Fakedown: Analyzing the Amount of New Players on Each Team

[JNR]

Let's peel back the curtain for this article. A few seasons ago we decided to keep the league going with "fake" players. There has been much debate on whether or not this is a good thing. I personally hate the little buggers, but I thought it would be interesting to look at each team, break down the percentage of their roster, and see how impactful the roles they're playing are (ratings will be HIGH, MODERATE, MINIMAL, OR NONE).

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Boston Celtics
Real Players: 3
Fake Players: 8
Percent Fake: 73%
Notable Fake Player: Karl-Anthony Towns (7.2ppg, 4.1rpg)
Record: 3-13
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

The Celtics are mostly fake players, and as such they are probably more responsible for team success (or failure) than any of team here. The good news is he has good fake players, so this will likely improve.

Brooklyn Nets
Real Players: 6
Fake Players: 4
Percent Fake: 40%
Notable Fake Player: Buddy Pedraza (28.1ppg, 10.1rpg)
Record: 8-7
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

Two fake starters, one of them your best player? I'd say the impact here is high, despite the fact that the Nets have more real players. But this team will go as far as Buddy takes them.

New York Knicks
Real Players: 13
Fake Players: 2
Percent Fake: 13%
Notable Fake Player: Does It Matter?
Record: 8-8
Fake Player Impact: NONE

The Knicks have two oranges who don't play. That's about as little impact as you can get. The team was set to be a great team again this year, but TC and early injuries have slowed them down.

Philadelphia 76ers
Real Players: 7
Fake Players: 6
Percent Fake: 46%
Notable Fake Player: Ben Simmons (14.9ppg, 4.6rpg)
Record: 7-9
Fake Player Impact: MODERATE

There are good young players here, but as of right now they mostly come off the bench, and Hayward is obviously the best player of the bunch. But that young core is really exciting to look at.

Toronto Raptors
Real Players: 6
Fake Players: 6
Percent Fake: 50%
Notable Fake Player: Refugio Lozano (21.3ppg, 3.9apg)
Record: 2-15
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

The top three scorers are fake players, the top two rebounders are fake players. Despite having an even split between fake and real, it's obvious that the new kids run the show in Toronto.

CENTRAL DIVISION

Chicago Bulls
Real Players: 10
Fake Players: 2
Percent Fake: 17%
Notable Fake Player: Vernon Desantis (8.9ppg, 4.3rpg)
Record: 9-7
Fake Player Impact: MINIMAL

I can't say they have no impact, because Desantis is doing well off the bench (61% from the floor!). But the real life talent is what makes the Bulls good -- or rather, they should be good.

Cleveland Cavaliers
Real Players: 8
Fake Players: 4
Percent Fake: 33%
Notable Fake Player: Dirk Hardpeck (20.8ppg, 5.7rpg)
Record: 6-9
Fake Player Impact: MODERATE

Dirk Hardpeck was last year's ROY, but he's the only fake player really pulling weight for the Cavs, who are stumbling into the post-CP3 era.

Detroit Pistons
Real Players: 8
Fake Players: 6
Percent Fake: 43%
Notable Fake Player: Odis Jackson (7.5ppg, 5.2rpg)
Record: 9-4
Fake Player Impact: MINIMAL

This one is probably a question of semantics. Yes, the Pistons have one starter who is a fake player. But honestly, they have one player scoring 45 points a game. The impact of literally everyone not named Anthony Davis is minimal.

Indiana Pacers
Real Players: 7
Fake Players: 5
Percent Fake: 42%
Notable Fake Player: Gerard Saleh (7.2ppg, 1.8rpg)
Record: 10-7
Fake Player Impact: MINIMAL

The Pacers are still the Deron Williams show, even with his advanced age. The fake players aren't ready to take over for him yet, and judging by the current crop, they won't be ready ever. Pauly will have to find some new ones.

Milwaukee Bucks
Real Players: 9
Fake Players: 6
Percent Fake: 40%
Notable Fake Player: Damion McNary (10.7ppg, 4.6rpg)
Record: 11-5
Fake Player Impact: MODERATE

McNary looks like he'll be something special, but the others don't really see the court much. The Bucks run through Kyrie, Ricky, and...Killy?

