ESPN article on tanking

[murphman]

Really long one here

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/39318/tanking-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg

but here is the part applicable to us




Here's where tanking gets really crazy: When teams with really smart front
offices are forced to mimic teams with really bad front offices.

"The process of rebuilding is extremely rough on everyone," says Raptors GM Bryan
Colangelo, "and unfortunately made worse by the reality that the whole system is
counterintuitive. Strangely, losing may help you eventually win. But players,
coaches and management are all in this place trained as competitors. How in the
world do you tell a player or coach to go out there and lay down? The answer is
you don’t. But I continually stress that even in defeat we must win in other
ways with the intent of moving the dial forward."

In other words, build with talent, build with coaching, build with culture and build with the
long-term benefits of losing.

Or take this year's worst team, the Bobcats, now run by Cho, who is well-regarded. What's plaguing the Bobcats is a
history of mistakes, but also the reality that the front office -- Michael
Jordan, Rod Higgins, Cho and company -- is not doing all it can to win right
now. If there are cheap free agents they could add to make this team better,
they have not added them. If there are better coaches available, now would not
be the time to hire them.

Cho says he made something like that a condition of his joining the team. "They called me the day after I got let go by
Portland," he recalls of the Bobcats. Cho had three years left on his Portland
contract, and had that finest of luxuries -- he simply didn't have to work. "I
had thought about taking some time off, or teaching at a high school," he told
me on a recent episode of TrueHoop TV (http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/38131/truehoop-tv-bobcats-gm-rich-cho). "I thought about maybe
coaching high school tennis, which I've wanted to do for a long
time."

But he flew to Charlotte for a conversation that came down to a
key moment, when Cho asked if the Bobcats really wanted to win. As in,
did they want to win so badly that they'd be willing to follow in the footsteps
of Cho's former employer, the Thunder, who won 20 games one season, and then 23
the next, in the process of amassing the core of their current team?

In other words, Cho was asking, were they willing to lose? "Are you
willing," Cho remembers asking, "to take a step back to take two steps
forward?"

Cho says the room answered, unanimously, "yes." A few months
later, that team is 7-40.

Cho explains how the Thunder did it. When they
had cap room, they didn't use it. Massive losing streaks helped too. The team's
point guard of the future (Russell Westbrook) learned on the job while leading
the league in turnovers.

There is no suggestion that any of the players
or coaches didn't try their hardest. But the fact is the front office trotted
out a young, cheap and, frankly, bad team for a good long time. Intentionally.
During those same years they could have been, with a different strategy, far
more competitive. But if they had done that, they'd never be leading the Western
Conference right now, because they wouldn't have gotten the good players that
came with the good picks that came from losing.



Interesting that Cho hints he mandated this current strategy as a condition of the team hiring him. Notice how he talks about adding NO SIGNIFICANT FREE AGENTS when they are in the tank mode. It is a long multi year plan and we are just finishing up the first year of it and it is possible that the 2nd year could be just as miserable.

[The Prodigy]

Really long one here

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/39318/tanking-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg

but here is the part applicable to us



Interesting that Cho hints he mandated this current strategy as a condition of the team hiring him. Notice how he talks about adding NO SIGNIFICANT FREE AGENTS when they are in the tank mode. It is a long multi year plan and we are just finishing up the first year of it and it is possible that the 2nd year could be just as miserable.
I dont think next year will be nearly as bad as this one. Kemba and Smack will be more experienced, hopefully much improved, and starting. Not to mention we will have another high pick to watch, ideally Davis. Im actually really looking forward to watching the team next year.

[SWedd523]

We are going to suck for at least the next two years. Anyone who doesn't realize that is in every bit as big a shock as they were going into this season.

I can't wait to see how defeatist and belligerent some of you are going to be.

[Chef]

We are going to suck for at least the next two years. Anyone who doesn't realize that is in every bit as big a shock as they were going into this season.

I can't wait to see how defeatist and belligerent some of you are going to be.

next year = 17-20 wins
year after = ? but def not threatening .500

[polarcat]

I am not concerned with the lack of wins on the season if the front office's endgame equates to the Thunder/Blazers/T'Wolves promising future outlook. Even the Charlotte Hornets when they were here, always mired in the mediocre "almost there, but not really" 5-8 playoff slot and didn't have what it took either through free agency or trades to amass themselves atop the Eastern Conference Elite. I think next year will be just as bad as this, but a few things will help make it more palatable..... hopefully:

- No more Paul Silas
- No Boris
- No Najera (though I love him as a personality on this team)
- Amnesty Tyrus Thomas or Diop
- Anthony Davis in a Bobcat uniform
- Kemba Walker and Bismack with a year of experience under their belt
- Acquire enough assets between now and the 2013 draft to ensure that we draft Shabazz Muhammad

I'd much rather watch a team that has a clear blueprint, has young future studs in the stable (Henderson, Walker, Biyombo, Davis), is not taking on garbage contracts (Diaw, Carroll, Diop), and a competent coaching staff that puts effort in every night. If this team trots out only 15-20 wins next year and 25-30 wins the next, I'm okay with it because in the long run, we will be viable and scary. We've seen this team win the same quantity of wins that I mentioned, but with a jumble of crappy roster, bad trades, missed draft picks and terrible coaching.

