I'm starting to feel as if this is one big level. Maybe Clark is right that I just went about this the wrong way, but does anyone here besides MEB really think that Brand is better than Webber?

For the purposes of this draft... yes.

For the draft, I prefer Brand.

In real life, which is I think what Assani's arguing, I think it's Webber.

I really don't think there's a huge difference between Webber and Brand. It depends what sort of team you want to build.

Here are my thoughts on all the picks lately:

Mike Bibby- I'm kinda meh on this one. On one hand, you now have 4 guys who can score. On the other hand, two are pretty selfish players and the other two aren't exactly pass first guys. Still though, since you picked Melo to go with Yao, I've really liked the next two picks to fit with them, although it's gotta be tough with those two guys.

Danny Granger- LOVE Granger. I thought about taking him with my pick. Perfect fit with your team. I think if you look back on this draft in 5 years you'd say "damn he should've been a solid round 2 player."

Calvin Natt- I'm in the "WTF is Natt?" boat but the numbers look solid.

Larry Johnson- Couldn't have picked a better fit for him. This team is so awesome. Some of my favorite NBA players ever too. Gotta find a good 3 point shooter at the 2, but that shouldn't be too hard.

Sam Perkins- Like others have said, he didn't develop the 3 pointer until later in his career. Hard to find a center who was good for a long time at this point in the draft though, so wtg.

Rudy Gay- This team is awesome. Going to be above average both offensively and defensively for sure, and that's pretty tough to do.

Josh Howard- First team to a full starting lineup so we can really say how this team has shaped (to a large extent). Howard adds a guy who can get to and finish in the lane to a team that wasn't really built for that before this, so that's good. At the same time, I really don't see this team as having a true identity offensively, but it's going to be very solid on defense so that's good.

They are both in the same tier of second class PFs. They are nowhere near the Malone's, Duncan's, and Barkley's; but they are still big name, solid players who can put up numbers.

Webber is slightly better imo because of the talent factor. Also, Brand has never won anything and can't even make it to the playoffs.

The teams that started off with the Iverson-Deke-Sixers prototype (Iverson/Big Ben and Deke/Gilbert) are two of the best teams IMO.

I'm looking to trade up if anyone is interested.

Alright, well I strongly disagree, but maybe I did argue poorly. Let me try again:


-They are similar scorers...Webber more bulk, Brand more efficient...probably due to the fact that Webber has more range and therefore more ways to score, but jumpshooting obviously isn't going to lead to great efficiency numbers(unless you're shooting 3s)

-Webber is miles ahead of him regarding passing

-Webber is a better rebounder. He gets more defensive rebounds. Brand gets more offensive rebounds, but as has been pointed out thats due to Webber's role on offense.

-Webber gets more steals; Brand gets more blocks. In my personal opinion, Webber pre-injury was a better defender, post injury Brand is better.

IMO if this is the Bibby who can shoot lights out I like this team.

Deron Williams PG
Shane Battier
Calvin Natt
Shawn Marion PF

This may be the most interesting team imo. Honestly no clue how I rank it though overall. Hated the Battier pick though....AK47 would've been such a better pick imo.

thats what'll make it fun though!

Most of the guys similar to Battier (AK47, Artest, quite a few more we can all think of) either can't hit a 3 or it took them a while to start doing it. I think Battier is one of the "safest" picks from this category.

whats with the lack of posts/picks? Who is up anyway?

Big Cat/Chiiips is up.

I wonder if there are any all-time greats left for BigCat to pick.

We now have our first complete starting lineup (AC-Cobra- Rik Smits, Chris Webber, Josh Howard, Rolando Blackman, Joe Dumars). How do people think that lineup would succeed overall in year 1 against all the other teams? Above average? Below average? How would this lineup do in our current NBA?

Below average and contenders in the East but not the West.

Based on those guys as 24 year olds or what?

Yeah as 24.

I agree that they'll be below average for our league for year 1, probably in the 25-30 range if I had to guess now. As for this NBA, I think they would've become one of the top 10 teams in the NBA right now, but hardly great or anything, whereas a lot of our teams would be hands down the best team in the NBA right now IMO.

I think this team all 24 would clearly be one of the best teams in the league right now. Blackman/Dumars were both very good when they were young and Smits/Howard are a lot better than most teams 4/5.

Webber was pretty solid as a 24 year old, obviously team is built around him anyway. I think teams would sag off them, maybe even play zone some. Their perimeter guys can score, but not from the outside. Their D would be pretty good, I think they might have a hard time outscoring teams though. Probably bottom 1/2 of this league, probably about 10th or so in current NBA.

Would you guys saying this team would be 10th in the NBA name all the teams you feel are better than this team? Because I would have them as a top 5 team in the current league.

QFT

This 24 year old thing is going to change as soon as the teams are complete and everyone realizes that ANY team with all 24 year olds would be awful...

IMO team GMs (us) should be able to pick a 3 year span that we get the players. Think Jordan's prime is when he is 29-31? That is your Jordan. Hakeem Olajuwon was best in the Rockets' championship years, not his 24 year old year. You should be able to get THE BEST Olajuwon, not an inexperienced young center...Plus, if you had Jordan in his prime, you could opt to make a couple of your role players younger to give your squad more youth. The idea of a team with all players the same age is implausible and idiotic...

Let's take the current completed team as an example:

Maybe have

Rik Smits late 20's
Josh Howard in current form
A youthful, athetic Chris Webber
A high-scoring Blackman
and a prime Dumars in a leadership role

Then:

Pick a young back-up PG
a Veteran Forward
etc...

Isn't this more interesting and more realistic?