Official Discuss your CB Draft team

[Lucky17]

Ok here is the finalized Atlanta Hawks
Coach: Jim O'Brien

PG: Hinrich
SG: JJ Redick
SF: Keving Durant
PF: Anderson Varejao
C: Mehmet Okur

Bench:
C/PF: Elton Brand
PG: Luke Ridnour
SF/PF: Ryan Gomes
SG/SF: Rasual Butler
PG: Shaun Livingston
C/PF: Josh Boone

Reserves:
SG/SF: Stephen Graham
PF/C: Hassan Whiteside

Injury Reserve:
PF: Epke Udoh

Full court press lineup: 
Livingston, Hinrich, Butler, Gomes, Varejao

First off, you've got 14 players, so one will have to go. (There is no IR in the NBA anymore.)

Your backcourt depth is adequate, if unexciting. Hinrich is a fine two-way player, and Redick played decent defense in the playoffs, but as a starting unit, I'm unable to articulate why I'm not liking them together. Ridnour is fine as your backup PG, I think. Butler can knock down the occasional 3 for you. Livingston is a gamble, and Graham is a fairly limited player offensively.

Behind Durant, you have a nice power three option in Gomes, although he's more of a glue guy than a major contributor. No worries, since KD will be playing 40 minutes a night.

Aside from the frenetic Varejao, you have little energy among your bigs. Okur's shooting will open up your offense a bit, but he's no great shakes on defense. And Brand and Boone (assuming he finds a team next year) are quite slow. Whiteside might be your most effective bench big.

I don't know why, but I'm not liking this roster all that much. I think it's a borderline .500 team.

[action781]

Ok here is the finalized Atlanta Hawks
Coach: Jim O'Brien

PG: Hinrich
SG: JJ Redick
SF: Keving Durant
PF: Anderson Varejao
C: Mehmet Okur

Bench:
C/PF: Elton Brand
PG: Luke Ridnour
SF/PF: Ryan Gomes
SG/SF: Rasual Butler
PG: Shaun Livingston
C/PF: Josh Boone

Reserves:
SG/SF: Stephen Graham
PF/C: Hassan Whiteside

Injury Reserve:
PF: Epke Udoh

Full court press lineup:  
Livingston, Hinrich, Butler, Gomes, Varejao

I'm not sure how high I am on this starting lineup.  You've got Durant who can create his own shot and the rest of your team I picture standing around a lot.  A problem is I don't know what kind of a passer Durant is, I've never seen him wow me with his passing before and he only averaged 2.7 assists per game last season and 2.3 in the playoffs.  I think this would be a great lineup to surround Lebron with, but I don't know if it works equally well with Durant.  Hinrich is a good passer/scorer so maybe he can set up Redick for some shots and score some on his own.  If we were looking at '09-'10 assist totals, I'd guess this team would probably be in the bottom 5 in our league for starting lineups (aside from rookie teams).  That being true for a team with only really 1 starter who can create his own shot does not spell offensive efficiency for me.  And this team is not that great defensively.

The good news!  Is that you've got a great bench.  What I'd do is start Brand over Varejao.  That gives you a low post threat on offense who can create his own shot and been known to dish out 2-3 apg in his prime.  He and Okur will complement each other very nicely.  Now, you have one of the premier energy guys in the league coming off the bench in a role he's best suited for.  He can still play 24-28 mpg off the bench.  I'm high on Livingston being able to produce for you too.  Maybe even become a starter midseason making Hinrich or Redick expendable as trade chips (although we won't know that til after the voting, its a possibility that I'll consider in when voting).

Big Question:
Being in the east, who guards Kobe and Wade?  I hope not Redick!  And if Durant, he is going to wear out (he did it in the 4th quarter against, LA, but for a whole game?) and then you'll have no offense at all.

Projection:  44-48 wins

[indeedproceed]

Durant is not the best passer. He's not even really a good one, if statistics are any judge. It was the reason I didn't take him 1st overall (and ask fafnir, or many of the other GMs, it was an option I seriously considered), despite liking his long term "it factor" better.

Durant: Nicer, more grounded superstar, better shooter than LeBron James. Less of a tool
LeBron: Bigger (maybe not taller, but bigger), stronger, faster, better passer, rebounder, defender, and team player, despite his toolishness and massive ego.

