny. Good to very good, I think fits better. If he pulls off this rebuild, then "brilliant" might apply.

[truthteller]

I just love how people expect rookies, no matter how talented, to come right in and make the team an automatic contender. Looking at the current stars, not even Lebron/KD did it. Wade needed 3 years to win his first, and that's only because they brought in Shaq. RETOOLING is what will get us contending in a couple years. REBUILDING through the draft is what will get us contending no earlier than 5 years.

Lebron, Wade, Melo and Durant definitely made their teams automatic contenders.

You Retool around talent, and one of the best ways to acquire talent under the new CBA is to get potential superstars on rookie contracts.

My hope is that we can contend for a high lottery pick without moving too many of our core pieces. Our team has a great complimentary player in Jeff Green and a force of nature in Rondo, but in all likelihood those two guys aren't going to get us past the Heat.

Now, imagine a scenario where we're able to pair Rondo and Green with a player who has the potential to be a Tim Duncan-like presence in the organization. The Spurs have been able to retool so effectively because they were bad enough to snag Timmy Dunks in the draft, not in spite of that.

Exactly.  We are lucky enough to be in the position to have our cake and eat it too.  We have our base of young talent.  We have the assets to trade for serious talent.  And, we have multiple picks in a stacked draft.  So why do you have so much pride to finish middle of the pack when you can possibly have a chance for a superstar.   It's not that much of a longshot as people are claiming. 

Much better than getting Josh Smith and just being middle of the pack for no reason.

[rondoallaturca]

Lebron, Wade, Melo and Durant definitely made their teams automatic contenders.

You Retool around talent, and one of the best ways to acquire talent under the new CBA is to get potential superstars on rookie contracts.

My hope is that we can contend for a high lottery pick without moving too many of our core pieces. Our team has a great complimentary player in Jeff Green and a force of nature in Rondo, but in all likelihood those two guys aren't going to get us past the Heat.

Now, imagine a scenario where we're able to pair Rondo and Green with a player who has the potential to be a Tim Duncan-like presence in the organization. The Spurs have been able to retool so effectively because they were bad enough to snag Timmy Dunks in the draft, not in spite of that.

OKC drafted Westbrook to pair with Durant before they became contenders. Melo and Wade did not make their team contenders, only early playoff exits. In all of Melo's tenure in Denver, they were never contenders. Wade needed Shaq before Miami could be called contenders. Honestly, only Lebron was able to convert a team into a contender by himself.

But that's nitpicking. I agree with everything else you said. That would certainly be ideal. I just question our chances at a top 5 lottery pick if we keep Rondo around. To me, the 2014 draft sweepstakes is contingent on trading Rondo. That's not a loss I'm prepared to give up only for a shot at something.

Keep in mind that the Lakers are looking forward to 2014, but for its FA pool and not its draft. They're in a similar spot to us where they're bad, but not bad enough to have a realistic shot at a top 5 lottery pick without having to make moves. And really, any time you have to make significant moves to tank, that's a sign that you're not in a position to tank.

[Smutzy#9]

I keep reading that Danny Ainge is "brilliant." Giving him all the credit in the world for putting together a team that won a championship, that is one championship in how many years, 9? Or it it more years? Wouldn't a "brilliant" GM have won more than 1 championship by now?

because its that easy to win an NBA championship.........

[fairweatherfan]

I keep reading that Danny Ainge is "brilliant." Giving him all the credit in the world for putting together a team that won a championship, that is one championship in how many years, 9? Or it it more years? Wouldn't a "brilliant" GM have won more than 1 championship by now?

No matter what, winning 1 championship in 9 years is very impressive. There are still some franchises that haven't won a thing in their entire existence.

And I give him all the credit in the world for that championship. The word "brilliant" to me goes a little to far in terms of describing Danny. Good to very good, I think fits better. If he pulls off this rebuild, then "brilliant" might apply.

I wouldn't say brilliant but I'd say the success of the last rebuild - including a legit 4 years of championship window after the one we got - earns Danny enough credit that we should have some confidence he can pull off this one.

[D.o.s.]

Lebron, Wade, Melo and Durant definitely made their teams automatic contenders.

You Retool around talent, and one of the best ways to acquire talent under the new CBA is to get potential superstars on rookie contracts.

My hope is that we can contend for a high lottery pick without moving too many of our core pieces. Our team has a great complimentary player in Jeff Green and a force of nature in Rondo, but in all likelihood those two guys aren't going to get us past the Heat.

Now, imagine a scenario where we're able to pair Rondo and Green with a player who has the potential to be a Tim Duncan-like presence in the organization. The Spurs have been able to retool so effectively because they were bad enough to snag Timmy Dunks in the draft, not in spite of that.

OKC drafted Westbrook to pair with Durant before they became contenders. Melo and Wade did not make their team contenders, only early playoff exits. In all of Melo's tenure in Denver, they were never contenders. Wade needed Shaq before Miami could be called contenders. Honestly, only Lebron was able to convert a team into a contender by himself.

But that's nitpicking. I agree with everything else you said. That would certainly be ideal. I just question our chances at a top 5 lottery pick if we keep Rondo around. To me, the 2014 draft sweepstakes is contingent on trading Rondo. That's not a loss I'm prepared to give up only for a shot at something.

Keep in mind that the Lakers are looking forward to 2014, but for its FA pool and not its draft. They're in a similar spot to us where they're bad, but not bad enough to have a realistic shot at a top 5 lottery pick without having to make moves. And really, any time you have to make significant moves to tank, that's a sign that you're not in a position to tank.

The differences between Los Angeles and Boston are many, varied, and so well tread it's not necessary to go over them in great detail, except to say that the team has no problem outspending other teams for star talent and selling players on the free agent beacon that is hollywood. There's a reason Chris Paul wasn't doing State Farm ads in New Orleans.

I'd say that the 2009 Nuggets were certainly contenders, but that is, as you say, nitpicking. When I say Automatic Contenders, I'm really referring to the idea that you could almost definitely win a title with those guys as your best players. Building Block type players. The guys you absolutely want to have locked up for as long as possible as cheaply as possible.

[lightspeed5]

I keep reading that Danny Ainge is "brilliant." Giving him all the credit in the world for putting together a team that won a championship, that is one championship in how many years, 9? Or it it more years? Wouldn't a "brilliant" GM have won more than 1 championship by now?

he got us a championship and to the finals twice, then ECF. thats a contender.

most GMs dont even win 1 championship,  let alone get to the conference finals.