Post by carmelo115 on Aug 28, 2024 19:20:24 GMT
29. Miami Heat
- By far the worst team in the league, but this is what's expected. Leflop knew it was finally time to reset and he did just that. I don't love the Washington signings this offseason with how long the contracts were, but that's not a huge deal when you look at this rosters next couple of seasons. Who knows, maybe they turn into something.
28. Houston Rockets
- When you look back on our inaugural draft, Houston was picked in top 5 and while I don't fully blame hunt, he hasn't done a great job setting this team up for success. Yes, they had some serious bad luck with TCs, especially with the names on their roster, but there really hasn't been anything to be excited about. Hopefully bottoming out this year will bring Houston some hope.
27. Los Angeles Lakers
- Spike finally realized that what he had been trying over the last few seasons was not going to work and hit the full reset, which was the right move. They just made a nice move bringing in Darryn Peterson so they have at least one young guy to look forward to on the roster, but they're banking on the upcoming draft. Wilt/Shaq or bust according to their GM.
26. Portland Trailblazers
- Afro took over a season ago and like most new GMs, went full rebuild. They made some big trades early on like moving Dame Sarr, which has allowed some of their young guys to shine. Corbett and Wemby look promising and they are stacked with a good amount of firsts. Out of all of these teams towards the bottom, I think Portland is set up the best for the future.
25. Phoenix Suns
- Phoenix is a team that has some decent young players on their roster, while understanding they need to keep tanking. Rowe Jr looks like he has the makings of a good scoring PG in this league, which has been like most guys coming in. I liked the Profit deal earlier this season and think he can become an effective player down the road.
24. Boston Celtics
- Another truly disappointing team since the restart, Boston was in no-mans land, but seems like they have become more exciting. Seeing Kiyan turn into a decent scorer brings a tear to my eye, but they need guys like Yuki and Sarunas to hit along with their future 1sts.
23. Indiana Pacers
- Another team with a new GM, Indiana reset and made some huge trades this offseason. RJ Barrett is having a serious resurgance this year, but the rest of the roster is so young. Roger looks like he could turn into something, but they'll be banking on their three firsts they have in this draft.
22. Milwaukee Bucks
- Milwaukee made the biggest splash in free agency stealing Dame Sarr from Vancouver, but it hasn't turned into anymore wins this year. Sarr is a really nice start and I do like Mitch and CP3II. They have Booker's massive contract coming off the books this offseason so hopefully they can make another huge splash next free agency.
21. Brooklyn Nets
- Brooklyn is maybe one of the top 5 most intruiging teams this season with the young talent on their roster. McCoy, Stokes, AJ are all top-tier young talents. They just made a big trade for Embiid, but are obviously a year or two away from being a legit threat in the East. I really like where this team is headed, though.
20. Dallas Mavericks
- Bundy is in a weird place with this roster. He made a big FA signing in Matas and landed the top pick in the draft taking Eddie Jones, who looks like a stud. Topic was a part of a big deal with NY, but the team just isn't winning. They need a legit big to have a chance with this roster, but I'm not sure even if they got a top guy, that they would be a true playoff contender.
19. San Antonio Spurs
- After a bunch of big deals with the interim GM, the Spurs sit in the 8th spot out West, but really don't look good. I've been on the fence with a lot of their deals, but at least they have their own picks. I think for the sake of this roster, they need to be losing. They need a cornerstone draft pick to build around. Like Arenas, but not sure he is it.
18. Denver Nuggets
- Although they are behind San Antonio in the standings, I like this roster better. My boys Ariza and Crowe are showing out and think they are legit pieces that Denver can build around. Not sure it's necessary, but they're a decent big man away from sneaking into the West playoffs (although not the biggest feat).
17. Minnesota Timberwolves
- Another team with some controversial interim GM trades, the Wolves are sitting in the 7th seed. They have some good vets on their roster, but no true young guys that make this team extremely appealing. I think Murphy and JSH are good enough to carry them into a playoff spot, but what does that really do for this roster?
16. Atlanta Hawks
- One of the biggest underperforming teams this year, Atlanta finds themselves outside the playoffs currently. They have some nice offensive guys in Morant and Wagner, but man, nobody plays defense on this team. Even Maluach is overratted and it's showing. Even if they sneak into the East playoffs, they'll get smoked early on by some of these top teams.
15. Golden State Warriors
- Another team that has a new interim GM unfortunately. This team looked so promising a year or two ago when it was constructed, but some of their guys never really panned out, specifically Boozer. I think their biggest issue is their PG and C are not starting caliber. At least on a title contending team. They will have a tough time with the top 4 out West, but who knows, maybe they sneak a series win.
