Western Conference Preview

[The Athletic]

Alright y'all welcome to the West previews, done by none other than headass Charles. These are my opinions and mine only, feel free to disagree, hate me, love me, whatever. I’m gonna give you the truth Jimmy buckets style. Just know ily all at the end of the day <3



15: Houston Rockets



2019 Projected Record: 1-13

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Jeff Teague
SG: Josh Hart
SF: Jonathan Simmons
PF: Larry Nance Jr.
C: Boban Marjonovic
UT: Rondae Hollis Jefferson
UT: Harrison Barnes

BE: Landry Shamet
BE: Frank Mason III
BE: Semi Ojeleye
BE: Ersan Ilyasova
BE: Chimezi Metu

IR: Zhaire Smith



The Good:
This Rockets team is interesting. Not your typical worst team in the conference IMO. This team dealt their former center piece (DMC) in the offseason and to me that’s what they are now sorely missing. Jeff Teague is a solid PG still in this league and should be good for 25-30 per night. Especially if Butler gets dealt. Funny thing is, he’s the 3rd best PG on the real life TWolves (I’m sorry Tyus is a dog and DRose is still a bucket machine when healthy). Josh Hart is an exciting young SG that’s in an unfortunate situation right now. The kid can ball and will be great for this league as an SG since he can board and play D. It’s just gonna take a year or two for him to get constant min imo. Bron unfortunately might make him better in real life but his fantasy growth could be stunted. The next piece I really like here is Nance Jr. IRL, yeah he’s just a role player, but he has 30 fpg potential (probably around 25 this year) since he’s going to get constant minutes this year. Boards and blocks run this league fellas and he’s gonna be a great piece to have. Harrison Barnes should still be improving and is good for 25 a night. I don’t see him improving much though, I don’t know, just not a fan of him for this league, regardless it’s a solid piece. After that, it really gets murky, Simmons is good for some decent points and he’ll go off here and there, RHJ has a lot of potential, Ilyasova is a decent role player, and then he’s got young guys and picks.


The Bad:

As I said earlier, this team is missing that one piece or pieces you want to build around. It’s just not that there right now, especially in a dynasty. If this team was in the East, they’d win some games just because of the role players they have that will score points. Even in the West, they should put up some fights. Ya gotta hope for a breakout from Nance or Hart at this point and look for the future with picks.



3 Years Out:
This team can definitely compete in 3 years. By dealing Boogie, they freed up a lot of future cap and should be in prime position for high future draft picks. Draft well, make some savvy FA moves and Tony can get back in there. If Hart can nab the starting SG spot this year and have a mini breakout, he’ll setup as a piece to build around. Same with Nance, who should see all the opportunity this year with Cleveland and have a nice year. RHJ and Barnes are also solid young complimentary pieces. The more pieces Tony can find to build around, the better. At other times in our league, the bottom has looked hopeless, but Tony has some pieces to work with here, let's see what he can do.



Rockets GM (Tony)

[The Athletic]

14: Phoenix Suns

2019 Projected Record: 2-12

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Eric Bledsoe
SG: Gary Harris
SF: Jerami Grant
PF: DeMarre Carroll
C: Jarrett Allen
UT: Mohamed Bamba
UT: Damian Jones

BE: Elie Okobo
BE: Malik Monk
BE: Dillon Brooks
BE: Dwyane Bacon
BE: Nerlens Noel

The Good-
Wow the fact that this is the 14th team in the West shows you how strong the conference is. Let me start by saying, I looked at this team and thought okay they’re a couple years out but damn it’s an exciting team to own, especially in our league which favors bigs. At the point guard spot, they dealt Tyus and picks (a lot of 1sts I believe) for Bledsoe. Now EB should be good for around 30 this year in MIL, but I’m not sure he fits this teams timeline. He’s injury prone and since he plays off athleticism, he could be regressing quite soon. It’s a solid piece though, let’s see if Suns makes some win now moves to accommodate his timeline and/or resigns EB next year. Gary Harris is the next very solid piece Suns has, and for an SG here, it doesn’t get much better than Harris. He averaged 25 last year, look for him to up that this year to around 27-30. Then Suns has DeMarre Carroll whose a solid vet and should be good for around 20-24 fppg this year. It’ll be interesting to see if Suns holds EB and Carroll this entire year or deal them for future picks/players. Now it gets exciting, Suns has Jarrett Allen, Mo Bamba, Damian Jones, and Noel down low. Allen is a big breakout candidate this year and I got him putting up around 25-30 fppg this year. He’ll be inconsistent but will be very exciting to own and is a huge piece to build around. Mo Bamba is awesome as well for a rookie piece going forward. He won’t be a huge help this year but to me, I’d look for a breakout once the Magic deal Vuc. Damian Jones will be solid until Boogie comes back and hopefully he can show that he deserves a role even when Boogie is back. Suns got a lot of hate for the Noel get, but I could see it working out. Noel could build his value up huge this year and put up around 20 fppg. Best case scenario he gets a starting job somewhere next year, but don’t sleep on Noel, he could be huge in this league.

