Post by The Slough on Dec 17, 2023 11:10:45 GMT
1. Did you expect this many trades to start before preseason? What are your thoughts around trading draft picks, especially in the future?
Yourkers: Totally expected a run of trades especially knowing the season wasn't gonna start for a whole week. Trades are conversation starters no matter if they are good and bad. It's also the best part of the league. I love to create a team that is very much different regularly. Sittong on a team gets boring.
Now trading future picks are hard to do when we have only a small sample size on how these players will really play. Who knows if the players fit into the system we want to run but with risk comes excitement. So go for it if you think it makes your team a true contender. I know for me I don't want to go past my Scottie Barnes window just in case he decides to leave Toronto.
Ronin: Yeah i expected it. I think the NBN has always been very active with trading. Trading draft picks is always a gamble but are useful assets depending on your team's situation.
Carmelo: Honestly, no. I figured that there would be some trades as people were eager to get back into things, but I didn't think we'd see as much as we have early on. Plus, there's been some relatively big trades that has involved a ton of picks, so that's always interesting to follow. I think as teams are starting to figure out how drafts are being built, picks will become much more valuable, but I get why teams are willing to trade picks right now. Especially because of how deflated the league is, if you have a roster with 2 good players and have the opportunity to add 2 more with 4 picks, why not take the risk early on?
Carlos: I expected people to be excited and make trades to start but I think we definitely beat my expectations. It seems like most of the league turned their rosters over in no time. I've never been shy about trading my picks, especially when I feel my team is a piece or two away from winning. I think a few trades went a little overboard on the amount of picks but that's natural to start and trade values will stabilize, or already have.
Slough: I did not, I felt many would wait and see some sims, even preseason sims, but I get many love their players and kind of wanted to build their own team as well. Still surprising. I’m more conservative on draft picks, and funny I traded 1sts after these questions were sent out, but I did see some stats at least haha.
2. Any players looking to try and land in FA or what is your strategy for the first year?
Yourkers: With no cap I really don't have much chance of getting any real big FA. For me front court depth and another pg is what I would be looking for and hopefully we are able to fill out the roster
Ronin: As of right now, for this season id like to see how far i can go with this Timberwolves roster and then maybe make some changes around Trade Deadline or the Offseason if i feel like we are underperforming.
Carmelo: Definitely taking a look at Zach Lavine. I was hoping that amnesty cuts would have yielded a better FA pool, but that wasn't the case. As for me, I was fortunate to get the 1st pick, and while I took a fun roster, I feel it's kind of stuck in the middle. Shai is a star, but the rest of the roster is just not there yet. So do I fight for a final seed out West in the playoffs while allowing guys like Chet, Giddey, and Jalen to catch up to Shai or do I move Shai so that I can build a roster on the same timeline. I am not in the position for wanting 1sts in deals, but I would like one top tier prospect if I'm going to move SGA. FA will kind of determine which direction we go.
Carlos: I didn't land any of the top guys I bid for. I was hoping I could land a starting SF with my MLE, but it looks like I'll try to find someone in the trade market. My strategy was to improve the SG/ SF positions and pick up some depth that could fill in some minutes in case of injury. I got decent depth pieces in Patrick Williams and Norman Powell, wasn't expecting much more without any cap space.
Slough: I had no cash and was wanting to see stats. I ended up with Boban who is fine, but I didn’t have much to work with or actual roster spots. Made a few trades later.
3. If you could have any car, truck, or bike, or RV what would it be and why? What would be your go to drive?
Yourkers: I don't drive so I don't have anything of preference when it comes to cars. But I would want a smooth drive that isn't a gas guzzler and has a little bit of speed. Nothing flashy but gets the job done.
Ronin: Acura TLX S-Type or a 1965 Chrysler Imperial Crown. The Acura just looks sexy and im a big Bruce Lee fan since childhood, and the 1965 Chrysler Imperial Crown is what he drove when he was in Green Hornet TV show.
