The 2K10 & Beyond Project - Season 19/20: NBA Finals - Game 7

Player Re-Signings

Los Angeles Clippers
Re-signed Devin Harris 1yr/$2.67m

Memphis Grizzlies
Re-signed Kawhi Leonard 5yr/$76.68m

Atlanta Hawks
Re-signed Jordan Farmar 2yr/$6.18m

Charlotte Hornets
Re-signed Boris Diaw 1yr/$8.20m

Sacramento Kings
Re-signed Glen Davis 3yr/$15.33m

New York Knicks
Re-signed Jordan Hill 4yr/$29.08m
Re-signed Marco Bellinelli 2yr/$11.51m

Los Angeles Lakers
Re-signed Kobe Bryant 1yr/13.84m
Re-signed Luke Ridnour 1yr/$1.53m

Orlando Magic
Re-signed Lance Stephenson 3yr/$41.98m
Re-signed Iman Shumpert 4yr/$31.85m

Dallas Mavericks
Re-signed MarShon Brooks 3yr/$10.69m
Re-signed Darrell Arthur 2yr/$5.52m
Re-signed Jameer Nelson 1yr/$3.16m

Brooklyn Nets
Re-signed Patrick Mills 4yr/$30.06m

Indiana Pacers
Re-signed David West 1yr/$7.61m
Re-signed Chris Copeland 1yr/$1.99m

New Orleans Pelicans
Re-signed Klay Thompson 4yr/$44.49m
Re-signed Andrea Bargnani 2yr/$5.69m

Toronto Raptors
Re-signed Corey Brewer 2yr/$9.06m

Houston Rockets
Re-signed Luis Scola 2yr/$5.40m

San Antonio Spurs
Re-signed Kevin Garnett 1yr/$2.84m

Phoenix Suns
Re-signed Dorrell Wright 2yr/$6.50m

Minnesota Timberwolves
Re-signed Goran Dragic 4yr/$52.61m
Re-signed Derrick Williams 2yr/$5.38m
Re-signed Caron Butler 1yr/$2.46m

Portland Trail Blazers
Re-signed Draymond Green 4yr/$24.25m
Re-signed Marcus Morris 2yr/$12.92m

Golden State Warriors
Re-signed Alec Burks 3yr/$21.16m


Kawhi remains in Memphis


In the biggest re-signing of the season, Kawhi Leonard will stay a Grizzly, signing a 5-year extension to establish himself as the future of the Memphis franchise.

Free Agency

The King returns home


After a failed experiment in New York, LeBron James is returning to Cleveland to attempt to bring a championship to his hometown. Though having stronger pieces in New York, the current Cleveland roster could see a massive overhaul throughout the first month of the season to push them to contender status, putting the likes of Nicolas Batum and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as well as considerable future first round picks in the crosshairs in hopes of drawing a second superstar to play alongside the King. Unable to secure Jonas Valanciunas due to cap space have hurt the Cavaliers trade pieces with him off to Phoenix, but with LeBron desperate to taste championship success, any level of youth development is to be thrown aside.

Bosh heads to the Motor City


After a decade in Toronto, Chris Bosh has left the Raptors in hopes of further boosting the exciting young core of Detroit, and their star big man Al Jefferson. With Bosh & Jefferson joined by Aaron Gordon, Harrison Barnes, Trey Burke and Mario Hezonja, the Pistons are set to make an impact similar to the Celtics of last season and push for a playoff run.

Green flies the Thunder coop


After a third-straight championship, the original core of the dominant Thunder has lost a piece, with Jeff Green heading for greener pastures in LA, where the Lakers look to rebuild. With the acquisition of Nikola Vucevic and the drafting of Emmanuel Mudiay, the Lakers will be looking towards development and mentorship via the Black Mamba as they start a new generation.

Beantown adds Duncan, Rubio, loses Jackson


Following the exodus of LeBron James in The Big Apple, Tim Duncan has also left the Knicks, joining the upstart Boston Celtics who defeated them in the first year of last year's playoffs on a 1-year deal, in what's likely to be his swansong. With a wealth of championship experience, the Big Fundamental looks set to play as much of a role off the court as on, mentoring exciting prospect Joel Embiid as he looks to build on an impressive first season. It wasn't the only movement in Boston, with Reggie Jackson heading to DC to join Kyle Lowry, they Celtics pounced on unhappy Spanish guard Ricky Rubio further strengthening their backcourt stocks.

Timberwolves and Sixers swap Middleton, Aminu


The large contracts of Timberwolves bigs Kevin Love & Nikola Pekovic tied with Goran Dragic proved too much for the Timberwolves to retain some of their young talent, losing Khris Middleton to the 76ers for the less impactful Al-Farouq Aminu in return.

