Post by Trofie on Nov 9, 2021 13:28:55 GMT -5
1.With the the first couple days Of FA over, who do you think had the best signing outside of the maxes.
Majic - There were a number of 1 year deals for established players, so I will leave those out for this question. One year deals are boring and theres very little risk, so not overly exciting. I am really intrgued by what the Bulls were able to do this offseason. Feels like Mike has been hanging on by a thready but he finally invested this offseason. Rose is a really nice player outside of his TO's, I like that deal for him. Getting Penny for essentially an MLE for the next 3 years is a solid move as well. Baker is a really nice piece, although old, and should produce on that contract. I also think the Gallinari signing is a sneaky good move considering the low cost. Overall, I like the moves and it puts a decent supporting case around Yao.
Timpig -I really like what the Bulls have done in free agency, grabbing Derrick Rose from the Hornets and retaining Vin Baker on a reasonable $8m per year deal. I didn't even realize Rose hit FA and I'm surprised someone else didn't give him a max or close to it. If the Bulls can improve their wing situation with Yao at center and Rose at PG, they could have a stew going.
I also think Clint Capela has flown a bit under the radar and grabbing him on a one-year deal could work well for the Bucks. If LaSalle stays (which it sounds like he won't), that's a dynamite defensive frontcourt in Milwaukee.
Pete -There's not a ton to get excited about, as is the case most years, but I'll say it's a tie between all of the Bulls signees, if only because it means they might have a pulse this season. He locked up several good players for the next few years, which matches up nicely with the rest of Yao's contract. All of his signees (Vin Baker, Markieff Morris, Danilo Gallinari, Derrick Rose and Penny) are on the wrong side of 30 so things could head south, but I actually think the pieces fit together pretty nicely.
Fason - My first thought was to say Mike with Derrick Rose but that contract looks a little too expensive.
I liked yawns signing of Joe Alexander, that contract is a nice bargain compared to some of the other deals.
BK - The Jazz snatching Deron Williams will be huge for them. He's turned into a top 5 pg that just needs the right play to shine.
Trofie- Apparently I'm one of the only people who didn't like the signings the Bulls made. Rose I liked but that was about it. I liked the Mashburn signing for Yawn and the Dwill for Fason
2.We have seen Sap lose out on a couple Max tier guys. Do you guys think it's fair to implement some sort of compensation for when this happens or are you team deal with it. If you are team deal with and are also team wheel explain how Sap is supposed to bounce back.
Majic -Having that happen is easily one of the worst things to happen in sim league, no question. Sap had been slowly and patiently building his team around Worthy and his bunched high picks only for Worthy to leave. Overall, everyone knows my feelings on the wheel, I hate it, and situations like this expand the issues. He had a bona-fide stud that he drafted and developed and is now gone. Thankfully he has a 1.5 coming up, but thats no guarantee to get a player of Worthy's ability. When a team plans properly around the wheel it can work great, check out the Lakers, but then the other side is that FA randomness can really screw over a team. I think Sap has a plan to rebound from this, but instead of that 1.5 being the final piece to a possible championship contender its now the most important pick he has made yet.
Timpig - don't remember the first guy Sap lost in free agency, but the Worthy loss stings. I don't like the idea of compensation, though I guess I hadn't really thought of it before and giving him a late first wouldn't bother me, almost like a compensatory pick for restricted free agents in various sports. As for how he comes back from it, he has two top 10 picks in the next five seasons and double max cap space next year. It isn't ideal, but it can certainly be done. If he does indeed blow it up, he has multiple guys worth high picks.
Pete- This is a really tough break, especially when Sap was just starting to see the returns from his rebuild. Losing Nique in FA would've sucked but at least I have something to show for it. However, I don't think that means we need to add compensation. The FA luck can swing both ways, and Sap could just as easily steal a top-flight FA the next time it comes up. Ank lost Shawn Kemp Jr. one year only to snag Kevin Love the next. Sap has a quality team and Fultz looks on his way to stardom, and he has 1.5 coming next draft. I just don't know where you draw the line on FA compensation. I know this isn't true in this case, but what if Worthy signed somewhere else because Sap lowballed him, or failed to offer at all? Does he still get compensated? Would compensation only come after losing a guy after his rookie deal? What if Sap couldn't afford to bring him back? I think there are way too many circumstances where it could lead to rewarding someone for bad GMing rather than just bad luck.
Fason -May as well, we’ve got all different kind of rewards. Maybe on these types of max deals you can pay 5 to 10k for an insurance policy where you get 50k to 100k if your bird max is declined. With that you can buy a couple late firsts and amnesty a contract. It’s at least something.
BK - Compensation for losing a rookie in FA that you offered the same deal seems like it could be fair. I don't know how effective it would be though. I imagine something like an extra pick at the end of the 1st round but what difference does that make? giving out something worth more than that seems harder to fathom. I'd need to see some concrete ideas.
