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

[Somebody]

Would also like to ask you guys about your thoughts on my team. What are my team's strengths and weaknesses, and how do I remedy the latter? An analysis of where I currently stand among the 12 is also welcome.

PG: Stephen Curry/Steve Nash
SG: Tracy McGrady
SF: Julius Erving
PF: Kevin Garnett/Draymond Green
C: Dave Cowens

Really good team, but if I had one thing you could improve on, maybe your guard defense? T-Mac was never the best defensively, and Curry/Nash are definitely susceptible to being picked on by talented guards. Perhaps a combo guard that can raise hell on D? A guy you can sub in if Curry or T-Mac are struggling defensively?

Yeah agreed, I'm currently looking at defensive specialists who can space the floor and pass. I'm also worried about my frontcourt, Cowens is great but he needs a big guy behind him to back him up. Just not sure which way I should go-defense or offense? If I go with defense my bench unit may lack scoring, but if I go with offense I'm not sure if he'll make a difference when Cowens is overwhelmed by the biggest Cs in the draft.

[Moranis]

Regarding Ewing's lack of defense accolades, Roy brought up a tremendous point, that during Ewing's time in the league he played against some of the all-time great defensive centers ever. So his not being on loads of All-Defensive teams makes sense.

But that doesn't diminish the fact that Ewing really was a tremendous defensive talent. In other eras, Ewing would have scooped up loads of All-Defense honors. He would have been the best defensive center in the league over the last ten years if he was playing now. He would have been the best defensive center of the 70's as well. 2nd best of the 60's. He just played in a golden era of tremendous big man talent.

I don't agree with this at all.  Wilt was a much better defender than Ewing.  Shaq was as well.  There are several undrafted centers that are better defenders than Ewing.  Ewing was a good defender, but he was no where near an all time great defensive center (I'd take Davis of the current era as a better defender as well as a couple of centers not yet drafted).  He was a much better offensive player than many of the centers that were better defensively, which is why Ewing rates much higher on the overall all time list, but defensively he was merely good, not great. 

[Who]

With all the big men in this league, this league looks a lot more like the NBA from 2009 than 2019.

More size. More posting. Less spacing. Less switching on defense (especially PnR). More value from top individual defenders especially big men (because spacing is less).

[Somebody]

With all the big men in this league, this league looks a lot more like the NBA from 2009 than 2019.

More size. More posting. Less spacing. Less switching on defense (especially PnR). More value from top individual defenders especially big men (because spacing is less).

Agreed. What I want to do with my team is to get enough spacing to pull team defenses out of sync, hope Curry is good enough to do that lol.

[Moranis]

With all the big men in this league, this league looks a lot more like the NBA from 2009 than 2019.

More size. More posting. Less spacing. Less switching on defense (especially PnR). More value from top individual defenders especially big men (because spacing is less).

Maybe yes, maybe no.  What I've found in doing my research is that great offense seemingly always tops great defense i.e. it is much easier for a great offensive player to score on a great defender then it is for a great defender to stop a great offensive player.  The league has always favored offense.  That doesn't mean you disregard defense, but offense has and probably always will be more important than defense.  It is more so today then days of old, but offense even then was more important.  And frankly, I think a great offensive big man, would thrive even more in the less physical league with the more offense oriented rules of today.  So many of the centers of old relied heavily on size, strength, and physicality in defending.  You eliminate a lot of those rules, and a lot of that defensive prowess is diminished.  Growing up today, they would of course adapt, but there is a reason the big men look a lot more like Anthony Davis in body type.  The league is just different.

Some of my team make-up was a matter of value, but I absolutely have been focusing much more heavily on great offensive players that are excellent rebounders.  I think that is how you end up winning this type of league.  By keeping your opponents off the glass and by quite frankly having an offense that can't be shut down.  The more mismatches you have the better, which is why I love Magic so much in this setting.  I also have been taking B.P.A.  It most definitely is not a coincidence that I have 6 of the top 43 players in history according to ESPN's list of a couple of season ago. 

I don't think any team is going to even slow Portland down.  We are going to fast break non-stop and run everyone to death.  We are going to get easy bucket after easy bucket and by pure offensive efficiency will win. 

