THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY. USA CONFERENCE
BROOKLYN RAGE (71 – 9)
Key additions:
NONE
Key subtractions:
NONE
THE GOOD: Mario Bailey resigned. David Walker was kept in a fairly cheap contract, and Trenton Adams has a year more under his belt. You don’t need to make a lot of moves when you are the campion for the last 43 years
THE BAD: Bailey deservers every dollar he signed for, but will he live up to that massive salary in a pair of seasons?
THE UGLY: The competition has increased while Brooklyn should start fading at a slow pace. California could very well deny the access to the Finals this season, and even if they are able to be in the Finals, Albacete could be there to haunt them
OFFSEASON GRADE: B+
TORONTO DINOS (23 – 57)
Key Additions
Keanan Carrington, C, 8.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 15.6 PER
Simeon Hill, C, 7.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 10.4 PER
Pat London, SF, 13.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.7 apg, 16.8 PER
Damien Bohm, SG, 22.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.6 apg, 23.4 PER
Key Subtractions
Seneca Redd, C, 14.0 ppg, 6,2 rpg, 2.6 bpg 18.2 PER
Chad Archer, SG, 15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 12.6 PER
THE GOOD: The Dinos were really weak inside. Simeon Hill and Keanan Carrington are competent enough to archor the defense and provide all the rebounding the team need.With Toronto playing a perimeter oriented game, they will not be asked to score a lot. Pat London gives the team a great versatility and playmaking from the wing and Damien Bohm will be the primary option, you can expect a career year for him. Latrell McDyess is back and in his last season of his rookie contract, he should deliver. Expect a 45 wins season and be back to the playoffs
THE BAD: Not a lot of young players in Toronto right now, but they have a young center Bazco Pazuliec playing overseas. Latrell MCDyess is not living up to his potential. Seneca Redd was willing to part ways with the Dinos
THE UGLY: A Damien Bohm’s injury makes the team derail. The lack of a inside scoring option could be devastating at some games
OFFSEASON GRADE: B+
NEW YORK FIRESTORM (29 – 51)
Key Additions
none
Key Substractions
Ajan Estay, PG, 21.4ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.9 apg, 23.4 PER
THE GOOD: If you can talk about something good, New York will be about 50 million under the cap next offseason, and the youong players will have plenty of time to develop.
THE BAD: When you lose 51 games in a season and your best players walks whith no compensation, you are in trouble. TJ Smith was high in Rumanian center Bazco Paciulic, but he decided to stay overseas one more season.
THE UGLY: When you are set to lose 60 games in a season, at least be sure you still have your pick. GM David Morfeld is really happy about that little treasure he has.
OFFSEASON GRADE: C-
MIAMI EXTREME (31 – 49)
Key Additions
Arturo Fonzarelli, SF, 14.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 14.2 PER
Venceslao Portocarrero, SG, pick 14 in draft
Key Substractions
Maury Coleman, SF, 17.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 14.0 PER
Rufus Castellano, SG, 19.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.1 apg. 18.1 PER
THE GOOD: Arturo Fonzarelli short term contract gives Miami a veteran leader and a good trade asset if they want to collect some picks or young players. In any given year, Fonzarelli is a better player than Maury Coleman. They have their pick, and it will be a good one for sure.
THE BAD: A team like the Xtreme needs to keep their young players, and Rufus Castellano, while not a star was really solid. Portocarrero will need to develop soon to fill his shoes.
THE UGLY: Can you remember when Jesus Morrell was a sensation and every GM was dreaming about trading for him? Well, he is exactly the same player, but 6 years older. He has not improved a little bit.
OFFSEASON GRADE: C
BOSTON MASSACRE (60 – 20)
Key Additions
Claude Weidner, SF, 21.2ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 22.4 PER
Chris Dao, SF, 26.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 22.7 PER
Bryce Bell, PG, 10.3 ppg, 6.7 apg, 2.8 spg, 14.7 PER
Key Substractions
Frank Mathieu, C, 20.6 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 17.6 PER
Victorino Pinelo, SG, 16.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 21.1 PER
Casey Pointer, PG, 22.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 6.2 apg, 19.4 PER
THE GOOD: Mathieu’s contract ends next season and you can be sure he expects a big increase. Ponter was about 30 years old and looking for a max contract. They replace them with some players signed long term. Dao will provide all the scoring load and Weidner will stretch the court. Don’t sleep on weidner’s efficiency. He does a lot of things not reflected in the box score. Bell will probably come from the bench as Michael Askins could be back t the point guard duties. Now they have 4 young players to build around a contender.
