2017 Juicy Basketballs League Season Preview (Part 3)

MAMA Said Knock You Out (Rich Mamaradlo)

Can Chris Paul lead a team to the finals?

2016 Fantasy Total: 13,065 (9th)

2016 Regular Season: 9-7 (T-4th)

2016 Playoffs: First Round

Extended Contracts: Klay Thompson (3yrs, $34)

Expiring Contracts: Gordon Hayward (FA, $40), Aaron Afflalo (FA, $4)

Intriguing Players: Al Horford (2yrs, $40), Stanley Johnson (1yr, $10), Zach LaVine (1yr, $1), Chris Paul (1yr, $78), Jared Sullinger (2yrs, $8), Jaylen Brown (2yrs, $10), Jamaal Murray (2yrs, $10)

NBA Comparison: Toronto Raptors

The Raptors made franchise history last year by making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time ever. That may come as a surprise considering the franchise once had Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady near their primes at the same time. All this goes to show how much the DeRozan-Lowry era has accomplished. The franchise has made so much ground lately that their GM, Masai Ujiri got a large contract extension this off-season. 

The east is still run by Lebron and the Cavs but Toronto remains their top contender in an ever-strengthening Eastern Conference. Toronto was able to take Cleveland to six games last year but it is the longevity of the Raptors that make them so compelling. Lowry and Carroll are the eldest at 30 while their teammates are still hitting their primes. LeBron's most dominate years are likely behind him but the Raptors are trending up. A currently good squad with promise to get better is just about all anyone can hope for from their franchise.

In the Juicy Basketball League, there is a lot to like about the squad that Rich has assembled. Stanley Johnson is expected to take a step forward and may even overtake the starting small forward position in Detroit. Zach LaVine has become a NBA starter on what many believe to be a playoff contender. Klay Thompson is, at the very least, a premium shooting guard on one of the best contracts around. Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, and Chris Paul are all top-tier fantasy contributors for their positions. MAMA Said Knock You Out has a great blend of value, youth, and elite talent. All the money has been spent efficiently giving plenty of opportunity for further growth.

This off-season, Rich could go a lot of different ways with his team. I am interested to see how he handles Hayward's extension. Keeping Chris Paul at such a large price may be just as difficult a decision to make. These are the choices that define a franchise.

Maybe Rich decides to run it back with what he's got. There would still be enough money to gather more quality guys in the auction draft if he did. Maybe he decides to let the expensive guys go and build around all his value players and his exciting new rookies. Either way, this team is sure to perform and I expect to see Rich MAMA in the playoffs once again. This team should put out over 825 fantasy points per week this coming fantasy season.

Is Derrick Favors about to hit his prime?

Por Favors (Nathaniel Coromelas)

2016 Fantasy Total: 14,399 (5th)

2016 Regular Season: 9-7 (T-4th)

2016 Playoffs: Second Round

Extended Contracts: Derrick Favors (3yrs, $25)

Expiring Contracts: Isaiah Thomas (FA, $7), Aaron Gordon (R, $10), Dante Exum (R, $10)

Intriguing Players: Draymond Green (1yr, $1), Kyrie Irving (2yrs, $60), Kristaps Porzingis (1yr, $10), Carmelo Anthony (2yrs, $69), Rudy Gobert (1yr, $12)

NBA Comparison: Boston Celtics

Boston's first world problem right now seems to be that they have more good pieces than they know what to do with. They have been hoarding assets as much as possible and now have enough quality role players to start a second D-league team. The unfortunate issue is that even with all this apparent value, they are missing that next-level superstar to elevate the team to contend with the league's best. Horford certainly helps in that regard but he and Isaiah Thomas still feel like good second and third options for Boston's next great Big Three. The Celtics have assembled all they can but are still missing that final puzzle piece, a franchise player.

One of the most commons trades that occur in both fantasy sports and the NBA is when one great player is given up for several quality assets. Like exchanging a dollar for four quarters, the former provides consolidated value while the latter gives increased flexibility. Two example from the NBA are when Pau Gasol went from Memphis to the Lakers for Marc Gasol and the cap space to sign Zach Randolph and when the Nuggets got the Knicks' starting lineup for Carmelo Anthony. Often, these types of trades can be mutually beneficial depending of the needs or directions of the teams involved. 

