Rookie Ladder - 3023 (182 views)

[delap]

PreSeason

The most anticipated rookie class in a long time has finally made its way to TMBSL. The class is clearly better than the dregs we've had lately, both in terms of depth and in terms of star power. The stars could be HOFers... whereas the depth is solid (but possibly not as deep as you would think.)

Using the same metric as last Pre-Season, here is where we are at with depth pieces:

3019: 34 qualifying players with at least 1.000 P/TSA
3020: 30 qualifying players with at least 1.000 P/TSA
3021: 28 qualifying players with at least 1.000 P/TSA
3022: 19 qualifying players with at least 1.000 P/TSA

3023: 27 qualifying players with at least 1.000 P/TSA

So it's back up from last year's disaster, but not at the level of depth we saw in 3019. One worrying note about this class: Where are the blocked shots? There are exactly 4 bigs on user-controlled teams who averaged over 1.0 blocks per 36!!! That's really low. Only one of them (who makes the last spot on the ladder) is even at 2 per 36. There is, of course, one other player (non-big) in the  > 1.0 category. You'll be seeing his name at the top of the initial rankings. Just something to keep an eye on... where's the beef blocks?

1. LeBron James - Dallas Mavericks

Is he the King already? Of this class, he appears to be. The best scorer on a GMed team, strong rebounding (but not elite), very low TOs (for his usage/expectations), and league-average efficiency (pre-uppies). Oh yeah... and he's 2nd in the class in shot blocking. As a SF. Yikes for all of us. Oh yeah... and he didn't get the teen TC drop. All hail the King.

2. Dwyane Wade - Los Angeles Lakers

This hurts me a bit, but I'm trying to be impartial. I hate Dwyane Wade. I hate his face. He's my least favorite player of all time. Everyone in the world gets along with Dirk (the nicest dude) except for DWade... which makes me think he's the butthole. Anywho, he's a stud in sim. He's a defensive menace and looks to be a great lead-scoring guard. His rebounding is OK, but definitely not bad. TOs are also perfectly fine given his usage rate. Ugh. I hate this.

3. Andreas Glyniadakis - Dallas Mavericks

I have to assume he's the most likely to disappear from the list in future updates, as I'm not sure dirt will be playing him in the regular season, but for a smallish sample in the PreSeason, he looks like the most well-rounded big of the class. He scores, he rebounds, and he's one of the rare bigs that blocks shots. He also got some massive TC growth in what appear to be the right areas.

4. Kendrick Perkins - Milwaukee Bucks

"3rd in the class in P/TSA" is not something I expected to say about Kendrick Perkins, but here we are. The fact that he managed that despite a sub-60 FT% is quite impressive. His blocks are woeful, but he's likely strong and high in Post D. He is 3rd in rebounding in the class thus far and his TOs are almost non-existent. I have no knowledge of his post-TC POT... but if it didn't drop, trofie has a real player on his hands.

5. David West - Portland Trail Blazers

The best offensive big (maybe best offensive player?) in the class right now, were his P/TSA (#1 in the class) is over the vaunted 1.2 mark. If his FT% is a true reflection, majic can divert resources in upgrades to lots of other areas. The issue that keeps him down? Well, he's a slightly-below average rebounder, he's mid on defense... and his TO-rate is a little high. In total, though, I really like where he is at right now.

6. Mo Williams - Cleveland Cavaliers

The best PG of the class. His TOs should be able to be massaged down, but they are also likely due in part to a high usage rate. He's 6th in P/TSA, willing to shoot, and not a stiff on defense. Rebounds are super low (even for a PG?), so it is what it is.

7a. Josh Howard - Portland Trail Blazers

7b. Carmelo Anthony - Texas Chaparrals

7c. Luke Walton - Cleveland Cavaliers

Trio of SFs here at the 7 spot. I like these fellas quite a bit. Howard and 'Melo have very similar outputs so far, with Howard being slightly ahead of Anthony in every category except TOs (though both are very good in that area.) Howard's rebounding is a real asset and puts him at the top of the list. Walton gets in on the action thanks to his great efficiency (4th in the class) and lack of any noticeable weakness.

