The media is leaving us for dead.

[celticinorlando]

I think the biggest kick in the nads would be if the Knicks end up with Kyrie, KD and trade for AD.

[jambr380]

I think the biggest kick in the nads would be if the Knicks end up with Kyrie, KD and trade for AD.

Yeah, that would be totally undeserving. *Yawn* I guess we'll just sign KD and Kyrie because, why not? Oh, and all these other pieces we have hanging around, let's turn them into AD. Years and years of incompetence followed by sheer luck just because they are located in a premier city.

A close 2nd would be LAL getting AD (and signing Kyrie). They were pushing for a playoff spot until pretty late in the season. Their pick and the SAC pick were both seen as pretty interchangeable. We then get screwed by the lottery gods and they move all the way up to 4th. All of a sudden, their pick becomes their best asset while ours seems to be a throw-in. They got hit pretty hard by the Ingram blood-clot, though, so I guess all is not lost.

[Kuberski33]

Even if the AD trade doesn't come to fruition & Kyrie walks, this team will still be too "good" to effectively tank unless you're talking extended injuries to multiple starters.   

And to be clear, too good, doesn't mean 50 or even 40 wins or anything.  Just not crappy enough to be at the bottom of the barrel.

They'd likely be a playoff team in the 4-8 range with no chance of competing for a title and likely out in round 1, mid round draft pick etc.  You could clear out all the roster filler on the bench and bring in some respectable veterans (who can shoot) and you'll be competitive - how competitive depends on Hayward and how Brown/Tatum develop.

[ozgod]

I don't really understand people talking about tanking next year. Do people realize that would mean Tatum and Brown are complete busts and we would have to be tanking for 3-4 years because they are not very good? Brown is entering his 4th year, Tatum his 3rd. If they are still bad enough that a lineup with them smart and hayward can't be a mid playoff team they are awful players.

I guess it's because in people's minds you're either a championship level team or tanking so you can get a championship level team.

[ozgod]

This is the same media that has been pushing him out of Boston from day one, with you all plus Boston media making their jobs easier. Ya'll bought everything they sold.

I think we all can agree that if Kyrie scored only 5 field goals, Boston would never beat Golden State like TOR did. As an outsider, what is clear to me is your team was never as good as many believed. Everytime Kyrie was not amazing, Boston lost. When Kawhi struggles, Toronto still manages to win, even in blowout fashion like last night.

Every team has a star & a sidekick. Who is Kyrie's dependable sidekick? There is no consistent second option. That is why you won a total of one road game last year.

Dame + CJ, Curry+Klay or KD, Russ+PG, Kawhi+Pascal, Kyrie+?

If your team is really better without him; will you all expect them to be one game from the conference finals like they were last year when he leaves? Then why continue to bring that up? Brad's team functions best when there are no expectations. if you never have any expectations, how good of a coach are you really?

"Hey, do the best you can, I don't expect much from you" You can only go up in this instance.

It's very interesting that the media have been pushing Kyrie out the door from day one, while the speculation around Kawhi has been very muted to say the least throughout the year. And Kawhi didn't even make a verbal commitment like Kyrie did.

[Fierce1]

We'll know in 3 weeks.

Ainge did nothing to improve the roster at the trade deadline so that he can go all in on Anthony Davis this June.

Let's see if Ainge can pull it off.

[gpap]

Might be a good thing. Last year, the media thought we were going to the finals and we ended up being garbage.

[Fierce1]

Might be a good thing. Last year, the media thought we were going to the finals and we ended up being garbage.

You have a point.