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RN4L
Da Nation
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Now that we've crowned the Knicks as the first champions of the file, let's take an in depth look at how it all came about.
New York beat the Raptors in the first round. Not only did they beat them, they did so convincingly with a sweep. Toronto was a team built for contention right off the bat. Does this put them in a sell now mode? Or should they build around the core they have, and push for a better seed to make a deeper run next year?
-I think for sure they should build around their core. It was a surprise for us to complete the sweep, but I just think we matched up really well.. though a rookie, Beverley really showed up defensively vs the MVP.. we had the advantage at both wing positions and Tyson to slow Gasol so it was just a matter of bad matchups. Imo an upgrade at the wings or good enough tc for their current ones and they're competing again next year.. only concern for them is Pierce. He's solid but getting up there in age and seemed a little slow vs Melo and I'm sure the same goes for other elite wings in the league.
-Toronto is a top 4 team in the East and a top 6-7 team in the league. They should keep the core and continue with their development. Nothing wrong about losing to the champs.
-I think they will look to stay competitive. They have CP3, Lee, Thabo, Beidrins, even GWallace isn't very old at 28. I can see them shuffling the deck a little bit but I think they just ran into some rough luck. I know Thabo was injured for at least part of the playoffs so that hurt, he's one of their main defenders along with Crash. Even staying the same they should probably compete next year a bit but adding a piece or two would definitely help. CP3 needs that side kick I think. We'll see if they can get him one.
-I think Toronto can probably stand pat and still succeed next season. Add to that team in free agency or try and swing a deal to try and add a little more talent. It is tough because the East is strong and they need a good training camp to really see where they may stand.
-I don't know if teams stay put in general or just make small trades the EAST is very competitive from top 2 bottom with maybe 2 teams trailing behind..But teams like Boston..Cleveland..Detroit all missed the playoffs by very little and a solid TC and key acquisition or 2 and they could be in to win it..Toronto doesn't need much to remain very very good so I see them tweaking it a bit and staying in it to win it..
-I still like their core, CP3 and Pau is still one of the best PG/Big man combos in the league and Paul Pierce just averaged 18 PPG. Assuming Pierce and Gasol don't get killed in TC's, the core should remain solid going into next season. I do think the roster could use some slight retooling though. Gerald Wallace's expiring contract is an interesting asset that Snipe could use to upgrade at either SG or C
The Hornets and Magic both took the Knicks to a 7th game. These teams each boast a top 3 player at their given position on the file. Do you consider this a stroke of luck for New York? Can a good TC for these 2 help to make it past such a team? Or should they be proactive this off-season, and look for ways to revamp their rosters?
-Yeah they pushed us to the brink.. it was a little disheartening to see our inability to close out after being up 3-1 in both series', but we boast the best 1/2 punch in the league so I wouldn't call it luck lol. In New Orleans case they are perfectly set up around Rose.. each position is the perfect compliment.. they could upgrade at the 3 .. (#STA7MELO).. and focus on resigning West and I expect them to be a lock for ECFs at least. Orlando may need a little more help.. their a old team aside from LeBron and Bledsoe.. which will be a hell of a 1/2 given their friendship on and off court.. but their other major pieces KevMartin Bibby and Birdman will all be a year older they will have some CAP space.. lets see if they can make a splash..
-Any team should try to proactive if they see the opportunity, but I could see the top 4 team in the East (Knicks, Hornets, Raptors, and Magic) beating each other in a 7 game series. With the 7 game series, there may have been luck. However, take no credit away from the win that Knicks took.
-The Hornets are built very nicely, Rose was a strong MVP candidate, and Wes Matthews and Battier both good outside scorers, the rest of the team is all defense. One would assume Rose and Matthews may improve a little this summer, but even if they stay the same they are both good players, with Rose being great. The Magic actually aren't built too different than the Hornets. A bunch of outside shooting guards with defensive bigs and a great player in James. If Bledsoe can take a leap next season they for sure will be another deadly team that people will have to watch out for.