The Bad-
This team is built for the future, but the risks in that is that it will take time and busts will happen. Okobo/Monk/Grant/Bacon/Brooks are players that project to be better IRL than for fantasy and especially this league IMO. Yes they are young, but even at their best I can’t see them scoring 20 fppg and it will be even tougher for them to reach that this year. The wing core is just weak on this future and present. With all the young talent this team has down low, the downside is they’re going to be inconsistent and will require patience. Hopefully the Suns commit to them but still can recognize when it’s time to move on. EB and Carroll don’t really fit on this team as currently constructed but I wouldn’t mind moving Carroll for picks and re signing EB next year assuming he has a solid year. Could even deal EB for a solid haul depending on how high his value gets. These youth teams are exciting, but the Suns won’t be anything crazy this year.

3 years out-
I look at this team and it could definitely be a perennial playoff team in 3 years. The pieces and moves are there to make. Even if Suns exercises patience and waits on his bigs to develop, I could see this team in the playoffs in 3 years. Now if we talking championship, I’m gonna need to some savvy moves. I’m talking deal EB at his highest value for some wing depth and future pieces. Look to deal Jones if he shows out while Boogie is out OR keep him and next year the starting center job could be his in GS. I actually wouldn’t mind keeping Jones but who knows that’ll be a big piece depending what he could get. In 3 years Mo Bamba/Allen and Noel could be studs so I’d hold them. Overall as constructed, this a playoff team in 3 years, possible title depending on the moves. The West is exciting at the bottom man, the possibilities of where this squad could go are endless.

@terence

[The Athletic]

13: Oklahoma City Thunder

2019 Projected Record: 4-10

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Eric Gordon
SF: Will Barton
PF: Domantas Sabonis
C: Kelly Olynyk
UT: Jordan Clarkson
UT: John Henson

BE: Bogdan Bogdanovic
BE: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
BE: Dante Cunningham
BE: Ivica Zubac
BE: Andre Roberson

The Good-
This is a solid team for a 30 teamer IMO and Lor could finish better than 4-10. Kyrie is a stud, looks healthy and should have a great year, look for him at 33-35 fppg this season. EG is a solid SG that should score 20 fppg and go off some nights. Barton is a great wing piece and should be around 28 fppg again this year. Sabonis and Olynyk are both talented big’s that produced when given minutes. I’d look at him for each around 25 fppg this year. Sabonis is more talented than Olynyk but I like Olynyk’s situation a little more which evens it out. Who knows what happens to Turner injury wise this year, Sabonis could have a big year in Indiana. Same goes for Olynyk, maybe Whiteside gets traded and/or James Johnson has some more injury woes. Clarkson should have a decent scoring role in Cleveland this year, I’d say at best he averages 20 fppg. I’m not a huge fan of Henson but he can block shots and will (at the start of the season) have playing time so I got him at around 20 per as well. Zubac regressed a little last year, but there's center minutes available early on in LA, let's see if he can take advantage of the opportunity. It’s not even important how much he scores this year, he needs to show he can play and flast that potential. Cunningham/Roberson/Bogdanovic are decent bench pieces that should be good for 15-20 per night. Health is a big concern for Roberson and Bogdanovic, hopefully they can stay on the floor.
Overall, there’s a nice stud in Irving at the top to build around and some solid pieces that can only get better in OKC.

The Bad-
For all the potential this team has, potential doesn’t score points. Irving is a stud IRL and here to an extent but he’s not going to go crazy because his peripheral numbers aren’t great. 35 per is basically his ceiling and in Boston there’s a bunch of mouths to feed. That’s nit-picking though. EG is another piece that doesn’t provide peripheral stats but he’s expensive here, that hinders Loren’s ability to go after more depth pieces. Barton is great but I can’t ever see him becoming a stud and there’s a lot of depth in Denver as well so it’ll be tough for him to reach 30 per this year. Sabonic and Olynyk both have flashed 30 per potential but they’re minute situations are murky. Both are in log jams in the front court and aren’t locks at all. After that, there’s just not enough depth on this team to make a push for more wins IMO. And the top isn’t strong enough or a sure thing to carry them into the playoffs. I got Henson riding the bench eventually in MIL and Wood taking his spot. Clarkson won’t get a lot of time as the season goes on either IMO.

3 years out-
Loren’s a smart enough owner to hopefully be a perennial playoff team in the coming years. He’s gotta hope Sabonis and Olynyk keep progressing and lock up bigger roles, cause he values them very strongly. I loved the Irving move and hopefully a couple more star powered moves are up his sleeve. Cutting some cap at the deadline for FA next year would be a good idea and trying to find a little more depth in the coming years is something I’d look at. Guys like Roberson and EG just don’t produce enough for what they’re getting paid. Overall this team has the pieces and possibilities to get into the top 8 in 3 years. If he cuts his losses and gets some more picks to turn into production alongside Irving/Barton and Sabonis/Olynyk can take strides, watch out.

