Post by aar on May 11, 2012 13:03:34 GMT -5
1) Which player's TC was most surprising for you?
Repole: League wide I'd probably go with Phil Smith, who did pretty much nothing. I was convinced he'd be a solid starting wing, and while he still might get there, I certainly thought he'd get there a lot quicker. On my own team, I don't know if surprising is the word, but Mel Daniels craptastic training camp was a real kick in the balls. I don't think I've ever seen someone fluctuate as much as he does from TC to TC.
Aar:I'm going to go with Bernie Fryer. This guy came out of nowhere as a minimum salary player to become a really efficient point guard who will likely get maxed next year. Absolutely unreal! I feel bad for Greg that he's basically going to lose out on him.
2) This was a very controversial draft year. If you were re-picking the top-5, how do you rank the players?
Repole: I would have taken Roundfield #1 if I had the intention of keeping the pick, simply because I think Dawkins is far too big of a risk. Even with 100 potential, Dawkins likely doesn't get to C outside, and without that it's incredibly hard to be an efficient offensive player in FBB. Still it'd be hard to pass on Dawkins at #2 based purely on perceived value, and it sure looks like Play made the right choice with Gus at #3, which TC has only further confirmed. From there things become a real crapshoot, I'd consider Sobers, World B. Free, and Boswell for the last two spots, probably taking Boswell 4th and Free 5th. Both appear as though they may have some turnover problems, and Free's lack of rebounding is something that'd bother me, but I'd be shocked if he didn't have real high potential. Boswell's ratings are too intriguing to pass up, he seems like the type of guy who's on the brink of being a stud.
Aar: Alvan Adams obviously... But for real, I'm going with World B. Free. He had a sick TC and looks like he'll be an elite scorer for many years. While Roundfield could end up being the most well-rounded, Free looks like the only player who could be an all-star from this draft. Marty's going to love that the two players named here are both on his team, but he made the shrewd move to get all of the Wizards picks and certainly has earned his props.
3) Who do you think has the best chance of beating your team in the East?
Repole: The Bobcats are definitely the popular pick for that, and understandably so as they're incredibly talented. Hayes, Thurmond, Issel, and Frazier is a very, very impressive core. My biggest concern for their roster is after Issel they don't seem to have a ton of top tier efficient scoring, while they have Hayes putting up 22 a game on 46% shooting, I'll have Willie Davis doing the same on 53%. Even Issel, despite his awesome ratings, has never been an elite scorer efficiency wise. They have a ton of talent though, and with the right depth chart they're certainly capable of beating me. After that there's a bunch of teams I expect to post +5-8 point differentials, and any one of them could beat me in a 7 game series, with the Raptors especially scaring me as they've always been a thorn in my side.
Aar: I'm going to go with the Nets. Don't look now, but with the addition of Arvesta Kelly, they've become a scary team. Barnett aside, they have such a strong group of rebounders and they also have incredible defenders at every position. They have a deep bench to boast, despite using Carr as their backup at every position. They recently beat me with only six players playing in the game. Aziz is their only max player and he barely even plays!
4) What do you think of the Bucks' upside as a team?
Repole: Really, really tough to tell, you're at a point where you're at the mercy of the TC gods. Westphal looks like he'll be a quality starting SG, Walton is certainly on track to being a top tier center, but after that things get a bit messy. Hillman's nice, but he's the type of guy who's preventing you from really tanking, and at the same time doesn't have a ton of value because of his contract. Skinner looks like he could be a passable starter if his TOs get some AC/RC/TC love, and Adams seems like he may be best suited as an over sized SF, or perhaps even SG. With average use of your assets, you could easily turn the team into a 45-50 win type squad, but obviously you want more, so I think you're going to have to have a bit of TC/Draft/Trading luck to get there.
Aar: TC will be a huge factor, but I feel like we have a lot of really solid pieces and if we can add some rebounding that we'll be solid. Hillman has established himself as an elite shot blocker, Walton is getting better and better, Westphal can become an elite scorer with some ACs and Skinner's ratings after two TCs are looking great.
Skinner is likely the X-Factor. If he ends up being B B A A C C, which is a long-shot, this team will be great. But again, that's wishful thinking.
5) Which team is most in need of a rebuild?