10. Zaza Pachulia - Indiana Pacers

One day we'll learn and we'll stop letting heebs have all of the rugged defenders that make Indiana a nightmare/injurious outfit to play against. Zaza is unlikely to be an offensive plus, but he leads the class in blocks, rebounds well enough, and has a ton of potential (which should only augment those blocks/rebounds going forward).

Honorable Mentions:

Points:

Luke Ridnour - Orlando Magic

Jose Calderon - Portland Trail Blazers

Paccelis Morlende - Toronto Raptors

Steve Blake - Anaheim Amigos

Wings:

Carlos Delfino - Chicago Bulls

Kirk Penney - Pittsburgh Pipers

James Jones - San Antonio Spurs

Sani Becirovic - San Antonio Spurs

Reece Gaines - Philadelphia 76ers

Travis Hansen - Cleveland Cavaliers

Marquis Daniels - Pittsburgh Pipers

Bigs:

Mario Austin - Orlando Magic

Josh Powell - Utah Jazz

Mike Sweetney - Indiana Pacers

Nick Collison - Cleveland Cavaliers

Chris Bosh - Atlanta Hawks

Earl Barron - Orlando Magic

[Sapular]

looking like a solid draft for the Cavs if this holds up...time will tell

[Majic]

Mar 18, 2022 8:18:37 GMT -5 delap said:

Well, he's a slightly-below average rebounder, he's mid on defense...

Based on his scout, neither of these should be an issue unless he tanked in TC. I have full confidence he will see a nice uptick once the regular season starts.

[delap]

Mar 18, 2022 8:30:44 GMT -5 Sapular said:

looking like a solid draft for the Cavs if this holds up...time will tell

You have several bites at the apple... if you can get 2 real hits out of 4 I'd call it a success.

[delap]

Day 40 Update
Oh happy day... a day I don't have to put He Who Shall Not Be Named on my ladder (due to only 5 games played). For real I hate that guy.

We see a few PreSeason darlings (Perkins, Glyniadakis) that haven't played at all (or basically haven't), we also have at least 1 spot open due to injury, and another because Luke Walton has been trash so far... so there are ladder spots up for grabs. Unfortunately, the only guys that want to take the opportunity by the horns really seem to be players from non-GMed teams... so I'm just saying there are ladders spots very available at Day 80 for anyone with a pulse.

1. LeBron James - Dallas Mavericks (previous: 1)
Still the top, still quite studly, but not otherworldly (yet?). His scoring volume and total rebounding are at least a little below elite, but that's really picking at nits. Dude can play.



2. Josh Howard - Portland Trail Blazers (previous: 7a)
Probably gonna come down (because it would be hard to maintain, let alone go up), but JHo is shooting the ever-loving-crap out of the ball. 2nd in the class in P/TSA (on a much larger sample than the qualifying player ahead of him (who will be at #10)) and decent volume. His steal rate is pretty crappy, but block rate not bad! He's looking to be very solid.



3. Mo Williams - Cleveland Cavaliers (previous: 6)
The TOs are way down from PreSeason and everything else looks great. He's efficient, shoots enough, and his stocks/bleals are almost equivalent to his TOs. He's not a rebounding, but it's rare to find a PG who is.



4. Carmelo Anthony - Texas Chaparrals (previous: 7b)
Solid all around (except for steal rate) and high POT still keeps 'Melo on the ladder. His low TO rate is exemplary, though, which is probably his overall most elite skill at the moment.



5. David West - Portland Trail Blazers (previous: 5)
An efficient scoring PF on good volume... but not much else? I think we've seen players like this get effectively capped out and surpassed by others with worse efficiency but better rebounding and defensive value. He's not a great rebounder or defender, and doesn't have the most potential, so we'll see how it goes. I can't see him moving higher on this list, but I could see him falling off.



6. Chris Kaman - Los Angeles Lakers (previous: NR)
A lot like West above him... he's just one of those guys that will put up decent, but not great numbers as a rookie, but may not really improve a lot going forward.



7. T.J. Ford - Washington Bullets (previous: NR)
Nice all-around game from Big Shorts Ford so far. His rebounding numbers are especially solid (5.4 per 36) and fairly decent everywhere else. His TOs aren't tiny like Williams', but they are very playable, especially for a rookie.