 

The Celtics have put themselves in prime position to receive a superstar in a similar kind of trade. Had this Boston team existed when OKC traded James Harden, they could have offered much more than the Rockets gave up. Instead, the Celtic must continue to wait patiently until a star becomes available.

Much like the Celtics, Por Favors is a team that has plenty of quarters and Nathaniel is simply waiting for his chance to land a few more bills. If that happens, I see Por Favors blossoming into an electric title contender. And with only Derrick Favors on the extended books, Nate Dogg has the flexibility to mold his team around any good move that presents itself.

Gordon and Porzingis are two very intriguing young players with All-Star potential. Irving and Carmelo are both top fantasy contributors. The ever-mysterious Dante Exum still has upside on a value contract. Meanwhile, Favors, Green, and Gorbert are all of the above. 

All of this leads me to believe that even if no exciting roster changes are made, Por Favors should be expected to take a step forward from last season. Much like the Celtics, Por Favors is prime to contend with out without a move.

Nathaniel has done a great job of developing this team in a truly healthy way. He has done this by collecting several value contracts. It will be exciting to see what he has in store this upcoming season.

Last year was Nathaniel's first trip to the second round, I suspect that was only the beginning. This campaign, I expect 900+ fantasy points per week during the regular season and another playoff berth.

Blow Me (Tyler Lopez)

How many stars does a true contender need?

2016 Fantasy Total: 12,274 (11th)

2016 Regular Season: 3-13 (12th)

2016 Playoffs: None

Extended Contracts: Blake Griffin (3yrs, $74), Kawhi Leonard (3yrs, $29)

Expiring Contracts: Bradley Beal (FA, $1), DeAndre Jordan (FA, $5), Marc Gasol (FA, $56)

Intriguing Players: Marcus Morris (2yrs, $2), Jeremy Lin (2yrs, $15), Chris Bosh (2yrs, $39), Ben Simmons (2yrs, $10), Eric Gordon (2yrs, $0)

NBA Comparison: Los Angeles Clippers

For the last few years the Clippers have been elite contenders in the Western Conference. The product of basketball that they put on the floor is top of the line. They sport the best pure point guard, the best rim protector, and one of the top offensive big men in the league. This core is only highlighted with veteran depth and an experienced coach. Unfortunately, their promising season was dashed by a slew of injuries.

  

With the Thunder presumably out of their way, the Clippers are one of the top contenders to Golden State's western throne. We are about to have a long season ahead of us. A lot of things can happen but one thing is certain, Chris Paul and the Clippers can only be fueled by Durant's move to Oakland.

If last June has taught us anything it is that the unexpected can happen even on the NBA's biggest stage. 

That truth is only magnified in fantasy sports.

The team delightfully known as Blow Me went through the worst year of injury luck any team has ever suffered in this league. Chris Bosh, Marc Gasol, and Blake Griffin missed a combined 106 games causing Brett Hoxie's team to lose about 160 fantasy points per week. 

That's the difference between ending up eleventh and third in fantasy production for the year. It is safe to say that those injuries cost Brett about seven wins last year.

Clearly, this squad is far better than what last year's record shows. The franchise had been in decent shape for the past few years and Michael drafted really well for the team last auction draft. 

Brett inherited a good team and made strong decisions all seasons. The unfortunate truth is sometimes you just get unlucky.

Oddly enough, all of Brett's misfortune developed into Tyler's fortune when Blow Me landed the top overall pick in this year's rookie draft.

I am confident that Ben Simmons will be a fantasy difference maker. Getting a top tier rookie like him is one of the best ways to kick a fantasy team into a higher gear. Tyler's situation gives me flashbacks to how the Spurs got to draft Tim Duncan the one year that David Robinson happened to miss a lot of games the prior season. The Spurs followed that with a twenty year dynasty of winning.

With quality superstars like Griffin, Leonard, and the newly arrived DeAndre Jordan, Tyler already had everything he needed to contend for a playoff spot. With Simmons and an excess of cap room, he could win multiple playoff games this year.

