Posted by islesfan:
Posted by loweyecue:
Guys, tanking sucks. The idea of improving our odds for landing a high draft pick by tanking is preposterous. Improved odds are just that they are improved odds, they are not a gurantee. We could lose every game from here on and end up with the 21st pick or something. Put no faith in ping pong balls. Yes some teams in the past may have used trhis "strategy" to obtain high draft picks, but they just got lucky. For every team that succeeds you would find many that didn't. Even with a high pick a draft is no gurantee of getting a bona fide superstar. This type of reasonig "lets tank to improve" is dangerous and the players who execute this can consequently never win anything even when they get their superstar. There are enough natural born losers in the NBA (aka Marbury clones)so there is absolutely no need to teach young players how to lose for improved draft prospects.
Yes I have read all the reasoning of "resting the vets" and playing younger players etc, but when your goal is to rack up losses which it has to be to improve your odds, that goal will translate to our players learning how to do what is easy instead of playing hard for wins. Dont want it, will not advocate for it. Tanking is STUPID. 
[Edited by - loweyecue on 03-08-2009 2:14 PM]
You want a guarantee? The Knicks would get a higher draft pick if they're in the lottery instead of making the playoffs. That's a guaranteed fact.
The only players who are guaranteed to be here after next season are Chandler and Gallinari and they need to be put out there in crunch time for the experience, win or most likely lose more than they need to be swept in the playoffs. There is no benefit from having Larry Hughes, Chris Wilcox, Quentin Richardson, Jared Jeffries and Al Harrington getting minutes. At this point I'd rather see Nichols and Samb get as many minutes as they can handle.
I pretty much agree. If Gallo and Chandler are the future then let's grow with them. I know Gallo's back is an issue, but if he is going to play 15 - 20 minutes a night anyway, give him the occasional start, see how he does, and adjust. He is the future right? It's not like it's some crazy decision. I know we want to create an atmosphere of winning, but running Duhon into the ground not only decreases his trade value but it also plain hurts the team. Give him a cut in minutes and try Nate at the point (as was brought up in another thread by Briggs.)
And the new guys, if you are not going to play them at least give Samb and Nice 5 minutes somewhere, let's just see what it does on the defensive side of the ball (regarding Samb). A real game experiment, not a theoretical one. The fans would love it and it helps us in many ways.
Ok, D-Nice hasn't "paid his dues" but give him 5 minutes at least. Let him feel the garden, remember how well he played in the summer leagues for us? Could be he is likes the NY feel.. (I mean you don't know, so players thrive here and others wilt.(Not as in Chamberlin)).
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. Albert Einstein
3/7/2009 11:09 PM