8a. Earl Barron - Orlando Magic (previous: HM)
8b. Zarko Cabarkapa - Miami Heat (previous: NR)
Two guys that show up here, just because maybe someone wants to take a flyer on them as a FA? Both need some real rebounding love, but both also look like good defensive frames that could be built into really good defenders (quick math/eyeball test tells me that they are #1 and #2 in total blocks/steals in the class). Neither have any hopes of being an offensive force, though.




10. Sani Becirovic - San Antonio Spurs (previous: HM)
#1 in the class in P/TSA gets you a spot on the ladder. Sample isn't huge, but it's big enough and he's absolutely killing it on offense and owns a nice steal-rate, too. Not sure he has much room to grow, but he's a Euro to keep an eye on.



Honorable Mentions:

Points:
Steve Blake - Anaheim Amigos
Marcus Hatten - Orlando Magic


Wings:
James Jones - San Antonio Spurs
Travis Hansen - Cleveland Cavaliers

Bigs:
Chris Bosh - Atlanta Hawks
Nedzad Sinanovic - Orlando Magic
Nick Collison - Cleveland Cavaliers

[delap]

Day 80 Update
Well poop. He has to be back on there, but I'm NOT putting him at #1... even though it's probably a very close call.

1. LeBron James - Dallas Mavericks (previous: 1)
Gotta love that he's playing 37mpg... but you would probably want a few more points/36 from him. Maybe he passes too much? #artimitateslife



2. Dwyane Wade - Los Angeles Lakers (previous: 2)
Dude can't even spell his own first name correctly. Ugh. Rebounding is average... and that's the worst thing about him. I hate it here. (2nd in P/TSA, for posterity)



3. Josh Howard - Portland Trail Blazers (previous: 2)
Still doing a somewhat convincing LBJ impersonation. 3rd in P/TSA, does a little defending (way more blocking than stealing, which isn't terrible... but his steal rate is still kinda sad).



4a. Mo Williams - Cleveland Cavaliers (previous: 3)
4b. Steve Blake - Anaheim Amigos (previous: HM)
Really impressive improvement from Blake in terms of TO rate and P/TSA has vaulted him all the way to the Top 5. Mo still gets the edge because of a steadier hand at the wheel and higher POT, but otherwise their output has been nearly identical.




6. Carmelo Anthony - Texas Chaparrals (previous: 4)
Still just not giving you enough on offense, where his volume is nice but his efficiency is only average. His TO rate is quite impressive though.



7. David West - Portland Trail Blazers (previous: 5)
A decent scorer but still lacking in all other areas. Hopefully he gets some natural growth in the rebounding area to make him playable in the long-term.



8. Sani Becirovic - San Antonio Spurs (previous: 10)
Still 1st in P/TSA and stealing 1.5/36. That's good enough for me to move him up a few spots and continue to hope that he isn't a flash in the pan.



9. T.J. Ford - Washington Bullets (previous: 7)
Still a solid PG prospect... though his rebounding has sagged and his TOs have moved up a tick. His 90% FT percentage is quite nice.



10. James Jones - San Antonio Spurs (previous: HM)
He's here by virtue of no one else really seeming worthy, not because he's looking particularly good. His volume is super low, which is a shame because he's 4th in the class in P/TSA.



Honorable Mentions:

Points:
None

Wings:
Travis Hansen - Cleveland Cavaliers
Melvin Sanders - Philadelphia 76ers
Zoran Planinic - Orlando Magic

Bigs:
Chris Kaman - Los Angeles Lakers
Britton Johnson - Orlando Magic
Nedzad Sinanovic - Orlando Magic
Nick Collison - Cleveland Cavaliers
Chris Bosh - Atlanta Hawks

[eric]

Mar 25, 2022 13:24:31 GMT -5 delap said:

Still just not giving you enough on offense, where his volume is nice but his efficiency is only average.

[delap]

Final Standings
Actual competition for the final spot! Still no competition, in my VERY VERY unbiased opinion, for the top spot. I think we should all be excited by the infusion of wing/PG talent... the league, via intentional building by eric or by virtue of the classes we've had recently, there is seemingly (for the first time in 6.0) a lack of real depth among big men. It used to be incredibly easy to find a credible 3rd big for everyone that could score a bit, rebound or block well, etc... but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Only 1 big making the Ladder below is a 1st... and interesting going forward. I wonder if we'll see a pendulum swing in the coming years.