Tyler is a proven owner and I expect him to bring a stability to this team that the franchise has always been missing. He is a good craftsmen with good tools at his disposal. At the very least, I expect team Blow Me to post around 900 points a week in the regular season and follow that with a playoff win.

2017 Juicy Basketballs League Season Preview (Part 2)

Rim Jobs (Jonathan Montgomery)

How bright is the future in Lakerland?

2016 Fantasy Total: 10,998 (12th)

2016 Regular Season: 4-12 (11th)

2016 Playoffs: None

Extended Contracts: Kemba Walker (2yrs, $29), Kevin Love (1yr, $73)

Expiring Contracts: Elfrid Payton (R, $10)

Intriguing Players: Victor Oladipo (2yrs, $25), D'Angelo Russell (1yr, $10), Derrick Rose (2yrs, $20), Brandon Ingram (2yrs, $10), Kris Dunn (2yrs, $10)

NBA Comparison: Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia has been rebuilding for some time now and it looks like this is the year where things will finally start to change. Expectations should be higher but how high is still somewhat of a mystery.

They've collected nice, young talent for the last few years. Covington, Noel and Okafor have proven to be good NBA players. Despite that, it is their newest addition, Simmons, who seems to be their franchise player. If he is what they expect him to be, they can finally start to move forward.

Philly will most likely miss the playoffs this year but their fan base is going to want to see an uptick in the wins column for years to come. The playoffs should be a fair goal within the next few seasons.

Oddly enough, their biggest issue now seems to be that they have a lot of redundant talent. Embiid, Noel and Okafor all play center primarily and Simmons' favorite position is only one spot down at the power forward. This put the Sixers in a position where they can no longer turtle up with lottery picks. They must now be proactive and creative.

The franchise that Monty has inherited has preformed the worst in our league's history thus far. Across the four completed seasons, this team has averaged over 12 losses a year and has never made the playoffs. 

Fortunately, through the turmoil, nice assets have been collected. Payton can be expected to be a starter for the next few years. Russell is in the running to be the face of the Lakers franchise. Walker and Oladipo are legitimate studs and have two of the best value contracts in the JBL. With the recent addition of rookies Brandon Ingram and Kris Dunn, each dancing with starters minutes right off the bat, Monty might have the most intriguing collection out of all of us.

It has been a long, bumpy road but after four seasons of rebuilding, it looks like the flowers are starting to bloom for team Rim Jobs.

Monty is a smart guy and has shown that he can put together a contender quickly. On top of that, his new team has assets out the wazoo. When good poker players get good hands, good things usually happen.

Much like the Sixers, I think this is the year that the franchise starts trending up. Monty just has to figure out how to fix his similar issue of having too many studs at the same position. Only for him, it will be point guards that he will be dealing with.

Ultimately, it all depends on what strategy Monty decides to implement but at the very least I expect this team to be respectable and growing in the right direction. I'm very interested to see how it all shakes out. Regardless, with the most cap space in the league this team has the most boom potential. I expect at least 800 fantasy points per week this coming season.

Is DeRozan a superstar?

Make It Nashty (Danny Leong)

2016 Fantasy Total: 13,917 (6th)

2016 Regular Season: 7-9 (8th)

2016 Playoffs: First Round

Extended Contracts: DeMar DeRozan (2yrs, $19), Eric Bledsoe (2yrs, $24)

Expiring Contracts: Deron Williams (FA, $41), Reggie Jackson (FA, $1), Jordan Hill (FA, $1), Dwight Howard (FA, $63)

Intriguing Players: Rajon Rondo (2yrs, $8), Robert Covington (1yr, $0), Al-Farouq Aminu (2yrs, $3), Taureen Prince (2yrs, $0)

NBA Comparison: Portland Trailblazers

The Blazers surprised a lot of people last season. Just a year ago, they lost three starters in LeMarcus Alderige, Wesley Matthews, and Nicolas Batum. The team truly became Damien Lillard's and, with the help of the emergence of a few teammates, the team excelled. Portland finished 5^th in the the tougher conference and even won a playoff series. Plumlee, Aminu, and Crabbe stepped up, McCollum erupted, and Lillard cemented himself as a top tier NBA player. 