Repole: The Pistons. As currently constructed they can win 40-50 games, but they won't contend, they're pretty much the definition of being stuck in mediocrity. Andy hasn't exactly had very successful rebuilds, but he has his picks and has some talent on his roster, if he tears it down properly he can rebuild and actually come back with a legitimate shot at competing again. He could risk it and deal off some picks for an aging star, but I just don't think it'll be enough. Either way, he has to do something, as the team is currently constructed they're not winning anything.
Aar: The Knicks. Right now, they're a middling team and they barely have any of their picks for the forseeable future. Why not blow it up and start over? I doubt that Skillz is having any fun running his team as it is right now and he loves shaking it up. Now is the time.
6) What was the most lopsided trade of the season?
Repole: There are a few that are pretty bad, and this may not be the most lopsided, but I really hated that Grizzlies/Pacers deal. A couple firsts and Jerry Lucas for a bunch of role players was pretty brutal for Pig, especially when there are guys like Willis Reed out there available for peanuts. I just hated it on pretty much every level for Pig. Some of UK's deals were pretty lopsided too, but I can't blame him for pushing all in the way he has.
Aar: I hated the McAdoo for picks trade. McAdoo deserved so much better. That said, if he bolts in free agency and the Wolves pick hits the lotto, then the Celtics look great. If McAdoo re-signs and the pick stays in the 5-7 range, then this deal sucks for the Celts. Either way, I don't like risky deals like this being made so early in the season. He should have asked that it get processed at the deadline, but I also see the logic of the Celtics wanting to tank. Also, the trade that Habes tried to squeak through with the Clips was lame.
7) Which player in the league do you like that is really under the radar?
Repole: Rick Roberson on the Jazz is a GREAT offensive PF, I'd love to see what he could do at SF to be honest. I'm not sure how under the radar he is at this point, but Gene Moore is having a BEAST of a season for the Clippers, putting up 17-11 with nearly 5 blocks on 47% shooting. Yet another former Hawks player who blew up after getting traded. On my own roster there's Barry Clemens, a guy who was a leftover FA and is shooting over 50% as a backup PG/SG without turning the ball over much.
Aar: Campy Russell has quietly become one of the league's up and comers. He's already worth more than the player that the Nuggets got for him (Gilmore) plus the Nuggets added a bunch. He shoots great percentages, is a sick rebounder and doesn't turn the ball over. If the Spurs put three ACs into him, he'll be unreal. Could be A- A C- A+ C+ C. That's obviously the best case scenario, but still a possibility.
8) Next year, your team will be very close to the hard cap and you're likely going to have to get rid of one of your players. Of your top-5 highest paid players, who is the most expendable?
Repole: Welp, I've got 81.3 mill guaranteed to 6 players, so if I can find a bit of cheap depth and fill the rest of my roster with rookie mins, I could potentially keep everyone together. Still, if I had to move one of my guys, it's Mel Daniels pretty easily. He's been as eratic a player as I have, I'm still unsure as to whether he helps me more than Lamar Green, and at the end of the day I think I can replace him without too big of an issue. I'd also consider moving NVL is I could find a cheap replacement PG, but I don't see me breaking up the Bingo/Willie/Trapp core for a while. I wouldn't mind shaking things up a bit outside of them though, it's been a bit boring to keep this core together without really changing much.
Aar: Daniels needs to go, but I think that Trapp is the most replaceable and actually has some value. Daniels won't get more than exp, while Trapp might be able to fetch some firsts.
There are a ton of really good defensive, efficient swingmen in the league. Look at Larry Steele, who the Bobcats got for essentially nothing. Guys like George Stone are readily available and Barry Clemens could potentially start.
9) Who is the best current GM to never win a BBS championship?
Repole: Pretty easy to go with DBW, he's built a couple of really nice looking teams and had some bad luck/bad timing. He'll win one eventually, it's only a matter of time. I'm not sure where I'd rank him as a GM, but he'd be in my top 10 for sure. After that, I'd put John as the next best who hasn't won, though it looks like he has a pretty nice team right now and should have a legitimate shot the next few seasons.
NOTE: DBW has actually won two titles and Repole made a mistake
Aar: I'm going with greeme. He's gotten some tough breaks and he's a good GM. He's one of the most active GMs and I think that eventually he'll put together the right team. One issue that he has is that he makes too many moves and doesn't wait to see how players will turn out. The Campy Russell trade is a prime example of jumping the gun.