Trofie- I think there are potentially alot of cool things you could do that would be hard to impliment. First off you'd have to offer the max contract to receive any compensation . But with how the wheel works I'd like to see a team that nabbed a max FA forfeit there next 1st round pick to the team they stole from. Like Compensation picks in the MLB, if you hit someone with the QO and they bail you get compensation. It wouldn't affect top 8 picks.
3. Give me your top 10 power rankings going into next year.
Majic -1. Lakers
2. Bobcats
3. Knicks
4. Pipers
5. Amigos
6. Cavs
7. Jazz
8. Raptors
9. Pacers
10. Cougars
The top teams were pretty easy and I think they continue to be the best of the league. The remaining teams were hard to pick out as its been a revolving door over the last couple years of the other potential contenders. Amigo's are young and I think BK can get that team better. I have faith in the cavs roster and think Sap can find a replacement for Worthy.
Timpig - 1. Lakers
2. Pipers
3. Bobcats
4. Jazz
5. Knicks
6. Amigos
7. SuperSonics
8. Raptors
9. Cougars
10. Chaparrals
Pete - 10. Suns - they will never go away
9. Cavs - still like the other pieces, although replacing Worthy will be tough
8. Raptors - Stingy defensive team and Jamerson gave them serious scoring pop. Not good enough to threaten the big boys in the East.
7. Chaps - Love William Gates and Jokic is still good and young, but I don't love Trez and unfortunately the cliff is coming soon for Granger.
6. Jazz - Adding Beasley to DC should be enough to stay atop the division and he's got some good complementary guys. Still think he's a notch below the Amigos and Lakers.
5. Pipers - Old man Gates might fall off a cliff, but clearly he helped this team make the leap last season. I'm a huge Beckman fan.
4. Amigos - Another year of improvement from D'Angelo Russell and Myles Turner could make them legit contenders in the West. They've matched up well against the Lakers the past two seasons already.
3. Bobcats - 1.1 seems like a huge price to pay for Dumars but this starting lineup is on par with anyone else in the league now. Looking forward to seeing them in action.
2. Knicks - The injury bug seems to hit the Knicks more than any other team, but top-to-bottom this might be the deepest team
1. Lakers - still #1 but there isn't much distance anymore.
Fason - Lakers
Knicks
Bobcats
Pipers
Cougars
Amigos
Raptors
Jazz
Pacers
Bulls (contingent on Mike setting a DC)
BK- Lakers - Obviously still the best team.
Knicks - Super solid team overshadowed by Kyrie. Would still be #2 or #3 with just a league average starting PG.
Amigos - Another super solid team without a Kyrie. Beat the Lakers 2 years ago, then took them to game 7 this past season. A good TC could put them over the top.
Bobcats - A great team that got even better adding Dumars. However, the price for Dumars was ridiculous and his value add to the team is nowhere near worth the trade. Terrible move by the bobcats that probably only gives them an extra .1 fracs. Never trade a 1.1 for an extra .1 fracs.
Chapparals - A team with a lot of depth but also some holes. This is where it gets dicey.
Pipers - Strong team that could get better, or could get worse with some expected decline from Gates. Can Ewing become just a tad more efficient? I think thats what is holding this team back from being elite.
Jazz - Solid team that still is in sort of a treading water mode waiting for some wheel love. That's a good place to be though, because a solid team + wheel love = true contender.
Cougars-Supersonics-Grizzlies:
I think these 3 teams are the best of the rest, and sort of equal in talent. I'd probably give the slight nod to the cougars in a direct matchup between these teams, but the Supersonics have been perennially underperforming in the win column relative to their talent. Just needs some good 'noise' to take the next step. Grizzlies are a team that can get better with a nice TC, or continue to be just pretty good with an average one.
Trofie 1.Lakers
2.Knicks
3.Bobcats
4.Jazz
5.Amigos
6.Pipers
7.Suns
8.Cougars
9.Raptors
10.Bucks
4. Much has been brought up about Peters luck, but not the same for Fason. How lucky has this SOB been?
Majic - Fason has continued to keep a clean cap sheet and has not been hesitant to throw around money. I would argue some, most, of his big signings have been overpays but we can debate that another day. Listen, when entering FA anytime you bid on non max guys all it takes is offering more money. Fason has been willing to do that and its shown in his results. Obviously some luck in there as well, but overall its not surprising.
Timpig -He's had great luck through contraction but getting Beasley is the first FA luck of his I can remember? Looking at his current roster, it doesn't appear any of his draft picks have really hit though. Sleepy Floyd was picked at like 1.4 and traded for another disappointment in Lionel Simmons. Ace Gruenig went 11th after some other major contributors and had his contract declined. I am a big fan of his Hibbert MLE signing this offseason though.
