darthska
Staff member
- 46,891
- 31,431
NT's All Time NBA ReDraft Thread: GR8 Write Up Page 187, Bracket Final Vote
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by CP1708,
- Start date
- 30,670
- 7,908
Is CP's papi dad not doing review of our teams?
I am confused now
I am confused now
- 36,045
- 12,024
- 1,730
- 1,101
Picks and analysis will be posted within the hour. Sorry it has taken so long, hectic at work so I really havent had as much time as I would have liked. Just finished them up though, just making some final touches and deciding my last 3 teams out since I have 13 but will be trimming it down to a top 10.
- 28,935
- 17,602
Shocked you didn't take the day off 
- 74,910
- 24,318
The Federal Reserve delayed raising rates to accommodate Gr8.
- 1,730
- 1,101
- 23,933
- 5,933
Don't worry guys I'm preparing the servers for his post as we speak.
We shouldn't experience any issues tonight as long as it doesn't exceed 300,000 words.
We shouldn't experience any issues tonight as long as it doesn't exceed 300,000 words.
- 73,524
- 100,462
Don't worry guys I'm preparing the servers for his post as we speak.
We shouldn't experience any issues tonight as long as it doesn't exceed 300,000 words.
so he's only allowed to post 3 teams?
MVP
Supporter
- 82,977
- 85,441
2 top teams lists from different judges so far.
- 23,933
- 5,933
Don't worry guys I'm preparing the servers for his post as we speak.
We shouldn't experience any issues tonight as long as it doesn't exceed 300,000 words.
so he's only allowed to post 3 teams?
There's only so much I can do with my community college tech education.
So yes... I, along would NT, would appreciate it if he posted 3 teams at a time.
- 37,287
- 19,666
gr8 actually knows hoops so I'm expecting great things.
darthska
Staff member
- 46,891
- 31,431
[quote name="Mamba MVP"][QUOTE name="DarthSka"]2 what?[/QUOTE]2 top teams lists from different judges so far.[/quote]Top 10? Top 5? Top 3?
Just curious what you're keeping track of so I can keep up with updating as well.
Just curious what you're keeping track of so I can keep up with updating as well.
darthska
Staff member
- 46,891
- 31,431
[quote name="JohnnyRedStorm"]The Federal Reserve delayed raising rates to accommodate Gr8.[/quote]Bruh. 
darthska
Staff member
- 46,891
- 31,431
[quote name="nickmaz96"][quote name="LiCeNseD To BaLL"]We shouldn't experience any issues tonight as long as it doesn't exceed 300,000 words.
[/quote]so he's only allowed to post 3 teams?[/quote]
MVP
Supporter
- 82,977
- 85,441
Got top 3 team from Cap and Top 8 from E. I'm just keeping track of evaluations of my team from others, liking what I hear so far.Top 10? Top 5? Top 3?
Just curious what you're keeping track of so I can keep up with updating as well.
- 23,933
- 5,933
Got top 3 team from Cap and Top 8 from E. I'm just keeping track of evaluations of my team from others, liking what I hear so far.Top 10? Top 5? Top 3?
Just curious what you're keeping track of so I can keep up with updating as well.
Now much did you PayPal them to pretend to like your team?
MVP
Supporter
- 82,977
- 85,441
Why you always counting my pockets G? Don't be jealous of my drafting expertise.
- 23,933
- 5,933
- 30,670
- 7,908
do you secretly like mine tho
- 92,330
- 128,032
GR8. |I
Last edited:
- 1,730
- 1,101
Alright fellas. Rankings are done. Thanks for waiting sorry I took so long. Been very busy at work.
Anywayyy these rankings were tough for me. There were probably 20/30 teams that I gave consideration to in my top 10. The last 2 picks were even more difficult as I had a list of 14 to narrow to 10.
Ultimately I chose these 10 teams in order from 10-1 as my top 10. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the process, thanks everyone for listening to me at times, and if we do another one, I want in.
But I agree with what many people said during the drafting process. The conversation was top notch. Some really intuitive, intelligent basketball conversation throughout the draft that went beyond the confines of the typical ESPN/media bull ****. I usually stay put in the Knicks thread when I'm on NT, but this post popped out at me for some reason, and once I opened it, I was hooked. I am glad that I was along for the ride.
Anyway, I mean it when I say that I respect each and every one of yalls bball opinion. 99% of these picks didnt come without good reason, whether it be style of play, or how you look at this format, which we left very objective. However, in order to properly judge these teams I needed to set a standard for myself. So what I did, which I suggested early on in the thread, is that I treated the analysis like Bill Simmons treats his chapter in the Book of Basketball where he is assembling a team in a Space Jam like situation to play a group of NBA star aliens in a basketball game with earth on the line. What I took away from that is his rule that he can go back in time and take any player he wants from any year to assemble his roster. Because of this rule, only 1 year was chosen, placing a greater importance over a peak season than a long career. Also important, is that I did my best to try and assess how each player would fare in 2015 with league rules like they are right now. Obviously a case for a player will be strong the better the numbers/resume look, but if those numbers came from a 6'4 PF in 1955, it may not be as valuable as someone putting up not as good numbers in 2015. It is all a matter of opinion and this is my opinion.
So basically I judged each player in this draft by their peak performance and not just peak, but what version of each player fits with the team on the court, as team fit/chemistry/style of play also played a large factor. I did not write every single year I was choosing for each player, but I had a general idea for each guy in mind.
It is important to note that using this format I am choosing the best each player was at any point in their career given the concept of the team. So for players like Karl Towns, Wiggins, and all the other rookies and 2nd year players that were picked, I am judging them based off of what they have accomplished in their NBA careers thus far. Basically, I am judging them by how good I think they will be in this coming NBA season since that is the latest possible time period I am evaluating players by and for young players, that is the best they should be. Like I said, the rules of this draft were very objective. So for those of you who drafted Wiggins and Towns and those kind of guys early, I get your mindet, and I respect it, but under my format they are only being judged by who they are right now, not necessarily who they will be in the future. So that might have hurt certain teams in my rankings, but I just wanted to explain that.
That should explain everything. I ranked each team 10-1 and wrote down "What I like most" about each team as well as "What ultimately held you back." Also, the depth chart is how I best see fit for each team as well.
If anyone has any questions about any of my breakdowns or guidelines, let me know and id be happy to explain further if need be. Keep in my mind that I did not have as much time as I would have liked, so a lot of this analysis was rushed but I think the point gets across in each of them.
Without further a do:
10. BigMike
PG: Bing/Nixon/Kerr
SG: Reggie/Finley/Chapman
SF: Erving/Rose
PF: Coleman/Kucoc
C: Sheed/Nerlens
What I like most: Tough call. Numbers 9-10 narrowly edged 3-4 other teams but BigMike starts us off at #10. I think this is the most well rounded team of the ones I am choosing from, who each had more holding them back than BigMike. Bing/Reggie is an excellent backcourt. A nightmare to guard on the perimeter. Bing is one of the more underrated PGs of all time. Maybe the first true scoring point guard, and he was a great one who probably could have been great in any era (maybe even better with better medical care and use of the 3 point line). Bing was extremely quick and a great shooter. He was even more dominant in his first couple of seasons before knee injuries set him back. He is almost like the Gale Sayers of the NBA, but in this format we are looking at peaks and Bing is a good player to run the show. Pairing him with a Shooter like Reggie is very nightmarish for opposing wing defenders. Also exactly the kind of players you want to pair with the Doctor, who was one of the greatest slashing/athletic forwards of all time. You definitely want players who will space the floor and stay out of his way. I really like the Bing/Reggie backcourt with the Doc at the 3 (even though I ******* hate Reggie). I also love Sheed here. Sheed is one of the most talented NBA players I have ever seen. He is basically KG without the desire to be great. Just going off pure basketball ability, there is very little separating KG and Sheed. Sheed was an incredible talent because he was good at so many different things. A true 7 footer who can score from any part of the court. Deadly shooter from the outside, great post game, extremely athletic for his size, and he was a hell of a defender/rebounder when he chose to put the effort in. What I like about Sheed is that he wasn't soft, he just liked to **** around and didn't always take his career seriously. There is a major difference between the 2. Despite not always giving max effort, Sheed seemed to rise up to the challenge and wouldn't back down from others. Sheed stepped up when going up against the best players when there was something on the line. It was almost like he had an on/off switch in his brain and when he turned it on, he was tough as hell. He always played those Lakers' series like a superstar, and he was exactly what the Pistons needed when they traded for him to get them over the hump. As much as Sheed liked to **** around, he saw an opportunity to win a ring when he was traded to Detroit, and not only did he step his game up, but he rallied the team like a leader. He was a seamless fit. That is why I like Sheed in this format. Playing against the greats, I would expect Sheed to step his game up and be in over his head against nobody, because he was that talented. He offers this team yet another deep threat to open up the paint for the Doctor to surgically pick apart defenses, and his post up game is a nice element as well. Something that Derek Coleman also brings to the table. In Sheed and Coleman you have 2 20/10 players who can score at will and also hold down the fort defensively, despite nether of them being prototypical rim protectors. Coleman also adds a nice post up/pick and roll element to a team with a lot of facilitators and shooters. He should be a good fit offensively. Not the best front court in the redraft by any means, but more than capable of holding their own and a solid fit on this team. One of my favorite bench units also, which really elevated this team into the top 10. I will say many times in this rundown, but I love point forwards coming off the bench. I am a big fan of adding size as long as you dont subtract other important areas like facilitators, shooters, athleticism, etc. Having point forwards like Kucoc and Jalen Rose gives this team a lot of options off the bench. A great look for this team would even be to have Jalen play some point alongside his ex-teammate Reggie and the Doctor. Kucoc adds a similar facet and helps space the floor as well. Since this team's front court isn't spectacular, it is good to have players who can handle the ball and space the floor so you can try to beat teams on the run. Michael Finley was a steal to come off the bench as well. A tough 2 guard who was a scoring machine in his prime and a capable defender. This team is versatile, talented, and athletic and IMO there is a lot to like here.
