Teambuilding: Talent/Cohesion Report 2006
Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:06 am
As the season is set to start today, there are a lot of questions in the league. It’s usually hard to predict who is going to be the best teams in the league, but research over the past few years has shown that two elements are incredibly important to building good teams: the TALENT that teams accumulate, and the COHESION that the teams have. By investigative reporting (and finding the info in the index), I have presented the teams in the league by these two elements. It will be interesting to look at the teams at the end of the season and see how important these ratings are to team success.
Sacramento Kings
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: GOOD
The Kings had a disappointing playoffs last year, but GM NOLa is determined to put that behind him. He's got a group of really talented guys who love playing together. Shawn Marion, last year's late addition to the team, is currently living in Tracy McGrady's poolhouse while he looks for a permanent residence.
Philadelphia 76ers
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: GOOD
Last year's champs are obviously a tight bunch. You could see how much they cared for one another during the parade. But whereas last year the team was more a result of great coaching and cohesion, this year GM Ballsohard was able to bring in talented players such as Finley and Antonio Daniels to really make this team a threat to repeat.
San Antonio Spurs
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: GOOD
Steady as high school sweethearts, the Spurs are always having good training camps to develop their in-house talent. And that sort of consistency breeds familiarity, but in this case not contempt: Ray Allen has gone on record saying that he would rather retire than play without Caron Butler and Calvin Booth.
Denver Nuggets
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GREAT
TheSyndicate made some big moves last year to make this team a force to be reckoned with, but the first round reckoned with them pretty easily. All the same, this is a good squad, but also a very tight squad: "I feel so lucky to have someone like Kevin Garnett help my development," Wade said during the offseason. "He's been like an older brother to me."
New York Knicks
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
After a tumultuous season where they fired their GM and hired a new, young mind to lead the team, and he's already made some big moves. He's brought in Shaquille O'Neal, who relishes the opportunity to form a twin tower partnership with Yao Ming. "I love Japanese people," Shaq was quoted earlier this year. "Just kidding, I know he's Korean."
Boston Celtics
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
Perhaps the best front court in the league, but definitely the most friendly front court. When Bill Simmons went to do a piece on the young team, he found them all playing "the loudest, most carefree, most energetic game of dominoes I've ever seen." Mourning is gone, but that doesn't matter, as the young veterans have formed a very cohesive unit.
Minnesota Timberwolves
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
Coming off of a first round loss, The JNR made a risky move, trading young Joe Johnson for older, more expensive Elton Brand. He plays the same position as star Chris Bosh, but that doesn't seem to bother either of them, as they've become fast friends. Bosh says Brand has fit in immediately as the locker room clown.
Toronto Raptors
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
Toronto traded away Finley, Billups, and Brand in the same offseason...and somehow still have a talented and cohesive unit? Not surprising when you ask GM Soundwave: "I look for players who enjoy playing basketball, and I make sure their personalities don't clash." He did a good job this offseason, as Ricky Davis and Tim Thomas have been seen out together on several occasions.
Dallas Mavericks
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
To those in the Midwest who hoped the Mavs would be falling back to earth soon: keep hoping. Not only are the Mavs as talented as they were last year, they seem to get along better than last year. Camby and new signing Chris Andersen were even seen getting matching tattoos.
Washington Wizards
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: AVERAGE
Shaq gone. Anthony Johnson gone. Lamar Odom and Vladimir Radmonovic with terrible training camps. These bad turns haven't destroyed the talent on this team, but it does seem to have hurt the locker room. There are dark rumors swirling around about Lamar's candy addiction having bad side effects, and Rashard Lewis's attempt at being a leader hasn't panned out well so far.
Los Angeles Clippers
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: GOOD
Alonzo Mourning, one of the most celebrated team-first players in PBSL history, has immediately injected a sense of stability in the locker room. But it's hard to ignore the team's roster is not as talented in years' past, especially with Ricky Davis in Canada.
Detroit Pistons
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: GOOD
The talent is still young and developing, but any issues this team had last year with chemistry is gone. Tony Parker has stepped up both in training camp and as a leader, and the future is looking much brighter this year than it was even a year ago. Some say his divorce with Eva Longoria has caused him to show up more focused this year.
