Author Topic: Great Article by Chris Mannix on "Tanking"  (Read 39482 times)

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Re: Great Article by Chris Mannix on "Tanking"
« Reply #150 on: December 01, 2013, 10:58:05 AM »

Offline BballTim

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No one's saying that you can tank your way to a ring.

But saying it doesn't work because the Bobcats are still awful is a lazy equivocation.
It's not so much that it doesn't work for the Bobcats. It doesn't work for anyone.


How many of the last 25 years of championships have not been won by teams with their own top 5 or 10 pick in place already?


Eight.  Five by the Lakers, one by the Celtics, one by the Pistons (if you discount Darko), and one by the Mavs.
well Pierce and Bynum went 10th and Dirk went 9th, so if you go top ten you eliminate 4 more titles.

lol.
Kobe came out of high school and was picked 13th. He also refused to play for any other team than the Lakers, and was picked for the Lakers by the Hornets in a pre-arranged trade.
 If he goes to college he's gone top 5 easily. Take Kobe out of the equation and the number is ?

One?
He didn't refuse to play for any team other than the Lakers.  That can't happen.  And he actually worked out for the Celtics.  Why would he do that if he refused to play for them?

He worked out for a few teams, including us. But he and Jerry West fell in love. (seriously) So the Lakers + Kobe's agent went around to the lottery teams informing them that Kobe would refuse to play with them.
Kobe had already met with Jerry West, and was set to force his way to LA. The Hornets worked out a deal to get Vlade and drafted Kobe as a trade asset.
The common myth at the time was that he refused to play for the Hornets- it was actually that he wouldn't play for anyone but the Lakers.

 I've always felt those stories were somewhat contrived. I'm pretty sure I read that the Lakers tried to unload Divac to Toronto before they ended up sending him to Charlotte.

Re: Great Article by Chris Mannix on "Tanking"
« Reply #151 on: December 01, 2013, 11:40:43 AM »

Offline acieEarl

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Bobcat's is kind of a bad example. For the last 10 years they never had the top pick, have been in some terrible drafts, always seem to draft just outside some top picks, and of course made some terrible draft pick regardless of where they picked. The last 10 years look something like this:

13'Zeller 4th (undecided) looks like a bad draft
12'Gilchrist - (2nd), other than Davis looks like a bad draft
11'Walker (9th), decent pick for 9th
10' no pick
09' G Henderson (12th), bad draft, decent pick
08' DJ Augustin (9th), bad draft, bad pick
07' B Wright    (8th), bad draft, bad pick
06' Adam Morison (3rd), bad draft,bad pick
05' R Felton     (5th), bad draft,bad pick
04' Okafer       (2nd), bad draft

If the bobcat get a little bit luckier, and land a spot or two higher, they most likely couldn't have screwed up the draft this bad. 04 they get Howard and last year they get Davis. My point is that, if your going to suck, suck real bad, and at least your odds will be better getting the top pick.


Re: Great Article by Chris Mannix on "Tanking"
« Reply #152 on: December 06, 2013, 03:59:23 PM »

Offline freshinthehouse

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He worked out for a few teams, including us. But he and Jerry West fell in love. (seriously) So the Lakers + Kobe's agent went around to the lottery teams informing them that Kobe would refuse to play with them.
Kobe had already met with Jerry West, and was set to force his way to LA. The Hornets worked out a deal to get Vlade and drafted Kobe as a trade asset.
The common myth at the time was that he refused to play for the Hornets- it was actually that he wouldn't play for anyone but the Lakers.

This.  I'm surprised by how many people deny this.  If you were following basketball around the time of the draft, it was pretty much common knowledge.  Once LA became interested, no other team had a chance.  Google "Nets Kobe" and you will find articles that both Kobe and his agent contacted the Nets once they found out Calipari was interested in him.  They basically told him not to bother drafting him because he wouldn't sign.