Post by Leon Rose on Feb 19, 2024 14:36:26 GMT -8
1. This past draft was arguably the worst on paper to date. However, we have a couple rookies balling out, KMart, Hedo, Pryz, Crawford to name a few. After TC and the first few sims, what’s your assessment of this draft and how do you think it plays against prior drafts?
Habes: It seems in line with the other drafts though I guess worse than the AK/Manu/Baron/Artest class. I haven’t really paid attention to the drafts since I haven’t had picks but the classes seem solid. There are more landmines but also plenty of good players to be had.
Stool: I think this draft is influenced well by the plus 15 pot. I am loving Hedo, he’s gonna be a monster and glad I was able to get him at 2.
Braz- Honeslty it’s not that bad. Less sexy names but as you noted above we have some good performance. We have Carter brand and others not looking amazing and some of these guys showing good value. Ray Allen for craw was wild but shows someone values the youth.
2. Steve Nash was dangled for 4 seasons and was finally dealt for VC and Bibby. Thoughts? Should he have taken this or another one of the very public offers?
Habes: If he could’ve gotten Hedo then taking VC and Bibby was a mistake. It’s pretty bad value anyway—VC is a gamble and Bibby is a bum!
Stoool: I love Steve Nash one of my favorite players all time. I’m glad Game and I didn’t come to agreement I would have lost more than I wanted to give.
Stoool: Braz- I like it actually. Two GMs going no where swap it up. At least now maybe Game can tank properly and then go from there. The hedo offer seemed best.
3. Shaq was another guy that was shopped for multiple seasons, however the Kings held onto him. Was this the right move as the Kings currently sit at .500?
Habes: Keeping Shaq is fine but the point is to pick a direction. Stool just wants to play it safe. He can do that and win 48-52 but if your only move in trades is to deal picks for role players you’re never going to build a contender.
Stoool: Shaq missed most of the games in the first game and Damon was hurt the second sim. I think my team is in a great spot. I need to add one more player and get some depth will see how it works out. The offers for Shaq just were not there. Im not giving him for anything other than elite package.
Braz- I think so. Shaq is one of a kind and with some lotto luck stool has started to put good players around him. I think next steps are move Damon for another position. Use fizer salary in a deal and lastly next season sign birds fillers!
4. 2 sims in, which team is the biggest surprise - either in a positive or negative way?
Habes: Surprised by Boston being over .500. Also surprised to be under .500 but Brandon and Smits being injured will do that.
Stoool: Mine, I thought we would be better. Need to see sims with the team healthy to decide the direction. Lums needs a pg and I’m not surprised to see him struggling without one
Braz- Lewis on the Celtics looks like a super star and PP also looks like a franchise guy after taking a lot of shit early on.
5. CY is back. Sort of. Doesn’t kick in until next year. Happy? Give us your thoughts on this.
Habes: Yeah, we need a CY. I don’t mind pausing the CY if we don’t have a waitlist, but it’s awful for the league if guys can tank for four seasons. There needs to be pressure to trade.
Stoool: If we have the gms I like it, I like the rewards for teams doing well more though.
Braz- I think it’s the right move but if we go back to no WL it puts us in a tough spot. Once Rex is hired we are back to slim pickings.
6. Next few drafts so so damn elite but I really don’t see many teams going for a full out tank. Why do we think that is?
Habes: I don’t think people target drafts all that much in general, so a typical class isn’t going to move the needle much. When you have an all-time great class like 03, people will target it. I’m definitely planning to tank in ‘03.
Stoool: Tanking is no fun! Haha a lot of teams have built solid squads to compete and it’s pretty hard to trade here lately so you have to just run with what you got, and if you can’t get a top pick might as well reset
Braz- Maybe they are waiting for 03 or they will clean tank next year. I feel like a few teams like Celtics and spurs are committing to rebuild as well as rockets.
7. Let’s talk Lumley. Traded 2 lottos for a combined ~70 year old Barkley and Steve Smith. Not sure I understand what he’s doing and it appears he deals with guys that just butter him up. Talk to me about Lums and his moves so far.
Habes: The Smith deal hurt to see. Horrible player who isn’t worth expirings. IDK what to say though, Lums gets a lot of hate and probably felt the urgency to be over .500. He would’ve been much better riding out the season and then rebuilding next year.
Stoool: Lums first move should have been to get a PG. Braz was trying to get everyone to take smith, and he sold him on the pre which was inflated.
Braz- Smith trade hasn’t worked out for him to this point what can I say. But I don’t really butter him up. I just don’t disrespect him openly on the boards. He had a clear need for a SG to upgrade over Hawkins and I offered smith and rice. I think the bigger issue for the Jazz is his starting PG getting 2 Rebs a game and Sheed shooting 37%. Lots of issues outside of mash right now.
8. 03 draft is quickly approaching. I’m sure 50% of the league will tank. Should Spence throw us for a loop and mix up classes going forwarded with bumping up some guys a year and moving down some a year?
Habes: I’m good with whatever Spence wants to do with classes. I’m looking forward to getting back in the drafting streets soon.
Stoool: indifferent, I moved my 03 to add parks and avoid the whole take mess. I’m gonna go for it all that year lol.