[Silky]

With all the big men in this league, this league looks a lot more like the NBA from 2009 than 2019.

More size. More posting. Less spacing. Less switching on defense (especially PnR). More value from top individual defenders especially big men (because spacing is less).

Maybe yes, maybe no.  What I've found in doing my research is that great offense seemingly always tops great defense i.e. it is much easier for a great offensive player to score on a great defender then it is for a great defender to stop a great offensive player.  The league has always favored offense.  That doesn't mean you disregard defense, but offense has and probably always will be more important than defense.  It is more so today then days of old, but offense even then was more important.  And frankly, I think a great offensive big man, would thrive even more in the less physical league with the more offense oriented rules of today.  So many of the centers of old relied heavily on size, strength, and physicality in defending.  You eliminate a lot of those rules, and a lot of that defensive prowess is diminished.  Growing up today, they would of course adapt, but there is a reason the big men look a lot more like Anthony Davis in body type.  The league is just different.

Some of my team make-up was a matter of value, but I absolutely have been focusing much more heavily on great offensive players that are excellent rebounders.  I think that is how you end up winning this type of league.  By keeping your opponents off the glass and by quite frankly having an offense that can't be shut down.  The more mismatches you have the better, which is why I love Magic so much in this setting.  I also have been taking B.P.A.  It most definitely is not a coincidence that I have 6 of the top 43 players in history according to ESPN's list of a couple of season ago. 

I don't think any team is going to even slow Portland down.  We are going to fast break non-stop and run everyone to death.  We are going to get easy bucket after easy bucket and by pure offensive efficiency will win.

Challenge accepted

Dpoy at pg
Dpoy at center
Multiple all nba defensive sg

And all excellent offensive players. Hard to fast break off made buckets.

And just wait for picks i have planned ..............


*evil laugh

[action781]

Would also like to ask you guys about your thoughts on my team. What are my team's strengths and weaknesses, and how do I remedy the latter? An analysis of where I currently stand among the 12 is also welcome.

PG: Stephen Curry/Steve Nash
SG: Tracy McGrady
SF: Julius Erving
PF: Kevin Garnett/Draymond Green
C: Dave Cowens

Great offense with Curry's scoring/playmaking and ability to command attention of entire defense along with KG's screen setting.

Perimeter defense of course is weak.  Particularly I would like TMac more at SF than SG.  I think he could defend SF better than SG and I think his spacing/shooting there would be better on this team paired with another great shooter at SG rather than with Dr J at SF.

[Somebody]

Would also like to ask you guys about your thoughts on my team. What are my team's strengths and weaknesses, and how do I remedy the latter? An analysis of where I currently stand among the 12 is also welcome.

PG: Stephen Curry/Steve Nash
SG: Tracy McGrady
SF: Julius Erving
PF: Kevin Garnett/Draymond Green
C: Dave Cowens

Great offense with Curry's scoring/playmaking and ability to command attention of entire defense along with KG's screen setting.

Perimeter defense of course is weak.  Particularly I would like TMac more at SF than SG.  I think he could defend SF better than SG and I think his spacing/shooting there would be better on this team paired with another great shooter at SG rather than with Dr J at SF.

Hm really? I've always thought that he was better off bullying smaller wings than guarding bigger ones like LeBron/Kawhi/PG.

I'm honestly not sure lol, would appreciate someone giving me a second opinion.

[Silky]

Would also like to ask you guys about your thoughts on my team. What are my team's strengths and weaknesses, and how do I remedy the latter? An analysis of where I currently stand among the 12 is also welcome.

PG: Stephen Curry/Steve Nash
SG: Tracy McGrady
SF: Julius Erving
PF: Kevin Garnett/Draymond Green
C: Dave Cowens

Great offense with Curry's scoring/playmaking and ability to command attention of entire defense along with KG's screen setting.

Perimeter defense of course is weak.  Particularly I would like TMac more at SF than SG.  I think he could defend SF better than SG and I think his spacing/shooting there would be better on this team paired with another great shooter at SG rather than with Dr J at SF.

Hm really? I've always thought that he was better off bullying smaller wings than guarding bigger ones like LeBron/Kawhi/PG.

