12-11-2025, 09:22 AM
(12-11-2025, 03:39 AM)khaled1987 Wrote: I agree with the definition, I don't agree with your application on it though.
Conference makes a hell of a difference if you are aiming for chip, an inferior Eastern conference team can be a contender while a Western one isn't. Once you are in the finals everything could happen. Raptors had no business being an NBA finals winners but KD went down, Pacers were supposed to be anhalitad by OKC but they were in game 7 and maybe an achilles from getting their first ring.
The way I see it, this is closer to the 2018-09 season when Lebron left the East. This time, the best 2 teams in Pacers and Boston has their best players injured, and it is a wide open race. Knicks downgraded their coaching with a serial loser too, the rest are more of ambitious teams with many holes and no track record of winning. It is a wide open race.
This is essentially the perfect scenario for a win now trade, and why many Eastern teams are very interested in AD, he can be the difference for going all the way to the finals.
And then, as I said, for Atlanta even a final will be like a ring, because they never made it there. It will be a historical achievement.
It is also important to remember this, Atlanta package will likely be around KP, filler and picks. They don't give much.
NO pick is their most valuable assets, however it has an expiring date, once you draft a player he isn't an asset based on where he was drafted, but depending on how good he is. And even if he is good, it will be dependent on how fast he can help you to win in this open Eastern conference.
I agree that going with the NO pick is full of uncertanties. But this scenario has imho much higher ceiling, a very reasonable potential to become OKC of the East, since Atlantas young core is locked long-term at very low numbers. Not counting Trae, who is a big decision they need to make. However, I think a trade for Davis has at least as much uncertanties as betting on the NO pick. He is injured a lot. Even if not, he only increases a chance of making it to the finals. I think we simply value situations differently and I can totally accept that Atlanta shares your view. But with the information we have, there is no indication that they actually do.