Has Golden State Become the Dumbest Braintrust in the NBA?

There's a couple of reasons why it's hard to appreciate just how ass-backwards the Warriors' braintrust has become.  First is that Steph, when he's actually active here and there, remains a MVP-caliber player, at least offensively.  Also, if you compare GSW to the other older teams, like the Lakers or Nuggets for instance, it's like 'oh, these guys ain't that bad'.  It's only when you compare them to a team like the Thunder can you truly appreciate this braintrust's inability to transition into the current decade, even though it's already halfway over.

LITTLE RESPECT FOR YOUNG, DEVELOPING PLAYERS

It all started, of course, with the trading of Jordan Poole.  I'll admit that dude has his flaws, even back during his stint in Cali.  I'll also admit that he hasn't proven as good as I thought he would since leaving.

But trading away Jordan was like, say, a father trying to trade away his son.  The organization proved more committed to getting rid of than developing him like they should.  And this is something you probably can't fully appreciate unless you go back and revisit the 2022 season, like watch every game pass January.  The Warriors were facing some key injuries (like they are now) and sucked (like they do now), but man, were they putting up some admirable fights (like they are now?).  And it proved worthwhile in the long run, as those increased minutes for role players - learning how to live without Steph, if you will - paid off and eventually contributed to the Dubs winning an unexpected championship.

Besides Poole, the other key young player - the other budding star, if you will - was Jonathan Kuminga.  There were a lot of unknown dudes who stepped up in 2022, some since losing their place in the NBA even.  But Kuminga was someone you could look at and be like 'yeah, this team has a future'.

You have Poole and Kuminga and the Gauntlet and Moody, etc., hanging in games with contenders even with Steph or Klay absent - some of those guys really young or just rookies - and you could feel confident as a Warriors' fan, that Curry and co. would be able to age disgracefully.  Instead, it's become sort of a lebronesque situation where you have older divas, if you will, exerting so much financial control and overall influence over the braintrust that limited attention is given to younger players, totally neglecting the fact that you need someone to hold your hand once you're forced to walk with a stick.

So like the Lakers, the Warriors also suck at player development.  Beside Andrew Wiggins, they haven't drafted an all-star or turned a into an all-star since the acquiring big 3, well over a decade ago.  

Let's further go on to say, for the sake of argument, that GSW, in effect traded Poole and Kuminga for CP3 and Butler.  The latter two, it's safe to say, are future HOFers.  They are also the two most-notable additions this team has made since 2022, with Jordan and Jonathan being the two most-notable subtractions (besides Klay, who left in free agency).

That should help illustrate just how intelligent this braintrust is.  Paul wasn't a good fit, period.  I knew that from the jump and undoubtedly noted it in this blog but was also thinking like 'okay, if Steph and them want him, maybe they know something I don't'.  But now in hindsight, I realize no, they may be geniuses on the court but not basketball gurus.

Butler fit a lot better in the grand scheme of Dubdom.  But then there's the age factor of course, you know, dude being in his mid-30s and all, in the modern-day injury-ridden NBA, besides Butler having already established a notable injury history.  The logic should have been like okay, grab your Jimmy, but don't go as far as to like prioritize him over a younger, healthier and at this stage more-promising Kuminga.

STEVE KERR vs JONATHAN KUMINGA

The latter is someone who, since his rookie campaign, I've always been convinced was a potential star.  Like you could see it, but his name got lost in the sauce.  a couple of reasons.  A number of dudes drafted higher than him were generating more headlines.  Also, it's like Steve Kerr wasn't giving Jon ample playing time, compared to his draft classmates.

Steve Kerr is someone who, as a coach, I've always questioned his aptitude.  He's had his moments here and there and is tougher than he looks.  But he more or less inherited a championship-ready roster from previous head coach Mark "Selfie" Jackson.  Then, going on to win a couple more with KD, i.e. GSW fielding arguably the best offensive team in history, isn't anything to pat yourself on the back about as a coach.  It's the dude in the background, who drafted the big 3 and arranged for KD's acquitistion, who deserve more credit.

