Please log in to post a message

• The tribe has spoken. Great Thanksgiving drama you guys
  Rick Flag at Nov 28, 2024 8:09 PM
• My team stinks this year and has no real path forward to contention. SGA is about to being priced out of being a keeper. I would rather take the chance on Flagg being a keeper for multiple years than go down swinging with a shitty team.
  
  Also Scott is holding my dog hostage.
  Mental Health Fast Break at Nov 28, 2024 3:55 PM
• It’s up to a vote so if you think I’m wrong, then vote
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 1:31 PM
• “The rules of the league” allow managers to veto any trade regardless, so deal with it
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 1:29 PM
• This is so dumb. Unbelievably dumb. You should not veto legitimate trades regardless of your opinion unless there was collusion or other cheating. The rules of the league allow it so deal with it.
  Team Steam at Nov 28, 2024 12:54 PM
• I vetoed immediately because I like to keep Scott paranoid about who is out to get him. Wish I could undo it now though, y’all be tripping. Happy Thanksgiving
  Rick Flag at Nov 28, 2024 12:26 PM
• Following up on the loan issue, if I had to cut additional players, I would never had made the trade. I would need to cut Jokic, KAT, etc. It would effectively prevent bad teams from trading good players on big contracts for young assets on small contracts. Once again, the loan benefits the rebuilding teams more.
  zach e.d. at Nov 28, 2024 12:24 PM
• And I’m a company man. (team NB, shoutout Coop Flagg) but I think this is some bulllllshit
  Coach Lamont Carr at Nov 28, 2024 12:11 PM
• Damn Rick ya turned on me
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 12:06 PM
• I veto’d. Rental or not. SGA an MVP candidate. Scott told me he doesn’t debate in hypotheticals, but the whole trade is hypothetical.
  Coach Lamont Carr at Nov 28, 2024 12:03 PM
• Scott's too calm about this. Snooze. Now I vote to veto.
  Deniz Kilicli, The Istanbull at Nov 28, 2024 11:58 AM
• I will explain in greater detail during the grades, but I didn't expect this to be so controversial, so I will address it briefly before I commit to Thanksgiving.
  
  1. The Loan.
  
  The loan only is a means of increasing my salary cap to absorb the difference between Flagg's and SGA's salary. I still will have very little cap space and will be hamstrung for the rest of the season. Like Jim said, since I'm so far over the cap, I am going to be forced to cut Jokic or SGA after this season. From the perspective of MHFB, these loans allow bad teams to trade their best win-now players for cheap assets they can build around. Look at it this way: he's going to have Flagg on a relatively cheap deal and the cap to re-add SGA after I cut him next year. It's a much better alternative to trading SGA for a similarly sized contract. The best teams always have good players on cheap deals. The only thing the loan does is allow the trade to happen.
  
  2. The Flagg.
  
  Cooper Flagg is the number one prospect in basketball. He's on the front page of ESPN.com regularly. He's gonna hit the league and instantly be an asset. I think Evan Mobley is probably a fair expectation statistically. With additional space, MHFB is gonna have a great piece to build around with tons of flexibility vs. needing to try to find assets on $3 contracts in the draft, which is nearly impossible. Instead, he'll have a $30ish dollar #1 pick and the ability to add $80-$90 in additional contracts. Even if he doesnt just buy SGA back, look at what Herro Ball did with that money this year. He got Harden and Kawhi for less than $50 combined. Cap flexibility is super important.
  
  Personally, I was unwilling to trade Flagg for anyone other than SGA, Jalen Williams, and Scottie Barnes. MHFB offered me Giannis with a loan and I turned it down.
  
  Fact of the matter is NBA franchises throw away entire seasons for a CHANCE at the #1 pick. MHFB just guaranteed himself the #1 pick.
  
