What's the problem with building slowly?

[RUFshreve]

A lot of people seem to want instant success. Like we won the lottery and got AD so now we should be a title contender in a year or two. I know people want a winning team and a full arena, but honestly the only way I see us being a championship contender and not just a playoff team, is by lucking out in the lottery again once in the next two years. A lot of people seem to hate the idea of the Pels being in a spot to luck out in the lottery again after next year. I don't, considering how good its going to be. And we don't need to be bottom three and get a Wiggins or Randle, but if we got Porter in this lottery and Smart in the next I think we'd be a real contender in 4-5 year. Or drafting Burke and getting one of the talented SFs next draft. Once again, I won't be satisfied until this team wins a ring. The 6th to 8th seed in the playoffs doesn't mean anything to me. And others think we can aquire superstars through unrealistic trade ideas.

Really, I think this feeling for instant success from fans is more due to the fact that we don't want to see Monty or Dell gone and they don't think Benson will be patient and wait long enough to build a good young team. No 2k trades are going to happen to net us a superstar to pair with AD so the only logical thing seems to be patient. Am I alone here?

[bojangles837]

We've been bad for 2 years now. We have a foundation set up for success in the near future. With a great off season including the landing of a prime free agent, yes, a big name player will sign with New Orleans if he's getting paid, and a top 5 draft pick, there is no reason why we shouldn't compete for a bottom tier playoff seed. In my opinion, there is no reason to wait any longer to win. We have roughly 18 million to spend so we can finally fill out our bench with decent nba caliber role players and veterans that we won't have to complain about each game. The future is bright, we are on the rise. Get on board.

[luckyman]

Building smartly does not equate to building slowly. Just how many straight years does a team need to be in the lottery? 2 lotto picks last year plus yet another this year is plenty enough. Losing and hoping lotto picks all pan out is a foolish route to take. Everybody is not going to be OKC, who still have yet to win a title and might very well not win another playoff game just because ONE player is out.

This is also a business meant to make money. Turning a profit in the NBA is difficult as it is and constantly losing doesn't help make the franchise desirable for free agents or coaching stability. You already see the toll it put on Monty last year and I'm afraid another year of that will make him unravel. Nobody wants to lose. It's not fun.

[RUFshreve]

We are on the rise, I agree with that part. And I'm fully on board. But a big name signing here right now I kinda doubt.

[Silverfoxx]

I had a big long discussion with someone about this recently. He was cut from the "winning is everything "model. And I was trying to explain the slow build idea to him. After 3 long hours he still couldn't understand how losing was ok.. he felt that in order to establish a winning culture is players and coaches who only wants to win amd eeven brought up today's weak society who applualds and celebrates 3rd place and 2nd place by teaching kids that winning isn't everything.

Basically he was saying that not winning and hoping and preparing for better days was weak and pathetic. I tried to explain the business aspect to him of being a small market basketball team and needing to build contenders by having young talent that u can build with.


Basically ..he referred to the Pelicans as the New Charlotte Bobcats and said AD will jet when he really wants to win and said that's why most stars do because we tell them early in the NBA days that losing is "ok" because we are young and need more better players.

He said the Pelicans may never win a championship with our current coaching staff and mindset. He said we meed to be winners and stop being soft and kickass

[PowerPel]

I had a big long discussion with someone about this recently. He was cut from the "winning is everything "model. And I was trying to explain the slow build idea to him. After 3 long hours he still couldn't understand how losing was ok.. he felt that in order to establish a winning culture is players and coaches who only wants to win amd eeven brought up today's weak society who applualds and celebrates 3rd place and 2nd place by teaching kids that winning isn't everything.

Basically he was saying that not winning and hoping and preparing for better days was weak and pathetic. I tried to explain the business aspect to him of being a small market basketball team and needing to build contenders by having young talent that u can build with.


Basically ..he referred to the Pelicans as the New Charlotte Bobcats and said AD will jet when he really wants to win and said that's why most stars do because we tell them early in the NBA days that losing is "ok" because we are young and need more better players.

He said the Pelicans may never win a championship with our current coaching staff and mindset. He said we meed to be winners and stop being soft and kickass

Interesting point of view. Get physical. Can't beat em bully them, That is what the Chicago Bulls are doing. Look at the Pistons back in the day. Chuck Daly coached them like renegades and Pistons won.