Pete- Fason enjoyed the benefits of being one of the only teams to preserve cap space for several seasons now, so I'll give him credit for some of the FA bargains he's landed. The max guys are pure luck though, although with fewer teams bidding that means his odds of stealing guys are higher. He also had a bad injury right before the playoffs a couple seasons ago so he's had some bad luck too.
Fason - Jealousy is a stinky cologne. Not my fault Beasley didn’t want to play in a place with a winning tradition like Milwaukee. Maybe FAs are flocking to Utah in hopes of eventually becoming Lakers.
BK - I don't think fason has been particularly lucky. He's assembled a deep roster of talented players without much help from trading.
Trofie- I thought he landed DC as well via FA , but maybe that was via contraction? He has made some nice moves but seems to land anyone on a MAX he wants.
5. We've had some consistently dominant teams over the past 5 years. Of the Knicks, Bobcats, and Lakers who falls off first?
Majic -The answer to this question is probably the Bobcats because we can never be certain what Odin will do. He could blow things up at any minute and try a new rebuild of some sort. Besides that, between the Lakers and Knicks I would probably say the Knicks take a step back first. The Lakers core is locked up longer and his salary cap is a smidge better to navigate. Knicks have some massive contracts and will have to navigate 3 of its star players expiring in the next 2-3 years. It awlays gets dicey when that happens.
Timpig -The Knicks. I think he ran to the Pointyegg well one too many times and it's dry now. I'm not sure which GM he'll try to take advantage of next, but he may struggle considering he hasn't done it yet.
Pete - It's an interesting question because I think all of them may be trending towards decline. The Bobcats have the oldest core but are probably in the best shape cap wise. The Knicks are going to have to resign Kyrie and Ibaka next offseason and Embiid the season after that, so it's highly likely they won't be able to keep everyone after the next season. And the Lakers are relying on an aging Joe Barry Carroll to anchor the defense and basically have this season before they have to move a big contract. I think my team is most prone to falling off because JBC is such a huge part of my defense and it's hard to see him remaining a Laker beyond this season. But I wouldn't be surprised to see the Knicks look to deal one or two of their stars this year as well.
Fason - I guess the Knicks since Ank was thinking of trading away Embiid, maybe he’s thinking now is the time to stay ahead of the wheel. Wouldn’t be surprised if it were Odin blowing up his team randomly. Pete seems in it for the long haul with Wilkins & Wagner locked up. And I will do my part to help him reload if necessary.
BK- I think the bobcats reliance on scoring bigs, along with the narrow window of inside scoring that a scoring big can have and be good (90+) means that a couple bad tcs could really decimate the team at any time. The knicks and lakers have the same problem but are less dependent on the scoring of their bigs for their success.
Trofie- The Cap Crunch for the Knicks gets real next offseason, same could be said about the lakers but they have more depth. Odin is set up nice for a longer run but I like the other 2 teams a little better in the short term. I think the Knicks fall off first as Ibaka is going to land big $ and I don't see how they fit it in unless they go full inside and trade Kyrie.
6. Name 5 franchises who haven't won a title that you can see getting one in the next 10 years.
Majic - Cougars, Jazz, Raptors, Pacers and Cavs. I really like the core of the Cavs and think Sap is setup nicely with Fultz. For the other teams, they have established GM's and some talent. I could see one of them breaking through at some point over the next couple years.
Timpig -Sonics, Jazz, Bucks, Cougars, Pipers.
Pete -Jazz - Good roster already and several top picks coming. Fason is trying to roll some of his existing assets into a premium pick or two, but I think he's capable of building a roster that could get some RNG love even if he can't land a top-of-the-draft pick
Pipers - Made a nice run in the east last season, and his collection of top picks has become a nice well-balanced roster.
Cougars - Has made the playoffs every season and has the 2nd overall pick coming next season. One of the GMs I think you could drop into any team's situation and he would have a contender within 5 seasons.
Pacers - Gotten close a couple times. Looks ready to take a step back with the Dumars and Bynum deals but if Giannis develops he could be a beast just in time for Larry Legend to join the fold and the Pacers would be right back to contender status.
Blazers - Majic is always good to pop up out of nowhere and take a title. I'd give him an 8 out of 10 for future outlook.
Fason - Cougars, Pacers Pipers, Bucks & Raptors
Cougars - they have a lot of good young players and I think 20s will make a move to push them over the hump as the Bobcats and Knicks take a step back.
Pacers - a lot will ride on Giannis but Heebs does have that 1.1 in the Larry Bird draft coming up (unless he takes my offer of DC, 1.4 & 1.6)
Pipers - they just won 60 games and came close to making the finals last year. Ewing and Beckman are one of the best young inside/outside duos in the league.