Signings

Cleveland Cavaliers sign LeBron James 4yr/$99.06m

Dallas Mavericks sign Rajon Rondo 3yr/$54.96m

Phoenix Suns sign Jonas Valanciunas 4yr/$51.28m

Detroit Pistons sign Chris Bosh 2yr/$35.73m

Washington Wizards sign Reggie Jackson 3yr/$27.46m

Boston Celtics sign Ricky Rubio 3yr/$25.68m

San Antonio Spurs sign Danny Green 3yr/$23.48m

Los Angeles Lakers sign Jeff Green 3yr/$22.10m

Brooklyn Nets sign Bismack Biyombo 3yr/$20.75m

Houston Rockets sign Greivis Vasquez 3yr/$19.34m

Philadelphia 76ers sign Khris Middleton 3y/$16.74m

New York Knicks sign Nate Robinson 2yr/$15.24m

Minnesota Timberwolves sign Al-Farouq Aminu 3yr/$13.79m

New Orleans Pelicans sign Gerald Green 2yr/$13.74m

Portland Trail Blazers sign Kosta Koufos 3yr/$13.73m

Toronto Raptors sign Jae Crowder 3yr/$11.22m

Los Angeles Lakers sign Timofey Mozgov 2yr/$11.21m

Boston Celtics sign Tim Duncan 1yr/$10.91m

Portland Trail Blazers sign Shaun Livingston 3yr/$10.82m

New York Knicks sign Mike Scott 2yr/$8.18m

New York Knicks sign Luc Richard Mbah a Moute 2yr/$7.24m

Denver Nuggets sign Carlos Boozer 1yr/$6.97m

Milwaukee Bucks sign Andrew Bynum 1yr/$6.84m

Atlanta Hawks sign Nene 1yr/$6.71m

Brooklyn Nets sign Matthew Dellavedova 2yr/$6.52m

Los Angeles Clippers sign Jamal Crawford 1yr/$6.40m

New York Knicks sign Jeff Withey 2yr/$6.34m

Golden State Warriors sign Channing Frye 1yr/$5.42m

Miami Heat sign Kyle O’Quinn 2yr/$5.11m

Los Angeles Clippers sign Alexis Ajinca 2yr/$5.07m

Portland Trail Blazers sign Joel Freeland 1yr/$4.95m

Los Angeles Lakers sign Donatas Motiejunas 2yr/$4.38m

Houston Rockets sign Kyle Korver 1yr/$4.01m

Charlotte Hornets sign Miroslav Raduljica 2yr/$3.97m

Sacramento Kings sign Brandon Knight 1yr/$3.86m

Portland Trail Blazers sign Chris Kaman 1yr/$3.59m

Los Angeles Lakers sign Vince Carter 1yr/$3.03m

Brooklyn Nets sign Matt Barnes 1yr/$2.98m

Utah Jazz sign Kirk Hinrich 1yr/$2.33m

Chicago Bulls sign Leandro Barbosa 2yr/$2.23m

Golden State Warriors sign Steve Novak 1yr/$2.02m

Milwaukee Bucks sign Tayshaun Prince 1yr/$2.00m

Oklahoma City Thunder sign Nick Collison 1yr/$1.98m

San Antonio Spurs Jermaine O’Neal 1yr/$1.98m

Portland Trail Blazers sign Victor Claver 1yr/$1.98m

Minnesota Timberwolves sign Mike Miller 1yr/$1.96m

Chicago Bulls sign Jason Richardson 1yr/$1.91m

Utah Jazz sign Matt Bonner 1yr/$1.88m

Atlanta Hawks sign Pero Antic 1yr/$1.76m

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Chris Andersen 1yr/$1.75m

Golden State Warriors sign Kyle Singler 1yr/$1.56m

Denver Nuggets sign Marquis Teague 1yr/$1.43m

Miami Heat sign Quincy Acy 1yr/$1.28m

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Quincy Miller 1yr/$1.27m

Boston Celtics sign Nemanja Nedovic 1yr/$1.24m

Philadelphia 76ers sign Will Barton 1yr/$1.24m

Charlotte Hornets sign Allen Crabbe 1yr/$1.22m

Utah Jazz sign Ian Clark 1yr/$1.22m

Los Angeles Clippers sign Justin Hamilton 1yr/$1.16m

Milwaukee Bucks sign Glen Rice Jr. 1yr/$1.16m

Houston Rockets sign Ryan Kelly 1yr/$987k

That definitely makes for an interesting story in this reality; LeBron returning home without accomplishing his goal of winning a title elsewhere, and hoping to do it in a second go around with Cleveland.

That definitely makes for an interesting story in this reality; LeBron returning home without accomplishing his goal of winning a title elsewhere, and hoping to do it in a second go around with Cleveland.

Crazy to think in those years of LeBron being paired with Duncan & Parker, in reality all three of them were involved in both the 2013 & 14 championships, but couldn't secure one together in arguably even weaker Eastern Conference.