Oklahoma City Thunder (Loren)

[The Athletic]

12: Los Angeles Lakers

2019 Projected Record- 5-9

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Kris Dunn
SG: Josh Richardson
SF: Taurean Prince
PF: Serge Ibaka
C: Joel Embiid
UT: Colin Sexton
UT: Dante Exum

BE: Marquese Chriss
BE: Jawun Evans
BE: Rashad Vaughn
BE: Iman Shumpert
BE: Guerschon Yabusele

The Good:
This Lakers team has a great infusion of youth that can only get better. Joel Embiid is a blue chip star in a dynasty and should be good for 40-45+ this year. Hopefully he can stay away from injuries, that’s my only gripe with him. Josh Richardson and Taurean Prince are both great pieces to have a dynasty that should produce around 25 fppg this year. Richardson especially if he stays on the Heat should be able to have a career year. Not much you could want more from your SG spot. Even if he goes to Min, he should have a nice year. Prince kinda came out of nowhere in ATL and he’s locked in cheaply for the next 2 years here. He’s a nice secondary piece to have to build around. Then LA has Kris Dunn, who has a fantasy friendly game and should approach 30 per this year if he can hold it down in Chicago. I have questions about how good he is as a real life PG though, to me, he's a guy that could lose his role in the coming season(s). Right now he’s in a great spot though. Ibaka is a decent veteran piece that will score 20-25 fppg, let’s see if Lakers flips him at the deadline for picks/young players. After this, Sexton will have some growing pains but he’s a dawg, hopefully he turns into a good NBA PG. I wouldn’t expect much this year but in the coming years, he could be great for this league with his defense and peripheral stats. Exum hasn’t had the best career but I could see him averaging 20 fppg here this year. He just needs to stay healthy and play his role well. Chriss has been a big bust so far but if he can’t score and produce nicely on the Rockets, he’s done. I could see him reviving his career there as a big off the bench.

The Bad:
This team has one surefire star but after that it gets pretty murky. Even then, if Embiid misses time, Lakeshow is gonna have a rough go. JRichardson and Prince even at their best will only average about 25. Kris Dunn could also lose his job at any time IMO, Chicago is tough on their PG’s and won’t hesitate to make changes. When he plays though, he’ll produce. Sexton isn’t a surefire hit either, even if he does eventually realize his potential it won’t be for a few seasons. At his best I could see him around 30 fppg in a couple of years. Chriss is also just a prayer at this point and may not even be the backup center to start the season in Houston. Overall 1 stud with health concerns and no depth just isn’t enough to make it into the playoffs.

3 years out-
With this team, I think their success in three years will be based on how their players grow. Lakeshow could make no moves and possibly be a playoff team in 3 years. Embiid could turn into an MVP type player, Josh Richardson and Prince could be 30 fppg type guys, and Sexton/Exum/Dunn could grow into solid guards. Make a couple decent draft picks and FA moves, the Lakers could have a playoff team. What’s unique about this team is patience could get them into contention quicker than moves. Who knows what type of value and depth a couple trades could do though. Definitely some pieces and tough decisions that are going to be made in LaLa land in the coming years.

LA Lakers GM (Griff)

[The Athletic]

11: Utah Jazz

2019 Projected Record- 6-8

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Mike Conley
SG: Terrence Ross
SF: Wesley Johnson
PF: Nikola Mirotic
C: Jusuf Nurkic
UT: Tristan Thompson
UT: Tyus Jones

BE: Ish Smith
BE: Jerian Grant
BE:
BE:
BE:

The Good:
Ahhhh TJ, there used to be so much more good on your teams. Well we got Mike Conley who really can’t have a worse year than last year. If everything goes well, Conley should return 30 fppg value this year. Conley building his value back up is essential to TJ’s success so he can possibly trade him for more than what he’s worth now. Mirotic can score in bunches and should see some decent run as the Pels 3rd bigman. He only needs around 25 minutes to produce anyway and is on an okay contract and still 27 years old. Look for him around 25-30 fppg this year with some breakout games. After that TJ has Nurkic who was expected to breakout (or TJ expected him to breakout) and yeah, he’s an above average center. He still has some upside though and while I think he’ll be around 25 per again, he could approach 30 if he takes some strides. Nurk has actually looked great this pre-season so who knows maybe he finally reaches his potential. Tyus Jones is the next and last decent piece on this team. Tyus is very good IMO, especially in this league he gains some extra value because he’ll provide lots of stls when given minutes. If the Wolves blow it up, look for Tyus to show he’s a very good PG.

The Bad:
There’s no clear cut superstar on this team that can carry TJ or that he can build around. However, TJ’s best teams have always been made up of 6-7 30 pt scorers so he could go the depth route. This team has no depth though and 9 players. It’s turrible. Ross and Johnson are decent bench pieces but they start on this team. Tristan isn’t much of a piece and hurts TJ more than helping him since he costs $20M. Ish and Grant have been decent when given run but they won’t produce much at all in the coming years.

3 years out-
TJ I love you bro but it’s not looking good homie, there’s pieces here but you gotta bring your touch back. Dealing off EB for Jones and multiple 1sts was a great first step but there’s gotta be more. I think TJ misses the playoffs for the first time and brings it back together next year to be a playoff team. Conley bounces back, Nurk realizes his potential and TJ can hopefully bring some effort back.

[The Athletic]

10: Dallas Mavericks

2019 Projected Record- 7-7

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: JJ Barea
SG: Tyler Dorsey
SF: Andre Igoudala
PF: LeBron James
C: Marc Gasol
UT: Rudy Gay
UT: Taj Gibson

BE: Mike Scott
BE: Richaun Holmes
BE: Dirk Nowitzki
BE:
BE:

