I have been highly adamant on trading and doing a mini retool, or even tank for a pick, however I want to play devil's advocate and ask a question that Masai and Bobby might be facing themselves. What if fully healthy (outside OPJ), this team can put together a string of good games?

The intention starting this season was to be a top 6 team in the East and while it has not panned out half way through the season, we are 5.5 games out from 6th seed.

I think the debate of playoffs vs lottery is simply a question of 1) would it be better to give the current players more playoff experience 2) the current roster needs more talent at the top in finding a draft pick that make us better.

We have 16 games till the deadline:

• Hornets (W)
• Hornets (W)
• Hawks (W)
• Knicks
• Bucks (L)
• Wolves
• Celtics (L)
• Knicks
• Kings (W)
• Warriors (L)
• Blazers (W)
• Suns (L)
• Jazz (W)
• Rockets (W)
• Grizzlies (L)
• Spurs (W)

I put what games I think are highly probable wins or losses and left the others as blank. This may not be true love to hear your thoughts, but let's say I'm right. Let's say we got 60/40 on the rest. The result would be 10/6 and the wins would be: 27/29.

With those numbers I would definitely still tank.

Now let's say we won all the in betweens: 11/5 and we would be 28/28. I think it would be a good idea to go for playoffs instead of tank.

It's tough to make a decision, since there is opportunity costs to every decision. But the whole team hasn't been healthy, so hard to decide. I think one or more of FVV/GTJ will be traded due to contract, but between tank or compete for a playoff round for experience is a hard decision.

I think if we do win most of the winnable games & a few of the ones against the better teams, I think we all have to consider "Has this team turned it around".

We got so lucky with the Tank in Tampa, but I'm afraid we aren't bad enough to get a top pick and hoping to move up in the lottery AGAIN is a hard gamble to place. Plus the player we get MAY or MAY NOT pan.

If we win the next 3 (very possible), our FO will be in such a hard place.