Charlotte Hornets
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: GOOD
This talent rating must be because the team doesn't have enough players to give their stars a rest, because they do have talented players. And when their talent improves with depth, they'll be in a good position because of their closeness and camaraderie. Anthony Johnson and Damon Stoudemire are willing mentors to Zach Randolph and Andre Iguodala.
Phoenix Suns
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: GOOD
This team is still riding high off of their first round upset of the Dallas Mavericks. That victory has really brought this team together. But with training camp not working miracles for their young players, you have to wonder how much longer Tony Delk can shoulder the scoring load.
Indiana Pacers
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: GOOD
The slow rebuild around Paul Pierce is going as planned. Deron Williams has come in ready to work, and his dedication has really impressed Pierce. "This kid is going to be special," Pierce said this offseason. "And I'm going to help him get there."
Milwaukee Bucks
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: POOR
Artest is the man. He's come out of training camp looking like a clear Top 3 player. But it doesn't seem that his teammates are very happy for him. Rumblings in the locker room suggest that Amare Stoudemire can't stand Artest and thinks he's a showoff. The GM has tried to control the locker room, but nearly every practice turns into a fight. Not looking good for these title contenders.
Orlando Magic
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: AVERAGE
You would think a team this talented would be focused and committed to a championship, but that doesn't appear to be the case. If you ask an anonymous locker room source, the problem is Penny Hardaway: "I would think that as he gets older, winning would be more important to him; I know when I'm in my mid 30s I'll be trying to win as many titles as possible. But he doesn't seem to care. He's just showing up and collecting his enormous paycheck."
Chicago Bulls
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: AVERAGE
This is another case of not having enough depth to make the team talented. However, you have to wonder if losing Tim Thomas and Kobe Bryant hurt the team's cohesion: they were respected locker room leaders and now they're gone. This is Stephen Jackson's team, for better or for worse.
Houston Rockets
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: POOR
For a lot of teams, it's hard to tell what the problem is with chemistry. For the Rockets, it's easy to see the problem, and it's the same reason their talent is only average: Shandon Anderson. When he was signed, he talked about forming a Big 3 with Webber and Big Z. But now that Big 3 contains Kidd and not Shandon, and he's not happy about it. He showed up to camp unmotivated and out of shape, and the chemistry has suffered as a result.
VanMemphis Grizzlies
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: POOR
Pau Gasol tried to leave in free agency, but the Grizz wouldn't let him. And now he's stuck on a team with no direction and no friendly faces in the locker room. The surprise reason? David Lee. "Apparently Lee hates Spaniards and isn't afraid to say it," says an anonymous source. The rookie has already alienated himself from the locker room.
Portland Trailblazers
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: BAD
Another year, another set of rumors about how fractured the Portland locker room is. "At this point, you have to look at lowest common denominator," a locker room source says. "And in this case, the lowest common denominator is a 7 foot German dude." It's unclear if Dirk has any issues with particular players, but this is not a team that likes to play together.
Atlanta Hawks
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: POOR
Here comes the rebuild! The Hawks are clearly not going to contend this year after trading Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and Penny Hardaway. But even though their direction is clear, it isn't making some players happy. Particularly Antonio McDyess, who says he is too old to be a part of a rebuild project.
New Jersey Nets
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: AVERAGE
Last year their talent was poor and their cohesion was good. This year the talent is still poor, but the chemistry has taken a step back. The biggest reason seems to be in the land of the giants, where Chris Kaman resents their first round pick of Andrew Bynum. "This kid walked in like he owned my job," Kaman said. The two have been seen during practice skirmishing and arguing. Not a happy situation for GM RPF.
Cleveland Cavaliers
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: POOR
Progress! The team hated each other last year, and part of that probably stemmed by how bad the team was. This year they still look like they need talent, but a strange thing has happened: Chris Paul has come into this locker room and immediately demanded respect. "Guys are listening to him like he's a ten year vet," one of the assistant coaches said. They still hate each other, but not as much.