Despite all this, Portland still remains a unpopular free agent destination. Putting the Trailblazers in the position of paying more for a baller would who have played for less elsewhere. Unfortunate as they may be, I believe the Blazers improved once again this off-season. Guys like Evan Turner and Festus Ezeli may be overpaid in the eyes of many but it cannot be denied that they are improvements on the roster. Because of all this, Portland will once again be the wild card of the western conference.
 

In the four seasons of the Juicy Basketball dynasty league, Danny's franchise has never missed the playoffs. Danny took on this team just two years ago and already has a playoff win. Looking at the roster, it is easy to see why. There are a lot of valuable contracts here, two of the most valuable being the extended contracts. 

Since extended contracts are the most important contracts, Danny has one of the healthiest salary distributions of us all.
 

Despite his injury concerns, I like Eric Bledsoe at 2 years for $24. It's a short and sweet contract for an elite player that should just about cover his prime. Even more though, I love the deal with DeMar DeRozan. I have a weakness for elite wing players. Much like with running backs in fantasy football, because it is the scarcest position, it is the most valuable to lock down. Because we have $300 to spend on 15 player, we can spend $20 on an average rosterable player. Last year, DeRozan was the second highest scoring shooting guard, behind only James Harden. A guy like that for $19 is an absolute steal.
  

Despite how bad Chicago may be, Rondo should continue to put up good fantasy stats. Robert Covington remains a starter with an new, elite distributor playing next to him. And Dwight Howard has the potential to have his best year since his days in Orlando. 

Much like the Blazers, Danny seems to be attracted to those guys that everybody else is sleeping on. So far, it has paid dividend to him as it has in Portland. This team has a strong enough core to fight for the playoffs once again and put up north of 800 fantasy points per week.

Balls to the Wall (Brett Lakey)

Can John Wall be the best player on a championship team?

2016 Fantasy Total: 13,721 (7th)

2016 Regular Season: 9-7 (T-4th)

2016 Playoffs: First Round

Extended Contracts: Kyle Lowry (3yrs, $42), John Wall (2yrs, $40), Kenneth Faried (1yr, $19), Serge Ibaka (1yr, $63)

Expiring Contracts: Nicolas Batum (E, $16), Doug McDermott (R, $10)

Intriguing Players: Otto Porter Jr. (2yrs, $16), LaMarcus Aldridge (2yrs, $64), Robin Lopez (1yr, $5), Michael Carter-Williams (2yrs, $16), Darren Collison (2yrs, $3), Nikola Mirotic (1yr, $11)

NBA Comparison: Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks continue to be one of the most compelling teams in the Eastern Conference. LeBron James has made 6 straight finals appearances and he is favored to make that 7 this year. Since the days of Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, Atlanta has been in the discussion as possible team to dethrone James. With the signing of Dwight Howard and the emergence of Dennis Schroder, I believe Atlanta has never had a better chance of reaching the finals. 

There is a lot to dislike about Dwight Howard but his return to the east has really been understated. In his last two years in Orlando, he went to the Eastern Conference Finals or further. Even if his talent has dropped off some since, Atlanta is probably the best team he has ever played for. 

Millsap continues to be the most underrated post player in the league. Schroder has eventual All-Star potential. And most importantly, the Hawks have been one of the most well-run front offices around. They should only continue to get better as time goes on.
 

Brett took over this team just last year and has immediately taken Balls to the Wall in a strong direction. In his first year, he finished 3 spots higher than the franchise had ever finished before. This newfound prosperity should continue since Brett's extended contracts are all elite players on reasonable contracts. 

The best thing a fantasy owner can hope for is a small collection of all-stars and Brett has gathered his while maintaining enough cap space to surround them with a strong supporting cast. Otto Porter Jr. is on a value contract. Mirotic is a lock to start in Chicago. Aldridge is a top tier post player. 

There is a lot to like here. Just like the Hawks, Brett has established himself as a contender to fight at that next level. I would not be surprised if he gets his first playoff win this season.