[bes628]

The thing about that too me is, that they could easily lose the remaining fans of NBA basketball that Charlotte has left. The Thunder was a new experience for OKC, so people are still gonna be naturally excited by the team, and more than willing to stand by it.

A few more years of this, and general fans won't have a single fuck to give about the Bobcats.

[ohara831]

I would gladly suck this year and next if it meant Davis and Muhammad would be Bobcats.

[Pepperz]

It depends on a few things on rather we can be competitive in 2 years or 3 years.

If we win both this draft and next. We pick up Davis and Muhammad. 2 very talented players to be the real building blocks to this team. Add a talented free agent in 2013 and we are good.

Or

We dont win both drafts. We are forced to pick up talent just below both of these guys. This will force us to suck just one more year so we can have a bigger foundation to make a run for a title.

[BRNC]

We are going to suck for at least the next two years. Anyone who doesn't realize that is in every bit as big a shock as they were going into this season.

I can't wait to see how defeatist and belligerent some of you are going to be.

If we start (as an organization) making better decisions we'll only suck about 2 more years...but I'm not holding my breath with this organization...

[Mustachio]

The thing about that too me is, that they could easily lose the remaining fans of NBA basketball that Charlotte has left. The Thunder was a new experience for OKC, so people are still gonna be naturally excited by the team, and more than willing to stand by it.

A few more years of this, and general fans won't have a single fuck to give about the Bobcats.


Fuck general fans. If you aren't a fan when the team is bad... you aren't a fan.

[adam187]

and fuck those newfangled fans without blades. if you don't have those spinning blades... you aren't a fan.

[SWedd523]

and fuck those newfangled fans without blades. if you don't have those spinning blades... you aren't a fan.

I dunno man, that Dyson fan is pretty fucking cool

http://dyn-images.hsni.com/is/image/HomeShoppingNetwork/pd300/dyson-air-multiplier-10-fan-blue~960872.jpg

[superb1]

Fuck general fans. If you aren't a fan when the team is bad... you aren't a fan.

You summed it up, Must. Anyone who knew about Cho and what he done in OKC should have braced for a long cold winter. The fans that understand this shouldn't have to repeatedly explain and defend this position. We know we are going to suck a few years. But if we can be a model like OKC, i'm gladly all in. I'm tired of not coming up short at playoff time, wondering if we are going to even make the playoffs. I want to contend for championships not just a playoff spot.

In the NBA today there are 3 models for a NBA franchise,

the Miami model, amass the top free agents in the league, break the bank for them and see if they have the chemistry to jell together. We see how it is working for the Knicks

the OKC model, suck, tank, whatever you want to call it, tear down a mediocre, franchise built of straw, to rebuild one built of bricks

And the mediocre to middle of the pack perennial franchise that stay in the middle hoping to make the playoff to just missing and too low to make a splash in the draft.

I prefer the OKC model. I guess it is the builder in me.

[Dcarnys]

I prefer the OKC model. I guess it is the builder in me.

Not just that, the Miami model only works for certain teams (aka not us). Lets be honest who would you rather be in a few years the Thunder or the Hawks? Only way to reach Thunder status is to do what were doing now.

[bes628]

Fuck general fans. If you aren't a fan when the team is bad... you aren't a fan.

Yeah well unfortunately this message board itself aint gonna fill up a arena. You need general fans. General fans = money, more money = more options as a franchise.




Not just that, the Miami model only works for certain teams (aka not us). Lets be honest who would you rather be in a few years the Thunder or the Hawks? Only way to reach Thunder status is to do what were doing now.

Outside of the Thunder who got lucky by landing a elite super star, who else has prospered in that model ?

[SWedd523]

Yeah well unfortunately this message board itself aint gonna fill up a arena. You need general fans. General fans = money, more money = more options as a franchise.
I think MJ would rather have sellouts down the road and be top 10 in attendance if it means drawing towards the bottom for the next few years than be a perennial 20th rank in attendance. That's just me though.






Outside of the Thunder who got lucky by landing a elite super star, who else has prospered in that model ?
In recent memory?

Cleveland twice
Minnesota
Orlando
Boston (by proxy)
Los Angeles Clippers

off the top of my head

[bes628]

I think MJ would rather have sellouts down the road and be top 10 in attendance if it means drawing towards the bottom for the next few years than be a perennial 20th rank in attendance. That's just me though.

In recent memory?

Cleveland twice
Minnesota
Orlando
Boston (by proxy)
Los Angeles Clippers

off the top of my head


- Im sure he would too, as would I, Im just saying the attitude and opinions that most of the carolina's already have about the franchise, won't help the tanking situation.

- Well, Cleveland, Clippers, Minnesota (this era) were already garbage for years before they landed their respective players, I can't see how that fits into the tanking theme. I'll give you Orlando. Boston got Rondo at 21st, unless you're speaking of Pierce at 10 in 98 ? 97 ?.