IR: Dejounte Murray

The Good:
Ahhh Royce’s team, I love Royce let me just say that, he may think I hate him but I truly like him <33. This team is interesting, Royce has kinda been stuck in the middle of the pack the past couple years in a tough Western Conference. Obviously he has the best player on the planet right now in LeBron and he’s aging amazingly. Look for LeBron to do LaBron things this year and score 50 a night consistently. The next best piece on this team is Marc Gasol who is still good for 30+ a night in our leagues scoring. Gasol has a very fantasy friendly game especially for this league and right now his situation is in tact. Dejounte Murray is unfortunately out for the season but he would’ve made huge strides this year. Thankfully, we are in a dynasty and hopefully Murray can come back stronger than ever next season. Taj Gibson is a piece that will produce solid this year and is a lock for minutes as long as Thibs is in Minny. Look for him at around 20-25 fppg this year. Gay/Nowitzki/Iggy are all solid bench options at this point in their careers. Look for a couple throwback performances from them and some decent scoring nights at times. JJ Barea is an under the radar PG who produces well here and has for what seems like the past decade. Swear my man was solid like 7 years ago too when he put the moves on Kobe in that playoff series. Anyway look for Barea to have some big games but consistently score 20 a night as long as he continues to get playing time. I like Richaun Holmes too as well, he’s behind in PHO now and it’s unfortunate/ he was behind Embiid in Philly before. Hopefully he can carve out a decent bench role this year.

The Bad:
This team struggles in the fact that it’s built to try to win now but it won’t. Royce realized having LeBron and Durant didn’t work last year as it resulted in an early playoff exit and tried to switch things up this year. I wasn’t a fan of the Murray/Durant deal and it looks very bad now but being fair injuries suck and no one saw it coming. Murray would’ve been a huge piece to build around and now that’s on hold for at least a season. LeBron will carry this team to a couple wins, but he’s going to get nights off this season and minutes will be down. Eventually he’s going to dip under 45 per and while I don’t think it will happen this year, it could. LeBron’s value is just not where it should be in this league since people only want young controllable pieces. Clock’s ticking. Gasol could be dealt if Memphis struggles early on and he may not have as big of a role as he’s accustomed too. I think he’ll play decent anywhere but he’s getting older and will continue to regress. If this was 2012, having Gay and Iggy would be a stud wing core but right now they’re best as bench options and they start on this team. The depth isn’t there on this team currently and LeBron won’t be able to do everything.

3 years out:
This is going to be a playoff team in the coming years. Royce is too knowledgeable and active for it not to be. The pieces are going to be there too, he’s got some picks and Murray will be back. It sucks but unless something major happens, he’s going to miss the playoffs this year. It’ll be interesting to see if he retains Bron and build around him in his final years or goes the full rebuild route. I believe he can build a title team around Bron with some FA luck and a couple moves next offseason but he may rebuild. Either way, it’s great having him in the league <33.

Grizzlies GM (Royce)

[The Athletic]

9: Portland Trailblazers

2019 Projected Record- 7-7

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Kemba Walker
SG: Bradley Beal
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Lauri Markkenen
C: Frank Kaminsky
UT: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
UT: Al-Farouq Aminu

BE: Bryn Forbes
BE: Joe Young
BE: Moritz Wagner
BE: Willie Reed
BE: Cheick Diallo

The Good:
Portland quietly has built a very solid well rounded team. I have them just missing the playoffs but there’s a lot of upside on this team, don’t be surprised if they find themselves doing better than this projection. It starts at the top with Kemba who is solid and steady as they come, he’ll be around 30 fppg again this year. Beal came out last year and showed that he can add some peripheral stats, look for him to continue to improve and score in the low 30’s(fppg). Wiggins….. Yeah I know this is the good section but fuck him, he’s in it for the money, 0 heart. I guess he’s good for 20 per safely? Maybe 25 fppg if he can try on defense and add some peripheral stats? Not a fan but he’s still what 22? He could figure it out and this is a dynasty so it’s a solid piece. Lauri Markkenen is out for the first couple months but he’s a great piece in a dynasty. Look for Lauri to hopefully come back and average 25-30 per. He’s still on a rookie contract too, icing on the cake. KCP should see some decent run in LA this year and be good for around 20 per. If he can keep improving, I could see him approach 23-25 per. Not too shabby of a piece he still has some upside. Kaminsky has shown he can produce when given time and the centers in Charlotte aren’t very proven and have shown to be injury prone tbh. If he finds an even better situation next year he could turn into a solid producer. Camel has some nice youngsters in Wagner and Forbes. Wagner has a shot at minutes in LA this year when he gets healthy and Forbes as of right now is the starting PG in SA. Look for them to have some highs and lows this year. Diallo has also shown to be a summer league star, however barring any injuries in NOP, he won’t be a factor this year.

The Bad:
While Camel has some pieces that could turn into stars, there’s no surefire consistent star on this team. He has solid building pieces but no blue chips. Walker’s ceiling is probably around 30 in here and Beal as an SG will be around the same. Wiggins sucks IMO and is a waste of god given talent. Markennen was set-up for a big year but he’s going to be sidelined for a couple months. The talent is undeniable but there is a log jam in Chicago. Portis is good, Parker is there…. Not that great IMO but he’ll command minutes and no way those minutes will be at SF. Kinda nit-picking there though. Kaminsky as I said earlier is in a log jam as well. There’s just not enough star power or depth/consistency for Camel to make it in the West playoffs this year.

3 years out:
The upside with this team is their pieces have a lot of room to grow. For all the dick Wiggins sucks, there’s still time for him to turn into a star. Lauri could be an All-Star for years to come and Beal will continue to improve. Kemba will always be solid for this squad and I’m not completely sure what Camel’s cap situation is, but he’s gotta have some wiggle room in the coming years, these guys are on pretty good deals. Look for Portland to continue to field a solid team and don’t be surprised if they make a leap in the coming years.