Miami Heat
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: POOR
Things haven't improved in South Beach. Last year the reports surfaced that LeBron James was causing locker room issues, and those issues haven't gone away. The Heat even brought in PBSL living legend Shawn Kemp to get LeBron's head right, but "The King" won't even listen to Kemp. "He's spoiled," a source says. "He believes he's the best player of all time, and he hasn't even made the playoffs yet."
Utah Jazz
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: AVERAGE
What team only has 8 players, and three of them barely able to play basketball? The Jazz, that's who. You have to feel bad for Tim Duncan, even with his reported ego issues: he's one of the best players the league has ever seen, and he's been relegated to a team with no leadership and no chance to win a title. It's sad.
Golden State Warriors
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: AVERAGE
Former GM Bowtothebill takes over again, and let's just say he doesn't have Kemp anymore. This team knows it doesn't have a chance, and it also knows that this rebuild means their futures are in jeopardy, so there isn't a lot of effort or togetherness on this team.
Seattle Supersonics
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: POOR
There's a real issue with this team's cohesion, but it doesn't have to do with the players; they seem to get along fine. No, the problem is with the trainers. "Training camp has been an absolute bust every year," a locker room source said. "They are purposefully hurting us and limiting our development." The situation has gotten so bad the GM has considered leaving. All in all, it's raining in Seattle.
Los Angeles Lakers
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: AVERAGE
This one doesn't make sense to me. On paper, the team is very talented: Kobe, Larry, Jermaine. But something doesn't click with these guys. Maybe it's because Kobe and Larry don't trust each other. Maybe it's because Reggie Evans is a renowned ball-tapper in the locker room. But this promising team on paper could be derailed by issues in the locker room if they're not careful. They need a patient, active GM who can spend all of his free time analyzing this issue.
SUPERFRIENDS
This is the category of teams that are great in either category and good in the other. They are very talented teams that also get along well. They know each other like the back of their hand, and this allows them to get results. Sacramento Kings
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: GOOD
The Kings had a disappointing playoffs last year, but GM NOLa is determined to put that behind him. He's got a group of really talented guys who love playing together. Shawn Marion, last year's late addition to the team, is currently living in Tracy McGrady's poolhouse while he looks for a permanent residence.
Philadelphia 76ers
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: GOOD
Last year's champs are obviously a tight bunch. You could see how much they cared for one another during the parade. But whereas last year the team was more a result of great coaching and cohesion, this year GM Ballsohard was able to bring in talented players such as Finley and Antonio Daniels to really make this team a threat to repeat.
San Antonio Spurs
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: GOOD
Steady as high school sweethearts, the Spurs are always having good training camps to develop their in-house talent. And that sort of consistency breeds familiarity, but in this case not contempt: Ray Allen has gone on record saying that he would rather retire than play without Caron Butler and Calvin Booth.
Denver Nuggets
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GREAT
TheSyndicate made some big moves last year to make this team a force to be reckoned with, but the first round reckoned with them pretty easily. All the same, this is a good squad, but also a very tight squad: "I feel so lucky to have someone like Kevin Garnett help my development," Wade said during the offseason. "He's been like an older brother to me."
STRONG AND SOLID
These are the teams that have good cohesion and good talent. They have a chance to be among the top teams in the league because of their talent and willingness to work together to win. Let's meet em!New York Knicks
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
After a tumultuous season where they fired their GM and hired a new, young mind to lead the team, and he's already made some big moves. He's brought in Shaquille O'Neal, who relishes the opportunity to form a twin tower partnership with Yao Ming. "I love Japanese people," Shaq was quoted earlier this year. "Just kidding, I know he's Korean."
Boston Celtics
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
Perhaps the best front court in the league, but definitely the most friendly front court. When Bill Simmons went to do a piece on the young team, he found them all playing "the loudest, most carefree, most energetic game of dominoes I've ever seen." Mourning is gone, but that doesn't matter, as the young veterans have formed a very cohesive unit.
Minnesota Timberwolves
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
Coming off of a first round loss, The JNR made a risky move, trading young Joe Johnson for older, more expensive Elton Brand. He plays the same position as star Chris Bosh, but that doesn't seem to bother either of them, as they've become fast friends. Bosh says Brand has fit in immediately as the locker room clown.
