LeBron has steamrolled everyone in this era consistently. Your claim that he's not as good as Scottie Pippen is, frankly, totally absurd. And Pippen is one of the best of all-time.
P.S. I'm hardly the greatest defender of the Soviet Union, but I feel inclined to mention they they managed to more than double life expectancy, increase standard of living at a monumental rate, and (most importantly!) kill more Nazis than any other country, so that seems a specious claim. But don't get this relegated to the political forum, DM me if you want to consider this further. We're probably closer than you think.
Isn't that population shrinking/expected to shrink?
Great post. Except for your last paragraph, this pretty much exactly sums up my views on Fultz, Ball and the C's (very expendable) supporting cast.
What part of running tito (and Theo, now that I revisit "chicken&beer") out of town and hiring Bobby "2 full years as local tv stooge" Valentine as manager isn't an absolute joke? I didn't agree and didn't bother watching. To compare Tito to BB is a bit absurd. At least my tv pundit stooge nfl HC (for the time) makes up the gap a bit. Pause now....
I was going to end the half-hearted spat there. I googled some things. Herm had been a pundit for 6ish years at the time of the Sox exodus. However, to keep the time frames aligned: Eric Mangini.
If (when) Fultz learns how to attack defensively face up, compared to the less physically agressive trail-chase swat he's shown a knack for (ie: he's coming as help on a backside bail-out through the paint) he has the ability to dominate on both ends. His length only aids that. Compared to Lonzo's stumbling through a crossover when not shooting a lane opening lanes himself...blah. I'd take a flier on one of the forwards over Ball. But from what little I've seen, if I am Ainge, you HAVE TO TAKE FULTZ.
He is the guy with the fundamentally sound tools, that is "pro ready," as far as creating offense for himself. What has been the biggest question for the c's this year..."who is helping IT when he gets shut-down/off night." Brown has the tools, he needs to work on them. Ball is brandied as the better facilitator. We have Horford who can distribute, and IT who is a better option bringing it up the court than either (Ball/Fultz). Keep in mind, Fultz was THE ONLY GUY on the floor offensively. Ball was facilitating fast breaks and tossing up 3s.
All that said. Crazy thought:
Draft Fultz.
Olynyk, Crowder are trade bait (anyone except: IT, Horford, Bradley, Green(?)), no clue on what we have with all the young guys stashed off the roster. I'd say developmental bigs are the priority need.
4 starters are IT, Horford, Brown/Bradley/Green/Fultz, ?big?
Be happy with reaching 2nd round of play offs.
Let IT walk/sign&trade/deadline trade for big(not sure of what the options for c's to retain value are)
Sign Bradley to play lock down d with scoring ability w/ brown and fultz who have hopefully created problems for teams. (Assuming value for IT departure).
Lottery pick again.
If an injury to Horford or something crazy to derail next season early happens; IT is trade bait (assuming fultz/brown making their mark). In such a scenario, youd have a great set of "smalls," horford, a mystery pick, and i pray some athletic(pick n pop def) big.
Argue all you want with IT as trade bait, but if Brown progresses, add fultz ( and he comes as advertised), and you have 1 max contract freed up (with Bradley on a lucrative deal). I dont know the bs with bird rules and exceptions re NBA, and IDGAF. Radio pundits managed to create a scenario for; IT max contract, another max contract player, plus keeping Crowder+younger fellas?