Post by Odin on Feb 11, 2016 6:27:04 GMT -6
Far gone are the days of the Central dominance of 2.0. With 3 championships in 4.0 and only 1 during the Soup era, the Central is easily the worst and least decorated division we have. Let's take a closer look at the teams to see if anything will be changing soon.
Atlanta Hawks
Notable players: Deandre Jordan
Picks: Hawks '30-33, Jazz 30, Bucks 31
Current grade: 0/10
Future grade: 4/10
Breakdown: The Hawks franchise was left in shambles by everyone's favorite GM, rw. Luckily for the Hawks, devine was next in line to take over. Devine salvaged as much as he could be fell short of the required amount of activity. Then comes the return of veteran gm duc. They don't have their pick this year but that's fine, there's quite a bit more needed here than a one year tank and retool. Deandre Jordan looks like a competent big and I'm still holding out hope that Parsons will turn into a guy who can log some minutes without being a disaster. With a roster that looks like this the future of the franchise rests solely on the shoulders of duc. Only time will tell if he can turn it around.
Charlotte Hornets
Notable players: Alvaro Teheran, Julius Randle
Picks: All Hornets picks
Current grade: 4/10
Future grade: 4/10
Breakdown: Julius Randle looks like the first stud big since Blair (maybe Tobi, I can't remember) and Teheran is a nice defensive big who struggles to rebound at an elite level. Unfortunately for rv, the talent level really falls off after that. Jimmer is a solid player but refuses to shoot. Historically when rv gets an elite player nothing happens and I'm pretty sure things aren't changing in Charlotte any time soon. Luckily, rv never trades so he actually has all of his picks so he really just needs to draft good players for the next 3 seasons and land a big time FA.
Not happening.
Chicago Bulls
Notable players: lol
Picks: Bulls 29 and 31-33, Warriors 29 and 31, Bucks 33, Jazz 29, Nets 31
Current grade: 0/10
Future grade: 3/10
Breakdown: I'm not too sure what Bruns is doing. He doesn't have his pick next year yet he turned his roster into an absolute wasteland. It doesn't really help that his interest has been waning for quite some time. The Warriors picks could be decent and there's always value in a Bucks pick but this team is clearly in the worst position in the division. Knowing Bruns he's sure to turn it around but who knows how long that will take.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Notable players: Benji Wilson, Jahlil Okafor, Damon Stoudamire, Tristan Thompson, Kevin Durant
Picks: Cavs 30-33
Current grade: 7/10
Future grade: 5/10
Breakdown: Much like the Nets of the past decade, I truly have no idea why this team is seeing this level of success. Okafor is a monster on the boards and Thompson is disruptive as hell while Stoudamire is one of the few remaining elite PGs. Unfortunately for shaun, Durant will probably retire and Stoudamire and Thompson are expiring. Resigning Thompson and Stoudamire would be huge but he needs to be careful with Stoudamire's contract. He has his picks beginning next year so if everything goes horribly wrong he can sell off Benji for a nice return and tank for a bit. Clearly that's something you try to avoid but it is an inevitability.
Indiana Pacers
Notable players: Bob Cousy, James Harden
Picks: Pacers 30-33
Current grade: 4/10
Future grade: 1/10
Breakdown: Well, this seems like a familiar situation. Cousy is an elite player with a good few miles left on him but won't be traded any time soon despite the ass situation the franchise is currently in. Harden is a decent player but he's getting up there in age. There's literally nothing left on this roster and the fact that this team is currently in the playoffs should be a slap in the face to everyone in the East. The only logical move to make here is trade Cousy and tank. Hard.
Memphis Bobcats
Notable players: Myles Turner, William Bedford, Tobi Oyedeji, Ty Lawson
Picks: Knicks 31 and 32
Current grade: 7/10
Future grade: 2/10
Breakdwon: This is absolutely one of the best front courts in the league but the back court is barely a back court. Ty Lawson has come in and given this team the competent PG they've been missing but there's a C defense guy that has been starting at SG all year, which is quite EMBARRASSING. Myles Turner is incredibly old and has officially begun his decline. While I don't actually expect him to retire soon it is a situation to monitor closely. Tobi is an elite big but could easily walk after this year. My "I don't need no stinkin' picks" mentality may come back to bite me in the ass but whatevs, I'll have more picks to trade when that time comes. I don't need no stinkin picks.
Milwaukee Bucks
Notable players: Kenny Anderson, Kevin Brooks, Bismack Biyombo, Jabari Parker, Adreian Payne, Ryan Anderson, DJ White
Picks: none
Current grade: 5/10
Future grade: 8/10
Breakdwon: This team looks like the best chance for a title over the next half decade. Anderson is very good and Brooks is up there with the best SGs in the league. On top of that, trof has quite a few promising looking prospects that just need some time to develop. There's not much the team can do right now due to a major weakness in the post but that should change in the coming years with fully developed Biyombo and Payne, perhaps even Anderson and the underrated DJ White. Brooks and Anderson are both signed long term so there's no fear of losing them. The future is bright in Milwaukee.
Toronto Raptors
Notable players: Tobias Harris
Picks: Raptors 30-33, Suns 29-31, Bucks 31
Current grade: 3/10
Future grade: 5/10
Breakdown: Tobias Harris is looking like a very nice player but there's not much else on the roster. Pete has clearly torn this team to the ground in anticipation of a tank next year. All in all, it looks like a great time to be tanking as there are quite a few interesting classes coming up. Pete has shown his ability to build championship teams, in fact he's the only Central member with a 4.0 title (ht and tyler had the other two) but there won't be another in Toronto any time soon.