Braz- I wanted to tank badly for Lebron but know it wouldn’t work out so I traded my 03 for Greg Minor who apparently sucks now. Mixing it up would be fun but he has been consistent elsewhere.
Habes: It seems in line with the other drafts though I guess worse than the AK/Manu/Baron/Artest class. I haven’t really paid attention to the drafts since I haven’t had picks but the classes seem solid. There are more landmines but also plenty of good players to be had.
Stool: I think this draft is influenced well by the plus 15 pot. I am loving Hedo, he’s gonna be a monster and glad I was able to get him at 2.
Braz- Honeslty it’s not that bad. Less sexy names but as you noted above we have some good performance. We have Carter brand and others not looking amazing and some of these guys showing good value. Ray Allen for craw was wild but shows someone values the youth.
2. Steve Nash was dangled for 4 seasons and was finally dealt for VC and Bibby. Thoughts? Should he have taken this or another one of the very public offers?
Habes: If he could’ve gotten Hedo then taking VC and Bibby was a mistake. It’s pretty bad value anyway—VC is a gamble and Bibby is a bum!
Stoool: I love Steve Nash one of my favorite players all time. I’m glad Game and I didn’t come to agreement I would have lost more than I wanted to give.
Stoool: Braz- I like it actually. Two GMs going no where swap it up. At least now maybe Game can tank properly and then go from there. The hedo offer seemed best.
3. Shaq was another guy that was shopped for multiple seasons, however the Kings held onto him. Was this the right move as the Kings currently sit at .500?
Habes: Keeping Shaq is fine but the point is to pick a direction. Stool just wants to play it safe. He can do that and win 48-52 but if your only move in trades is to deal picks for role players you’re never going to build a contender.
Stoool: Shaq missed most of the games in the first game and Damon was hurt the second sim. I think my team is in a great spot. I need to add one more player and get some depth will see how it works out. The offers for Shaq just were not there. Im not giving him for anything other than elite package.
Braz- I think so. Shaq is one of a kind and with some lotto luck stool has started to put good players around him. I think next steps are move Damon for another position. Use fizer salary in a deal and lastly next season sign birds fillers!
4. 2 sims in, which team is the biggest surprise - either in a positive or negative way?
Habes: Surprised by Boston being over .500. Also surprised to be under .500 but Brandon and Smits being injured will do that.
Stoool: Mine, I thought we would be better. Need to see sims with the team healthy to decide the direction. Lums needs a pg and I’m not surprised to see him struggling without one
Braz- Lewis on the Celtics looks like a super star and PP also looks like a franchise guy after taking a lot of shit early on.
5. CY is back. Sort of. Doesn’t kick in until next year. Happy? Give us your thoughts on this.
Habes: Yeah, we need a CY. I don’t mind pausing the CY if we don’t have a waitlist, but it’s awful for the league if guys can tank for four seasons. There needs to be pressure to trade.
Stoool: If we have the gms I like it, I like the rewards for teams doing well more though.
Braz- I think it’s the right move but if we go back to no WL it puts us in a tough spot. Once Rex is hired we are back to slim pickings.
6. Next few drafts so so damn elite but I really don’t see many teams going for a full out tank. Why do we think that is?
Habes: I don’t think people target drafts all that much in general, so a typical class isn’t going to move the needle much. When you have an all-time great class like 03, people will target it. I’m definitely planning to tank in ‘03.
Stoool: Tanking is no fun! Haha a lot of teams have built solid squads to compete and it’s pretty hard to trade here lately so you have to just run with what you got, and if you can’t get a top pick might as well reset
Braz- Maybe they are waiting for 03 or they will clean tank next year. I feel like a few teams like Celtics and spurs are committing to rebuild as well as rockets.
7. Let’s talk Lumley. Traded 2 lottos for a combined ~70 year old Barkley and Steve Smith. Not sure I understand what he’s doing and it appears he deals with guys that just butter him up. Talk to me about Lums and his moves so far.
Habes: The Smith deal hurt to see. Horrible player who isn’t worth expirings. IDK what to say though, Lums gets a lot of hate and probably felt the urgency to be over .500. He would’ve been much better riding out the season and then rebuilding next year.
Stoool: Lums first move should have been to get a PG. Braz was trying to get everyone to take smith, and he sold him on the pre which was inflated.
Braz- Smith trade hasn’t worked out for him to this point what can I say. But I don’t really butter him up. I just don’t disrespect him openly on the boards. He had a clear need for a SG to upgrade over Hawkins and I offered smith and rice. I think the bigger issue for the Jazz is his starting PG getting 2 Rebs a game and Sheed shooting 37%. Lots of issues outside of mash right now.
8. 03 draft is quickly approaching. I’m sure 50% of the league will tank. Should Spence throw us for a loop and mix up classes going forwarded with bumping up some guys a year and moving down some a year?
Habes: I’m good with whatever Spence wants to do with classes. I’m looking forward to getting back in the drafting streets soon.
Stoool: indifferent, I moved my 03 to add parks and avoid the whole take mess. I’m gonna go for it all that year lol.
Braz- I wanted to tank badly for Lebron but know it wouldn’t work out so I traded my 03 for Greg Minor who apparently sucks now. Mixing it up would be fun but he has been consistent elsewhere.
