Post by ucfinfan86 on Dec 14, 2023 17:40:47 GMT
Season 1 Central Division Predictions
Milwaukee Bucks
UCF: 57-27 - Reunited Jrue back with Giannis and Dame and brought in DFS for some backup wing help. They amnestied Khris Middleton which leaves a gaping hole at SF. Jrue/Dame/?/Giannis/Lopez is a really good lineup though with DFS, Payne, and maybe Giles providing solid depth. They need to be all in now with Lopez/Dame/Jrue all over 33yo and still have a few picks to work with to find another wing player, although they already have 151mil tied up to their top 4.
Melo: 54-28 - When you talk about star power, you have to include the Bucks’ duo. Giannis could very well win MVP and if preseason 1 is any indication, I think he takes it. Pair that with Lillard and regardless of what the rest of the roster is, Milwaukee will be fine. I like bringing Jrue back, but they have a huge hole at SF that needs to be fixed if they want to win it all.
Cleveland Cavaliers
UCF: 56-26 - Coming into the league I really liked the Cavs top 4 and they were one of the top teams on my list. They added RJ and Hartenstein for a few picks. Strus/Brown/Hartenstein gives them a solid 8 man rotation. Their top 8 are all 27yo or under. Think this team could compete now and has a bright future.
Melo: 56-26 - REALLY like this Cavs roster. Think they had a really nice build when picked, but even if I disagree with what it costed, bringing in RJ rounds out the starting lineup well. Think they need to improve the bench, but they should have a top 5 defense in the league with the guys they have downlow. Truly think they have a shot to win it all.
Indiana Pacers
UCF: 55-27 - Very excited to see how Haliburton sims. I’m wondering if this will be like a NBN2 Killian Hayes where his handle is just so far ahead of everyone else that he dominates the early league until inflation kicks in. Had to rewrite this after the Kawhi trade. Pacers should be really good now. Love the fit of this team. Hali/Hield/Kawhi/Turner/Robinson has shooting, defense, and rebounding.
Melo: 53-29 - Haliburton is going to be a star in this game and at only 23 years old, has to be one of the more valuable players in the league. After the Kawhi trade, I think this team is a middle-East playoff roster, but not sure it’s good enough top to bottom to win it all. Especially with how good some of the rosters are out East. Regardless, they will be fun and will make some noise.
Atlanta Hawks
UCF: 48-34 - Not really any changes from their original roster. It’s a solid roster and I’ll be curious how the Murray/Young combo goes. Murray/Young/Hunter/Johnson/Capela is solid. Could upgrade at SF/PF, although Johnson is intriguing. Some ok depth with the resigning on Bodgan, Okongwu, Bey. The backcourt will have to carry them, but they are a good playoff team but think they are a tier below the real contenders.
Melo: 42-40 - I get why van is standing pat so early, unlike the rest of us, but this roster needs an overhaul in my opinion. Think Trae and Dejounte will get theirs each night, but I don’t love the rest of it. I expect once the season gets underway, van will have a better idea of which direction he wants to go and then proceed, but until then, they’re a middle of the pack team.
Toronto Raptors
UCF: 45-37 - Yourkers overhauled almost the entire roster in true yourkers fashion. Not sure I love the end result. He took on a lot of salary and is out 2 picks but is still lacking a true defensive/rebounding big. Not sure who will start at PG but he had 4 middling options. Barnes should be a star and while Beal’s contract is massive, he’s still a good player. I wish Keldon was able to backup SG, otherwise he’s going to be limited in minutes. PG/Beal/Keldon/Barnes/Siakam would get killed defensively and on the boards. Maybe it’s PG/Beal/Barnes/Siakam/Stewart with Keldon backing up 3 and 4. Just not sure how good they can be with the current PG and big situation, but there’s also a chance this roster looks entirely different in a week.
