Your 2008/09 Cleveland Cavaliers:
Starters:
C - Nick Collison
PF - Hakim Warrick
SF - Manu Ginobli
SG - Dwyane Wade
PG - Louis Williams
Bench Rotation:
Bigs: Josh Boone, Mikki Moore, Serge Ibaka
Wings: Bobby Simmons, Desmond Mason, Wilson Chandler
Guards: Jamaal Tinsley, Luther Head, Javaris Crittenton
Overseas: Shan Foster, Sofoklis Schortsianitis
Philosophy: We essentially went with a best player available philosophy throughout the draft, hoping to package and trade some guys later for need. The strength of this team is that it would have lots of cap space, even with Wade's max contract and Manu getting 8 digits a year. Unfortunately, that's because the other 12 players all basically all role players. If there were a salary cap, I'd like this team's chances of improvement a lot more.
Toughest decision: The original trade for D-Wade was a tough one, especially since we already had Manu. However, the offer basically boiled down to a 2nd and 3rd rounder for Wade and a 5th, which was something we couldn't pick up. With Wade's stock rising after a great Olympic performance, we're confident that he'll be a top 10 (or even top 5) player in the league next year.
Best Move: Drafting Bobby Simmons, Jamaal Tinsley, and Des Mason in the late rounds. While these guys aren't young, they are good athletes who can defend well and fill valuable roles off the bench. If Mason and Simmons can return to form after some injury plagued years they could become solid starters...that is, if I didn't already have my best 2 players at the 2/3.
Worst Move: Josh Boone in the 5th round. I needed bigs and I picked him ahead of where he probably should have gone. Still, he's a young guy who averaged over 7 rpg last year and plays good D. Hopefully he'll continue progressing with more minutes.
Outlook: As it says in my profile, we're not good. We've got a superstar, and the league's best complimentary player, who alone should get us into the playoffs. At the very least, we'll sell a ton of tickets and merchandise.
Injuries, especially with Wade and Manu could be a major factor, and if either one goes down for more than 5 games at a time we're in trouble (I like our depth behind those two, and I think we can win with guys like Mason and Simmons filling in, but just not for an extended period. That said, I think this roster will be very different at the end of the season, with hopes of reeling in a legitimate big man and an upcoming wing player.
Unfortunately, I actually have to accomplish things at work today, so I have to end this report here. I may add some more later, but I think you get the basic gist of my team - it's the Wade and Manu show until we can get some more help...a 3rd star player would make us a title contender, but as it is now I think we're fighting for a playoff spot.