[Kumar]

Lucking out in the draft is a huge gamble. For every OKC there has been a SAC, CHA, WASH and before Paul, LAC. These teams tried to build through lottery picks and have failed miserably. Eventually the core you do have will leave. You can't keep cycling 19-21 year olds who haven't been in the game for so long. You consider us contenders in 4-5 years, but Anderson, Lopez, Gordon, and Davis all run out of contracts by then. No doubt we will manage to retain Davis because of his rookie contract, but we lose important pieces. Sooner or later you have to bring in talent. We have already done the rebuilding via draft for two years now. Its time to bring in talent now to complement our young core.

[42]

There is nothing wrong with building slowly and nothing inherently right with it either.

What you do see is also a large amount of unrealistic expectations based on a shallow understanding of the business, denial, and impatience.

[GeauxPelicans]

Call me crazy, but I think the key to our rebuild is drafting Burke this year. He could be our PG for a long time. He can score, shoot the 3, slash, pass, basically he can do everything you want your PG to do. If Monty could develop his defense to a respectable level, we could have an All Star at PG and PF in the near future. Having a Burke/Gordon back court wouldn't be ideal size wise, but they both could handle the ball and they both can hit 3 at a good clip. This would allow Rivers to become the 6th man/combo guard which I think is his best chance at being a successful NBA player and if Rivers develops well it would give us a solid 3 man rotation at guard. Plus they all could handle the ball and play the point if needed.

[iNolaNightmare]

At a recent meeting with the ticket reps, Tom Benson discussed with them ways to sell tickets. Lots of people had pretty nice ideas but Tom Benson banged on the desk, everyone went silent. He said "I know how we sell tickets, win some damn games!"

This is a true story. I don't think we're in for the slow build.

[Adam the Legend]

At a recent meeting with the ticket reps, Tom Benson discussed with them ways to sell tickets. Lots of people had pretty nice ideas but Tom Benson banged on the desk, everyone went silent. He said "I know how we sell tickets, win some damn games!"

This is a true story. I don't think we're in for the slow build.

If that is true, then I love it! Nice to the Old Man still has the fire in the belly, and that he wants the Pels to succeed as much as the Saints. I know part of his motivation is making money, but I like that he's taking a hands on approach.

[Purple Haze]

If that is true, then I love it! Nice to the Old Man still has the fire in the belly, and that he wants the Pels to succeed as much as the Saints. I know part of his motivation is making money, but I like that he's taking a hands on approach.

But it's also reactionary and foolish. You can't just MAKE these things happen in the NBA you have to mold it. I don't want one or two good years of Pelicans basketball, I want a foundation of winning.

Over reacting and overspending got us in the mess that we JUST got out of financially as the Hornets. I don't want to be paying for Iggy and Bledsoe for 8 years or some mess.

[BallSoHard]

But it's also reactionary and foolish. You can't just MAKE these things happen in the NBA you have to mold it. I don't want one or two good years of Pelicans basketball, I want a foundation of winning.

Over reacting and overspending got us in the mess that we JUST got out of financially as the Hornets. I don't want to be paying for Iggy and Bledsoe for 8 years or some mess.

4 years..

[GeauxPelicans]

If we draft Burke, Iggy is the perfect compliment in my opinion. A lineup of
Burke/Vasquez/Rivers
Gordon/Rivers
Iggy/Miller
Davis/Anderson/Smith
Lopez/Davis/Smith
Would give us a nice blend of offense and defense plus we'd still have some $$$ under the cap to add another bench option.

[Silverfoxx]

IMO its Burke or bust. Rivers would be our Manu Ginobli/Jamal Crawford with defense if he improves. Monty HAS TO STEP UP HIS GAME TOO. Better coachingand athletic defenders and rebounded with a knack to be great and hustle will indeed make us a respected franchise.

If Monty fail this year ...he is gone bye bye. Time for us to get tough and start winning some damn games. Our core needs to know that winning is important. IMO there are only two guys on the team with that approach right now.


VASQUEZ AND JASON SMITH.

[AD23forMVP]

It's definitely not Burke or bust.

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[da ThRONe]

Building slowly gives you much more leeway for mistakes. That's why it's so much more important in a rebuild. People are against trading Gordon. If we hitch our wagon to that guy in he continue to do with he does(we all know what that is) or leaves where are we?