What ultimately held you back: The front court. There are A LOT of dominant centers throughout NBA history and this team would have trouble guarding a bunch of them. Sheed is probably big and capable enough to hold his own but he should be at least a little bit overmatched. Coleman always put up good numbers and was a beast at Syracuse (not gonna like the Cuse-combo of Bing/Coleman helped this team out but it was offset by Reggie Miller ) but he played on losers during his NBA career. The only prototypical big you have off the bench is Nerlens Noel, who adds some much needed rim protection for sure, but is a twig-like 2nd year player who's only year in the NBA thus far came on a 20 win Sixers team. So yeah, this team lacks all-time greats in the front court, while other teams might have 2-3 of those kind of players. Also Coleman and Sheed might not be an ideal pair offensively because both command a lot of touches (in a addition to the high scoring backcourt) and neither one are great passers. However, this helps with players like Jalen and Kucoc off the bench and the high volume of shooters readily available.
9. Pmatic
PG: Kidd/Lowry
SG: Korver/Jax/Barry
SF: Hill/Battier
PF: Bosh/Odom/Kurt
C: M. Gasol/Divac
What I like most: Best passing team that was drafted. Probably isn't even close. This team is incredibly balanced and unselfish. There are so many great scorers, so having players who have proven to make scoring easy for regular every day NBA players is even more valuable when playing alongside some of the greats. I mean Jason Kidd was the king of making his teammates look better than they are. For years he was the easy choice as the singular player that every other player wanted to play with (and I HATE saying this because I HATED Kidd on the Nets). So yeah, maybe Korver/Bosh/Gasol don't come across as the most spectacular scorers. But they all fit the team concept and having kid as the orchestrator makes this team capable of beating anyone. Grant Hill is the same kind of way. Him and Kidd were triple double machines in their prime and definitely top 5 NBA players in their peaks. I think the 1995 co-rookies-of-the-year would make a spectacular unselfish duo. Korver would be an immediate benefactor. He would be getting open looks all day. As would Bosh as the stretch 4. But I am also thinking about Raptors Bosh more-so than Heat Bosh, who was a top 10 NBA player and so much more than a stretch 4 (not that he is just a stretch 4 with the Heat, but you get the point). Marc Gasol is a defensive player of the year center, who is superbly skilled offensively. He is another player that can knock it down from midrange and gives Kidd/Hill a post scoring offense when they are in the half court. And similar to Kidd/Hill, Gasol is another unselfish player who passes out of the post and makes his teammates better. Korver/Bosh would have an easy time getting buckets playing in this lineup around Kidd/Hill/Gasol. Another player who can spread the wealth offensively is Lamar Odom. I am a big fan of big point forwards as 6th men and Odom was one of the bests in his prime. Seamless fit into this team concept off the bench and is a great player to keep the ball moving while giving Grant Hill some rest. Battier is one of the great team players in NBA history, and similar to Korver, he should get a lot of easy looks from deep, and he helps this team's defense. Divac is yet another tremendous passer at center to the point where it is practically unfair. And unlike most other skill sets, I am a firm believer that passing/unselfishness may be the one skill in the NBA that you can never have too much of. The more unselfish players you have, the better. If you can take the floor with 5 players who can all pass the ball and operate like Kidd/Hill/Odom/Divac/Gasol, the result should be something resembling poetry in motion more so than sloppiness. Kurt Thomas is a goon and one of my favorites. His mid range shooting ability is a nice touch and makes him a good fit to come off the bench for Bosh or Gasol. Lowry is also a very solid backup PG. Another unselfish player who can score and is a feisty defender. Stephen Jackson is another 2 way player who I really like, despite him being a crazy SOB.
What ultimately held you back: No real go-to scorers on this team although the surplus of passing should help this team score and get easy looks with ease. Defensively this team is strong, but may be liable in some areas. Kidd and Gasol are both elite defenders but may be vulnerable in wing defense (although Battier certainly helps) as well as shot blocking. Gasol is a tremendous post defender, but not a spectacular rim protector. May be vulnerable to big nights from slashing guards, especially because Kidd was never the quickest guy on the floor.
8. Statis
PG: Nash/Bibby/Murphy
SG: Wade/Spree
SF: King/Caron
PF: Kemp/K-Mart/Dawkins
C: Ratliff/Davis
What I like most: Love this back court. 2x MVP Steve Nash running the break with super freak Wade and all-world scorer Bernard. Each one of them brings a little flavor to the table as well. Nash the elite facilitator as well as a dead eye shooter, both skills of heightened importance in this format. Wade is the super freak athlete/attacker who routinely put up ridiculous numbers in his prime and won a championship as the alpha dog putting up probably the best singular numbers we have seen from a Finals MVP since MJ (with a little help from the Zebras). King does a little bit of it all offensively. He can shoot on you, post up, drive to the hole, etc. Like Wade, in his prime, King was another player capable of putting up ridiculous offensive numbers which always gave his teams a chance of winning even when they lacked talent (word to him taking the 84 Celtics to the Eastern conference Finals with the Knicks on his back). In the front court, you have another athletic freak in Shawn Kemp, who gives Nash that Amare type player he loves. Kemp is another player who proved in Seattle capable of being the #1 scoring option on a finals team, especially with the help of elite PG play from the Glove. He gets that same kind of help offensively from Nash. Ratliff was nothing special offensively, but an elite rim protector and one of the more underrated centers of his generation. In this lineup, you don't really need more scoring from the 5. Getting a true post up player only would have slowed this unit back so ideally this team would get a floor spacing 5 or a rim protector. Ratliff is definitely elite at the latter, which is probably more important than shooting anyway. This is also one of my favorite benches in the entire draft, something that definitely helped these rankings. All these players I thought were high value picks and could easily play into this team's athletic mentality. Sprewell is one of my favorite players of all time. Another wing player who can score any way you want him to. Spree was first-team All-NBA in 1994 with the Warriors and he was a true 2-way player due to his outstanding perimeter D. You would barely be missing a beat subbing in Spree for Wade/King. That is a constant theme I liked with this bench. Each replacement is very similar to the starter, so this system can stay the same throughout, and each player is good enough where production would only dip slightly. Prime K-Mart was a monster and had a very similar skill set to Kemp. Not as good offensively, but probably a tougher defender down low and a legit tough guy/goon that is an asset to any bench. Dale Davis offers rim protection/toughness in place of Ratliff at center. Caron isn't as good as Bernard, but he's another score-any-kind-of-way 3-guard who played at an extremely high level for a couple of years in his prime. Mike Bibby gives you a replacement for Nash who is a great floor general with a lot of playoff experience and is a deadly shooter from deep.
What ultimately held you back: Not great defensively. Nash/Bibby would be food defensively trying to guard a lot of players in this format. The only other player who can be capable to run the point at times would be Wade. Wade is capable of guarding point guards and even facilitating but without Nash/Bibby in the game, your shooting would take a major hit. That is the other problem with this team. Outside of your point guards, threre really aren't any dead-eye shooting threats. A lot of the top teams in this format have shooters all over the floor. If this team matched up with a team like that, and the other team got hot, I think that Statis' squad would have trouble keeping up. And unlike other squads as well, this team is good defensively, but not really spectacular. So I don't know if they would have the ability to really put the clamps down and make sure that some of the game's all time great shooters don't get hot.
