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Post by [Account Deleted] on Oct 17, 2014 12:19:07 GMT -6
This is part one of a three part series on the divisions that will matter this year in TMBSL - Central, Midwest, and Pacific
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
Projected Starters:
C Swen Nater
PF Lonnie Shelton
SF Grant Hill
SG Jalen Rose
PG Alvin Robertson
Bench:
PF/C James Edwards
PF/C Scoonie Saperstein
SG/SF Wesley Person
SG/SF Bob Dandridge
Biggest Addition:
Resigned Alvin Robertson to a long-term deal
Biggest Loss:
Phil Chenier
This was the best team in the West by a wide margin last season. They haven't taken a big enough step back along with a significant step forward by another contender to predict otherwise. Losing Phil Chenier might hurt the backcourt depth a bit, but nothing this team's starters can't overcome. As far as the team goes, I could also see Jalen Rose out of the lineup and everyone sliding down and inserting James Edwards at center, but since Ian has seemed determined to experiment with his version of the "Spurs offense" I would expect him to use this lineup with Jalen Rose in to help with the passing and outside shooting. I personally think the Edwards lineup would be stronger, but either way, this is still a dangerous team. However, if Alvin were to go down, this team's outlook would be pretty bleak in my humble opinion.
Earlier today, GM IanBoyd revealed in shout earlier that he seems to be getting a wing with B+ or better outside with good defense on Day 60. The only player I can find in this FA that would meet those criteria and couldn't be traded until Day 60 is Michael Jordan. So there could be a potential blockbuster trade coming for the Timberwolves.
Moving forward, the key to this team's future will be how GM IanBoyd navigates Swen Nater's albatross contract. The best possible scenario for the Wolves would be Nater announcing his retirement after a title run this season, but that remains to be seen. Swen Nater aside, this team is all closer to entering it's prime together rather than leaving it. Shelton is 29, Hill and Rose are 27, and Alvin is 26. I wouldn't expect much in terms of development, but aside from a possible significant step back by Swen this is just as strong a team as it was last year with solid and cheap depth.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
Projected Starters:
C Ryan DeBernardini
PF Boogie Cousins
SF Alvan Adams
SG Kendall Gill
PG John Williamson
Bench:
C/PF Wesley Hyatt
SG/SF Eric Piatkowski
SG/SF Alex English
PG/SG World B Free
PG/SG Mike Gale
Biggest Addition:
World B. Free
Biggest Loss:
Amuian Tibergulus
Last season's 5th seed in the Western Conference, this team was an overtime period away from representing the West in the Finals. Well, the whole crew is back along with former KCO and Celtic PG World B. Free. I think this is the second best team in the conference with the roster shuffles in KC-Omaha and Dallas as long as Adams and Williamson continue to play at a high level. Kendall Gill becoming a contributor would be a boon to this team. I think the main problem here is the over-abundance of quality perimeter depth and the dearth of frontcourt depth. If GM JHB could move a perimeter player or two for a better big man or an above average starting SG, this team could usurp the Wolves at the top of the division.
Moving forward, JHB has locked his Adams-Williamson core into contracts that last until they are scheduled to move into assisted living homes. With JHB riding this core until the wheels fall off, it will be tantamount to this franchise's future for Kendall Gill to develop and for Cousins to offer to resign on a team-friendly deal. Otherwise, this could be an aging, decaying core that can't be moved and delays a proper tank job for sim seasons after sim seasons. The future is now for the Thunder.
3. Kansas-City Omaha Kings
Projected Starters:
C Jerod Kundla
PF Neon Boudeaux
SF Charles Barkley
SG Ricky Sobers
PG Chris Duhon OR Butch McRae OR Jay Humphries
Bench:
PF/C Otis Thorpe
PF/C Yinka Dare
SF Calvin Natt
SG/SF Luke Jackson
Whoever isn't starting at PG
Biggest Additions:
Butch McRae
Otis Thorpe
Biggest Losses:
World B. Free
Darryl Dawkins
I think the biggest question mark about this team is the PG position by far. 20's has a trio of solid options, but I don't love any of them. I don't know that World B. Free would have been a much better option than any of these three either. Butch McRae's defense and scoring are average at best. Jay Humphries has never played more than 20 mpg at any of his stops so far and he's a career 43% shooter. Chris Duhon is Chris Duhon, even in a sim league. If one of these guys steps up and plays at a high level, then this team is definitely a big part of the conversation with Minnesota and OKC at the top of the division. Charles Barkley is a man. Ricky Sobers and Neon are underrated players, in my opinion. Jerod Kundla...all he does is win win win no matter what.
