But that playoff run last year though! I'll cherish those memories forever.
Cmon, Pho.
Hey Wyc got to sit in his big-boy baseline seats for two whole ass-kickings and the pleasure to watch those wonderful Cavs get the brooms out on our own ****n court, AND little Brad got to coach 4 whole losing playoff games (invaluable, especially in a first round sweep compared to his 2 coaching stints in the NCAA Finals), and our players got to feel real playoff basketball, all at the expense of Wnslow/Turner or what we could've parlayed them into.
Yah, well worth it....sadly, many on here still cling to the belief that it was.
Personally, I'm happy with the moves Danny made last season to acquire Crowder and Thomas. I'm happy this team is developing a winning culture.
I don't see much use in fretting over what players we didn't get by winning too many games. I like the position this team is in for the future, and I like that they are trying to win games and succeeding at it more often than not while rebuilding.
We could have had our cake and eaten it too.
Thomas, Smart and Sully were all hurt at some points in time between the trade deadline and the end of the season. They easily could have been "rested" longer and Young and KO been force-fed minutes. We could have fought like hell and just missed the playoffs, and the assets that we would've accrued because of missing the playoffs would've put us farther ahead in the process (even though we're doing pretty well) than we are now.
But Wyc and Stevens wanted us there, and they won out, and we lost out.
I don't think guys could have realistically "rested" longer than they needed to. These are pros that want to play. These guys want to win games. Once you start asking them to abet in schemes to lose games for draft position, I think you are headed down a dangerous path.
Look, I agree with the theory that last year's team probably ended up being significantly better than Ainge expected. That, to me, is a credit to the players and the coaches.
I don't think taking steps to sabotage the good thing they had going would have been helpful for the future health of the franchise, regardless of the resulting drop in draft position.
I know many think that abstract terms like "team culture" are meaningless. I don't. I think it's important to build a winning attitude and culture. Of course you need talent, but you don't sacrifice playing the right way and competing to win for a chance at that talent.