[The Athletic]

8: San Antonio Spurs

2019 Projected Record- 8-6

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Elfrid Payton
SG: Nicolas Batum
SF: Trevor Ariza
PF: Noah Vonleh
C: Clint Capela
UT: Danny Green
UT: Delon Wright

BE: TJ McConnell
BE: Cameron Payne
BE: Justin Anderson
BE: Greg Monroe
BE: Khem Birch

The Good:
Ah a good ol Chris team. To me this team would suck IRL but Chris always finding those solid fantasy producers that put up empty stats lmao. It starts with Clint Capela who is about everything you could want in a core building piece for this league. Young, still improving, and already at the 35 fppg mark. Spurs always believed in Capela even back when he was a rook so it’s good to see it pan out for him. The next piece I really like on this team is Nic Batum. Batum has always been a fantasy favorite of mine for his all around game, he quietly can flirt with triple doubles nightly. Batum had a down year last year (still put up 25 per) but I expect his usage and numbers to jump back up with D12 out of Charlotte. Batum is a typical Chris player, lowkey puts up stats. Another typical Chris player is Elfrid Payton. Again, while Payton may be average IRL, he can put up stats. He’s in a great spot to begin the year in NO’s up-tempo pace and will be playing the Rondo role from last year. I could easily see him putting up 30+ fppg with some huge fantasy lines. Chris has been trying to deal Ariza but for at least the first half of the season, Ariza should be an okay piece for around 20 fppg. The depth on this team isn’t flashy but Wright has proved he can produce when given minutes, Green should be a decent scorer for this team and McConnell/Monroe will see spot minutes. Birch was a sneaky pickup who has looked good in preseason but will need some luck to crack the rotation in ORL.

The Bad:
This team has a solid foundation and is okay all around but isn’t great in any specific areas. There isn’t a ton of star power on this team but there’s some guys that will go off from time to time. There isn’t a lot of depth on this team either unless some injuries happen. Payton could easily have a big year or Frank Jackson could overtake him for the starting PG job in NO. Ariza could be shut down very early, Batum has had injury problems over the years. Bench players like McConnell/Wright and Monroe will produce but right now don’t have a clear path to minutes.

3 years out:
To me, Spurs is going to field a playoff team every year even in the tough West. He makes too many savvy moves and pays attention to who puts up stats rather than names. Chris always has these guys that can put up big numbers if given minutes. It’ll be interesting to see if he ever tries to blow it up and rebuild but I doubt it. Look for the Spurs to fight for everything they can get and make some key pickups during the season.

San Antonio Spurs (Chris)

[The Athletic]

7: Los Angeles Clippers

2019 Projected Record- 8-6

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Trae Young
SG: Kent Bazemore
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: Ryan Anderson
C: Hassan Whiteside
UT: Dwight Howard
UT: James Ennis III

BE: Luke Kennard
BE: Grayson Allen
BE: Tomas Satoransky
BE: Maurice Harkless
BE:

The Good:
Remy has low key built a team that I like. The team is led by a very angry Jimmy Butler. Butler is a stud SG in this league and will be around 35 per no matter what team he’s playing on this year or in the future. Remy flipped Harden for Butler and another solid piece in Trae Young. I’m personally not all that high on Trae but he’s going to be starting this year in Atlanta and will have all the opportunity to succeed. Expect some growing pains and him to be around 20 per year but Trae is a great inexpensive piece to have and has Curry like potential. The next piece I like on this team is Hassan Whiteside. Yes Hassan Whiteside, the guy Remy shops around for a box of donuts regularly in the discord. While Whiteside had a terrible disappointing season last year, he STILL averaged 32 per. Injuries and Spo’s rotation hurt him a lot last year but I’d expect him to find some consistency this year. Look for Whiteside to build his value back up and settle in around 30-35 per this year. Remy also managed to snag D12 for Adams. Dwight was very solid last year and averaged 32 per, I’d expect the same this year. He’s had a minor injury but he was durable last season, Remy has to hope he can repeat that. Bazemore isn’t a bad role player, he should settle in around 20 fppg. Anderson will see some run in Phoenix and Ennis has a starting job in Houston. While Ennis has never been great, I’d expect his production to rise playing in Houston’s system. There’s some decent young players on this team too, Sato can produce if Wall gets hurt, and Allen could eventually develop into a solid NBA player.

The Bad:
I look at this team and if some key players play to their potential, it could be a solid year for Remy however there’s just not enough guarantees on this team. Whiteside is capable of averaging 40 here but Miami’s depth and injuries are almost sure to slow him down at times this year. Howard is aging and while he was very healthy last season, he’s been injury prone is seasons before that. I could also see Washington imploding and blowing it up mid-season if it’s not looking good. There’s not terrific depth on this team either and not enough star power to carry them. Jimmy Buckets is a stud but I’m scared of the Thibs effect on him. He’s logged a lot minutes and has one knee surgery under his built. No former Bull has fared well injury wise and it’s a minor concern but something to think about.

3 years out:
Remy has the pieces here to be a playoff team here for years to come. If Trae pans out and Jimmy can stay healthy, he’s got 2 great building blocks. The performances and health of Whiteside/Howard will be huge for Remy going forward. If they can both have great seasons, Remy will be a playoff team and be able to flip them in the coming seasons for good value if he chooses.

