They took plenty of risk (what's more risky than drafting a small school PG w/ no jump shot in the lottery?). They just made some weird choices that seemed objectively terrible the moment they were made. I disagree they had to bottom out completely to succeed in a rebuild, that's absurd (at least it was 2 years ago when they had plenty of assets to make moves with). The Nuggets didnt do that and their rebuild is looking great. It also doesnt help when you miss on a high lottery pick like they did with Hezonja and trade away their 2nd overall pick, who had mild success, in Oladipo.
I still dont get the Ibaka trade at all. I dont get giving Biyombo that albatross contract. I dont get dealing Tobias Harris away for nothing. I dont get trying to make Aaron Gordon a SF in a league where going smaller is the obvious move. I dont get signing Jeff Green.
The thing is now I feel like they actually do have to bottom out their team now because they dealt away so many assets for pennies on the dollar and screwed themselves with bad contracts. Best thing they can do now is deal away everyone who isnt Aaron Gordon or Evan Fournier. Get rid of everyone else if possible. I'd probably hold on to Hezonja too just because he has 0 trade value. If I'm the Orlando owner I get Hinkie on the phone because he is surely the only one who can save them from the hole they dug for themselves.