I honestly thought either of those series could go either way. They were intense. So I don't think it will take a ton for them to both be back competing next year trying to dethrone the champs.
-I think New York is a strong team. They got tested big time and succeeded and all of their work paid off big time. Both of those teams should be proud. They're in the same position as Toronto, IMO. Add to that team and hope for internal growth. Orlando has a dynamic duo in LBJ and Kmart, and a young potential stud in Bledsoe waiting to take over. They'll be just fine as long as they can keep Sammy D. The Hornets will have a little tougher time trying to keep that success going but they have the best PG in the league and that's a great building block. I think they'll be alright as long as they invest in a better team doctor to help keep Dorsey alive. Maybe get that guy some bubble wrap.
-I think if we ran a SIM again the results would be different and NY doesn't get past 1 of those teams..This league os so tight (in the East)..if you simmed this season over 10 times you might get 6 or more different East Champs
-The playoffs in FBB are a fickle thing. With such a small sample size, a lot of it comes down to randomness, especially when the rosters are so even coming out of a creation draft. I don't think NO or ORL needs to overreact. Orlando was forced to start Kwame Brown of all people due to injury, and the Hornets were a top team all season and have a 22 year old MVP. They'll be fine.
Now that we've had a chance to cover how the Knicks have seen their season's goal be achieved, let's look at how our fellow GMs believe the rest of the league could stack up next year. Who could potentially dethrone them next year? What does the 2012 season hold for the rest of the league?
With Carmelo Anthony extending his contract in New York, do you believe teams will be more or less likely to push the limits in Free Agency this year? Do you think teams will be more hesitant to make a long term commitment, saving salary cap for future classes?
-I imagine teams with CAP will be less likley to spend money on longterm contracts for sure, there arent many big name FAs this year.. alot of players seemed happy with their current position and teams and decided to re-up.. we're estatic to get back who we believe is the top SF in the league.. and what we're paying him honestly ist enough after his performance in the postseason. As for Tyson we hope to also bring him back as we expect him to be a hot commidity, being one of few impact players, that most likley will hit FA.
-Any star player should be extended long term no matter the cost. You can always find cheap rotational players. Signing established stars is a must to compete. In terms of FA, I'm sure many teams will "overpay" for certain players. That's just how FA rolls usually as teams try to sign new players.
-There are a few free agents that I think a lot of teams will throw money at. Even the restricted free agents, I think will get a lot of looks from teams. Worst case scenario their team matches, but prying away one guy high on your list could change your whole season. So I think people will be a little aggressive this offseason and test what they can possibly get. And I don't think too many people will be reluctant signing guys to max deals this summer. Contracts will just get more and more expensive as the cap increases, so paying a guy now $87m is gonna be a solid contract in probably 2-3 years.
-I think we'll see typical Free Agency spending. While teams should be more hesitant on spending and trying to focus on cheaper talent in hopes of a better Free Agency class, I don't see that happening. Teams will panic and spend. It's bound to happen.
-FA has 2 types of results highly aggressive and very conservative..few stay in the middle if any..I see a fee overpays early in days 1 or 2..and a few steals later on.But yes there will be some big $$ thrown around
-I'm not expecting an exciting round of free agency this year. The top of the class is pretty weak, but there should be a solid group of role guys that can be used to fill out a roster. Restricted free agency could be interesting though, as some of these teams with cap can force contenders to overpay to keep their young guys.
Do you consider the first training camp a make or break off-season? Would you say this is the best chance teams have at improving with a limited number of high profile free agents?
-I think you have to look at it that way.. TCs make or break seasons.. regardless of what you did in the offseason.. that bigtime FA or trade you just made can all go to shit if the player declines ratings AND production wise lol .. as for teams like that you gotta work the phones.. put your assets out there and highlight them and more importantly know their strengths.. especially for the offseason, when access to games disappear cause ratings only tell so much.
-TC can make a star player into mediocre player. Also, it can make a backup into a starter. Even some big names may not develop to their full potential.
