Xist2inspire, GM of the Washington Wizards
thesyndicate, GM of the Denver Nuggets
NickMalone77, GM of the New Orleans Pelicans
Wignosy, GM of the Atlanta Hawks and soon-to-be-former commissioner of SLOE
false9, GM of the Orlando Magic
Let's jump right in!
1. The regular season has come and gone. Up until this point, which team do you think has quietly flown under the radar for the most of the season? Which team surprised you the most? Which team was the most disappointing for you?
Xist2inspire: For me, the undercover team is the Knicks. Now it's for a good reason, as we've seen this franchise go on autopilot and win before, but the East is so competitive and packed with great GMs these days, that an autopiloted team having the best record in the entire league is incredible. As for surprises, I knew the Magic were built to win this year, but I had no idea that they could let pieces go and still finish with a Top-4 record. I'm also really disappointed with the Warriors. I know Bow probably has a good reason for disappearing, but losing their young star Tatum, thus leaving Giannis stranded on another directionless franchise is a bummer.
thesyndicate: Alright, alright, alright. First thing, I've written these 5 on 5's before. There's no rule that says every question needs to be in like 8 parts. QUAILMAN YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG. I will not let it QUIETLY FLY UNDER THE RADAR that these questions are ridiculously complicated. It SURPRISED me how long they were when I opened my messages, and I was DISAPPOINTED to see this direction taken. Srsly though. How about the 50-win Suns flying under the radar? Kevin Love can still win like, any game by himself, and I wouldn't count him/them out in the playoffs. The Magic were obvz the most surprising team, and if that's not unanimous, then the rest of these writers are as wrong as you are for giving us these 8-part questions. Most disappointing? How about the Bulls who despite fielding a blue-packed lineup could only manage an 8-seed...
NickMalone77: Secretly, even without a stable owner, the Lakers have quietly amassed a team that can be really dangerous come the playoffs. Gustave and Damion are a dangerous wing combo and are mostly a young squad. It's a shame that Gustave will miss maybe the entire playoffs but I like the Lakers chances to be a surprise team out west. Disappointing to me was probably my Pelicans. After a whole offseason, getting the chance to fill out the roster and having the talents of Buddy and Ekbert play an entirely full season, I thought this team had the talent to make the playoffs. It just wasn't consistent enough. McNary played 2/3 of a season, dealt with a slew of injuries to other critical members to the team and had a season over .500 but not good enough to win on the road or make the playoffs.
Wignosy: I think the team that flew under the radar most of the season - and was the second-biggest surprise - was the Grizzlies. Team Tax managed to come within a game of winning the division and have put together a really solid squad. The surprise team, of course, is the Magic. Not because they beat me out to win the division but because they started the year in "sell assets for future picks" mode but were too good too soon and wound up riding it out with their roster and getting a division title without the kind of "color ranks" people are used to seeing. Good job, Andy, for sticking with a team that I don't think most people gave a second thought to! As far as disappointment goes, I think it has to be the Wizards. They were hampered early by injuries and that made them hit the eject button on this season early.
false9: Under the radar- Maybe I was too busy with the meat grinder in the East, but oh look, there's a whole other conference. Ho hum, the West went about it's business. Oh, Raby is sad about his team? Let's pull of some dope trades and win the Division. Jeff Duren misses a third of the season? Cool, the Kings win 60 games. Good job, dudes. Surprises: I'm not going to talk about my team because I'm already going to do it for the GMOY nomination. How about the Rockets? Oh look, there's another division winner with 59 year old Al Horford. Sure, there was a glut of power forwards, but it worked! Disappointments- Oh man, poor J2. The Otto Porter acquisition was supposed to be the leap for the Wiz. After Porter's injury in Sim 1, the Wiz leapt right into the damn canyon like Wile E Coyote. At least you've got your lotto pick back, just in time to select a speedy giant.
IamQuailman: Shout outs to my surprises: Magic and Grizzlies. Many felt the same... expectations were really low on them to start the season and they proved everyone wrong! Disappointments... I'm surprised no one mentioned the Nets. I'm not saying I'm disappointed in RPF; he did everything in his power to put together a fantastic team on paper. I just wished we could've seen them click sooner in the season, instead of after the trade deadline when it was pretty much too late.
