1. Dominic Cobb
Quail: Well this one is simple... UNDERRATED
I've coveted this dude for seasons, and my PMs to Wombataholic are still sitting in the Outbox folder. After having spent seasons oppressed by inactivity from his GM/coach, Dominic Cobb is finally flourishing on the court now that someone with a pulse is now steering the Pistons ship, let alone a savvy GM like Ballsohard. Cobb is on a scoring tear, but he's also rebounding like a beast too. He's a bit reminiscent of the O.G. O.P. Karl Malone with an outside shot. Scary thing, he's only 27 and not going anywhere for a while, especially once he signs his 5 year super max with the Pistons in the off-season.
NOLa: This was a tough one out the gate for me to decide but... PROPERLY RATED
I almost went Overrated but the more I checked him out the more I think he’s the real deal. The reason I almost went overrated is because of the ridiculous stat line that is inflated due to the Pistons having no one else to score. His usage is at 37.2% which reminds me of Anthony Davis in his prime, but taking a deeper dive into his player page he’s shooting at a 61.2% true shooting rate as of sim 2, over 50% FG and 46% 3P. Yeah it’s inflated and on another team with other options he isn’t going to average over 35ppg, but if a player is scoring that efficiently it’s hard to defend an overrated position for me. I am curious what happens once he’s paired with better talent which the Pistons seem to be doing and I am looking forward to what other moves will follow. I think Cobb is a #1 player on most teams that you can build around and he is just entering his prime with room to keep getting better on defense and rebounding. Almost 100 in INS and 100 in 3P you can make him fit anywhere. If he hasn’t been trained already I would like to see him get trained in quickness and jump one time before he starts making All NBA teams because it seems like he is a lock to be at least a 2nd teamer at minimum so far. Last season he averaged 27ppg so this isn’t a fluke of a season for him, it’s just the impact of having an active GM now putting an actual DC in to maximize his potential. 36-9-2.5 statline I can’t say underrated as that would be up there with past OP players during the 90s. Over time in the season I think the average points per game will drop down to low 30s and he will be a favorite to win the MVP. I still have money (points) on De’Aaron Fox winning it just because he puts up high assists numbers and on a winning team for now. Properly rated until BSH overhypes him to be the 2nd coming of smaller Kemp.
2. Indianapolis Pacers 16-0 start
Quail: OVERRATED
Now before Pauly and the rest of Indianapolis gets their pitchforks out and stick me in the ass with them, they are running a perfect record right now, and the tandem of Stoll and Fox is a force to be reckoned with. That said, there is absolutely no way that they go ahead and have a perfect undefeated season. Their schedule thus far has been one of the lightest in the league (PROVE ME RIGHT/WRONG SYNDICATE; SHOW ME DAT SOS), with only 5 of their wins coming against teams with a over-.500 record. 5 of those wins came against teams whose scoring output ranks in the top half of the league. Maybe I'm oversimplifying, but until this team can win more games against better competition, the jury is still out. Additionally, the pros outweigh the cons about Stoll and Fox, but the two average almost 7 turnovers a game combined (#10 and #1 in turnover rankings around the league, respectively). Can these two avoid sloppy play in crunch time? Probably, but going up against stiff defensive guards could be a crack in the armor for this team.
NOLa: UNDERRATED
I like this team a lot and Pauly generally gets the label of “overperforming” 1st sim general managers, but I think this could be the best team he puts on the court since this sim league started. I think some view the 2nd sim results as a fluke still and with 16 games played it’s still early, but this is why I think the start is underrated because of the perception of the league that he has over-performed so far. Just checking the results. He’s played 10 games on the road and only 6 at home so far, 5-0 against the division and 10-0 against the conference. He hasn’t played the Spurs yet but he will next sim. He’s 2nd in point differential only behind the Spurs. The team is great in the backcourt but where I see a weakness is the frontcourt, there’s no real star power there but a good group of decent players who know their role. Stoll and Fox are creating for each other with them averaging roughly 8 assists per game each, and Cam Reddish (I obviously like him) is the perfect SF to plug into a team. He’ll get about 15ppg on 50% shooting and can defend the perimeter and post. While most people see a team with a great offense I also recognize the defense is there too, everyone is either elite or good enough to not be a liability. 4/5 starters are averaging over 50% FG shooting. I wanted to go with a properly rated opinion at first but because some still feel like this team isn’t the real deal I have to go with the team and the start still being underrated. My only question is how did Fox make such an impact for the Pacers but not the Suns who may have had more talent on the team?