Carmelo: I think I would want a decked out Sprinter van that would essentially be an RV. I like driving on road trips and really have always wanted to take a few weeks off of work to visit places across the country. My wife and I actually drove out to Colorado as covid began and spent 5 weeks out there while everything was shut down. Much better place to be than a big city.
Carlos: I'm not really much of a car person, but I'd love to take any fast sports car down the West Coast on the PCH.
Slough: For a car it would be a 1970 GTO and I would love to own a classic 1980’s bronco without the back up, kind of like an open air jeep, probably a 1990’s Tacoma as those were sick as just great trucks, a 1990-1996 Nissan 300z would be dope and at last if I had the money a 69-70 Continental with suicide doors all black to cruise around in 😊
4. Name your top 3 cities or places you have visited and love and why?
Yourkers: Man I haven't done much traveling in my life which is pretty sad. Didn't have the ability as w child and just haven't had the money to really travel. Plus I am just getting my passport sadly. But I do want to go and see Columbia, Ireland, London just to name a few. There's plenty of spots I would like to go because I just want to be able to say I did.
Ronin: Phoenix, Madrid, and Mainz-Kastel. Phoenix is aesthetically pleasing and calming, it used to have a small town feel and i really liked that but its grown a lot lately. Madrid because the people know how to have a good time and are outgoing, most of my family is there and there is always fun to be had. Mainz-Kastel is a beautiful town in Germany that ive visited a few times. The Rhine River runs through the middle of town and once a year right by the river they hold an outdoors Grafitti Art event called Meeting of Styles.
Carmelo: In no particular order, Lisbon, Malta, and Rome. Went to Lisbon last Thanksgiving with a group of friends and fell in love. Portugal itself is great, but we had such a good time in Lisbon. The city is walkable with tons of history and so much to do. Everything was so cheap too. We did a cruise a few months back and one of the stops was Malta. Never really knew much about it, but when we got off the boat, it reminded me a ton of Lisbon, so maybe that's why it's one of my favorite places. Insane history. Within that same trip, we went to Rome for the second time. I think that city gets a bad rep with how dirty it is and what not, which I get. But this time, we skipped a lot of the tourist stuff and went outside of the city and loved it. There's so much to do and for me, when I'm traveling, I just want to eat and drink.
Carlos: Rio - I went to Brazil last year and loved it. The city is awesome, the people are fun, and I went during my winter so it was great to be on the beach after months of darkness.
Madrid - Going to Spain was cool because a lot of my customs come from there. I have family who lived in Madrid for some time too, so it was great to see some of my history there.
New York - New York was the first major trip I made on my own, visiting some friends who lived there. I got to experience how they lived life there and had the energy to really take advantage of it all.
Slough:I would say Toronto, Boston, and Seattle. I will always love Seattle being born in northern WA, plus love most of the sports, but I am one of those weird guys that like the rain and I feel makes big cities feel clean and pretty. I would 100% move to Toronto if the opportunity was there, love the people, food, multicultural, sports, and just seems like a great place to live. Boston only been a few times, but just felt being Irish it would be pretty sweet, I know that isn’t a lot of time but I think I would fit in.
5. Who is going to win the MVP, DPOTY, ROTY, and 6th man awards in NBN this year and why?
Yourkers: For MVP give me Jokic. Feel he will have the best combination of points/rebounds/assists to take the award.
DPOTY give me JJJ from Memphis(not the one traded for Davis). He should be a shot blocking machine and with enough rebounding to take the award. But would be crazy to see Barnes sneak in if he can pull off 4-5 stocks and get close to 9 rebounds a game. Wishful thinking.
ROTY Wembenyama is set up to take it because he will be the team and the whole team. He should have unreal numbers and should be zero reason outside of injury to hold him back.
6th Man I am going Siakam. I plan to put him in the best position to succeed as a super sub. He will see time at the 3 while being the main guy off the bench for the 4/5. He might put up 15+ ppg off the bench as when he comes in I want him to score
Ronin: If its anything like the NBA, i would say Jokic or Embiid.
