Coaching the Pros

[Tim Moungey]

Congratulations on even getting to the Finals. Hopefully the CP3 title here portends good things.

Got to say, I'm surprised to see Bosh blossom like he has.

[Myles Nelson]

Yeah, hopefully this is the only title CP3 wins in any league, ever

Bosh has really come into his own. He vanished in the Finals but hopefully he won't do that again next year!

[bobbyr]

Wow, just wow! I never thought that you could beat the Nets! But you did it.

Congrats on that, fantastic job, carrying the Knicks to the Finals in just your second season and bouncing back from a painful first round sweep.

I was surprised though to see the Hornets of all teams...destroy your team in the Finals. I rated the Nets much higher than the Hornets, I guess their speed killed you, so in DDS it is possible to win with the Mike D'Antoni style it seems

Very interested to see how free agency pans out for you. Maybe you should consider trading Lee for either a great defensive big man like Udoh to complement Bosh, or for a better point guard, because those are clearly the areas you're lacking in my oppinion.

Gallo really developped into some player in your dynasty! Unfortunately he never showed up on a consistent basis for us in real life, especially against the big teams, that' why he was ultimately traded for Melo.

Good luck with the new roster!

[Myles Nelson]

Seriously, when I faced off with the Nets I thought that was it, but we pulled it out. Shame to see us do so poorly against the Hornets, but that's the way the ball rolls sometimes. In my games, the Hornets tend to be a dominant team. The CP3/Collison backcourt is usually just too much for most to handle.

I like having the Bosh/Lee front court, what we should do is trade Wilson Chandler. He's still got value and Walker has emerged as a more than capable 6th man. With Dalembert off the bench now, what we could use is a PG who can play some defense. That would help.

Gallo/Henry have both made strides as a scorer and a defender. I'm pleasantly surprised to see that.

Let's see what Donnie Walsh has planned for us. I'm playing local-mode coach, so I have no say in FA/trades.

[Myles Nelson]

We hold the 24th pick in this year's draft, and I must say its a pretty nice looking class. Atop everyone's draft sheet is 20 year old center Daniel Harris, who averaged 25/14 at Georgetown. Of course, right behind him is standout senior John Brown, the small forward from Duke, who averaged 26 points and 13 rebounds. These guys will likely go 1/2.

We're mocked to take a 6'9" senior SF from Wake Forest, Cliff Elder. He only averaged 12 points and 9 rebounds a game, but he's a good shooter and defender and could be a good role player in time.

NBA Draft
1. SG JB Hawkins to the Atlanta Hawks. He averaged 28/8/9 but he probably shouldn't have gone first.

2. SF John Brown to the Houston Rockets. Solid pick here.

3. C Daniel Harris to the Toronto Raptors. They steal the best big man in the draft here.

4. C Petar Panic to the Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 19/16 out of Serbia.

5. PF Jerome Mast to the Detroit Pistons. This guy averaged 25/16. A lot of good players available in this draft.

6. PG Kevin Reid to the Phoenix Suns. He's 6'4" and more of a combo guard than a point guard, but he was a real reach here according to JP.

7. SF Tang Pangrazio to the Miami Heat.
8. SF Reggie Johnson, Charlotte Bobcats.
9. SG Brian Shyatt, Indiana Pacers.
10. SG Matt Lopez, Washington Wizards.
11. SF Troy Jenkins, San Antonio Spurs.
12. SG Jelani Fingelton, Utah Jazz
13. SG Perry Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
14. C Corey Charles, Golden State
15. SG Ronald Heywood, Philadelphia 76ers
16. SF Tom Dilligard, Milwaukee Bucks
17. PG Brian Driver, Sacramento Kings
18. SG Dustin Duany, Portland Trail Blazers
19. SG John Sharpe, Boston Celtics
20. C Charles Green, Chicago Bulls. He's 7'4"
21. SG T.J. Bryant, Cleveland Cavaliers
22. SF Luke Watson, Detroit Pistons.
23. DJ McDonald, Houston Rockets.

Elder is still available, but who knows who Walsh will pick. Anything but a big man is welcome.

24. Cliff Elder, SF out of Wake Forest

At 6'9", 230, he's on the bigger end of the SF scale. JP thinks it was a bit early for Elder, but Chris thinks Elder was a good pick here. Offensively, Elder is a balanced forward. I'm looking forward to seeing what this kid can do.

