#SLOE: People's Basketball Sim League

Last season was a mellow one,
As we finally paid our tax.
We traded Bender for Haugh,
And gave Brooks and Kidd the max.

We won our division and thus the #2 seed,
Though Orlando still filled us with dread.
So it came as both shock and relief,
When those damn Raptors booted us instead.

This offseason started strangely,
As four teams were Thanos-snapped.
Realignment meant no more Magic, or Raptors,
We were now no longer trapped.

We ended up getting our pick back,
With a little contraction draft luck,
And with that pick we drafted Don Sanchez.
I really hope he doesn't suck.

New Orleans called us for Haugh,
And sent us DSJ and Bynum in return.
Signing Shareef from the Spurs was a hassle,
There were RFA rules we had to learn.

More players joined in Free Agency,
Eli Davis, Norrin Radd, and KANE.
John Vines also came back,
Without him, it just wouldn't be the same.

A lot of our guys improved massively,
I think this was our best camp ever.
Now Eric Eads and Charles Giguere are here,
I guess it's better late than never.

This could be a big year for us,
Though we're not 100% sure how,
So if you have any questions,
Go ahead, ask now.

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: The Washington Wizards had an incredibly successful training camp. What do you do differently that other teams have failed to pick up on?

With so much depth, obviously the team is led by how far Kidd and Brooks will go but do you see any battles during camp that could dictate who will need to get minutes more than others?

Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: who do you feel is your biggest threat in your division/ conference and why?


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garbageman wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:48 pm Sham Smith, Bulls.com: The Washington Wizards had an incredibly successful training camp. What do you do differently that other teams have failed to pick up on?

TC's always been so random
I don't think there's a specific key,
But I never hit "recommended",
All training plans are made by me.

Other than always doing my own training plans, I can't think of anything special that I do that's any different from other GMs. Perhaps I should go back and see if we've historically had good camps, but this was just as much a shock to me as it was everyone else.

NickMalone77 wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:13 pm With so much depth, obviously the team is led by how far Kidd and Brooks will go but do you see any battles during camp that could dictate who will need to get minutes more than others?

Our starting 5 is set,
Deciding on that was a cinch.
All that preseason will resolve
Is who gets what off the bench.

I've already pretty much decided on my main rotation, but Cucone's made the push to start once again, or at least take backup SG duties away from Bynum. Jacobs will also need to prove that he deserves to be the backup C and not Vines, who is currently slated to back up both Cuomo and O'Neal. I'm also interested in seeing what Davis brings to the table. But as we all know, preseason coaching staffs are legendarily stupid, so what happens there may not mean much overall.

AngryBanana wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:33 pm Chet Youbetcha, Dimmadome News: who do you feel is your biggest threat in your division/ conference and why?

I'm keeping an eye on the Knicks and Bucks,
Because they look quite tough,
But I have to zero in on my own division,
The Pacers, Lakers, Spurs and Nuggets are more than enough.

So the Knicks look solid from top to bottom, but have questionable depth. The Bucks might be the favorites if Quail's heart is in it. The Nuggets have the best player in the conference but have an odd mix of talent surrounding him. The Spurs have scorers everywhere and BDJ. The Pacers have a killer C/PF combo and can always pop up out of nowhere, and the Lakers are a wildcard. Truth be told, the Johnson Division is a tooth-and-nail dogfight in the middle of an Alpha Conference war zone.

In recent seasons you've been hovering around the ability to get a championship but couldn't quite get over. What are the biggest reasons why you feel this could be the time you finally get over the hump?

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MexicanMamba wrote: Sat Feb 15, 2020 3:17 pm In recent seasons you've been hovering around the ability to get a championship but couldn't quite get over. What are the biggest reasons why you feel this could be the time you finally get over the hump?

There's never really been a title run
That goes on without a hitch,
But for the first time, when things go sour,
We have the ability to switch.

Generally, I just feel really good about not having to deal with the Magic anymore, and I'm hoping that same energy transfers over to the team. But as for an actual reason, I've had problems in the past when it comes to taking advantage of certain matchups. I've had a strong gameplan and rotation, but the minute I ran up against something different, I lacked the personnel to adjust. This time around, I have legitimate depth, and a multitude of lineups to trot out if I have to. Our depth also serves another purpose - I have the option of putting together some pieces for a trade if what I have now proves not to be enough.

If you were to consider trading up, as it were, what area do you think you'd want to improve, or what kind of player would you like to pull?

greepleairport wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:28 am If you were to consider trading up, as it were, what area do you think you'd want to improve, or what kind of player would you like to pull?

If I were to make a trade,
It wouldn't have to be a steal,
The only thing I really want,
Is a guy to help seal the deal.

When it comes to the possibility of a trade later on in the season, it all really boils down to how the team performs during the first few months of the season. If my frontcourt seems a bit shaky, then I'll probably make a move to pick up another big or tweener. If the backcourt looks like it could use more punch, then I'll look at trading for a swingman. I'm more concerned with fit as opposed to pure skill. Of course, who wouldn't want to pull off a deal that shocks the league, but I just want to give my team the best - or at least a better - chance to win.

When is your next presser at a bar again? I want to get you liquored up so we can work out a Phil Brooks deal

IamQuailman wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:38 pm When is your next presser at a bar again? I want to get you liquored up so we can work out a Phil Brooks deal

Unfortunately, that was just for show,
The truth is, I don't drink.
However, getting your hands on Phil
Might be easier than you think.