A few observations. First, the increase in injuries is a real thing as you suggest that people are just not talking about enough. It's everywhere in every sport now despite players having supposed better training, development, medical care along with reduced schedules from load management, fewer padded practices or otherwise. It's not just MLB pitchers as Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and others have struggled with injuries.
Look at the explosion of Achilles tendon ruptures in football - once extremely rare, now there's a handful every season and Dre Greenlaw can't even run onto the grass field during the Super Bowl without a rupture. They've become so common that today the procedures have advanced to a point where a player can potentially return in season versus ending careers. It's everywhere and increasing. Even Messi is now getting blow back from his injuries. Why are modern athletes now unable to perform at levels that were commonplace only a decade or so ago?
Second, concentration of assets is generally a bad strategy. This is true in investing, in business lines and even in nuclear weapons strategy (see nuclear triad). Not only does it increase the risk of an unexpected failure, but it makes it easier to counter as options are reduced and your tendencies become more predictable to attack. The Boston Celtics this year were the epitome of diversification of assets on the floor, where every player could score and do one or more key things for the team. Having a single guy do only "rim protection" - the current fad - is just not sustainable against a more diversified opponent if you want to win a championship.
Finally, I would love to dig into what elements of RAPTOR comprised these "super teams?" It's likely not the same mix. Meaning if RAPTOR was elevated for three players solely from their scoring ability (I'm thinking Clippers here), that might not be a recipe for success. However, where RAPTOR is elevated by different skills (Chris Bosh's rebounding in Miami, for example), that might be a more successful mix of talent. In other words, if I ran a front office, I would like to look not just at "super teams" generally as an overarching number, but what elements of RAPTOR spread out among those star players suggest greater diversification and success based on history.
A few observations. First, the increase in injuries is a real thing as you suggest that people are just not talking about enough. It's everywhere in every sport now despite players having supposed better training, development, medical care along with reduced schedules from load management, fewer padded practices or otherwise. It's not just MLB pitchers as Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and others have struggled with injuries.
Look at the explosion of Achilles tendon ruptures in football - once extremely rare, now there's a handful every season and Dre Greenlaw can't even run onto the grass field during the Super Bowl without a rupture. They've become so common that today the procedures have advanced to a point where a player can potentially return in season versus ending careers. It's everywhere and increasing. Even Messi is now getting blow back from his injuries. Why are modern athletes now unable to perform at levels that were commonplace only a decade or so ago?
Second, concentration of assets is generally a bad strategy. This is true in investing, in business lines and even in nuclear weapons strategy (see nuclear triad). Not only does it increase the risk of an unexpected failure, but it makes it easier to counter as options are reduced and your tendencies become more predictable to attack. The Boston Celtics this year were the epitome of diversification of assets on the floor, where every player could score and do one or more key things for the team. Having a single guy do only "rim protection" - the current fad - is just not sustainable against a more diversified opponent if you want to win a championship.
Finally, I would love to dig into what elements of RAPTOR comprised these "super teams?" It's likely not the same mix. Meaning if RAPTOR was elevated for three players solely from their scoring ability (I'm thinking Clippers here), that might not be a recipe for success. However, where RAPTOR is elevated by different skills (Chris Bosh's rebounding in Miami, for example), that might be a more successful mix of talent. In other words, if I ran a front office, I would like to look not just at "super teams" generally as an overarching number, but what elements of RAPTOR spread out among those star players suggest greater diversification and success based on history.
Thanks as always.