  3. The Parity.
  
  I am probably the favorite now, but anything can happen. In fact, if I don't win, I'm going to be devastated. It's called going all-in for a reason. Right now, I'm in what, 5th place with a 3-1-1 record? And on top of that, I've severely reduced my chances of winning in future years. OKC is in first place right now... what happens if/when they start resting SGA in the final weeks of the season? Point is, anything can happen, and I just mortgaged my future for better odds. Don't think that's unfair in a dynasty format.
  
  4. Conclusion.
  
  Kyle and I are both fairly experienced dynasty players and have made trades like this before. I acquired Flagg in part because I thought I could flip him for an elite asset. Ideally, I wanted to keep him, but Chet and Paolo are out indefinitely and my team is mediocre right now. MHFB, meanwhile, needs to rebuild, and the best way to do that is by acquiring young assets on cheap contracts. Can't imagine a better asset to go get than the #1 pick in the upcoming draft, provided it isn't Zach Rissacher.
  
  TL;DR, as the commissioner, if people are really that upset, I will undo the trade. I do not think it's unfair, however, and would be fine with other managers making similar deals. In fact, deals like this are what Ottoneu is all about.
  
  Final thought: I love seeing people fired up, even if it's at my expense. It's a great league and I'm glad people are piping up when they see something they don't like. Thanks as always for getting into it!
  zach e.d. at Nov 28, 2024 11:47 AM
• Trade is totally legit, Flagg could be a keeper for a decade. More like Mo Money Big Baby
  Rick Flag at Nov 28, 2024 11:39 AM
• Yes understood. My stance is that for Scott to “rent” SGA he should have to cut players this season with a lesser loan from MHFB. Whatever, it is what it is
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 11:21 AM
• I don't think they can do it without the loan. About can't just take in SGA. Basically trading SGA for Flagg + off season cap space, while making it so Scott will have to cut a massive amount of salary after the season. So essentially SGA is a rental.
  Deniz Kilicli, The Istanbull at Nov 28, 2024 11:06 AM
• If MHFB can give some tangible rational then I’ll drop it. Sorry not trying to stir the pot here, just having trouble wrapping my head around this one. It’s the $89 loan that’s throwing me off TBH
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 11:03 AM
• I thought about veto-ing, because a Scott fantasy tantrum is one of my favorite things to watch, but at the end of the day, it's a legit trade, so I approved.
  Deniz Kilicli, The Istanbull at Nov 28, 2024 10:53 AM
• It gave me the option to veto, so I did. I urge others to do so as well. I’m not upset with Scott, just questioning MHFB’s decision here
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 10:50 AM
• You can’t veto a legal trade because you don’t like it unless there’s collusion. There is no evidence of collusion. Scott saw an opportunity and pounced. We’re all just upset cause we didn’t do it first.
  Team Steam at Nov 28, 2024 10:40 AM
• Everyone needs to veto the trade, MHFB is basically handing the ship away
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 10:36 AM
• Everyone needs to veto the trade, MHFB is basically handing the ship away
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 28, 2024 10:36 AM
• Wonder how Crooked Scott will grade this one!
  Rick Flag at Nov 28, 2024 9:37 AM
• That’s what I’m saying. Scottie Madoff just doing his thing
  Coach Lamont Carr at Nov 28, 2024 7:31 AM
• SGA packaged with an $89 loan for Flagg?? MHFB what are we doing here?
  Mo Money Mo Bamba at Nov 27, 2024 10:38 PM
• Grade the Trade
  
  TEAM STEAM trades Kristaps Porzingis ($37), Amen Thompson ($19), and additional Cap Space of $15 to RICK FLAG for Joel Embiid ($95)
  
  This is the real blockbuster of the trade flurry. Joel Embiid, when he plays, is a true difference maker. If he’s healthy come the playoffs, you have a good chance of winning the whole damn thing. Brendan made the mistake of trying to ride Embiid to the playoffs. The man doesn’t suit up. Apparently, Brendan doesn’t think he’s gonna make waves this year, so it makes sense to trade his brittle superstar.
  
