And who's talking about building solely through the draft??? I for one have been talking about getting under the cap in 2007 while having a young nucleus built mainly with lottery picks over a 4 year period prior to 2007 and also the MLE for young players with an upside instead of stiff's like Vin Baker and the Big Stiff.
Islesfan, in case you haven't noticed, we pretty much have a young nucleus with potential lottery picks and good draft picks. Curry, Crawford pretty much have lottery pick potential at this point (If they stayed in college) and we got Frye who just scored 30, Nate (Who I am liking more and more each day) and Butler. And instead of headed into 2007 under the cap, which is literally impossible to do here, we have some assets we can trade.
Yes, there were some points that made me say "OK, 1 more move like this, and Isiah is gone!", like Jerome James and Mo Taylor. But Taylor will come off the books next season, so you know he's not going to be around. We have the Artest rumors in full motion now, so who knows about that, as long as we don't give up say, Frye, Curry and Nate.
The way I see Islesfan, we have been rebuilding nicely and it's been very turbulent. Heck, we should be lucky it didn't get as ugly as Chicago, Golden State, LA Clippers (This season that is). But look at them now, and they didn't get good from free agency. They are getting good from the draft, making smarter trades and keeping the guys they needed to keep.
Again, I say, there is no way we are getting under the cap in the next 10 years. Flexibility is certainly a good thing for the salary cap by not adding the Jerome James and MoTs, but if you haven't looked, the guys we have are getting better and better. And heck, just ignore Stephon and pretend he's not on the team, b/c he's the guy that might not be here in 3 or 4 years anyway.
Isiah managed to scout and pick up Nate, Frye, Curry, Crawford, Ariza. All of them showing signs of real good potential to be a terrific nuclues. If you can't see that they aren't good or wont be good, then you just aren't paying attention. All this team needs is maybe a starting small foward, maybe a consistent shotblocker couldn't help (Oh geeze, I wanted Dan Gadz, and he looked great last night, but I guess James was more enticing) This nucleus with maybe 2 or so more additions is going to contend once it starts coming together.
We are in good shape. Just not for this season.
“Whenever I’m about to do something, I think ‘Would an idiot do that?’ and if they would, I do NOT do that thing.”- Dwight Schrute
. maybe islefan was right, and we are doomed. but i wont go there yet.