Starting Center
Nerlens Noel
Noel thought he was in for a big payday and it turns out the market collapsed. He is still waiting and will probably not have his situation resolved until closer to the start of camp. When he does get on the court he is a monster in the vein of Tyson Chandler. He is athletic, blocks shots, can defend well enough out on the wing, and he is a monster rolling to the rim out of the pick and roll. He is a perfect starting center for my team.
Starting Forwards
JaMychal Green
Green is a heck of a player and he did some great things for Memphis last year. Defensively, he is good and he is so versatile offensively. He can shoot, he can post up, and he can run pick and rolls. I love Green's game and he had the chance to play with some great players in Randolph, Gasol, and Conley.
Shabazz Muhammad
If you read this blog you know that I am a big fan of Muhammad. He can score and he has yet to really be given a chance in the NBA. Given the opportunity to start and play big minutes, I think he could average 17 to 18 a game. He is great in transition and plays decent defense. He is not the best 3 point shooter, but he is league average and good enough to keep defenders honest.
Guards
James Young
Young was drafted by the wrong team. He did not get much of a chance with the Celtics and it will be interesting to see what happens with him. He is only 21 and he can shoot it. He is a good size for a guard and he can be one of our floor spacers. Defensively, it may take some time for him to develop. However, unlike the Celtics, we are not a real team so there is no need to rush him along.
Trey Burke
Trey Burke's career has not worked out that well. He has struggled during his NBA career and last year was no different. The Wizards felt they needed to go out and get Brandon Jennings because they did not trust Burke to be the backup point guard. This may not bode well for my team, but I think Burke can play in the NBA. He has proven himself to be a capable shooter from 3 and is serviceable in the pick and roll.
Bench
Terrence Jones
Terrence Jones was waived twice last season and it does not make much sense to me. He has had success in the NBA. He is a versatile forward with some versatility to his game. He is big enough to bang down low and good enough to stay close to guys on the perimeter. He had some success in Houston before he was let go to pursue other teams in free agency. However, he played some important minutes for a Houston team that got to the Conference Finals in 2015.
Mason Plumlee
Plumlee is a skilled big man that can fun the floor, finish in traffic, a good passer, and very capable defender. He is everything I am looking for in a big man. I am not sure if he and Nerlens can play together, but it is not a bad idea to try. With Plumlee's versatility, he should be able to be able to play from outside the paint, but he will need to work on his jumper.
Gerald Green
Instant offense is what Green can bring to the table and it is exactly what I need from my 2nd unit. Green can shoot, but he is streaky and in games when his shot is off, it is sometimes better to not play him because his defense will not keep him on the court.
Aaron Brooks
Another gunner that can give some scoring punch to my 2nd unit. I am not exactly sure if he and Green could play together, but they are both capable shooters and Brooks still has some quickness to get into the paint.
Gerald Henderson
A solid NBA player that helps your team. He can shoot it from deep and is a versatile defender. He turned himself into a good three point shooter, but I feel that his career has been teams wanting him to do too much. I think that as a bench player he is overqualified and can bring a lot to my 2nd unit.
Is my team good? I like our versatility. I am not sure how well we will defend or space the floor, but we can match up with teams and I have players that can dribble and pass. I also have some guys that have never gotten a chance in the NBA and I am hopeful that if this team were real, these guys would make the most of it. Guys like Trey Burke and James Young may very well be overseas next year, but I see something in their games that deserves an opportunity. There are so many guys that slip through the cracks. Aaron Brooks was one of those guys. He played one season in China and was able to make it back to the NBA. Some of these guys may be in that same boat. I like my team and I think that some of these guys will shine if given the chance.