  But you know who else doesn’t play? Kristaps Porzingis. I mean, sure, I’d certainly rather pay $37 to Kristaps to not play than I would triple that to Embiid to not play, but you’re still getting mostly DNPs. If I was Brendan, I’d be a lot more handsome, but I’d also try to turn Embiid into someone a little more durable.
  
  I guess that makes Amen Thompson the prize of this deal. His salary is way more than Naz Reid’s and Franz Wagner’s (in fact, he gets paid as much as them put together), but his contributions are still mostly theoretical. Right now, he’s putting you in a whole in every statistical category aside from FG%. He’s a freak athlete, sure, but how many freak athletes do we see flame out of the NBA before ever developing real basketball skills? Does the name Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ring a bell? I actually think the kid’s going to have a long career in the league, but it could easily be as a Derrick Jones fifth starter glue guy type with limited fantasy relevance.
  
  I don't make much of the $15 in cap space Rick Flag gets either. The free agency pool is usually pretty bleak.
  
  I guess my overall feeling is that Brendan didn’t walk away with a sure thing, and that’s a shame given Embiid’s talent level. Would he have traded me Embiid for Franz? Should I even have done that? Kristaps has a diesel enough statistical profile to make it worth it for Brendan – in fact, I think he has league-winning upside – but I’m confident he could have gotten a lot more by waiting until Embiid was healthy.
  
  Remember the part I said about Brendan making the mistake of trying to ride Embiid to the playoffs? You know who doesn’t have to do that? Spencer. He’s 2-0 right now and has Jayson Tatum and LeBron James, two top ten guys, already, and Lebron is on the record saying he wants to play all 82 this year. There’s a chance Team Steam is rolling out Tatum, LBJ, and Joel Embiid come playoff time, and no one would feel confident facing that. He didn’t even give up that much – an overpaid prospect and a poor-man’s Embiid with an even shakier health record. If you like Spencer, you like this trade. And yes, I was talking about Lyndon B. Johnson when I said LBJ.
  
  GRADE FOR TEAM STEAM – A+
  GRADE FOR RICK FLAG – C-
  zach e.d. at Nov 9, 2024 10:12 PM
• Grade the Trade
  
  COACH LAMONT CARR trades Bradley Beal ($24) and Naz Reid ($1) to DENIS KILICLI, THE INSTANBULL for Mo Wagner ($4), Lauri Markkanen ($23), and additional Cap Space of $4.
  
  My gut reaction to this trade was that Dave violated Jim. At only $23, Lauri is an unreal asset, a better player than Franz for only a few dollars more. That isn’t someone you trade unless you’re getting one of those triple-double machines like Luka or SGA. For that reason, I could never grade this trade anything better than a B-, but I have an open mind, so I spoke to Jim about it, and he made a lot of sense. Naz Reid, somehow, is only $7, and his stats are really solid. Insane shooting percentages out of a big-man slot while putting up a respectable number of points. He’s also a backup to a big man in his mid-30s, so he's always got a reasonable shot at stepping into a mammoth role on an electric offense. If you’re going to give up a prize, you better get one in return.
  
  And, to hear Jim tell it, he’s not losing that much this year with Beal’s production. In theory, he’s getting a better long-term asset today without giving up on his season. This is where I disagree with Jim. I’m not sure Beal is anything anymore. He’s putting up like 15 a game with mid counting stats. He’s on a clear downward trajectory. He’s like significantly worse than, say, Norm Powell. He’s what, a Top 20 Shooting Guard? That’s pretty cool.
  
  Naz Reid makes it all worth it, I’m not just confident he’s getting what he thinks out of Beal. His team is definitely worse now.
  
  Mo Wagner has good stats right now but he’s really probably nothing. A poor man’s Bobby Portis who likely won’t have a role this big for much longer.
  
  I don’t really have much to say about Dave’s side. He did a great job acquiring an elite contract while somehow making his team better in the process. That doesn't happen too often.
  