14. New Orleans Pelicans
- Slough has recently decided to go into a tank after this season, so he's somewhat given up on this season. Afro is holding his pick hostage so he has to try a bit, but they're going nowhere. He just made a huge trade with Toronto, which I actually liked for both sides. McCain is a star, but the Sengun experience hasn't really panned out. Back to the bottom for New Orleans.
13. Los Angeles Clippers
- LA is a weird team as they have some good players like Mitchell and Ron Holland, but are they good enough? That's the issue. The balance on this team is pretty good, but you can't rely on Darius Garland to be your starting PG and Sarr hasn't really turned into the player that we had all hoped. Because of how bad the West is, they'll sneak into a top 5 spot in the playoffs, but doubt they make much noise.
12. Utah Jazz
- The most intruiging roster in the league with Egor, Tran, and Baba. They're all going to be really, really good players in the league making Utah a formidable team. They are sandwiched in between two aging vets in Reaves and Jokic who are helping carry this team this year. If Tran and Baba have huge TCs next year and Jokic sticks around, this team could be a title contender.
11. Charlotte Hornets
- Charlotte is an interesting team. They started out so hot, taking down a lot of the top teams, but have really simmered down as the season has gone on. LaMelo is a superstar and Dejounte Murray has played well, but the rest of the roster isn't much. Honestly, unsure how they started off so well. I do like their most recent deal with Dallas and think it will help with their scoring.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers
- Although below Charlotte, I think Cleveland has more of the makings of a playoff threat to some of the top dogs in the East. Their issue is obviously their defense down low. Banchero just cannot be trusted as a starting PF on a contending team. Bigs have been tough to come by and they tried to fix this in free agency, but just didn't hit on the top guys. An Embiid addition would have been perfect for this team come playoff time.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder
- I went into this season knowing that we weren't going to be as good as last year and after the Brunson trade, found myself bored out of my mind with the roster. Embiid did not work well next to Wemby, but it was probably more trying to start Quickley at PG, who is not a starting caliber player. Bringing in Trey isn't going to help me win the title, but it should help me stack up some more wins.
8. Detroit Pistons
- I gotta be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of a lot of cops moves this offseason and after a slow start, I thought I was right, but Detroit has really turned it on. Haliburton and Bane are having great years, but they're getting absolutely nothing from the SF position. Although it has nothing to do with this season, I'm very interested to see how this team works out financially over the course of the next few years.
7. New York Knicks
- While I dont love a lot of the deals they complete, you cannot argue with some of the success NY is having this year after said trades. Giddey was a really nice addition to this team. If they had a legit PG, I think they'd be a true threat in the East to take down a big team. Tatum has had a really good season for them making the lost of Wagner a little bit less tough. Walter has also had a pretty nice season, but what will he command in FA?
6. Vancouver Grizzlies
- UC has a tough decision on the horizon with the injury to Brunson. Honestly, that injury could drop them drastically out West, but I'd assume he has something in the chamber to keep the season afloat. The rest of the roster is still very good although I thought they'd be a bit better. Losing Sarr really put them in a bind this year.
5. Philadelphia 76ers
- Will they ever go away?! Carlos has built another very formidable team that is a true contender. Maxey is obviously a star, but the trades for Scottie, Bufkin, and Mobley have put them back in the convo atop the East. Their 1-4 is as good as any other team in the league, but is Olbric and Stewart enough down low going against the Likes of Orlando, Washington, and Toronto? I'm not sure.
4. Toronto Raptors
- After a season or two in the dumps, yourk finds himself back towards the top of the East with some big deals this season. At first glance, I didn't love the Orlando deal for him, but DJ Burns is making me eat my words. He looks legit after getting his first all-star nod. SGA and Judah are also great players. While I like Lauri, I'm not sure he's built to start at PF, especially next to Burns.
3. Washington Wizards
- I mean, his deals have just been flat out awful, but you can't deny the top 3 they have in Washington. Flagg, Coulibaly, and Collier are as good as any other and will carry this team deep into the playoffs. Like I've been saying the last couple of seasons, if they just made a deal for a LEGIT SG, they'd be the best team in the league. Instead, Dash trades 4 firsts for Killian Hayes and Reed Sheppard. Sorry Washington.
2. Sacramento Kings
- If I could, it would be a 1A and 1B, but for now, I have the defending champs just below Orlando. They look to have had a couple rough losses these last few sims, but there's still no legit threat out West to Sacramento. Their defense is just absolutely absurd and there's no reason why they shouldn't be the defending WCF champions again. Even with the "down" year for Keegan Murray.
1. Orlando Magic
- This was such a tough one because of how good Sacramento has been, but with the East being much more stacked and Orlando finally hitting their stride, I had to slide them to 1. They sacraficed their SF to bring Chet back and it looks like it's finally paying off. With how good Burns has been, I'm not sure that move was even necessary, but paying DJ and Cody would have been tough with Lee's contract on the horizon. Speaking of Xavian Lee, what the fuck?
