Post by nybombers3 on Jul 22, 2020 1:23:57 GMT -8
(sidenote: Googling "hot takes" is, uh, interesting)
Everyone knows that seeing that opening sim thread pop up is one of the best things in any FBB league. Tanking and winning, together, can sit back and enjoy the crazy numbers that can be put up. Even better though is some of the wild hot takes that can be thrown out during said sim. Today I've asked 2 years left , @aaronjh and Lasagna and tears of failure on their thoughts on some of those potential hot takes.
1. The Timberwolves will win the Midwest
@aaronjh HOT TAKE. Exceedingly hot take, to be clear! Nice start but this team is doodoo. They start James Jones, a C- rebounder and C inside scorer, at SF. Their frontcourt rotation consists of two B- and one B rebounder. There’s enough talent here, but it’s a poorly constructed roster with a bad DC. Mavs by a mile.
Lasagna and tears of failure - HYPE. The Wolves have a nice team, but Habes, the GM for the MAV’s instead of waiting to field a team on day 99 have a team that even ashes will look at sideways. A lot of the depth on Dallas would be starters on other teams.
nybombers3 - HOT TAKE - Can't say I fully disagree with this being a hot take. The Mavs just seem to good to finish 2nd in this division. I also feel like depth may be an issue with them, especially up front. That may cost them down the road.
2. The Heat will come out of the East
@aaronjh NOT HOT. Most talented team in the East by a wide margin, and it’s a four-team race between Cleveland, New Orleans, Miami, and Chicago. (Skillz could pass these teams in an afternoon, but his team’s not there yet.) The Heat are elite pretty much categorically, point guard play aside.
Lasagna and tears of failure - HYPE: Knicks or the Hornets will be the #1 seed with the other being #2. The Heat do just enough to field a good team, but are constantly coming up short compared to NY and Charlotte. I really didn’t think the last trade was good for pig, but once again he’s proving he knows better than the rest of us, exactly what he is doing.
nybombers3 - HOT TAKE - The Heat are a very good team, PG aside, but man Finley is a tough one. He's been hurt at least 3 times since I've been here. Doesn't matter how good he is. If he can't avoid getting hurt then he's worthless. I wouldn't count out skillz coming out of the East again though I can see Chicago making some moves to jump everyone. Depends on how they want to play it.
3. Billups will capture MVP
@aaronjh HOT TAKE. He’ll deserve it, but the award will keep going to Tim Duncan. Just an FBB flaw. Part of the reason I wish we voted on season awards. I think we used to do this, and Mark’s talk about bringing it back. I may be thinking of season predictions though.
Lasagna and tears of failure - HYPE. The only way Billups gets MVP is if Kobe and Duncan get injured with fractured skulls. Even then it might be hard pressed as there is also KG in the way.
nybombers3 - HOT TAKE - Yeah, seems like it's Duncan's to lose. Plus, let's be honest. He'll likely be traded by sim 5 so it's not all that likely he'll continue the same trend anyways. I do like that idea of voting on season awards though. Sounds like someone should take that up.
4. Warriors will cruise past their CY
@aaronjh NOT HOT. Nash and Martin will form an elite outside offense. Walker can contribute as a third option, and he and Marion put the Warriors in the mix for elite rebounding. I’m sold on them.
Lasagna and tears of failure - FACT, though Cruise is a bit strong. Manas will reset, and may need to go straight back to rebuild mode, but he will reset.
nybombers3 - NOT HOT - Feel like they'll be fine. They still have some assets left if need be but they should definitely, at the very least, hit the 42 win mark. The Nash deal was that boost they needed.
5. Grizzlies will continue to struggle with Dwight/Deron combo.
@aaronjh NOT HOT. I love both of these guys, but they’re works in progress with a long way to go. I hope Jeff can keep them through his CY, but it’ll be a struggle.
Lasagna and tears of failure - HYPE. Very few rooks hit the league ready to play and most seem to take at least 2 TCs to really get going. The big man just needs some wings, but Deron is just the guy they need running the show.
nybombers3 - NOT HOT- Dwight's always been a tricky guy to have in FBB and while Deron should be ok, I can see the Grizz having to eventually dump Dwight before his value ends up decreasing or having it shot like Shaq's.
6. The Kings will not make the finals
@aaronjh NOT HOT. A team with a 75% chance of winning each of its three series before the finals is more likely than not to miss the finals. Kings are a coin toss vs. the Mavs, so fuck ‘em, they’ll probably miss the finals. Speak it!