Toronto Raptors
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
Toronto traded away Finley, Billups, and Brand in the same offseason...and somehow still have a talented and cohesive unit? Not surprising when you ask GM Soundwave: "I look for players who enjoy playing basketball, and I make sure their personalities don't clash." He did a good job this offseason, as Ricky Davis and Tim Thomas have been seen out together on several occasions.
Dallas Mavericks
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: GOOD
To those in the Midwest who hoped the Mavs would be falling back to earth soon: keep hoping. Not only are the Mavs as talented as they were last year, they seem to get along better than last year. Camby and new signing Chris Andersen were even seen getting matching tattoos.
GOOD, BUT...
This category is filled with teams who are good or great in one category but average or worse in the other. There are some things to like about these teams, but there are questions in either talent or chemistry that could threaten their championship hopes.Washington Wizards
TALENT: GOOD
COHESION: AVERAGE
Shaq gone. Anthony Johnson gone. Lamar Odom and Vladimir Radmonovic with terrible training camps. These bad turns haven't destroyed the talent on this team, but it does seem to have hurt the locker room. There are dark rumors swirling around about Lamar's candy addiction having bad side effects, and Rashard Lewis's attempt at being a leader hasn't panned out well so far.
Los Angeles Clippers
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: GOOD
Alonzo Mourning, one of the most celebrated team-first players in PBSL history, has immediately injected a sense of stability in the locker room. But it's hard to ignore the team's roster is not as talented in years' past, especially with Ricky Davis in Canada.
Detroit Pistons
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: GOOD
The talent is still young and developing, but any issues this team had last year with chemistry is gone. Tony Parker has stepped up both in training camp and as a leader, and the future is looking much brighter this year than it was even a year ago. Some say his divorce with Eva Longoria has caused him to show up more focused this year.
Charlotte Hornets
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: GOOD
This talent rating must be because the team doesn't have enough players to give their stars a rest, because they do have talented players. And when their talent improves with depth, they'll be in a good position because of their closeness and camaraderie. Anthony Johnson and Damon Stoudemire are willing mentors to Zach Randolph and Andre Iguodala.
Phoenix Suns
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: GOOD
This team is still riding high off of their first round upset of the Dallas Mavericks. That victory has really brought this team together. But with training camp not working miracles for their young players, you have to wonder how much longer Tony Delk can shoulder the scoring load.
Indiana Pacers
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: GOOD
The slow rebuild around Paul Pierce is going as planned. Deron Williams has come in ready to work, and his dedication has really impressed Pierce. "This kid is going to be special," Pierce said this offseason. "And I'm going to help him get there."
Milwaukee Bucks
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: POOR
Artest is the man. He's come out of training camp looking like a clear Top 3 player. But it doesn't seem that his teammates are very happy for him. Rumblings in the locker room suggest that Amare Stoudemire can't stand Artest and thinks he's a showoff. The GM has tried to control the locker room, but nearly every practice turns into a fight. Not looking good for these title contenders.
Orlando Magic
TALENT: GREAT
COHESION: AVERAGE
You would think a team this talented would be focused and committed to a championship, but that doesn't appear to be the case. If you ask an anonymous locker room source, the problem is Penny Hardaway: "I would think that as he gets older, winning would be more important to him; I know when I'm in my mid 30s I'll be trying to win as many titles as possible. But he doesn't seem to care. He's just showing up and collecting his enormous paycheck."
MEH
This category is for the teams that are average in both talent and cohesion. These teams could be good, or they could be bad. At this point, it depends on coaching, because the team builders haven't done them many favors.Chicago Bulls
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: AVERAGE
This is another case of not having enough depth to make the team talented. However, you have to wonder if losing Tim Thomas and Kobe Bryant hurt the team's cohesion: they were respected locker room leaders and now they're gone. This is Stephen Jackson's team, for better or for worse.
