The ONLY tanking discussion for 2009-2010 (split from never-ending thread)

[TheWileyVet]

We will do just poor enough to get a decent draft pick this year and play just well enough for our youngsters to keep developing and give us hope. We may get lucky and jump up in the lottery, but if not it will still be somewhere around 10 - a position where we can easily get another valuable piece to the puzzle.

[Gary]

We need another solid player on this team. JT and Hawes are backups not starters we still need to shore up the inside and add another player that can score when the defense gets tight.

I would give JT a starting nod right now.. Hawes not so much.. I do get tired of JT's constant crying over calls.. Pisses me off to no end. But JT has put up solid numbers this year and seems to mesh well with Evans.

[Sptsjunkie]

We will do just poor enough to get a decent draft pick this year and play just well enough for our youngsters to keep developing and give us hope. We may get lucky and jump up in the lottery, but if not it will still be somewhere around 10 - a position where we can easily get another valuable piece to the puzzle.

You know, we have been so unlucky in the lottery too, maybe this is our year to get lucky. No reason we can't be the team to have the 8th worst record but get a top 3 pick. We finally have some good karma on our side (furiously knocks on wood).

[Geoff]

You know, I'm sorry, but I only partially agree with you. I think a team of all young, undisciplined players would be a mistake. I like having strong, professional, hard working veterans around who don't mind being a part of a maturing team. Now I think we both agree that we do not want to see the vets playing 40 minutes a night at the expense of the young players growth, but simply jettisoning them so we have 5 players with limited experience on the court at all times would be a mistake.

Eh? How do you expect a team of young undisciplined players to BECOME strong professional hard-working veterans if they aren't working it out on the court?

[Prince_XY]

We need another solid player on this team. JT and Hawes are backups not starters we still need to shore up the inside and add another player that can score when the defense gets tight.

Just like the 2nd post after you, I beg to disagree. JT will be a quality starter soon. He may not become the top 3 power forwards, but I am pretty sure his all-out effort approach on his games will lead him to becoming a very special player.

As for Hawes, I also agree he's got potential right now. The potential to be another softy center - a Raef LaFrenzt at best.

Going back to the topic, I'm glad we got the highly potential-Superstar in Evans during the last draft. And NO, I don't want another bad year of seemingly tanking games. This team is still inexperience enough to take care of losing anyways. The only difference with last year is that we definitely now have a crystal clear hope of improving when we added Evans and Nocioni.

[Prince_XY]

we dont need to tank, we can lose all on our own....

I definitely agree , especially if Hawes won't give the manly help that JT needs at the frontline.

[JerN820]

I would give JT a starting nod right now.. Hawes not so much.. I do get tired of JT's constant crying over calls.. Pisses me off to no end. But JT has put up solid numbers this year and seems to mesh well with Evans.

Agreed. JT has played well enough to be a starter. Spencer on the other hand has been very inconsistant. But you really have to give the guys a few years. It took Gerald Wallace 3 years in the league to become a decent player.