  The only thing I have to say is this: Lauri is on the trade block in the real NBA. You know Danny Ainge is just itching to trade that gargantuan Fin, and what are the chances he lands in a similar role? At 27 years old, I’d imagine only teams with playoff aspirations would be interested, and how many of those teams would look to Lauri to run their offense? None? So if he ever gets traded to a situation where he’s the third banana, we could see his value plummet. Of course, that might not happen for years, or at all, but it’s something to ponder. Christian Ponder.
  
  GRADE FOR COACH LAMONT CARR – A
  GRADE FOR DENIS KILICLI, THE INSTANBULL – C-
  zach e.d. at Nov 9, 2024 9:53 PM
• Grading a trade and giving yourself the losing grade is hilarious impartiality.
  Deniz Kilicli, The Istanbull at Nov 9, 2024 9:52 PM
• Grade the Trade
  
  RICK FLAG trades Karl-Anthony Towns ($54) and De’Anthony Melton ($1) to ZACH E.D. for Franz Wagner ($12) and Boogie Fland ($1)
  
  These three trades are all very difficult to grade. Firstly, they are trades in which bad teams give up good players on reasonable contracts for worse players on great contracts. It’s hard to understand what Brendan and Jim are doing in any of these cases at first glance, but it starts to make sense once you think about it.
  
  The second confusing element is assessing the market value on these great contract guys. What’s a fair return for Franz Wagner? He’s good and on a cheap deal. Could I have gotten more? Maybe? But was that trade ACTUALLY out there?
  
  It's here I begin. Franz Wagner is a very solid asset. At only $12, you’re rounding out your forward rotation with 20 points per game, a handful of counting stats, and decent shooting splits. He’s not getting arbitrated up. That’s a position you won’t have to worry about for the next 4 seasons, and his tiny salary allows you to overpay on a stud rental in the draft. For that reason, I’d say he’s worth giving up a stud on a reasonable, if a touch pricey contract.
  
  Enter Karl-Anthony. Is he good enough to trade Franz for? God, that tiny salary gives you so much flexibility.
  
  My logic is this: the Knickerbockers were a one-man show last year. Mikal Bridges isn’t the dynamic scorer everyone thinks he is, so someone’s gonna need to step up and score in bunches next to Brunson. KAT can be that guy, and now he doesn’t have Rudy clogging the paint. He’s a mental midget, but I hope the relentless New York Sports Media machine can shame him into playing more than he normally does. I think he can maintain averages of 23 points and 11 rebounds on great percentages, with a couple counting stats thrown in. That’s a top 20 or so player, and I can use another star since Paolo Banchero went down…
  
  But could I have gotten more? KAT, in all likelihood, is a rental, so I’m mortgaging my chances next year for a slight edge this year. KAT is far from guaranteeing me a gold trophy. And did I need to give up a first round pick in Boogie Fland? Could I have gotten some cap space? All in all, I don’t think this was a great return for such a useful, cheap player, especially given what Brendan ultimately got for Joel Embiid.
  
  De’Anthony Melton was thrown in to make the salaries work. He’s nothing.
  
  Brendan starts his rebuild off right, while I overpay to keep my first-round bye hopes alive during Banchero’s extended absence. Great for him, okay for me.
  
  GRADE FOR RICK FLAG – B+
  GRADE FOR ZACH E.D. – C-
  zach e.d. at Nov 9, 2024 9:32 PM
• I got some realllllly good news boys. The season starts today. Set your lineups and check those boxscores! Leegggooooooo
  zach e.d. at Oct 22, 2024 10:16 AM
• Fellas,
  
  The draft is tonight at 8:30 pm. I have trouble getting into the draft room with Google Chrome, so try a different browser if that isn't working for you.
  
  Scott
  zach e.d. at Oct 8, 2024 2:13 PM
• In the interest of transparency, I am changing the trade review period from 48 hours to 24 hours. People have complained about this in the past. If anyone super-duper objects to this, let me know.
  zach e.d. at Sep 25, 2024 3:47 PM
• We've gotten two very good excuses as to why they can't do the week of the 15th. Both individuals asked to push it back to the preceding week. Benevolent dictator that I am, I obliged them. The draft will now be on Tuesday, October 8, at 8:30PM. Please let me know if you have any real objections to this.
  zach e.d. at Sep 25, 2024 12:38 PM
• What's up everybody!
  