Melo: 42-40 - Toronto didn’t have a huge plate to work with, but I appreciate some of the deals that Yourk did. I think they have a huge hole at PG if they want to truly contend, especially without their 1st, but I think that’s an easier position to address as opposed to some of the others. They have some nice, younger bigs that will be fun to build and Scottie should be a star once it’s all said and done.
New Orleans Pelicans
UCF: 42-40 - Pretty quiet on the Pelicans front except for swapping Jones for Monk and signing Boban. CJ/Monk/Ingram/Zion/Jonas should be a very good offensive starting 5. Not a lot of defense with 3 of those starters C+ or below. Not sure what to think of Zion with his C+ rebounding and C defense. They do have some depth with Boban/Alvarado/Murphy/Lidell. I had trouble placing them and could be a little low on the win total, but I’ll give Slough some bulletin board material
Melo: 43-39 - Unsure exactly where Slough will go this season with this roster, but they have some nice pieces. Zion and BI will score and then you add in younger guys like Trey and Jordan Hawkins and this team could turn into something in a season or 2. Think guys like Jonas and CJ may be best moved elsewhere, but like Van, I think Slough wants to see what he has before he makes any drastic moves.
Detroit Pistons
UCF: 28-54 - I loved the Stewart for Anunoby swap for Detroit. Ausar has a very tantalizing build. They are a season or 2 away from really competing but overall I like the moves they’ve made with the exception of the Grant signing. I just don’t know what you can do with a C C big man, even if he can score 20ppg. He’ll be best as a backup PF/SF, but just don’t see anyone really trading for him and not sure why he’s needed on this team. A future lineup of Cade/?/Ausar/?/Duren with OG/Mathurin off the bench is fun. I guess you could start Ausar at PF with OG at SF, but that takes away some of Ausar’s advantage.
Melo: 31-51 - Not the best roster, but definitely some fun guys that should make their season interesting. Duren and Ausar look like they could be one of the better young defending duos in the league. Hopefully Cade still has some potential in the tank and can make the league because he simmed well in preseason 1. OG is a nice name, but not sure he’s built well enough here to contribute like in real life.
Charlotte Hornets
UCF: 23-59 - This is a young roster with Mark Williams, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller all 22yo or younger. This team has a very bright future but I think they are a season or 2 away. If the Pistons fall out of the playoff race early or decide to tank, I think Rozier could be a very intriguing piece for contenders. Hayward has a big contract, but how many teams do I mention with a gaping hole at SF? There’s a few depth pieces here that could get a late 1st or some cash in a trade that I think VSO would be wise to move.
Melo: 26-56 - They’re bad, but unsure if they’re the worst team. They have some guys that can score and Brandon Miller should turn into one of the better 3 level scorers. LaMelo could contend for MVP with some of the numbers I expect him to put up. Obviously, they have no shot this season, but if they’re young guys develop, they could make noise down the road.
Central MVP
UCF: Giannis Antetokounmpo: I think he’ll be a lot better in NBN3 then he was in NBN2 and could lead a team with one of if not the best records in the league. Haliburton is my runner up.
Melo: Giannis Antetokounmpo: I mean I really don’t think there’s a better choice and if I had to choose league MVP right now, Giannis would be my pick. He’s just going to be too good.
Central DPOY
UCF: Cavs twin towers. Kind of cheating but I think the Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley combo here could be really devastating
Melo: Evan Mobley: He’s obviously paired with another candidate, but Mobley will get the steals necessary to put him over the top.
Central ROY
UCF: Ausar Thompson. Just love his build. We’ll see if he can score and what stocks he puts up, but could he average 10 reb as a rookie at SF?
Melo: Brandon Miller. Think that with the way the Hornets are built, they’re going to need Miller to score points. He may not be super efficient, but think he’ll get 15+ per game this season.
Central GMOY
UCF: thefirstcedi. I like a lot of the moves that were made in this division. Cavs inherited a good spot, but think they are setup the best
Melo: StayMe7o: Love the Kawhi deal and think that gets them a really nice piece to pair with Haliburton. Think they’re one other guy away from being real contenders, but I like what Me7o has done so far.