Team Depth Charts

Philadelphia 76ers
PG: Jrue Holiday/J.J. Barea
SG: Avery Bradley/Will Barton/Devin Booker
SF: Khris Middleton/Trevor Ariza/Pat Connaughton/Josh Huestis
PF: Derrick Favors/Thomas Robinson/Brandon Davies
C: Anderson Varejao/Robin Lopez

Milwaukee Bucks
PG: Kemba Walker/Dante Exum/Will Bynum
SG: Andre Iguodala/Ben McLemore/Glen Rice Jr.
SF: Paul George/Tayshaun Prince/Cedi Osman
PF: Jared Sullinger/Amir Johnson/Jarvis Varnado
C: Andrew Bogut/Andrew Bynum

Chicago Bulls
PG: Derrick Rose/Terry Rozier
SG: Leandro Barbosa/Jordan Crawford/Jason Richardson/Archie Goodwin
SF: Luol Deng/James Johnson/P.J. Hairston
PF: Marreese Speights/Udonis Haslem/Nemanja Bjelica
C: Joakim Noah/Meyers Leonard

Cleveland Cavaliers
PG: Jeff Teague/Austin Rivers
SG: J.R. Smith/Kentavious Caldwell-Pope/Rashad Vaughn/Joe Harris
SF: LeBron James/Nicolas Batum/James Jones/Quincy Miller
PF: Ryan Anderson/Jack Cooley
C: J.J. Hickson/Chris Andersen

Boston Celtics
PG: Isaiah Thomas/Rickky Rubio/Zach LaVine
SG: Victor Oladipo/Nemanja Nedovic/E'Twaun Moore
SF: Chandler Parsons/Omri Casspi/Justin Anderson
PF: Tim Duncan/Brandon Bass/Andrew Nicholson
C: KJoel Embiid/Vitor Faverani

Los Angeles Clippers
PG: Dennis Schroder/Devin Harris/Lorenzo Brown
SG: Jamal Crawford/Bogdan Bogdanovic/Jamaal Franklin
SF: Carmelo Anthony/Kelly Oubre Jr./Devyn Marble
PF: Blake Griffin/Carl Landry
C: Tyson Chandler/Alexis Ajinca/Justin Hamilton

Memphis Grizzlies
PG: Mike Conley/Raymond Felton
SG: O.J. Mayo/Gerald Henderson/R.J. Hunter
SF: Kawhi Leonard/Terrence Ross
PF: Ersan Ilyasova/JayMichael Green
C: Marc Gasol/Mitch McGary/Chuck Hayes/Solomon Jones

Atlanta Hawks
PG: Elfrid Payton/Shane Larkin/Jordan Farmar
SG: Joe Johnson/Gary Harris
SF: Terrence Jones/Chase Budinger/Jerami Grant
PF: Kenneth Faried/Nene
C: Al Horford/Myles Turner/Mike Muscala/Pero Antic

Miami Heat
PG: Kyrie Irving/Aaron Brooks
SG: Dwyane Wade/Tyler Johnson
SF: Wilson Chandler/Kyle Anderson/Landry Fields
PF: Elton Brand/Josh McRoberts/Bobby Portis/Quincy Acy/Branden Dawson
C: Hassan Whiteside/Larry Sanders/Walter Tavares

Charlotte Hornets
PG: Jeremy Lin/D.J. Augustin
SG: Jarrett Jack/Courtney Lee/
SF: DeMarre Carroll/Boris Diaw/Rondae Hollis-Jefferson/Allen Crabbe
PF: Zach Randolph/Nikola Mirotic/Cody Zeller/Arnett Moultrie
C: Dwight Howard/Miroslav Raduljica

Utah Jazz
PG: Deron Williams/Delon Wright
SG: Eric Gordon/Rodney Hood/Ian Clark
SF: Jimmy Butler/Rasual Butler/Joe Ingles
PF: Paul Millsap/Matt Bonner
C: Anthony Davis/Rudy Gobert

Sacramento Kings
PG: Brandon Knight/Brandon Jennings/Cameron Payne/Joseph Young
SG: Tyreke Evans/Kevin Martin
SF: Paul Pierce/Michael Beasley
PF: Greg Monroe/Trevor Booker/Glen Davis
C: Gorgui Dieng/Clint Capela/Tibor Pleiss

New York Knicks
PG: Tony Parker/Pablo Prigioni/Jared Cunningham
SG: Marco Bellinelli/Jordan Adams
SF: Giannis Antetokounmpo/Perry Jones/Lance Thomas
PF: Jordan Hill/Mike Scott/Luc Richard Mbah a Moute/Jarell Martin
C: Andray Blatche/Jeff Withey

Los Angeles Lakers
PG: Emmanuel Mudiay/Luke Ridnour
SG: Kobe Bryant/Andre Roberson
SF: Jeff Green/Mike Dunleavy/Vince Carter/Gerald Wallace
PF: Donatas Motiejunas/Patrick Patterson/Chris McCullough
C: Nikola Vucevic/Timofey Mozgov

Orlando Magic
PG: George Hill/Patrick Beverley/Beno Udrih/Jerian Grant/Tyler Ennis
SG: Iman Shumpert/Lance Stephenson
SF: Gordon Hayward/Jared Dudley
PF: Marcin Gortat/Julius Randle
C: Brook Lopez/Kelly Olynyk/Dewayne Dedmon