7. AMP
PG: Tim/Lawson/Miller
SG: Majerle/Davis/Wesley
SF: Gervin/Hayward
PF: Marion/J. O’Neal
C: Moses/Sikma
What I like most: The front court. Moses Malone was a ******* beast in his prime. He was a great pick. Probably the best offensive rebounder of all time. A great post scorer and passer. You don't need anyone to get in his way. The Matrix is a nice fit next to him. One of the most versatile players I have ever seen. A great perimeter defender and post defender as well as a shot blocker and a rebounder. He could pretty much do anything asked and guard a variety of positions. If he needed to step up and guard someone on the perimeter, you could slid Iceman down to the 2, move Thunder Dan to the bench and slide JO into the 4. JO was a steal that late. The #1 option on a team that in my opinion would have won the 2005 NBA Championship if it weren't for a certain incident. Still JO was a top 5 NBA player in his prime. Great low post scorer with a midrange jumper who could defend the paint and give you 10+ boards a night. Iceman is a great perimeter scoring compliment to Moses and JO's post play. Thunder Dan gives this team an outside threat who was also a capable slasher. Sikma was a steal and a great backup center. Hardaway gives you a tough floor general to make the ship run smoothly with one of the best crossovers of all time… Also a BIG fan of young Andre Miller. Like him better than Ty.
What ultimately held you back: Probably better off with Thunder Dan on the bench, Iceman at the 2, Matrix at the 3, and JO at the 4. But that lineup clogs the paint for Moses more than you would like, which is one of the strengths of the starters. So it puts this team in a little bit of a pickle. Majerle was a very good player dont get me wrong, but he wasn't spectacular. I would feel a little more comfortable with him starting if he was at least a dead eye 3 point shooter, like Kyle Korver. But that's probably nit picking a little bit considering that Thunder Dan was an all-star on the 93 Suns team who went to the Finals and shot 38% from 3 that season. This team doest have too many weaknesses though. The bench is very good. I don't love Lawson, Wesley, or Hayward. Not that all were/are not very good players, just that I would expect more from the backup backcourt in this format.
6. JRS
PG: Wilkens/M. Jackson
SG: Maravich/Curry/Carr
SF: LJ/Azirin
PF: Cowens/Thorpe
C: Ewing/Porzingis/Johnston
What I like most: #33 Pat-rick Ew-ing… These are my rankings, ******* sue me. Patrick is my guy and I like this team around the big fella. Big fan of this starting lineup. Complete with hall of fame 20+ PPg scorers (I guess LJ isnt a HOFer if you wanna get all technical and ****, but he's a HOFer in my books) very tough team to guard. LJ probably had the least renowned career of the bunch but he was one of the best players of his time before back injuries held him back and still very effective after. Going by peak years, I am going by Hornets LJ, and he is a great fit for this team IMO. He keeps up with the rugged mentality brought to the table by Ewing and Covens. He is an unselfish team player who was capable of dropping 20+ on any given night. And perhaps most importantly LJ was a FREAK athlete in his hey day, and also could hit well enough from deep, both of which become extra necessary because Ewing and Cowens were both centers. LJ could easily slide to the 4 and let Azirin play the 3 at times when needed. Still, these are 3 players you do not want to face on the boards, and Ewing was also an incredible athlete and one of the best mid range shooting centers ever. Nice little combo in the backcourt as well. Pistol Pete could kill you in a variety of ways. Used to routinely average 30+ PPG, hit from the outside, and was basically a PG who scored like a 2. Lenny Wilkens is an old school player but he would probably fare well in any era. Great floor general and defender who could score when needed as well. He is the right kind of player to operate this unit. He is unselfish enough to get everyone their touches and also plays the right kind of pace for this starting 5 since they could run, but are not built to be a fast break team. I think Wilkens would fit well and I love Marlk Jackson backing him up, who was one of the best facilitators ever and had great chemistry with Ewing as shown during their years together in the late 80s/early 90s. In addition to Mark, you have a variety of deep threats to come off the bench, including his holiness, Kristaps Porzingis. Paul Azirin is old school but probably a steal considering where he was drafted. One of the best scorers of his day and a nice player to have off the bench.
What ultimately held you back: I don't believe anyone outside of Cowens has an NBA Championship. Cowens and Ewing were both centers and Cowens may be the odd ball out of that lineup being asked to play the 4. I like the combination, but isn't ideal. Could have maybe benefited from a more athletic shooter at the 4. Or someone like that at the 3 allowing you to slide LJ to the 4. Maravich is another guy who was probably the greatest college basketball player ever, a phenomenal NBA player by any account, but he had very little team success during his NBA career compared to many of the all timers. He is probably your top perimeter scoring threat, but because of that I would maybe trust him a little bit more as a #2 or #3 in this type of format.
5. Cake
PG: Wall/Cassell/V. Johnson
SG: VC/Rip
SF: Bron/Prince/Person
PF: West/Bargs
C: Walton/Laimbeer
What I like most: Run, run, run. Then run some god damn more. This team would be a flat out nightmare to match up with in the fast break. Hate Lebron but can't knock the fact that he may be the best player to run the fast break in the history of the NBA due to the combination of his freakish athleticism, incredible size, unstoppable scoring ability in the paint, as well as his near Magic Johnson-esque passing vision. Prime VC could not be trusted as "the guy" but would be a hell of a running mate for Bron. John Wall obviously helps this team out on the break even more. Bill Walton was flat out the steal of the entire draft. No doubt in my mind. Not even close. Going by peaks, Walton probably should have been a top 15 pick, and you got him in the third round. Former MVP and NBA Champion. Best passing center of all time who did nothing badly. Him and Lebron add a crazy dimension of big guys with point guard like vision. Like this bench a lot. The Pistons Rip/Tayshaun combo was a nice little touch. Idk if it is how you wanted it set up, but I also added West to the lineup over Laimbeer. West would make a great 5th option on that lineup because he is athletic enough to get up and down the floor while hanging back a little bit to space the floor. With that lineup, D-West's midrange ability would be crucial and he is better suited to guard 4s than Laimbeer. However, Laimbeer would be a menace to come off the bench alongside the modern Pistons Rip and Tayshaun, another great facilitator/great clutch scorer in Cassell (like you mentioned almost like a poor man's Billups, but not by much) ads well as his former Bad Boy teammate the Microwave. I like this team because it offers the most athletic starting 5 and some rugged goons to come off the bench. Tough matchup for any team who could beat any of these teams on any given night.
What ultimately held you back: A couple of things. #1 is shooting. As athletic as Wall is I would have almost of preferred you look for a shooter at the point (which I guess Cassell can be). I say this because I am a big time fan of size as long as the big players are athletic enough to make it work. My favorite lineup on this team might be formed by inserting Rip/Prince for Wall/West. This is because Lebron is every bit athletic enough to defend point guards and a good enough passer to run the point. Walton is also a point guard-like facilitator so I think it might have served you better to look for a bigger shooter at point than another pure PG/freak athlete. Like I said before, I am a fan of adding size as long as you are not hurt elsewhere. Well, a lineup of Lebron/Rip/VC/Tayshaun/Walton can run on you all day, but it also has 2 of the best facilitators of all time in Bron/Walton. You wouldnt be hurt losing John Wall's athleticism or his facilitating, the 2 things he brings to the table more than anything else. Most importantly, this lineup gives you a little more floor spacing and a whole lot of Versatility with Rip/Tayshaun's defensive ability as well as their awkward as **** bodies and long *** arms. So on a team that can run with facilitators like Lebron and Walton, you would think that Wall would be a seamless fit because those are the things he is best at. But I actually think the opposite, I think the Wall is less helpful on this team than he might be elsewhere because of other players' ability to do what he does best. On the other hand, this team lacks a real deep threat outside of Cassell (Rip's bread and butter was always his midrange). So shooting definitely held this team back more than anything else because many of these teams can make it rain from the outside while this team could be set back by an off shooting night. The lack of outside shooting makes it a little more difficult for Lebron and Walton to facilitate. Especially Walton because he does most of his facilitating in the half court, so it would be ideal to have shooters he can hit from the post. Which is why, I think this team would be stronger, and maybe have the top spot in the rankings, with a point guard like Chauncey Billups or Terry Porter over John Wall. Not because I think they are better, but because I like the fit better. Another interesting option, which I think I would have done in this format would be to run Lebron at point. I mean if you think about it, and I say this all the ******* time, Lebron really is a point guard. He is a lot more Magic than he ever was Michael and he is easily athletic enough to stay in front of any PG in the NBA, word to him changing the 2011 playoffs vs Chicago by guarding Rose. The reason teams dont run Lebron at PG is because he is tall, but also because he is needed to score. But in a format like this, it would of been interesting to throw Lebron at point guard and try and build an athletic team around him with more scorers/shooters. I think that team would be unstoppable... Although CP would probably throw a fit about ******* with the positions.
Also Bargnani. I cant let that pick slide under the radar. I don't think I could have picked a winning team with Bargs on the roster… Sorry Cake. (Yes I understand he had one season in which he averaged like 22 PPG in Toronto, still one of the worse rebounding/defending 7 footers I have ever seen as well as an overrated shooter who despite adding a little more of an aerial assault to a team that need it doesn't belong on the same court as any of these other players and would ultimately be a minus in this kind of format).
