Recently, I’ve seen some stuff come out about Tyler Herro. Apparently, the Heat organization is worried about his stardom getting to his head, which is leading to a decrease in his work ethic. This may legitimately be the case.
Tyler has that cocky demeanor on the court that makes him easy to dislike (unless you’re a Heat fan. Also, check out this picture). Because he’s like that, getting stardom like he has is not a good thing, especially because it’s so early in his career. He had a nice 2020 playoffs, and everybody started thinking he’s next up. That’s not the case though, because he’s not even that good this year.
For one, he’s been pretty inconsistent this year, as well as inefficient. He’s shooting the same amount of threes per game as last year (5), but his percentage has gone from 39% to 34% (league average is like 36%). He takes two more field goals per game this year as last season, but his FG% is exactly the same (meaning he’s just missing two more shots every game than last year). Tyler isn’t a good defender. One positive is that he’s gathering one rebound and one assist more per game than he was in 2020, but considering he plays more minutes this year that’s not exactly some crazy improvement.
Basically, Tyler hasn’t improved whatsoever from 2020 (he’s statistically gotten worse). So far in his career, he’s just some dude who’s only accomplishment was his bubble performance (which is only meaningful because of his team’s success. Basically everybody was better in the bubble. Heck, even Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot averaged 16 points per game in the 2020 playoffs).
But, despite this lack of improvement, Tyler is now a very popular player in the NBA world. He even has a Jack Harlow song named after him (the song does go hard). His name has acquired value. People were extremely high on him for months after the bubble (and still are). I think he’s overhyped/overrated now. Here’s a list of some young guards I think are better than him at the moment (I’m not including obvious dudes).
Donte Divincenzo (Far and away too. Trust me. There’s no bias here.)
Dejounte Murray (Also not close at all. I guess I lied about including obvious guys.)
Tyrese Haliburton
Lonzo Ball
Darius Garland
Luguentz Dort
Gary Trent Jr.
(I’m gonna be annoying real quick and say that if you disagree with that list you’re wrong. The only one that would even be worth debating is Lu Dort.)
The big value to Tyler is his potential. He has qualities that an All-Star needs (including the ability to create a shot, the ability to close a game, the killer instinct, the name value). The issue is that his potential will take a significant hit if he loses his work ethic. I believe the Heat organization, too. There’s definitely something like what they said happening to Tyler right now. There’s really not another valid explanation for his lack of improvement. If he’s supposed to be so good that the Heat wouldn’t trade him for Bradley Beal or James Harden, then he seriously better be that good.
He’s not.
The Heat as a whole aren’t as good as they were in the bubble, not just Tyler. That’s why I think they should’ve pulled off a trade for somebody better than Victor Oladipo. Jimmy Butler is the type of guy who can lead a team deep into the playoffs, and he deserves a shot to do so. But the Heat holding on to Tyler isn’t helping that. The Heat with Bradley Beal could be the fourth or fifth seed in an underwhelming 2021 Eastern Conference, and the Heat with James Harden are a serious Finals contender.
In conclusion, Tyler Herro’s career isn’t in a good place right now. I’m not saying he’s a bad player, by the way. I think he’s good. But good is it. Not really good, not great, and definitely not the guy who should be holding up a James Harden trade. If the Heat are really fearful of his work ethic, then something has to be done or Tyler will end up being a one season wonder (that’s a ha-ha funny right there. ‘Cause his nickname is Boy Wonder. Yeah. Hilarious).
This has been one of those articles where I just sit down and speak (or write, I guess) my mind. I was planning to also talk about other players who have had their careers affected by generating too much hype, as well as the general negative effect of overhyping, but then I wrote too much about Tyler and now my plans have changed. Let me know if you want an article like that in the future. Thanks for reading!
(I’m gonna emphasize something one last time: Donte Divincenzo>>>Tyler Herro.)
Young NBA Players. They can be so fun, and that’s because their development is so unpredictable. Second round picks can become All-Stars, and lottery picks can be out of the league in three years. J.J. Redick said on an episode of his podcast that he thinks teams in the NBA should have more veterans on the roster. I can see the benefits to that, but having young guys on the end of your bench can be so valuable as well. Just look at players like Moses Brown. He was hanging on to his career by a thread, signed to a two-way contract with the Thunder this year. Then he got playing time, and now he looks like a significant part of OKC’s future. Opportunity is important in the NBA.
So for this article, I’ll be talking about one underrated young player for each NBA team that I think can become (or already are) important players one day. Let’s get started!
Atlanta Hawks: Kevin Huerter
Kevin Huerter is a sniper. He is shooting a career low 36% from three this year (on 6 attempts per game), but that’s obviously not bad. He shot 38% on a similar amount of attempts in his first two seasons. That’s the main thing he’s got going for him. He’s an average defender, which isn’t a perfect fit next to Trae. However, there is a reason people used to call Trae Young and Kevin Huerter the Walmart Splash Bros. Even if Kevin Huerter doesn’t find a role as the Hawks starting shooting guard for the future, he will still be a valuable shooter for a contending team as long as he’s in the league.
Boston Celtics: Robert Williams III
Robert is having a great season. To put in perspective how good he is (as well as how good he can be), the Celtics chose to trade away Daniel Theis for Mo Wagner (decreasing their center depth) instead of increasing their center position, which was a big need for Boston. Robert isn’t a versatile Bam Adebayo type of center. He’s more of a lob threat, rim protecting, rebounding, hard-working type of center. His peak is a top ten center, and if Robert can reach that in the next five years, that will be great for Boston. Robert Williams is a great player for Boston to grow alongside Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Brooklyn Nets: Bruce Brown
People are starting to talk about Nicolas Claxton now, so I wanna talk about Bruce Brown. Bruce isn’t a star, and he probably won’t become one, but he is an excellent role player for this Brooklyn Nets roster. Bruce is listed as a shooting guard (which is accurate), but he played the role of a center for a long stretch of time before Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge signed with Brooklyn. He was rolling to the basket and grabbing rebounds like a big. He’s a tough defender, and can also stretch the floor some. His playstyle is unique, and his ceiling is probably a better shooting version of his current self. Bruce is a solid player, and I think that isn’t recognized enough.
Charlotte Hornets: P.J. Washington
P.J. Washington is a great versatile power forward. He stretches the floor well, he can finish at the rim, he can defend, and he can rebound. He does lots of things well. He’s only 22, and is in his second year in the NBA. He made an all rookie team in 2020 for a reason. I think PJ’s ceiling is a Paul Millsap type player. A four who averages around 18 and 10, with a steal and a block per game and 38% from three. P.J. could be an All-Star one day in the right circumstance. He’s the third or fourth best player on the Charlotte Hornets right now (depending on what you think of Devonte’ Graham), and the Hornets are in the playoffs. I don’t think P.J. gets talked about enough, which is why I’m mentioning him here.
Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams
When Patrick Williams was drafted, lots of people were surprised. They thought he was taken too high. So far, he’s been proving people wrong. Patrick Williams is a great 3&D forward with excellent potential. He’s already a 38% three point shooter, he’s a great mid-range shot creator, and he’s a good finisher. He’s a solid defender who will improve more on that end throughout the next few years. Combine those two things, and you get a great player. I group P-Will with OG Anunoby, De’Andre Hunter, and Mikal Bridges as young 3&D forwards with All-Star potential. I’m excited to see how his career turns out, and more people should be.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Darius Garland
Darius has improved on both sides of the ball this year. His offense is much better than last year. He’s shooting the same amount of threes per game this year as he was in 2020, but he’s making 5% more of them (35% to 40%). His playmaking has also improved (4 APG to 6 APG), which was a concern last year because his backcourt mate Collin Sexton has a score first mentality. I don’t have a ceiling for Darius, but he could be an All-Star one day as well. Since the Cavaliers are bad and nobody watches them, people don’t talk about Darius Garland as much as they should.
Dallas Mavericks: Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson has become an important part of the Dallas roster. He is now the team’s established sixth man. He’s highly efficient, shooting 52% from the field as a 6’1” point guard. He’s shooting a sizzling 56% from the mid range, and a great 39% from three. If Jalen Brunson can become a better playmaker as his career progresses, he could be a Mike Conley type player at his absolute peak. Brunson is a really solid player with championship DNA already (because of his career at Villanova), and will be a big part of Dallas’s future.
Denver Nuggets: Bol Bol
PLAY BOL BOL! He needs minutes! If Denver isn’t going to play him, then they need to trade him. His career is being murdered in Denver so far. I can’t give Bol Bol any type of comparison because he’s so unique, and I can’t give Bol Bol a ceiling because I haven’t seen him play enough to really decide how good he is. But when Bol Bol has got minutes, he’s shown just how much of a unicorn he is. He can handle the ball and shoot the three ball at 7’2”, and he can also playmake at a surprisingly decent level. I’m excited to watch Bol get more minutes because he’s very fun to watch.
Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bey
Saddiq Bey has been hooping this year. He’s going to be an All-Rookie player. What’s most impressive about Saddiq’s play is his efficiency. He shoots six threes per game, which is fortieth in the league and the most for a rookie this year. He’s shooting 38%, which is really good. Saddiq is also a solid defender. I’m not sure if Saddiq will ever be an All-Star, but I do think he will be a great contributor to some good teams in the future. Saddiq has some big games, and I’d recommend tuning in to a Pistons game next time they play a good team. Detroit always comes to play against good teams (Saddiq dropped 25 points with 5 threes and 4 steals against the Clippers the other night).
Golden State Warriors: Jordan Poole
Jordan Poole is having a solid season. He’s averaging 10 PPG, while shooting 35% from three on 5 attempts per game (that’s pretty good considering his questionable shot selection). I think Jordan needs a few more seasons to improve his game (especially his efficiency). I think Poole at his peak is a Jordan Clarkson type player, just a guy who comes off the bench and gets baskets. He’s only 21 though, so we’ll see just how good he can become.
Houston Rockets: Kevin Porter Jr.
I think KPJ has a great chance of making at least one All-Star game in his career. He’s only 20 years old right now (He’ll be 21 in early May), and already averaging 15 points and 7 assists in 17 games with Houston. He was by far the best player in the G League bubble this year, where he was a triple double machine. He still needs to improve his efficiency, but that will come along with more time in the league. I almost put KPJ on my top 25 players with the most potential list. It’s really a shame that Cleveland felt forced to trade KPJ away because of some locker room incidents. (I’m not saying they shouldn’t have traded him or that KPJ didn’t do anything, I’m just saying that it’s unfortunate.) I’d also recommend watching the Rockets play sometime, because KPJ is that good.