However I disagree with Action's wins projected. Kwhit's team is one of my top 5 in the East.

[Lucky17]

Durant is not the best passer. He's not even really a good one, if statistics are any judge. It was the reason I didn't take him 1st overall (and ask fafnir, or many of the other GMs, it was an option I seriously considered), despite liking his long term "it factor" better.

Durant: Nicer, more grounded superstar, better shooter than LeBron James. Less of a tool
LeBron: Bigger (maybe not taller, but bigger), stronger, faster, better passer, rebounder, defender, and team player, despite his toolishness and massive ego.

However I disagree with Action's wins projected. Kwhit's team is one of my top 5 in the East.

Really? I'm just not thrilled with this 9-man rotation:

PG: Hinrich
SG: JJ Redick
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Anderson Varejao
C: Mehmet Okur

Bench:
C/PF: Elton Brand
PG: Luke Ridnour
SF/PF: Ryan Gomes
SG/SF: Rasual Butler

IP, perhaps another of your divisional previews would help me see the light.

[indeedproceed]

Durant is not the best passer. He's not even really a good one, if statistics are any judge. It was the reason I didn't take him 1st overall (and ask fafnir, or many of the other GMs, it was an option I seriously considered), despite liking his long term "it factor" better.

Durant: Nicer, more grounded superstar, better shooter than LeBron James. Less of a tool
LeBron: Bigger (maybe not taller, but bigger), stronger, faster, better passer, rebounder, defender, and team player, despite his toolishness and massive ego.

However I disagree with Action's wins projected. Kwhit's team is one of my top 5 in the East.

Really? I'm just not thrilled with this 9-man rotation:

PG: Hinrich
SG: JJ Redick
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Anderson Varejao
C: Mehmet Okur

Bench:
C/PF: Elton Brand
PG: Luke Ridnour
SF/PF: Ryan Gomes
SG/SF: Rasual Butler

IP, perhaps another of your divisional previews would help me see the light.

I would think the split should be(in my perfect symmetrical world):

PG: Hinrich(50%), RIdnour(35%), Livingston(15%)
SG: Reddick(65%), Hinrich(10%), Rasual Butler(15%), Durant (10%)
SF: Durant (70%), Gomes(20%), Butler(5%)
PF: AV (40%), Brand (35%), Gomes (25%)
C: OKur (65%), Brand(10%), Varejao(15%) Boone (10%)

With top 5 lineups being (in no order):

Hinrich, Reddick, Durant, AV, Okur
Ridnour, Hinrich, Gomes, Brand, Okur
Ridnour, Reddick, Durant, Brand, AV
Ridnour, Reddick, Butler, Gomes, Brand
Hinrich, Butler, Durant, AV, Okur

I think his 9 man rotation is fantastic.

[Lucky17]

I think his 9 man rotation is fantastic.

Why?

Okur is a poor rebounding center, coming off Achilles tendon surgery.
Brand has been a shell of his former self for the past several years.
Varejao is a great defender, but is limited offensively.
Gomes and Butler are glue guys, not scorers.

I think this team will be outrebounded and outpaced by more athletic teams.

[The Walker Wiggle]

So now, the nearly completed Chicago Bulls:

Brandon Jennings/Eric Maynor
Mike Miller/Von Wafer
LeBron James/Tony Allen
Ersan Ilyasova/Louis Amundson
Joakim Noah/Kyrylo Fesenko

Waitin' til February: Micheal Redd

Ok, once again making good.

First, I'll try my hand at justifying the Stoudemire deal, which I liked before it became "The Trade." James is the league's top talent but not among it's top competitors. Neither is Stoudemire, which is evidenced in his uneven rebounding, generally absent defense, and Phoenix's disinterest in resigning him. I love that Chicago has instead paired James with a couple of young gamers in Jennings and Noah. Let Lebron feed off their energy, rather than fall into Amare's one-play-on-one-play-off style. And, not for nothing, Jennings immediately becomes the best point guard and playmaker ever paired with James. While, more broadly, the Bulls are a far better passing team 1 through 5 than any of Lebron's Cleveland squads.

