I know it's hopeless on the Payton front

...He's got 9 more days before his next evaluation and then he'll have to get into shape. I need DSJ to close the door by that time because any slip-up and whether it's Perry or Fiz, someone is gonna be pushing to get Payton his minutes.
On Frank, I feel you 100%. He's looking like a great example of why patience is so important. A lot of guys don't realize their flashes of potential but plenty develop into something solid and once in a while they make a leap and just keep improving. When we especially consider young cats, this ish is KEY. I remember old debates about HS players after the rule first changed and I was surprised at just how many of those cats came in looking bad but became good players and a chunk of them just kept growing. This goes for Knox and Frank and Barrett actually, but those first couple of years are damn near the equivalent of college play for a lot of guys. That patience can be REALLY rewarding if you can wait it out and we've been in the position to wait and see for years now.
Knox could be that. Frank is starting to look like that. RJ...he's so ahead of the curve at super young that I'm extra hype for him. I thought he'd be another project because of his jumper and right hand, but his strength translated way more than I thought and I slept on his IQ. His right hand finishing has already ticked up in recent games too, it's crazy. I think Knox needs a lot of work but has a LOT of time to get there and we have time to wait.
25 wins is different if Frank, RJ, Mitch, DSJ and Knox are getting significant minutes and getting us there from if it's a rotation with predominantly the vets. It's way harder to watch a team like last season where you know that 2/3's the players have no future with the team. I don't mind seeing these kids go through some ups and downs even if it hurts us sometimes. The end goal isn't 30 wins in 2019/2020...it's perpetual 45 win teams from 2022 to 2028 or something with a real hope that we can get that chip. I know a lot of heads will say "damn that's too long" but we're still only a three win team and look at the enthusiasm shift as the team shows growth...We can get there...a Cole Anthony lucky draft lottery would accelerate it too.