Indiana Pacers: Edmond Sumner
I don’t really have too much to say about Edmond. I picked him for this article due to a lack of other underrated young players on the Pacers roster. But he has gone from a slasher who looked like his career would be over after his rookie contract expired to a wing who can stretch the floor and finish at the rim who will likely get another contract after his current one. He’s played a career high 40 games this year, and started a career high 12. He’s a solid player.
Los Angeles Clippers: Terance Mann
Terance Mann is a great player. I like his game a lot. He’s got the skill set to be an elite 3&D wing in his prime (obviously not Kawhi Leonard good, but like prime Danny Green good). He’s shooting 43% from three this year, and he’s a solid defender. He’s also a good rebounder. He was picked in the second round, which is crazy. Terance is a super important part of the Clippers bench unit, and the average fan doesn’t recognize that.
Los Angeles Lakers: Talen Horton-Tucker
The Lakers have one young player besides Kuzma, and that’s Talen Horton-Tucker. LA really likes him too. Trading for Kyle Lowry would have boosted their championship chances significantly (not that their chances weren’t already high), and Rob Pelinka wasn’t willing to trade THT to acquire him. That says something. Talen is a good slasher, and a good defender as well. His shooting isn’t great, though, which could become an issue. I’m sure it will come along.
(I’m going to be 100% honest, I don’t think THT is underrated. I actually think he’s overrated this season. But I didn’t think Kuzma was young/underrated enough to write about, so yeah.)
Memphis Grizzlies: De’Anthony Melton
Despite playing for the Grizzlies, who are loaded at the shooting guard position, De’Anthony has carved out a big role for himself this year. He’s only started one game this year, but he’s been a big help off the bench. He’s a great defender, and a great shooter. De’Anthony shot only 29% from three in his first two seasons, but this year he’s shooting 45% (4 attempts per game). That’s really good. The best part is that De’Anthony is only 22. He has a lot of room to grow still. He could totally be a Fred VanVleet type player one day. There’s a reason Memphis signed him to a $35 million deal last offseason.
Miami Heat: Kendrick Nunn
Why does nobody talk about Kendrick anymore? He had a great rookie season, and had plenty of people talking about him. He’s playing the same this year, but not getting much recognition. I guess some people saw him play bad in the playoffs (he had COVID before the playoffs, so he deserved to be cut some slack) and just think he’s always like that now. He’s more efficient this year, and he’s slowly becoming a better defender. I don’t think Kendrick has a high ceiling because he’s already 25, but he will still be a great scorer off the bench for seasons to come.
Milwaukee Bucks: Jordan Nwora
Jordan Nwora is a bucket getter. He’s already an efficient three point shooter, and he’s shown he’s capable of creating a shot as well. At 6’8”, he’s able to get his shot up over defenders. He’s not really a good defender quite yet, but that can change as his career progresses. I think if his defense improves, he could develop into a Khris Middleton type player. I’m excited for the rest of his career.
(I also really like Sam Merrill and Mamadi Diakite. All three Bucks rookies are solid. Well done Jon Horst!)
Minnesota Timberwolves: Jaden McDaniels
McDaniels was a high ranked player coming out of high school. But I guess his college play was underwhelming to most teams, because he fell to 28th overall in the 2020 draft. He’s been really solid for the Timberwolves, especially since the All-Star break (or since he’s been a starter). He’s a 6’10” forward who can shoot the basketball. He’s even a standout good defender on a bad defensive team. Jaden is only 20 years old. He has a lot of upside, and it will be fun to watch him grow as a core player for Minnesota.
New Orleans Pelicans: Jaxson Hayes
Jaxson Hayes has been a highlight machine this year. His vertical combined with his height has resulted in multiple poster dunks and alley-oops. He’s an excellent lob threat. He doesn’t do all that much else, though. His shot blocking is down from last year, and he doesn’t get too many rebounds (he grabs 3 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes though, which is good). He is 3-6 from three this year, so maybe he’ll develop some kind of consistent jumper later in his career. Jaxson is only 20, so he has lots of time to develop. If he can become a better rebounder, Jaxon could be a great center going forward (and if he can become a decent three point shooter. That would make him a great fit alongside Zion).
New York Knicks: R.J. Barrett
R.J. is having a great season. Last year he was inefficient and inconsistent, and people kind of wrote him off because the Knicks were bad. He’s improved significantly this year, and the Knicks are decent, so it’s crazy that nobody is talking about him. He should be in the top five for most improved player this season. He is the second best player on the Knicks, which I don’t even know if people realize (Knicks fans love Immanuel Quickley. Quickley is solid, but he’s only the fourth or fifth best player on the team. Maybe sixth depending on what you think of Alec Burks). R.J. Barrett has a great career with multiple All-Star appearances ahead of him if he keeps this up.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Vast Majority of the Team
Sorry, I couldn’t pick one player for OKC. In one offseason, OKC managed to gather a plethora of good young players (and future draft picks, of course). Their rookies are Theo Maledon and Aleksej Pokusevski. Maledon is the team’s starting point guard at the moment, and is looking solid as a playmaker and scorer. Pokusevski had an awful start to the season, but has turned it around lately. He’s a super unique player as a 7-footer who can handle the ball, slash to the hoop, and shoot from three. He has a bright future in the NBA. Moses Brown has emerged as a legitimate NBA center this season. He was balling in the G-League bubble, and that’s carried over to the NBA. He’s averaging 9 PPG and 9 RPG, as well as 1 BPG. He’s only 21 years old. Darius Bazely is a really solid forward with lots of potential. He’s only 20. Tony Bradley has become a solid player. He’s only 23. The Thunder roster is full of young players that are showing what they can do this season. Obviously every NBA player is very good at basketball. But lots of players don’t get the opportunity to show that in the NBA. Therefore, when you have a team like OKC that isn’t worried about winning games right now, young players who wouldn’t get to play for other teams get the opportunity to play and grow. It’s really fun.
Orlando Magic: Chuma Okeke
Chuma Okeke is a rookie who was picked just outside the lottery in 2019 (he missed his first year with an injury). He’ll be in contention for All-Rookie this year. Now that the Magic are tanking, Chuma has emerged as the team’s starting power forward. He’s a good shooter, a good defender, and a decent rebounder. He’s also averaging 2 assists per game, which is pretty solid. When Jonathan Isaac returns next season, the Magic will slide Chuma to small forward if they know what’s good for them (unless they draft a forward in the lottery). Chuma will be a solid player in the league for the next decade.
Philadelphia 76ers: Shake Milton
The 76ers made a great choice by drafting Shake 54th overall back in 2018. He’s a really solid player. He can handle the ball and act as a point guard. He’s a solid shot creator. He’s a highly efficient mid-range shooter, and he’s a good three point shooter. If he becomes a better defender, he would be a starting guard on plenty of teams. His three point percentage has taken a significant dip from last year (43% to 34%. He attempts the same amount of threes per game as this year as he did last year. Maybe he’s taking more difficult shots or something), but he’s improved in every other statistical category. If he has one more season where he takes a big jump, he can become a great player. I think he can do it.
Phoenix Suns: Jevon Carter
Although he’s lost minutes this year due to Chris Paul’s arrival and Cameron Payne’s improvement, Jevon is still a solid player. His main skill is his defense. In the bubble, he was matched up against players like James Harden and Luka Doncic, and doing a solid job. He’s also a pretty good shooter. I would love to see him on a different team, because his skillset would be very valuable for plenty of teams. I was really hoping that the Bucks would get Jevon in return for Torrey Craig, because we could really use a player like him in Milwaukee.
Portland Trail Blazers: Anfernee Simons
Anfernee is a great scorer. He’s shooting a career high 41% from three this year on 5 attempts per game. He can hit the shot off the dribble or the catch (only 66% of this three point makes this year are assisted, which is low). Scoring like that would be great for any team off the bench. The problem is that he’s really not a good defender. That’s something he’ll have to improve if he wants to be a starter one day. He’s only 21 though, so he has a ton of time to develop that (it helps that he can play behind Damian Lillard because there’s no pressure for him). While C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic were injured (and Norman Powell wasn’t on the team yet), Anfernee was a large part of Portland’s offense. Watching him, Dame, and Gary Trent was a lot of fun. Every game was a three point barrage. I’m excited to watch the rest of Anfernee’s career.
Sacramento Kings: Terence Davis
Terence Davis was traded for a second round pick at the deadline. That’s because Toronto wanted to clear a roster spot for a Kyle Lowry trade (where multiple players would be coming in for Lowry because of salary). But since Lowry wasn’t traded, I bet Masai Ujiri regrets trading TD for nothing. Terence is probably cool with it though. Raptors fans began to hate him because of his legal incident (even after the case was dismissed and charges were dropped, which is ridiculous), and TD lost his minutes. Now, in Sacramento, TD will have the opportunity to continue growing as a player. I really like Terence. His story is awesome (after he wasn’t drafted in the first round, he told teams in the second round not to draft him because he wanted a guaranteed contract. He got the contract, and made an All-Rookie team). He’s a solid player too. He’s a good shooter and a decent defender. He’s going to be a useful player in the NBA for a long time.
San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray (it would be Keldon Johnson if I hadn’t already talked about him plenty of times)
Dejounte is thatguy. He legitimately could be an All-Star in the next three years (and I’d almost guarantee he will make one in the next five years). He’s a lockdown defender. He’s an excellent mid-range scorer and a decent three point shooter. He’s a clutch performer (he’s made a few big shots and he’s super clutch on defense). He’s a great rebounder and a great passer. He’s a triple double threat. He’s such a high IQ player and I love watching him play. I’ve emphasized it before, and I’m going to emphasize it again: watch the Spurs! Seriously! You won’t regret it.
Toronto Raptors: Malachi Flynn
Since he’s started getting big minutes for Toronto, Malachi has been delivering. He’s a solid scorer. He’s a solid playmaker. He’s a decent defender. I gave him an honorable mention in my preseason award predictions for ROTY (which isn’t much, but I had a feeling that any rookie on the Raptors would be solid. I was right) which is looking like a good take, because Malachi could sneak on to the All-Rookie second team. I’m not sure what his ceiling is, but it’s probably a great sixth man guard. Malachi will get more opportunity in the next few years if (when) the Raptors go into retool/rebuild mode, and I’m interested to see how good he can turn out to be.
Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell isn’t an underrated young player (or at least definitely not to the degree of these other players). Unfortunately, the Utah Jazz don’t have any other young players that play enough minutes where I could write about them here. So instead of putting nobody for the Jazz, I’m putting Mitchell for one reason. That reason is I’m tired of people trying to say that Devin Booker is better than Donovan Mitchell.
Washington Wizards: Daniel Gafford
Daniel Gafford is a very solid young center. He’s a great shot blocker. He’s averaging 2 blocks a game in his first 7 games with Washington. He’s filling a need that Washington had earlier in the year, which is rim protection. He is a solid rebounder, and a solid lob threat as well. Now that Daniel has Russell Westbrook passing him the ball instead of Ryan Arcidiacono, he’s going to be more effective as a finisher. I was quite surprised that the Bulls traded him away. The Wizards got a good player.
So, those are some underrated young guys for all 30 NBA teams! I hope you leave this article with some new players on your radar. See ya next time!
The other day, ESPN released their top 25 NBA players that are under 25 years old. It didn’t get a positive reaction. Even Stephen A. Smith had a fit about it, and he works for ESPN. Because the list is behind the ESPN+ paywall, here it is:
1. Luka Doncic
2. Zion Williamson
3. LaMelo Ball
4. Donovan Mitchell
5. Jayson Tatum
6. De’Aaron Fox
7. Ben Simmons
8. Devin Booker
9. Bam Adebayo
10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
11. Brandon Ingram
12. Jaylen Brown
13. Jamal Murray
14. Michael Porter Jr.
15. Ja Morant
16. Trae Young
17. Mikal Bridges
18. Domantas Sabonis
19. Anthony Edwards
20. Deandre Ayton
21. Tyrese Haliburton
22. John Collins
23. Jarrett Allen
24. Lonzo Ball
25. Collin Sexton
I agree with the general consensus. I don’t think this list is very good.
This list was made based on future potential, which does make it a little better (still not very good though). I just feel like this list can’t be based on potential. The only thing on the list that reflects future potential is LaMelo at three. So before I show my two lists, here are some major things I disagree with on this list (in no order):
First thing: LaMelo Ball over Jayson Tatum
Look, I understand that LaMelo is really good. I also understand that LaMelo is a very flashy, offensive-oriented, fun to watch player. The guys at places like ESPN and Bleacher Report love their flashy players. LaMelo could definitely be an MVP one day. Because this list is based on potential, I’ll let it slide. There’s one player below him I think should definitely be higher than him, and that’s Jayson Tatum. Jayson Tatum has limitless potential in my opinion. Not only is he a versatile offensive player, he’s also a versatile defender. LaMelo isn’t that quite yet. Because we’ve already seen rookie Jayson Tatum take a team to the conference finals, we know he’s capable of leading a team deep into the playoffs. We still have no idea if LaMelo will be able to do that. Therefore, the more established player who still has a ton of potential should be above him.
Second thing: The disrespect towards Trae Young
People this year have been disrespecting Trae. The main reason for this (as far as I can tell) is because apparently he’s a flopper now. That may be true (I’ve seen some clips, but I won’t pretend like I’ve watched the Hawks a ton this year), but that’s no reason to disregard the player he is (or mostly the player he can become). (Fun fact: Trae is shooting less free throws per game this season than he was last year.) After all, he is an All-Star. He’s a great scorer who can become elite if his efficiency improves. He’s a great playmaker. What’s always gonna hold Trae back is his awful defense. But if he can get paired with a great defensive backcourt mate, that won’t be a huge deal (still a deal, just not as big as it is now). Trae is only 22, and still has lots of room to grow. The two players higher than him on ESPN’s list that shouldn’t be are Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. You could also argue Trae has higher potential than Brandon Ingram. I’m not (necessarily) saying that Trae has top ten or top five in the league potential, but he definitely will be a top five (potentially top 3) PG one day.
Third thing: Jaylen Brown not top ten?
Jaylen Brown is very good. And not only is he good now, he still hasn’t hit his ceiling. JB is the type of guy who has the potential to be the best player on a great team. There are eight players on ESPN’s list that have the potential to be the best player on a great team (in my opinion, of course). JB is a great scorer and shot creator, and is also a great defender. You have to be ELITE on one end if you aren’t going to be above average on the other in order to be the best player on a great team. Jaylen Brown would be fully capable of doing what Donovan Mitchell has if he was on his own team. Brown has more potential than Ingram, Shai, Bam, Book, and Fox in my opinion. That makes him top ten on the list.
Fourth thing: De’Aaron Fox is a little too high
De’Aaron has been one of my favorite players to watch this year. Out of all six teams who are the worst in their division, the Kings are the best record-wise. Fox is a huge part of that. He is an All-Star type player. He also has a high ceiling, and could lead a team to the playoffs in the near future. He just has to become more efficient on the offensive end, especially from three. I just think ESPN overreacted a little here. Fox is having a great year, but he should be lower. Probably around that ten spot.
Fifth thing: Ja Morant below the Nuggets duo
Ja Morant is a walking highlight. He has crazy hops and makes insane passes. He has led a team who fell just short of the playoffs in 2020, and is leading a Grizzlies team to a playoff spot this year (while Jaren Jackson Jr. is out). Ja is one of my eight players who could be the best player on a great team, because he’s already shown us he can lead a team close to the playoffs in his rookie year. Jamal Murray hasn’t done anything like that, and probably won’t. (One reason Jamal won’t is because he will be teammates with Jokic throughout his prime, so he won’t get a chance. The other reason is that I don’t think Jamal’s game is fit for a number one option. He’s not a playmaker.) Therefore, since Ja can lead a team and Jamal (theoretically) can’t, Ja has higher potential. Michael Porter Jr. is a great player, but he can’t be over Ja (maybe not even Trae) at this point in his career. MPJ isn’t a shot creator (but he can be), he physically cannot playamake at even a below average level, and he isn’t an excellent defender either. I think that Ja should be higher than MPJ and Jamal. It’s that simple.
Those are five things that really stood out to me from this list. There are a couple other things that I didn’t think were big enough to elaborate on, so here they are:
Tatum should be over Donovan
Edwards, Collins, Lonzo, and maybe even Haliburton and Ayton over Sabonis in terms of potential
Do Dejounte Murray, Tyler Herro, Keldon Johnson, James Wiseman, or Kevin Porter Jr. deserve a spot on this list?
Now, the highlight of the article, my two lists (and a bonus third).
We’ll start with the bonus, which is the eight players who I think will be able to be the best player on a great team (in no order):
Luka
Zion
LaMelo
Donovan
Tatum
Simmons (remember, Giannis can’t shoot. People put too much stock in Benny’s lack of a jumper. That just tells me they haven’t watched the 76ers play this year.)
Jaylen
Ja
I feel like all those picks either don’t need explaining or received some previously in the article. However, there is definitely one player most of you readers just thought of after you read the list, and that man is Devin Booker. I have a simple reasoning for this.
Book’s teams were some of the worst in the league for all of his pre-CP3 days, and that tells me a lot (2019 is the most important year in this argument). In the 2018-19 season, Booker had T.J. Warren, Kelly Oubre, rookie Deandre Ayton, and rookie Mikal Bridges. Obviously not great. But the Suns only won 19 games that year. Phoenix had the same record as Cleveland, and Cleveland’s best three players were rookie Collin Sexton, 22 games of Kevin Love, and Jordan Clarkson. The Bulls had a better record than Phoenix, and their top three were LaVine and nobody (Lauri Markkanen and freaking Justin Holiday). The Hawks had rookie Trae Young and sophomore John Collins, and they won more games than Phoenix.
Phoenix’s core in 2020 was the same as in 2019, except minus Warren and plus Rubio. The only reason Phoenix was close to the playoffs is because their 8-0 bubble record. Otherwise they would have probably been higher in the lottery than they were. The Suns were great in the bubble, but any team in a league that has all the best players in the world can get hot and win 8 games straight.
I just feel like Booker should have won some more games during his pre-CP3 years in Phoenix, especially in the last few seasons. After all, Donovan Mitchell took the Jazz from mediocrity to a perennial playoff team as soon as he was drafted.
List #1: Based on potential
1. Luka Doncic
2. Zion Williamson
3. Jayson Tatum
4. LaMelo Ball
5. Ben Simmons
6. Donovan Mitchell
7. Jaylen Brown
8. Ja Morant
9. Devin Booker
10. Bam Adebayo
11. De’Aaron Fox
12. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
13. Trae Young
14. Brandon Ingram
15. Jamal Murray
16. Michael Porter Jr.
17. Anthony Edwards
18. John Collins
19. Mikal Bridges
20. Tyrese Haliburton
21. Deandre Ayton
22. Domantas Sabonis
23. Lonzo Ball
24. Collin Sexton
25. James Wiseman
Here are some little bits of explanation:
Tatum over LaMelo already got its explanation.
Simmons goes over Donovan and JB because he has more room to grow, and this is a potential-based list. I think Simmons will develop a proficient jumper during his career, and that would make him a borderline top ten player in the league. Therefore, he gets top five potential.
My top eight is of course the eight players that I think have the potential to be the best player on a great team.
I have Bam over guys like Fox, Shai, and Trae because Bam has such a unique play style that fits the modern NBA well, and he will probably be a top 2-3 center one day (also Bam’s 80% free throw shooting suggests he can develop at least a consistent mid-range shot. He shoots 37% from 16-3P range).
Domantas Sabonis falls pretty low because I think he’s almost maxed out as a player. He has improved his jumper this year, but I don’t think he’ll get much better.
John Collins gets a top 20 placement. I think he’s a great player. He can shoot, he can finish, and he can defend. He can be an All-Star one day, and ESPN’s list didn’t reflect that.
James Wiseman, although he’s at 25, deserves a placement because he is still very young. He’s been inconsistent, but he can defend the paint and also stretch the floor to a degree. He still has excellent potential. It was just tough to rank him higher because I haven’t seen too much from him so far.