NEEDS ATTENTION
The final category, the largest of the group, is for teams that have at least one category poor or bad, and have no good categories to make up for it. I'm not going to automatically disqualify these teams from making the playoffs, but I will say that if they want to make it, they'll need some vast improvement or teambuilding exercises. Because it ain't pretty.Houston Rockets
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: POOR
For a lot of teams, it's hard to tell what the problem is with chemistry. For the Rockets, it's easy to see the problem, and it's the same reason their talent is only average: Shandon Anderson. When he was signed, he talked about forming a Big 3 with Webber and Big Z. But now that Big 3 contains Kidd and not Shandon, and he's not happy about it. He showed up to camp unmotivated and out of shape, and the chemistry has suffered as a result.
VanMemphis Grizzlies
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: POOR
Pau Gasol tried to leave in free agency, but the Grizz wouldn't let him. And now he's stuck on a team with no direction and no friendly faces in the locker room. The surprise reason? David Lee. "Apparently Lee hates Spaniards and isn't afraid to say it," says an anonymous source. The rookie has already alienated himself from the locker room.
Portland Trailblazers
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: BAD
Another year, another set of rumors about how fractured the Portland locker room is. "At this point, you have to look at lowest common denominator," a locker room source says. "And in this case, the lowest common denominator is a 7 foot German dude." It's unclear if Dirk has any issues with particular players, but this is not a team that likes to play together.
Atlanta Hawks
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: POOR
Here comes the rebuild! The Hawks are clearly not going to contend this year after trading Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and Penny Hardaway. But even though their direction is clear, it isn't making some players happy. Particularly Antonio McDyess, who says he is too old to be a part of a rebuild project.
New Jersey Nets
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: AVERAGE
Last year their talent was poor and their cohesion was good. This year the talent is still poor, but the chemistry has taken a step back. The biggest reason seems to be in the land of the giants, where Chris Kaman resents their first round pick of Andrew Bynum. "This kid walked in like he owned my job," Kaman said. The two have been seen during practice skirmishing and arguing. Not a happy situation for GM RPF.
Cleveland Cavaliers
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: POOR
Progress! The team hated each other last year, and part of that probably stemmed by how bad the team was. This year they still look like they need talent, but a strange thing has happened: Chris Paul has come into this locker room and immediately demanded respect. "Guys are listening to him like he's a ten year vet," one of the assistant coaches said. They still hate each other, but not as much.
Miami Heat
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: POOR
Things haven't improved in South Beach. Last year the reports surfaced that LeBron James was causing locker room issues, and those issues haven't gone away. The Heat even brought in PBSL living legend Shawn Kemp to get LeBron's head right, but "The King" won't even listen to Kemp. "He's spoiled," a source says. "He believes he's the best player of all time, and he hasn't even made the playoffs yet."
Utah Jazz
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: AVERAGE
What team only has 8 players, and three of them barely able to play basketball? The Jazz, that's who. You have to feel bad for Tim Duncan, even with his reported ego issues: he's one of the best players the league has ever seen, and he's been relegated to a team with no leadership and no chance to win a title. It's sad.
Golden State Warriors
TALENT: BAD
COHESION: AVERAGE
Former GM Bowtothebill takes over again, and let's just say he doesn't have Kemp anymore. This team knows it doesn't have a chance, and it also knows that this rebuild means their futures are in jeopardy, so there isn't a lot of effort or togetherness on this team.
Seattle Supersonics
TALENT: AVERAGE
COHESION: POOR
There's a real issue with this team's cohesion, but it doesn't have to do with the players; they seem to get along fine. No, the problem is with the trainers. "Training camp has been an absolute bust every year," a locker room source said. "They are purposefully hurting us and limiting our development." The situation has gotten so bad the GM has considered leaving. All in all, it's raining in Seattle.
Los Angeles Lakers
TALENT: POOR
COHESION: AVERAGE
This one doesn't make sense to me. On paper, the team is very talented: Kobe, Larry, Jermaine. But something doesn't click with these guys. Maybe it's because Kobe and Larry don't trust each other. Maybe it's because Reggie Evans is a renowned ball-tapper in the locker room. But this promising team on paper could be derailed by issues in the locker room if they're not careful. They need a patient, active GM who can spend all of his free time analyzing this issue.