Carmelo: Well, I didn't really look at any of the test sims, so these are really just based on ratings. MVP, I'll go with Jokic. Don't know how the rest of the Nuggets roster will fare when games are played, but Nikola looks the part. DPOTY, I guess I'll say Anthony Davis? I don't see why he shouldn't be a 5+ stock per game player and that should be enough. ROTY, I'll say Wemby. I mean he looks like he'll be a star within year 3 and the rest of the roster is ass. 6th man, I guess it depends on where guys are played, but I think I saw in one of the deals that Jaylen Brown will be coming off the bench? So I guess he's my pick.
Carlos:
MVP - Luka
DPOTY - Gobert
ROTY - Wemby
6th Man - LeBron
I might end up starting LeBron, so Clarkson would be my 6th man pick otherwise.
Slough:
MVP – Luka, probably going to be ridiculous and get close to a triple double and the game loves PG’s
DPOTY – Jaren Jackson on the Grizz I think would be pretty nasty, however this game is so random sometimes on this award.
ROTY – Hard not to say Wemb, and not sure if Chet qualifies on this like in real life
6th Man – Hmm tough without know how many teams will run their offenses, so I am going to go with Jaylen Brown, since I think the gm said he would run off bench.
6. Top music you are listening to lately?
Yourkers: Rock music. Spotify just sent out the top plays of 23 and I am jamming out to that. It's mainly some type of rock mixed in with rap/rock and rap. A good rapper named Dax is one of my top listens. Man speaks the truth
Ronin: I'd be giving you 100 different music artists, but i'll just name a few lol Skeler, Riff Raff, In Flames, Ghostmane, and some random Reggaeton songs.
Carmelo: Umm nothing crazy. A lot of Noah Kahan right now, but I'm getting sick of it already. I keep listening to the same shit over and over and it's so bad that I've been resorting to the radio.
Carlos: I mostly listen to rap & reggaeton. I've been going back to my 90s/2000s music lately. I've been listening to a lot of Lil Wayne, Outkast, Daddy Yankee, Tego Calderon. Haven't been too excited by much new music lately, so looking forward to seeing everyone else's lists.
Slough: I mostly listen to old school stuff still, but it’s a mix between Country, Rap, Rock, Punk, and whatever is the mood. Lately been some George Strait and Zach Brown , then a mix of Tech N9ne, 2pac, followed by some linken park and styx lol. It’s a fun mix 😊
7. This isn’t necessarily a question but more a statement, can we please stop with the bs, I get talking shit is fine, but we haven’t even started, there is a ton of effort and time that goes into this league with activity and the commish. The bs is what makes it not fun, again, nobody is going to say don’t talk some smack, but lets make it cordial and have fun for how great this will be 😊 Again, lets post to have this great, comment as you feel on this one 😊
Yourkers: I agree one hundred percent. No need for the trolling bs and stupid shit to get silver mad. Let's play it for fun with some shit talking and opinions being given. No one had to agree but no need for taking shots or saying you'll quit when things don't go your way. Season starts in little less then a week and I would like to see it get there.
Ronin: I completely agree with your statement. lol As long as it doesnt get personal or anything i dont mind some trash talk.
Carmelo: eah I mean I gave up investing that much negative energy into sims years ago. Just not worth the fight anymore. I think healthy debates are important to keep leagues going and people can get frusterated, but threatening to quit is the worst. There is no sim league without drama so if that's what the expectation was, then we shouldn't have restarted, but as you said, gotta keep it cordial.
Carlos: 😊
Slough: This was supposed to be published earlier, but as you can see the drama was handled and I appreciate all of you and most importantly the commish in Silver and Rog stepping up. This is a crazy gem that the league is back and its so much fun, lets keep it fun and not the bs.
Technically Sargo did send in answers but I didn’t want to post them, but we can give Charles some cash for taking over.
So happy this is back and we can talk shit, but have fun!!!!
Also, was waiting on many to send and nobody did and said I would post on the weekend. So a few of you never sent. If you do by tomorrow I can add, but probably best to move on. 
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