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Atlanta Hawks
Real Players: 9
Fake Players: 6
Percent Fake: 40%
Notable Fake Player: Daniel Randle (19.8ppg, 5.5rpg)
Record: 11-2
Fake Player Impact: MODERATE

Daniel Randle looks like a real stud for Atlanta. The other ones mostly had bad training camps, but Harland Ellinger still looks promising, and maybe Wig will eventually play him.

Miami Heat
Real Players: 9
Fake Players: 5
Percent Fake: 36%
Notable Fake Player: Dmitry Larionov (8.8ppg, 5.6rpg, 1 badass name)
Record: 7-8
Fake Player Impact: MINIMAL

If the fake impact were higher on this team, maybe Jimmer Fredette wouldn't be averaging nearly 20 points a game. What the Frye is up with that?

Orlando Magic
Real Players: 11
Fake Players: 2
Percent Fake: 15%
Notable Fake Player: Elias Satterfield (I guess?)
Record: 8-8
Fake Player Impact: NONE

It's funny that they have no impact here when last year the Magic were overrun with fakes. Guess he learned that to win you need to get real. Or at least that's how it's SUPPOSED to work...

Washington Wizards
Real Players: 8
Fake Players: 5
Percent Fake: 38%
Notable Fake Player: Byron Odell (16.5ppg, 4.5rpg)
Record: 6-8
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

Three of the team's starters are fake, although Carmelo probably could start in Glorieau's place. All the same, this team pretty much belongs to the future rather than the past.

Charlotte Bobcats
Real Players: 4
Fake Players: 8
Percent Fake: 67%
Notable Fake Player: Lavar Ball (19.3ppg, 4.0rpg)
Record: 7-9
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

Yes, the best players are real players. But the Ball brothers (father/son, whatever) are good and impactful enough that their play affects the team. Fun stat: I took these stats a few days ago and the Bobcats had 7 players, 4 real and 3 fake. They then signed 5 players to fill their roster -- all of them fake.

Western Conference later/tomorrow!

[digiskunk]

Great job! I love the "fake" players because it makes the league less predictable and more interesting; I just wish those generated fakies had more realistic attribute ratings — at least some of them. Nothing says "fake" like an 18-year old center entering the league with sub-50 stamina

[ballsohard]

Love this !

[TheSyndicate]

I won't be awarding you any points unless you change the name of this article to 'Fake-down: Analyzing the Amount of New Players on Each Team'

[JNR]

I won't be awarding you any points unless you change the name of this article to 'Fake-down: Analyzing the Amount of New Players on Each Team'

Done!

[TheSyndicate]

I won't be awarding you any points unless you change the name of this article to 'Fake-down: Analyzing the Amount of New Players on Each Team' and then do the Western Conference...

FIFM

[JNR]

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Denver Nuggets
Real Players: 10
Fake Players: 4
Percent Fake: 29%
Notable Fake Player: Buddy Hield (7.9ppg. 3.1rpg)
Record: 8-6
Fake Player Impact: MINIMAL

Buddy has decent production off the bench, but it doesn't really matter how well he plays. This team is run by Jrue and Klay.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Real Players: 8
Fake Players: 1
Percent Fake: 11%
Notable Fake Player: Alvin Pack (BY DEFAULT)
Record: 12-4
Fake Player Impact: NONE

It doesn't matter that Alvin's dad is Timberwolf legend Robot Pack. He can't crack the rotation on a team with Andrew Wiggins and Cory Joseph at his position.

Oklahoma City Thunder
Real Players: 9
Fake Players: 1
Percent Fake: 10%
Notable Fake Player: Herbert Shoop (BY DEFAULT)
Record: 9-5
Fake Player Impact: MINIMAL

The difference between the Wolves' lone fake and the Thunder's lone fake? The Thunder's lone fake actually plays. And kind of contributes!

Portland Trailblazers
Real Players: 5
Fake Players: 7
Percent Fake: 58%
Notable Fake Player: Aubrey Broomfield (10.6ppg, 7.7rpg)
Record: 0-15
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

Two starters and two others averaging at least 20 minutes. It could be moderate, but I figure if you have an orange player averaging over 30 minutes a game, that impact is sort of high.