List #2: Based on the 2020-21Season
1. Luka Doncic
2. Jayson Tatum
3. Donovan Mitchell
4. Devin Booker
5. Ben Simmons
6. Jaylen Brown
7. Zion Williamson
8. Trae Young
9. De’Aaron Fox
10. Bam Adebayo
11. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
12. Ja Morant
13. Jamal Murray
14. Brandon Ingram
15. Domantas Sabonis
16. Michael Porter Jr.
17. Collin Sexton
18. John Collins
19. LaMelo Ball
20. Mikal Bridges
21. Dejounte Murray
22. Tyrese Haliburton
23. Jarrett Allen
24. Deandre Ayton
25. Lonzo Ball
Here’s some explanation:
Zion takes a dip on this list compared to the potential-based one. Zion is definitely a dominant paint scorer, but that’s more or less it for him. He is a great rebounder, and a solid defender, but he isn’t very versatile at this point in his NBA career. Plus, the Pelicans are bad. Therefore Zion isn’t top five on this list. I saw someone on Tiktok say Zion is better than Tatum. That’s ridiculous.
Trae Young barley edges out Fox. The edge is team success, and Trae is better on offense. It’s super close though, and I could see it going either way depending on who you talk to.
Ja Morant, despite being an inefficient offensive player, still is placed over Jamal Murray. I’m giving the edge to Ja because it’s so impressive to me how he can lead his team (while missing their second best player) to a playoff/play-in spot at this point in his career. I don’t like to let stats decide all my opinions.
MPJ over Sexton. I’m not a MPJ fan. He’s just so ridiculously efficient. He takes one more three per game than Sexton, and shoots 7% better. Sexton has no Ja Morant-like edge now that the Cavs have fallen out of playoff contention, so MPJ goes higher than him.
Dejounte Murray makes an appearance on this list. Dejounte is super good. He didn’t make the potential list because he’s basically 25 years old, but he does make this one.
Jarrett Allen is better than Deandre Ayton. I thought Ayton was gonna be a lot better this year than he has been, but that’s something to discuss in a postseason article.
So, those are my thoughts on ESPN’s top 25 under 25 list (now around a week late, because I worked on this over a weekend), as well as my own lists. Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
Kyrie Irving. One of the best ball handlers ever. Great scorer. Second best player on the 2016 Cavalier championship team. 7-Time All-Star. 2-Time All-NBA player. Obviously an excellent player. This season, he’s averaging 28 PPG, 5 RPG, and 6 APG on 50/39/90 shooting. Those would be MVP numbers if he wasn’t the third best player on his team. I think Kyrie is a top fifteen player in the NBA.
The problem is that lately people have been overrating him. I’d almost say severely overrating him. I say severely because the overrating has gone further than just calling him a top ten player or something (which is a reasonable statement, but not a correct one). There are two main claims that I keep seeing on the internet that I have to address.
Claim 1: Kyrie>Damian Lillard
If you look at the stats, you would think Kyrie is better than Dame. That’s the issue though. Not everybody watches a ton of basketball. Most fans just watch their favorite teams and nationally televised games (People like that shouldn’t be allowed to have hot takes, by the way).
So of course, if you only look at the stats, you don’t get the full story. The full story is that Damian Lilllard is better than Kyrie Irving. Why, you may ask? Dame is a number one option.
Kyrie has shown us that he isn’t a number one option. He tried it in Boston, and it didn’t work out. He was criticized by teammates saying that he was hard to play with. If you’re supposed to be the best player on your team and your teammates don’t even like playing with you, that’s an issue.
Meanwhile, Damian Lillard is a great leader. Dame has also had more team success as a number one option.
Simply put, Lillard has the tools a number one option needs. Kyrie doesn’t. Therefore, there’s no way you can say Kyrie is better than Dame.
(P.S: I know Kyrie is a good guy. But good guy≠good leader.)
Claim #2: Kyrie Irving is the most skilled offensive player ever
This one is funny. Obviously, Kyrie is HIGHLY skilled. The way he can dribble is simply mind boggling. He’s an excellent finisher, and a great shooter as well. But there are two players I can say for certain are more skilled offensively than Kyrie.
The first is Kevin Durant, who in my opinion is the most skilled offensive player ever. He’s seven feet tall, and can dribble and shoot with the best. He might be the most fun player to watch when he’s hot, because he’s simply unstoppable. There’s no way you can watch these guys on the court together and tell me that Kyrie is more skilled.
The other is Stephen Curry. Curry’s ball handling isn’t far off from Kyrie’s, and Curry is a better scorer. After all, Steph is the greatest shooter ever. There’s a reason why Curry is the best point guard in the league even when his team isn’t in the playoffs.
(There are two other players that you could argue are more skilled than Kyrie. One is Michael Jordan. I’ve obviously never watched him play, so I couldn’t really tell you. The other is James Harden.)
So you could say that Kyrie is a top five most skilled offensive player ever, perhaps even top three. But the best EVER? That’s crazy talk.
(I do think it’s absolutely crazy that three of the best offensive players ever are on the same team right now.)
Those are my thoughts on the recent claims being made about Kyrie Irving. Do you agree with my takes? You’ll also have to let me know if articles like this are hard to read (articles where I just sit down and write my opinion with no prior outline.) Thanks for reading!
The other day, I was listening to an episode of Bill Simmons’s podcast Book of Basketball 2.0 where he talked to Daryl Morey and his time with the Rockets (especially the 2017-18 season). While listening to this episode, I randomly came up with the experiment that this article is about:
Can I make two NBA teams, one that shoots 50 threes a game and one that shoots less than 15?
More importantly, can those teams both be good?
50+ threes a game and less than 15 are both extremes. Both are unlikely to happen in the NBA for a while. But in my virtual NBA world, hopefully it will.
That’s right, we’re back on NBA2K21. I did a fantasy draft where I picked for both of my teams. The other 28 teams in the NBA are controlled by the computer. After the draft, I made some trades to make my teams fit the experiment even better. So before I start my experiment, I’ll show you my rosters.
Philadelphia 76ers: Non-Shooting Team
My goal here was to put together a team of players who don’t make threes, but also a team of players who don’t take threes. I bet there’s one player who came to mind when you read that, and he’s on the team.
PG: Ben Simmons (Obvious choice)
SG: Gary Harris (He’s been a bad shooter this year, but he plays good defense)
SF: DeMar DeRozan (He’s been taking/making more threes this year, but still not enough to be a shooter)
PF: Jonathan Isaac (Inconsistent shooter/offensive player. He plays elite defense.)
C: Jarrett Allen
C: Richuan Holmes
PG: Elfrid Payton (takes some threes, but not many. Good playmaker and solid defender)
PF: Jarred Vanderbilt
SG: Matisse Thybulle (Takes threes, but really doesn’t make them)
SF: DeAndre Bembry
PG: Michael Carter-Williams
SF: Andre Roberson
SF: Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Looked like a shooter the other day, but he’s not)
SG: Gary Payton II
C: Drew Eubanks
For this team, I wanted good defense. The offense will be alright, but the defense should be top ten in the league. I struggled to find guards and wings who couldn’t shoot but could play minutes, so not everybody on this team can’t shoot at all. The point was to have all below average shooters.
Houston Rockets: The Chuckers
I simply made a team of players who are good shooters. Therefore, I have the best shooter ever.
PG: Stephen Curry
SG: Buddy Hield
SF: Joe Ingles
PF: Marcus Morris Sr.
C: Christian Wood
PF: Bojan Bogdanovic
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Seth Curry
SF: James Ennis
C: Mike Muscala
SG: J.J. Redick
SF: Sterling Brown (Sterling has been balling this season. He’s shooting 40% from three. I love it)
SF: Kyle Korver
C: Meyers Leonard
PF: Dean Wade
This team’s defense isn’t excellent, but it shouldn’t matter because if everything goes right, they’ll score the most points per game in the NBA.
So those are the rosters. For Philly, I’m running a grit & grind system. Houston is running a seven seconds or less system. I’m gonna start simulating the season, and see how things go.
February 1st
The Rockets are top five in scoring, but I expect them to jump to number one. But that’s not important right now because so far, the team is shooting 51 threes a game. That’s 8 more than the next team. They’re also leading the league in percentage. They are 14-15, but that’s alright. The goal of this experiment is to see how good a team that shoots 50 threes a game can be, and if they’re bad, then that makes a point.
The 76ers are 19-11, and second in the East. That’s wild, because they’re shooting 7 threes a game. That’s less than I thought they would! They have a top three defense, just like I expected, which is definitely why they’re good. They also lead the NBA in team FG%, which makes sense because they take a ton of twos.
All-Star Selection
Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, Ben Simmons, and Christian Wood were all All-Stars. That’s a good sign.
All-Star Break
The Rockets got hot. They are now 35-21, thich is tied for the fourth best record in the league. They are now leading the league in scoring, which makes sense. They are still shooting 50 threes a game, and still lead the league in percentage.
The 76ers are still second in the East, and have the second best record in the NBA. They have the best defense in the NBA. They only shot 6.6 threes a game. That’s crazy! They are now the far-and-away league leaders in team FG%, shooting 54%. The next best team shoots 50%.
End of Season
The Rockets finished 47-35. That’s 3rd in the West, and 6th in the NBA. They led the league in PPG. And, most importantly, they finished the year shooting 50.4 threes a game, while leading the league in percentage. They had 9 players shoot higher than 40% from three.
The 76ers finished 53-29, which is the best record in the NBA. They had the best defense. They only shot 6 threes a game. The funny part is they only had the fifth worst 3PT percentage in the NBA. They had 3 players shoot 60%+ from the field.
Playoffs
The Rockets lost in a seven game series in the second round. Likely because they shot an insane 53.3 threes a game in the playoffs. But the 76ers won the championship.
Conclusion
So, in conclusion, a team that doesn’t shoot threes will play really well as long as they have a good defense. After all, a shot in the paint is more efficient than a three point shot.
A team that shoots a ton of threes can be a good regular season team, but may fall apart in the playoffs (that’s a conclusion that’s already been made because that’s what happened to the Rockets in 2017-18).
So both of the teams did what I wanted them to, which was fun. I had fun doing this experiment. I don’t expect to see a team shoot six threes a game anytime soon, but who knows. Maybe some GM will read this article and try it out.
(This will actually never happen in real life, because a team that doesn’t shoot threes would have no spacing, making them easy to guard. That wouldn’t lead to much success.)
Hey everybody, it’s been a while! My last post was 11 days ago. But forgive me, because I was waiting for the biggest in-season NBA event: the trade deadline. I was gonna write an article about just the Bucks trade, but I just decided to throw it in this one. That’s why I haven’t made a post in so long.