Bucks - Trofie looks to be selling off but he does have some talent to work with in trades. Because of his willingness to make big trades I’d probably always have him in this group until he wins one
Raptors - Delap has a pretty good roster at the moment and he’s about to get Kareem in a few years. Could easily see him having a legit contender during Kareem’s rookie deal if Delap times everything correctly.
BK- In order: Supersonics, Jazz, Cougars, Bucks, Pipers
Trofie- Sonics, Pipers, Cougars, Bucks, Pacers.
7. Would you rather have a robo team or a fecta gm in the league.
Majic - Hard to say, but I would always argue a human GM is always better than a robo GM. At least with Fecta around as the GM you have the ability to discuss trades. There have been a couple instances I have talked with Fecta regarding a player or a pick and he is responsive. Otherwise you have players wasting away and picks not even being available.
Timpig - Robo teams don't hold up the draft and require multiple texts to still not do the requested task.
Pete - Fecta GM. A robo team might make the playoffs every once in a while
Fason -I’d much rather have Fecta, the more GMs the merrier. The only thing that sucks is when absentee GMs hold up drafts for full days, but active GMs do that too (looking at you Heebs).
BK - Fix the draft timer issue and i'd pick fecta gm
Trofie- I'm firmly team fecta if we don't have to wait on him. Fix the glitch
8. If you were Herb, would you have taken the Embiid for Giannis deal that ank supposedly offered?
Majic - Probably not, and thats likely because I am very intrigued by what Giannis can become. I love his potential and think he could become a true difference maker in the league once he gets a couple years under his belt. I also think its easier to find quality/high level bigs than it is to find a true difference maker at the wing position. I am also not sure Embiid alone puts the Pacers over the top, which is what you would want if you are making a win now move with the 1.1 pick.
Timpig - I still haven't seen the full Giannis scout, but probably taken the Embiid trade. I don't recall what other pieces were involved, but if the Pacers could've had a core including Embiid, Bynum, and Dumars, I think they could've gone far.
Pete - The question is whether Embiid would put the Pacers in a strong enough position to win the title within the next year or two. Dumars, Embiid, and Bynum would be a great start, but with Clyde falling off and all of the other players in their primes, the Pacers would have to win it soon. I might have leaned Embiid because Giannis is such an unknown and there's a pretty significant chance Giannis's potential gets slashed by TC. But I can see why Herb might want to roll the dice, particularly since he got such a good return for Dumars. If Giannis works out he'll have two stud wings in 3020 around the same age who should be easy to build around.
Fason -I’d have taken the mystery box with Giannis just like Heebs did. Using 1.1 on a player like Giannis with a really high ceiling is much more fun than trading for a player that locks you into a 3-4 year window of title or bust, especially in a wheel league. This also confirms that Heebs won’t be quitting anytime soon.
BK- I haven't seen Giannis' build. If his inside is 55+ then no
Trofie- absolutely not. Being one of herbs best friends I've seen the scout. I think Giannis has the potential to be the best player in the league for a long time. I think that's worth the risk of teen TC's.
9. We have had like 5 profile players selected in the late 2nd or go undrafted in the past 2 drafts. Do you have a problem with this?
Majic - As the Draft Master I have a different view on it. I am not sure what is causing this but it seems alot of profile players are falling out way too quick. It also seems like their builds arent very sustainable for long term usage in the league. I dont know if its how I am wording the profiles or what but it seems like eric sometimes takes a harsher stance on them that its intended. Maybe we have too many profiles? I honestly dont know what the answer is.
Timpig - Slightly. I'm of the opinion that guys like Anthony Bennett and Porzingis (who didn't go late second but probably should have) should have their profiles slightly tweaked so that they have a chance at becoming decent sim players (i.e. high potential or an extra comment about how good they are inside or at blocking shots or something like that). Years ago, Channing Frye went undrafted when JHB was DM so I don't think this is an entirely new thing though and don't blame our current DMs.
Pete- Not really...I thought it was a little weird that someone like Anthony Bennett would get C potential but I'm not going to be too upset that he didn't get drafted. I like that profiles have a say in the player builds and I think we still have a diversity of some stars who were great IRL and some who never panned out. I think it shows that college stats have helped people get away from the pull of name recognition to some degree, and that some guys have skill sets that just don't translate well into the software.
Fason -I’m okay with sim not following real life. Multiple irl top ten picks and profile players being given unappealing builds feels like wasted opportunity to get some player variety in the league. I refuse to read profiles so I really have no idea who is to blame, but I’m choosing to blame Druce.