Milwaukee Bucks
UCF: 57-27 - Reunited Jrue back with Giannis and Dame and brought in DFS for some backup wing help. They amnestied Khris Middleton which leaves a gaping hole at SF. Jrue/Dame/?/Giannis/Lopez is a really good lineup though with DFS, Payne, and maybe Giles providing solid depth. They need to be all in now with Lopez/Dame/Jrue all over 33yo and still have a few picks to work with to find another wing player, although they already have 151mil tied up to their top 4.
Melo: 54-28 - When you talk about star power, you have to include the Bucks’ duo. Giannis could very well win MVP and if preseason 1 is any indication, I think he takes it. Pair that with Lillard and regardless of what the rest of the roster is, Milwaukee will be fine. I like bringing Jrue back, but they have a huge hole at SF that needs to be fixed if they want to win it all.
Cleveland Cavaliers
UCF: 56-26 - Coming into the league I really liked the Cavs top 4 and they were one of the top teams on my list. They added RJ and Hartenstein for a few picks. Strus/Brown/Hartenstein gives them a solid 8 man rotation. Their top 8 are all 27yo or under. Think this team could compete now and has a bright future.
Melo: 56-26 - REALLY like this Cavs roster. Think they had a really nice build when picked, but even if I disagree with what it costed, bringing in RJ rounds out the starting lineup well. Think they need to improve the bench, but they should have a top 5 defense in the league with the guys they have downlow. Truly think they have a shot to win it all.
Indiana Pacers
UCF: 55-27 - Very excited to see how Haliburton sims. I’m wondering if this will be like a NBN2 Killian Hayes where his handle is just so far ahead of everyone else that he dominates the early league until inflation kicks in. Had to rewrite this after the Kawhi trade. Pacers should be really good now. Love the fit of this team. Hali/Hield/Kawhi/Turner/Robinson has shooting, defense, and rebounding.
Melo: 53-29 - Haliburton is going to be a star in this game and at only 23 years old, has to be one of the more valuable players in the league. After the Kawhi trade, I think this team is a middle-East playoff roster, but not sure it’s good enough top to bottom to win it all. Especially with how good some of the rosters are out East. Regardless, they will be fun and will make some noise.
Atlanta Hawks
UCF: 48-34 - Not really any changes from their original roster. It’s a solid roster and I’ll be curious how the Murray/Young combo goes. Murray/Young/Hunter/Johnson/Capela is solid. Could upgrade at SF/PF, although Johnson is intriguing. Some ok depth with the resigning on Bodgan, Okongwu, Bey. The backcourt will have to carry them, but they are a good playoff team but think they are a tier below the real contenders.
Melo: 42-40 - I get why van is standing pat so early, unlike the rest of us, but this roster needs an overhaul in my opinion. Think Trae and Dejounte will get theirs each night, but I don’t love the rest of it. I expect once the season gets underway, van will have a better idea of which direction he wants to go and then proceed, but until then, they’re a middle of the pack team.
Toronto Raptors
UCF: 45-37 - Yourkers overhauled almost the entire roster in true yourkers fashion. Not sure I love the end result. He took on a lot of salary and is out 2 picks but is still lacking a true defensive/rebounding big. Not sure who will start at PG but he had 4 middling options. Barnes should be a star and while Beal’s contract is massive, he’s still a good player. I wish Keldon was able to backup SG, otherwise he’s going to be limited in minutes. PG/Beal/Keldon/Barnes/Siakam would get killed defensively and on the boards. Maybe it’s PG/Beal/Barnes/Siakam/Stewart with Keldon backing up 3 and 4. Just not sure how good they can be with the current PG and big situation, but there’s also a chance this roster looks entirely different in a week.
Melo: 42-40 - Toronto didn’t have a huge plate to work with, but I appreciate some of the deals that Yourk did. I think they have a huge hole at PG if they want to truly contend, especially without their 1st, but I think that’s an easier position to address as opposed to some of the others. They have some nice, younger bigs that will be fun to build and Scottie should be a star once it’s all said and done.