Moving forward, this team is going to be relevant for awhile with a young core of Neon and Sir Charles. So long as those two are Kings, 20's will find the complimentary pieces to make them a playoff team.
4. Dallas Mavericks
Projected Starters:
C Robert Swift
PF Kermit Washington
SF Larry Kenon
SG John Paxson
PG David Thompson
Bench:
PF/C Tom Burleson
SF Dennis Scott
SG/SF Aaron McKie
PG Jackson Cardinal
Biggest Addition:
John Paxson
Tom Burleson
Biggest Loss:
Moses Malone
These are not last year's Dallas Mavericks. The dominance of Moses on the inside will be sorely missed, as will the guidance of veteran GM Soup. Assuming a new GM doesn't come in and shake up the roster though, I feel this team can still be a part of the upper echelon of this division. Thompson and Kenon are still probably the best tandem in the division and I think Thompson is probably worth 20-25 wins by himself. If John Paxson continues his play from the preseason, this team will still be dangerous despite having mediocre starters in Kermit Washington and Robert Swift.
Moving forward, it's almost time to throw in the towel on this core. See if you can contend for another year or two, and then start moving the stars to get young pieces and picks (or picks back for that matter).
5. Utah Jazz
Projected Starters:
C Artis Gilmore
PF George Johnson
SF John Drew
SG Jamaal Wilkes
PG John Wall
Bench:
PF/C Jarvis Varnado
SF Mickey Johnson
PG Slick Watts
Biggest Addition:
Mickey Johnson
John Wall's TC
Biggest Loss:
Tom Barker
This is a good Jazz team but I think swapping Tom Barker for Mickey Johnson and having two 35-year old frontcourt starters is a net negative for this team. To stay as successful as they were last season, I think John Wall's huge TC is going to have to carry over into his production on the court. If this big TC manifests into more efficient scoring and Gilmore and Johnson can stay as good as they were last season, then this is still a dangerous team and a potential contender. However, if Gilmore and Johnson take big steps back and Wall's production doesn't improve by much, they may have trouble hitting 50 wins in this conference despite outstanding play from two star wings.
Moving forward, this team has some staying power if Wall and Wilkes get resigned and 2Poor can find some bigs to replace the likely-soon-to-retire Gilmore/Johnson pairing in the frontcourt.
6. Houston Rockets
Projected Starters:
C Wilt Chamberlain
PF Darryl Dawkins
SF Stanley Robinson
SG Hank Gathers
PG Lionel Hollins
Bench:
PF/C Dwayne Schintzius
PF/C Jin-Soo Kwon
SG/SF Pee Wee Kirkland
PG Doug Collins
Biggest Additions:
Wilt Chamberlain
Darryl Dawkins
Lionel Hollins
Biggest Loss:
Page Savva
This season the Rockets are saying goodbye to Page Savva and intentionally being terrible and saying hello to trying to be competitive. This is an interestingly constructed team. They may be last in the league at 3-pointers attempted and will likely be first in rebounding and free throw rate. They might win a game by virtue of another team having fouled all of it's players out. I still don't think they score efficiently enough to be in the top 5 of this division, although it wouldn't surprise me if they crashed the playoffs. Dawkins will likely hurt the team's offensive efficiency, and it doesn't help their most efficient starter in the preseason was Wilt shooting 44.8% from the field. Still, this should be a fun team to watch and one that I think will bug contenders all season long.
Moving forward, this team has the most youth and potential of any team in the division. It will be fun to watch Stanley Robinson, Gathers, and Wilt develop together. Hopefully for the Rockets, Iggy can make an unexpected jump in the next TC and be a part of this promising team's future.
