#SLOE: People's Basketball Sim League

As the press settles in, the lights go out. A single light flickers onto the screen as the projector whirs. Then, pictures accompanied by a voiceover. The voice is unmistakably Prince's.



"The road to greatness isn't an easy one to travel. It takes patience. Understanding. A willingness to fail, and try again, and fail again. The road to greatness is thorny and arduous. It's why so few people travel it."



"Hazarding the road yields rewards. Not immediately, and sometimes not in a tangible way. But with patience and time, greatness will reveal itself if you work for it."



"The Minnesota Timberwolves have experienced growing pains. The pains may not be over. But one thing gets overlooked in that phrase, 'growing pains.'

"They're growing. They're growing fast."



"The winters have been mild in Minnesota for the past two years. But that is changing, growing as well. And soon, when you take your basketball team into Minneapolis for a game...you'll notice.

"Better bring a jacket. Winter is coming."



The lights return and GM/coach JNR is standing at the podium. Behind him are Chris Bosh, Rip Hamilton, and Joe Johnson.

JNR: Thank you for coming to our yearly press conference. And I want to thank Prince for his fantastic voiceover in our video package. I'm glad he believes in our teambuilding plan. It means a lot.

JNR: Onto that plan. We had a busy offseason. We went into the draft with three draft picks. We only made one selection. The other two picks were turned into two of the men standing behind me.

Rip and Joe wave.

JNR: Along with Bosh, they will form an offense that will wipe the floor with last year's squad, which finished last in the league in total offense. We had to sacrifice our defense to do it by sending out Tayshaun Prince in the deal for Rip. And with Joel Pryzbilla having a poor training camp, our defense will probably suffer. But with these three men putting the ball in the basket, our biggest problem last year will be our biggest strength.

JNR: We think we can make the playoffs. After that, it's hard to tell. But for the first time since we traded Chris Webber, we think we have a competitive team. We're deep at the guard position. Chris looks like he's ready to build on his ROY campaign. And Rip has worked on his defense all summer because he wants to be the best player he can be. We think with all of these developments, we can eventually be a force in the West.

JNR: We'll now take any questions you may have.

Dr. Rocker, The Cleveland Rocker: Elaborate more on your plan at center, and does this mean you'll try small ball? Pryz is signed for a long time, so you have to learn to live with that reality, right?

42PhD wrote:Dr. Rocker, The Cleveland Rocker: Elaborate more on your plan at center, and does this mean you'll try small ball? Pryz is signed for a long time, so you have to learn to live with that reality, right?

JNR: Despite his bad camp, Pryz actually gained athleticism, and is by far the most viable option at center. Our defense will take a hit, but his blocking and rebounding will still be helpful to the team. He will start at center for the long run. The financial situation isn't great, but he will still get plenty of time to earn his money.

Nick Melon; Charlotte Observer: While much is made out of the hole next to Chris Bosh, little has been talked about the point guard spot. Would you consider that an open competition for the starters spot with the improved camp of Anthony Carter or is the spot saved for the expiring Bobby Jackson?

NickMalone77 wrote:Nick Melon; Charlotte Observer: While much is made out of the hole next to Chris Bosh, little has been talked about the point guard spot. Would you consider that an open competition for the starters spot with the improved camp of Anthony Carter or is the spot saved for the expiring Bobby Jackson?

JNR: The starting spot is saved; however, it's not for Jackson. We think Anthony's camp proved that he is ready to lead this team. He can pass and defend, and he doesn't need to score. That's perfect for this team. We believe that Bobby Jackson will be perfect off the bench for our small ball bench unit.

Rip Hamiliton has never made an All League team or an All Star team. You gave up a lot of assets to aquire his talent, what do you expect out of him this season?

ballsohard wrote:Rip Hamiliton has never made an All League team or an All Star team. You gave up a lot of assets to aquire his talent, what do you expect out of him this season?

JNR: If he plays anything like he did this preseason, that lack of accolades will change. We all know that Rip did the best he could in the situation he was in, but he has been invited here to be our leader from the perimeter. We think the way he plays coupled with Bosh's inside game will really open up opportunities for him.

Rip: I think you can expect a ton of points from me. Coach gave me the green light, and I'm going to take advantage.