LA Clippers GM (Remy)

[The Athletic]

6: Minnesota TimberWolves

2019 Projected Record- 9-5

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: John Wall
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Kelly Oubre Jr.
PF: Anthony Davis
C: Wendell Carter Jr.
UT: Markieff Morris
UT: Kevon Looney

BE: Michael Carter-Williams
BE: Gerald Green
BE: Malik Beasley
BE: Milos Teodosic
BE: Jerome Robinson

The Good:
TWolves has a very nice team here especially for a dynasty. He’s got a nice infusion of star power and youth that should only get better. He’s got possibly the best fantasy player in the game right now, Anthony Davis. Doesn’t get better than that as a piece to build around, look for Davis to score 50 fppg as this could be his MVP year IRL. He has another stud piece in John Wall who should average 35-40 fppg this year as long as he stays healthy. After those 2 studs, there’s some decent depth that should only get better. Jaylen Brown should continue to get better and better, look for him to approach 25 fppg this year. Kelly Oubre is another great young piece who can go off at any time, as long as he finds consistency in his 6th man role in Wash, look for another good year from Oubre. Wolves also got a stud from this past draft, Wendell Carter Jr. Carter is already starting and will obviously get all the chances he can to succeed on a tanking Bulls team. I think Carter’s game should translate well here, he gets defensive stats and boards well. There’s going to be some growing pains but Carter is a great chip to have. After the studs and young guys, Wolves has some decent veteran depth. Looner should see solid run until Boogie gets back in GS and Markieff Morris is a solid producer in Washington. Look for MCW to put up some decent lines this year as well since CP3 should see a lot of rest nights. Milos is in a crowded back court in LAC but a few injuries and he could produce decently. Overall there’s enough star power and upside on this team to carry them into the playoffs this year.

The Bad:
While there is a ton of upside on this team, it’s going to take time to develop. Brown won’t be a superstar just yet in Boston because of how many pieces that the team has. Carter Jr. is very raw and this should be a learning year for him. Oubre has a lot of talent IMO but not having a starting role=inconsistency. Milos and MCW won’t see run unless there is injuries to their IRL teams. It’s going to take patience with this team, some weeks they may go off, others could be duds. There’s not enough depth or sure things on this squad to make it far in the Western Conference playoffs just yet.

3 years out:
Look for Twolves to be a playoff team this year and the coming years. AD and Wall need to just stay healthy and that duo should carry the team for awhile. If Brown/Wendell/Oubre all develop into solid players or even studs, Wolves could make a lotta noise in the future. He should have plenty of cap room in the future to add in FA as well.

Minnesota T-Wolves (Matt)

[The Athletic]

5: Sacramento Kings

2019 Projected Record- 9-5

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Goran Dragic
SG: Gordon Hayward
SF: Ben Simmons
PF: Wilson Chandler
C: Aron Baynes
UT: CJ McCollum
UT: Avery Bradley

BE: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
BE: Dorian Finney-Smith
BE: Quinn Cook
BE: Sam Dekker
BE: Sviatoslav Mykhaliliuk

The Good:
Davie might just be building on last years success. He managed to acquire Ben Simmons who is budding top 5 player in this format. Simmons is probably one of the top 3 best assets to have in this league and will be good for 40+ fppg this coming season. Davie also has CJ McCollum who can have some big scoring nights for an SG here. McCollum will score around 26 per and go off at times while being extremely durable. It’s rare to get such good production from guards in this league, but Davie does. Dragic is another non-flashy piece but he should produce around 25 per as the starter in Miami. As long as he stays healthy, he should be solid. Davie dealt Kyle Lowry n Stauskas for Hayward and Bradley. I’m personally not a fan of the deal but the depth could pay off. Hayward has to gain his confidence back and a good year for him would be around 25 per. He could turn in a sneaky good year. Bradley needs to stay healthy and as long as he does, Doc will give him minutes. If he can score around 20 per, that’d be solid for Davie. Bradley’s defensive stats will translate well in this league. Wilson Chandler could go off here and there but is on a very talented roster in Philly. Baynes is also a decent center and Horford randomly misses games here and there. MKG/Finney Smith look to be solid bench pieces as well for this team.

The Bad:
Davie fields a very solid team, but it’s just not elite yet. Hayward is a risk this year and can’t be counted to be the player he was in Utah just yet. McCollum scores good for an SG but he will put up some duds here and there. Dragic is getting older and more injury prone so his production could fall off at any time. Chandler will have a rough time duplicating his Denver success on a very deep Philly roster. Avery Bradley needs to prove he’s healthy and even then his ceiling isn’t very high. The depth on this team isn’t elite yet either as guys like MKG and Baynes are very inconsistent. Finney Smith will see decent run but is also inconsistent. Team is solid all around, just doesn’t stand out star wise or depth wise.

3 years out:
Davie manages very similar to me in that he mortgages the fuck outta his future to win now. IMO he’s just out of the West’s elite teams this year but he could take the step to being an elite team at any time. However, that Lowry trade hurt him IMO and there’s a lot of uncertainty on this roster. Nonetheless as long as Davie has Ben Simmons, he has a chance each week. I don’t see a complete rebuild ever in this teams future but it could fall off fast. Hopefully Kings can recognize it. Dragic or Hayward could get hurt, Bradley may not pan out. It’ll be an interesting year for Davie but I got confidence in him to have a solid year.