  That fantasy basketball season is just around the corner! That means we need to have our auction draft. I've set it for October 15 at 8:00 PM EDT. Let me know if this absolutely does not work for you. Otherwise, I'll see you all there for what should be a rollicking good time.
  zach e.d. at Sep 23, 2024 11:11 AM
• The reason you're seeing some of the more seasoned Ottoneu players dropping guys right now is because the keeper deadline is this Sunday, September 15, at 11:59 PM EDT. This is the last chance for you to drop players without a cap hit, and your last chance to trade players before the draft. You also need to be below the cap by this point - looks like everyone except Kyle and EJ have legal rosters however, so good on y'all. Let me know if you have any questions or would like to trade me a really good player on a cheap contract.
  zach e.d. at Sep 12, 2024 10:18 AM
• Grade the Trade
  
  HERRO BALL trades Bogdan Bogdanovic ($10) to LIFEGUARD KELLY for Jared McCain ($2)
  
  This is a pretty simple trade, one-for-one, lottery ticket for stable asset. I’ve already talked about Bogdan, who’s already been traded once this season. He produces, and should produce more with Dejounte in The Big Easy, but his ceiling is limited. $10 seems fair, more or less. Lifeguard Kelly has more than enough cap space to take on other people’s problem contracts, so any move that makes him better without meaningfully affecting his cap is going to look shrewd. In all likelihood, Jared McCain isn’t going to be anything worth rostering, and he’ll look back on this deal as a nothing-for-something coup.
  
  That doesn’t mean this was a bad deal for Herro Ball. On the contrary, he’s picking up a (near) lottery pick while saving $8; this move actually gets him a legal roster going into the draft, though I’m sure he’s looking for more than $4 in space. For all the talk about 2024 being an all-time weak draft, a heady point guard getting first-round draft capital for the 76ers is a great situation. There won’t be a lot of volume, but it’s a shallow team, and he could carve out enough of a role to make his value skyrocket in year one. Do I think this will happen? No. But it seems like a fine enough gamble when you’re shaving salary at the same time.
  
  GRADE FOR HERRO BALL – B
  GRADE FOR LIFEGUARD KELLY – B
  zach e.d. at Jul 16, 2024 1:01 PM
• Grade the Trade
  
  JONATHAN KUMINYA trades Tristan da Silva ($2) to LIFEGUARD KELLY for Dalton Knecht ($7)
  
  Wow, what a great deal for Lifeguard Kelly! He gives up the 17th overall pick for the 18th overall pick, moving down only one spot, and saves $5 in the process? That alone is a steal.
  Dalton Knecht plays small forward; his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers, already have a small forward. You may have heard of him. His name is Lebron James. Only the greatest player of our generation. He’s pretty redundant for them, and at $7, just isn’t worth it. Plus, the Lakers SUCK.
  
  On the other end of the deal, the Orlando Magic got their 3-and-D stretch forward they so desperately needed. Spacing was a huge issue for them last year. De Silva will spread things out for them without sacrificing form their all-world defense. Fits like a glove!
  
  GRADE FOR JONATHAN KUMINYA – F (What an IDIOT!!!)
  GRADE FOR LIFEGUARD KELLY – A+ (What a GENIUS)
  zach e.d. at Jul 3, 2024 12:50 PM
• Grade the Trade
  
  COACH LAMONT CARR trades Karl-Anthony Towns ($54) to RICK FLAG for Kyrie Irving ($49) and T.J. McConnell ($4)
  
  First thing’s first, T.J. McConnell probably isn’t a keeper at $4. He is only really playable when Haliburton is out, and in such cases (12 games), T.J. put up 11/7/3 in 2024. That’s a pretty mid best-case scenario. He’s a backup with okay short-term upside no long-term upside, the type of guy you get for $1 at the end of an auction.
  