25. SG Matt Forbes, LA Clippers.
26. PF Martin Cullen, Denver Nuggets
27. PF Quentin Houston, Orlando Magic
28. SF Jaan Vasiliauskas, New Orleans Hornets.
29. PG Alexander Woods, LA Lakers.
30. PF Joe Robinson, New Jersey Nets.

54. Louvon Milsap, 6'8" PF out of UNLV

A 2nd round flyer pick here, a great choice marked by the experts.

Wow. Some really notable trades and some yawners.

Grizzlies trade: Josh McRoberts
Nets trade: Andre Iguodala
Analysis: AI was fed up being the 4th option in NJ, so he demanded out. Now he plays for the worst team in the league but is the first option.
Winner: Memphis. They gave up nothing for a good wing player.

Timberwolves trade: Ramon Sessions, Ryan Gomes
Hawks trade: Luis Scola
Analysis: Hawks realized they aren't a good team and traded for cap space and two expiring contracts. Scola is some serious talent that could push the Timberwolves closer to contention.
Winner: Timberwolves.

Jazz trade: Carlos Boozer
Pacers trade: Zach Randolph
Analysis: Despite the Pacers getting the talented Randolph, among others, last year, they really fell apart, and a lot of that was due to Randolph's attitude. He's cheaper than Boozer and just as talented, but he brings more baggage.
Winner: Pacers.

Pistons trade: Rip Hamilton
Magic trade: Vince Carter
Analysis: Although Carter is more talented, he's also more inconsistent and more of a ballhog. Hamilton is a steady vet who won't break out for 30, but will get 15-20 every single night.
Winner: Magic.

Elder looks like a defensive forward who can score from mid range and the post, but doesn't have too much range. His best trait is his defense though he isn't all that great. Milsap can only be described as mediocre, at best. He defends well but that's it.

[Myles Nelson]

Donnie Walsh sucks so hard right now. I'm pretty pissed.

I'm going to change up how I do the team free agency. A lot of things changed this year, some players are different. Hopefully this works out better. Let me know in a reply whether or not you like this way better or the old way I did it better.

2012 NBA Team Analysis

(Position Player - Role - Stats (Team last year, if new arrival)

Atlanta
PG Ramon Sessions - 9th man - 6.9 ppg 3.4 apg (MIN via trade)
PG William Parris - 11th man - 3.6 ppg 1.4 apg
SG Kwadjo Holland - PG - 8.8 ppg, 2.4 apg
SG J.B. Hawkins - SG - Rookie, 1st pick
SG Rudy Fernandez - 10th man - 4 ppg (MIN via free agency)
SF Marvin Williams - SF - 8.3 ppg 3.4 rpg
SF Ryan Gomes - 6th man - 4.5 ppg 2.3 rpg (MIN via trade)
SF Donte Greene - 7th man - 8 ppg 2.2 rpg
PF Josh Smith - PF - 15.3 ppg 8.3 rpg 3.9 apg 1.5 spg 2.8 bpg
C Omar Samhan - 8th man - 3.9 ppg 3.6 rpg
C DeSagana Diop - 12th man - 1.1 ppg 1.8 rpg (CHA via trade)
C Adam Butler - C - Rookie, 39th pick

The Hawks signed Fernandez to a two year, 7.7m deal. Given that he's their 10th man, and only scored 4 points a game last year, I'd call it a bad deal.

The Hawks have some youth, but don't have enough talent to win many games. It's tough when their top scorer is Josh Smith, who isn't much of an offensive threat. This team will be at the bottom of the league.

Boston Celtics
PG Rajon Rondo - PG - 15 ppg 9.3 apg 1.8 spg
PG Steve Nash - 6th man - 17.5 ppg 8.2 apg (PHX via free agency)
SG Ray Allen - 10th man - 8.5 ppg
SG Shane Battier - 8th man - 11.7 ppg 3.2 rpg 1 spg 1.2 bpg
SG John Sharpe - SG - Rookie, 19th pick
SF Mike Miller - SF - 15.3 ppg 4.3 rpg 1.1 spg
SF Paul Pierce - 7th man - 11.1 ppg 2.6 rpg 1 spg
SF Lazar Hayward - D-league - 2.4 ppg
SF Sam Johnson - 11th man - 2.8 ppg
PF Cedrick Harrell - 9th man - 4.2 ppg 3.7 rpg
PF Kevin Garnett - 14.2 ppg 6.7 rpg
PF Bill DeWolfe - D-league - 1.3 ppg
C Peter Thomas - 12th man - Rookie, 53rd pick
C Kendrick Perkins - C - 10.2 ppg 8.7 rpg

The Celtics got Nash on a 1 year mid-level deal, which is a steal for a player of his caliber.

