2019 Historical Draft Thread(TIME TO REVEAL THE WINNER!!!)

[Silky]

I like Hakeem at PF. I think he'll do well there. He'll create a lot of problems with his man defense for guys like Karl Malone. Hakeem will also do similarly well offensively.

I am less convinced by Yao at center though. To be honest, I had Yao going undrafted (late pick at best) so to see him get picked so early was a shock to me.

Furthermore, I am not sure Yao is the best partner at center for Hakeem because ... Yao is just so bloody big. And slow. Big and slow. He is going to clog up the lanes for everyone on your team. Make you much easier to defend against. He just takes up so much space. He is HUGE.

Edit: I would bought into Hakeem at PF easier with a quicker more mobile center next to him.

I love the Payton, Kobe and Hakeem parts of San Antonio. I love the defense and the quickness of that group. Things that I believe will translate / create value for a team very well in this CB Historical League. Less convinced by the Yao part.

Although your plan with Yao as rim protector with those quick defenders around him was very interesting. Gives me something to think more about.

Yao certainly never recorded high numbers in blocks. But he absolutely chamged peoples games.

And having dream, payton and kobe defending all over the place havin Yao, literally, as the final defemsive would be demoralizing to players.

Imagine having to fight every possession with payton, finally beating him with the help of a couple of screens only to be turning the corner looking at Yao closing in on you amd the dream waiting on the helpside


Depending on the rest of the rounds its entirely possible that Yao becomes my 6th or 7th man and obliterates the remaining centers available. I mean, no cemters that have not already beem drafted stand a chance, or ever stood a chance, defending the bigman.  So even off the bench, he will force opposing teams to put their biggest, strongest defenders on Yao, even if off the bench, which allows for Hakeem to feast in the starting lineup.

Having Yao and Hakeem allows me the ability to create massive mismatches.

[Moranis]

So did the Dr J for Anthony Davis go through then?

I thought that was going to get rescinded.

It did go through, we agreed to the same trade but I read too much into RP's PM about Nick's typo. Sorry for the drama.

I really don't understand that trade.  Why would the team with the player taken a full round ahead of the other player also give up the better draft pick?  That makes no sense at all.  Can someone explain that to me?

[gouki88]

So did the Dr J for Anthony Davis go through then?

I thought that was going to get rescinded.

It did go through, we agreed to the same trade but I read too much into RP's PM about Nick's typo. Sorry for the drama.

I really don't understand that trade.  Why would the team with the player taken a full round ahead of the other player also give up the better draft pick?  That makes no sense at all.  Can someone explain that to me?

Yeah, really can't say I get making that move either.

[Silky]

So did the Dr J for Anthony Davis go through then?

I thought that was going to get rescinded.

It did go through, we agreed to the same trade but I read too much into RP's PM about Nick's typo. Sorry for the drama.

I really don't understand that trade.  Why would the team with the player taken a full round ahead of the other player also give up the better draft pick?  That makes no sense at all.  Can someone explain that to me?

Yeah, really can't say I get making that move either.

Agreed.

It doesnt make any sense at all.

Give up the better player and the better pick? Terrible trade.

[Somebody]

I like Hakeem at PF. I think he'll do well there. He'll create a lot of problems with his man defense for guys like Karl Malone. Hakeem will also do similarly well offensively.

I am less convinced by Yao at center though. To be honest, I had Yao going undrafted (late pick at best) so to see him get picked so early was a shock to me.

Furthermore, I am not sure Yao is the best partner at center for Hakeem because ... Yao is just so bloody big. And slow. Big and slow. He is going to clog up the lanes for everyone on your team. Make you much easier to defend against. He just takes up so much space. He is HUGE.

Edit: I would bought into Hakeem at PF easier with a quicker more mobile center next to him.

I love the Payton, Kobe and Hakeem parts of San Antonio. I love the defense and the quickness of that group. Things that I believe will translate / create value for a team very well in this CB Historical League. Less convinced by the Yao part.

Although your plan with Yao as rim protector with those quick defenders around him was very interesting. Gives me something to think more about.

Yao is huge, but he isn't a plodder who can't move or space the floor lol. His skill was incredible for his size, and he had a deadly midrange shot that imo would be extended to three point range today.

[Celts Fan 508]

So did the Dr J for Anthony Davis go through then?

I thought that was going to get rescinded.

It did go through, we agreed to the same trade but I read too much into RP's PM about Nick's typo. Sorry for the drama.

I really don't understand that trade.  Why would the team with the player taken a full round ahead of the other player also give up the better draft pick?  That makes no sense at all.  Can someone explain that to me?

Yeah, really can't say I get making that move either.

Agreed.

It doesnt make any sense at all.

Give up the better player and the better pick? Terrible trade.

Extremely strange, and what was with the rescind trade and all that drama?