2. Looking at each position cluster (C, F, G), who do you feel like got snubbed from the All-League Teams? You can provide a couple examples for F and G if you have 2 that you think got overlooked.
Xist2inspire: The sim decides who makes the All-League teams, so it's almost totally random as far as I'm concerned. I can't really say anyone was snubbed, the sim just didn't pull their name out of whatever hat it uses.
thesyndicate: I know you love you some snubs, but instead of going that way, I'm going to tell you, after looking at all 15 players there's someone who sticks out like a sore thumb. How does Aaron ***ing Donald make 2nd team all-NBA and 2nd team all-Defense!?! Are the voters smoking some of that sweet Denver cheeba? Sure, he gives you an empty 20 points a game, but COME ON BRUH. He's one of the worst players in the league on defense (per his owners OWN article and his abysmal ratings). That's a clown award, man.
NickMalone77: Ekbert Winkler to me got snubbed a great bit. Averaging a double-double and starting for the West in the All Star game is usually an indication to make an All League team but to be snubbed entirely felt shameful on not choosing him even to be on a #3 team. For the guard spot, I'd say DeSean Hawkins probably should get a nod as a third teamer at least. DeSean was the heart of the Magic's year when nobody really expected them to play at the level they did. Also lets give some love to Dirk Hardpeck. Yes, he's often overlooked because he's playing on the Cavs but he's shown year in and year out to be worthy of this recognition. Color scale be damned, Dirk's been an under the radar, All Leaguer for quite some time.
Wignosy: The obvious answer is Jeffrey Duren even though we all know that snub was due to injury. I think Buddy Pedraza and Al Horford have a beef too.
false9: Desean Hawkins, my guy! 25.2 ppg, 26 PER and 18.4 EWA as the lone offensive threat on my team. REMEMBER HIM FOR YOUR MOST IMPROVED PLAYER VOTE. But seriously, how about the centers? Desantis and Pulley were left out in favor of Aaron Donald- sure he's putting up 20 points and 3 blocks, but even Wig has noted how much of a turnstile he is. I'd also probably sub out Giannis for Van Grimaldi at the SF spot, but the simputer seems to love players who score points. WHO DOESN'T LOVE POINTS.
IamQuailman: I'm gonna agree on Desean Hawkins. Not sure how in a system where the judges love scoring you overlook Hawkins in favor of Daniel Randle or Chet Dooley
3. We have some interesting storylines heading into the 1st round playoffs, i.e. Rematch of Bucks/Pistons, ANOTHER Hawks/Sixers series, Kings/Grizzlies aka Kyrie's Revenge. What is your favorite and why?
Xist2inspire: Hawks/Sixers, if only because of the added layer of "Can the retiring commish get one over on the new commish before the change becomes official?" This matchup actually doesn't happen as often as you'd think (4 times within the last decade - 2012, 2017, 2020 and now), but it's always a great one to watch. This matchup always has ECF implications at least (in every case, the winner has gone on to the conference finals, and in 2012, the winner went on to the Finals), so this will likely have a major impact on how the postseason plays out.
thesyndicate: How about super-friends Andrew Wiggins and Otto Porter Jr. (long time T-Wolves teammates) facing off in the 1st round? Sure it involves my team, but that's compelling! One with elite offense, the other, defense. One, the red-headed step child his owner cast aside like a dog (pup?) in the streets. The other, Minnesota's favorite sun. Whoever wins has bragging rights at Christmas next year.
NickMalone77: One of my favorite series in the first round will likely be the Celtics/Magic. Just for the youth that'll be served on both squads mostly but how battle tested the Celtics may be and how good a matchup it'll be to see the Big trio of Milburn-Sarich-KAT against the wings of Orlando. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Celtics pull off that first round upset against a Magic squad playing a bit over their heads. Out west, I'm really looking forward to see Otto face off against his good friend, Wiggins. It should be an exciting 7 game series between Minnesota and Denver.
Wignosy: Kyrie's revenge. There's not enough hate in the other series.
false9: Hawks/Sixers is always a classic. Two of the most decorated GMs, the present commissioner vs the future commissioner. Tons of high impact players across the board, and all kind of chess moves will be made I'm sure.