Congrats to Dirt for winning. TinyTimPig , please move 1k from my bank to his.

1. LeBron James - Dallas Mavericks (previous: 1)
Crown him... but not really close to the MVP discussion (yet). His defense is probably better than any of us expected, and the TOs, too. However, his scoring and rebounding are probably both a little weaker than expected. I still think LBJ will be a Top 3-5 player before the end of his rookie deal, but is not the otherworldly dominant player that some may have expected right off the bat.



2. Dwyane Wade - Los Angeles Lakers (previous: 2)
His P/TSA dropped a bunch since the last update, so that's good (for me, who hates him). He's still pretty clearly the #2 in the class (especially given potential)... but I think the gap is bigger between #1 and #2 than most. His best case scenario is still incredibly good, but let's hope it doesn't come to that (sorry, Pete).



3. Josh Howard - Portland Trail Blazers (previous: 3)
2nd in P/TSA and really without a big weakness. I wonder about his underlying defensive stats, because (like Melo later)... that could be the difference between him being an all-star stats guy and an all-star impact guy. I like him a lot, though.



4. Mo Williams - Cleveland Cavaliers (previous: 4a)
Mo could be a real stud. His high POT should only lead to an improved output, where he is already one of the best in the league at taking care of the ball. He doesn't rebound, but very few PGs do. I expect him to be an All-Star by the end of his rookie deal.



5. David West - Portland Trail Blazers (previous: 7)
Still not a defender... but his rebounding has bumped up quite nicely at the end of the year, leading to him getting back up the Ladder a few spots. 3rd in P/TSA and a willingness to score, he could be a focal point of an offense sooner rather than later.



6. Steve Blake - Anaheim Amigos (previous: 4b)
Jumped by West, Blake still looks great. His jumpshot is off the charts (but I'd be surprised if he is able to replicate his 97% FT on a larger sample in the future), his TO rate is low, and he's probably everything you would want in a PG... except what is likely low potential and probably not great defense. Other than that, he looks very very good. His P/TSA fell off in the last 40 days, but he's absolutely Ladder-worthy.



7. Carmelo Anthony - Texas Chaparrals (previous: 6)
A less-efficient Josh Howard with the same concerns (no defense probably?), Carmelo is a solid player but will need very specific players around him for his team to be successful. He likely can't be a plug and play in any team construction. I will say that his SG eligibility could be very useful though.



8. Ndubi Ebi - Anaheim Amigos (previous: NR)
Finally unleashed after a trade, Ebi is very intriguing and lands here... mostly because I'd rather have him than anyone below... but I'm not confident enough in his POT to put him above anyone above this spot (where I have a pretty good idea of what I expect they will be). In a pretty small sample he's #1 in P/TSA in the class (probably a mirage) and his TO rate is kinda high. His defensive counting stats are quite bad, though. He's a TC luck bet, but one I'd be willing to take.



9a. Sani Becirovic - San Antonio Spurs (previous: 8)
9b. James Jones - San Antonio Spurs (previous: 10)
The San Antonio lower-case amigos share the last rung. Highly efficient, but not great volume, wings who don't turn it over. Jones rebounds well, Becirovic has a good steal rate. These are both players that would fit nicely as rotation wings, but probably not great starters unless they hit some luck in growth. I like them though!




Honorable Mentions:

Points:
T.J. Ford - Washington Bullets

Wings:
Luke Walton - Cleveland Cavaliers
Travis Hansen - Cleveland Cavaliers
Willie Green - Minnesota Timberwolves
Carlos Delfino - Chicago Bulls

Bigs:
Chris Kaman - Los Angeles Lakers
Britton Johnsen - Orlando Magic
Earl Barron - Orlando Magic
Nedzad Sinanovic - Orlando Magic
Chris Bosh - Atlanta Hawks
Nick Collison - Cleveland Cavaliers

[delap]

[Handsome Pete]

80k despite obvious biases

[delap]

Mar 31, 2022 15:44:01 GMT -5 Handsome Pete said:

80k despite obvious biases

I didn’t punish him. I wanted to, but I didn’t.

[Sapular]

90k

[Fason]

85k

[killiam bing]

steve flake in the playoffs

[Majic]

85k

Nice work!