Anyways, the trade deadline. Even though there weren’t any superstars traded (there was an All-Star), that’s alright because we already got the Harden trade (which actually has an involvement in this article). The trade deadline was still exciting (exciting enough for me to miss my gym class video call at 1:45. The deadline was in 15 minutes. I’d say it was worth it).
So now that all the trades are finished, I can go through every move and give my opinion on them. Let’s get started!
(Expect a sequel to this article in the next couple weeks where I discuss signings made by teams on the buyout market. Guys like LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Drummond, DeMarcus Cousins, and Jeff Teague will likely end up on teams this week.)
Atlanta Hawks
Add: Lou Williams
Lose: Rajon Rondo
This is an interesting trade for the Hawks. They’re losing backcourt defense in this trade, which is something this team needs considering Trae Young is one of the worst defenders in the entire league. Lou Williams does bring consistent scoring off the bench, but the Hawks do already have Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic in that department (both of whom are also below average defenders). This trade isn’t bad though, because Rondo hasn’t been all that good for Atlanta this year. The Hawks get an upgrade of a player, but a worse fit with this deal.
Grade: C+
Boston Celtics
Add: Evan Fournier, Mo Wagner, Luke “does literally nothing” Kornet
Lose: Daniel Theis, Jeff Teague, Javonte Green
Before I talk about the players that actually matter, I need to explain the nickname I just gave Kornet. Homie literally doesn’t do anything good. He’s 7’1”, and shoots 33% from the field. That SUCKS. 85% of his field goal attempts this year have been from three, and he only shoots 28% from that range. This guy is a literal disadvantage. He can’t even block shots!
Ok, anyways, the Celtics did a pretty good job here. Evan Fournier is an underrated player. He’s a consistent 18+ PPG scorer. He’s a great fit in Boston’s iso-heavy offense as a spot up shooter (he’s shooting 54% on corner threes this year). The problem is the Celtics didn’t add a defensive anchor. Mo Wagner is an offensive center, and doesn’t defend like Theis could. I’m not worried about it though, because if they cut Kornet they can potentially get Hassan Whiteside if he gets waived. But by downgrading their center depth, they’re putting trust in Robert Williams. Robert is having a great season, and will be a starting-caliber center for this team going forward. Trading Jeff Teague opens more minutes for Payton Pritchard at the point.
Grade: B (goes up to a B+ or maybe even a A- if they get Hassan Whiteside)
Charlotte Hornets
Add: Brad Wanamaker
The Hornets didn’t make any big moves, which they maybe should have. LaMelo Ball going down with a potential season-ending injury is a big blow to a young Charlotte roster looking to make a surprise playoff appearance. There is still a small chance that Andre Drummond ends up in Charlotte, but probably not. The Hornets did make one move though, which was buying Brad Wanamaker from the Warriors. Although Wanamaker is shooting an atrocious 35% from the field and 21% from three this year, he is an excellent free throw shooter. That means something, right? Wanamaker will be the main ball handler off the bench for Charlotte now that Devonte’ Graham will be starting again. So I guess this move was decent.
Grade: C+
Chicago Bulls
Add: Nikola Vucevic, Al-Farouq Aminu, Daniel Theis, Troy Brown Jr, Javonte Green
Lose: Wendell Carter Jr, Otto Porter Jr, Daniel Gafford, Chandler Hutchison, Luke “does literally nothing” Kornet
The Bulls made the biggest move of the deadline. They picked up All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, as well as some other pieces. Daniel Theis is a combo big who can defend the paint and stretch the floor at a solid level. Al-Farouq Aminu is a versatile defending wing who becomes even more valuable when he shoots higher than 20% from three. Troy Brown was picked just outside the lottery a few years ago, and still has upside despite his bad season. So the Bulls picked up some good players for a playoff push. They didn’t give up anything crazy either. I do think Daniel Gafford is good, but he’ll get a bigger opportunity in Washington than he would in Chicago.
In the end, the Bulls season will likely end with a disappointing play-in loss or getting swept in the first round (although Philly vs Chicago could be a 6 game series. That would be fun). That doesn’t matter though, because a playoff appearance would bring lots of confidence to a very young Chicago roster.
Grade: A half a plus
Cleveland Cavaliers
Add: Isaiah Hartenstein
Lose: JaVale McGee
I don’t have much to say about this deal. Cleveland had no need for JaVale McGee, and they got G-League legend Isaiah Hartenstein. Isaiah brings great hustle, and can kind of stretch the floor. Plus he’s only 22, so if can become a consistent backup center, Cleveland got great value for JaVale.
Grade: B-
Dallas Mavericks
Add: J.J. Redick, Nicolo Melli
Lose: James Johnson, Wesley Iwundu
After trading Seth Curry, the Mavericks lost some shooting from their backcourt players. J.J. Redick fills that hole. Although J.J. is shooting a career low 36% from three this year, that percentage can easily jump back up in a better offense than the one down in New Orleans. Nicolo Melli is basically Maxi Kleber the lesser, but stretch fours are always useful. Dallas didn’t give much up. So this is a good trade.
Grade: B
Denver Nuggets
Add: Aaron Gordon, JaVale McGee, Gary Clark
Lose: Gary Harris, RJ Hampton, Isaiah Hartenstein
This was a high quality deadline for the Nuggets. They’re having a season that is worse than the last couple, but these trades improve the roster significantly. Aaron Gordon fills the hole at power forward left by Jerami Grant. Imagine Jokic with the ball in the high post and AG cutting down the baseline. Lob City baby. JaVale McGee also gives the team a legitimate backup center, especially considering the Nuggets won’t play Bol Bol. Gary Harris has been a big part of Denver’s success for a while, but his offense has gotten worse the last couple years, and it was time to move on. Denver is now geared for another deep playoff run.
Grade: A
Detroit Pistons
Add: Cory Joseph
Lose: Delon Wright
Delon Wright is a solid player. He’s been pretty good for Detroit. I think they did this deal for the second round picks. But looking at the players straight up, I think this trade was bad for the Pistons. It’s not like Delon Wright is some 32 year old veteran.
Grade: C- (saved by the second round picks)
Golden State Warriors
Add: Draft rights to some random dude I’ve never heard of
Lose: Marquese Chriss, Brad Wanamaker
To be honest, the Warriors motive for this deadline is not clear to me. If it’s a roster spot they wanted, they created one by selling Wanamaker. So I’m not sure why they got rid of Marquese Chriss. Chriss is a solid center. But I guess the Warriors are confident they can get a center on the buyout market. Maybe DeMarcus Cousins, or Gourgi Dieng.
Grade: D (Could go anywhere from a D+ to a C+ based on who they sign)
Houston Rockets
Add: Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk, D.J. Augustin, D.J. Wilson
Lose: Victor Oladipo, P.J. Tucker, Rodions Kurucs
Rafael Stone? Bro? You good? Why would you trade Oladipo for nothing valuable? Seriously! For some dumb reason, this man passed up on Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen, just to get Oladipo in return for James freaking Harden. So now they have Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk in return for Harden. That’s unbelievable.
Grade D- (D.J. Wilson saves this from being an F just because he’s the greatest to ever do it.)
Los Angeles Clippers
Add: Rajon Rondo
Lose: Lou Williams
This trade is solid for Los Angeles. Rondo is a better fit for the Clippers because he looks to pass rather than shoot, and he can defend well. Rondo also steps it up in the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Clippers, they didn’t have the assets to get Terry Rozier, Lonzo Ball, or Kyle Lowry. So Rondo is good for now.
Grade: B-
Miami Heat
Add: Victor Oladipo, Trevor Ariza, Nemanja Bjelica
Lose: Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk, Mo Harkless, Meyers Leonard, Chris Silva
Great deadline for the Miami Heat. They didn’t give up all that much (although Kelly Olynyk’s role as a stretch center is not filled. Bjelica plays the four). Victor Oladipo, although he isn’t the same player he was two years ago, is still an excellent 3&D guard. He gives the Heat a legitimate third player while Tyler Herro is still improving. The Heat have sped up since their slow start, and the newcomers put more fuel in the tank. They also created a roster spot. If LaMarcus Aldridge comes to Miami, it’s over.
Grade: A half a plus
Milwaukee Bucks
Add: P.J. Tucker, Rodions Kurucs
Lose: D.J. Augustin, D.J. Wilson, Torrey Craig
I’m going to miss Torrey Craig. I really wish the Bucks would have played him more. I’m also gonna miss D.J. Wilson. But D.J. Augustin shoots worse from the field than he does from three, so I’m glad we got rid of him. P.J. Tucker is the glue guy that every championship team has. He doesn’t take bad shots (or many shots period), he rebounds and defends hard, and he also has insane shoe game. He’s a great pickup for my Milwaukee Bucks.
Grade: B
New Orleans Pelicans
Add: James Johnson, Wesley Iwundu
Lose: J.J. Redick, Nicolo Melli
The Pelicans aren’t good on the defensive end of the ball, and their two additions are both better defenders than the subtractions. So that’s cool. The Pelicans probably should’ve traded either Lonzo or Bledsoe, but whatever. I suppose the Pelicans own a roster spot.
Grade: C-
New York Knicks
Add: Terrance Ferugson, Vincent “who am I and why am I in the NBA” Poirier
Lose: Austin Rivers, Ignas Brazdeikis
This trade would be bad for the Knicks if they didn’t have a loaded backcourt. Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, Elfrid Payton, and Alec Burks all get consistent minutes there. The departure of Rivers means more minutes for Frank Ntilikina, which is a good thing.
Grade: C-
Oklahoma City Thunder
Add: Tony Bradley, Austin Rivers
Lose: George Hill, Trevor Ariza
The Thunder actually did a pretty good job here. They didn’t need Hill and Ariza, and got good value back for them. Tony Bradley has been playing well lately. Austin Rivers probably isn’t part of OKC’s long term plans, so he’ll probably get flipped for another asset. My only problem with this trade is that Moses Brown has been balling lately, and Tony Bradley will probably swallow up his minutes. But maybe Mike Muscala will be bought out.
