The email from the Boston front office arrived at 6:02 AM on Monday. Kyle read it standing in his kitchen, the pale morning light filtering through the blinds, his coffee going cold in his hand.
It was polite, professional, and meticulously analytical. It praised the team's "notable improvement in offensive structure" and "developing cohesion." But the final paragraph was the gut punch, wrapped in corporate velvet.
"While the developmental trajectory is encouraging, the organization's primary metric for the Maine affiliate remains win-loss record as a indicator of playoff readiness and player preparedness for the NBA level. A sustained push towards a .500 record and a playoff berth is viewed as a critical benchmark for the continued investment in the current coaching philosophy."