IamQuailman: Lots of hype surrounding the Hawks/Sixers match. It will definitely be an exciting series to watch. I think the Wolves/Nuggets could be a really fun one too!
4. We have some fresh me-- faces taking over some teams long needing an active GM (Hi minnywolf, Samsonian, and Drkavarga!). What are some words of wisdom that you would give these new GMs as they embark on their SLOE journey? What about sim league drew you in and kept you engaged all these seasons?
Xist2inspire: DON'T TRADE YOUR PICKS! This comes from personal experience, as this was a mistake I made when I started out here (and continue to make because I have a history of poor draft choices). Everybody wants to make an immediate impact, but it's really not necessary to come in and try to win right away. Drafts picks are a critical asset for new GMs, because they give you more control over your destiny, and it takes less work to maintain said control. Do not give up that power without a good reason. On a lesser note, don't clean house immediately. It's worked for a few GMs, but more often than not it's a quick way to get hustled and leave your team open to the mercy of the sim gods. Seek advice, watch and learn, and remember that leaving your stamp on a franchise isn't what you do in the first year or two, it's what you do over the course of your time as a GM.
thesyndicate: Besides never trade with the Bucks? Seriously, though, don't trade with the Bucks
. First, listen to your mentors, you come into a league of savvy GMs and your mentors will legitimately help you navigate the complex landscape. Unlike my mentor who let me get repeatedly traped over and over again until I learned my own lesson (THANKS DOUG, YOU BUTT). But seriously, dive in, have fun, don't worry if you don't understand EVERYTHING yet, as long as you understand the NEXT thing coming up, you'll be okay. I love that Sim League allows you to form multi-season strategies and watch them play out over months instead of decades. Sure, beating the computer in Madden is fun, but winning a championship over 29 other real GMs? Now those are bragging rights.NickMalone77: Learn the system. Don't let colors blind you. Just have some fun tinkering around with what you can do. Adjusting to Free Agency will be difficult to judge at first but if you are active, you'll have a lot of fun. I know I have playing the game for this long.
Wignosy: Don't make any trades your first season. The thing that drew me to sim league many years ago? Well, you'll have to wait for the next Takin' it SLOE where I intend to discuss that (and the origin of my nickname).
false9: Be patient, ask questions, have fun, and yeah, definitely use team viewer. IT'S THE BEST. Initially it was the sim aspect with real players, but I'm all in now on seeing how the attributes and gameplanning works out sim by sim, even if it's some made up dude by the name of Scott Ramos. There's also the game theory, player training, and economics of the league that keeps me interested.
IamQuailman: Man, these were some fantastic suggestions. I want to re-iterate the recommendations saying "don't trade early on!!" and "ask questions". Also, don't be afraid to dive in and write some goofball article introducing yourself as GM or talking about your team's timeline or something. Activities outside of the every-other-daily grind of DCs is what makes this league fun. Also, if thesyndicate offers you something for your best player AND 10 points, tell him that he should be the one paying you the 10 points. STAND FIRM ON THAT HILL.
5. Lotto Luck: I haven't even seen the draft class yet while writing this question, but by the time these are answered and posted, they will be live! What do you think of the draft class? Is it deep? Any game-changers like we saw in the last few drafts?
Xist2inspire: Just on paper, this looks like one of the best draft classes since the new college system began, and maybe in sim history. We'll see how it looks after the new-class smell has worn off and we've had time to analyze them (as well as a few years down the line afer TC has had its way), but 9 blue-potential players and 13 green-potential players means that we could see potential starters get drafted as low as #22. That's insane depth. I don't see any immediate game-changers, as they're all pretty raw, but Dennis Dinh and Andrew McCulley are the two standouts for me. Both have ridiculous size for their position, and both physically resemble sim league stars and legends (Dinh = Rashard Lewis/Kevin Durant/Giannis Antentokoumpo, McCulley = Jalen Rose/Michael Finley/Tyreke Evans). These two guys could be very dangerous with proper care and TC luck.
thesyndicate: Man, this class is deeper than NOLa's mama (obviously she's in a swimming pool). 9 blues, 13 greens, whew I wish I had my pick. There's no clear-cut #1 at the top, and any of the top players will require multiple seasons to be above-average contributors, but you can definitely start a rebuild with a few late lotto picks here.