New Orleans Pelicans
UCF: 42-40 - Pretty quiet on the Pelicans front except for swapping Jones for Monk and signing Boban. CJ/Monk/Ingram/Zion/Jonas should be a very good offensive starting 5. Not a lot of defense with 3 of those starters C+ or below. Not sure what to think of Zion with his C+ rebounding and C defense. They do have some depth with Boban/Alvarado/Murphy/Lidell. I had trouble placing them and could be a little low on the win total, but I’ll give Slough some bulletin board material
Melo: 43-39 - Unsure exactly where Slough will go this season with this roster, but they have some nice pieces. Zion and BI will score and then you add in younger guys like Trey and Jordan Hawkins and this team could turn into something in a season or 2. Think guys like Jonas and CJ may be best moved elsewhere, but like Van, I think Slough wants to see what he has before he makes any drastic moves.
Detroit Pistons
UCF: 28-54 - I loved the Stewart for Anunoby swap for Detroit. Ausar has a very tantalizing build. They are a season or 2 away from really competing but overall I like the moves they’ve made with the exception of the Grant signing. I just don’t know what you can do with a C C big man, even if he can score 20ppg. He’ll be best as a backup PF/SF, but just don’t see anyone really trading for him and not sure why he’s needed on this team. A future lineup of Cade/?/Ausar/?/Duren with OG/Mathurin off the bench is fun. I guess you could start Ausar at PF with OG at SF, but that takes away some of Ausar’s advantage.
Melo: 31-51 - Not the best roster, but definitely some fun guys that should make their season interesting. Duren and Ausar look like they could be one of the better young defending duos in the league. Hopefully Cade still has some potential in the tank and can make the league because he simmed well in preseason 1. OG is a nice name, but not sure he’s built well enough here to contribute like in real life.
Charlotte Hornets
UCF: 23-59 - This is a young roster with Mark Williams, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller all 22yo or younger. This team has a very bright future but I think they are a season or 2 away. If the Pistons fall out of the playoff race early or decide to tank, I think Rozier could be a very intriguing piece for contenders. Hayward has a big contract, but how many teams do I mention with a gaping hole at SF? There’s a few depth pieces here that could get a late 1st or some cash in a trade that I think VSO would be wise to move.
Melo: 26-56 - They’re bad, but unsure if they’re the worst team. They have some guys that can score and Brandon Miller should turn into one of the better 3 level scorers. LaMelo could contend for MVP with some of the numbers I expect him to put up. Obviously, they have no shot this season, but if they’re young guys develop, they could make noise down the road.
Central MVP
UCF: Giannis Antetokounmpo: I think he’ll be a lot better in NBN3 then he was in NBN2 and could lead a team with one of if not the best records in the league. Haliburton is my runner up.
Melo: Giannis Antetokounmpo: I mean I really don’t think there’s a better choice and if I had to choose league MVP right now, Giannis would be my pick. He’s just going to be too good.
Central DPOY
UCF: Cavs twin towers. Kind of cheating but I think the Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley combo here could be really devastating
Melo: Evan Mobley: He’s obviously paired with another candidate, but Mobley will get the steals necessary to put him over the top.
Central ROY
UCF: Ausar Thompson. Just love his build. We’ll see if he can score and what stocks he puts up, but could he average 10 reb as a rookie at SF?
Melo: Brandon Miller. Think that with the way the Hornets are built, they’re going to need Miller to score points. He may not be super efficient, but think he’ll get 15+ per game this season.
Central GMOY
UCF: thefirstcedi. I like a lot of the moves that were made in this division. Cavs inherited a good spot, but think they are setup the best
Melo: StayMe7o: Love the Kawhi deal and think that gets them a really nice piece to pair with Haliburton. Think they’re one other guy away from being real contenders, but I like what Me7o has done so far.
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