4. Allen
PG: Clyde/Rondo/BJ
SG: George/Hersey
SF: Melo/Lewis/Dumas
PF: Webber/Perkins
C: Wilt/Tarpley
What I like most: Very well rounded team. Wilt and Webber were both incredible in their primes, and the high post low post Combo is intriguing to say the least with Webber's passing/shooting and Wilt's overall low post dominance. However both players had a little bit of a reputation to fade away with the game on the line, but Clyde is arguably the best defensive PG of all time as well as one of the greatest big game/big moment PGs of all time. He is a great player top have and a great fit on this team. Melo is another closer and a flat out steal that late in the draft. Paul George would be a great compliment to Melo on the perimeter due to his perimeter defense and passing ability. Webber adds another dimension to the offense as a point forward. With Rondo coming off the bench for Clyde you will never have to worry about guarding opposing point guards. Liked the Reggie Lewis pick a lot as well off the bench. Very few flaws, extremely solid all around.
What ultimately held you back: Honestly, Wilt Chamberlain. This team could have been #1 for me but honestly Wilt as the first round pick doesnt do it for me. Wilt was an incredible basketball player, I dont think anyone would argue that. But a STRONG case can be made that dominance was more than a little inflated due to his era, and I take that into consideration in trying to determine how these players would fare against each other. Not that Wilt shouldn't have went in the first round, but he might not be more valuable than a Shaq or Ewing in my format of evaluating. But honestly, more importantly than Wilt's stats being inflated, was Wilt's reputation as a player who cared more about himself and his image than he did about the team and winning. I don't think the #1 team in a format like this with all these all-time greats who so often left it all on the line and were true die-guys (players who make you think they would give their life to win) could be anchored by Wilt Chamberlain. That probably held this team back more than anything else. Also, I admittedly do not know much about a lot of the bench guys and had to do some research.
3. Pro
PG: Magic/Conley/Evans
SG: Monroe/Stack/Middleton
SF: Robinson/Deng
PF: Petit/Mirotic
C: Gilmore/Jefferson
What I like most: The Magic/Monroe backcourt. In a format like this, unselfishness is a major advantage because all these guys have egos and can score. Nobody better at spreading the wealth and getting others involved than Magic. Pearl was also a showman and an incredible scorer in his own right, however, as shown from his Knicks years, Pearl is more than willing to buy into trhe team concept and sacrifice individual numbers when necessary. But shown from his bullet years, Pearl can also take ball handling duties from Magic when necessary, be a similar kind of showman, and out up big time scoring numbers. I don’t love a super old school white guy like Bob Petit in this format, but he stood at 6’9 and put up some of the best numbers of all time. He was a great rebounder and a versatile enough scorer to probably produce in any era. Artis Gilmore stood at 7’2 and was a beast, his game should translate across any era. Bench isn’t great, but prime Stackhouse is a great asset and a low post player like Jefferson would greatly benefit from playing with Magic sort of like Kareem.
What ultimately held you back: Big dog is probably the weak link of this lineup but he is serviceable and a good fit because of his scoring. Ultimately is a little on the weaker side defensively and while they should be fun to watch offensively and put up a lot of points, there isn’t really a proven great closer.
2. BHZ
PG: Payton/Porter/Navarro
SG: Roy/Starks/Christie
SF: Artest/Hedo
PF: Malone/Mason
C: Camby/Tree
What I like most: Maybe my personal favorite team overall. The goon squad. The team that can grind out a game vs anyone and because of such, has the potential to beat any team they face. In addition to that, the team is also extremely talented. Clearly this team may be the best at putting the clamps on their opponent. Glove is maybe the best defensive PG of all time. Roy is the weakest of the starters but he was always a pesty defender who put in the effort always. I remember Clyde Frazier (the player Glove is in direct competition with for greatest PG of all time) used to say that Roy reminded him of himself all the time on the Knicks broadcasts when we used to play the Blazers. So I guess that says more than I could about Roy's defense. Artest might be the best perimeter defender I have ever seen play in his prime. Dude was a ******* animal on defense. Perfect combination of size, athleticism, fundamentals, instincts, and of course that crazy guy toughness we all love and expected from Artest on a nightly basis. You need that "nobody is ******* scoring on me" mentality in addition to everything else to truly be a great defender. Artest is one player who took offense every time he was scored on and this team has that mentality in spades. Glove even got offended when MJ scored on him and because of that he guarded him better than anyone did. Malone was another gritty (defender) who didn't back down on that side of the court and wasn't afraid to thrown an elbow or five or six. Camby was a DPOY and one of the most elite rim protectors I have ever seen. He used to get a lot of **** because people mistook his frailness for weakness and a lack of toughness all the time when his career started. People labeled him soft in Toronto after being the 2nd pick in the talented 1996 draft and being traded for Charles Oakley himself and landing in tough/defensive coach JVG's doghouse in front of the hyper-critical NYC media/fanbase certainly didn't help his cause. But when Ewing went down during the 1999 playoffs, everything changed for Marcus for the better. He had a lot of built up anger from his critics which became aggression and toughness on the court. He played nasty and with a chip on his shoulder and immediately won over the NYC fan base despite the unpopularity of the Oakley trade. As he became a key member of the Knicks core, his status as a defensive anchor only grew from there, especially because he fit in with the new NBA better than the 90s, which were dominated by muscle men who couldn't get a foot off the ground like Charles Oakley. So Camby became a defensive force in his prime who despite his skinny frame fits in with the gritty/tough guy mentality of this team. He isn't the strongest guy on the floor but playing alongside Artest/Malone would help that a lot, and Tree Rollins is a legitimate tree trunk who this team can sub in at any time. Mason and Starks are more gritty/tough defenders who also have a great chemistry together having come up out of nowhere on the Knicks together and being cogs on those great mid-90s team. Terry Porter was a great PG who was a steal in the draft and another tough defender. However, unlike most defensive minded teams, this team can more than hold its own offensively. Karl Malone is one of the top scorers in NBA history and arguably the best offensive 4 of all time. His scoring/rebounding resume speaks for itself. Glove was one of the best floor generals of his time. Roy and Artest were both guys capable of being #1 perimeter scoring options on very good teams. Each player scored well over 20 PPG in their prime who could both score in a variety of ways, not weak in any singular area. Roy was an incredible slasher. During the 2004-2005 season the Palace Malace took place, Artest was a top 5 NBA player, and IMO he could have won MVP that season if he kept it up and the Pacers easily could have won the NBA Championship. Off the bench, in addition to grittiness and toughness, Starks/Mason aeach brought a lot to the table offensively. Mason also adds a nice point forward dimension, which I love coming off the bench. Starks was streaky, but when he got hot, he could kill you in a number of ways and was extremely difficult to slow down. He was also an underrated passer who would occasionally run the point. Terry Porter was an extremely underrated point guard, he could hurt you from the outside, and he was a top-tier floor general as well. Turkoglu is another point forward type off the bench, who adds a nice dimension as a purely offensive focused kind of player who can stroke it from the outside and handle the ball. Kind of like Kucoc on the 96 Bulls, the best defensive team of all time.
What ultimately held you back: Not as much scoring as other teams. This team will keep games low scoring, which is fine, but when you do that you need a reliable go to crunch time scorer. Obviously that is Malone for this team, but personally I am not a huge Malone fan and he was known to fade in big moments. Similarly to Wilt holding allen back a little bit, my personal opinion of the Mailman probably held this team back from the #1 spot in the rankings.
1.CP
PG: Billups/K. Anderson/McMillan
SG: Allen/Scott
SF: Bird/Igoudala/Gay
PF: Aldridge/Manning
C: Mourning/Daughetry
What I like most: Love this team all around. LOVE it. Shooters/scorers galore all over the floor while not really losing a step defensively. This team can beat you any type of way. Bird in his prime is one of the best alphas you can ask for. In this type of draft, it is hard to find a much better player to draft than the Great White Hope because of his scoring ability as well as his unselfishness/passing. Unselfishness is HUGE in this format. Bird made everone around him better and played with a real swagger and killer instinct. The combination is deadly. His unselfishness might even make him a better fit than Jordan/Kobe or one of the centers, and because of his shooting ability I would probably take prime Bird over Magic or Lebron. Bird was also a killer in addition to a great all around player, which makes me prefer him to Lebron prime vs prime. Lebron is very Wilt Chamberlain like (I am a big time Lebron hater, so ******* be it) in that he isnt a die guy and cares much more about himself than the team. Bird, on the other hand, while less athletic than Lebron, was a much better shooter and a straight up cold blooded killer. I would take prime Bird over prime Lebron any day. I am very surprised LB went past the top 10. But there are many great players. **** the GOAT's team didnt even make it into my top 10. This draft is much deeper than any one player and this team has the full package for me. Unselfishness, shooting, defense, size, speed, etc. you name it. Beyond Bird, Chauncey and Ray Allen are a phenomenal backcourt. 2 NBA championship dead eye shooters who are good leaders and known to rip opponents hearts out of their chest. Both of them (especially Allen in his prime) also have extremely diverse all around offensive games, and both of them were very solid on defense as well (especially Billups in his prime). Also having Bird would allow both of them to play off the ball and spot up, which makes them even more tough to guard. The defense is forced to Respect Bird and worry about him killing them, and you have the prospect of leaving one or both of 2 of the greatest big moment shooters of all time open on the perimeter. Especially in their primes, when both could drop 20-25 on you in the blink of an eye and blow by you with speed as well as their shooting. Mourning is an elite rim protector despite being only 6'10, and unlike many other great rim protectors taken after the 1st round, Zo was a #1 option in his prime as well as a great all around center. Doesn’t hurt to have a player like Aldridge as the forgotten man in the starting lineup, and he stretches big men away from the hoop as well. Solid bench backcourt in Kenny Anderson and Byron Scott. Iggy gives you an athletic replacement for bird who can also handle the ball and is now a Finals MVP. Danny Manning was one of the best college players of all time and another 20+ PPg scorer in the NBA and Daughetry was another 20 PPG scorer on playoff Cavs team.