Although they are incredibly old, with 6 key players over 30, this team has got a lot of talent. Especially with the signing of key veteran Nash, this team will do great things this year. This might be their best chance and last year, however.

Charlotte Bobcats
PG Raymond Felton - PG - 14.7 ppg 5.0 apg
PG John Welch - SG - 8 ppg 2.3 apg
SG Landry Fields - 9th man - 2.3 ppg
SF Reggie Johnson - 6th man - Rookie, 8th pick
SF Gerald Wallace - SF - 16.8 ppg 6.8 rpg 1.5 spg 1.1 bpg
SF Al Thornton - 7th man - 8.7 ppg 3.7 rpg (WAS via free agency)
PF Patrick Patterson - PF - 12.6 ppg 6 rpg 1.2 bpg
PF JJ Hickson - 8th man - 3.2 ppg 2.1 rpg (CLE via free agency)
C Zaza Pachula - Inactive - (ATL via trade)
C Alvin Petty - 10th man - Rookie, 36th pick
C Charles Hill - 11th man - 2.2 ppg 3.0 rpg
C Brook Lopez - C - 16.4 ppg 11.6 rpg 2.0 bpg (NJ via free agency)

Although they signed Lopez to a great deal and got themselves a dominant center, they signed Thornton to a terrible deal and overpaid for Hickson too (6M a year for Thornton, 4.5M a year for Hickson).

The Bobcats did address their gaping hole in the post but didn't get any SG help. This is a team that has a lot of middling role players who will not push this team to win games. A mediocre team with some talent, they could sneak into the playoffs.

Before I do the rest of the league, I want to see how you guys like this set up.

[bobbyr]

I like this setup, but it's also incredibly time consuming for you I would guess?

I think the old setup provided as much quality info as this one, beeing less time consuming?!

I like both versions and I'm a huge fan of your dynasty anyway, so use whatever setup you like better

[Myles Nelson]

Alright, I'm going to try this cause I think it'll be just as good.

Chicago Bulls
Key Players: Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose, Jason Terry, Luol Deng, Omer Asik, Mehmet Okur, Taj Gibson
New Additions: Jason Terry, Mehmet Okur

Picking up offensive weapons Terry and Okur makes this team deeper and better, but they are quite an old team now and Okur's deal doesn't make much sense in the long run. The Bulls may be good enough to contend this year or next, but after that their window is closed.

Cleveland Cavaliers
Key Players: Mo Williams, TJ Bryant, LeBron James, Antawn Jamison, Nikola Pekovic, Al Harrington
New Additions: TJ Bryant, Nikola Pekovic

The key addition here is big man Pekovic, who gives the Cavs a true center finally, one who can score at ease, pull down boards, and be big on defense. Bryant was the 21st pick this draft and is pretty average everywhere, but Delonte West is ready to reclaim his starting job if Bryant should falter.

Detroit Pistons
Key Players: Marc Gasol, Vince Carter, Trevor Ariza, Ashley Okelley, Courtney Lee, Jerome Mast, Michael Claxton
New Additions: Courtney Lee, Vince Carter, Trevor Ariza, Jerome Mast

This is a completely retooled team that could be very dangerous. With Gasol, Carter and Ariza they have some explosive scorers, and great defense behind Lee and Ariza. This season will depend on the development and play of youngsters Okelley, Claxton and Mast.

Indiana Pacers
Key Players: Danny Granger, Carlos Boozer, Marshall Yarbrough, Roy Hibbert, Brian Shyatt, Greg Monroe, Kyle Lowry
New Additions: Carlos Boozer, Brian Shyatt

Boozer was acquired in the trade for Zach Randolph this offseason, and he could help the Pacers turn around their team. If the Pacers keep Yarbrough this year, and if Shyatt develops as a point guard, this could be a dangerous team. A lot of question marks though.

Miami Heat
Key Players: Nene Hilario, Jermaine O'Neal, Ed Davis, J.R. Smith, Trey Bains, Tang Pangrazio
New Additions: Tang Pangrazio, Nene

Nene was signed on a big contract this offseason and his defense alone might make this worth it. Nene is a premier defender, something this team sorely lacks. Bains came along really nice last year, Pangrazio is promising, but this team has no offensive firepower and no legitimate stars.

