04-23-2025, 05:35 PM
(04-23-2025, 07:11 AM)david75090 Wrote: From a marketing standpoint, a white American basketball star would have quite a bit of value, initially, to a certain demographic. On the court, it wouldn't matter. Best player available. Teams over the years have allowed all manner of things to sway their judgements. I've had certain people say "NCAA players from a major conference" as the only players they'd consider if they were GM. That was pre-Dirk. Even at that, after all Dirk did, that person considered Dirk to be the exception to the rule. That person has passed on to the next plane of existence, but I bet he'd still feel that way. Those folks are out there. Is your goal to put the best team on the floor, or is your goal something else? Then, you GM to your goals, whatever they are.
People has their bias, that sometimes they fail to even acknowledge. It isn't usually ill intended either.
Also, owners cares about money, and money isn't always coming from winning.
This is where the discussion at, some suggest Nico seems to have some bias, but even if that bias is real a player like Flagg is so marketable now, that no way the owner will let you pass on him, unless you are so established in your position like Danny Ainge when he traded a chance to get Fultz, for Tatum.
This is the only case in the past 2 decades or so that a GM passed on a consensus first overall pick.
Nico ain't Ainge, Dumont isn't Grousbeck. Niether will risk a chance on Flagg if it magically happen.
PS: regarding Nico bias, it could be age, former relation or NCAA experience