But that said, 2022 was once again amazing is definitely something Keer should be proud of.  The mistake he and the braintrust made was afterwards not reading the graffiti on the wall, that you need to really start having mercy on the Splash Bros' legs.

The argument was that as time progressed, Kuminga would inevitably get more run.  And he did but was never truly appreciated for what he brought to the table.  Coaches these days, more or less NBA-wide, are unable to properly strategize with different players' attributes.  So it's like if a dude can't shoot 3s, then he's instantly a liability.  Come on, man.  So Jon became more like a scapegoat.

Another theory I have is that Steve Kerr is intimidated by big black dudes.  Perhaps we all are.  But in the Kuminga case, I'm thinking more along the lines of hatin' then intimidated per se.

CONCLUSION

Steph is destined to go the way of Lebron.  Some aged superstars make too much money and have too much influence for a contender to be built around them during the latter years.  The Warriors make a little bit of noise here and there, but Al Horford and them ain't intimidating nobody.  So next year, we're going to have another season of Steph + Dray + Butler?  Okay.

Trying to Make Sense of the Knicks

I haven't been following this season closely in terms of observing gameplay, so maybe I shouldn't bc commenting on the Knicks like that.  But I've been a "fan" of this team for over 30 years, and a lot of the things I predicted with this current iteration of NYK is, sadly, coming true.

KAT THE SCAPEGOAT

I just recently learned that KAT won the 3-Point Contest a couple of years ago.  That's how good of a shooter he is - as a C.  But I still argue that it isn't ideal to have the tallest man on your squad more prone to shooting (long-range) jumpshots as opposed to taking it to the hole.

The way you mitigate such anomalies is by having the other players on the team, i.e. the wings, be above-average defenders and rebounders.  As far as starters go, the Knicks have more quality, all-around wing depth than any other squad in the league.  So even if Karl is out there hoisting up threes, the interior should be able to compensate.  You know, KAT is going to KAT.  And that's what makes the mediocrity of this team even more surprising.

THE "CURSE OF THE KNICKS"

If you're the type of sports' fan who likes to be disappointed you know, having a reason to be depressed at the office - 'I'm not feeling good today. My team has lost yet again' - then the Knicks are for you.  NYK rosters tend to fall into two categories which, in a way, are kinda one in the same.  Either they're contenders who, even if they make it to Game 7, somehow flunk in the Playoffs.  Or they have a talented, overpaid roster that just flunks in general.

Those Michael Jordan years, i.e. the early-1990s, I mean you can't blame anyone for losing to MJ.  But damn, were some of those losses painful.  And even when His Airness wasn't around, the Knicks failed to get over the hump.

There was that one asterisk season when they made it (back) to the Finals, only to have their asses handed to them by the Spurs, like when Tim Duncan was a rookie type shit, illustrating how even a much less-popular franchise can build a dynasty, while NYK can't.

Oh, and let's not forget circa the early 2012,  back when NY managed to land both Melo and Amare Stoudemire.  Theoretically, that was supposed to be best F combination in the league.  But first of all, they gave Amare like a max contract, even though by that time he was already on the perennially-injured list.  And second, remember that time he punched a fire extinguisher and in the process, extinguished any (false) hopes of the Knicks prevailing in the playoffs?  That's NYK for you.

Having too little of what you need is a curse, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, so is having too much.  Robert Kiyosaki, aka Rich Dad / Poor Dad, has this saying, when it comes to money, that he'd rather be cursed with too much than too little.  But that's not true in all cases.

You have a team like OKC who, faced with the challenge of not being a coveted free agency destination nor a franchise that's particularly favored by they powers-that-be, dug deep inside their own expertise and managed to put a potential dynasty together.  Braintrust-wise they're the envy of the league, at least for now, while a couple of their big 3 are still on their rookie contracts.