10) Rank these players in order of who you think will have the best career (from best to worst): Moses Malone, Kermit Washington, M.L. Carr, Bob McAdoo, Bill Walton, George Gervin and give an explanation why.
Repole:
1) Moses - Even if he never develops the man to man defense, he does pretty much everything else you want out of a big man.
2) Bill Walton - He has the best chance at being an all around stud. His offense isn't all the way there yet, and it won't ever be on the same level as Moses, but his all around game is superb.
3) Bob McAdoo - I'm not sure how much development he has left, but he's an awesome offensive player as is, and defensively won't really hurt you. For the most part, I see him as a less effective version of Moses.
4) George Gervin - He hasn't exactly blown anyone away yet, but he seems to have the skillset that will blossom into an elite offensive player given a few nice TCs.
5) ML Carr - He has really nice looking ratings, and he is without a doubt a very valuable player, but I don't expect him to ever be a particularly great offensive player.
6) Kermit Washington - Offensively I don't think he becomes a major plus at any point. His free throw shooting is weak, and he doesn't shoot an especially high percentage from the field. He's solid defensively and on the glass, but doesn't really blow anyone away in that regard either. The lack of movement this TC doesn't exactly serve as a great sign either.
Aar:
1) Walton - I like his skill set and versatility better than the others on this list. He keeps getting better and once his jump shot picks up, he'll be elite.
2) Kermit - Such a stud and nobody talks about him. I'm sure that few will agree with him over Moses, but his elite defense puts him on top. Other than straight up scoring, there's nothing that Moses does that much better.
3) Moses - Stud scorer and rebounder, but I wish his blocking was better. He's great at just about everything else.
4) Carr - Surprising, but I love what the Nets are doing with Carr. Running him as the backup at every position shows just how good and well-rounded he is. I really like Carr and think that he's underappreciated in this league.
5) Gervin - Very well-rounded offensively and defensively and has a nice ceiling. Also a good rebounder and if he can get his turnovers improved, he'll be ballin'.
6) McAdoo - Great scorer, but really nothing else stands out. Below average blocker for a starting stud big and just an okay rebounder.
Repole: League wide I'd probably go with Phil Smith, who did pretty much nothing. I was convinced he'd be a solid starting wing, and while he still might get there, I certainly thought he'd get there a lot quicker. On my own team, I don't know if surprising is the word, but Mel Daniels craptastic training camp was a real kick in the balls. I don't think I've ever seen someone fluctuate as much as he does from TC to TC.
Aar:I'm going to go with Bernie Fryer. This guy came out of nowhere as a minimum salary player to become a really efficient point guard who will likely get maxed next year. Absolutely unreal! I feel bad for Greg that he's basically going to lose out on him.
2) This was a very controversial draft year. If you were re-picking the top-5, how do you rank the players?
Repole: I would have taken Roundfield #1 if I had the intention of keeping the pick, simply because I think Dawkins is far too big of a risk. Even with 100 potential, Dawkins likely doesn't get to C outside, and without that it's incredibly hard to be an efficient offensive player in FBB. Still it'd be hard to pass on Dawkins at #2 based purely on perceived value, and it sure looks like Play made the right choice with Gus at #3, which TC has only further confirmed. From there things become a real crapshoot, I'd consider Sobers, World B. Free, and Boswell for the last two spots, probably taking Boswell 4th and Free 5th. Both appear as though they may have some turnover problems, and Free's lack of rebounding is something that'd bother me, but I'd be shocked if he didn't have real high potential. Boswell's ratings are too intriguing to pass up, he seems like the type of guy who's on the brink of being a stud.
Aar: Alvan Adams obviously... But for real, I'm going with World B. Free. He had a sick TC and looks like he'll be an elite scorer for many years. While Roundfield could end up being the most well-rounded, Free looks like the only player who could be an all-star from this draft. Marty's going to love that the two players named here are both on his team, but he made the shrewd move to get all of the Wizards picks and certainly has earned his props.
3) Who do you think has the best chance of beating your team in the East?