BK- interested in seeing the other responses to this question; would be interested in solutions to this issue if people see it as one
Trofie- I do. I don't think a 1.1 should ever go undrafted. I think some of these players with shit writeups need higher potential. I personally think we need more shit builds with higher Potentials. Especially for the teenagers. We need more POT
Majic - There were a number of 1 year deals for established players, so I will leave those out for this question. One year deals are boring and theres very little risk, so not overly exciting. I am really intrgued by what the Bulls were able to do this offseason. Feels like Mike has been hanging on by a thready but he finally invested this offseason. Rose is a really nice player outside of his TO's, I like that deal for him. Getting Penny for essentially an MLE for the next 3 years is a solid move as well. Baker is a really nice piece, although old, and should produce on that contract. I also think the Gallinari signing is a sneaky good move considering the low cost. Overall, I like the moves and it puts a decent supporting case around Yao.
Timpig -I really like what the Bulls have done in free agency, grabbing Derrick Rose from the Hornets and retaining Vin Baker on a reasonable $8m per year deal. I didn't even realize Rose hit FA and I'm surprised someone else didn't give him a max or close to it. If the Bulls can improve their wing situation with Yao at center and Rose at PG, they could have a stew going.
I also think Clint Capela has flown a bit under the radar and grabbing him on a one-year deal could work well for the Bucks. If LaSalle stays (which it sounds like he won't), that's a dynamite defensive frontcourt in Milwaukee.
Pete -There's not a ton to get excited about, as is the case most years, but I'll say it's a tie between all of the Bulls signees, if only because it means they might have a pulse this season. He locked up several good players for the next few years, which matches up nicely with the rest of Yao's contract. All of his signees (Vin Baker, Markieff Morris, Danilo Gallinari, Derrick Rose and Penny) are on the wrong side of 30 so things could head south, but I actually think the pieces fit together pretty nicely.
Fason - My first thought was to say Mike with Derrick Rose but that contract looks a little too expensive.
I liked yawns signing of Joe Alexander, that contract is a nice bargain compared to some of the other deals.
BK - The Jazz snatching Deron Williams will be huge for them. He's turned into a top 5 pg that just needs the right play to shine.
Trofie- Apparently I'm one of the only people who didn't like the signings the Bulls made. Rose I liked but that was about it. I liked the Mashburn signing for Yawn and the Dwill for Fason
2.We have seen Sap lose out on a couple Max tier guys. Do you guys think it's fair to implement some sort of compensation for when this happens or are you team deal with it. If you are team deal with and are also team wheel explain how Sap is supposed to bounce back.
Majic -Having that happen is easily one of the worst things to happen in sim league, no question. Sap had been slowly and patiently building his team around Worthy and his bunched high picks only for Worthy to leave. Overall, everyone knows my feelings on the wheel, I hate it, and situations like this expand the issues. He had a bona-fide stud that he drafted and developed and is now gone. Thankfully he has a 1.5 coming up, but thats no guarantee to get a player of Worthy's ability. When a team plans properly around the wheel it can work great, check out the Lakers, but then the other side is that FA randomness can really screw over a team. I think Sap has a plan to rebound from this, but instead of that 1.5 being the final piece to a possible championship contender its now the most important pick he has made yet.
Timpig - don't remember the first guy Sap lost in free agency, but the Worthy loss stings. I don't like the idea of compensation, though I guess I hadn't really thought of it before and giving him a late first wouldn't bother me, almost like a compensatory pick for restricted free agents in various sports. As for how he comes back from it, he has two top 10 picks in the next five seasons and double max cap space next year. It isn't ideal, but it can certainly be done. If he does indeed blow it up, he has multiple guys worth high picks.
Pete- This is a really tough break, especially when Sap was just starting to see the returns from his rebuild. Losing Nique in FA would've sucked but at least I have something to show for it. However, I don't think that means we need to add compensation. The FA luck can swing both ways, and Sap could just as easily steal a top-flight FA the next time it comes up. Ank lost Shawn Kemp Jr. one year only to snag Kevin Love the next. Sap has a quality team and Fultz looks on his way to stardom, and he has 1.5 coming next draft. I just don't know where you draw the line on FA compensation. I know this isn't true in this case, but what if Worthy signed somewhere else because Sap lowballed him, or failed to offer at all? Does he still get compensated? Would compensation only come after losing a guy after his rookie deal? What if Sap couldn't afford to bring him back? I think there are way too many circumstances where it could lead to rewarding someone for bad GMing rather than just bad luck.
Fason -May as well, we’ve got all different kind of rewards. Maybe on these types of max deals you can pay 5 to 10k for an insurance policy where you get 50k to 100k if your bird max is declined. With that you can buy a couple late firsts and amnesty a contract. It’s at least something.
BK - Compensation for losing a rookie in FA that you offered the same deal seems like it could be fair. I don't know how effective it would be though. I imagine something like an extra pick at the end of the 1st round but what difference does that make? giving out something worth more than that seems harder to fathom. I'd need to see some concrete ideas.