On the other side of the coin you have the Knicks, the premiere team (as compared to the Nets) in "the biggest market in the NBA", their home being the most famous arena in the United States, seemingly with all the money in the world, with every superstar free agent at least reportedly considering signing there.  Every year, credible reports emerge of the Knicks being after KD or Lebron or this season, Giannis.  After the Lakers, it's safe to presume that NYK is the most coveted player destination in the NBA.  And that's pretty amazing, considering how outstanding LAL's history is compared to the Knicks.

OVERTALENTED

But as I've been saying since the time they went out and hastily acquired KAT, this iteration of the Knicks are overtalented.  Karl's money could've rather been used to land what they really need, i.e. a versatile, defensive-minded C.  This team was not lacking in offensive firepower when they went out and got KAT.

All things considered, they'd been better off keeping Julius Randle, now that he's prover healthy.  I'm not saying that Randle is better than KAT.  But in the grand scheme of things he's just as effective, yet one of those players whose style doesn't take away from his teammates(?).

So what inspired me to write this post was reading today that, oh shit, Bridges is riding the bench during crunch minutes, if you can imagine that.  As far as two-way players go, i.e. dudes who are good on both offense and defense (unlike KAT or Brunson), Mikal is top-10 in the league.  Furthermore, as the NY Post has pointed out, the Knicks are paying him $150mil.  It's one thing when you have these star players getting paid a gazillion dollars to ride exercise bikes and shit.  But to have someone like that who's actually healthy riding the bench?  Only in NYK, dear reader.

So after this season is over and everyone is finally able to realize that what I'm saying is true, these are the questions that need to be asked.  Why did they go out and get KAT to begin with?  Why didn't they allow Bridges +Anunoby + Brunson to mesh first?  Why not let that core play out a full season without, you know, adding a superstar to mix  and then evaluate what type of additions to make?  Fuck happened to Mitchell Robinson?  TF you doing getting repeatedly blown out by the Pistons, who only have, relatively speaking, like two recognizable names on their roster?  The Pistons are supposed to be like small boys compared to the Knicks.  NYK beat Detroit in the playoffs last year yet somehow, since then, despite retaining all of their rotation players, have managed to get worse

CONCLUSION

You know how you go out and buy some really expensive shit and then later, when you're broke, start kicking yourself?  Or you know how, you know, you buy a really expensive car or outfit to get a particular girl, and she still rejects you?  That's how I see the Knicks.

Sometimes, having too much money and favor is a bad thing.  When there's limitations, you have to manage and use your brain.  But when the reins are off, you're able to do all types of dumb shit knowing that, win or lose, the money is going to keep coming in regardless.

Should Lebron Retire Already?

Lebron has earned many nicknames throughout the years - "King James"; "Rushmore"; "the Demoralizer" - some good, others not so flattering.  It is those latter realities - his humanness so to speak - that has put him in the undesirable position of being an aged, albeit skilled player that any team could use, but none can afford.

WHO WANTS LEBRON?

The problem with being great is that it seldom lends to humility.  Let's be frank - Lebron James is the best all-around player in NBA history.  He may not be as dominant as were the likes Shaq, Wilt and Kareem.  But he can literally play the 1 through 5, unlike anyone else who's ever graced the stage.

That's in addition to James, even going on a quarter century(!) in the league, remaining immensely popular.  I agree with Kendrick Perkins, that there isn't anyone currently poised to take over as 'the face of the league'.  You got players out there like Wemby and Ant-Man(?), neither of whom, you know what I'm saying?  Jokic is supposed to be like the best player, followed by dudes like Luka and SGA, but none of them niggas have swag.  Even Giannis, like he's cool, but you know what I mean?

Lebron isn't exactly Mr. Swag himself, not compared to his face-of-the-league predecessor, Michael "MJ" Jordan.  LBJ isn't exactly what you would call pretty.  But he's been so dominant for so long, like who can deny him?  Dude is averaging a half-triple double, even in his 40s.