[action781]

Yao certainly was skilled.  I recall he was a nice and clever passer in the half court, although not an outlet kind of passer.  He had a great midrange jumpshot and if the big men of NBA can stretch their jumpers out to 3, then Yao should be able to as well.  (Which happily for me means Bill Walton would as well.)

Yao was slow though.  I think people would like to see a cutter paired with Hakeem in the frontcourt, which Yao was not. 

Yao also was good defensively, but not as fearful as you say.  He got dunked on by guards and wings quite a bit.  If guys I can't name until rounds 10-12 weren't afraid of him at the rim (while I can name guys like Caron Butler and Travis Outlaw though), then I don't think all-time greats will be.  He'll be good defensively, but not someone that people are afraid to attack.  Yao never made a single all-defense team in his career.

I think Yao is more useful for his offense in this game than his defense.  But he'd be best used if the offense to runs through him or as an off-ball spot up shooter.

[action781]

Nick, am I allowed to ponder trade ideas aloud in this thread?

[Silky]

Yao certainly was skilled.  I recall he was a nice and clever passer in the half court, although not an outlet kind of passer.  He had a great midrange jumpshot and if the big men of NBA can stretch their jumpers out to 3, then Yao should be able to as well.  (Which happily for me means Bill Walton would as well.)

Yao was slow though.  I think people would like to see a cutter paired with Hakeem in the frontcourt, which Yao was not. 

Yao also was good defensively, but not as fearful as you say.  He got dunked on by guards and wings quite a bit.  If guys I can't name until rounds 10-12 weren't afraid of him at the rim (while I can name guys like Caron Butler and Travis Outlaw though), then I don't think all-time greats will be.  He'll be good defensively, but not someone that people are afraid to attack.  Yao never made a single all-defense team in his career.

I think Yao is more useful for his offense in this game than his defense.  But he'd be best used if the offense to runs through him or as an off-ball spot up shooter.

Yeah. Yao dod get dunked on. So did every great defender

The point is that yao in this instance, is the ladt line of a punishing defensive team. Not standing behind non defensive players.

[gouki88]

My biggest issue with Yao is that in his statistical best seasons he never played over 57 games.

[gouki88]

Nick, am I allowed to ponder trade ideas aloud in this thread?

I'd probably chuck the GM's involved a PM about it perhaps? Not sure what the go is

[Roy H.]

So did the Dr J for Anthony Davis go through then?

I thought that was going to get rescinded.

It did go through, we agreed to the same trade but I read too much into RP's PM about Nick's typo. Sorry for the drama.

I really don't understand that trade.  Why would the team with the player taken a full round ahead of the other player also give up the better draft pick?  That makes no sense at all.  Can someone explain that to me?

Yeah, really can't say I get making that move either.

Agreed.

It doesnt make any sense at all.

Give up the better player and the better pick? Terrible trade.

Please tone down the language a bit.  I think nick explained very early on that he's hoping to avoid drama that can result from harsh language.

Now, in terms of the trade...  I like Anthony Davis next to Kareem, a lot.  I think that's a borderline brilliant front line.  Very few power forwards have shown the skill, range, and defense of Anthony Davis.  Now, he's never matched up against the great power forwards of all-time, either, but his shot-blocking is going to make the interior defense awesome.

And, I didn't like Davis as a center.  Dr. J fits LA really well as a slasher and all-around scorer.

The picks don't make a lot of sense, but let's see whose is taken there.  In a draft this deep, there may not be much difference in terms of talent and fit.

I think a very good trade for both sides would have been Dr. J + 7th rounder for Anthony Davis + 6th rounder.  So, LA does a little better, Dallas does a little worse, but honestly, not a huge difference.

[Roy H.]

Gotta be a run on SG today. Lots of great ones out there. One in particular that is gonna put someone’s team over the top in a 6th man role.

Yeah, I think I know who you're talking about.  I only like him in this format as a Sixth Man, but he really would move the needle for the right team.

[Donoghus]

I'm fascinated by that Chicago core.  The idea of a Robertson/Baylor backcourt is pretty awesome & I think it works.     Both were great all around players so I think they'd have no problem sharing the ball and working off each other.

Then you have a frontcourt right now of McHale & Duncan who I think would play off each other extremely well.  The passing between the two down low would lead to a lot of points.

That team would be fun as hell to watch.

[Moranis]

I'm fascinated by that Chicago core.  The idea of a Robertson/Baylor backcourt is pretty awesome & I think it works.     Both were great all around players so I think they'd have no problem sharing the ball and working off each other.

Then you have a frontcourt right now of McHale & Duncan who I think would play off each other extremely well.  The passing between the two down low would lead to a lot of points.

That team would be fun as hell to watch.

Baylor was a SF his entire career and his game was much more interior centric.  I think he'd make a better PF than SG in today's game, though SF is his rightful position.  So I don't see that as a backcourt at all even if Baylor's size and athleticism would in theory allow him to play SG.