Dallas Mavericks
PG: Rajon Rondo/Jameer Nelson/Ish Smith
SG: Tim Hardaway Jr./MarShon Brooks
SF: Rudy Gay/Stanley Johnson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki/Darrell Arthur/Adreian Payne
C: Miles Plumlee/Spencer Hawes/Dwight Powell

Brooklyn Nets
PG: Patrick Mills/Matthew Dellavedova
SG: Marcus Smart/Dion Waiters
SF: Matt Barnes/T.J. Warren/Sergei Karasev/Solomon Hill/Chris Douglas-Roberts
PF: Pau Gasol/Bismack Biyombo/Joffrey Lauvergne
C: Willie Cauley-Stein/Festus Ezeli

Denver Nuggets
PG: D'Angelo Russell/Mario Chalmers/Marquis Teague
SG: Arron Afflalo/Russ Smith/Shannon Brown
SF: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/James Young/Earl Clark
PF: Carlos Boozer/Jason Thompson/Johnny O'Bryant
C: DeAndre Jordan/Steven Adams

Indiana Pacers
PG: Ty Lawson/Shabazz Napier
SG: Louis Williams/Evan Fournier/Tony Snell
SF: Bojan Bogdanovic/Tony Snell/Danny Granger/Chris Copeland
PF: David West/Trey Lyles/Drew Gooden
C: Roy Hibbert/Ian Mahinmi

New Orleans Pelicans
PG: Michael Carter-Williams/Mo Williams/Raul Neto
SG: Klay Thompson/Nik Stauskas
SF: Tobias Harris/Gerald Green/Richaun Holmes
PF: David Lee/Andrea Bargnani/Tyler Hansbrough/Nikola Jokic/Rakeem Christmas
C: Andre Drummond/Karl-Anthony Towns

Detroit Pistons
PG: Cory Joseph/Trey Burke/Spencer Dinwiddie
SG: Wesley Matthews/Mario Hezonja
SF: Harrison Barnes/Damien Inglis/Austin Daye/Tony Mitchell
PF: Chris Bosh/Aaron Gordon/Jonas Jerebko
C: Al Jefferson/Ekpe Udoh/Aaron Gray

Toronto Raptors
PG: Darren Collison/Kendall Marshall
SG: Demar DeRozan/C.J. McCollum
SF: Jae Crowder/Corey Brewer/Quincy Pondexter/Cleanthony Early
PF: Tristan Thompson/Noah Vonleh/Ronald Roberts
C: Jahlil Okafor/Emeka Okafor

Houston Rockets
PG: Eric Bledsoe/Greivis Vasquez
SG: Kyle Korver/Jeremy Lamb/Troy Daniels
SF: Josh Smith/Evan Turner/Robert Covington/Ryan Kelly
PF: Markieff Morris/Luis Scola/Kristaps Porzingis/Kevin Looney
C: Omer Asik/Amare Stoudemire

San Antonio Spurs
PG: Chris Paul/Jordan Clarkson/Erick Green
SG: J.J. Redick/Manu Ginobili
SF: Danny Green/Danilo Gallinari/Maurice Harkless
PF: Kevin Garnett/Dario Saric/Jarnell Stokes/DeJuan Blair/Larry Nance Jr.
C: Tiago Splitter/Lucas Nogueira

Phoenix Suns
PG: John Wall/Jerryd Bayless
SG: Tony Allen/K.J. McDaniels/Josh Richardson
SF: Jabari Parker/Justise Winslow/P.J. Tucker/Dorrell Wright/Brandon Rush
PF: Jonas Valanciunas/Anthony Tolliver
C: Tyler Zeller/Alex Len

Oklahoma City Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook/Norris Cole
SG: James Harden/Thabo Sefolosha/C.J. Wilcox
SF: Kevin Durant/Anthony Morrow/Anthony Brown
PF: Ed Davis/Lavoy Allen/Nick Collison
C: Serge Ibaka/Kendrick Perkins

Minnesota Timberwolves
PG: Goran Dragic/Tyus Jones
SG: Bradley Beal/Mike Miller/Reggie Bullock
SF: Caron Butler/Al-Farouq Aminu/Derrick Williams/Bruno Caboclo
PF: Kevin Love/Mason Plumlee
C: Nikola Pekovic/JaVale McGee

Portland Trail Blazers
PG: Damian Lillard/Shaun Livingston
SG: Monta Ellis/Randy Foye/Victor Claver
SF: Draymond Green/Thaddeus Young/Victor Claver
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge/Marcus Morris/Jeff Ayres/Joel Freeland
C: Chris Kaman/Jusuf Nurkic/Kosta Koufos

Golden State Warriors
PG: Stephen Curry/Ramon Sessions
SG: Alec Burks/Alan Anderson/Nick Johnson
SF: Nick Young/Kyle Singler/Sam Dekker/Doug McDermott
PF: Taj Gibson/Channing Frye/Steve Novak
C: DeMarcus Cousins/Cole Aldrich