THE BAD: John Keating really played great last season, but now, with Mathieu gone, the inside presence of Boston starts and ends with him. Mathieu rebounding will be missed, and we want to see how Victorino Pinelo, the team most efficient player last season, hurts the team.
THE UGLY: Llewelyn Kinzer will start for them at center, really ugly. If we know GM Lawrence II, he will try to address it as soon as possible
OFFSEASON GRADE: B
COLORADO PIONEERS (55 – 25)
Key Additions
None
Key Substractions
None
THE GOOD: Colorado is good enough to be a top 4 team in the Usa Conference. Their cohesion is legendary and they play as an unit
THE BAD: The window is closing for the championship chances. Lyons and Henderson. The Pioneers should have used their exceptions, but they opted to stay put
THE UGLY: 32, 31, 28,30 and 31. That’s the age of the starting five.
OFFSEASON GRADE: C
SALT LAKE CITY FANATICS (42 – 38)
Key Additions
Ajani Valantine, SF, 11.8 ppg, 5.6rpg, 2.4 apg, 15.8 PER
Sherman Mahara, PG, 17.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 7.3 apg, 22.9 PER
Key Substractions
Demarcus Walton, SF, 14.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 15.3 PER
Arturo Fonzarelli, SF, 14.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 14.2 PER
Alston Irving, PG, 16.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 7.7 apg, 2.5 spg, 22.3 PER
THE GOOD: Mahara is one of the best playmakers in the league and his presence alone give any team its share of wins. The young bigs have another year of experience
THE BAD: The Fanatics was a team built from the draft. What a message can a young player in a rookie contract receive when players have been left to go for nothing. Most of all, losing Irving is a huge stomach punch in the franchise hopes to return to the winning ways.
THE UGLY: In two seasons , Salt Lake City has lost in free agency Abel Desbuisnes and Alston Irving. With nothing in return. And it is not like some serious trade offers had not been received in the Fanatics’ fron office
OFFSEASON GRADE: D
KANSAS CITY BLUES (40 – 40)
Key Additions
Edgar Kamara, PG, 3.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 11.1 PER
Key Substractions
Shaune Olson, PF, 14.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 13.4 PER
THE GOOD: Minor moves to keep the team together. Walt Jackson resigns and Edgar Kamara is a veteran leader who gives a winning behaviour without caring about stats.
THE BAD: Jackson will be 35 when his contract ends. We have seen some parts of his game affected by the mileage in his legs, and Jefferson is 32 years old too, at some point this is going to break.
THE UGLY: Walt Jackson and Omar Jefferson combine for 41 million. That’s crazy.
OFFSEASON GRADE: C
FORTH WORTH WARRIORS (43 – 37)
Key Additions
Frank Mathieu, C, 20.6 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.3 bpg, 17.6 PER
Gert Kain, C, pick number 8 in draft
Key Substractions
Claude Weidner, SF, 21.2ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 22.4 PER
THE GOOD: Remember when the Warriors were a joke because they had no centers? Now they have 6 of them. And Mathieu is the best of them of course. You could see a trade to add some depth to other positions of need. The team is much more well rounded with trevor Tomlin, Curtis Starman, Darryl Whittaker and Mathieu making noise. Besides the have rookie center Gert Kain who look really ready and mobile enough to play at power forward
THE BAD: Losing Weidner hurts. He was really efficient. It is really sunning that his PER was 5 points higher than Mathieu’s. Tomlin and Whittaker will start fading soon.
THE UGLY: Mathieu could go free at the end of the season. Lots of uncertainty until November
OFFSEASON GRADE: B+
CINCINATTI HITMEN (25 – 55)
Key Additions
Jared Torrey, PG pick number 6 in draft
Key Substractions
None
THE GOOD: They are not a good team at this point, so the good news is that they have their own pick in next year draft. Its projected to be a top 5
THE BAD: The Hitmen doesn’t have a lot of building blocks for the future, maybe Bennett Bangerter is the only player with potential to be an all-star. Torrey has a long way to play consistent basketball
THE UGLY: Still two seasons away of having major cap space
OFFSEASON GRADE: D+
LOS ANGELES GARGOYLES (24 – 56)
Key Additions
Tyrre Dudley, PF, pick number 5 in draft
Key Substractions
None
THE GOOD: Out of having their pick, once again this is going to be a long season for Los Angeles. Curry is still young, but hes entering his prime and he needs help now. With the due value to what a preseason means, they have won every single game
THE BAD: Still little talent around curry, Dudley will need some seasons to be relevant in the league
THE UGLY: Marc White and Chad Nolan absorb 40 million of the salary cap. Did I mention that they both play the same position?.