HollyWood reporter: The acquisition of Rip was a bold move. You followed that up by acquiring JJ, who is coming off his rookie deal. Do you believe the core of Bosh, JJ, and Rip is a solid foundation for a contending team in a few years?

Inner_GI wrote:HollyWood reporter: The acquisition of Rip was a bold move. You followed that up by acquiring JJ, who is coming off his rookie deal. Do you believe the core of Bosh, JJ, and Rip is a solid foundation for a contending team in a few years?

Rip is 26. Joe is 23. Chris is 20. They're young, talented, and motivated. Yes, I think the three of them can form a contending core.

What exactly is Chris Bosh's secret in how he practices and prepares for his games? He exploded on offense as a rookie, and after a strong offseason he averaged nearly 30 points a game in preseason. Do you think he also continues that kind of scoring?

NOLa. wrote:What exactly is Chris Bosh's secret in how he practices and prepares for his games? He exploded on offense as a rookie, and after a strong offseason he averaged nearly 30 points a game in preseason. Do you think he also continues that kind of scoring?

Bosh: I just work every day. I train with former Timberwolves great Hakeem Olajuwon. He has taught me some things that I really think have helped me in my career.

JNR: I'll be honest, I expected Rip to be the leading scorer and Bosh's points to decline this year. That may still be the case despite Bosh's great preseason, depending on the schemes we run. All we know is that Chris is going to be a dynamic weapon for years to come.

Random Reporter: It looks like Jason took last season's jabs and jeers to heart, and has taken steps to improve his game. But with Rip and JJ now on the roster, it seems as if you've already moved on. What's the status on Richardson and his role going forward?

Xist2Inspire wrote:Random Reporter: It looks like Jason took last season's jabs and jeers to heart, and has taken steps to improve his game. But with Rip and JJ now on the roster, it seems as if you've already moved on. What's the status on Richardson and his role going forward?

JNR: We'll have to see how the year goes. Jason is capable of being a high-level 6th man. He can play the 2 and the 3 equally well with his elite strength for a wing. If we can find a way to retain him, I'm more than happy to have him continue to run the show from the bench.

Would you agree that nearly any player in the league can walk into your front court with the ball, do the moonwalk, the dougie, and then whip and nae nae before finally dunking it on your bigs?

Brian Windhorst wrote:Would you agree that nearly any player in the league can walk into your front court with the ball, do the moonwalk, the dougie, and then whip and nae nae before finally dunking it on your bigs?

JNR: You forgot The Charleston, the Jitterbug, the Bernie, and the Cupid Shuffle as well. Defense is going to be a problem. We're just going to have to score more than the other guys. And with the three men behind me, I think we're capable of doing that.

Bill Simmons Sports guy here, is this the roster you think you'll finish the season with? You've got all of your own draft picks as well as 1 extra. You're also currently under the luxury tax, if the right move came along would you dip into it?

Conroy wrote:Bill Simmons Sports guy here, is this the roster you think you'll finish the season with? You've got all of your own draft picks as well as 1 extra. You're also currently under the luxury tax, if the right move came along would you dip into it?

JNR: The emphasis is on the "right" move. Yes, if I found a move that would make this team better or fill one of the future team holes, then yes I'd go into the tax. This team needs a few years and pieces before we contend, so if there's a piece that will speed that up, I'd consider going into it. For now, I'm very happy with my current team.

Random Dallas reporter: With the way Bosh played last season and in this year's preseason, you must be thrilled that he fell to you in last season's draft. Are you glad that he fell to you at #4, or do you still wish another player like Wade was there when it was your turn to pick?

Any worries about a sophomore slump for Bosh?

fearthebrow wrote:Random Dallas reporter: With the way Bosh played last season and in this year's preseason, you must be thrilled that he fell to you in last season's draft. Are you glad that he fell to you at #4, or do you still wish another player like Wade was there when it was your turn to pick?

JNR: I love Bosh. I said before the draft that I really wanted Wade, but we couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

WigNosy wrote:Any worries about a sophomore slump for Bosh?

If his scoring goes down, I think it'll be a result of Rip and Joe taking his shots. Bosh has gotten better and better in our eyes, so we feel confident he'll have a good season.