From the desk of the Heat GM: The Vision
Posted: February 14th, 2024, 12:01 pm
“I quit”
For seven hours, I was out. Done with SLN. Three and a half months of build up for Kawhi went to nothing in one fell swoop courtesy of the GOAT Amelia. All three lotto picks either going backwards or staying the same. The number one overall pick dropping to number four. FOUR?!? How could it go all the way to FOUR??!? No Kawhi Leonard. No Jimmy Butler. The grand 2011 draft plan with five FRP was blown to shit. I was pissed about having to learn the new boards. Heading into a crucial couple of work months in my day job. About to move cities. I was just fed up. Told myself, you won a title, we’re not even playing for money, get out, be happy with the game, and move on. The definition of a rage-quit. Basically had flashbacks to a 2am on a Wednesday night in 2014 and a last minute BS goal against in FIFA all over again.
But then I woke up the next day and realized I couldn’t quit. If the game wasn’t so awesome, then I wouldn’t have cared. And shoutout @Merv for talking me off the bridge. So here we are a couple days and a handful of trades later with a fun core of Klay Thompson, John Wall, Kenneth Faried, Taj Gibson, Jodie Meeks, three 2012 FRP, and enough RP to camp everyone appropriately.
Heat fans, I apologize. To my fellow SLN GM, I apologize. It was only because I cared about this stupid, wonderful game. So we’re all the way back in. New Boards, let’s do it. Ashes still being the GOAT, let’s do it. The Woo still being preposterous and he and Nick being exactly what this league needs to keep it spicy? Let’s do it.
Now… Heat Fans, I owe you an explanation of the vision for this team.
Will we tank again in 2012? A fair question. We weren't planning on it with Kawhi. Hand up, was ready to move forward and try to win with the young guys, supplement, enjoy, all of the above. We were insanely excited to flip that switch. But now.. I’m not sure this core is good enough to be a dynasty. And that’s what we’re trying to build. Did John Wall win ROY? Yes. Are we also unsure his offense is good enough to be a one or two option on a title team? Also yes. Am I coming off as a dickhead for asking myself so many questions? Probably also yes.
It’s a really, really fun core that could be supplemented with a superstar (and still may!) but the potential to somewhat control a destiny for Dame or AD is hard to pass up. We shall see how the free agency gods treat us.
In reality, we’re going to give a lot of minutes to the young core. They could be supplemented with some cost-efficient moves to build more assets down the road so that we’re in a prime position to target who we want and more importantly when this core is ready to turn the corner.
We have bids in on the big boys, know that, Heat fans. We would like to find minutes for Rajon Rondo and his B potential to flip him to a team that doesn’t have John Wall. Hand up, that was an overpay but now he's an intriguing expiring.
We’ve given ourselves a ton of flexibility, rebuilt our RP from nothing, and finally have the NDL pipeline rolling. We will be all in with this core, it just may be one more season. This year is a great opportunity to see what we have. The goal remains the same.. to make this a long term well-built machine and we’ll strike when the time is right.
I promise not to quit on you again, Heat Nation. And if we win another title, I will replicate this man’s head tattoo.
For seven hours, I was out. Done with SLN. Three and a half months of build up for Kawhi went to nothing in one fell swoop courtesy of the GOAT Amelia. All three lotto picks either going backwards or staying the same. The number one overall pick dropping to number four. FOUR?!? How could it go all the way to FOUR??!? No Kawhi Leonard. No Jimmy Butler. The grand 2011 draft plan with five FRP was blown to shit. I was pissed about having to learn the new boards. Heading into a crucial couple of work months in my day job. About to move cities. I was just fed up. Told myself, you won a title, we’re not even playing for money, get out, be happy with the game, and move on. The definition of a rage-quit. Basically had flashbacks to a 2am on a Wednesday night in 2014 and a last minute BS goal against in FIFA all over again.
But then I woke up the next day and realized I couldn’t quit. If the game wasn’t so awesome, then I wouldn’t have cared. And shoutout @Merv for talking me off the bridge. So here we are a couple days and a handful of trades later with a fun core of Klay Thompson, John Wall, Kenneth Faried, Taj Gibson, Jodie Meeks, three 2012 FRP, and enough RP to camp everyone appropriately.
Heat fans, I apologize. To my fellow SLN GM, I apologize. It was only because I cared about this stupid, wonderful game. So we’re all the way back in. New Boards, let’s do it. Ashes still being the GOAT, let’s do it. The Woo still being preposterous and he and Nick being exactly what this league needs to keep it spicy? Let’s do it.
Now… Heat Fans, I owe you an explanation of the vision for this team.
Will we tank again in 2012? A fair question. We weren't planning on it with Kawhi. Hand up, was ready to move forward and try to win with the young guys, supplement, enjoy, all of the above. We were insanely excited to flip that switch. But now.. I’m not sure this core is good enough to be a dynasty. And that’s what we’re trying to build. Did John Wall win ROY? Yes. Are we also unsure his offense is good enough to be a one or two option on a title team? Also yes. Am I coming off as a dickhead for asking myself so many questions? Probably also yes.
It’s a really, really fun core that could be supplemented with a superstar (and still may!) but the potential to somewhat control a destiny for Dame or AD is hard to pass up. We shall see how the free agency gods treat us.
In reality, we’re going to give a lot of minutes to the young core. They could be supplemented with some cost-efficient moves to build more assets down the road so that we’re in a prime position to target who we want and more importantly when this core is ready to turn the corner.
We have bids in on the big boys, know that, Heat fans. We would like to find minutes for Rajon Rondo and his B potential to flip him to a team that doesn’t have John Wall. Hand up, that was an overpay but now he's an intriguing expiring.
We’ve given ourselves a ton of flexibility, rebuilt our RP from nothing, and finally have the NDL pipeline rolling. We will be all in with this core, it just may be one more season. This year is a great opportunity to see what we have. The goal remains the same.. to make this a long term well-built machine and we’ll strike when the time is right.
I promise not to quit on you again, Heat Nation. And if we win another title, I will replicate this man’s head tattoo.