NickMalone77: From the draft, this next draft is extremely deep it seems with a ton of prospects that'll take a good bit of time to develop but should be able to grow into a productive bench player if not starter in some cases in a year or two ahead. Guys I'd keep an eye on would be Kevin Marek and Joseph Reading. Guys that can provide some value in the top 10 and middle of the draft.
Wignosy: I think the draft class is nice and deep, but I don't see any game-changers, simply due to not seeing any athletic freaks this time around.
false9: This draft is DEEP. Everybody eats this draft. Game changers appear to be aplenty, but Andrew McCulley and John Bono look quite impressive to me. Hey, no more midget wings! Next thing you know there will be a deleted thread on reverse height training. GIVE ME 5 POINTS TO SHRINK MY GIANT ROOKIE.
IamQuailman: Sorry I don't really have an answer for this. I'm busy PMing every lotto team. Jokes aside (am i joking?), This class is crazy deep, but these young guys are SUPER raw, with only maybe 2-3 players in the projected top 10 looking like they could maybe make a small impact within 2-3 seasons. So why don't you trade for a ready-now player? I got a few of them.
BONUS!! We have a changing of the guard at commissioner with Wig Nosy stepping down and Ballsohard taking the reigns. Take a moment to say some words to Wig and Balls. What was the thing you enjoyed most about Wig's tenure as commissioner? What is 1 suggestion you would like to see addressed under the new regime? It can be something new or a suggestion raised that wasn't addressed before.
Xist2inspire: Wig, coming from the old Pelicans Report league, I can't say enough how much I've appreciated your professionalism and transparency. Anything that goes on, good or bad, you let us know. Despite your level of experience and your position, you've never held yourself above us, and have remained as accessible as ever since Day 1. To Balls, you're one of my most respected GMs, period. You've always found ways to stay connected and active, so I'm really excited to see how that energy and dedication translates to running the league. As for a suggestion…pick protection. The biggest problem with it back in the day was that it was very loosely policed. Combine that with high GM turnover rates and absences, and there you go. Now, we have positions dedicated to tracking/handling specific aspects of the league. Why not add pick protection to that list?
thesyndicate: I've already really answered this in the various threads, but Wig did an amazing job over his years, and will miss his reads of the sim results. I think Balls will make an excellent commissioner, and looking forward to the SLOEballs era of Sim league.
NickMalone77: I want to thank Wig for the amount of time and commitment he put in to being the best commish this league has had yet. Scott is a great choice to succeed and will take this game to the very best level it can reach. This game is as great as every active component in it. I also just wanted to take this time to announce that the 2023-24 season will be my last playing this game also. I've had a ton of fun playing but it's time for someone else to bare the fruit of the Pelicans labor. Thanks everyone for making this game as fun as possible and good luck to everyone again in the playoffs.
Wignosy: Balls, I just have one thing to say... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Better you than me!
false9: Wig! A hearty handshake to you! I'll miss hearing "Sim day!" on Skype calls. RIP Skype sim calls (soon). Does this mean we get more Wig pods? Balls! A hearty handshake to you! Enjoy dealing with all our pain in the ass messages. Seriously though, having read your SOTU, I can't really argue against most of it. If we are opening up more positions, I'd make this a call to arms for other GMs- step up and volunteer. Also, is there a reason we only pay points for one job? If someone is willing to help out more, I don't see the #harm.
IamQuailman: Wig, first and foremost, thank you for taking over when I was getting spread too thin. You really stepped in and did a wonderful job running this league in a fair and transparent manner. I apologize that my promises to help input were spotty at best (damn work laptop not allowing me to have TV web/beta like my previous jerb), but I'm beyond thankful for all of your time and efforts. Balls, I know you are going to be fine, and as I told Wig, I'm in your corner to help support you through your tenure. Some of the suggestions seen here look good, and I'm intrigued by the idea of protected picks again.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS! ENJOY!