3. Los Angeles Clippers leading the Kemp Division
Quail: OVERRATED
Don't let the overrated designation sway you to think that this team is not good; they are a great squad led by perennial MVP candidate Boban Marjanovic and rising star Glen Sabo. But they have had the benefit of a favorable schedule, having played all but 3 of their 17 games against the doodoo butter flavored Omega Conference. That stat alone puts a damper on other stats like point differential (where 8 of the 13 conference teams are posting a negative differential). Additionally, they've only played 5 games against teams that are over .500. Of those 5 games, they lost 2 (to the Mavericks, who are barely posting a positive point differential). They are a placeholder until the Bulls figure out their line-ups and cohesion. At this point in time, Bulls are only a half game back and still have only average cohesion. Once these players start to gel, they will be the lone wolf standing atop of the Kemp Division (and Omega Conference) like a SLOE Highlander.
NOLa: Wow, we actually agree... OVERRATED
This isn’t a knock on Mamba and his Clippers because I think they are my 2nd favorites to come out of the Omega conference. The only issue with that is the Bulls are my favorites to do so and are half a game back from the Clippers. The addition of BDJ (another player I love) was needed for the Clippers, getting an actual PG who can spread the ball around, rebound, and score provided the team a much needed boost. I think the Clippers are performing within expectations and with some tweaks to his gameplan I can see him pushing the Bulls for the division until the final sim, but the players on his team are starting to show their age a little. The saving grace for the Clippers is that Glen Sabo is the real deal and has become the successor to Boban, but the Bulls, what can I say? Adding RJ Barrett, who finished as a 1st team all NBA player, DPOY, and led the league in rebounds was a trade that just makes most teams a favorite to win it all. The team has no weaknesses and has 7 players averaging double digit ppg. When you’re that balanced that means even if your best player has a poor game you have others who can pick up the slack, or if injuries became a factor you have guys to plug in and move around. Injuries will happen, the impact is just unknown. For the reason of depth I think the Bulls will finish on top. If there was a guarantee that there would be no injuries I’d lean Clippers, but we know that can never be except for preseason.
4. The Return of Loco and Ballsohard
Quail: PROPERLY RATED
We all know what these two guys bring to the table and the value they bring to the league as whole. Both have been around sim league from its inception, having taken a short time away from the league. But being back, they bring something this league hasn't seen in a while... a league without stewarded teams. Individually, they bring different benefits to the league as well. Loco will bring you chaotic moves and incredibly horrible photoshops worthy of more than 1/3 of a meme point (he'll need every point he can get lol). When given the opportunity, he can build a hell of a squad. Ballsohard brings a level of competition that challenges others around the league to step up their game, even if we can never personally work out a trade together. The competitive juices flowing from Balls (wait... what) have always been good for the league and was sorely missed during his absence. I'm personally excited that both of these guys are back and active and look forward to them being around for a long while.
NOLa: UNDERRATED
Giddy up. Love that these guys came back, and KU wants to come back as well and I hope we are able to make that work at some point. Inactive teams are only a negative for the league, and having to get stewards is basically scooping water out of a slowly sinking boat. The league has had a few phases where all teams were run by an active GM, and in each of those seasons the activity really gave the league a much needed boost of optimism and activity in trade talks. As teams are filled with GMs that actually build a team, talent becomes more spread out and parity grows. Rebuilding teams can take on bigger contracts from competing team to reduce their build and help those teams remain competitive for an extra season until it’s their turn to become the rebuilding team. Free agency has less B/B 1 year min signings for a lucky team that ultimately became favorites due to a steal. That will still happen, but not as frequently. RFA period makes sweet heart deals less likely for those deserving young players. There isn’t a negative that comes along with adding a GM that will fit in the league and build their teams up. Adding two veteran GMs in LoCo and BSH is an added bonus because the game hasn’t changed and they understand the game now, so there’s less chance of them completely screwing up their first build.
5. Gregory Haddock (Nets)
Quail: UNDERRATED
Haddock has quietly been an integral part of the Nets squad for seasons now, and is now finally proving to be the point guard they have been lacking ever since the departure of Funky Cole Medina. This year he took a leap into the upper echelon of passers in the league, currently averaging 10 assists per game (#3 among all players). That puts him ahead of perennial assist leaders like Ja Morant, De'Aaron Fox, and Tony Cucone. He's on a great deal for a PG, and isn't a complete defensive sieve. While he may not finish in the top 3 assist leaders, he is finally starting to prove, not only to the league but also to RPF, that he is a more than capable starter in this league.