Comparisons to the regular-season winning Cavs are otherwise mostly apt with Chicago holding more talent at the top. Only Ilyasova, a player I love, doesn't rate next to the currently underrated Antawn Jamison. Ersan's shooting wasn't consistent, but his effort was; he's physical, always around the ball, and has great length. But also headed back to the bench this season in Milwaukee, where he's still better off.

Bench depth is Chicago's glaring issue. Maynor is a sophomore point guard backing up a sophomore point guard. Wafer returns to the NBA fresh off of washing out of the Euroleague. The effort-under control, Amundson is a 4 point, 5 rebound 15 mpg power forward who shoots 50% from the charity stripe.

But most worrisome, plantar fasciitis limited Joakim Noah to 65 games and 54 starts in an otherwise breakout year. He's still in some pain, forwent playing for the French National team this summer, and his backup is third-string Kyrlo Fesenko. Fesenko's got an NBA body and will finish around the basket but has yet to crack the 1,000 minute mark.

[indeedproceed]

I think his 9 man rotation is fantastic.

Why?

Okur is a poor rebounding center, coming off Achilles tendon surgery.
Brand has been a shell of his former self for the past several years.
Varejao is a great defender, but is limited offensively.
Gomes and Butler are glue guys, not scorers.

I think this team will be outrebounded and outpaced by more athletic teams.

I think the versatility and experience on this team is going to carry it on nights when their knees and talents can't.

Plus, while Okur is below average rebounder for a center, his improved defense and range to me compensate for that.

Brand might have been a shell of himself, but I think in a capacity as a off the bench spark at both the 4 and 5 he'll succeed, and in real life, its a make or break season for Brand, and I'm gonna root for him.

Both Gomes and Butler might not be much at creating their own shot (although Gomes is good at bodying smaller 3's), but they're both 100% hustle guys that can hit a long ball and play multiple positions at an acceptable NBA level.

I like the rotation around Durant.

[indeedproceed]

So now, the nearly completed Chicago Bulls:

Brandon Jennings/Eric Maynor
Mike Miller/Von Wafer
LeBron James/Tony Allen
Ersan Ilyasova/Louis Amundson
Joakim Noah/Kyrylo Fesenko

Waitin' til February: Micheal Redd

Ok, once again making good.

First, I'll try my hand at justifying the Stoudemire deal, which I liked before it became "The Trade." James is the league's top talent but not among it's top competitors. Neither is Stoudemire, which is evidenced in his uneven rebounding, generally absent defense, and Phoenix's disinterest in resigning him. I love that Chicago has instead paired James with a couple of young gamers in Jennings and Noah. Let Lebron feed off their energy, rather than fall into Amare's one-play-on-one-play-off style. And, not for nothing, Jennings immediately becomes the best point guard and playmaker ever paired with James. While, more broadly, the Bulls are a far better passing team 1 through 5 than any of Lebron's Cleveland squads.

Comparisons to the regular-season winning Cavs are otherwise mostly apt with Chicago holding more talent at the top. Only Ilyasova, a player I love, doesn't rate next to the currently underrated Antawn Jamison. Ersan's shooting wasn't consistent, but his effort was; he's physical, always around the ball, and has great length. But also headed back to the bench this season in Milwaukee, where he's still better off.

Bench depth is Chicago's glaring issue. Maynor is a sophomore point guard backing up a sophomore point guard. Wafer returns to the NBA fresh off of washing out of the Euroleague. The effort-under control, Amundson is a 4 point, 5 rebound 15 mpg power forward who shoots 50% from the charity stripe.

But most worrisome, plantar fasciitis limited Joakim Noah to 65 games and 54 starts in an otherwise breakout year. He's still in some pain, forwent playing for the French National team this summer, and his backup is third-string Kyrlo Fesenko. Fesenko's got an NBA body and will finish around the basket but has yet to crack the 1,000 minute mark.

Noah's plantar faciitis is a worry for me.

I like that he sat out the French national team to rest it though.

I think if I go back and read the press releases, he actually says "I didn't need to sit out the National team, but I wanted to so I could be ready for the season. I could play"

That's paraphrased but its how I remember the article.

EDIT: Don't anybody ever say I don't read.

"I came off a pretty tough injury with the plantar fasciitis and we're negotiating my contract right now that's basically going to get me financially set for a little while so I can't really mess that up," he said. "My priority is definitely with the Bulls right now.