[The Athletic]

4: Memphis Grizzlies

2019 Projected Record- 10-4

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Lance Stephenson
SF: Kyle Kuzma
PF: Bobby Portis
C: DeAndre Jordan
UT: Willie Cauley-Stein
UT: Spencer Dinwiddie

BE: Patrick Beverly
BE: Isaiah Canaan
BE: Garrett Temple
BE: Kenneth Faried
BE: Derrick Jones Jr.

The Good:
Luke has built another very solid team out West. I’d say he’s one of the elite teams in the West and has a chance to finish better than #4 if things go his way. It starts at the top with an elite point guard in CP3. CP3 is getting older but is still good for 40 per night in Houston. The next staple for Luke is DeAndre Jordan, who is elite here for his gaudy rebound numbers and shot blocking. Jordan is durable and should be an elite fantasy player here at around 35 fppg. After these 2 studs, there’s a lot of solid depth and some youth. WCS is a solid fantasy producer for this league and looks to have the starting job in SAC locked down. He’ll be good for around 25 fppg. Bobby Portis is talented and produces when given the chance, he’s a nice young piece with upside. Kuzma is very talented IMO and if he can find a little more time on the Lakers, I could see him producing around 25 fppg. Great piece for this league though on a rookie contract. Beverley and Dinwiddie are both solid starting PG’s and should hover around 25 fppg the entire year. Dinwiddie is good and even with D Russ back this year, he should have a nice role in BKN. Luke also has Canaan who is the spot-starter in PHX right now. The team has crazy depth at point guard and enough depth all around to make a big time run.

The Bad:
Not a whole lot to complain about on this squad, just some nit picky things. Chris Paul is a stud but his dynasty value is declining as he’s getting up there in age. The Rockets also want to keep him fresh for the playoffs and will give him rest nights. He’s almost certain to play around 60 games this year. DJ is also getting up there in age but he’s shown no signs of slowing down yet. Portis is great but the PF position in Chicago is so crowded and Markkanen is better than him. He’s going to lose minutes once the Bulls are healthy. Dinwiddie will be good but not the fantasy stud he was last year with D Russ back. Kuzma has star potential IMO but there’s so many forwards in LA, it’ll be tough for him to fully realize it this year at least. All around these aren’t really big problems, hopefully Luke has the cap to keep this team in tact.

3 years out:
Barring some financial troubles or anything, this could be a top West team for years to come. I think Luke has proven that he’ll always be at the top competing in the West so don’t expect anything less. He’s knowledgeable and plays our league’s scoring well, always stacking big men over guards. I highly doubt this team looks the same in 3 years either, Luke constantly retools and never rebuilds (I respect it yo). Look for another big year in Memphis.

[The Athletic]

3: Denver Nuggets

2019 Projected Record- 11-3

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Ricky Rubio
SG: Victor Oladipo
SF: Kyle Anderson
PF: Paul Millsap
C: Nikola Vucevic
UT: Ricky Rubio
UT: PJ Tucker

BE: Jeremy Lamb
BE: Corey Joseph
BE: Wayne Ellington
BE: Amir Johnson
BE: Chandler Hutchinson
BE: Ed Davis

The Good:
The reigning BBall 26 champs come in at #3 in the West and look primed for another big year. Kevi rode Oladipo’s breakout year last year and Oladipo looks to be only getting better. Look for him to approach 40 fppg this year. Having an elite SG producing like that is crazy good for Kev, the position is thin. The next big producer on this team is Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic always puts up great numbers on a terrible Magic team so look for him to continue that this year. His game translates very well to this league and he should be around 30-35 fppg. Millsap is another solid producer in this league and should flirt around 30 fppg this year barring any injuries. Millsap’s a personal fav of mine ever since his Utah days, his game just translates very to fantasy. At PG, Kevi has Rubio who was slumping mightily last year but still managed to put up 25 per. I’d say he’s a lock for that and should improve this year. Rubio doesn’t need to put up huge ppg totals to be successful here and if he can consistently provide elite assists and stls, he’ll easily put up 30 fppg for Kevi this year. SlowMo had a great season in SA and I believe he’ll be just as good in Memphis. His game isn’t insane or eye-popping in real life, but he can put up assists and peripheral stats, which is all that matters here. He’s a great dynasty piece and should only improve upon his 22 fppg average from last year. The depth of this team is championship level IMO. Tucker will get consistent min from the Rockets and be good for around 20 fppg with some breakout games. His value may be higher IRL but he’ll get stls and boards. Lamb/Amir/Ellington/Joseph are all decent producers for bench guys and Lamb having another good year is a key to Kevi’s success IMO. If Lamb has breakout games like last year and improves, watch out. Hutchinson also may get minutes in Chicago once they blow it up this year.

The Bad:
Again, not a whole lot to complain about here, Kevi has star power and depth that will allow him to compete for a championship. This squad may struggle with injuries though. Millsap is 33 and missed a huge chunk of the season last year, so he’s a risk. Vucevic is going to concede minutes to Mo Bamba at some point or may be traded. These are all big ifs though. A lot would have to go wrong for this team to not finish top 3 in the West though.

3 years out:
Kevi has learned a lot through the 6 or 7 years of fantasy basketball I’ve known him <33. I remember when he asked me for trade advice awww. Anyway, look for Denver to continue to be a powerhouse as Kevin continues to build on the great foundation he has right now in Denver. He already has one title, lets see if he can get more.