Washington Wizards
PG: Kyle Lowry/Tony Wroten/Nate Wolters
SG: Reggie Jackson/C.J. Miles/Marcus Thornton/Norman Powell
SF: Andrew Wiggins/Garrett Temple/Martell Webster
PF: Nerlens Noel/Frank Kaminsky
C: Enes Kanter/John Henson/Kevin Seraphin

Last edited by jubba910 on Mon Nov 08, 2021 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

2015-16 Season Preview

After a third straight Championship in Oklahoma City, there's little doubt that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook & James Harden are the most dominant trio the league has possibly ever seen. A second straight Finals sweep leaves little to be imagined in what could be the outcome of the 15/16 season, with someone needing to rise above the pack to challenge the dynasty. LeBron James is back in Cleveland, Chris Bosh has finally left Toronto, and two of the biggest markets in New York and the Lakers look set for rough seasons ahead.

Division Previews


Eastern Conference – Atlantic Division



After an impressive Playoff push, the Atlantic Division appears to be the Celtics for the taking with the dismantling of the New York Knicks. Adding the veteran experience of Tim Duncan and the quickness of Ricky Rubio to patch the loss of Reggie Jackson, Beantown looks to have finally turned the corner and become a true contender again in the East. After the miserable slump of last season, the Sixers have added value in Khris Middleton and the drafting of Devin Booker, looking to fill out the scoring imbalance that has plagued them outside of Jrue Holiday, can Philly get back to the postseason? With Chris Bosh no longer leading the team, the onus falls to the Raptors youthful core of DeMar DeRozan, CJ McCollum, Noah Vonleh and Jahlil Okafor to kickstart the next phase of Canada's lone franchise. Brooklyn looks set to be on the receiving end of another rough win/loss record, still missing the class needed to drag them out of the doldrums in the East, and still having two years of Pau Gasol's massive contract as a timer on their rebuild. On the topic of rebuilds, no one's season looks rougher than the Knicks, who look likely to break the record for largest drop in wins in two seasons, going from the #1 spot to likely the 15th. With LeBron out of the picture, it's Giannis Antetokounmpo's time to shine, and bring hope to The Big Apple.


Eastern Conference – Central Division



With Kemba Walker returning on a new contract, this looks to be the year that Milwaukee can break through to the ECF, Paul George looks set for another stellar season, boosted by the dynamic frontcourt of Andrew Bogut and Jared Sullinger. In their current format, the Cleveland Cavaliers look promising, but not a certain contender, lacking the sidekick that LeBron has had since he left The Land five years ago. Without a bonafide second star, it may pave the way for the King to put up career numbers, but could also lean too heavily on their hometown hero. The Pistons add another key piece after acquiring Al Jefferson last season, setting up a strong frontcourt for their youthful backcourt. The pressure is on Harrison Barnes in his contract year to earn a large extension, with the possibility of being shipped out to make way for Aaron Gordon on the wing in the starting lineup. The Windy City looks to take a step back this season, with Luol Deng & Joakim Noah no longer able to keep Chicago at the top of the East, and seem likely to clear house without a strong start to the season. Scenes look grim in Indianapolis, with the lack of youthful prospects weighing heavily over the likes of Danny Granger, David West & Lou Williams. With Williams' famed shooting touch, it wouldn't be out of the question to see the Pacers deal at the deadline for some prospects.


Eastern Conference – Southeast Division



Another year, and another likely division title for the Heat. With Kyrie Irving healed from a torn MCL that sidelined him for the NBA Finals, the Heat are out to prove just why they took the East last season. The cheap acquisition of Hassan Whiteside is a major factor, boosting their weak frontcourt stocks, however with minimum cap space available, it might not be a long stint in South Beach for the promising big man. The Magic took many by surprise last season, fueled majorly by their free agency acquisitions of Patrick Beverley and Lance Stephenson. With another year of development for Gordon Hayward, it wouldn't be out of the question to see Orlando find its way back to the ECF. Zach Randolph is back on an NBA court, but it wouldn't be a shock to see him out the door due to the dominant play of Nikola Mirotic in his debut season. With a significant salary locked away under ZBo and Mirotic, one looks set to give way for some additional backup talent. With the signing of the Celtics' dynamic scorer Reggie Jackson, Kyle Lowry seems to have found his co-pilot. Pairing with the sophomore Andrew Wiggins and Nerlens Noel, the Wizards are taking all the right steps to get back to the postseason, something they haven't achieved since 2008. The Hawks look set for a rebuild, and another candidate for a deadline fire-sale, with Joe Johnson & Al Horford both garnering significant interest from contenders. With a future invested in Elfrid Payton and Kenneth Faried, Atlanta is likely to miss the postseason for the foreseeable future.