Milwaukee Bucks
Key Players: Arron Afflalo, Corey Maggette, Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings, David West, Jason Richardson
Additions: Arron Afflalo

Afflalo was a steal for this team, they got him at 2 years for 13M total. He's averaging 20 points a game on 51% shooting, 47% from downtown. The Bucks have assembled quite a team here, but their lack of defense may be their undoing.

New Jersey Nets
Key Players: Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan, Devin Harris, Drew Gooden, Peja Stojakovic
New Additions: Tim Duncan, Peja Stojakovic

Maybe what should be added for this team is key losses. They lost Andre Iguodala, Brook Lopez, and Courtney Lee, and that will cripple this team. In their place are Peja, Tim Duncan, and Terrence Williams. Two very old players who are losing a step every year and a young, unproven player who hardly averaged 9 minutes a game last year. This team will take a HUGE step back.

Orlando Magic
Key Players: Dwight Howard, Stephen Jackson, Richard Hamilton, Jameer Nelson, Boris Diaw, Rashard Lewis, Damion James
New Additions: Rip Hamilton, Boris Diaw, Quentin Richardson

Built around the formidable Howard/Jackson combo, this team boasts the best center in the NBA and a strong supporting cast. Orlando will continue to contend, and with this tema they could go all the way.

Philadelphia 76ers
Key Players: Evan Turner, Louis Williams, Joe Merfeld, Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes, Jrue Holiday, Channing Frye
New Additions: Channing Frye

This is a very young team with a promising future. Holiday has the potential to be a legit PG and Turner and Merfeld are each capable of becoming superstars one day. That day just isn't today, and this team's time isn't right now

Toronto Raptors
Key Players: Jarrett Jack, Jose Calderon, Lloyd McBride, Hedo Turkoglu, Lamar Odom, Daniel Harris, Andrea Bargnani
New Additions: Daniel Harris

Harris is the kind of dominant big man that can turn a franchise around. With McBride, Bargnani, and Babbitt, this team has a good core and a promising future. Expect a lot of L's this season though.

Washington Wizards
Key Players: John Wall, Gilbert Arenas, Andray Blatche, Josh Childress, Parker Callier
New Additions: Matt Lopez

The Wizards have one of the best backcourts in all of the NBA, but that's about it in terms of talent. They have some young players with Lopez and Callier, but neither are proven and have a long way to go in order to be contributing players for a good team.

[Myles Nelson]

I said it’s time to use that imagery
Write your poem skillfully
Make it memorable and your poem might live in infamy
Then people start giving you presents like under Christmas tree
You be so artistic you could up and move to Italy
Money coming in, where you living at?
People stop and stare when they see you, act like your welcome mat
Bringing you magazines and papers, signing this and that
Watch as imagery in poems do this, your life will not go flat
Just follow all of these poetic rules, you will never fall flat
Stay ready with images as if you’re always at-bat
Good language is too important if this poem’s looked at
Don’t do these and someone will get mad and start a combat
No, don't do it, please don't do it, revealing your secrets
Is the worst you could do to it
Keep your poems obscure, You don’t have to say it
Keep us guessing, Really please don’t say it
That's just something you know

You know, you know, you know
You know, you know, you know
You know, you know, you know
Yeah you know yeah
That the fame is not the prize
Poems on your mind
The reward isn’t something you can find
It’s those secrets you know
You know, you know, you know,

Example, Imagine yourself living on an island, palm trees all the time.
Then a hurricane comes, all so empty
Now you asking Why, and it’s on your mind
What’s the point of that poem, well just maybe
It’s about those tragedies that are so true
Life arbitrary and bigger than you
Now this about a world that is all blue
It suddenly expands it’s still blue but still you can’t deny the fact that it grew

It’s like this big gigantic universe
Just cause its bigger didn’t change aint better aint no worse
But people want to figure it out and put it in a hearse
Those scientists are always frantic and sounding so terse
But my readers will never know that
These secrets stay in my mind cause poets got it like that
You don’t do that and you will never ever have it like that
Read me I’d never say it, it’s just something that only I know

I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know
Yeah I know yeah
That the fame is not the prize
Poems on your mind
The reward isn’t something you can find
It’s those secrets I know
I know, I know, I know,
Poems can be interpreted all you want, it stays in my mind.
Maybe you can figure it out in your own time.
I know

[Tim Moungey]

Great pickup by Walsh, selecting a Runnin' Rebel in the 2nd round.