Repole: The Bobcats are definitely the popular pick for that, and understandably so as they're incredibly talented. Hayes, Thurmond, Issel, and Frazier is a very, very impressive core. My biggest concern for their roster is after Issel they don't seem to have a ton of top tier efficient scoring, while they have Hayes putting up 22 a game on 46% shooting, I'll have Willie Davis doing the same on 53%. Even Issel, despite his awesome ratings, has never been an elite scorer efficiency wise. They have a ton of talent though, and with the right depth chart they're certainly capable of beating me. After that there's a bunch of teams I expect to post +5-8 point differentials, and any one of them could beat me in a 7 game series, with the Raptors especially scaring me as they've always been a thorn in my side.
Aar: I'm going to go with the Nets. Don't look now, but with the addition of Arvesta Kelly, they've become a scary team. Barnett aside, they have such a strong group of rebounders and they also have incredible defenders at every position. They have a deep bench to boast, despite using Carr as their backup at every position. They recently beat me with only six players playing in the game. Aziz is their only max player and he barely even plays!
4) What do you think of the Bucks' upside as a team?
Repole: Really, really tough to tell, you're at a point where you're at the mercy of the TC gods. Westphal looks like he'll be a quality starting SG, Walton is certainly on track to being a top tier center, but after that things get a bit messy. Hillman's nice, but he's the type of guy who's preventing you from really tanking, and at the same time doesn't have a ton of value because of his contract. Skinner looks like he could be a passable starter if his TOs get some AC/RC/TC love, and Adams seems like he may be best suited as an over sized SF, or perhaps even SG. With average use of your assets, you could easily turn the team into a 45-50 win type squad, but obviously you want more, so I think you're going to have to have a bit of TC/Draft/Trading luck to get there.
Aar: TC will be a huge factor, but I feel like we have a lot of really solid pieces and if we can add some rebounding that we'll be solid. Hillman has established himself as an elite shot blocker, Walton is getting better and better, Westphal can become an elite scorer with some ACs and Skinner's ratings after two TCs are looking great.
Skinner is likely the X-Factor. If he ends up being B B A A C C, which is a long-shot, this team will be great. But again, that's wishful thinking.
5) Which team is most in need of a rebuild?
Repole: The Pistons. As currently constructed they can win 40-50 games, but they won't contend, they're pretty much the definition of being stuck in mediocrity. Andy hasn't exactly had very successful rebuilds, but he has his picks and has some talent on his roster, if he tears it down properly he can rebuild and actually come back with a legitimate shot at competing again. He could risk it and deal off some picks for an aging star, but I just don't think it'll be enough. Either way, he has to do something, as the team is currently constructed they're not winning anything.
Aar: The Knicks. Right now, they're a middling team and they barely have any of their picks for the forseeable future. Why not blow it up and start over? I doubt that Skillz is having any fun running his team as it is right now and he loves shaking it up. Now is the time.
6) What was the most lopsided trade of the season?
Repole: There are a few that are pretty bad, and this may not be the most lopsided, but I really hated that Grizzlies/Pacers deal. A couple firsts and Jerry Lucas for a bunch of role players was pretty brutal for Pig, especially when there are guys like Willis Reed out there available for peanuts. I just hated it on pretty much every level for Pig. Some of UK's deals were pretty lopsided too, but I can't blame him for pushing all in the way he has.
Aar: I hated the McAdoo for picks trade. McAdoo deserved so much better. That said, if he bolts in free agency and the Wolves pick hits the lotto, then the Celtics look great. If McAdoo re-signs and the pick stays in the 5-7 range, then this deal sucks for the Celts. Either way, I don't like risky deals like this being made so early in the season. He should have asked that it get processed at the deadline, but I also see the logic of the Celtics wanting to tank. Also, the trade that Habes tried to squeak through with the Clips was lame.
7) Which player in the league do you like that is really under the radar?
Repole: Rick Roberson on the Jazz is a GREAT offensive PF, I'd love to see what he could do at SF to be honest. I'm not sure how under the radar he is at this point, but Gene Moore is having a BEAST of a season for the Clippers, putting up 17-11 with nearly 5 blocks on 47% shooting. Yet another former Hawks player who blew up after getting traded. On my own roster there's Barry Clemens, a guy who was a leftover FA and is shooting over 50% as a backup PG/SG without turning the ball over much.