Lasagna and tears of failure - HYPE! The 2x defending champs will make it back and are the early favorites to 3peat imho. The Kings were thee most dominant team, and their talent may be a tad better this season.
nybombers3 - HOT TAKE - The Kings should make it but I guess in FBB you never know. One big injury or fluke series is all you need. Their latest addition helps them bring some more balance to the bench which always helps. There are a few teams that can make some moves to challenge the Kings but it's hard to bet against the Kings right now.
7. Tim Duncan will never win a ring
@aaronjh NOT HOT. It’s not happening in Detroit, and it probably won’t happen on his next stop. Look how good the Kings are. What team is positioned to add Duncan without emptying the cupboard? I don’t see one.
Lasagna and tears of failure - FACT. As long as Duncan remain in his prime his cost to bring to a team will be too expensive for a team to have anything but role players surrounding him. His only chance is towards the tail end of his career as a role player, OR if at the end of his contract a GM is desperate to shed the cost of his contract to a team with really good youth.
nybombers3 - NOT HOT - I also agree with the whole "maybe at the end of his career" point. He carries too much value right now and that's a curse for any GM trying to trade for him. I can see him being traded soon though. That's my hot take in a hot take.
8. The famous 03 draft class has been disappointing so far
@aaronjh HOT AND NOT HOT. If we’re talking the big three, yes, they’re disappointing. LeBron can’t play PG and isn’t providing elite volume or stocks. Wade is incredible, easily the best of them, but his threes haven’t developed and his volume’s lagging too. Bosh is really good, but he’s not dominant, and his rebounding and potential just declined. I don’t count the class as a disappointment, though, because Melo’s turning into a star; Kaman and West emerged as top 25 values; Josh Howard is a solid wing; Calderon, Hinrich, and Barbosa are starting quality point guards; and Kyle Korver is over 85 in threes and handles (Mavs plug).
Lasagna and tears of failure - FACT. While there have been very few impact players straight out of the draft, only Bosh is / has been playing up to what you would expect of Bosh, James and Wade. Currently Josh Howard was the steal of the 03 draft.
nybombers3 - NOT HOT- As a former outside, when you think of the 03 draft, you would think of and look for the big 4 of Bron, Wade, Melo and Bosh. I went ahead and looked for them first. They are good, no doubt. It hasn't been that long and things can change but they don't really seem that much above the rest thus far though.
9. The Wizards have become the definition of treadmill
@aaronjh HOT TAKE. They were and will soon be a treadmill because JAH doesn’t capitalize, but they’re a level above the treadmill for now. Haslem and Moiso turned into a really nice frontcourt. That said, this is as good as they’ll be, and they’re coming up on a hard cap squeeze this offseason.
Lasagna and tears of failure - HYPE. JAH built a young team into a dominant team, he had a plan, and it was working, but was it side railed by the pacers maxing a PG that didn’t deserve a max?
nybombers3 - HOT TAKE....FOR NOW - The Wizards have the assets to improve and I don't think they are that far off from making some serious noise. It'll be interesting to see if they just keep all their picks and continue trending in the, uh, straight direction? If so then yeah. That train is heading straight for the treadmill.
10. The Rockets will reset their CY this year
@aaronjh HOT TAKE. West is too deep and they’re just not good enough to win 42. Ashan appears to be doing the right thing by treating this as year 1 of a rebuild. Granger for Macijauskus seems like an obvious deal, and someone will give a nice prospect for AK.
Lasagna and tears of failure - HYPE- Ashan will tear down and try to do a quick rebuild after losing TP in FA
nybombers3 - HOT TAKE - It'll be tough. I want to say that I can see it happening but the West is just loaded and the start made it even harder.
BONUS: Give me a hot take on your team
@aaronjh We’re going to win 62 and a ring. I just need to figure out a depth chart.
Lasagna and tears of failure - The Celtics are HYPE and a hot mess, but the foundation looks to be in place to possibly reset CY next year. The young guys they have, need another TC and Camps to really start to shine. Next season the Boston guys will have enough cap to max a FA and hopefully flip someone to come to Boston, allowing time for next years rooks to play off the bench.
nybombers3 - Brandon Roy/Cenk Akyol will be my starting backcourt next season. Put it in the air. Make it happen FBB gods.
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