  This is really a KAT for Irving swap. The salaries are pretty equal. Both guys have reliability concerns, but Kyrie’s are more staggering. KAT puts up better numbers overall, I think, and is four years younger. At the end of the day, it depends on what you need, and Coach Lamont Carr just traded nothing for an elite center, so I guess getting guard help is nice.
  At the end of the day, KAT is more valuable now and has the potential to be a reasonable deal for the next four years, while Kyrie, at 32 years old with the mind of a 7-year-old on PCP, has virtually no chance of being a long-term keeper, so I have to give the edge to Flag.
  
  For the record, both Kyrie and KAT suck so hard, you guys.
  
  GRADE FOR RICK FLAG – B
  GRADE FOR COACH LAMONT CARR – C-
  zach e.d. at Jul 3, 2024 10:52 AM
• Grade the Trade
  
  COACH LAMONT CARR trades Daniel Gafford ($15) and Mo Wagner ($4) to DENIZ KILICLI, THE ISTANBULL for Jarrett Allen ($31) and Isaiah Hartenstein ($4)
  
  This one is actually pretty easy to evaluate. The only reason this is going to get multiple paragraphs is because I want to make fun of an idiot.
  
  Coach Lamont Carr had some offseason cap space and he did exactly what one should do in such a situation: he robbed a cap-logged team blind. Sure, Daniel Gaffe-ord is $16 cheaper than Jarrett Allen, but Jarrett Allen was top 10 in rebounds per game and chipped in 16.5 ppg, a block, and a killer shooting percentage. He’s one of the best centers in the league and on a reasonable contract. Plus he gets Isaiah Hartenstein. Let’s do a player comparison here.
  
  PLAYER A – 21 minutes per game, 11 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.6 apg, 0.7 spg, 2 blocks, 78% FG%
  PLAYER B – 25 minutes per game, 8 ppg, 8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.1 blocks, 64% FG%
  
  It’s close, but Player A is a little better. Only a little. Player A is Daniel Gafford as a Maverick, and Player B is Isaiah Hartenstein, who is $11 cheaper and just got paid to be his team’s only bona fide inside presence on a high-octane offense. And before you point out that said team also has Chet Holmgren, remember he’s a perimeter player on O. Plus, Gafford has a younger, sexier version of himself breathing down his neck in Dereck Lively, who might also just be better, too. I honestly think there’s a good, if not probable chance that Isaiah Hartenstein produces better numbers than Gafford this year, and for $11 less. And that’s before you remember that Coach Carr is getting Jarrett Allen in this deal as well!!!!!!
  
  Mo Wagner is in this trade too. The team just paid one of its backup centers $8+ million a year, already has Wendell Carter, and can play its new $84 million man (Jon Isaac) at the 5. There aren’t a lot of minutes for Manic Mo on this squad. Best case scenario is injuries plague the Magic and he gets 11 ppg and 4 rpg for your team on the bench. Otherwise, we’re talking about a rich man’s Thanasis.
  
  Bonus Negative Points for the fact that Jarrett Allen is one of Jim’s favorite players and he just traded him away. Only good thing I can say about his side of the trade is he saved $16.
  
  GRADE FOR DENIZ KILICLI, THE ISTANBULL – D
  GRADE FOR COACH LAMONT CARR - A
  zach e.d. at Jul 3, 2024 10:39 AM
• GtT Part 2
  
  RICK FLAG trades Terrence Shannon ($2) and Keegan Murray ($9) to CHASE BUDINGER’S BUDDIES for Onyeka Okongwu ($11)
  
  At first glance, I did not like this trade for Rick Flag’s side. I remembered as the 4th overall pick with a ton of promise in a high-octane offense. There’s still upside there, but there are a lot of mouths to feed in Sac-Town, so his usage will likely be low, and his stats are average across the board. There’s a chance he turns into something; in such a case, Chase Budinger’s Buddies will be happy they made the trade. Though unlikely to transpire, his ceiling is probably higher than that of Okongwu. It’s a rebuilding move.
  