What ultimately held you back: Not much, hence the #1 ranking. I would say defensively not as strong as some other teams but still more than serviceable. Not too many weaknesses on this squad. Very talented and very well rounded.
And that's all I got folks. Read it if you like, I hope you enjoy. Spend a good 4 hours editing it tonight even after I pasted the Word document onto NT. I apologize it is not more paced out.
Until next time fellas. Congrats to CP, and also thanks for setting this **** up.
Anywayyy these rankings were tough for me. There were probably 20/30 teams that I gave consideration to in my top 10. The last 2 picks were even more difficult as I had a list of 14 to narrow to 10.
Ultimately I chose these 10 teams in order from 10-1 as my top 10. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the process, thanks everyone for listening to me at times, and if we do another one, I want in.
But I agree with what many people said during the drafting process. The conversation was top notch. Some really intuitive, intelligent basketball conversation throughout the draft that went beyond the confines of the typical ESPN/media bull ****. I usually stay put in the Knicks thread when I'm on NT, but this post popped out at me for some reason, and once I opened it, I was hooked. I am glad that I was along for the ride.
Anyway, I mean it when I say that I respect each and every one of yalls bball opinion. 99% of these picks didnt come without good reason, whether it be style of play, or how you look at this format, which we left very objective. However, in order to properly judge these teams I needed to set a standard for myself. So what I did, which I suggested early on in the thread, is that I treated the analysis like Bill Simmons treats his chapter in the Book of Basketball where he is assembling a team in a Space Jam like situation to play a group of NBA star aliens in a basketball game with earth on the line. What I took away from that is his rule that he can go back in time and take any player he wants from any year to assemble his roster. Because of this rule, only 1 year was chosen, placing a greater importance over a peak season than a long career. Also important, is that I did my best to try and assess how each player would fare in 2015 with league rules like they are right now. Obviously a case for a player will be strong the better the numbers/resume look, but if those numbers came from a 6'4 PF in 1955, it may not be as valuable as someone putting up not as good numbers in 2015. It is all a matter of opinion and this is my opinion.
So basically I judged each player in this draft by their peak performance and not just peak, but what version of each player fits with the team on the court, as team fit/chemistry/style of play also played a large factor. I did not write every single year I was choosing for each player, but I had a general idea for each guy in mind.
It is important to note that using this format I am choosing the best each player was at any point in their career given the concept of the team. So for players like Karl Towns, Wiggins, and all the other rookies and 2nd year players that were picked, I am judging them based off of what they have accomplished in their NBA careers thus far. Basically, I am judging them by how good I think they will be in this coming NBA season since that is the latest possible time period I am evaluating players by and for young players, that is the best they should be. Like I said, the rules of this draft were very objective. So for those of you who drafted Wiggins and Towns and those kind of guys early, I get your mindet, and I respect it, but under my format they are only being judged by who they are right now, not necessarily who they will be in the future. So that might have hurt certain teams in my rankings, but I just wanted to explain that.
That should explain everything. I ranked each team 10-1 and wrote down "What I like most" about each team as well as "What ultimately held you back." Also, the depth chart is how I best see fit for each team as well.
If anyone has any questions about any of my breakdowns or guidelines, let me know and id be happy to explain further if need be. Keep in my mind that I did not have as much time as I would have liked, so a lot of this analysis was rushed but I think the point gets across in each of them.
Without further a do:
10. BigMike
PG: Bing/Nixon/Kerr
SG: Reggie/Finley/Chapman
SF: Erving/Rose
PF: Coleman/Kucoc
C: Sheed/Nerlens
What I like most: Tough call. Numbers 9-10 narrowly edged 3-4 other teams but BigMike starts us off at #10. I think this is the most well rounded team of the ones I am choosing from, who each had more holding them back than BigMike. Bing/Reggie is an excellent backcourt. A nightmare to guard on the perimeter. Bing is one of the more underrated PGs of all time. Maybe the first true scoring point guard, and he was a great one who probably could have been great in any era (maybe even better with better medical care and use of the 3 point line). Bing was extremely quick and a great shooter. He was even more dominant in his first couple of seasons before knee injuries set him back. He is almost like the Gale Sayers of the NBA, but in this format we are looking at peaks and Bing is a good player to run the show. Pairing him with a Shooter like Reggie is very nightmarish for opposing wing defenders. Also exactly the kind of players you want to pair with the Doctor, who was one of the greatest slashing/athletic forwards of all time. You definitely want players who will space the floor and stay out of his way. I really like the Bing/Reggie backcourt with the Doc at the 3 (even though I ******* hate Reggie). I also love Sheed here. Sheed is one of the most talented NBA players I have ever seen. He is basically KG without the desire to be great. Just going off pure basketball ability, there is very little separating KG and Sheed. Sheed was an incredible talent because he was good at so many different things. A true 7 footer who can score from any part of the court. Deadly shooter from the outside, great post game, extremely athletic for his size, and he was a hell of a defender/rebounder when he chose to put the effort in. What I like about Sheed is that he wasn't soft, he just liked to **** around and didn't always take his career seriously. There is a major difference between the 2. Despite not always giving max effort, Sheed seemed to rise up to the challenge and wouldn't back down from others. Sheed stepped up when going up against the best players when there was something on the line. It was almost like he had an on/off switch in his brain and when he turned it on, he was tough as hell. He always played those Lakers' series like a superstar, and he was exactly what the Pistons needed when they traded for him to get them over the hump. As much as Sheed liked to **** around, he saw an opportunity to win a ring when he was traded to Detroit, and not only did he step his game up, but he rallied the team like a leader. He was a seamless fit. That is why I like Sheed in this format. Playing against the greats, I would expect Sheed to step his game up and be in over his head against nobody, because he was that talented. He offers this team yet another deep threat to open up the paint for the Doctor to surgically pick apart defenses, and his post up game is a nice element as well. Something that Derek Coleman also brings to the table. In Sheed and Coleman you have 2 20/10 players who can score at will and also hold down the fort defensively, despite nether of them being prototypical rim protectors. Coleman also adds a nice post up/pick and roll element to a team with a lot of facilitators and shooters. He should be a good fit offensively. Not the best front court in the redraft by any means, but more than capable of holding their own and a solid fit on this team. One of my favorite bench units also, which really elevated this team into the top 10. I will say many times in this rundown, but I love point forwards coming off the bench. I am a big fan of adding size as long as you dont subtract other important areas like facilitators, shooters, athleticism, etc. Having point forwards like Kucoc and Jalen Rose gives this team a lot of options off the bench. A great look for this team would even be to have Jalen play some point alongside his ex-teammate Reggie and the Doctor. Kucoc adds a similar facet and helps space the floor as well. Since this team's front court isn't spectacular, it is good to have players who can handle the ball and space the floor so you can try to beat teams on the run. Michael Finley was a steal to come off the bench as well. A tough 2 guard who was a scoring machine in his prime and a capable defender. This team is versatile, talented, and athletic and IMO there is a lot to like here.