Western Conference - Pacific Division



A great playoff display has the Warriors as slight favourites to win the Pacific division, as DeMarcus Cousins builds on a fantastic first season in the Bay Area. Surrounded by some serious shooting artillery in Stephen Curry, Alec Burks & Kyle Singler, Golden State should be expecting a similar run that saw them win it all in 2012. Carmelo Anthony's player option in Los Angeles is up, and the Clippers are feeling the pressure of some meager postseason performances since the drafting of Blake Griffin in 2009. Flanked by veterans such as Devin Harris, Tyson Chandler & the recently signed Jamal Crawford, the youthful trio of Griffin, 6MOY Bogdan Bogdanovic & Dennis Schroder are in the hot seat to bring some success to LA's second franchise. Sacramento seems to be in a holding pattern, and with a second straight miss of the postseason, things are due for a shakeup. Brandon Knight fell flat in free agency, forced to take a qualifying offer to stay at the Kings after seeming destined to leave. Regression is the Kings' biggest weakness, with poor showings from the likes of Brandon Jennings & Tyreke Evans last season casting serious doubt around Sac-Town's future. Can John Wall stay healthy? If so, we could be seeing the Suns in the postseason for the first time since the days of Nash & Stoudemire. It's been a rough 6 years for Phoenix, however with prospects like reigning ROY Jabari Parker, Jonas Valanciunas & Justise Winslow, the Grand Canyon state is set to disrupt. The waining days of Kobe Bryant are likely set in mentoring, with Emmanuel Mudiay and Nikola Vucevic now steering the league's second most successful franchise. Likely heading back to the lottery, could the Lakers do the impossible send the Black Mamba somewhere for one last chance at a ring?


Western Conference – Southwest Division



Further development from Kawhi Leonard and a healthy second unit makes the Grizzlies hard to ignore in the Southwest Divison. Immaculately balanced, they seem set to be the Thunder's biggest foil. After a first-round upset at the hands of the Jazz, the Spurs have a lot to prove. Kevin Garnett is back for another shot at glory, whilst also mentoring their PF of the future in Dario Saric. With the retirement of Manu Ginobili, Danny Green from the Clippers looks set ot rejuvinate San Antonio's outside threats, teaming with J.J. Redick. The Pelicans add another high-value prospect to their overflowing rotation, now needing to find minutes to fit Andre Drummond, Karl-Anthony Towns & David Lee in their front court. After re-signing, Klay Thompson has appeared as the leader of this exciting New Orleans outfit, and all signs point to a return to the Playoffs in The Big Easy. The Rockets sit in a state of flux, as Eric Bledsoe leads a Houston team that sits between both contending and rebuilding. Draftee Kristaps Porzingis will have his work cut out for him, contending for frontcourt minutes amongst Markieff Morris, Amare Stoudemire & Omer Asik, though it's likely that not all of his contemporaries will remain in H-Town for the entire season. After pushing their chips in on Rudy Gay at the deadline and now Rajon Rondo in free agency, the Mavericks have potentially invested their money in under-achievers, further souring the end of Dirk Nowitzki's reign at the helm of Dallas. The Mavericks have high hopes on rookie Stanley Johnson with deadline-acquired Tim Hardaway Jr., a likely future tandem to lead the franchise.

Western Conference – Northwest Division



With three consecutive championships and a trio of superstars all locked in beyond this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in a league of their own. A new challenge emerges however, with the chance of becoming the first team since the Celtics of the '60s to win four titles in a row. With another postseason without star big man Anthony Davis, the Jazz appear to have all the pieces to go all the way, if injuries don't pop up. Jimmy Butler is staying put, despite flirting with a move to another contender, and will lead the Jazz on both ends of the floor. Damian Lillard finally has some point guard help with the valuable addition of former Thunder backup Shaun Livingston, bolstering a Blazers team that was a shot away from a winner-take-all Game 7 against the Thunder in last year's playoffs. Can the Blazers back up their impressive season with further development of the defensive secret weapon Draymond Green? With the loss of Khris Middleton & Ricky Rubio, the Timberwolves still look dangerous, however their signature depth seems to be fading. Bradley Beal is due for a major extension, but the question is beginning to arise as to whether Kevin Love is the right big man to pair with their dynamic scorer. The Nuggets welcome back Carlos Boozer after a year with the Bulls, however with both the DPOY and MIP on the blocks in DeAndre Jordan & Steven Adams, he's set to take a back seat as the Nuggets pair their twin towers with exciting ROY-favourite D'Angelo Russell.

Award Predictions


Most Valuable Player

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

A second straight and third overall MVP is likely for the best player in the league, as the Thunder chase history and a fourth consecutive title.


Rookie of the Year

D'Angelo Russell, Denver Nuggets

With Karl-Anthony Towns likely to come off the bench to start the season, all signs point to the major minutes for a Nuggets PG who is tasked with both delivering points and assists in the Mile High City.


Defensive Player of the Year

Anthony Davis, Utah Jazz

With DeAndre Jordan sharing the floor with Steven Adams this season in the starting lineup, Anthony Davis is a clear frontrunner to take home his first piece of hardware.


Most Improved Player

Reggie Jackson, Washington Wizards

Leaving his bench role in Boston for a starting role in DC, Reggie Jackson's ability to score will shine bright regardless of the Wizards record.


Sixth Man of the Year

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers adding Jamal Crawford in place of Danny Green puts Bogdanovic in a strong position to win a second straight Sixth Man of the Year Award.


