re: No top 20 player - no chance to win a title

Did any of those player’s organizations attempt to hand the keys to the franchise to a different player in year 5? Did any of their teammates give interviews at media day about how they were happy that they were going to have the ball and they were going to be the chief decision maker? Did any of those dudes not get announced last by their own team in the starting lineups?

The Zion situation is unique. He has been injured. A lot. He has had some issues with maturity. But, he also has put up historical statistics since his rookie season. When he came back after missing the entire season with the foot he looked pedestrian by his standards to start the 2022-2023 season. Then BI got injured and Zion took the damn league by storm before his injury.

I have been banging this drum since the preseason but the organization inexplicably handed the keys of being the number one player to BI. This might have been because of planned load management, but I suspect it is because Willie and Griff wanted it to be so. It was a gross miscalculation. Yes, Zion wasn’t in peak shape to begin the season. But over the last two months when he has gotten the minutes and the opportunity he has been absolutely dominant. It’s why I said last night in the game thread that the number one thing I want to see from this team down the stretch is a concerted effort to maximize their best player, Zion.