Utah Jazz
Real Players: 6
Fake Players: 6
Percent Fake: 50%
Notable Fake Player: Joseph Kight (19.3ppg, 6.1rpg)
Record: 5-10
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

It's a forced high, but the Jazz are making sure their fake players see the floor more often than their real players. The record certainly reflects that.

PACIFIC DIVISION

Golden State Warriors
Real Players: 5
Fake Players: 9
Percent Fake: 65%
Notable Fake Player: Brian Stark (23.0ppg. 4.1rpg)
Record: 4-11
Fake Player Impact: HIGH

Two starters, including their highest scorer, and several bench players. The Warriors ping pong between contending and rebuilding these past few years, and it's obvious with the amount of fakes they have what side they're on this year.

Los Angeles Clippers
Real Players: 10
Fake Players: 4
Percent Fake: 29%
Notable Fake Player: Does it Matter
Record: 9-6
Fake Player Impact: NONE

This team is Kevin Durant's. And Roy Hibbert's. And Bismack Biyombo's? Anyway, it doesn't belong to any of the guys who don't play.

Los Angeles Lakers
Real Players: 5
Fake Players: 4
Percent Fake: 44%
Notable Fake Player: Gustave Lecroix (16.4ppg, 4.9rpg)
Record: 6-11
Fake Player Impact: MODERATE

Gustave is a good player, but the real players run the show in LA. For now, he just plays a bit role.

Phoenix Suns
Real Players: 8
Fake Players: 0
Percent Fake: 0%
Notable Fake Player: N/A
Record: 10-5
Fake Player Impact: NONE

Are you surprised? I'm not.

Sacramento Kings
Real Players: 10
Fake Players: 5
Percent Fake: 33%
Notable Fake Player: Jeffrey Duren (11.2ppg, 2.9rpg)
Record: 10-5
Fake Player Impact: MINIMAL

Duren will be very good. Right now he's behind two of the more productive guards in the league. The other fakes don't play.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Dallas Mavericks
Real Players: 8
Fake Players: 7
Percent Fake: 47%
Notable Fake Player: John Hagerman (10.4ppg, 6.9rpg)
Record: 3-11
Fake Player Impact: MODERATE

There are a lot of fake contributors here, but they're taking a backseat to Beal, Green, and Afflalo for now.

Houston Rockets
Real Players: 11
Fake Players: 2
Percent Fake: 15%
Notable Fake Player: Does It Matter?
Record: 5-8
Fake Player Impact: NONE

A little surprising. The Rockets are 5-8, but it isn't because they lean on raw youth. It's because...well I have no idea why it is.

Vancouver Grizzlies
Real Players: 14
Fake Players: 1
Percent Fake: 7%
Notable Fake Player: Theo Bunting (I guess)
Record: 11-6
Fake Player Impact: NONE

Bunting will likely still be a 1 year player after this year. There's no need for him to see the court.

New Orleans Pelicans
Real Players: 10
Fake Players: 1
Percent Fake: 9%
Notable Fake Player: Tony Pernell (6.4ppg, 2.9rpg)
Record: 10-5
Fake Player Impact: NONE

Even though Pernell does play valuable minutes off the bench, he could get hurt tomorrow and it wouldn't keep the Pelicans from success.

San Antonio Spurs
Real Players: 7
Fake Players: 6
Percent Fake: 46%
Notable Fake Players: Isais Stumpf (14.4ppg)
Record: 15-2
Fake Player Impact: MODERATE

This could be seen as Moderate or Minimal. Stumpf is a starter and holds his own rather well, but the other guys barely see the court. This is still Smith and Westbrook's team and won't change yet.

[digiskunk]

Nice Great work!

[JNR]

Thanks Gary!

Hey, Ryan, good enough now?

[TheSyndicate]

Thanks Gary!

Hey, Ryan, good enough now?

Yessir - I'm recovering from the weekend/last night still, but I'll be awarding points shortly.

[TheSyndicate]

Thanks for your contribution! You may claim 5 points toward your 2017-8 media cap.