Some stipulations:
While strict adherence to the salary cap will not be taken, you are supposed to be reasonable, understanding NBA contracts, so you can't fill every team with Rashard Lewis, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer and Yao Ming. The idea is to spot role players that would compliment the star well. This is not to say he can't have a real good sidekick, but just be reasonable.
Also, the "star" should be the best player on the team. You are building around him, not with him. So that rules out anyone ever picking Kobe Bryant or Lebron James and such. If you're not sure if the player is too good to be on the team, he probably is. This rule is mainly so that you can't just find a bunch of guys on rookie contracts and say "well my team is way under the salary cap." You're not getting Lebron, Wade, Howard and Chris Paul on the same team, I don't care what their current salaries are.
And while we aren't doing this based on actual salaries or the cap, if you want to look up a player's salary, I recommend this great site:
http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm
So without further ado, today we are giving you a lay-up (perhaps more aptly put a slam dunk):
Amare Stoudemire
The Mulldog Marauders:
C: Marcus Camby - Incredibly good defender. Blocks shots, rebounds and goes along with the athletic nature of the team.
PF: Amare Stoudemire - While very tempting to make him the center, given the lack of depth at the position, Amare just doesn't rebound enough for my liking at center. He can obviously score, and he'll block some shots, but needs a strong rebounding mate and defender to pair with.
SF: Shawn Marion - The Matrix just makes this a ridiculously athletic 3/4/5 combination that teams will struggle to deal with, especially if they can get the ball to Calderon in transition. While he makes a ton this season his stock has dropped to where he probably isn't a totally unreasonable piece on this team. He adds a strong defensive presence while being able to (somehow) keep the floor stretched with his three-point range.
SG: Rudy Fernandez - Thought JR Smith was asking too much here (and that was before I switched Sam Dalembert to Marcus Camby), so I'll go with the less-heralded and lower volume player in Fernandez. Shoots it at 40% from deep and doesn't need the ball at all times. A pretty decent perimeter defender that will take the charge and is pesky, like the fit.
PG: Jose Calderon - If this team scares me in an area it is that it lacks good passers. Enter Jose Calderon, one of the best assist/turnover PG's in the game and another assassin from deep. Him and Amare running the pick and roll with Rudy and Marion camped out beyond the arc could be deadly - especially with Camby looking to clean the glass on any misses.
6th man: Kevin Love. Since this isn't a great passing team outside the PG (though I think Rudy will improve there) and I'm a little concerned that Camby won't be able to stretch the defense enough to let the pick-and-roll be effective against superior defenses / obvious injury concerns, another good interior player with a little more range and passing skills seems necessary (and his lack of athleticism isn't a problem on this team). Kevin Love can shoot it, will rebound and can dish it a bit. While his ideal position is the same as Amare's...it's hard to find a true center in the NBA and the Camby/Amare/Love combo could be one of the NBA's best, not too unlike (different skillsets of course) Odom, Gasol and Bynum.This team can shoot, rebound and defend...I like its chances.
Also, the "star" should be the best player on the team. You are building around him, not with him. So that rules out anyone ever picking Kobe Bryant or Lebron James and such. If you're not sure if the player is too good to be on the team, he probably is. This rule is mainly so that you can't just find a bunch of guys on rookie contracts and say "well my team is way under the salary cap." You're not getting Lebron, Wade, Howard and Chris Paul on the same team, I don't care what their current salaries are.
And while we aren't doing this based on actual salaries or the cap, if you want to look up a player's salary, I recommend this great site:
http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm
So without further ado, today we are giving you a lay-up (perhaps more aptly put a slam dunk):
Amare Stoudemire
The Mulldog Marauders:
C: Marcus Camby - Incredibly good defender. Blocks shots, rebounds and goes along with the athletic nature of the team.
PF: Amare Stoudemire - While very tempting to make him the center, given the lack of depth at the position, Amare just doesn't rebound enough for my liking at center. He can obviously score, and he'll block some shots, but needs a strong rebounding mate and defender to pair with.
SF: Shawn Marion - The Matrix just makes this a ridiculously athletic 3/4/5 combination that teams will struggle to deal with, especially if they can get the ball to Calderon in transition. While he makes a ton this season his stock has dropped to where he probably isn't a totally unreasonable piece on this team. He adds a strong defensive presence while being able to (somehow) keep the floor stretched with his three-point range.
SG: Rudy Fernandez - Thought JR Smith was asking too much here (and that was before I switched Sam Dalembert to Marcus Camby), so I'll go with the less-heralded and lower volume player in Fernandez. Shoots it at 40% from deep and doesn't need the ball at all times. A pretty decent perimeter defender that will take the charge and is pesky, like the fit.