Trofie- I think there are potentially alot of cool things you could do that would be hard to impliment. First off you'd have to offer the max contract to receive any compensation . But with how the wheel works I'd like to see a team that nabbed a max FA forfeit there next 1st round pick to the team they stole from. Like Compensation picks in the MLB, if you hit someone with the QO and they bail you get compensation. It wouldn't affect top 8 picks.
3. Give me your top 10 power rankings going into next year.
Majic -1. Lakers
2. Bobcats
3. Knicks
4. Pipers
5. Amigos
6. Cavs
7. Jazz
8. Raptors
9. Pacers
10. Cougars
The top teams were pretty easy and I think they continue to be the best of the league. The remaining teams were hard to pick out as its been a revolving door over the last couple years of the other potential contenders. Amigo's are young and I think BK can get that team better. I have faith in the cavs roster and think Sap can find a replacement for Worthy.
Timpig - 1. Lakers
2. Pipers
3. Bobcats
4. Jazz
5. Knicks
6. Amigos
7. SuperSonics
8. Raptors
9. Cougars
10. Chaparrals
Pete - 10. Suns - they will never go away
9. Cavs - still like the other pieces, although replacing Worthy will be tough
8. Raptors - Stingy defensive team and Jamerson gave them serious scoring pop. Not good enough to threaten the big boys in the East.
7. Chaps - Love William Gates and Jokic is still good and young, but I don't love Trez and unfortunately the cliff is coming soon for Granger.
6. Jazz - Adding Beasley to DC should be enough to stay atop the division and he's got some good complementary guys. Still think he's a notch below the Amigos and Lakers.
5. Pipers - Old man Gates might fall off a cliff, but clearly he helped this team make the leap last season. I'm a huge Beckman fan.
4. Amigos - Another year of improvement from D'Angelo Russell and Myles Turner could make them legit contenders in the West. They've matched up well against the Lakers the past two seasons already.
3. Bobcats - 1.1 seems like a huge price to pay for Dumars but this starting lineup is on par with anyone else in the league now. Looking forward to seeing them in action.
2. Knicks - The injury bug seems to hit the Knicks more than any other team, but top-to-bottom this might be the deepest team
1. Lakers - still #1 but there isn't much distance anymore.
Fason - Lakers
Knicks
Bobcats
Pipers
Cougars
Amigos
Raptors
Jazz
Pacers
Bulls (contingent on Mike setting a DC)
BK- Lakers - Obviously still the best team.
Knicks - Super solid team overshadowed by Kyrie. Would still be #2 or #3 with just a league average starting PG.
Amigos - Another super solid team without a Kyrie. Beat the Lakers 2 years ago, then took them to game 7 this past season. A good TC could put them over the top.
Bobcats - A great team that got even better adding Dumars. However, the price for Dumars was ridiculous and his value add to the team is nowhere near worth the trade. Terrible move by the bobcats that probably only gives them an extra .1 fracs. Never trade a 1.1 for an extra .1 fracs.
Chapparals - A team with a lot of depth but also some holes. This is where it gets dicey.
Pipers - Strong team that could get better, or could get worse with some expected decline from Gates. Can Ewing become just a tad more efficient? I think thats what is holding this team back from being elite.
Jazz - Solid team that still is in sort of a treading water mode waiting for some wheel love. That's a good place to be though, because a solid team + wheel love = true contender.
Cougars-Supersonics-Grizzlies:
I think these 3 teams are the best of the rest, and sort of equal in talent. I'd probably give the slight nod to the cougars in a direct matchup between these teams, but the Supersonics have been perennially underperforming in the win column relative to their talent. Just needs some good 'noise' to take the next step. Grizzlies are a team that can get better with a nice TC, or continue to be just pretty good with an average one.
Trofie 1.Lakers
2.Knicks
3.Bobcats
4.Jazz
5.Amigos
6.Pipers
7.Suns
8.Cougars
9.Raptors
10.Bucks
4. Much has been brought up about Peters luck, but not the same for Fason. How lucky has this SOB been?
Majic - Fason has continued to keep a clean cap sheet and has not been hesitant to throw around money. I would argue some, most, of his big signings have been overpays but we can debate that another day. Listen, when entering FA anytime you bid on non max guys all it takes is offering more money. Fason has been willing to do that and its shown in his results. Obviously some luck in there as well, but overall its not surprising.
Timpig -He's had great luck through contraction but getting Beasley is the first FA luck of his I can remember? Looking at his current roster, it doesn't appear any of his draft picks have really hit though. Sleepy Floyd was picked at like 1.4 and traded for another disappointment in Lionel Simmons. Ace Gruenig went 11th after some other major contributors and had his contract declined. I am a big fan of his Hibbert MLE signing this offseason though.