Atlanta has been making some daring moves and they have been paying off. Similarly, I have seen Brett's willingness to strike when he knows a good move can be made. I expect him to continue that this coming season. If the opportunity is there, I believe Brett will find a way to add another all-star to his collection. 

If that happens, I can see Balls to the Wall elevating beyond that plateau and becoming a true finals contender. Either way, I expect this team to put up no less than 850 fantasy points per week.

2017 Juicy Basketballs League Season Preview (Part 1)

Who will be top fantasy dog this year?

I feel like our league has sure gotten interesting. Before we go any further, here is a quick look at what each team did in the regular season last year:

How much will this change next year?

The NBA was founded in 1946 and was initially known as the BAA. It didn't really resemble what we know as the NBA today until after its merger with the ABA in 1977 which bumped the league to 22 teams. Many consider that to be the beginning of the “modern NBA” (Though the 3 point line didn't even show up for another two years). So for the first 30 years or so, the NBA was kinda weird. 

I think it all counts of course but its impossible to ignore how different things were back then. Things on the court have changed but, even more, the business side has grown a great deal.  The ways players are drafted, traded and signed have evolved to form a fun game that we like to play.

I love comparing our league to the NBA because I think that was always the ultimate goal of fantasy sports. We all want the experience of running an NBA franchise. And like the NBA, our league has gone through some weird beginnings.

Looking back on the past 4 years, it is noticeable in how we played the game. In our first season, almost everyone was trying to win that very year. Nobody wanted to trade for a guy that produced significantly less fantasy points just because of their “potential”. We saw first round picks flying around like crazy. Eric Gordon got picked up for over $100 dollars. Every franchise was in win-now mode.

That was just naturally going to happen in the inaugural season. The 50s NBA didn't have teams intentionally tanking like we see today. 

The rules changed and the intentions of the franchises changed so the way to play the game was changed.

Here are some things at play for the JBL this year that are brand new:

Extended Contracts. We have a lot of these floating around now. Since they cannot be dropped without penalty, they define the teams that hold them.

Restricted Free Agency. Our first RFA was last year and it was a weak draft. I feel like that was almost a practice round of what the real RFA will be like.

Talent Disparity. We have some strong teams at the top like never before and that makes it difficult for the rest of the league to keep up in the conventional sense. Owners will have to be creative in their strategies, spawning more ways to play this game we all love.

For these reasons, I have a feeling that 2017 will be for the JBL what 1977 was for the NBA: the dawning of the modern era.

So with the modern era upon us, I figured we could use a season preview. Here are my thought on each team in our league, which NBA franchise matches their narrative, and why I think so. This is week one of a four part series, enjoy!

–

TimAin't Duncan (Nick Coromelas)

Can Noel be a franchise player?

2016 Fantasy Total: 12,285 (10th)

2016 Regular Season: 5-11 (T-9th)

2016 Playoffs: None

Extended Contracts: Jrue Holiday (1yr, $29), Chandler Parsons (3yrs, $29), Luol Deng (1yr, $27), Nikola Vucevic (3yrs, $28)

Expiring Contracts: Nerlens Noel (FA, $22)

Intriguing Players: Marcus Smart (2yrs, $11), Brandon Knight (1yr, $42), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (1yr, $7)

NBA Comparison: Phoenix Suns

The Suns have been in a weird spot ever since they traded away Steve Nash. In the four seasons since doing so, they have averaged 36 wins a year. That sounds bad but there has actually been some highlights. Just two years ago, Phoenix surprised everyone by winning 48 games and contending for a playoff spot. That was the year where they decided to play two point guards and surround them with shooters, something that has become somewhat of a fad in the NBA as of late. It was also the year their coach finished second for COTY. It is uncommon for a team that is supposed to be rebuilding to accomplishes so much.

Now, Phoenix seems to be in a tough spot of deciding which direction to go. On one hand, they still have guys like Bledsoe, Knight, and Chandler who are ready to help a team now; on the other hand, they have guys like Booker and Len who have shown promise but probably will not be their best for a few more years. 