7. Denver Nuggets
Projected Starters:
C Tom LaGarde
PF Terry Mills
SF Kevin Martin
SG Dorell Wright
PG Avery Bradley
Bench:
PF/C Antonio Davis
SG/SF Cedric Ceballos
PG Chris Jackson
Biggest Addition:
None
Biggest Loss:
Pistol Pete
Otis Thorpe
Ability to draft in 3008 Lottery
This is TMB's Island of Misfit Toys. Bankz has a collection of starting young players who are likely none good enough to be starters for contenders but will be too good for him to properly tank. Tom LaGarde most be his most tradeable asset, yikes. Basically:
Moving forward, I would trade all of these guys for as many picks as I could get and try over again new and fresh.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
Projected Starters:
C Swen Nater
PF Lonnie Shelton
SF Grant Hill
SG Jalen Rose
PG Alvin Robertson
Bench:
PF/C James Edwards
PF/C Scoonie Saperstein
SG/SF Wesley Person
SG/SF Bob Dandridge
Biggest Addition:
Resigned Alvin Robertson to a long-term deal
Biggest Loss:
Phil Chenier
This was the best team in the West by a wide margin last season. They haven't taken a big enough step back along with a significant step forward by another contender to predict otherwise. Losing Phil Chenier might hurt the backcourt depth a bit, but nothing this team's starters can't overcome. As far as the team goes, I could also see Jalen Rose out of the lineup and everyone sliding down and inserting James Edwards at center, but since Ian has seemed determined to experiment with his version of the "Spurs offense" I would expect him to use this lineup with Jalen Rose in to help with the passing and outside shooting. I personally think the Edwards lineup would be stronger, but either way, this is still a dangerous team. However, if Alvin were to go down, this team's outlook would be pretty bleak in my humble opinion.
Earlier today, GM IanBoyd revealed in shout earlier that he seems to be getting a wing with B+ or better outside with good defense on Day 60. The only player I can find in this FA that would meet those criteria and couldn't be traded until Day 60 is Michael Jordan. So there could be a potential blockbuster trade coming for the Timberwolves.
Moving forward, the key to this team's future will be how GM IanBoyd navigates Swen Nater's albatross contract. The best possible scenario for the Wolves would be Nater announcing his retirement after a title run this season, but that remains to be seen. Swen Nater aside, this team is all closer to entering it's prime together rather than leaving it. Shelton is 29, Hill and Rose are 27, and Alvin is 26. I wouldn't expect much in terms of development, but aside from a possible significant step back by Swen this is just as strong a team as it was last year with solid and cheap depth.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
Projected Starters:
C Ryan DeBernardini
PF Boogie Cousins
SF Alvan Adams
SG Kendall Gill
PG John Williamson
Bench:
C/PF Wesley Hyatt
SG/SF Eric Piatkowski
SG/SF Alex English
PG/SG World B Free
PG/SG Mike Gale
Biggest Addition:
World B. Free
Biggest Loss:
Amuian Tibergulus
Last season's 5th seed in the Western Conference, this team was an overtime period away from representing the West in the Finals. Well, the whole crew is back along with former KCO and Celtic PG World B. Free. I think this is the second best team in the conference with the roster shuffles in KC-Omaha and Dallas as long as Adams and Williamson continue to play at a high level. Kendall Gill becoming a contributor would be a boon to this team. I think the main problem here is the over-abundance of quality perimeter depth and the dearth of frontcourt depth. If GM JHB could move a perimeter player or two for a better big man or an above average starting SG, this team could usurp the Wolves at the top of the division.
Moving forward, JHB has locked his Adams-Williamson core into contracts that last until they are scheduled to move into assisted living homes. With JHB riding this core until the wheels fall off, it will be tantamount to this franchise's future for Kendall Gill to develop and for Cousins to offer to resign on a team-friendly deal. Otherwise, this could be an aging, decaying core that can't be moved and delays a proper tank job for sim seasons after sim seasons. The future is now for the Thunder.
3. Kansas-City Omaha Kings
Projected Starters:
C Jerod Kundla
PF Neon Boudeaux
SF Charles Barkley
SG Ricky Sobers
PG Chris Duhon OR Butch McRae OR Jay Humphries
Bench:
PF/C Otis Thorpe
PF/C Yinka Dare
SF Calvin Natt
SG/SF Luke Jackson
Whoever isn't starting at PG
Biggest Additions:
Butch McRae
Otis Thorpe
Biggest Losses:
World B. Free
Darryl Dawkins
I think the biggest question mark about this team is the PG position by far. 20's has a trio of solid options, but I don't love any of them. I don't know that World B. Free would have been a much better option than any of these three either. Butch McRae's defense and scoring are average at best. Jay Humphries has never played more than 20 mpg at any of his stops so far and he's a career 43% shooter. Chris Duhon is Chris Duhon, even in a sim league. If one of these guys steps up and plays at a high level, then this team is definitely a big part of the conversation with Minnesota and OKC at the top of the division. Charles Barkley is a man. Ricky Sobers and Neon are underrated players, in my opinion. Jerod Kundla...all he does is win win win no matter what.