Pete- Fason enjoyed the benefits of being one of the only teams to preserve cap space for several seasons now, so I'll give him credit for some of the FA bargains he's landed. The max guys are pure luck though, although with fewer teams bidding that means his odds of stealing guys are higher. He also had a bad injury right before the playoffs a couple seasons ago so he's had some bad luck too.
Fason - Jealousy is a stinky cologne. Not my fault Beasley didn’t want to play in a place with a winning tradition like Milwaukee. Maybe FAs are flocking to Utah in hopes of eventually becoming Lakers.
BK - I don't think fason has been particularly lucky. He's assembled a deep roster of talented players without much help from trading.
Trofie- I thought he landed DC as well via FA , but maybe that was via contraction? He has made some nice moves but seems to land anyone on a MAX he wants.
5. We've had some consistently dominant teams over the past 5 years. Of the Knicks, Bobcats, and Lakers who falls off first?
Majic -The answer to this question is probably the Bobcats because we can never be certain what Odin will do. He could blow things up at any minute and try a new rebuild of some sort. Besides that, between the Lakers and Knicks I would probably say the Knicks take a step back first. The Lakers core is locked up longer and his salary cap is a smidge better to navigate. Knicks have some massive contracts and will have to navigate 3 of its star players expiring in the next 2-3 years. It awlays gets dicey when that happens.
Timpig -The Knicks. I think he ran to the Pointyegg well one too many times and it's dry now. I'm not sure which GM he'll try to take advantage of next, but he may struggle considering he hasn't done it yet.
Pete - It's an interesting question because I think all of them may be trending towards decline. The Bobcats have the oldest core but are probably in the best shape cap wise. The Knicks are going to have to resign Kyrie and Ibaka next offseason and Embiid the season after that, so it's highly likely they won't be able to keep everyone after the next season. And the Lakers are relying on an aging Joe Barry Carroll to anchor the defense and basically have this season before they have to move a big contract. I think my team is most prone to falling off because JBC is such a huge part of my defense and it's hard to see him remaining a Laker beyond this season. But I wouldn't be surprised to see the Knicks look to deal one or two of their stars this year as well.
Fason - I guess the Knicks since Ank was thinking of trading away Embiid, maybe he’s thinking now is the time to stay ahead of the wheel. Wouldn’t be surprised if it were Odin blowing up his team randomly. Pete seems in it for the long haul with Wilkins & Wagner locked up. And I will do my part to help him reload if necessary.
BK- I think the bobcats reliance on scoring bigs, along with the narrow window of inside scoring that a scoring big can have and be good (90+) means that a couple bad tcs could really decimate the team at any time. The knicks and lakers have the same problem but are less dependent on the scoring of their bigs for their success.
Trofie- The Cap Crunch for the Knicks gets real next offseason, same could be said about the lakers but they have more depth. Odin is set up nice for a longer run but I like the other 2 teams a little better in the short term. I think the Knicks fall off first as Ibaka is going to land big $ and I don't see how they fit it in unless they go full inside and trade Kyrie.
6. Name 5 franchises who haven't won a title that you can see getting one in the next 10 years.
Majic - Cougars, Jazz, Raptors, Pacers and Cavs. I really like the core of the Cavs and think Sap is setup nicely with Fultz. For the other teams, they have established GM's and some talent. I could see one of them breaking through at some point over the next couple years.
Timpig -Sonics, Jazz, Bucks, Cougars, Pipers.
Pete -Jazz - Good roster already and several top picks coming. Fason is trying to roll some of his existing assets into a premium pick or two, but I think he's capable of building a roster that could get some RNG love even if he can't land a top-of-the-draft pick
Pipers - Made a nice run in the east last season, and his collection of top picks has become a nice well-balanced roster.
Cougars - Has made the playoffs every season and has the 2nd overall pick coming next season. One of the GMs I think you could drop into any team's situation and he would have a contender within 5 seasons.
Pacers - Gotten close a couple times. Looks ready to take a step back with the Dumars and Bynum deals but if Giannis develops he could be a beast just in time for Larry Legend to join the fold and the Pacers would be right back to contender status.
Blazers - Majic is always good to pop up out of nowhere and take a title. I'd give him an 8 out of 10 for future outlook.
Fason - Cougars, Pacers Pipers, Bucks & Raptors
Cougars - they have a lot of good young players and I think 20s will make a move to push them over the hump as the Bobcats and Knicks take a step back.
Pacers - a lot will ride on Giannis but Heebs does have that 1.1 in the Larry Bird draft coming up (unless he takes my offer of DC, 1.4 & 1.6)
Pipers - they just won 60 games and came close to making the finals last year. Ewing and Beckman are one of the best young inside/outside duos in the league.