PG: Jose Calderon - If this team scares me in an area it is that it lacks good passers. Enter Jose Calderon, one of the best assist/turnover PG's in the game and another assassin from deep. Him and Amare running the pick and roll with Rudy and Marion camped out beyond the arc could be deadly - especially with Camby looking to clean the glass on any misses.
6th man: Kevin Love. Since this isn't a great passing team outside the PG (though I think Rudy will improve there) and I'm a little concerned that Camby won't be able to stretch the defense enough to let the pick-and-roll be effective against superior defenses / obvious injury concerns, another good interior player with a little more range and passing skills seems necessary (and his lack of athleticism isn't a problem on this team). Kevin Love can shoot it, will rebound and can dish it a bit. While his ideal position is the same as Amare's...it's hard to find a true center in the NBA and the Camby/Amare/Love combo could be one of the NBA's best, not too unlike (different skillsets of course) Odom, Gasol and Bynum.This team can shoot, rebound and defend...I like its chances.
Millman's MonStars:
Not a bad squad assembled by Mulldog. The question worth bearing is that if you can't win a championship with Amare, Marion, and Nash, will any group really be any better off. Let's take a look at who I build around Amare and let you decide.
C: Emeka Okafor: Kind of a Marcus Cambyesque player, but much younger. Emeka would probably get a little more love around the league if he wasn't rotting in Charlotte. Okafor is a double double machine (2nd in the league this year among true centers). Having Okafor rule the paint allows Amare to run free and leave the dirty work to others.
PF: Amare Stoudamire: Not much to add here, have to build around him, we know what he brings to the table.
SF: Tayshaun Prince: Tayshaun is a perfect role player with Championship experience. Not only is he able to knock down an open shot, but he is going to do all of the little things for you. Prince also gives you the ability to once again, let Amare run free and have Prince matchup on the teams opposing scorer. He is also reliable having played in all 82 games this season.
SG: OJ Mayo: OJ only a rookie was 12th among gaurds in scoring average with a solid 18.5 ppg average. Mind you Mayo is only a rookie, but I think he's got the tools to be a pretty solid NBA player. At 6'4 he can play Defense and stick with bigger gaurds and not get killed by his side. Mayo starting at SG gives Amare and the MonStars a balanced scoring attack. Would like to see his rebounding and assist numbers improve, but we hope that comes with time.
PG: Jameer Nelson: I have been high on Jameer Nelson since his days at St. Joes. I was furious when the Nuggets drafted him and traded him away the same day. It took them the next 5 years to find a point gaurd (Chauncey). Jameer can score and take care of the ball. He will distribute the ball to Mayo and Amare. He also provides a 3 pt shooting ability as he shot 45% (2nd in league average)from downtown this year before his injury.
6th man: I think this team require a sixth man who comes off the bench and just shoots. Think maybe Eddie House.
A starting five of Okafor, Amare, Tayshaun, Mayo, and Nelson should give you enough defense, rebounding, and scoring to compete in this league.
I think this exercise really proves that you can't build a championship team around Amare. He has to be second fiddle on any true championship caliber team. Any suggestions for tomorrows star are welcome.
For Amare to have value, I think you have to play him at the 5 spot.
ReplyDeletePF- Paul Milsap - he has been a rebounding machine at every level he has ever played and it seems that he is finding his way to score at the nba level.
SF- Gerald Wallace- With Amare at the 5, you want this team to run. Very few players in the league can run and finish like Wallace. Like Okeafor, he is completely lost in Charlotte, but when healthy is a very effective player.
SG- Peja Stojakovic - Will go to war with him on any of my teams.
PG- Andre Miller- Has their been a more underrated player in the NBA? Hes the engine to the fast paced 76ers team that has not one shooter on it. Could easily create good looks for Amare or Peja working off the pick and roll, and always makes good decisions on the break.
6th Man- DeShawn Stevenson- Man can score and defend. Has no brain at all(may literally think hes better than Lebron) but has a good skill set and the ability to be the go to guy on a second unit.
^Like that squad other than Deshawn (though decent fit). I considered Milsap and Wallace myself. The question remains, are any of these three teams really championship caliber? Of course you have Peja, Surprised you didn't try and run Hedo as your point.
ReplyDeleteNone of these teams are championship caliber. I think Millmans could have best staying power with its ability to score. In the NBA, you need more than one star to compete, unless that star is named Lebron James.
ReplyDelete