  Terrence Shannon is older than I am. I don’t think there’s anything there. I could be wrong. He looks like an 8th man at best. Those guys are end-of-bench $1 guys. Whatever. He’s a flyer.
  
  I would like this trade for CBB a lot more if he wasn’t giving up a guy with a ton of upside in his own right. Okongwu is the sort of rim-running center all NBA teams covet. If he can get a starting role in Atlanta or otherwise, he’s going to give Rick Flag a Nic Claxton/Clint Capela sort of impact. 12/10 on 60+% shooting, plus a few blocks, seems likely to happen at some point in his career. That’s the sort of guy Rick Flag gave up in Rudy Gobert, which makes that Part 1 trade look better in terms of his team’s big picture. Oh, and Okongwu is younger than Terrence Shannon, but who's counting?
  
  Brendan gave up a little upside to get more upside. A/K/A, Brendan trade-raped Pavio a bit here. Welcome to the league, Pavio, continuing Chase Budinger’s Buddies’ legacy of mediocracy. Maybe you should change your team name.
  
  GRADE FOR RICK FLAG – A-
  GRADE FOR Chase Budinger’s Buddies – C
  zach e.d. at Jul 1, 2024 6:04 PM
• GtT Part 1
  
  RICK FLAG trades Rudy Gobert ($37) and Zaccharie Risacher ($4) to HERRO BALL for Jaren Jackson Jr. ($44)
  
  Last season, I traded Jaren Jackson Jr. for Rudy Gobert, among other things, so I am partial to that side of the deal already. Jaren Jackson Jr. is a specialty player that gives you elite production with his defensive stats and points but puts you in a huge hole in rebounds and FG%. Not a lot of high-price big men put up less than 6 rpg and shoot less than 45% from the field, but I trust that Rick Flag knows what he’s doing. He’s a born leader. On the other hand, Rudy Gobert gives you exactly what you’re looking for in a center. Blocks, boards, and a preposterous FG%. I like plugging a guy like that into my lineup. But at the end of the day, JJJ is young and probably a good deal for a few more years. Young asset on a good contract? You do those deals when you can. Let’s see if Brendan can build a JJJ-centered team into a winner. I never could.
  
  Herro Ball gets the number 1 pick in Zaccharie Risacher. That’s the nicest thing you can say about Zaccharie Risacher. That he was the number one pick. He’s a 3-and-D guy that might not be able to shoot 3s, or play defense, and certainly won’t be a big contributor in the stats we care about. Kudos for Rick Flag for turning Zaccharie into anything. At least Atlanta is going to give him a long-ass leash and enough looks in their efforts to justify this pick over the next four or so years.
  
  Rudy Gobert is who matters. Guy is a beast. He’s old, but Herro Ball has the best training staff in the league; they got Zion AND AD through the playoffs. I view Rudy as an upgrade for this year, but 32 is really old for a 7-foot fella, so I wouldn’t count on anything beyond this year. As a move towards a repeat, I like getting a prototypical center that gives you everything you need out of that position, and reliably too. Bobby will go into every matchup with a solid leg-up in blocks, boards, and FG%. It hurts to give up a blue chipper like JJJ, but like I said, the guy is tough to build around.
  
  Overall, I’d say it’s a bit of a lateral move for both teams, with Rick Flag leveraging a little present for the future, and Herro Ball sacrificing some long-term upside for short-term stability.
  
  GRADE FOR RICK FLAG – B-
  GRADE FOR HERRO BALL – B
  zach e.d. at Jul 1, 2024 5:50 PM
• Excited for the write-up on this blockbuster
  Deniz Kilicli, The Istanbull at Jun 28, 2024 11:54 PM
• GRADE THE TRADE
  Fellas, I’m gonna start grading these trades. It’s as simple as that. Let’s get started with the first inaugural Grade the Trade.
  
  TEAM STEAM trades Bogdan Bogdanovic ($10), Terry Rozier ($25), and Trayce Jackson-Davis ($4) to HERRO BALL for Jamal Murray ($42) and Jaden Ivey ($14).
  