Coach of the Year

Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors

At the helm of the league's most dangerous perimeter attack and the dominance of DeMarcus Cousins down low, Steve Kerr is set to steer the Warriors ship back to the promised land of a Championship.

Last edited by jubba910 on Thu Dec 23, 2021 3:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Opening Day Transactions

Cavaliers waste little time in re-shuffle


Despite leading the charge for the Cavaliers in their 7-game series against the Heat last postseason, J.R. Smith is out of Cleveland for Hawks big man Al Horford, giving the Cavaliers the valuable presence down low that they lost in Jonas Valanciunas. The Hawks now pad their future with 26 year old Nicolas Batum and 27 year old J.J. Hickson, providing further support around Kenneth Faried and Elfrid Payton. Smith will head to Houston, sending Kyle Korver who didn't even play a game for the franchise after being signed this past offseason.

CLE Receive: Al Horford, Kyle Korver, Terrence Jones, 2016 2nd Round Pick (HOU), 2017 1st Round Pick (ATL)
ATL Receive: Nicolas Batum, J.J. Hickson, Austin Rivers
HOU Receive: J.R. Smith, 2016 2nd Round Pick (CLE)

Hornets re-jig lineup in blockbuster 4-team trade, ship Howard to Heat, Randolph to Kings, gain Whiteside, Evans, Gallinari & Chandler


As expected, the Hornets opted to keep rising European prospect Nikola Mirotic over their free agent signing from only two years ago in Zach Randolph. However, this created a domino effect in Charlotte, with the Heat pouncing on Dwight Howard, sending prized cheap prospect Hassan Whiteside for the All-Star as well as swapping valuable utility Wilson Chandler for rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Additionally the Heat shifted their other large contract, with Larry Sanders being sent to the Spurs for the older, but cheaper, Tiago Splitter.

CHA Receive: Hassan Whiteside, Tyreke Evans, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Kyle O’Quinn, Clint Capela
MIA Receive: Dwight Howard, Tiago Splitter, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, 2016 2nd Round (CHA)
SAC Receive: Zach Randolph, Courtney Lee
SA Receive: Boris Diaw, Larry Sanders, 2016 2nd Round (MIA)


Opening Night

DET 100 @ ATL 108
27th October 2015

Bosh stars in Detroit debut


The new frontcourt tandem of Chris Bosh & Al Jefferson got off on the right foot in Atlanta, with the Pistons' star recruit dropping 28 on the new-look Hawks.






CLE 107 @ CHI 89
27th October 2015

Teague drops career-high 17 dimes against Bulls


Jeff Teague stole the spotlight of both LeBron James' return to Cavaliers colours as well as Al Horford's debut with a dazzling 17 assist performance.






NO 84 @ GS 105
27th October 2015

Curry, Warriors get off to hot start


Stephen Curry and the Warriors wasted little time in getting up to speed, outgunning the promising Pelicans with a dominant 21-point win on their home floor.

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MEM 103 @ POR 110
5th November 2015

Blazers start hot, win fifth straight


It may be early days, but the Trail Blazers are well on their way to repeating their WCF success of last season, comfortably handling the Grizzlies on their home floor to improve to 5-1.

ORL 93 @ WAS 89
14th November 2015

Lopez, Magic storm home in DC


A massive fourth quarter from Brook Lopez and the Magic took the wind out of the sails of the Wizards, outscoring them by 11 to snatch the win.

BOS 83 @ OKC 113
15th November 2015

Reigning champs hand Celtics first loss


Despite a rocky 4-5 start from the Thunder, their class shined through against the Celtics, handing the visitors their first loss of the season after a flawless 8-0 start.

UTA 107 @ LAC 110
25th November 2015

Melo leads Clips past Jazz


Carmelo Anthony proved again why the Clippers are always a threat, edging Anthony Davis and the Jazz in a tight contest.

Monthly Report: November 2015

Conference Standings






League Leaders





Injury Report



Free Agent Signings


Cleveland Cavaliers sign C.J. Watson 1yr/$2.25m


Stories

Blazers off to incredible 16-2 start

After falling short to the Thunder in the Conference Finals last season, the Blazers have came out with a vengeance, leading the league with a 9-game win streak to end the first full month of the season.

Young Celtics lead the way in the East

Despite their 30-point loss to the Thunder mid-month, the Celtics still top the East, thriving with the addition of Tim Duncan and bypassing the early-season injury woes of Joel Embiid.

Knicks receive first season-ending injury blow

After signing a 3-year extension this offseason, the Knicks will be without key big Jordan Hill with a ruptured achilles, providing their already likely lottery-bound season with a bit more certainty.

LAL 81 @ TOR 108
7th December 2015

Okafor shines against hobbled Lakers


Rookie big Jahlil Okafor showed exactly what he's capable of against the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers, dropping 23 and 12 at an impressive 9-11 clip.

MIN 85 @ PHX 105
13th December 2015

Wall dominates against Wolves


John Wall stuffed the stat sheet as the Suns aim to get back above .500, taking out the contending Wolves on their home floor.