If we trade him for a draft pick we have the luxury of having control of another guys rights for realistically 8-10 years. That would give us two this year and likely another high pick next year. That would be four guys with 6-10 years where we control their rights. That's how you build. With large windows for success and room for deviations. No rebuild strategy is full proof if it was every team would go 41-41. It will require our scouts and Demps to have a eye for talent. If they can't they aren't the right people for this team.

[da ThRONe]

I don't think it's Burke or bust I really like Oladipo as well. But I think Trey is the best player in the whole draft by a decent margin.

[PowerPel]

At a recent meeting with the ticket reps, Tom Benson discussed with them ways to sell tickets. Lots of people had pretty nice ideas but Tom Benson banged on the desk, everyone went silent. He said "I know how we sell tickets, win some damn games!"

This is a true story. I don't think we're in for the slow build.

He(Benson) did say at the presser last year when he bought the team that he wanted to win now. He(Benson) sure is not getting any younger. I think drafting Burke could be the next CP3.

[da ThRONe]

Lucking out in the draft is a huge gamble. For every OKC there has been a SAC, CHA, WASH and before Paul, LAC. These teams tried to build through lottery picks and have failed miserably. Eventually the core you do have will leave. You can't keep cycling 19-21 year olds who haven't been in the game for so long. You consider us contenders in 4-5 years, but Anderson, Lopez, Gordon, and Davis all run out of contracts by then. No doubt we will manage to retain Davis because of his rookie contract, but we lose important pieces. Sooner or later you have to bring in talent. We have already done the rebuilding via draft for two years now. Its time to bring in talent now to complement our young core.

So is free agency which is twice the gamble because you are committed to that player financially. Memphis missed on Thabeet big time. Not even feeling the affects from a huge bust.

Again there's no science in draftimg , but it gives you flexibility. The Cavs, Thunder, Warriors all built mostly through the draft. All three are in much better shape because of it.

[GeauxPelicans]

So is free agency which is twice the gamble because you are committed to that player financially. Memphis missed on Thabeet big time. Not even feeling the affects from a huge bust.

Again there's no science in draftimg , but it gives you flexibility. The Cavs, Thunder, Warriors all built mostly through the draft. All three are in much better shape because of it.

I get what you are saying. The easiest way for a small market team to become a championship caliber team is to build through the draft. That's how OKC did it, and that's how the Spurs did it. Those are the only two small market teams that have had any success lately. Problem is, which lottery team do you expect to take Gordon? Plus they would have to send back a large amount of salary unless they are also under the cap, so they would have to be a lottery team with a huge expiring, huge cap space, or a couple of small expirings plus some young guys on rookie contracts. Can u think of a realistic trade for Gordon where we get back basically just a 1st round pick next year?

I'd use our cap on Iggy. He'd be the veteran presence that every young team needs, plus he's still a great defender and is a do it all glue guy on offense.

[Silverfoxx]

So is free agency which is twice the gamble because you are committed to that player financially. Memphis missed on Thabeet big time. Not even feeling the affects from a huge bust.

Again there's no science in draftimg , but it gives you flexibility. The Cavs, Thunder, Warriors all built mostly through the draft. All three are in much better shape because of it.

This is true. However its good to have a coach that install a winning mindset on young guys early.Playing for high draft picks can create unpassionate players in the long run.

[Silverfoxx]

I don't think it's Burke or bust I really like Oladipo as well. But I think Trey is the best player in the whole draft by a decent margin.

.
I say its Burke or Bust because I believe grabbing the best player in the draft will help us to finally start our foundation of winning. Oladipo is a good player...but its more of a unsure thing at his offensive game. To gamble on him to play a position of 2 or even 3 is a huge risk. If we desperately need scoring and we are uunsure about Eric Gordon being here.. then why put ourselves in a position for a unsure thing at conventional postion where scoring is a must?(SG) Trey Burke is a fantastic player where his game has shown to be something that will already provide something that we need at the movement. PnR, passing, scoring, defense potential, awareness, winning mentality, and leadership are things he ALREADY SHOWS. The kid will only get better.


We need to start playing SERIOUS. Hell we have to for Monty job security sake.

[GESWhoseBack]

This is true. However its good to have a coach that install a winning mindset on young guys early.Playing for high draft picks can create unpassionate players in the long run.

I don't think Monty ok with losing but you can only control so much.

[LoCo89]

I don't think Monty ok with losing but you can only control so much.

In a league where fans call for coach's heads for losing, I wouldn't be ok with losing either