NOLa: PROPERLY RATED
Some GMs may not be familiar with Haddock on the Nets. He’s not a special player by any means but he does one thing and he does it very well: passing the ball. He’s currently 3rd in the league in assists per game, and is the only player in the top 10 of that list that’s a G/G guy. For the Nets this is a much needed boost for their team. He doesn’t score as he only averages 9 points per game which is currently his career best, but at the same time because of his other areas lacking RPF has been able to keep a solid pass first PG for cheap. My big worry is that because of this article now highlighting him he is an expiring player and may fetch a bigger contract next offseason, but that’s a concern for next season. Currently he isn’t blowing the competition out the water so I can’t say underrated, but he’s feeding Luka Doncic, Slim Jenkins, and Jame Hector some easy buckets, When you have these guys you don’t need another guy to score that many points. For his contract and fit he’s not overrated to me. He’s a solid properly rated PG that Doug will over pay next offseason.
Quail: Can't keep me out your mouf, huh... anyway, NEXT TOPIC...
6. David Leiker (Nuggets)
Quail: UNDERRATED
I am SHOCKED that Leiker was moved this off-season. Legitimately shocked. I thought he was a Laker lifer (or at least until his 30s). But he was shipped out for aging Jerry West and aging Sabonis (who essentially became the replacement for Wanderlei Silva). This guy is the definition of an elite two-way player. At the age of 25 under a more than reasonable contract, Leiker is athletic as all heck, can create his own scoring attempts, grab boards, set up his on teammates efficiently (#2 among all players in assists), and a lock-down defender. There is one major flaw in his game, and that is his lack of a 3-pt shot. But guess what... syndicate can go and train that bad boy up at all-star break this season since Leiker has yet to make an all-league team. If Leiker gets any semblance of a semi-reliable 3pt shot... watch out, he'll be electric... even moreso than he currently is.
NOLa: I see you are stealing my answers... UNDERRATED
At the time of the trade I made a comment about how post-TC the Nuggets potentially got the better player in the West/Leiker deal. While that didn’t come true as Jerry West is still playing at a 1st Team pace, Leiker made up a lot of ground. He’s currently averaging 17-4-10 with a 63% TS rate. He may already be capped at what he can be and his 3P will not be a strength of his (even though he’s shooting 50% attempting less than 1 per game) so I can see this being about where his ceiling is. On a good team with other scoring options his assists will only go up and he’s only 25 years old. I expect this guy to be a All NBA player in the future, and with his defense at 100/92 in PRD and STL he’s going to be a nightmare type of player to go against. In the end if Jerry West ends up helping the Lakers win a ring I think this is a win/win deal for both teams, but even with the Nuggets trading some talented players away they are still in the mix to be a contender in the Alpha conference in large part because of Leiker playing at a high level. Underrated player that you can build a team around.
7. New Orleans Pelicans with a 7-8 start
Quail: UNDERRATED
The Pelicans have a huge backlog of minutes at the Power Forward and Center Positions that they are currently working through, and as a result, they have stumbled a bit coming out of the gate. Good news for Pelicans fans though, the back half of December looked a lot more promising that then first half. Which half month is representative of the Pelicans this season? I tend to think the latter half. In an incredibly weak Omega conference (and the lesser of the two divisions), New Orleans has a chance to easily overtake the Mavericks if they can just figure out the right gameplan. Their point differential is already 4 times better than the Mavs, and they have much more star power on their side. The cream will rise to the top, and Nick's currently underrated cream is bubbling up to the top.
NOLa: PROPERLY RATED
I still expect the Pelicans to compete for the division with the Mavs and possibly the Pistons depending on any future moves, but I think their record will be closer to .500 than .600 at the end of the season. The weak division and conference will boost their win total but I don’t expect the team as currently constructed to be title contenders, but they are solidly a playoff team and will be for some seasons. A lot hinges on Nick being able to make moves like he did last season to bolster the team. With 7 frontcourt players being able to solidly fill their positions at PF/C there is a lot of diminishing returns with that. It’s easier said than done but this team really needs an upgrade at PG, but the market is not favorable to trade a big for a PG. Even trading away a better C/PF for a slight upgrade at PG would make sense to bring this team up. Right now as it stands I don’t see the Pelicans being much worse or better than an expected push for possibly 50 wins and a not deep playoff round.
8. Philadelphia 76ers
Quail: PROPERLY RATED
The future is so bright in Philadelphia, but the present is just about where I thought they would be coming into the season. While I'm not a huge fan of a few of their vet signings as others were, even though the addition of Irvine and Bagley are good stop gaps. They did a great job of filling out the roster with short-term vets to help bring leadership to this team. They are shifting in the life cycle of a NBA contender from the developmental/youth collection stage to the "learn to win as a team" stage. There will be growing pains overall through that process, and I imagine they will start to get hot as the season hits the mid-way mark. The good thing about this build is that even if this season ends up a "failure" in terms of playoffs, they are set in that they still can make moves next off-season to make a push, all while their big-3 young studs are still on rookie deals.