Christmas Day Double-Header

CLE 96 @ GS 104
25th December 2016

Curry, Warriors best Cavaliers in Oakland


It was a blockbuster matchup on Christmas Day in the Bay Area, with Stephen Curry besting LeBron and the Cavaliers in a potential Finals sneak peek.






SA 102 @ HOU 93
25th December 2016

Sanders puts on a showstopper on Christmas


Larry Sanders took the spotlight in Houston for Christmas Day, grabbing 19 rebounds and 5 rejections in a dominant frontcourt performance.

Monthly Report: December 2015

Conference Standings






League Leaders





Injury Report



Free Agent Signings



San Antonio Spurs sign Shabazz Muhammad 1yr/$3.83m

Denver Nuggets sign Brandan Wright 1yr/$3.82m


Stories

Nets hold their position, stay contending

It may still only be January, but the Brooklyn Nets have fooled most pundits with a strong 17-15 start, sitting comfortably in the top half of the East. With solid production from their young core, could they follow a similar projection to last year's Celtics?

Blazers fall off perch, Spurs take lead in West

After a hot 16-2 first month of the season, the West's usual suspects have crept up on the Blazers, including a red-hot Spurs uniform, boasting the additional acquisition of their former swingman, Shabazz Muhammad who was declined a team option this offseason.

MVP rumblings in Salt Lake City

In his fourth season, Anthony Davis has came of age, posting monster numbers through the first two months of the season, leading the league in blocks and rebounds per game. With the Jazz firmly in the hunt at the top of the West, could this continued production for the former #1 pick bring the Jazz their first MVP since 1998?

Looks like LeBron made a good choice in returning to Cleveland. Right there in contention, early on.

NY 107 @ MIA 98
6th January 2016

Scott unleashes on Wade-less Heat


Coming off the Knicks bench, Mike Scott had possibly the best game of his short career, dropping 24 points and 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes, locking in a starting forward role moving forward with the absence of Jordan Hill & Andray Blatche.

UTA 109 @ POR 107
13th January 2016

Millsap ices Blazers at the buzzer


With an MVP-level performance of 40 and 14 from Anthony Davis, Paul Millsap stood up when it mattered most with a last-second layup to best their Northwest division rival.

ORL 104 @ MIL 103
26th January 2016

Shumpert silences Bucks at the horn


Iman Shumpert made the last of his 8 points count, burning past notable defensive stalwart Andre Iguodala to top the Bucks on their home floor, and keeping them in the running for a top 4 spot in the East.

Monthly Report: January 2016

Conference Standings






League Leaders





Injury Report




Stories

Thunder lose Ibaka for the season

They may sit on top of the West Standings currently, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have been dealt a massive blow, losing Serge Ibaka for the rest of the season. With the loss of Jeff Green last offseason, the three-time reigning champs are showing possibly their first true sign of weakness, with over half the season still to play.

Bulls stuck in the doldrums

With Derrick Rose missing a considerable number of games for the second time this season, the lineup that was Finals-bound just three seasons ago may be on the verge of a breakup, struggling to stay above .500 with notable talent in Joakim Noah, Luol Deng likely to be on the trading block heading into the All-Star break.

Northwest dominance rings true in the West

Arguably the toughest division for the past five seasons, the Northwest has never looked stronger, with the Thunder, Jazz & Trailblazers topping the West standings. If current trends continue, it could be a division dogfight to retain home-court advantage en-route to the postseason.

With Derrick Rose missing a considerable number of games for the second time this season, the lineup that was Finals-bound just three seasons ago may be on the verge of a breakup, struggling to stay above .500 with notable talent in Joakim Noah, Luol Deng likely to be on the trading block heading into the All-Star break.

Knowing GarPax, it won't be a good haul!

All-Star Teams Announced

All Star Game

West All-Stars


East All-Stars



Dunk Contest




3-Point Shootout

SAC 108 @ BKN 103
5th February 2016

Martin turns back the clock in Brooklyn


Kevin Martin showcased how much he's still got it, dropping an impressive 22 points in the first half as the Kings continue to fight back to .500 in a heavily contested Western Conference.

ELT 102 - STR 100
12th February 2016

Russell dominates on the big stage


D'Angelo Russell made the most of his time in the spotlight, and why some have shortlisted him as a ROY-favourite, putting on a dazzling 24-point, 7-rebound, 6-assist performance against the leagues rising stars.






3 POINT SHOOTOUT
13th February 2016


It took a tiebreaker, but Klay Thompson bested Detroit's Wesley Matthews to take this year's 3-point crown.

DUNK CONTEST
13th February 2016


Andrew Wiggins defended his crown successfully in the Dunk Contest, collecting back-to-back slam dunk championships for the first time since Jason Richardson in 2002 & 2003.

EAST 114 - WEST 125
14th February 2016

Davis dominates over East


Anthony Davis continued his red-hot, MVP level form, dominating against the league's best on the way to a second-straight West win.