Divison breakdown: Ass. Trofie has a nice thing going and the Cavs and Bobcats are as capable of winning a title as anyone else but how long will that last?
Atlanta Hawks
Notable players: Deandre Jordan
Picks: Hawks '30-33, Jazz 30, Bucks 31
Current grade: 0/10
Future grade: 4/10
Breakdown: The Hawks franchise was left in shambles by everyone's favorite GM, rw. Luckily for the Hawks, devine was next in line to take over. Devine salvaged as much as he could be fell short of the required amount of activity. Then comes the return of veteran gm duc. They don't have their pick this year but that's fine, there's quite a bit more needed here than a one year tank and retool. Deandre Jordan looks like a competent big and I'm still holding out hope that Parsons will turn into a guy who can log some minutes without being a disaster. With a roster that looks like this the future of the franchise rests solely on the shoulders of duc. Only time will tell if he can turn it around.
Charlotte Hornets
Notable players: Alvaro Teheran, Julius Randle
Picks: All Hornets picks
Current grade: 4/10
Future grade: 4/10
Breakdown: Julius Randle looks like the first stud big since Blair (maybe Tobi, I can't remember) and Teheran is a nice defensive big who struggles to rebound at an elite level. Unfortunately for rv, the talent level really falls off after that. Jimmer is a solid player but refuses to shoot. Historically when rv gets an elite player nothing happens and I'm pretty sure things aren't changing in Charlotte any time soon. Luckily, rv never trades so he actually has all of his picks so he really just needs to draft good players for the next 3 seasons and land a big time FA.
Not happening.
Chicago Bulls
Notable players: lol
Picks: Bulls 29 and 31-33, Warriors 29 and 31, Bucks 33, Jazz 29, Nets 31
Current grade: 0/10
Future grade: 3/10
Breakdown: I'm not too sure what Bruns is doing. He doesn't have his pick next year yet he turned his roster into an absolute wasteland. It doesn't really help that his interest has been waning for quite some time. The Warriors picks could be decent and there's always value in a Bucks pick but this team is clearly in the worst position in the division. Knowing Bruns he's sure to turn it around but who knows how long that will take.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Notable players: Benji Wilson, Jahlil Okafor, Damon Stoudamire, Tristan Thompson, Kevin Durant
Picks: Cavs 30-33
Current grade: 7/10
Future grade: 5/10
Breakdown: Much like the Nets of the past decade, I truly have no idea why this team is seeing this level of success. Okafor is a monster on the boards and Thompson is disruptive as hell while Stoudamire is one of the few remaining elite PGs. Unfortunately for shaun, Durant will probably retire and Stoudamire and Thompson are expiring. Resigning Thompson and Stoudamire would be huge but he needs to be careful with Stoudamire's contract. He has his picks beginning next year so if everything goes horribly wrong he can sell off Benji for a nice return and tank for a bit. Clearly that's something you try to avoid but it is an inevitability.
Indiana Pacers
Notable players: Bob Cousy, James Harden
Picks: Pacers 30-33
Current grade: 4/10
Future grade: 1/10
Breakdown: Well, this seems like a familiar situation. Cousy is an elite player with a good few miles left on him but won't be traded any time soon despite the ass situation the franchise is currently in. Harden is a decent player but he's getting up there in age. There's literally nothing left on this roster and the fact that this team is currently in the playoffs should be a slap in the face to everyone in the East. The only logical move to make here is trade Cousy and tank. Hard.
Memphis Bobcats
Notable players: Myles Turner, William Bedford, Tobi Oyedeji, Ty Lawson
Picks: Knicks 31 and 32
Current grade: 7/10
Future grade: 2/10
Breakdwon: This is absolutely one of the best front courts in the league but the back court is barely a back court. Ty Lawson has come in and given this team the competent PG they've been missing but there's a C defense guy that has been starting at SG all year, which is quite EMBARRASSING. Myles Turner is incredibly old and has officially begun his decline. While I don't actually expect him to retire soon it is a situation to monitor closely. Tobi is an elite big but could easily walk after this year. My "I don't need no stinkin' picks" mentality may come back to bite me in the ass but whatevs, I'll have more picks to trade when that time comes. I don't need no stinkin picks.
Milwaukee Bucks
Notable players: Kenny Anderson, Kevin Brooks, Bismack Biyombo, Jabari Parker, Adreian Payne, Ryan Anderson, DJ White
Picks: none
Current grade: 5/10
Future grade: 8/10
Breakdwon: This team looks like the best chance for a title over the next half decade. Anderson is very good and Brooks is up there with the best SGs in the league. On top of that, trof has quite a few promising looking prospects that just need some time to develop. There's not much the team can do right now due to a major weakness in the post but that should change in the coming years with fully developed Biyombo and Payne, perhaps even Anderson and the underrated DJ White. Brooks and Anderson are both signed long term so there's no fear of losing them. The future is bright in Milwaukee.
Toronto Raptors
Notable players: Tobias Harris
Picks: Raptors 30-33, Suns 29-31, Bucks 31
Current grade: 3/10
Future grade: 5/10
Breakdown: Tobias Harris is looking like a very nice player but there's not much else on the roster. Pete has clearly torn this team to the ground in anticipation of a tank next year. All in all, it looks like a great time to be tanking as there are quite a few interesting classes coming up. Pete has shown his ability to build championship teams, in fact he's the only Central member with a 4.0 title (ht and tyler had the other two) but there won't be another in Toronto any time soon.
Divison breakdown: Ass. Trofie has a nice thing going and the Cavs and Bobcats are as capable of winning a title as anyone else but how long will that last?