Aar: Campy Russell has quietly become one of the league's up and comers. He's already worth more than the player that the Nuggets got for him (Gilmore) plus the Nuggets added a bunch. He shoots great percentages, is a sick rebounder and doesn't turn the ball over. If the Spurs put three ACs into him, he'll be unreal. Could be A- A C- A+ C+ C. That's obviously the best case scenario, but still a possibility.
8) Next year, your team will be very close to the hard cap and you're likely going to have to get rid of one of your players. Of your top-5 highest paid players, who is the most expendable?
Repole: Welp, I've got 81.3 mill guaranteed to 6 players, so if I can find a bit of cheap depth and fill the rest of my roster with rookie mins, I could potentially keep everyone together. Still, if I had to move one of my guys, it's Mel Daniels pretty easily. He's been as eratic a player as I have, I'm still unsure as to whether he helps me more than Lamar Green, and at the end of the day I think I can replace him without too big of an issue. I'd also consider moving NVL is I could find a cheap replacement PG, but I don't see me breaking up the Bingo/Willie/Trapp core for a while. I wouldn't mind shaking things up a bit outside of them though, it's been a bit boring to keep this core together without really changing much.
Aar: Daniels needs to go, but I think that Trapp is the most replaceable and actually has some value. Daniels won't get more than exp, while Trapp might be able to fetch some firsts.
There are a ton of really good defensive, efficient swingmen in the league. Look at Larry Steele, who the Bobcats got for essentially nothing. Guys like George Stone are readily available and Barry Clemens could potentially start.
9) Who is the best current GM to never win a BBS championship?
Repole: Pretty easy to go with DBW, he's built a couple of really nice looking teams and had some bad luck/bad timing. He'll win one eventually, it's only a matter of time. I'm not sure where I'd rank him as a GM, but he'd be in my top 10 for sure. After that, I'd put John as the next best who hasn't won, though it looks like he has a pretty nice team right now and should have a legitimate shot the next few seasons.
NOTE: DBW has actually won two titles and Repole made a mistake
Aar: I'm going with greeme. He's gotten some tough breaks and he's a good GM. He's one of the most active GMs and I think that eventually he'll put together the right team. One issue that he has is that he makes too many moves and doesn't wait to see how players will turn out. The Campy Russell trade is a prime example of jumping the gun.
10) Rank these players in order of who you think will have the best career (from best to worst): Moses Malone, Kermit Washington, M.L. Carr, Bob McAdoo, Bill Walton, George Gervin and give an explanation why.
Repole:
1) Moses - Even if he never develops the man to man defense, he does pretty much everything else you want out of a big man.
2) Bill Walton - He has the best chance at being an all around stud. His offense isn't all the way there yet, and it won't ever be on the same level as Moses, but his all around game is superb.
3) Bob McAdoo - I'm not sure how much development he has left, but he's an awesome offensive player as is, and defensively won't really hurt you. For the most part, I see him as a less effective version of Moses.
4) George Gervin - He hasn't exactly blown anyone away yet, but he seems to have the skillset that will blossom into an elite offensive player given a few nice TCs.
5) ML Carr - He has really nice looking ratings, and he is without a doubt a very valuable player, but I don't expect him to ever be a particularly great offensive player.
6) Kermit Washington - Offensively I don't think he becomes a major plus at any point. His free throw shooting is weak, and he doesn't shoot an especially high percentage from the field. He's solid defensively and on the glass, but doesn't really blow anyone away in that regard either. The lack of movement this TC doesn't exactly serve as a great sign either.
Aar:
1) Walton - I like his skill set and versatility better than the others on this list. He keeps getting better and once his jump shot picks up, he'll be elite.
2) Kermit - Such a stud and nobody talks about him. I'm sure that few will agree with him over Moses, but his elite defense puts him on top. Other than straight up scoring, there's nothing that Moses does that much better.
3) Moses - Stud scorer and rebounder, but I wish his blocking was better. He's great at just about everything else.
4) Carr - Surprising, but I love what the Nets are doing with Carr. Running him as the backup at every position shows just how good and well-rounded he is. I really like Carr and think that he's underappreciated in this league.
5) Gervin - Very well-rounded offensively and defensively and has a nice ceiling. Also a good rebounder and if he can get his turnovers improved, he'll be ballin'.
6) McAdoo - Great scorer, but really nothing else stands out. Below average blocker for a starting stud big and just an okay rebounder.