Grade: B
Orlando Magic
Add: Wendell Carter Jr, RJ Hampton, Otto Porter Jr, Gary Harris
Get: Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, Al-Farouq Aminu, Gary Clark
The Magic just got rid of everything they own, but got back a pretty solid haul. They’ve been on the verge of a rebuild for a few years now, and now it’s happening. Wendell Carter has some solid potential. RJ Hampton is a rookie project who definitely has some good upside. The other two guys were just salary fillers and won’t be on the team for the long term. When a 2021 lottery pick is added to this roster, and Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz return from injury, this team will look great. This would be even better if the Magic were able to get a young player in return for Evan Fournier (like Grant Williams or something).
Grade: B+
Philadelphia 76ers
Add: George Hill, Ignas Brazdeikis
Lose: Tony Bradley, Terrance Ferugson, Vincent Poirier
George Hill is a great pickup for Philly. He’s a great shooter, a good playmaker, and a solid defender. He provides excellent backup point guard play. He’ll be good in the playoffs. The other players involved in this deal are meaningless. George Hill is a great player, and Philly barely gave up anything to get him
Grade: A-
Phoenix Suns
Add: Torrey Craig
Well, the Suns finessed the Bucks for a great defender in Torrey Craig. He can guard 1-4. That’s valuable. I wish the Bucks could have got Cam Payne or Jevon Carter in return, but it is what it is. Great value for the Suns with this one.
Grade: B+
Portland Trail Blazers
Add: Norman Powell
Lose: Gary Trent Jr, Rodney Hood
Norman Powell is having a helluva season. 20 PPG (19.6 to be exact, but whatever) on 44% from three. The Trail Blazers have to win something while Lillard is in his prime. Both Trent and Powell will need to be paid this offseason, but Powell brings more “win now” value. So good trade for the Blazers, but not great, because Gary Trent is really good as well.
Grade: B
Sacramento Kings
Add: Delon Wright, Mo Harkless, Chris Silva, Terence Davis, Mfiondu Kabengele
This is a sad day for fans of Finn’s Basketball Blog. Mfiondu Kabengele is now out of a job. (if you read my GM of the Clippers article, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, you’re lame.) The Kings traded for him, and then cut him two days later. But to be fair, Terence Davis is an underrated young guard, and anytime you can trade a second round pick for someone like TD you do it in a heartbeat. Kabengele was the sacrifice to bring TD in.
Besides that though, the Kings think they can make the playoffs. We’ll see about that. Delon Wright does provide more guard depth though, and good guard depth at that. Mo Harkless is your typical 3&D veteran. Chris Silva hustles. Jabari Parker lost his job, and I’ll be curious to see if he gets another one. This was a pretty decent deadline for Sacramento in terms of players added and subtracted, but I’m confused on the direction they’re headed in. The grade takes a hit because of that.
Grade: C
San Antonio Spurs
Add: Marquese Chriss
Lose: Draft rights to some random dude I’ve never heard of
San Antonio’s big subtraction is LaMarcus Aldridge, but it’s not that big of a deal. He was injured for a while, and the Spurs were perfectly fine without him. I used to think Jakob Poeltl sucked, but he’s lowkey pretty solid in the post on offense and defense. Also, adding Marquese Chriss, who is a high flying center (Chriss is also adding a bit of a three pointer to his game) for literally nothing is pretty good. Chriss is out for the rest of the year with a broken leg, but if he’s good when he comes back, then the Spurs get a solid big.
Grade: B- (Could fluctuate based on how good Chriss is when he returns)
Toronto Raptors
Add: Gary Trent Jr, Rodney Hood
Lose: Norman Powell, Terence Davis, Matt Thomas
Gary Trent Jr. is a great young player. If he can become an above average defender, I could see him being in All-Star conversations one day. With Kyle Lowry’s career coming to a close in the next few seasons, Gary will be a great backcourt mate for Fred VanVleet. That is, as long as Toronto is willing to pay him this offseason, which I’m sure they will be. The only thing dragging the grade down slightly is trading Terence Davis for a second round pick. I think TD is good. But it’s not that big of a deal.
Grade: B+
Utah Jazz
Add: Matt Thomas
The Jazz added another shooter to their bench. Cool.
Grade: B
Washington Wizards
Add: Daniel Gafford, Chandler Hutchison
Lose: Troy Brown Jr, Mo Wagner
The Wizards get a good deal by flipping Wagner, a stretch center who isn’t having a great shooting season, for Daniel Gafford. Gafford is a center in his second NBA season. He protects the rim at a high level, which is much needed for the Wizards. If Gafford doesn’t start over Robin Lopez for the rest of this season (when Thomas Bryant returns next season, we’ll see who starts) that would be highly disappointing. Great pickup for the Wizards though.
Grade: B+
So that’s that! Like I said earlier in the article, look forward to a buyout market version of this article in the coming weeks. What do you think about the trades? Let me know! See you next time!
The first trade of the season went down a few days ago, with the Thunder trading away a good young player, Hamidou Diallo, to the Detroit Pistons. Hami was averaging 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists before he got traded, all career highs. He was also shooting career highs from the field (48%), from three (29%), and from the free throw line (63%. That’s bad, but still a career high). So he was playing well. The Thunder are surprisingly not the worst team in the league, and Hami’s play was a big part of that. So in trading him away, you would expect a good haul in return. Maybe a solid veteran player (like another George Hill/Al Horford type), or maybe first round pick. Something like that. So what did the Thunder actually get in return?
Well, they got Svi Mykhailiuk. He’s decent. At age 23, he’s a career 37% three point shooter. That’s about all he brings though. He wasn’t even the main asset in the trade. What was?
A seventh grader.
Well, more specifically, a 2027 second round pick. But the player who will be drafted with that pick is currently in seventh grade. That’s insane.
So that leads to a great question: What the heck are the Thunder gonna do with 34 draft picks in the next seven drafts?
Obviously, not every player that they draft will end up on their roster. That’s way too many players. But if they actually use (and don’t trade away) all 19 of their first round picks, I bet all those guys will end up on the team. That’s a great strategy, to be honest. If you draft 19 players in the first round of the NBA draft, and maybe five of them don’t work out, then you still have 14 young players that could be anything from a good role player to a superstar.
The Thunder have five players I could see being on their team long term: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Darius Bazely, Aleksej Pokusevski, and Theo Maledon. In the next three drafts, OKC owns 14 draft picks (9 firsts and 5 seconds). So in three years, the Thunder could have the best young core in the NBA.
There’s another way these picks could be used, and that’s in a trade. In the NBA today, almost every trade includes a pick. If you want to trade for an All-Star, you have to throw a ton of draft picks in to get them (Supposedly the Celtics offered 3 first round picks from Jerami Grant recently. Imagine the amount of picks a player like Damian Lillard would require). The Thunder own more than enough picks to get an All-Star. Say in three years, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a certified All-Star. The other young guys, like Bazely and Dort, get better. There are also at least five players from the last three drafts on the team. If that team is winning games, and is hovering around a playoff spot, the Thunder would have the assets to trade for a superstar player that could make them a top team in the league.
So at the moment, GM Sam Presti is doing something that has never been done before. But it looks really good for him. The team is bursting with potential. Because of the value of all the draft picks Presti has acquired, the future looks very bright for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Welcome to part two of my tenure as the GM of the Milwaukee Bucks. This will be the first of my GM articles where I don’t explain exactly what I’m doing. Why? Because you should have read part one already. I will give a light refresher though.
After going 59-24, the Bucks lost in the second round to the Brooklyn Nets. The Grizzlies won the (somehow) won the ‘chip. Giannis picked up a couple accolades. Budenholzer won coach of the year. I drafted Marcus Bagley, and signed some players. We’re about to begin the 2021-22 season. This is the current roster:
PG: Jrue Holiday, Kris Dunn, Jaylen Adams, Jordan Bone
SG: Donte Divincenzo, Pat Connaughton, Sam Merrill, Paul Watson
SF: Khris Middleton, Jae Crowder, Jordan Nwora
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jarred Vanderbilt, Marcus Bagley
C: Richuan Holmes, Bobby Portis Jr, Ian Mahinmi
I like it, but I will definitely make changes if needed.
Beginning of 2021-22 Season
Here’s the rotation I’m going with to start the year:
Bench: Jae Crowder, Bobby Portis, Kris Dunn, Jarred Vanderbilt, Pat Connaughton, Sam Merrill
December 12th
Two games in, Kris Dunn severely sprained his ankle. He’ll be out for 6-8 weeks. That sucks, because 2K doesn’t let you trade injured players, and he was gonna be one of the first to go if the team sucked. Jaylen Adams will suck up his minutes.
Rest of December
We’re 8-2 at the end of December. Our power rank is 6th. That’s pretty good. However, I have some very sad news.
Waiving: Jaylen Adams
Jaylen was the poster boy of part one. Now, he’s getting cut. Why? He took over the backup point guard spot when Dunn went out, and he’s shooting 25% from the field and 17% from three. That’s atrocious. I can’t believe it.
Signing: Quinn Cook
One year minimum deal. QC has won a few championships before, and hopefully he’ll be here for another one. I needed a replacement one. I’m gonna give minutes to Jordan Bone for a while, so QC won’t play as of now.
Mid January
What the heck.
Waiving: Ian Mahinmi
36% from the field as a center. That’s all I have to say.
Signing: Jordan Bone
This isn’t technically a signing, because Bone was already on the team, but I’m converting his deal from a two-way contract to a full deal.
Signing: Juwan Morgan
Juwan is getting signed on a two-way deal. He’s a young stretch four. He might play some this year. He might not.
January
We are now 18-8. That’s 3rd in the East, and good for 10 in the power rankings. I want to be a little better, but I probably won’t make changes until the trade deadline.
Bench: Jae Crowder, Bobby Portis, Jarred Vanderbilt, Pat Connaughton, Jordan Bone, Marcus Bagley
Contract Extension Deadline
Jrue Holiday is getting a 2-year, $15 million extension. He deserves it. His play has regressed this season from last year, though, so he might not be on the team for that whole time.
Kris Dunn hasn’t been good since his return from injury. He will probably turn it around, but I don’t have time to wait for that. I’m trading him to a team that needed some point guard depth, the Warriors, for a late 2021 first round pick in Terrence Shannon. The Warriors don’t need a project like him, but I’ll take him on. He’s only played one minute in one game for the Warriors so far, and that’s a waste.
Here’s the rotation I’m going with until the trade deadline:
Starters: Jrue, Donte, Khris, Giannis, Richuan
Bench: Jae, Bobby, Jarred, Pat, Terrence Shannon, Juwan Morgan
Trade Deadline
We are currently 38-15. That’s 1st in the conference, and we’re power ranked number two. That’s awesome.