-Training camps are always a crazy time. I would think depending on how they go for quite a few teams it will cause some GMs to reconsider their strategy with their team. There are always crazy surprises in TC. I know a lot of teams are counting on several guys to develop this summer, so if any of those don't pan out, it could make for an interesting summer. And yeah I think TCs are probably the best chance compared to FA this year, with not many high profile guys being UFAs. But there is always the trade market. Which I know a lot of teams have been deep in discussion even as their team was competing in the playoffs, which is crazy to me, but hey props to them for always trying to make their team better.
-Strong training camps are definitely important. Guys will see that players didn't improve the way they had hoped for, ship them out, just to see them make a difference for another team. It happens. I know my team is going to depend on a strong training camp. I just need to try and not react to a bad camp as fast. See where we stand and then make some moves.
-I think TC is always important and sometimes teams improve enough to take a giant step forward. Part of our strategy in Cleveland was to go very young early and often on draft day so for a team like ours it is very important to have a very good TC. Other teams are built to win now and TC will play a lesser role on their success.
-TC's are always a pretty big deal in these leagues. I think the first one means a lot more to the teams that focused on youth in the creation draft than it does for those who went all out this first season. I would say most of the intrigue of the off-season lies with the training camp results, as I don't see much happening in free agency.
With many teams drafting youth and potential early in the inaugural creation draft, some were disappointed when they did not come out of the gates competing at a high level. With that said, do you see any team(s) that missed the playoffs, that could potentially make a deep run next year? Is it going to take a great draft and TC? Is anyone even up to the task?
-I dont know if we'll see any non playoff teams making any deep runs next year, I think the teams at the top will battle for a few years to come.. but Atlanta for sure should be a playoff contender next year.. I think Steph Curry is on the brink of a break out year.. we all seen how well he played once Nash was moved and was given full control of their offense.. Utah is another team i think could really make a jump if tcs go as expected.. they could potentially end up contenders if things go perfect.. PG Bradley Horford Nene.. thats a rugged defense.. all nba potential. Those are the main 2.. LAC has potential to make noise as well.. theyll need a little lotto luck but already have a very solid 4 led by MVP candidate Chris Bosh.. who had one of the better 2nd halfs to the season of any player.. also a threat to make the playoffs for sure next year.
-Hawks, Cavs, Pistons, Nets can all make the playoffs next season and make a run for sure. All depend on TC.
-For starters, you shouldn't count on such young guys with potential to carry your team right away. They need time. As for teams that didn't make the playoffs last year that can this year, yeah I think there are several of those. A lot of teams were knocking on the playoffs door last season and just missed the cut, like the Celtics, Hawks, Cavs, and Clippers. I think the playoffs will be a bit different next year in terms of teams competing. I think (and hope) there are a lot more teams who are trying to compete next season, and its seeming like there will be. If TCs go half way decent for several teams, I think they'll be in the mix for sure.
-I see some teams out West that could make that next jump going into next season. Utah is one of them. Possibly the Kings too. Clippers are young-ish and they for sure make a run next year. Being in the West myself, I just need to hope those teams don't make runs, or we at least get better. The East is harder to guess since they're so strong but the teams that hardly missed out this year should remain in contention. Of course we have a group of trade happy guys too that will likely make tons of moves before the season and that'll shakeup the whole landscape of the East and West.
-As I mentioned above in the East I wouldnt be surprised if the 12 11 10 9 seeds from this year were 5 6 7 8 next yr and a top 4 or so team didn't make the playoffs. The West is a separate beast all together where 2 or 3 teams rule and everyone else is subpar
-I think the Cavs are building something nice. They opted to take Serge Ibaka and Jrue Holiday's high potentials in the first round of the creation draft and both look like budding superstars. They also have some cap to go out and sign a couple guys to fill out their squad and Hassan Whiteside is primed to have a great training camp. Oh, and they won 40 games last year and only missed the playoffs by 2 games. Some other teams that I could see jumping into the playoff picture are the Nets, Pistons, Clippers, and Jazz
The playoffs were littered with sub-.500 teams. Some of which had injury problems, and some were not present to make mid-season adjustments to gain any momentum in the regular season. Do you see any playoff teams that could go sour next year? Would it be worth it for these teams to attempt to remain competitive, or should they part their best players off and make a play for future seasons?
