Quote:
Originally Posted by Bayliss
Because OKC got really lucky in what they did. They drafted Durant, but STILL sucked. Then they got Westbrook. But still sucked. Then they got Ibaka and still sucked. Then they got Harden.
They sucked for about 5 years straight. Most teams that draft a player like Durant's caliber don't immediately get another lottery pick for awhile. (See the Cavs for instance....)
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Wasn't Ibaka part of the Westrbook draft? So that's three years of sucking. Actually two really, bottomed out to take Durant and then with him there were two more really bad years. After that they took off.
The point is though that most teams will suck for a bit even if they acquire that kind of talent. Cleveland didn't make the playoffs in a crappy East even with LeBron for two years straight. And they had much more veteran talent in their team.
But it was arguably the presence of that veteran talent that prohibited them from ever becoming great. After LeBron they never had another top pick because that veteran talent was good enough to keep them mediocre as LeBron was still growing, but never more than that to truly help him contend.
Unless you are getting 1997 Duncan (and who stays 4 years in school anymore really?) even the best talent will struggle for a couple of years