 

I suspect that this will be the year where the Suns fully embrace the rebuild and go with their young guys. Knight will probably be shipped off. Bledsoe may be traded as well. Meanwhile, they will likely try to cultivate their younger core. 

 

Because of this, Phoenix has been a team that has had my attention for some time now. Clearly this is a franchise that wants to succeed. Unfortunately, it seems like their best option may be to get worse before they get better. Personally, I'm pretty excited to see what these baby Suns have got. They have a lot of exciting talent and I they are headed in the right direction.

In the JBL, Andrew Baron-Vartian liked to trade away his first rounders. The only first rounder he ever used was in 2013 when he picked Trey Burke at #4 and subsequently traded him away for J.R. Smith that same summer. Clearly, Nick inherited a team where future-minded assets were not emphasized. There is nothing wrong with that but it has made it all the harder for Nick to cultivate his own rebuild.

Being a new owner is extremely difficult. Rich had a tough first season as well before coming on as contender over the last couple years. It takes time for the team to become your own.

Therefore, I expect this season to be the season where Nick takes a few large steps in the right direction as the team starts to become his. He has a lot of cap space, he has young players on good contracts, and he finally has some draft picks to work with as well. Maybe his record won't be picture perfect but I do think there is a lot to be optimistic about here. 

 

Nick's extended contracts are all short and small. I see them as all being highly tradeable or keepable. That offers Nick more flexibility than most. Meanwhile, guys like Noel, Smart, and Caldwell-Pope are still emerging and may still have their best years ahead of them. It it always nice to have guys like that.

 

Chris proved that it can take as little as one season to rebuild any team into a contender (In 2014, he finished with a record of 3-13. In the two years since, he has won 27 regular season games). I believe Nick is in a prime position to make some proactive moves, making him one of the most dangerous teams in the league this year. Progress will be made, I predict this team will average 750 fantasy points per week.

All-NBA 5^th Team (Matt Wong)

How much is LeBron worth?

2016 Fantasy Total: 13,315 (8th)

2016 Regular Season: 5-11 (T-9th)

2016 Playoffs: None

Extended Contracts: None

Expiring Contracts: Trevor Ariza (FA, $1)

Intriguing Players: Dennis Schroder (2yrs, $1), Ryan Anderson (2yrs, $11), Hassan Whiteside (2yrs, $46), LeBron James (2yrs, $99), Dwayne Wade (2yrs, $20)

NBA Comparison: New York Knicks

The Knicks have always been crapped on for making bad moves but I like what they have done this off-season. I think they have a shot at making the playoffs next year and I think that's all the fan-base really wants anymore. Deep down, the smart thing for the Knicks to do would probably be to trade Carmelo to a team like Boston and start fresh with Porzingis and the nice pieces they got for Melo. But that would never happen because Carmelo likes playing for New York and New York is ultimately happy to have him (even if he couldn't single-handedly will them to the level of success everyone might have hoped for).

I believe Matt is facing a similar decision that the Knicks recently had to make: build around the current core or do a soft reboot. I believe Matt has the most intriguing keeper decisions to make this fall because I can see a strong argument for two opposite directions. He could use his excess cap space to pick up a star or two to support LeBron or he could let LeBron's big contract go and focus on building around the likes of Schroder and Whiteside. 

 

Matt has a unique advantage of having no extended contracts on his books. That gives him the flexibility to go in any direction he pleases. He could drop all his players today and start fresh this Auction Draft if he fancied. 

 

Schroder and Whiteside are on great value contracts. Focusing on them as a core could pay hefty dividends down the road. 

 

But superstars are hard to come by, even in fantasy sports. LeBron James is the biggest superstar of all and this is the smallest contract he has ever been on. Every owner in the league would like to have him on their team. Even with the biggest contract in the league, he still holds value. This will be a big decision for the future of Matt's team with two paths that lead very different directions. Both can lead to success if followed correctly. All I know is that I'm glad I'm not the one deciding. 

 

Predicting this team's production this upcoming season depends on this one stipulation. With LeBron, this team can put up over 825 fantasy points a week. Without LeBron, I expect closer to 775.