Trade #2: Sam to Denver
Nuggets get: Sam Merrill
Bucks get: Isaiah Hartenstein
Sorry, Sam. Since I picked up TSJ, I don’t need you anymore. I appreciate your time in Milwaukee. I need another center, and Denver could use a backup two guard. Bye-bye, Sam.
I’m probably not making any other trades, we’re too good.
All-Star Break
Giannis and Middleton were All-Stars again. Middleton is shooting 50/40/90. We haven’t suffered a significant injury to our top guys. Life is great.
Here is the rotation I’m running for the rest of the year:
Starters: Same as all year
Bench: Jae, Bobby, Jarred, Pat, TSJ, Jordan Bone
Second Half of the Season/NBA Awards
We finished with a 56-26 record, which is the one seed in the East (Philly is the eight seed, which is scary.)
Wait, hold on. Look at this trade:
Clippers get: Tobias Harris, 2026 1st Round Pick
76ers get: Paul George
What the heck!!! How did this trade even happen!!! If I lose in the first round because 2K let this crap happen, I will be beyond mad. Oh my goodness. This game is awful sometimes.
Anyways, Giannis made All-NBA 1st and All-Defensive 1st. Nobody else won anything. Here’s the team’s final stats:
G. Antetokounmpo: 24 PPG/13 RPG/5 APG, 1 SPG/1 BPG
K. Middleton: 22/4/5, 50/40/90 shooting
J. Holiday: 14/3/5 (Kinda disappointing, but whatever. We were good.)
D. DiVincenzo: 13/4/3
B. Portis Jr: 10/5/1
J. Nwora: 9/1/1 (He only played in eight games this year)
R. Holmes: 8/7/1, 1 BPG (I love it Richuan!)
J. Vanderbilt: 8/4/1, 1 SPG
J. Crowder: 8/4/1
M. Bagley: 5/1/1
Q. Cook: 4/1/1
T. Shannon Jr: 4/1/1
J. Bone: 4/1/1
P. Connaughton: 4/2/2
J. Morgan: 3/1/1
P. Watson: 2/1/1
I. Hartenstein: 2/2/1
All in all, everybody did well. The team is great, and the stats are great. Time for the playoffs.
2022 Playoffs
We beat the stupid 76ers 4-1 in the first round. Then we beat the Hawks in 6 games in the second round. Then we lost to the Nets 4-2 in the Conference Finals. Shoot. The Nets are unstoppable in 2K. I am decently happy with the team’s performance, however.
2022 Offseason
I don’t have any draft picks this year. That’s all good.
Team/Player Options
Pat Connaughton picked up his player option, which is good.
Resigning: Donte DiVincenzo
Donte will probably be the 3rd best player on the team next season. He’s really good. I’m bringing him back on a 4-year, $40 million deal.
Resigning: Jordan Bone
I figured I might as well bring him back, considering it’s just a 1-year, $2 million deal.
Signing: Austin Rivers
Austin Rivers is a great scorer, as well as a solid defender and playmaker. He will bring versatile play as a backup one. Getting him on a 1-year, $1.7 million deal is great value.
Signing: Dorian Finney-Smith
Dorian is a combo forward who can stretch the floor, rebound, and play defense. If I decide to trade Jae Crowder in the near future, Dorian will be great to have around. I signed him on a 2-year, $3.5 million deal.
Signing: Boban Marjanovic
With my final roster spot, I’m signing the GOAT. Boban is great for team chemistry, and I’m glad to have him on the squad.
Training Camp
TSJ is going to untapped potential camp, increasing (quite obviously) his potential. Jarred Vanderbilt is going to perimeter shooting camp.
Beginning of 2022-23 Season
So, this is it. I probably won’t make part three to this (but we’ll see). Here’s the final roster:
PG: Jrue Holiday, Austin Rivers, Jordan Bone
SG: Donte DiVincenzo, Pat Connaughton, Terrence Shannon Jr.
Every year there are All-Star snubs. It’s bound to happen. There are plenty of deserving players that don’t get a spot. The biggest snubs this year in my opinion were Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan. Both are very deserving of a spot based on their play this year.
(Note: I am not going to write about my reaction to the actual All-Stars because I mostly agree, and I wouldn’t have much to say on the subject.)
So, because my favorite player got snubbed from the All-Star game, I’m creating my own All-Star game. It’s name? (get ready)
The Bench Mob Blog All-Stars
(Yup, I know, super creative)
See, I didn’t want to call it the Snub game or something because the whole point of this game is that these players are All-Stars, and shouldn’t be snubs. So why would I call them snubs?
So, for the BMB All-Star teams, there are two. The West and the East. For each team, there are ten spots. The starters are made up of two guards and three frontcourt players. The bench is made up of a guard, a frontcourt player, a wild card, a sixth man, and a fan favorite.
So, I’m just gonna get straight into the teams!
(Wait, one more note: I’m not saying all of these guys should be All-Stars, because it wouldn’t make sense if Fred VanVleet was an All-Star over James Harden. I’m just recognizing these guys for the good seasons they are having.)
Eastern ConferenceStarters
Guards: Trae Young and Collin Sexton
Trae Young is averaging 27 points and 10 assists this year. He wasn’t an All-Star because he had a bad stretch earlier in the year, and the Hawks have been disappointing. Collin Sexton has improved a lot this season, and is really putting himself on the radar of casual fans. He’s averaging 24 points, and has also been an excellent closer for Cleveland.
Tobias Harris is quietly having his best season, putting up career numbers on a really good 76ers team. His efficiency is really high this year, shooting really close to 50/40/90 (89% on free throws). Domatnas Sabonis is putting up similar numbers to Julius Randle (besides three point percentage), as they are both averaging around 20/10/5. That spot in the game really could have gone either way. Sabonis is underappreciated. Bam Adebayo has improved again, improving on his scoring, efficiency, steals, and assists. His missing of the game can be attributed to the Heat’s slow start.
Eastern Conference Bench
Guard: Fred VanVleet
VanVleet has probably been Toronto’s best player this year. They were one of the worst teams in the league to start of the year, and have now climbed back to a 500 record. Freddy has been a large part of that. VanVleet could be an All-Star in the future though, because he improves every year.
Forward: Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton is having his best season ever, and he isn’t an All-Star. The Bucks aren’t at the top of the conference, and people continue to sleep on Middleton. He’s highly efficient, a good defender, and a great shot creator. He’s an All-Star player, whether he makes the game or not.
Wild Card: Malcolm Brogdon
Brogdon is another guy quietly having a career year. He’s averaging 21 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and has been Indiana’s closer this season. Although his efficiency has fallen off since his 50/40/90 season, his volume has significantly increased. Malcolm Brogdon is really good. I wish the Bucks would have kept him.
Sixth Man: Terrence Ross
Sixth men deserve some recognition. So in my BMB All-Star game, there is a special slot for the best sixth man in each conference. It’s been Terrence Ross for the East this year. For the injury-ridden Magic, he (and Nikola Vucevic, of course) has been a huge part of keeping them afloat. He’s been a bench All-Star, so he’s making the BMB All-Star squad.
Fan Favorite: Tacko Fall
There’s always players that end up in the All-Star voting that are total meme votes. Guys like Alex Caruso and Tacko Fall are those guys. So, why not actually give those guys their chance to shine. Tacko Fall is getting the Fan Favorite slot in the East
Western Conference Starters
Guards: De’Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
De’Aaron Fox is really good. As of right now, he’s better than Ja Morant. It’s really close, but that’s my opinion. He’s carried my fantasy team to multiple comebacks. His averages of 22 points and 7 assists are definitely BMB All-Star worthy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a big part of the Thunder being better than the worst team in the league. He will be an All-Star one day, and his averages of 24, 5, and 6 at only 22 years old reflect that.
Frontcourt: DeMar DeRozan (Captain), Brandon Ingram, Christian Wood
DeMar DeRozan is the biggest snub this year. The Spurs have the 9th best record in the NBA, and everyone thought they would suck before the season started. He’s averaging 20, 5, and 7. He’s a closer. He’s a mentor for Keldon Johnson (who will be an All-Star type guy one day). DeMar is an All-Star. Brandon Ingram is also an All-Star, but a surprisingly not good Pelicans record led to him not making the actual game (although Zion did. DeMar>Zion for the game this year). Christian Wood is injured right now, but the West doesn’t have as many All-Star type frontcourt players. Wood will be an All-Star one day as well. He is averaging 22 and 10 this year.
Western Conference Bench
Guard: Ja Morant
Ja Morant is having a great season. It’s super impressive that he was able to get drafted and lead a team to a decent record in a deep conference in his rookie year. He’s doing it again, without his second best player this time. That’s even more impressive. His averages of 19 points and 8 assists are worth a spot in the BMB All-Star game.
Forward: Deandre Ayton
Like I mentioned earlier, the list of All-Star worthy frontcourt players in the West is much shorter than the All-Star worthy guards. But since conference selections are a thing, I can’t give this spot to Jerami Grant. But that’s ok, Deandre Ayton is good. So he is a 2021 BMB All-Star.
Wild Card: Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray has been underperforming in my opinion, compared the expectations he has after the bubble. But he has still been good, especially as of late. So he gets the Wild Card spot in the West over John Wall.
Sixth Man: Jordan Clarkson
Sixth Man of the Year so far is Jordan Clarkson. Charles Barkley actually picked him to be an All-Star (mostly because of the Jazz’s success, likely). He’s averaging 18 points this year. He’s shooting pretty well on high volume. He’s only missed two free throws, and leads the league in FT%. Clarkson is the MVP of the bench this year.
Fan Favorite: Boban Marjanovic
Who doesn’t love this man. He’s so wholesome. Boban has to be the most widely loved player in the entire NBA. So he definitely deserves the fan favorite spot in the West.
So those are the participants of the 2021 BMB All-Star Game! This will probably become an annual tradition, and will last as long as this blog does. Do you think I snubbed anybody from the All-Snub teams? Let me know! Thanks for reading!
That’s right, Jaylen Adams is the player featured on this article.
The Bucks finally won last night after a five game losing streak. Unfortunately, they haven’t looked like true championship contenders so far this season. Now, the ultimate goal of resigning Giannis has been accomplished, but we still have to win a championship. So I’m taking over my favorite team and leading them to a championship.