I'm honestly not sure lol, would appreciate someone giving me a second opinion.

McGrady is a small forward. through and through.

He can use his length and outside touch to be a very hard guard there.


IMO I would make him my 6th man behind Dr. J and look for a top notch defensive SG to sandwich between Curry and J. someone 3 and d type.

But thats my take on it

[Roy H.]

McGrady is a small forward. through and through.

I think he’s one of the rare players who was truly interchangeable, but I think he created more mismatches at SG.

[Donoghus]

McGrady is a small forward. through and through.

I think he’s one of the rare players who was truly interchangeable, but I think he created more mismatches at SG.

Absolutely.  A swingman in every sense.   If you're using ORL T-Mac, I think you play him as a 2.

[Moranis]

McGrady is a small forward. through and through.

I think he’s one of the rare players who was truly interchangeable, but I think he created more mismatches at SG.

His best offensive season was clearly 02-03 when he was a SG in Orlando.  His best season in Houston, though, he was a SF in 04-05.  The problem with him at SG though is he was a very bad defender.  He was a much better defender at SF.  I'd have no issue using him at SG in this, but Curry/Nash are bad defenders and Dr. J isn't exactly a great one so that is the only downside with him as the starting SG.  I mean that team is worse defensively then my team from the 3 small positions (very strong defenders at 4/5 though which does help). 

[Somebody]

McGrady is a small forward. through and through.

I think he’s one of the rare players who was truly interchangeable, but I think he created more mismatches at SG.

His best offensive season was clearly 02-03 when he was a SG in Orlando.  His best season in Houston, though, he was a SF in 04-05.  The problem with him at SG though is he was a very bad defender.  He was a much better defender at SF.  I'd have no issue using him at SG in this, but Curry/Nash are bad defenders and Dr. J isn't exactly a great one so that is the only downside with him as the starting SG.  I mean that team is worse defensively then my team from the 3 small positions (very strong defenders at 4/5 though which does help).

Oh okay. I saw strong advanced stats from him in DWS and DBPM during his Orlando days as an SG so I thought he was serviceable.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

McGrady is a small forward. through and through.

I think he’s one of the rare players who was truly interchangeable, but I think he created more mismatches at SG.

His best offensive season was clearly 02-03 when he was a SG in Orlando.  His best season in Houston, though, he was a SF in 04-05. The problem with him at SG though is he was a very bad defender.  He was a much better defender at SF.  I'd have no issue using him at SG in this, but Curry/Nash are bad defenders and Dr. J isn't exactly a great one so that is the only downside with him as the starting SG.  I mean that team is worse defensively then my team from the 3 small positions (very strong defenders at 4/5 though which does help).

You beat me to it. This will be the conundrum.

Pick his Orlando season and you have a bad defender, but quite possibly one of the best pure scorers in the game. Pick any of his Houston seasons and you'd get a better defending T-Mac, but not as potent offensively.

With Dr. J and Steph on the fold, I think it's best to just take a Houston T-Mac. There's plenty of offense around that team.

[Somebody]

McGrady is a small forward. through and through.

I think he’s one of the rare players who was truly interchangeable, but I think he created more mismatches at SG.

His best offensive season was clearly 02-03 when he was a SG in Orlando.  His best season in Houston, though, he was a SF in 04-05. The problem with him at SG though is he was a very bad defender.  He was a much better defender at SF.  I'd have no issue using him at SG in this, but Curry/Nash are bad defenders and Dr. J isn't exactly a great one so that is the only downside with him as the starting SG.  I mean that team is worse defensively then my team from the 3 small positions (very strong defenders at 4/5 though which does help).

You beat me to it. This will be the conundrum.

Pick his Orlando season and you have a bad defender, but quite possibly one of the best pure scorers in the game. Pick any of his Houston seasons and you'd get a better defending T-Mac, but not as potent offensively.

With Dr. J and Steph on the fold, I think it's best to just take a Houston T-Mac. There's plenty of offense around that team.

Houston TMac was riddled with injuries though, wouldn't that be problematic during voting? Not opposed to letting him play SF or play SG off the bench btw.