What ultimately held you back: The front court. There are A LOT of dominant centers throughout NBA history and this team would have trouble guarding a bunch of them. Sheed is probably big and capable enough to hold his own but he should be at least a little bit overmatched. Coleman always put up good numbers and was a beast at Syracuse (not gonna like the Cuse-combo of Bing/Coleman helped this team out but it was offset by Reggie Miller
) but he played on losers during his NBA career. The only prototypical big you have off the bench is Nerlens Noel, who adds some much needed rim protection for sure, but is a twig-like 2nd year player who's only year in the NBA thus far came on a 20 win Sixers team. So yeah, this team lacks all-time greats in the front court, while other teams might have 2-3 of those kind of players. Also Coleman and Sheed might not be an ideal pair offensively because both command a lot of touches (in a addition to the high scoring backcourt) and neither one are great passers. However, this helps with players like Jalen and Kucoc off the bench and the high volume of shooters readily available.9. Pmatic
PG: Kidd/Lowry
SG: Korver/Jax/Barry
SF: Hill/Battier
PF: Bosh/Odom/Kurt
C: M. Gasol/Divac
What I like most: Best passing team that was drafted. Probably isn't even close. This team is incredibly balanced and unselfish. There are so many great scorers, so having players who have proven to make scoring easy for regular every day NBA players is even more valuable when playing alongside some of the greats. I mean Jason Kidd was the king of making his teammates look better than they are. For years he was the easy choice as the singular player that every other player wanted to play with (and I HATE saying this because I HATED Kidd on the Nets). So yeah, maybe Korver/Bosh/Gasol don't come across as the most spectacular scorers. But they all fit the team concept and having kid as the orchestrator makes this team capable of beating anyone. Grant Hill is the same kind of way. Him and Kidd were triple double machines in their prime and definitely top 5 NBA players in their peaks. I think the 1995 co-rookies-of-the-year would make a spectacular unselfish duo. Korver would be an immediate benefactor. He would be getting open looks all day. As would Bosh as the stretch 4. But I am also thinking about Raptors Bosh more-so than Heat Bosh, who was a top 10 NBA player and so much more than a stretch 4 (not that he is just a stretch 4 with the Heat, but you get the point). Marc Gasol is a defensive player of the year center, who is superbly skilled offensively. He is another player that can knock it down from midrange and gives Kidd/Hill a post scoring offense when they are in the half court. And similar to Kidd/Hill, Gasol is another unselfish player who passes out of the post and makes his teammates better. Korver/Bosh would have an easy time getting buckets playing in this lineup around Kidd/Hill/Gasol. Another player who can spread the wealth offensively is Lamar Odom. I am a big fan of big point forwards as 6th men and Odom was one of the bests in his prime. Seamless fit into this team concept off the bench and is a great player to keep the ball moving while giving Grant Hill some rest. Battier is one of the great team players in NBA history, and similar to Korver, he should get a lot of easy looks from deep, and he helps this team's defense. Divac is yet another tremendous passer at center to the point where it is practically unfair. And unlike most other skill sets, I am a firm believer that passing/unselfishness may be the one skill in the NBA that you can never have too much of. The more unselfish players you have, the better. If you can take the floor with 5 players who can all pass the ball and operate like Kidd/Hill/Odom/Divac/Gasol, the result should be something resembling poetry in motion more so than sloppiness. Kurt Thomas is a goon and one of my favorites. His mid range shooting ability is a nice touch and makes him a good fit to come off the bench for Bosh or Gasol. Lowry is also a very solid backup PG. Another unselfish player who can score and is a feisty defender. Stephen Jackson is another 2 way player who I really like, despite him being a crazy SOB.
What ultimately held you back: No real go-to scorers on this team although the surplus of passing should help this team score and get easy looks with ease. Defensively this team is strong, but may be liable in some areas. Kidd and Gasol are both elite defenders but may be vulnerable in wing defense (although Battier certainly helps) as well as shot blocking. Gasol is a tremendous post defender, but not a spectacular rim protector. May be vulnerable to big nights from slashing guards, especially because Kidd was never the quickest guy on the floor.
8. Statis
PG: Nash/Bibby/Murphy
SG: Wade/Spree
SF: King/Caron
PF: Kemp/K-Mart/Dawkins
C: Ratliff/Davis
What I like most: Love this back court. 2x MVP Steve Nash running the break with super freak Wade and all-world scorer Bernard. Each one of them brings a little flavor to the table as well. Nash the elite facilitator as well as a dead eye shooter, both skills of heightened importance in this format. Wade is the super freak athlete/attacker who routinely put up ridiculous numbers in his prime and won a championship as the alpha dog putting up probably the best singular numbers we have seen from a Finals MVP since MJ (with a little help from the Zebras). King does a little bit of it all offensively. He can shoot on you, post up, drive to the hole, etc. Like Wade, in his prime, King was another player capable of putting up ridiculous offensive numbers which always gave his teams a chance of winning even when they lacked talent (word to him taking the 84 Celtics to the Eastern conference Finals with the Knicks on his back). In the front court, you have another athletic freak in Shawn Kemp, who gives Nash that Amare type player he loves. Kemp is another player who proved in Seattle capable of being the #1 scoring option on a finals team, especially with the help of elite PG play from the Glove. He gets that same kind of help offensively from Nash. Ratliff was nothing special offensively, but an elite rim protector and one of the more underrated centers of his generation. In this lineup, you don't really need more scoring from the 5. Getting a true post up player only would have slowed this unit back so ideally this team would get a floor spacing 5 or a rim protector. Ratliff is definitely elite at the latter, which is probably more important than shooting anyway. This is also one of my favorite benches in the entire draft, something that definitely helped these rankings. All these players I thought were high value picks and could easily play into this team's athletic mentality. Sprewell is one of my favorite players of all time. Another wing player who can score any way you want him to. Spree was first-team All-NBA in 1994 with the Warriors and he was a true 2-way player due to his outstanding perimeter D. You would barely be missing a beat subbing in Spree for Wade/King. That is a constant theme I liked with this bench. Each replacement is very similar to the starter, so this system can stay the same throughout, and each player is good enough where production would only dip slightly. Prime K-Mart was a monster and had a very similar skill set to Kemp. Not as good offensively, but probably a tougher defender down low and a legit tough guy/goon that is an asset to any bench. Dale Davis offers rim protection/toughness in place of Ratliff at center. Caron isn't as good as Bernard, but he's another score-any-kind-of-way 3-guard who played at an extremely high level for a couple of years in his prime. Mike Bibby gives you a replacement for Nash who is a great floor general with a lot of playoff experience and is a deadly shooter from deep.
What ultimately held you back: Not great defensively. Nash/Bibby would be food defensively trying to guard a lot of players in this format. The only other player who can be capable to run the point at times would be Wade. Wade is capable of guarding point guards and even facilitating but without Nash/Bibby in the game, your shooting would take a major hit. That is the other problem with this team. Outside of your point guards, threre really aren't any dead-eye shooting threats. A lot of the top teams in this format have shooters all over the floor. If this team matched up with a team like that, and the other team got hot, I think that Statis' squad would have trouble keeping up. And unlike other squads as well, this team is good defensively, but not really spectacular. So I don't know if they would have the ability to really put the clamps down and make sure that some of the game's all time great shooters don't get hot.
7. AMP
PG: Tim/Lawson/Miller
SG: Majerle/Davis/Wesley
SF: Gervin/Hayward
PF: Marion/J. O’Neal
C: Moses/Sikma
What I like most: The front court. Moses Malone was a ******* beast in his prime. He was a great pick. Probably the best offensive rebounder of all time. A great post scorer and passer. You don't need anyone to get in his way. The Matrix is a nice fit next to him. One of the most versatile players I have ever seen. A great perimeter defender and post defender as well as a shot blocker and a rebounder. He could pretty much do anything asked and guard a variety of positions. If he needed to step up and guard someone on the perimeter, you could slid Iceman down to the 2, move Thunder Dan to the bench and slide JO into the 4. JO was a steal that late. The #1 option on a team that in my opinion would have won the 2005 NBA Championship if it weren't for a certain incident. Still JO was a top 5 NBA player in his prime. Great low post scorer with a midrange jumper who could defend the paint and give you 10+ boards a night. Iceman is a great perimeter scoring compliment to Moses and JO's post play. Thunder Dan gives this team an outside threat who was also a capable slasher. Sikma was a steal and a great backup center. Hardaway gives you a tough floor general to make the ship run smoothly with one of the best crossovers of all time… Also a BIG fan of young Andre Miller. Like him better than Ty.
What ultimately held you back: Probably better off with Thunder Dan on the bench, Iceman at the 2, Matrix at the 3, and JO at the 4. But that lineup clogs the paint for Moses more than you would like, which is one of the strengths of the starters. So it puts this team in a little bit of a pickle. Majerle was a very good player dont get me wrong, but he wasn't spectacular. I would feel a little more comfortable with him starting if he was at least a dead eye 3 point shooter, like Kyle Korver. But that's probably nit picking a little bit considering that Thunder Dan was an all-star on the 93 Suns team who went to the Finals and shot 38% from 3 that season. This team doest have too many weaknesses though. The bench is very good. I don't love Lawson, Wesley, or Hayward. Not that all were/are not very good players, just that I would expect more from the backup backcourt in this format.