- By far the worst team in the league, but this is what's expected. Leflop knew it was finally time to reset and he did just that. I don't love the Washington signings this offseason with how long the contracts were, but that's not a huge deal when you look at this rosters next couple of seasons. Who knows, maybe they turn into something.
28. Houston Rockets
- When you look back on our inaugural draft, Houston was picked in top 5 and while I don't fully blame hunt, he hasn't done a great job setting this team up for success. Yes, they had some serious bad luck with TCs, especially with the names on their roster, but there really hasn't been anything to be excited about. Hopefully bottoming out this year will bring Houston some hope.
27. Los Angeles Lakers
- Spike finally realized that what he had been trying over the last few seasons was not going to work and hit the full reset, which was the right move. They just made a nice move bringing in Darryn Peterson so they have at least one young guy to look forward to on the roster, but they're banking on the upcoming draft. Wilt/Shaq or bust according to their GM.
26. Portland Trailblazers
- Afro took over a season ago and like most new GMs, went full rebuild. They made some big trades early on like moving Dame Sarr, which has allowed some of their young guys to shine. Corbett and Wemby look promising and they are stacked with a good amount of firsts. Out of all of these teams towards the bottom, I think Portland is set up the best for the future.
25. Phoenix Suns
- Phoenix is a team that has some decent young players on their roster, while understanding they need to keep tanking. Rowe Jr looks like he has the makings of a good scoring PG in this league, which has been like most guys coming in. I liked the Profit deal earlier this season and think he can become an effective player down the road.
24. Boston Celtics
- Another truly disappointing team since the restart, Boston was in no-mans land, but seems like they have become more exciting. Seeing Kiyan turn into a decent scorer brings a tear to my eye, but they need guys like Yuki and Sarunas to hit along with their future 1sts.
23. Indiana Pacers
- Another team with a new GM, Indiana reset and made some huge trades this offseason. RJ Barrett is having a serious resurgance this year, but the rest of the roster is so young. Roger looks like he could turn into something, but they'll be banking on their three firsts they have in this draft.
22. Milwaukee Bucks
- Milwaukee made the biggest splash in free agency stealing Dame Sarr from Vancouver, but it hasn't turned into anymore wins this year. Sarr is a really nice start and I do like Mitch and CP3II. They have Booker's massive contract coming off the books this offseason so hopefully they can make another huge splash next free agency.
21. Brooklyn Nets
- Brooklyn is maybe one of the top 5 most intruiging teams this season with the young talent on their roster. McCoy, Stokes, AJ are all top-tier young talents. They just made a big trade for Embiid, but are obviously a year or two away from being a legit threat in the East. I really like where this team is headed, though.
20. Dallas Mavericks
- Bundy is in a weird place with this roster. He made a big FA signing in Matas and landed the top pick in the draft taking Eddie Jones, who looks like a stud. Topic was a part of a big deal with NY, but the team just isn't winning. They need a legit big to have a chance with this roster, but I'm not sure even if they got a top guy, that they would be a true playoff contender.
19. San Antonio Spurs
- After a bunch of big deals with the interim GM, the Spurs sit in the 8th spot out West, but really don't look good. I've been on the fence with a lot of their deals, but at least they have their own picks. I think for the sake of this roster, they need to be losing. They need a cornerstone draft pick to build around. Like Arenas, but not sure he is it.
18. Denver Nuggets
- Although they are behind San Antonio in the standings, I like this roster better. My boys Ariza and Crowe are showing out and think they are legit pieces that Denver can build around. Not sure it's necessary, but they're a decent big man away from sneaking into the West playoffs (although not the biggest feat).
17. Minnesota Timberwolves
- Another team with some controversial interim GM trades, the Wolves are sitting in the 7th seed. They have some good vets on their roster, but no true young guys that make this team extremely appealing. I think Murphy and JSH are good enough to carry them into a playoff spot, but what does that really do for this roster?
16. Atlanta Hawks
- One of the biggest underperforming teams this year, Atlanta finds themselves outside the playoffs currently. They have some nice offensive guys in Morant and Wagner, but man, nobody plays defense on this team. Even Maluach is overratted and it's showing. Even if they sneak into the East playoffs, they'll get smoked early on by some of these top teams.
15. Golden State Warriors
- Another team that has a new interim GM unfortunately. This team looked so promising a year or two ago when it was constructed, but some of their guys never really panned out, specifically Boozer. I think their biggest issue is their PG and C are not starting caliber. At least on a title contending team. They will have a tough time with the top 4 out West, but who knows, maybe they sneak a series win.
14. New Orleans Pelicans
- Slough has recently decided to go into a tank after this season, so he's somewhat given up on this season. Afro is holding his pick hostage so he has to try a bit, but they're going nowhere. He just made a huge trade with Toronto, which I actually liked for both sides. McCain is a star, but the Sengun experience hasn't really panned out. Back to the bottom for New Orleans.
