21. "RE: Right - the current system works okay for them" In response to In response to 17
>Alright, but this is another opportunity for me to ask an >actual NBA fan: The success those teams have enjoyed means >they're routinely picking at the back of the draft. So is that >an apples to apples comparison or are they just maximizing the >impact of their lower draft position?
Not necessarily, even when those teams have had higher picks they still seem to target more experience players. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kawhi Leonard were all lottery picks.
The younger kids have a higher bust factor because you simply haven't had as much opportunity to evaluate them against higher competition. Also some people get to caught up and "potential" and "floors and ceilings" and ignore basic stuff like "can this kid play? what is his work ethic like? how mature is he? how mentally tough is he? how is he going to act with 7-8 figures in his bank account living on his own?"
You can get a lot better feel for those things at 20-21 than you can at 17-18. Those first few years as an "adult" are a huge growth period mentally for most young people.