6. JRS
PG: Wilkens/M. Jackson
SG: Maravich/Curry/Carr
SF: LJ/Azirin
PF: Cowens/Thorpe
C: Ewing/Porzingis/Johnston
What I like most: #33 Pat-rick Ew-ing… These are my rankings, ******* sue me. Patrick is my guy and I like this team around the big fella. Big fan of this starting lineup. Complete with hall of fame 20+ PPg scorers (I guess LJ isnt a HOFer if you wanna get all technical and ****, but he's a HOFer in my books) very tough team to guard. LJ probably had the least renowned career of the bunch but he was one of the best players of his time before back injuries held him back and still very effective after. Going by peak years, I am going by Hornets LJ, and he is a great fit for this team IMO. He keeps up with the rugged mentality brought to the table by Ewing and Covens. He is an unselfish team player who was capable of dropping 20+ on any given night. And perhaps most importantly LJ was a FREAK athlete in his hey day, and also could hit well enough from deep, both of which become extra necessary because Ewing and Cowens were both centers. LJ could easily slide to the 4 and let Azirin play the 3 at times when needed. Still, these are 3 players you do not want to face on the boards, and Ewing was also an incredible athlete and one of the best mid range shooting centers ever. Nice little combo in the backcourt as well. Pistol Pete could kill you in a variety of ways. Used to routinely average 30+ PPG, hit from the outside, and was basically a PG who scored like a 2. Lenny Wilkens is an old school player but he would probably fare well in any era. Great floor general and defender who could score when needed as well. He is the right kind of player to operate this unit. He is unselfish enough to get everyone their touches and also plays the right kind of pace for this starting 5 since they could run, but are not built to be a fast break team. I think Wilkens would fit well and I love Marlk Jackson backing him up, who was one of the best facilitators ever and had great chemistry with Ewing as shown during their years together in the late 80s/early 90s. In addition to Mark, you have a variety of deep threats to come off the bench, including his holiness, Kristaps Porzingis. Paul Azirin is old school but probably a steal considering where he was drafted. One of the best scorers of his day and a nice player to have off the bench.
What ultimately held you back: I don't believe anyone outside of Cowens has an NBA Championship. Cowens and Ewing were both centers and Cowens may be the odd ball out of that lineup being asked to play the 4. I like the combination, but isn't ideal. Could have maybe benefited from a more athletic shooter at the 4. Or someone like that at the 3 allowing you to slide LJ to the 4. Maravich is another guy who was probably the greatest college basketball player ever, a phenomenal NBA player by any account, but he had very little team success during his NBA career compared to many of the all timers. He is probably your top perimeter scoring threat, but because of that I would maybe trust him a little bit more as a #2 or #3 in this type of format.
5. Cake
PG: Wall/Cassell/V. Johnson
SG: VC/Rip
SF: Bron/Prince/Person
PF: West/Bargs
C: Walton/Laimbeer
What I like most: Run, run, run. Then run some god damn more. This team would be a flat out nightmare to match up with in the fast break. Hate Lebron but can't knock the fact that he may be the best player to run the fast break in the history of the NBA due to the combination of his freakish athleticism, incredible size, unstoppable scoring ability in the paint, as well as his near Magic Johnson-esque passing vision. Prime VC could not be trusted as "the guy" but would be a hell of a running mate for Bron. John Wall obviously helps this team out on the break even more. Bill Walton was flat out the steal of the entire draft. No doubt in my mind. Not even close. Going by peaks, Walton probably should have been a top 15 pick, and you got him in the third round. Former MVP and NBA Champion. Best passing center of all time who did nothing badly. Him and Lebron add a crazy dimension of big guys with point guard like vision. Like this bench a lot. The Pistons Rip/Tayshaun combo was a nice little touch. Idk if it is how you wanted it set up, but I also added West to the lineup over Laimbeer. West would make a great 5th option on that lineup because he is athletic enough to get up and down the floor while hanging back a little bit to space the floor. With that lineup, D-West's midrange ability would be crucial and he is better suited to guard 4s than Laimbeer. However, Laimbeer would be a menace to come off the bench alongside the modern Pistons Rip and Tayshaun, another great facilitator/great clutch scorer in Cassell (like you mentioned almost like a poor man's Billups, but not by much) ads well as his former Bad Boy teammate the Microwave. I like this team because it offers the most athletic starting 5 and some rugged goons to come off the bench. Tough matchup for any team who could beat any of these teams on any given night.
What ultimately held you back: A couple of things. #1 is shooting. As athletic as Wall is I would have almost of preferred you look for a shooter at the point (which I guess Cassell can be). I say this because I am a big time fan of size as long as the big players are athletic enough to make it work. My favorite lineup on this team might be formed by inserting Rip/Prince for Wall/West. This is because Lebron is every bit athletic enough to defend point guards and a good enough passer to run the point. Walton is also a point guard-like facilitator so I think it might have served you better to look for a bigger shooter at point than another pure PG/freak athlete. Like I said before, I am a fan of adding size as long as you are not hurt elsewhere. Well, a lineup of Lebron/Rip/VC/Tayshaun/Walton can run on you all day, but it also has 2 of the best facilitators of all time in Bron/Walton. You wouldnt be hurt losing John Wall's athleticism or his facilitating, the 2 things he brings to the table more than anything else. Most importantly, this lineup gives you a little more floor spacing and a whole lot of Versatility with Rip/Tayshaun's defensive ability as well as their awkward as **** bodies and long *** arms. So on a team that can run with facilitators like Lebron and Walton, you would think that Wall would be a seamless fit because those are the things he is best at. But I actually think the opposite, I think the Wall is less helpful on this team than he might be elsewhere because of other players' ability to do what he does best. On the other hand, this team lacks a real deep threat outside of Cassell (Rip's bread and butter was always his midrange). So shooting definitely held this team back more than anything else because many of these teams can make it rain from the outside while this team could be set back by an off shooting night. The lack of outside shooting makes it a little more difficult for Lebron and Walton to facilitate. Especially Walton because he does most of his facilitating in the half court, so it would be ideal to have shooters he can hit from the post. Which is why, I think this team would be stronger, and maybe have the top spot in the rankings, with a point guard like Chauncey Billups or Terry Porter over John Wall. Not because I think they are better, but because I like the fit better. Another interesting option, which I think I would have done in this format would be to run Lebron at point. I mean if you think about it, and I say this all the ******* time, Lebron really is a point guard. He is a lot more Magic than he ever was Michael and he is easily athletic enough to stay in front of any PG in the NBA, word to him changing the 2011 playoffs vs Chicago by guarding Rose. The reason teams dont run Lebron at PG is because he is tall, but also because he is needed to score. But in a format like this, it would of been interesting to throw Lebron at point guard and try and build an athletic team around him with more scorers/shooters. I think that team would be unstoppable... Although CP would probably throw a fit about ******* with the positions.
Also Bargnani. I cant let that pick slide under the radar. I don't think I could have picked a winning team with Bargs on the roster… Sorry Cake. (Yes I understand he had one season in which he averaged like 22 PPG in Toronto, still one of the worse rebounding/defending 7 footers I have ever seen as well as an overrated shooter who despite adding a little more of an aerial assault to a team that need it doesn't belong on the same court as any of these other players and would ultimately be a minus in this kind of format).
4. Allen
PG: Clyde/Rondo/BJ
SG: George/Hersey
SF: Melo/Lewis/Dumas
PF: Webber/Perkins
C: Wilt/Tarpley
What I like most: Very well rounded team. Wilt and Webber were both incredible in their primes, and the high post low post Combo is intriguing to say the least with Webber's passing/shooting and Wilt's overall low post dominance. However both players had a little bit of a reputation to fade away with the game on the line, but Clyde is arguably the best defensive PG of all time as well as one of the greatest big game/big moment PGs of all time. He is a great player top have and a great fit on this team. Melo is another closer and a flat out steal that late in the draft. Paul George would be a great compliment to Melo on the perimeter due to his perimeter defense and passing ability. Webber adds another dimension to the offense as a point forward. With Rondo coming off the bench for Clyde you will never have to worry about guarding opposing point guards. Liked the Reggie Lewis pick a lot as well off the bench. Very few flaws, extremely solid all around.
What ultimately held you back: Honestly, Wilt Chamberlain. This team could have been #1 for me but honestly Wilt as the first round pick doesnt do it for me. Wilt was an incredible basketball player, I dont think anyone would argue that. But a STRONG case can be made that dominance was more than a little inflated due to his era, and I take that into consideration in trying to determine how these players would fare against each other. Not that Wilt shouldn't have went in the first round, but he might not be more valuable than a Shaq or Ewing in my format of evaluating. But honestly, more importantly than Wilt's stats being inflated, was Wilt's reputation as a player who cared more about himself and his image than he did about the team and winning. I don't think the #1 team in a format like this with all these all-time greats who so often left it all on the line and were true die-guys (players who make you think they would give their life to win) could be anchored by Wilt Chamberlain. That probably held this team back more than anything else. Also, I admittedly do not know much about a lot of the bench guys and had to do some research.