NOLa: OVERRATED
I don’t feel the rating is fair after the 2nd sim results but I thought coming into the season the team was slightly overrated compared to the initial reactions after UFA. Keepit had a great offseason and signed some good players, but I mentioned in his presser that teams that tried to build for the future and compete with vets don’t work out. After a decent 5-4 start, the 2nd sim really got ugly for the team. And to be fair to Keepit he has made it known that he intends to build for a future, not compete. I don’t want to say you either need to be the favorites or tank, but when you have some good players on your team and you may not make the playoffs it may be better to either start trading some of those guys to other competing teams for points/picks or make small moves to improve the team with some role players to actually get you over the hump. Cassius Winston is the PG of the future, but he is not ready today to be a starter on a competing team. We haven’t gotten to day 60 yet so I don’t know if he has anything lined up but I wonder if it’s possible to trade one of those vets and one of his younger players for a better younger player in the future? Again, easier said than done, and the future looks very bright with Wiseman starting to come into form, but for this season with the other GMs hyping this team up, it looks like a solid overrated position.
9. Replying to Trade Offer PMs
Quail: PROPERLY RATED
It's properly rated because it's just common sense and courteous. Trade etiquette is real; in fact I'm fairly certain there's an article about it. So don't be a douche. If someone sends you a message (Skype or Forum), even if the offer or deal is trash, be a courteous GM and say "no thanks". This isn't necessarily only from personal experience, but I hear this frustration often from other GMs when sending out offers. Most people are pretty good about this, but the culprits know who they are... or maybe they don't because if they can't read/reply to PMs, they probably aren't reading to Topic #9 on an article.
NOLa: OVER (whoops, I mean) UNDERRATED
There have been complaints and personally I haven’t been too affected by this, but there have been complaints. Trade etiquette is a real thing in this league and a simple reply can make or break the league perception of GMs. I’m not sure who this is about because like I mentioned everyone I’ve reached out to has been very responsive. If anything maybe it could be me? If I offer a trade deal and I’m told no but there’s still some play left in the response, like for example “maybe next offseason, maybe after day 60 maybe if injuries hit” basically conditional aspects of a trade I usually don’t respond to. I’ll note it, but I don’t want to make a conditional trade by placeholding one of my players based on your team. There’s some GMs that it’s no surprise people wait on. Gary comes to mind, but we know he’s a wildcard. He’ll read a PM and a week later tell you no or yes. At this point we just know that’s Gary. Everyone I’ve talked to has responded and I love when it’s as simple as a “Yes” or “No thanks.” I also love when a rejection has an added “Just spitballing but have you asked so-and-so?” However going back to the rating, it’s underrated. GMs don’t like seeing their messages being read with no reply after 12 hours.
10. Having a Purple Potential
Quail: OVERRATED
I can't wait to hear the backlash of this comment coming from a GM with 3 purple potential players on his team... but FAWK IT.
Having a player with a Purple Potential used to be the jackpot, but nowadays they are more common than ever, whether it's TC or paid trainings. Just like greens and blues, there are fake purples out there as well. But unlike those fake greens and fake blues, you can't "fix em up" to be better. They are stuck in their build. Not to mention, quite a few purple potential players have the purple due to unattainable potentials (ratings beyond 100), so really they are forever a blue player with a neat purple tattoo on them. At least we can train these bastards in foul ratings now (RIP JULIO DE LA ROSA)
NOLa: PROPERLY RATED
I’m interpreting this as having a purple potential player is important. It absolutely can be, and it also could be overrated. Julio De La Rosa comes to mind as being very very overrated. Having a purple potential guy means you have a player that has a good chance at being elite, top of their position. The blue potential has such a big range that we know more guys that are blue potential that in our eyes we see green/yellow player production. In the last 10 years only 2 teams won that didn’t have a purple potential player on their roster: Nuggets and the Knicks. I don’t have time to go through each champion but I am assuming that more often than not the champion has had a purple potential player. That’s why I don’t think having one is overrated. However I don’t think it’s underrated as for some of those champions in the last decade they didn’t have a purple current player. From my team Paugh was a purple potential player but blue current. The Bulls had a B/P Silky Johnson on their championship roster. Unless we’re talking about a Julio de la Rosa, purple potential players will be coveted. They are properly rated.
AND THERE WE HAVE IT. Definitive opinions on hot topics and narratives around the league. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to drop us a comment below! Hope you enjoyed!