If you haven’t seen the articles where I became the GM of the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers, then you don’t know how this works. I use NBA2K21’s MyNBA mode in these articles. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best I can do.
So how is this gonna work? Well, I’m going to be making realistic moves to set the Bucks in the direction I think they should go in. (Note: I have trade override on, simply because 2K’s trade system is iffy sometimes. You often have to throw in a ton of draft picks to get a trade done. Just trust that I’ll make realistic trades. You’ll get to see them.) I’ll be controlling the Bucks for the 2020-21 season and the 2021 offseason in this article (I’ll probably make a part two to this article where I do the 2021-22 season). I’ll make all the trades, free agent signings, staff signings, and draft choices that I think the Bucks should make to send them in the right direction. (Another note: I will be playing with injuries this time. Scary.)
My plan for the Bucks is simple. I want to win an NBA championship, by any means necessary. But my goal is to try and keep the Giannis/Middleton/Jrue/Divincenzo core together for at least a couple seasons.
So without further ado, let’s jump into it!
Beginning of 2020-21 Season
(Note: 2K has said that they will not fix the start today mode for 2K21. So instead of starting on today’s date with real records and stats, we’re starting on December 1st. That isn’t even the day the season started in real life, but it is what it is. I guess. Be better 2K.)
Signing: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
I had a roster spot available, so I picked up Rondae on a one year deal. He’ll bring hustle, rebounding, and defense as a four or a small-ball five. He’ll be like D.J. Wilson but better.
Trade #1: D.J. Augustin to the Hawks
Hawks get: D.J. Augustin, 2022 2nd round pick
Bucks get: Kris Dunn
I am not a fan of how Augustin has been playing this year. He’s not a good defender, and he’s shooting 34% from the field. The Hawks want Augustin because Brandon Goodwin has been their backup PG this year (Rondo and Dunn have been injured or not playing). I want Dunn because he can defend, which I want for my backup guard.
Here’s what I’m rocking with for the rotation to start the season. I’m gonna roll out an 11 man rotation, because that’s what the Bucks do. We’re deep enough to do it.
Bench: Bobby Portis Jr., Pat Connaughton, Kris Dunn, Bryn Forbes, Torrey Craig, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
We are number one in the power rankings to start the year. We’ll see how that goes.
December
We played 13 games in December. We went 8-5. That’s not great. Bobby Portis was out for most of the month though. Our power ranking at the end of December is fourth.
(Also, of course D.J. Augustin is shooting 48% from three with the Hawks. He is shooting 35% from the field though. Not sure if that means he’s playing good or bad. You decide.)
January
We only lost three times in January. Our record is 21-8. That’s great. I’m gonna switch up the rotation a little so the rookies can get some minutes.
Bench: Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, Kris Dunn, Sam Merrill, Jordan Nwora, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
We’re sitting at number two in the power rankings behind the Mavericks.
Contract Extension Deadline
Nobody on the team wants a contract extension. That’s all good.
Waiving: D.J. Wilson
It is with a heavy heart that I am releasing D.J. Wilson. I’m just not too impressed with his play this year (in the video game, of course. He hasn’t been that bad in real life). In 13 games, he averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds. That’s good, but he shot 33% from the field, 21% from three, and 52% from the free throw line. That’s awful. Since I’m trying to win, I want a player who can contribute more consistently. Sorry D.J, it’s only business.
Signing: Donta Hall
Donta Hall is a one year pro who played with the Nets in the bubble. He currently plays for G-League Ignite. He can block shots and rebound. He’ll fill D.J.’s spot.
Since we have a record of 32-11, I’m gonna give some of the bench guys extended minutes until the trade deadline. Here’s what I’m rocking with:
Bench: Bobby Portis, Jaylen Adams, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Pat Connaughton, Bryn Forbes, Donta Hall
Trade Deadline
Trade #2: Forbes to Orlando
Magic get: Bryn Forbes
Bucks get: Khem Birch, 2021 2nd round pick
I didn’t need Forbes and Connaughton. I decided to keep Connaughton because Forbes is shooting an underwhelming 34% from three. In real life he’s shooting like 47%. The Magic didn’t have much shooting guard depth because they traded Evan Fournier for Gordon Hayward (I hate 2K sometimes. That’s such an unrealistic trade. But whatever). Khem Birch will be a nice third center off the bench for me. He’s been pretty good in real life this season.
After the trade deadline, here’s the rotation I’ll be using for the rest of the season (unless an injury happens).
Bench: Bobby Portis, Kris Dunn, Pat Connaughton, Rondae H-J, Khem Birch, Torrey Craig
All-Star Break
The Milwaukee Bucks are currently 40-16. Giannis and Middleton were All-Stars. We’re number one in the power rankings. Jaylen Adams is shooting on 40/50/90 splits (I wonder if that has ever happened before). D.J. Wilson got picked up by the Clippers. Life is good.
Second Half of the Season/NBA Awards
The Bucks finished 59-24, earning the one seed. (Somehow, the Nets are only the four seed. Ok 2K. Now I might have to play them in the second round, unless Cleveland pulls the upset.) Budenholzer won coach of the year, and I won executive of the year. Giannis made All-NBA first and All-Defensive first. Jrue Holiday made All-Defensive second. Here are the guy’s final numbers:
G. Antetokounmpo: 24 PPG/13 RPG/6 APG
K. Middleton: 21/4/5, 50/40/90 shooting
J. Holiday: 15/4/6
D. Divincenzo: 11/5/2
B. Portis Jr: 11/6/1
B. Lopez: 10/4/1, 2 BPG
J. Nwora: 10/3/1
S. Merrill: 9/1/1
T. Antetokounmpo: 7/1/1
R. Hollis-Jefferson: 6/3/1
K. Dunn: 6/3/3
J. Adams: 5/2/4 (That’s actually pretty good for a 67 overall two-way contract player)
P. Connaughton: 5/3/2
T. Craig: 3/1/1
K. Birch: 2/4/1
D. Hall: 2/2/1
M. Diatke: 2/3/1
I’m super impressed with how the rookies played. Nwora and Merrill both put up great scoring numbers. Diatke also showed what he can do in limited minutes. I’m happy with the play of our other bench guys as well. (How in the world did Thanasis average 7 PPG? I’m not complaining though.)
2021 Playoffs
We beat the Magic 4-1 in the first round. Then we lost to the Nets in 7 games. Somehow, the Grizzlies won the championship, beating the Hawks in 7 games. I will pay every person who likes this article $100 if that is the real life Finals matchup. But whatever. The 2021 free agent class is good, and we’ll be able to improve.
2021 Offseason
I own the 29th pick, but I’m trading it for sure.
Just kidding! Stepein rule. I’m not allowed to trade it.
Draft Pick: Marcus Bagley
With the 29th pick in the 2021 draft, the Milwaukee Bucks select power forward Marcus Bagley from Arizona State university. He’s Marvin Bagley’s brother. I’ll take it, maybe he’ll be decent.
Team/Player Options
Jrue Holiday accepted his player option, which is good. Bobby Portis declined, which is bad. Kris Dunn accepted. I might trade him, because his option is worth five million dollars. We’ll see. I’m picking up the team options on Nwora and Merrill.
Trade #3: Brook Lopez to Miami
Heat get: Brook Lopez
Bucks get: Jae Crowder, 2024 2nd round pick
I’m not sure how Jae Crowder ended up back with the Heat. But that’s ok, cause now he’s with me. Bam Adebayo was the only center on the Heat, and Brook Lopez will provide them good depth at the bench. Jae Crowder is a great 3&D wing who has Finals experience.
Signing: Richuan Holmes
Richuan is a great center. He can score in the paint, defend the paint, and rebound at high levels. If I’m able to get Bobby Portis back, they will be a great center tandem. I gave Richuan a 3 year, 19 million dollar deal.
Resigning: Jaylen Adams
Although his 2K overall is really low, I was impressed with how he played last season (when he got the chance to play). I gave him a two year minimum deal with a player option on the second season. He probably won’t play a ton this year, but he earned himself another contract.
Resigning: Bobby Portis Jr.
I really like how Bobby Portis has been playing this season in real life. He brings great energy, and his floor-stretching ability is very useful. I’m glad I was able to bring him back. Bobby got a 2 year, 10 million dollar deal.
Signing: Jarred Vanderbilt
Jarred is a young four who brings great energy. He can rebound well. By giving him a 3 year, 8 million dollar deal, I’m hoping he’ll be able to develop even more. He’s been good for the Timberwolves in real life this season, and he’ll be good for me on the Bucks.
Signing: Ian Mahinmi
I thought this man would retire, but I guess not. He’s 34, with his best days behind him, but I needed a guy who plays tough post defense and rebounds. Mahinmi does that, and he’ll be a good veteran for our team. I gave him a one year minimum deal.
Signing: Jordan Bone
I’m bringing Jordan in on a two-way contract. At age 23, he has some room to grow. I’m hoping he’ll be the next Jaylen Adams for my squad.
Signing: Paul Watson
Paul Watson is my other two-way guy. I know Raptors fans like him (I’m aware of a Paul Watson fan page followed by the man himself) because he’s a hard worker. He can shoot and defend, and if he gets an opportunity to play good minutes for me, I don’t think he’ll disappoint.
Training Camp
2K does have a training camp feature, where you have up to three (I have two) camps you can use to improve a player’s stats. I’m sending Giannis to shooting camp (improving his mid range and his three), and Jarred Vanderbilt to untapped potential (increasing his potential, meaning he could be even better for me in a few years. I like what he can bring).
Beginning of 2021-22 Season
So this is where part one of my tenure as the Bucks GM ends. I would include season two in this article, but then it would get really long. Let’s take a look at the roster going into season two:
PG: Jrue Holiday, Kris Dunn, Jaylen Adams, Jordan Bone
SG: Donte Divincenzo, Pat Connaughton, Sam Merrill, Paul Watson
SF: Khris Middleton, Jae Crowder, Jordan Nwora
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jarred Vanderbilt, Marcus Bagley
C: Richuan Holmes, Bobby Portis Jr, Ian Mahinmi
I like this roster, especially on defense. Almost every player on this roster is at least a solid defender (Nwora, Merrill, Adams are exceptions, but whatever). This team is also full of shooting. I’m super excited for season two. See y’all next time!
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The Bench Mob Blog 
