Philc1 wrote:Knickoftime wrote:Philc1 wrote:Knickoftime wrote:technomaster wrote:BigDaddyG wrote:<snip>I'm talking the KD/ Russ Thunder and the Kyrie/Lebron Cavs. Considering where the Sixers where post Iverson, I'd have to consider that a success. Their consistently in the title contender conversation now. That's the goal for all franchises.
Sixers... the thing is they didn't technically tank unless you count knowingly drafting a player with broken feet, who wouldn't play for at least a season (he missed his first 2 seasons), tanking.
Here's what they got following Embiid:
* Okafor
* Ben Simmons (missed his 1st year with a busted foot)
* Fultz (thoracic outlet problem)
* Mikal Bridges (traded for... who knows what to the Phoenix Suns?)
I'm not sure if what Phoenix did worked.
Now, here's the thing, they got a quality NBA championship coach. Now I can't really say how great any coach is based on championship count... but we do know that Rivers is capable of getting teams of no-names to .500 records. He has had to a lot of that with the Sixers because the players on that team are sooo fragile.
The tank definitely worked with Cleveland, if only to get Lebron there.
But it took him coming back as a FA to get the ring.
The Cavs were nba Siberia before 2003.
Not sure you how mean this. They were still NBA siberia in terms of getting free agents to come to cleveland even with Lebron, which is why he left.
In terms of just success, they were actually a (very) decent NBA franchise from the late 80s to the early 90s.
10 better-than-.500 records between '88 and '98, including a 54 win season and TWO 57 win seasons.
Like the Knicks, those seasons just happened to coincide with Jordan ... is their own division.
They were not good in the years leading up to the 2002-2003 tank job for Lebron.
No argument. But "Siberia" has a particular context. They were NOT a franchise unable to be competitive without drastic measures.
And honestly, I'd have to do some research to familiarize myself with how much - if any - the fact Lebron was from Akron played into their decision to full tank.
They were a small market team that got little attention even when they were good like the 1996 Year they were coached by fratello and won 48 games only to get swept by us in round 1. In the years with Lebron they have had constant national media attention to go along with multiple nba finals appearances and a championship
Still doesn't address what's actually being discussed. And not for nothing, they're a pretty good team with a likely pretty good future, and they're still located in Cleveland. I don't know their current roster owes anything do the increased media attention Lebron brought them.