Moving forward, this team is going to be relevant for awhile with a young core of Neon and Sir Charles. So long as those two are Kings, 20's will find the complimentary pieces to make them a playoff team.
4. Dallas Mavericks
Projected Starters:
C Robert Swift
PF Kermit Washington
SF Larry Kenon
SG John Paxson
PG David Thompson
Bench:
PF/C Tom Burleson
SF Dennis Scott
SG/SF Aaron McKie
PG Jackson Cardinal
Biggest Addition:
John Paxson
Tom Burleson
Biggest Loss:
Moses Malone
These are not last year's Dallas Mavericks. The dominance of Moses on the inside will be sorely missed, as will the guidance of veteran GM Soup. Assuming a new GM doesn't come in and shake up the roster though, I feel this team can still be a part of the upper echelon of this division. Thompson and Kenon are still probably the best tandem in the division and I think Thompson is probably worth 20-25 wins by himself. If John Paxson continues his play from the preseason, this team will still be dangerous despite having mediocre starters in Kermit Washington and Robert Swift.
Moving forward, it's almost time to throw in the towel on this core. See if you can contend for another year or two, and then start moving the stars to get young pieces and picks (or picks back for that matter).
5. Utah Jazz
Projected Starters:
C Artis Gilmore
PF George Johnson
SF John Drew
SG Jamaal Wilkes
PG John Wall
Bench:
PF/C Jarvis Varnado
SF Mickey Johnson
PG Slick Watts
Biggest Addition:
Mickey Johnson
John Wall's TC
Biggest Loss:
Tom Barker
This is a good Jazz team but I think swapping Tom Barker for Mickey Johnson and having two 35-year old frontcourt starters is a net negative for this team. To stay as successful as they were last season, I think John Wall's huge TC is going to have to carry over into his production on the court. If this big TC manifests into more efficient scoring and Gilmore and Johnson can stay as good as they were last season, then this is still a dangerous team and a potential contender. However, if Gilmore and Johnson take big steps back and Wall's production doesn't improve by much, they may have trouble hitting 50 wins in this conference despite outstanding play from two star wings.
Moving forward, this team has some staying power if Wall and Wilkes get resigned and 2Poor can find some bigs to replace the likely-soon-to-retire Gilmore/Johnson pairing in the frontcourt.
6. Houston Rockets
Projected Starters:
C Wilt Chamberlain
PF Darryl Dawkins
SF Stanley Robinson
SG Hank Gathers
PG Lionel Hollins
Bench:
PF/C Dwayne Schintzius
PF/C Jin-Soo Kwon
SG/SF Pee Wee Kirkland
PG Doug Collins
Biggest Additions:
Wilt Chamberlain
Darryl Dawkins
Lionel Hollins
Biggest Loss:
Page Savva
This season the Rockets are saying goodbye to Page Savva and intentionally being terrible and saying hello to trying to be competitive. This is an interestingly constructed team. They may be last in the league at 3-pointers attempted and will likely be first in rebounding and free throw rate. They might win a game by virtue of another team having fouled all of it's players out. I still don't think they score efficiently enough to be in the top 5 of this division, although it wouldn't surprise me if they crashed the playoffs. Dawkins will likely hurt the team's offensive efficiency, and it doesn't help their most efficient starter in the preseason was Wilt shooting 44.8% from the field. Still, this should be a fun team to watch and one that I think will bug contenders all season long.
Moving forward, this team has the most youth and potential of any team in the division. It will be fun to watch Stanley Robinson, Gathers, and Wilt develop together. Hopefully for the Rockets, Iggy can make an unexpected jump in the next TC and be a part of this promising team's future.
7. Denver Nuggets
Projected Starters:
C Tom LaGarde
PF Terry Mills
SF Kevin Martin
SG Dorell Wright
PG Avery Bradley
Bench:
PF/C Antonio Davis
SG/SF Cedric Ceballos
PG Chris Jackson
Biggest Addition:
None
Biggest Loss:
Pistol Pete
Otis Thorpe
Ability to draft in 3008 Lottery
This is TMB's Island of Misfit Toys. Bankz has a collection of starting young players who are likely none good enough to be starters for contenders but will be too good for him to properly tank. Tom LaGarde most be his most tradeable asset, yikes. Basically:
Moving forward, I would trade all of these guys for as many picks as I could get and try over again new and fresh.