"The Olympics is something I'm definitely looking forward to, and it's really tough because I know the French team is playing in [Madison Square] Garden against Team USA [this Sunday in New York] and that's kind of something that I want to do. But I understand that [playing for the French national team] wouldn't be the right thing to do right now because I still came off a pretty tough injury with the plantar fasciitis and I want to be a hundred percent for the season."

[stoyko]

Let's put the NJ Nyets under the scalpel.

PG-Aaron Brooks
SG-Andre Iguodala
SF-Carlos Delfino
PF-Hakim Warrick
C-Nene
Rotation- Mo Williams, Nick Collison, Reggie Williams, Toney Douglas, Quinton Ross, Jeff Pendergraph, Earl Barron, James Anderson

Trying for a mix of Seven Seconds or Less with Rockets motion offense/defensive intensity. Will see twin towers of Nene and Collinson. Mo Williams, Collinson, and Reggie Williams will be first subs off the bench. May also play Earl Barron as stretch 4. Quinton Ross will get tough defensive wings and Toney Douglas will play the point to Mo Williams shooting guard.

[The Walker Wiggle]

I like that he sat out the French national team to rest it though.

I agree. And given that he's a personal favorite and a friend-of-friend I have my fingers crossed he'll be 100% or near enough to play through the discomfort. But either way, he's a hard running 32 mpg center and the fall-off to Amundson or Fesenko is possibly the steepest in the league.

[indeedproceed]

Only Ilyasova, a player I love, doesn't rate next to the currently underrated Antawn Jamison. Ersan's shooting wasn't consistent, but his effort was; he's physical, always around the ball, and has great length. But also headed back to the bench this season in Milwaukee, where he's still better off.

Also, this I'm not refuting. Ilyasova shot better at the beginning of teh season and when he was starting than towards the end, but beyond that I'm not refuting anything here.

However, I think trying to predict Milwaukee's lineup at this point is borderline useless...the way Scott Skiles managed minutes at the 3,4 last season is borderline schizophrenic.

[wdleehi]

The Pistons lineup as of today

Head Coach Patrick Ewing

Pg Wall
SG Azubuike
SF Marvin Williams
PF Al Jefferson
C  Hibbert

Bench
6th man: SG Ben Gordon
PG Bibby
PF/C Ryan Andersen
PF/C Larry Sanders
SF  Luke Babbit
C/PF Kevin Seraphin
PF/SF Scali
PG Mardy Collins

This is the lineup to start the year out.  We are going to find out how Jefferson and Hibbert do together.  We think size and their work effort will end up being a positive for this franchise.  

We are also not afraid to let Sanders, Anderson or Seraphin earn the starting nod at C if they prove to be good enough defensively allowing Hibbert to come off the bench and be the 2nd units low post threat.  (a 6th man big man type)  

This is a young team about earning your spot.  It is about finding the best fits around Wall and Jefferson.


What does everyone think about this team?




[/quote]

[indeedproceed]

I like that he sat out the French national team to rest it though.

I agree. And given that he's a personal favorite and a friend-of-friend I have my fingers crossed he'll be 100% or near enough to play through the discomfort. But either way, he's a hard running 32 mpg center and the fall-off to Amundson or Fesenko is possibly the steepest in the league.

Amundson played 14.8 MPG at the 4/5 for the Conference Finals Suns team last season. If Noah plays 32, Amundson plays 10, and Fesenko plays 6 minutes per game at the 4, how do you feel about that?

[wdleehi]

Let's put the NJ Nyets under the scalpel.

PG-Aaron Brooks
SG-Andre Iguodala
SF-Carlos Delfino
PF-Hakim Warrick
C-Nene
Rotation- Mo Williams, Nick Collison, Reggie Williams, Toney Douglas, Quinton Ross, Jeff Pendergraph, Earl Barron, James Anderson

Trying for a mix of Seven Seconds or Less with Rockets motion offense/defensive intensity. Will see twin towers of Nene and Collinson. Mo Williams, Collinson, and Reggie Williams will be first subs off the bench. May also play Earl Barron as stretch 4. Quinton Ross will get tough defensive wings and Toney Douglas will play the point to Mo Williams shooting guard.

While I think this team will be better with Collison starting PF, I think the front court is to weak to be a contender.  Nene is the only one I think is a starter on a contender.