-I wouldn't say go sour for the 7th and 8th seed teams in the East as they were very close in record to the 4-5 teams who didn't make the playoffs. As for the West, it is more top heavy, but as we saw with OKC sub .500 teams certainly should try to compete if they wish to do so.
-After looking at teams, i'm not sure I see any that should tear it down and restart. Most if not all teams have at least 1 star player that should help keep the team afloat for a few more years at the least. That being said an awful TC or a horrible injury could derail a team and make them reconsider everything. But I don't see one clear cut team that will most likely look to take a massive step back. So with no teams probably taking a step back and several teams looking to take a step forward, next season could be a bloodbath.
-Any lower team in the West(myself included) could definitely fizzle and hit the lottery next season. If you struggled in the West, you'll have to seriously work to improve so that doesn't happen. A lot of that will come from internal growth of the players on those teams. They all have guys they consider to be cornerstone players, those players will need to take that next step so the teams can perform stronger.
In the East.. you have to bring it every game. We're bound to see some of those teams who missed out, jump a team and take their spot. That conference is too strong to not see some upsets.
As for trading and trying to rebuild, if you hardly missed the playoffs, I'd try to add a little talent if you can and give it one more run. Both conferences have teams that are on the cusp of the playoffs. Might as well give it one more run and then tear it down if it's still not working - injuries aside.
-Seems a bit redundant. But if I were say 5 6 7 8 seed in the West or lower I would seriously consider trading assets for youth and picks. I mean if I am 6th seed in West I can't see how I get into top 4 at all off season or not. Why not accumulate talent now and in the future to be able or at least have a chance to be one of the top 4 teams in the West inb2 or 3 yrs.. I mean drafting 15 or 14 or 17 every ur for the next few yrs is not going to move the needle much
-Hopefully the West can pick it up next season. I think the Lakers and Thunder benefitted from the lackluster competition, but both are young teams that didn't set out to win this season but did so anyway. I expect the Nuggets to stay in the hunt next year. RN4L did a great job of maximizing his roster in the playoffs and he should be able to keep them in the playoffs. The Warriors did not draft well and were lucky to make it into the playoffs. If the West improves they will not be back next season unless their roster improves dramatically.
-With as many talented GMs in the league as there are .. no spot is ever safe .. so I would only expect for a few teams to end up in the lotto next year that played postseason ball this one. Now if we naming teams thats a whole nother thing lol.. but fuxk it .. shake some feathers.. East is pretty tight, the teams in the playoffs for the majority i expect to return.. Indy has a chance to really make moves.. Baron Davis was incredible for them once they gave him PT lol.. their littered with picks and youth. Bulls have to be careful .. they'll depend mightily on Walls development (FYI its always Fuck JohnWall this way ..personal vendetta) but hes a young stud and stepped up for them in the playoffs.. Millsap is one of the most underrated players in the league.. if they can add another scorer at the 2 to their trio of Wall Millsap and Deng, they have the potential to compete. The two teams that could potentially take their spots are Boston and Atlanta.. outside of them not much faith in the rest of the East.. In the West Golden St is definitely on the brink.. LAC Utah and (depending on a mix of development and lotto luck) Sacramento all have a chance to take their spot.. they really need their 1st round gamble Brandon Roy to have a good tc or that pick looks like a waste..As for staying competitive.. I think that should always be your goal heading into any season, now if things dont go right or cant seem to find the right dc then i understand tanking or blowing up but going in expecting to lose defeats the purpose of it all imo.. what good is a young roster with no dubs? Lol.. but to each their own..
But remember to always #STAYMELO
I want to thank those willing to share their mind on these subjects. Pugz, Teagz, DJT, Notail, Dez and GF, thanks for participating.It's always fun to pick the brains of you guys. Best of luck in 2012, and congrats again to Dez.
