I already stated the trade deadline waiting game, too- absolutely fine on that as the timeline and it's clear "negativity" is a quick target here. I get it. It seemed like maybe something different was on the way (again) this year. Poor Mark Jones has to beat the Fox is an All Star drum every night on the broadcast as part of that side of the hype game, while fans who collect management trading cards have other angles they try to enjoy things even in down times (all times).
When the trade deadline passes and nothing's changed, I know everyone will be ready to talk real turkey then.
But all the moving goal posts lol. You have a "max player" you believe in, you should be able to get some wins.
You're developing a system for future success and fine with some collateral damage in the win column this year? We should see some sort of actual work happening to that end. The margin of losses is way worse this year. Just a defensive sieve. And nothing remarkable is being worked on on court, strategy wise, thus far. Again, I think this has to do with the severely limited brain power of the roster. Haliburton is way above average, and Barnes is very smart. Beyond that, it's pretty shaky in the IQ department.
No amount of careful quietism and rationalizing cures all this. Too many stories being spun now.
Win or go home. It's a winners' league, as the winners say.