OFFSEASON GRADE: D-
CALIFORNIA FIGHTING COCKS (70 – 10)
Key Additions
Dan Kincaide, SF, 19.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 24.1 PER
Key Substractions
Tony Patrick, C, 7.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 12.3 PER
Kelley Brandon, SF, 17.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 17.2 PER
THE GOOD: California makes its move to be instant favourites this season. They sacrifize the long term run with Kelley Brandon going to Albacete, but Dan Kincaide is really more reliable at this point. They were able to keep little great point guard Jesse Scziegel. Their moment is know, and Brooklyn will have a hard time containing this backcourt.
THE BAD: Losing Brandon hurts in the long term, but California needed an extra push to take the USA Conference by storm. Tony Patrick and his defense will be missed and Birkhead is in his last legsl, so the window is narrow. Any injury would be devastating
THE UGLY: What will happen when Roe and Birkhead retire?
OFFSEASON GRADE: A-
SEATTLE RAINMAKERS (29 – 51)
Key Additions
Duke Norman, C, 17,9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.1 apg, 16.3 PER
Klaas Binsenshaum, SG, pick number 10 in draft
Key Substractions
Pat London, SF, 13.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.7 apg, 16.8 PER
THE GOOD: Seattle is not one of the worst teams in the league anymore. They have young players that will keep the team respectable, and some major flexibility with their cap room. Duke Norman at less than 6 million a year seems like one of the best bargains in the league. 12 Millions under the cap right now could mean they could land a star in a trade or facilitate a 3 team trade to collect some more assets. You never know, but future looks good for Seattle. The last time Seattle gave us a good moment, Niles Crane was involved
THE BAD: Justce Grant has never lived up to his potential. We will see this new enviroment
THE UGLY: The lose the veteran presence of Pat London. When all this young players need someone to call them out, he won’t be around.
OFFSEASON GRADE: C+
LAS VEGAS GAMBLERS (43 – 37)
Key Additions
Dimitrije Erkocevic, C, pick #7 in draft
Javonte Bolk, PG, 16.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 9.5 bpg, 19.4 PER
Key Substractions
Duke Norman, C, 17,9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.1 apg, 16.3 PER
Almantas Talacka, SG, 19.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.1 apg, 21.5 PER
THE GOOD: You don’t know how miserable is your life in the WBA until you have a true leader in your team. GM Morfeld has addressed that issue with the signing of Javonte Bolk, one of the best point guards in the game. This move will allow Vester Friedrich as a shooting guard where he can shine with Bolk finding him open once and again. Erkocevic seems ready to take some of the minutes of Duke Norman
THE BAD: Ok, We get it, you needed the money to resign Friedrich, but allowing two starters to go is a risky move any day of the week. Talacka and Norman gave almost 40 points every night, and as good Bolk is, he is 32 years old and his legs are not what they used to be.
THE UGLY: They are capped out after the season, so not a lot of room for improvement…and Bolk will start to fade soon
OFFSEASON GRADE: C
ARIZONA DRAGONS (19 – 61)
Key Additions
Humberto Saez, C, 13.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 0.8 bpg, 15.3 PER
Matias Gutierrez, PG, 18.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.9 spg, 20.2 PER
Jarius Sullivan, PG, pick #3 in draft
Key Substractions
NONE
THE GOOD: Finally some competent movements for a damned franchise. They don’t lose anything of value from last season. In fact, just Nucolas Evans and Meechy Jennings were the only average WBA players Arizona had. Landing the top pick in draft always helps, but the GM traded down to the third pick landing Matias Gutierrez, a great combo guard who still have his best years ahead of him. The didn’t overpaid (a lot) in free agency, and they were able to sign Humberto Saez, who is not a great player but he is an average starting center in the league and still young. For his part, Jarius Sullivan, with some seasoning and training could be a gem, he has an instinct for passing the ball at the right time and the tools to be a lockdown defender.
THE BAD: The have started the league losing by almost 50 points. They are headed in a good direction, but still some major work to do: Jared Sullivan needs a lot of time to develop into a competent player
THE UGLY: Humberto Saez and Walter Walter are the starting frontcourt. Opposing bigs will have career games consistently. They really need to be respectable to lure future free agents. At this point no one wants to play for Arizona
OFFSEASON GRADE: B-