So going back to who wants Lebron, I could imagine that every team in the NBA wouldn't mind having him, if not for one caveat.  And that, dear reader, would be the fact that he (now) sucks on defense - and as the seasons creep by is only becoming more aged in that regard.  Father Time can be defeated so to speak, but you still have to respect him.  Like niggas reach a certain age where you don't want to be chasing around whippersnappers anymore, not like as part of your job type shit.

The mainstream media is only now grasping that fact, that aged Lebron doesn't play defense for shit, but this is a discussion we've already been having for years at NBA Inception.  That's in addition to LBJ insisting to play out of position.  If he played more like an actual four - even a modern-day one - i.e. being able to function more off the ball, Lebron would sitll be invaluable, offensively at least.

But as it currently stands, if you were to put him on, say, the Thunder, if James played more than like 15mpg, he would totally fuck up the flow, and so it would be on virtually any team who are contenders.  Ideally, LBJ would be running a second unit by this stage in his career, or be surrounded by young dudes who could mitigate his defensive deficiencies.  Even at this age, he'd be the best sixth man in the league.  But again, it'd have to be a team who's second unit actually needs a leader, because you can't ask Lebron, after all these years of doing his thing, to suddenly become a role player.  Like you can't even ask him to come off the bench; he'd have to agree to do it himself.

HOW MUCH IS LEBRON WORTH?

Then comes the question of pay.  If Lebron were, say, on the Pacers - a team that's just taking up NBA space so to speak - and making $50+ million, then it's all good, because he would be the main draw, and they don't have any realistic title aspirations.  But on a squad that's actually trying to win it all - any squad, including Cleveland - earning that much makes him liability because, that's money that can be used for someone(s) who plays offense and defense.  Meanwhile, you can't ask him to play on any team that isn't a contender.  You can't like ask Lebron to go and play for the Magic, no matter how much they could pay him.  The days of LBJ being able to go on any team and instantly make them contenders are long gone.

And imagine, say, Lebron going back to the Cavs, salary reduced, while someone like the Beard is being paid the max.  Imagine Lebron on any team and not being the highest paid player.  There's only a handful of players he could humble himself to like that - Mitchell, a perennial all-star in his prime, maybe, but not the Beard.  I can't even see SGA making more money than Lebron if they were on the same team.  In the business world, when it comes to contracts and shit like that, we're supposed to be compensated based not only on our current performance but also past accomplishments.

So Lebron, arguably the G.O.A.T., can't bow out of the game like Vince Carter or CP3, on that veteran's minimum shit.  WTF for?  Is he broke?  Does he want to get at least one ring before he retires type shit?

CONCLUSION

I was the first one, at the beginning of this season - before any of these media dudes or the Cavs or even James himself jumped on the bandwagon - who suggested that Lebron should go back to Cleveland.  This was due to him, finally for the first time in his career, being on a team with a player who's inarguably better.  And I'm not saying that Luka, another defensive liability, is literally better than Lebron type shit.  It's more like young Luka is better than old Lebron.

Also, the implication when I made that suggestion was that LBJ would go back to Cleveland understanding that he'd be playing a reduced role, that Mitchell, Mobley and even the likes of Garland would have precedence.  It was more on some emotional boost type shit, after that sorely-disappointing postseason they had last year - to push them over the Haliburton hump so to speak.  But now that they've gone out and got Harden, like who wants to see him and Lebron on the same team at this stage in their careers?  This past All-Star Game also verified something I've been saying for years, that (professional) athletics is a youth game.

So yeah, LBJ should just call it quits already.  Go as hard as you can this coming offseason, but after that, like give it a break already.  Leave the game before it leaves you to type shit.  It would have been cool if you went back home this season.  But if the Cavs flunk again this coming postseason - as I'm confident they will - reacquiring Lebron next season, especially at some inflated price, would not be the solution.