13. Los Angeles Clippers
- LA is a weird team as they have some good players like Mitchell and Ron Holland, but are they good enough? That's the issue. The balance on this team is pretty good, but you can't rely on Darius Garland to be your starting PG and Sarr hasn't really turned into the player that we had all hoped. Because of how bad the West is, they'll sneak into a top 5 spot in the playoffs, but doubt they make much noise.
12. Utah Jazz
- The most intruiging roster in the league with Egor, Tran, and Baba. They're all going to be really, really good players in the league making Utah a formidable team. They are sandwiched in between two aging vets in Reaves and Jokic who are helping carry this team this year. If Tran and Baba have huge TCs next year and Jokic sticks around, this team could be a title contender.
11. Charlotte Hornets
- Charlotte is an interesting team. They started out so hot, taking down a lot of the top teams, but have really simmered down as the season has gone on. LaMelo is a superstar and Dejounte Murray has played well, but the rest of the roster isn't much. Honestly, unsure how they started off so well. I do like their most recent deal with Dallas and think it will help with their scoring.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers
- Although below Charlotte, I think Cleveland has more of the makings of a playoff threat to some of the top dogs in the East. Their issue is obviously their defense down low. Banchero just cannot be trusted as a starting PF on a contending team. Bigs have been tough to come by and they tried to fix this in free agency, but just didn't hit on the top guys. An Embiid addition would have been perfect for this team come playoff time.
9. Oklahoma City Thunder
- I went into this season knowing that we weren't going to be as good as last year and after the Brunson trade, found myself bored out of my mind with the roster. Embiid did not work well next to Wemby, but it was probably more trying to start Quickley at PG, who is not a starting caliber player. Bringing in Trey isn't going to help me win the title, but it should help me stack up some more wins.
8. Detroit Pistons
- I gotta be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of a lot of cops moves this offseason and after a slow start, I thought I was right, but Detroit has really turned it on. Haliburton and Bane are having great years, but they're getting absolutely nothing from the SF position. Although it has nothing to do with this season, I'm very interested to see how this team works out financially over the course of the next few years.
7. New York Knicks
- While I dont love a lot of the deals they complete, you cannot argue with some of the success NY is having this year after said trades. Giddey was a really nice addition to this team. If they had a legit PG, I think they'd be a true threat in the East to take down a big team. Tatum has had a really good season for them making the lost of Wagner a little bit less tough. Walter has also had a pretty nice season, but what will he command in FA?
6. Vancouver Grizzlies
- UC has a tough decision on the horizon with the injury to Brunson. Honestly, that injury could drop them drastically out West, but I'd assume he has something in the chamber to keep the season afloat. The rest of the roster is still very good although I thought they'd be a bit better. Losing Sarr really put them in a bind this year.
5. Philadelphia 76ers
- Will they ever go away?! Carlos has built another very formidable team that is a true contender. Maxey is obviously a star, but the trades for Scottie, Bufkin, and Mobley have put them back in the convo atop the East. Their 1-4 is as good as any other team in the league, but is Olbric and Stewart enough down low going against the Likes of Orlando, Washington, and Toronto? I'm not sure.
4. Toronto Raptors
- After a season or two in the dumps, yourk finds himself back towards the top of the East with some big deals this season. At first glance, I didn't love the Orlando deal for him, but DJ Burns is making me eat my words. He looks legit after getting his first all-star nod. SGA and Judah are also great players. While I like Lauri, I'm not sure he's built to start at PF, especially next to Burns.
3. Washington Wizards
- I mean, his deals have just been flat out awful, but you can't deny the top 3 they have in Washington. Flagg, Coulibaly, and Collier are as good as any other and will carry this team deep into the playoffs. Like I've been saying the last couple of seasons, if they just made a deal for a LEGIT SG, they'd be the best team in the league. Instead, Dash trades 4 firsts for Killian Hayes and Reed Sheppard. Sorry Washington.
2. Sacramento Kings
- If I could, it would be a 1A and 1B, but for now, I have the defending champs just below Orlando. They look to have had a couple rough losses these last few sims, but there's still no legit threat out West to Sacramento. Their defense is just absolutely absurd and there's no reason why they shouldn't be the defending WCF champions again. Even with the "down" year for Keegan Murray.
1. Orlando Magic
- This was such a tough one because of how good Sacramento has been, but with the East being much more stacked and Orlando finally hitting their stride, I had to slide them to 1. They sacraficed their SF to bring Chet back and it looks like it's finally paying off. With how good Burns has been, I'm not sure that move was even necessary, but paying DJ and Cody would have been tough with Lee's contract on the horizon. Speaking of Xavian Lee, what the fuck?
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