So tanking is only if the coach throws games?
What about management throwing games to ensure a better draft position?
If the GM does it, it's just 'rebuilding', if the coach does it, it's tanking?
No.
Danny isn´t throwing games, he´s just trying to build a contender. We don´t hang banners for ECFs. That takes patience. You´re certainly not winning a title by simply throwing money at the problem in a league with a salary cap by signing the Josh Smith´s of this world to long-term contracts.
There were reports last summer that Danny made an offer for Dwight Howard. He signed the most succesful young college coach in the history of the NCAA to a 6-year contract. So far, he kept everyone on the team except KG and Pierce. It´s hardly his fault these guys have reached the tail end of their careers.
Right now, we simply have to see where this is going, how guys develop, who can step up, wait for the right player to become available, and position us for the time when he does, even if that includes a Raef/Ratliff sideways move.
It´s easy to say "These are our assets, and we´re planning to trade them for a starplayer", but what if the other team doesn´t want your assets? How could anyone of us, including Danny, plan to trade Sully, Olynyk, Bradley or whoever for a star if we don´t even know these guys` value when said star becomes available?
The real issue here is that we´re all obsessing over this team way too much. With the internet, and 24/7 sports coverage, we´ve become used to analyze every little detail, even if there aren´t any new ones. Simply put, we´ve run out of stuff to talk about, and are now reiterating the same things over and over again.
That doesn´t change the very basic fact that there´s a season to be played, that 15 guys are under contract, and that it takes patience until the next step materializes.
Contrary to popular belief, the FO can´t simply go out there and "do something" to bring us #18. This would include so many things beyond our control, like getting a high pick (draft), having a star decide to want to play for you (free agency), or when his team wants to trade him (trade market), that it simply doesn´t make sense to build your masterplan around it.
That´s not a strategy, that´s hope. Srategies are built around what you know, what you have, and what you can do, not stuff that might or might not happen.