[SWedd523]

- Im sure he would too, as would I, Im just saying the attitude and opinions that most of the carolina's already have about the franchise, won't help the tanking situation.
Those fans weren't coming around anyway so turning back into the team we had before won't do any good. The only thing that brings fans out in Charlotte is winning.



Well, Cleveland, Clippers, Minnesota (this era) were already garbage for years before they landed their respective players, I can't see how that fits into the tanking theme. I'll give you Orlando. Boston got Rondo at 21st, unless you're speaking of Pierce at 10 in 98 ? 97 ?.
How is being bad for a long time any different than what happened in Oklahoma City? Sure they were able to do it in a short period of time, but the overall theme remains the same. Suck badly enough to get a high pick, eventually you get a star.

As for Boston, I said (by proxy) because they used their sucktitude to get vets instead of draft picks

[adam187]

honestly a lot of those teams show the way things can go wrong or get sidetracked or take longer than usual but they also provide lessons that hopefully the bobcats learn from:

cleveland actually kinda fucked themselves by signing role players too early/lebron probably being too good. boozer leaving was a killer. all the more reason why you gotta stay shitty and not go for the quick fix. they might even be doing it again and won't be able to provide kyrie adequate support.

portland took risks/were severely unlucky with injury prone players, and they're still not even that bad.

minnesota made some bad picks (wes johnson and johnny flynn) along with some really good picks and probably held onto a bad coach for too long.

the kings seemed to only evaluate talent/potential and not the mental aspect for players.

both the twolves and kings also didn't have great luck with the lottery. you put blake griffin on the kings or derrick rose on the wolves and you end up with way different teams. yet the thunder didn't always get the best luck with the ping pong balls either and they still made the right decisions/focused solely on developing players. harden and westbrook were not consensus top 4/5 picks and half the league coulda gotten ibaka. bobcats have to make the right moves.

[dnbman]

Didn't read all of this stuff, so apologies if I'm way off base.

The general public comes when there is a buzz about the team. There are several different ways to do that, but winning is the most important. Most people that make a team successful aren't die-hard fans. They're casual fans that think going to games seems like a better idea than staying at home and watching TV. Plus, there's a buzz, so they do it. It's like 60 year old white people jumping up to do the cupid shuffle. It's not better than any of the other line dances. It just seems cool. And they have no idea who Cupid is. Real talk. I know white people.

More real talk: Us die-hards need all of those casual fans to have an organization and shouldn't be stressing it when people jump off and on the bandwagon. Having said that, I get it when dude wearing a Heat jersey for the last three years all of a sudden puts on his Biyombo jersey and talks about being a fan. (Well, I don't get that, as that has not happened in this universe's reality yet.) Still, we need to support that guy the same way churches support AA addicts: with sympathy and respect.

Sometimes people don't understand the innate beauty of things until it presents itself as a line dance, or in this case a nice long playoff run.

[TheDorkLord]

The general public comes when there is a buzz about the team. There are several different ways to do that, but winning is the most important.

That is the key. Those general fans will show up after the process is completed. Assuming all the pieces fall into the right places, we get a little of the luck we haven't had, etc. So hopefully in around 3 years we start winning and those bandwagon fans will show. "Management" has to know part of tanking means suffering through not having the bandwagon people in the short term.

[King Taharqa]

Fuck general fans. If you aren't a fan when the team is bad... you aren't a fan.

Thank you. We need to stop falling for the "bandwagon fans/whine & cheesers/casual NBA watchers at the end of the rainbow" routine. Ever since the Bobs started people have been proclaiming the end is near every year, and here we are at Year 8. Our end goal is not getting some non-loyal fans onboard, or end goal is winning a title and putting a contender on the floor.

[adam187]

^yo love that sig. where did you find that? i grew up in roanoke.

[DY_nasty]

As for Boston, I said (by proxy) because they used their sucktitude to get vets instead of draft picks
People forgot how hard Boston tanked for the Oden pick that year. Even though they didn't get the #1 pick like they wanted, they had a high lotto pick and it led directly to them getting straight into contention.

Hell, Miami tanked it up too. Beasley didn't work out, but they laid low long enough in FA to allow themselves a great opportunity down the road.

[WAM9]

Well, I see King Taharqa has infringed on my Carolina Cougars logo exclusivity agreement but since he is from "Bobcat Country" I guess it is alright!

[ziggy]

Fuck general fans. If you aren't a fan when the team is bad... you aren't a fan.

This right here is pure Shakespeare.

[Mustachio]

This right here is pure Shakespeare.

actually..

Fine fair weather fans i doth bite my thumb at thee, for a fan in darkness thou must be or true victorious glory thou shan't see.

[dnbman]

Fine fair weather fans i doth bite my thumb at thee, for a fan in darkness thou must be or true victorious glory thou shan't see.

http://ll-media.tmz.com/2010/12/28/celeb-flavor-flav-240x285.jpg

[WAM9]

actually..

Fine fair weather fans i doth bite my thumb at thee, for a fan in darkness thou must be or true victorious glory thou shan't see.

Awesome!!!

[Plowright]

Amen brother