3. Pro
PG: Magic/Conley/Evans
SG: Monroe/Stack/Middleton
SF: Robinson/Deng
PF: Petit/Mirotic
C: Gilmore/Jefferson
What I like most: The Magic/Monroe backcourt. In a format like this, unselfishness is a major advantage because all these guys have egos and can score. Nobody better at spreading the wealth and getting others involved than Magic. Pearl was also a showman and an incredible scorer in his own right, however, as shown from his Knicks years, Pearl is more than willing to buy into trhe team concept and sacrifice individual numbers when necessary. But shown from his bullet years, Pearl can also take ball handling duties from Magic when necessary, be a similar kind of showman, and out up big time scoring numbers. I don’t love a super old school white guy like Bob Petit in this format, but he stood at 6’9 and put up some of the best numbers of all time. He was a great rebounder and a versatile enough scorer to probably produce in any era. Artis Gilmore stood at 7’2 and was a beast, his game should translate across any era. Bench isn’t great, but prime Stackhouse is a great asset and a low post player like Jefferson would greatly benefit from playing with Magic sort of like Kareem.
What ultimately held you back: Big dog is probably the weak link of this lineup but he is serviceable and a good fit because of his scoring. Ultimately is a little on the weaker side defensively and while they should be fun to watch offensively and put up a lot of points, there isn’t really a proven great closer.
2. BHZ
PG: Payton/Porter/Navarro
SG: Roy/Starks/Christie
SF: Artest/Hedo
PF: Malone/Mason
C: Camby/Tree
What I like most: Maybe my personal favorite team overall. The goon squad. The team that can grind out a game vs anyone and because of such, has the potential to beat any team they face. In addition to that, the team is also extremely talented. Clearly this team may be the best at putting the clamps on their opponent. Glove is maybe the best defensive PG of all time. Roy is the weakest of the starters but he was always a pesty defender who put in the effort always. I remember Clyde Frazier (the player Glove is in direct competition with for greatest PG of all time) used to say that Roy reminded him of himself all the time on the Knicks broadcasts when we used to play the Blazers. So I guess that says more than I could about Roy's defense. Artest might be the best perimeter defender I have ever seen play in his prime. Dude was a ******* animal on defense. Perfect combination of size, athleticism, fundamentals, instincts, and of course that crazy guy toughness we all love and expected from Artest on a nightly basis. You need that "nobody is ******* scoring on me" mentality in addition to everything else to truly be a great defender. Artest is one player who took offense every time he was scored on and this team has that mentality in spades. Glove even got offended when MJ scored on him and because of that he guarded him better than anyone did. Malone was another gritty (defender) who didn't back down on that side of the court and wasn't afraid to thrown an elbow or five or six. Camby was a DPOY and one of the most elite rim protectors I have ever seen. He used to get a lot of **** because people mistook his frailness for weakness and a lack of toughness all the time when his career started. People labeled him soft in Toronto after being the 2nd pick in the talented 1996 draft and being traded for Charles Oakley himself and landing in tough/defensive coach JVG's doghouse in front of the hyper-critical NYC media/fanbase certainly didn't help his cause. But when Ewing went down during the 1999 playoffs, everything changed for Marcus for the better. He had a lot of built up anger from his critics which became aggression and toughness on the court. He played nasty and with a chip on his shoulder and immediately won over the NYC fan base despite the unpopularity of the Oakley trade. As he became a key member of the Knicks core, his status as a defensive anchor only grew from there, especially because he fit in with the new NBA better than the 90s, which were dominated by muscle men who couldn't get a foot off the ground like Charles Oakley. So Camby became a defensive force in his prime who despite his skinny frame fits in with the gritty/tough guy mentality of this team. He isn't the strongest guy on the floor but playing alongside Artest/Malone would help that a lot, and Tree Rollins is a legitimate tree trunk who this team can sub in at any time. Mason and Starks are more gritty/tough defenders who also have a great chemistry together having come up out of nowhere on the Knicks together and being cogs on those great mid-90s team. Terry Porter was a great PG who was a steal in the draft and another tough defender. However, unlike most defensive minded teams, this team can more than hold its own offensively. Karl Malone is one of the top scorers in NBA history and arguably the best offensive 4 of all time. His scoring/rebounding resume speaks for itself. Glove was one of the best floor generals of his time. Roy and Artest were both guys capable of being #1 perimeter scoring options on very good teams. Each player scored well over 20 PPG in their prime who could both score in a variety of ways, not weak in any singular area. Roy was an incredible slasher. During the 2004-2005 season the Palace Malace took place, Artest was a top 5 NBA player, and IMO he could have won MVP that season if he kept it up and the Pacers easily could have won the NBA Championship. Off the bench, in addition to grittiness and toughness, Starks/Mason aeach brought a lot to the table offensively. Mason also adds a nice point forward dimension, which I love coming off the bench. Starks was streaky, but when he got hot, he could kill you in a number of ways and was extremely difficult to slow down. He was also an underrated passer who would occasionally run the point. Terry Porter was an extremely underrated point guard, he could hurt you from the outside, and he was a top-tier floor general as well. Turkoglu is another point forward type off the bench, who adds a nice dimension as a purely offensive focused kind of player who can stroke it from the outside and handle the ball. Kind of like Kucoc on the 96 Bulls, the best defensive team of all time.
What ultimately held you back: Not as much scoring as other teams. This team will keep games low scoring, which is fine, but when you do that you need a reliable go to crunch time scorer. Obviously that is Malone for this team, but personally I am not a huge Malone fan and he was known to fade in big moments. Similarly to Wilt holding allen back a little bit, my personal opinion of the Mailman probably held this team back from the #1 spot in the rankings.
1.CP
PG: Billups/K. Anderson/McMillan
SG: Allen/Scott
SF: Bird/Igoudala/Gay
PF: Aldridge/Manning
C: Mourning/Daughetry
What I like most: Love this team all around. LOVE it. Shooters/scorers galore all over the floor while not really losing a step defensively. This team can beat you any type of way. Bird in his prime is one of the best alphas you can ask for. In this type of draft, it is hard to find a much better player to draft than the Great White Hope because of his scoring ability as well as his unselfishness/passing. Unselfishness is HUGE in this format. Bird made everone around him better and played with a real swagger and killer instinct. The combination is deadly. His unselfishness might even make him a better fit than Jordan/Kobe or one of the centers, and because of his shooting ability I would probably take prime Bird over Magic or Lebron. Bird was also a killer in addition to a great all around player, which makes me prefer him to Lebron prime vs prime. Lebron is very Wilt Chamberlain like (I am a big time Lebron hater, so ******* be it) in that he isnt a die guy and cares much more about himself than the team. Bird, on the other hand, while less athletic than Lebron, was a much better shooter and a straight up cold blooded killer. I would take prime Bird over prime Lebron any day. I am very surprised LB went past the top 10. But there are many great players. **** the GOAT's team didnt even make it into my top 10. This draft is much deeper than any one player and this team has the full package for me. Unselfishness, shooting, defense, size, speed, etc. you name it. Beyond Bird, Chauncey and Ray Allen are a phenomenal backcourt. 2 NBA championship dead eye shooters who are good leaders and known to rip opponents hearts out of their chest. Both of them (especially Allen in his prime) also have extremely diverse all around offensive games, and both of them were very solid on defense as well (especially Billups in his prime). Also having Bird would allow both of them to play off the ball and spot up, which makes them even more tough to guard. The defense is forced to Respect Bird and worry about him killing them, and you have the prospect of leaving one or both of 2 of the greatest big moment shooters of all time open on the perimeter. Especially in their primes, when both could drop 20-25 on you in the blink of an eye and blow by you with speed as well as their shooting. Mourning is an elite rim protector despite being only 6'10, and unlike many other great rim protectors taken after the 1st round, Zo was a #1 option in his prime as well as a great all around center. Doesn’t hurt to have a player like Aldridge as the forgotten man in the starting lineup, and he stretches big men away from the hoop as well. Solid bench backcourt in Kenny Anderson and Byron Scott. Iggy gives you an athletic replacement for bird who can also handle the ball and is now a Finals MVP. Danny Manning was one of the best college players of all time and another 20+ PPg scorer in the NBA and Daughetry was another 20 PPG scorer on playoff Cavs team.
What ultimately held you back: Not much, hence the #1 ranking. I would say defensively not as strong as some other teams but still more than serviceable. Not too many weaknesses on this squad. Very talented and very well rounded.
And that's all I got folks. Read it if you like, I hope you enjoy. Spend a good 4 hours editing it tonight even after I pasted the Word document onto NT. I apologize it is not more paced out.
Until next time fellas. Congrats to CP, and also thanks for setting this **** up.
MVP
Supporter
- 82,977
- 85,441
Terrible list.
- 37,287
- 19,666
- 30,670
- 7,908
probably the worst thing I've ever read tbh
*goes back to listening to Force MDs*
*goes back to listening to Force MDs*