[The Athletic]

2: Golden State Warriors

2019 Projected Record- 12-2

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Stephen Curry
SG: Alec Burks
SF: Paul George
PF: Blake Griffin
C: Alex Len
UT: Kevin Knox
UT: Thaddeus Young

BE: Trey Lyles
BE: DeAndre’ Bembry
BE: JR Smith
BE: Rodney McGruder
BE: Christian Wood

The Good:
Ouuu Caleb probably has the best setup team here for the now and the future honestly. Crazy good dynasty team, the sky’s the limit here. It starts out with Stephen Curry, who has proven to be a top 5 player here and in real life. He’s also Cay’s fav player so I get sad because I used to have that with D-Rose </3. Look for Steph to continue to be a force and a top dynasty piece. Cay also some stud secondary stars in Griffin and Paul George. These aren’t A+ producers like Steph but these guys would be the best players on a lot of other teams here. Blake is running the offense in Detroit and is primed for his biggest season in awhile IMO. His ability to provide elite assists for a bigman and his huge points/rebound totals make him a great piece. Look for him to average a solid 35 fppg. Paul George is another star who should have a huge year. He should be more comfortable in OKC this year and will have a higher usage with no Melo. His elite assists and mult-cat production make him even better here and he’s on a great contract at 19M IMO. George would be most teams best player but on this team he’s the 2nd and arguably 3rd best option which is crazy. After the 3 studs, Cay has crazy solid depth. Kevin Knox is a rook piece and may not have a huge year, but I’m excited about him. I usually don’t care for rookies either, but Knox could be special. Especially here, I could easily see him approaching 30 fppg in the next season or two. Thad Young is a sneaky reliable piece who should flirt with around 25 fppg. Alex Len has a starting role in Atlanta and will be a solid center here. Trey Lyles is very talented and can score big when given minutes. The Christian Wood and McGruder picks ups were big IMO, Wood is talented and will see run in MIL eventually, and McGruder can produce if he gets minutes on a depleted Miami squad.

The Bad:
Yeah not to be on Cay’s dick or anything but I don’t see a lot of bad. Curry has had injury problems in the past and could be rested, but he’s still a top 5 player. Griffin’s game will regress eventually but not anytime soon. I think sometimes Caleb manages for the future and the now at the same time, but he could just go all in and win a title for sure. The fact that he looks for the future hurts him when Kevi and Pels and others are always looking at the now. However, my man is building a potential dynasty and it’s more fun to have a squad that can grow and win now at the same time.

3 years out:
This could turn into the real life Warriors if guys like Knox/Lyles/Len take steps and become big producers here. Look for Caleb to compete for a title every year based on his past and knowledge. I’ve known the guy for awhile now and he’s consistently made great moves. Even when it looks like he lost the trade, it somehow benefits him in other ways (ie the Gobert trade). GSW is looking scary.

[The Athletic]

1: New Orleans Pelicans

2019 Projected Record- 13-1

Projected Starting Lineup:
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Devin Booker
SF: Tim Hardaway Jr.
PF: Draymond Green
C: Rudy Gobert
UT: Buddy Hield
UT: James Johnson

BE: Marcin Gortat
BE: Yogi Ferrell
BE: Fred VanVleet
BE: Pascal Siakam
BE: Dewayne Dedmon

The Good:
Jeez bro, this looks like a fucking all star team or a decent team in a 12 team league. It’s actually fucking crazy how good this team is LOL. It rivals the best teams built in BBall 25/26 history (my old Bulls’ teams, TJs old teams, Cays/Lukes). Anyway, there's 4 studs here that would be the center piece on most 30 team dynasty league teams. Russ Westbrook is a top 3 player and will score close to 50 fppg. Draymond is great for this league scoring and should only get better as he improves his % 's. Look for him at around 35 fppg. Gobert is a defensive stud and will average 35 per here as well. Then his 4th best player is Devin fucking Booker who might end up being the best out of all of them when its all said and done. Book averaged around 30 last year but I’d expect him to be around 35 this year as he improves his peripheral stats and IMO he could be an MVP candidate. Don't sleep on the Suns. Then, the depth is full of talent and young pieces. Hardaway Jr. should get all the volume hc can handle in New York and average close to 25 fppg (which is great for a wing player here) as he continues to improve. Buddy Hield is a talented young SG that should be around 22 fppg with some breakout games here and there. James Johnson is a favorite of mine for his all around fantasy game which translates great here. Look for him at around 25 fppg. Pascal Siakam is a low key great piece to have in Toronto as he always produces in limited minutes and could break out if he ever gets a bigger role. The rest of his depth is solid and will produce (most would start on other teams). He has guys like Gortat/Dedmon/Ferrell/VanVleet. They will all produce around 20 per game and will have some big games here and there. Pels roster is legit 12 deep and has 4 studs at the top.

The Bad:
Literally nothing. Some guys are injury prone but yeah this team has no holes. Hope you catch him when his guys don’t have a lot of games one week or something.

3 years out:
Pels did something that I haven’t seen done, he stacked everyone's first and then got studs when draft fever hit lol. The mofo literally tried to tank last year and get a stud pick this year too lol slimy boy. Pels built a team that rivals the best teams ever built in a 30 teamer so props. Anyway it's good to have you in the league Pels and I love competition. Congrats on building what I believe is the best current roster here and I look forward to trying to beat it.