Bucks - Trofie looks to be selling off but he does have some talent to work with in trades. Because of his willingness to make big trades I’d probably always have him in this group until he wins one
Raptors - Delap has a pretty good roster at the moment and he’s about to get Kareem in a few years. Could easily see him having a legit contender during Kareem’s rookie deal if Delap times everything correctly.
BK- In order: Supersonics, Jazz, Cougars, Bucks, Pipers
Trofie- Sonics, Pipers, Cougars, Bucks, Pacers.
7. Would you rather have a robo team or a fecta gm in the league.
Majic - Hard to say, but I would always argue a human GM is always better than a robo GM. At least with Fecta around as the GM you have the ability to discuss trades. There have been a couple instances I have talked with Fecta regarding a player or a pick and he is responsive. Otherwise you have players wasting away and picks not even being available.
Timpig - Robo teams don't hold up the draft and require multiple texts to still not do the requested task.
Pete - Fecta GM. A robo team might make the playoffs every once in a while
Fason -I’d much rather have Fecta, the more GMs the merrier. The only thing that sucks is when absentee GMs hold up drafts for full days, but active GMs do that too (looking at you Heebs).
BK - Fix the draft timer issue and i'd pick fecta gm
Trofie- I'm firmly team fecta if we don't have to wait on him. Fix the glitch
8. If you were Herb, would you have taken the Embiid for Giannis deal that ank supposedly offered?
Majic - Probably not, and thats likely because I am very intrigued by what Giannis can become. I love his potential and think he could become a true difference maker in the league once he gets a couple years under his belt. I also think its easier to find quality/high level bigs than it is to find a true difference maker at the wing position. I am also not sure Embiid alone puts the Pacers over the top, which is what you would want if you are making a win now move with the 1.1 pick.
Timpig - I still haven't seen the full Giannis scout, but probably taken the Embiid trade. I don't recall what other pieces were involved, but if the Pacers could've had a core including Embiid, Bynum, and Dumars, I think they could've gone far.
Pete - The question is whether Embiid would put the Pacers in a strong enough position to win the title within the next year or two. Dumars, Embiid, and Bynum would be a great start, but with Clyde falling off and all of the other players in their primes, the Pacers would have to win it soon. I might have leaned Embiid because Giannis is such an unknown and there's a pretty significant chance Giannis's potential gets slashed by TC. But I can see why Herb might want to roll the dice, particularly since he got such a good return for Dumars. If Giannis works out he'll have two stud wings in 3020 around the same age who should be easy to build around.
Fason -I’d have taken the mystery box with Giannis just like Heebs did. Using 1.1 on a player like Giannis with a really high ceiling is much more fun than trading for a player that locks you into a 3-4 year window of title or bust, especially in a wheel league. This also confirms that Heebs won’t be quitting anytime soon.
BK- I haven't seen Giannis' build. If his inside is 55+ then no
Trofie- absolutely not. Being one of herbs best friends I've seen the scout. I think Giannis has the potential to be the best player in the league for a long time. I think that's worth the risk of teen TC's.
9. We have had like 5 profile players selected in the late 2nd or go undrafted in the past 2 drafts. Do you have a problem with this?
Majic - As the Draft Master I have a different view on it. I am not sure what is causing this but it seems alot of profile players are falling out way too quick. It also seems like their builds arent very sustainable for long term usage in the league. I dont know if its how I am wording the profiles or what but it seems like eric sometimes takes a harsher stance on them that its intended. Maybe we have too many profiles? I honestly dont know what the answer is.
Timpig - Slightly. I'm of the opinion that guys like Anthony Bennett and Porzingis (who didn't go late second but probably should have) should have their profiles slightly tweaked so that they have a chance at becoming decent sim players (i.e. high potential or an extra comment about how good they are inside or at blocking shots or something like that). Years ago, Channing Frye went undrafted when JHB was DM so I don't think this is an entirely new thing though and don't blame our current DMs.
Pete- Not really...I thought it was a little weird that someone like Anthony Bennett would get C potential but I'm not going to be too upset that he didn't get drafted. I like that profiles have a say in the player builds and I think we still have a diversity of some stars who were great IRL and some who never panned out. I think it shows that college stats have helped people get away from the pull of name recognition to some degree, and that some guys have skill sets that just don't translate well into the software.
Fason -I’m okay with sim not following real life. Multiple irl top ten picks and profile players being given unappealing builds feels like wasted opportunity to get some player variety in the league. I refuse to read profiles so I really have no idea who is to blame, but I’m choosing to blame Druce.
BK- interested in seeing the other responses to this question; would be interested in solutions to this issue if people see it as one
Trofie- I do. I don't think a 1.1 should ever go undrafted. I think some of these players with shit writeups need higher potential. I personally think we need more shit builds with higher Potentials. Especially for the teenagers. We need more POT