  Team Steam, in theory, gets the best player in this deal in Jamal Murray. He’s also the most expensive player in the deal, and has only played more than 60 games once in the past five seasons.
  
  Thought experiment, who would you rather have?
  
  PLAYER A – 21 ppg, 4 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1 spg, and 48% FG in 59 games, or
  PLAYER B – 20 ppg, 4 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1 spg, and 44% FG in 61 games
  
  The answer, obviously, is Player A, who is Jamal Murray, but it’s pretty damn close. Is that worth the extra $17 in salary? Maybe, since Terry’s production dipped in Miami, but it’s pretty damn close. Let’s call that portion of the trade a wash, though I think Herro Ball won out there.
  
  That leaves Bogdan and Trayce for Jaden Ivey. Jaden is the most expensive player and the best asset in this portion of the deal. He fills up the stat sheet. But how much longer is he going to get this sort of usage as a non-shooting guard? These types of players don’t usually stay in prominent roles once their rookie luster wears off. He’ll be good now, but I’m not sure he has the upside Team Steam is buying here. Bogdan is whatever. He’s a nice bench guy. He has better numbers than Ivey but none of the upside. At $4, Trayce Jackson Davis could be the thing these guys remember this trade for. Dropped 8 ppg on 70% shooting as a rookie while chipping in 5 boards and a block per game. I like him as a backup forward this year with the potential to grow into something like what Clint Capela has been. Was giving up a cheap asset like TJD worth modest, pricier upgrades from Terry Rozier and Bogdan? I don’t think so, but I’m dumb, so whatever.
  
  GRADE FOR TEAM STEAM – C
  GRADE FOR HERRO BALL – C+
  zach e.d. at Jun 28, 2024 12:56 PM
• Welcome, Mike!
  Rick Flag at Jun 3, 2024 6:57 PM
• Correct.
  zach e.d. at Jun 3, 2024 6:09 PM
• Good season everyone! So the next date deadline is getting under the salary cap by 9/15 right?
  
  Also, I truly appreciate everyone's interest, but I will save you all some time: Ja Morant is not for sale this offseason
  Sir, This is a Wemby's! at Jun 3, 2024 6:07 PM
• The offseason has officially begun! Send out some trade offers, make some cuts, and get under the salary cap!
  
  I'd also like to extend a warm welcome to Mike Pavio, who will be replacing Gus in the league. May the odds be ever in your favor.
  zach e.d. at Jun 3, 2024 2:13 PM
• I hope everyone is enjoying the playoffs. I wanted to remind everyone that it's arbitration month - you have until the end of May to arbitrate people. By now, everyone should know the rules. Looks like a few of us already have done their duties. Brendan, Dave Kent, Jason, Matt, Kyle, EJ, and Gus still need to do it.
  
  Another note: it looks like Gus can't manage a fake basketball team and be a father at the same time. It's rough out there, no doubt. If anyone knows anyone who might be interested in our league, let me know.
  
  Thanks everyone,
  Commish
  zach e.d. at May 15, 2024 10:47 AM
• Congrats to Bobby on winning the whole thing. His training staff deserves a raise for keeping Zion and AD healthy all year.
  
  We need to pay Bobby for his victory. Please venmo me $30 at @haughtyscotty.
  
  Arbitration begins in May. In the meantime, enjoy your time off.
  zach e.d. at Apr 4, 2024 2:48 PM
• THE TRADE DEADLINE HAS NOT PASSED.
  
  I am sorry about the confusion. The website reported the wrong deadline in error.
  
  https://community.ottoneu.com/t/basketball-trade-deadline-incorrect/13904
  zach e.d. at Feb 1, 2024 10:40 AM
• Today is the trade deadline!!
  
  Make those trades if you're rebuilding or stocking up for the playoffs. Today is your last chance!!
  
  -Adam Silver
  zach e.d. at Jan 31, 2024 11:51 AM