Ready to run over and crush your next week's opponent like a STREAMroller? You're in the right place!
If you got a roster spot to spare or a guy you're not particularly fond of and wouldn't mind sacrificing him to the Waiver Wire Gods in return for some more games played next week, streaming is your cup of tea. I'm taking a look at which teams play on scarce gamedays next week, as their players should help most fantasy GMs fill out their starting rosters on those days, and analyzing which players could bring you some juicy stats and a W in the upcoming matchup.
Here are my thoughts on the fantasy basketball streamers for Week 8.
Just one word before we go deep into next week. I've been getting some amazing replies to my posts in the past few weeks, and thank you guys so much for this!
I just wanted to let you know that the whole RotoBaller crew is working hard to help fantasy GMs out, and there is a ton of quality stuff on plenty of topics on our website, so if you're looking for information about something else as well, you can probably find it here: https://www.rotoballer.com/category/nba-fantasy-basketball-advice

NBA Schedule Guide - Week 8

Only Thursday and Saturday (with five games a piece) have fewer than seven games scheduled. There are five teams that play on both of these days, and their players will be the ones we will focus on here.
Here's the low-down:
​
Teams with 4 games:
Boston Celtics
Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards
​
Teams with 3 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Brooklyn Nets
Chicago Bulls
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
Miami Heat
New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers
Sacramento Kings
Utah Jazz
​
Teams with 2 games:
-
​
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 16
Tuesday: 14
Wednesday: 18
Thursday: 10
Friday: 22
Saturday: 10
Sunday: 20
​
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: GSW, HOU, SAS
Tuesday/Wednesday: BKN, NOP
Wednesday/Thursday: IND, TOR
Thursday/Friday: BOS, DET, ORL, POR
Friday/Saturday: ATL, NYK, UTA
Saturday/Sunday: PHO
Sunday/Monday the following: CLE, LAC, SAC
​
Days with SIX or fewer games:
Thursday: 5 games
Saturday: 5 games
​
Teams playing on both days:
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Houston Rockets (4 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Indiana Pacers (3 games - Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Miami Heat (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
​
Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Houston Rockets (4 games - Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Toronto Raptors (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
​
Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday to Sunday)
Boston Celtics (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Detroit Pistons (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Orlando Magic (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Portland Trail Blazers (4 games - Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
​
Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday)
Atlanta Hawks (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Los Angeles Clippers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
New York Knicks (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sat)
Sacramento Kings (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sun)
Utah Jazz (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sat)
​
Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday to Sunday)
Brooklyn Nets (3 games - Tue, Wed, Sat)
Chicago Bulls (3 games - Mon, Wed, Fri)
New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Wed, Fri)
Washington Wizards (3 games - Mon, Wed, Fri)

Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 8

Thursday has only four, and Saturday only five games scheduled, while all other days have at least seven. So these are the two days most likely to bring empty starting spots for fantasy GMs. Five teams have games on both these days and their players could fill in these holes nicely. Primarily Golden State and Houston who have a four-game week, and also Indiana, Miami and Philadelphia who play one more time in addition to the two days mentioned above. Players from these five teams will be our focus.
Fantasy managers with a bigger acquisition limit who need some help on other days as well could potentially try to maximize their games played by combining several players with different schedules throughout the week.
For example, San Antonio has a back-to-back set on Monday and Tuesday, then Atlanta and Indiana play three games from Wednesday till Saturday, and 18 teams play on Sunday so you can have your pick. If you stream players from these teams in the correct order, you could potentially get a six-game week from just one streaming spot using three acquisitions. There are other options as well of course, but this is just one example.

Streaming Options for Week 8

​
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week (Rostered in 25-75 % of Yahoo leagues):
Eric Gordon, SG/SF, HOU, (59% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, HOU, (67% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL - positive circumstance: will get more minutes while Christian Wood is out
Justin Holiday, SG/SF, IND, (42% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit of everything
Jeremy Lamb, SG/SF, IND, (53% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, a bit of everything
Duncan Robinson, SG/SF, MIA, (70% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Goran Dragic, PG/SG, MIA, (68% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, AST - buyer beware: sprained his ankle in the previous game and we don't have an update at the moment so be sure to check his status before adding him
Kelly Olynyk, PF/C, MIA, (26% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL/BLK
Seth Curry, PG/SG, PHI, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, AST - buyer beware: an illness kept him out of his previous game

Shallower League Add

DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, HOU, (67% Rostered)
Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL
Positive circumstance: will get more minutes while Christian Wood is out
Boogie Cousins is a household name, especially in fantasy basketball. A top-10 player for years while back in Sacramento, Cousins is known to be able to stuff the stat sheet when he hits his groove. And with Wood being out for some time, he should be getting enough playing time to really be fantasy relevant.
You gotta take the good with the bad with Boogie, and he could be quite frustrating to have on your team, but when he shines, he shines brightly! Here is what I mean.
He is second on the all-time ejections list behind only Rasheed Wallace (found this on several unofficial websites so if it's not correct I apologize, although it sounds legit) and he is starting to gain on Rasheed with a few ejections this season as well.
Furthermore, Boogie doesn't care if he's got a cold hand as he is capable of shooting 2-of-16 from the field (in his first of three games that Wood has missed during January).
But, then he steps up and hits 9-of-15 (4-of-8 from three-point range), and goes 6-of-7 from the charity stripe for 28 points, adds 17 boards and five assists the very next game. Then he follows that one up with 6-of-11 from the field for 19 points with 11 rebounds, five steals and a block. Very hot and cold. But that's Boogie for you.
If you have nerves of steel, and you like having a high impact player (whether it's a positive or negative impact, only Boogie will tell), he is definitely worth a shout with Wood out. Especially with a four-game week with games on the scarce days.
​

Deeper League Add

T.J. McConnell, PG/SG, IND, (22% Rostered)
Strong Cats: AST, STL
I absolutely love McConnell! As I am a big fan of a three-way punt FT%, 3PM, PTS build, he is exactly my type of player in the final rounds of drafts (or off the waiver wire in most cases as well). He brings elite per minute assists and steals to the table, along with a few boards without hurting you FG% from the PG spot, which is quite useful in such builds.
Now, T.J. is definitely an acquired taste, as he doesn't shoot or score much, is not too good from the free-throw line and doesn't get many threes or blocks. Furthermore, he might hurt you in the TO department as well on an off night. So, if these categories are important to you, McConnell is probably not your guy.
However, in the previous month, he is averaging 5.5 PTS on 49.2 FG% and just 20.0 FT% (but on only 0.4 attempts per game), 0.3 3PM, 3.3 REB, 8.3 AST, 1.9 STL, 0.3 BLK and 2.3 TO in over 25 minutes a game. This is good enough for spot #118 in Yahoo rankings.
So, if you don't need much help in his weak categories from your streamer, and you do anticipate a close matchup in AST, STL and FG%, McConnell is your guy! Furthermore, Indiana doesn't play before Wednesday, so if you're a gambling man, and you believe T.J. will be waiting for you, you could potentially get in a Houston, San Antonio or Golden State player for the back-to-back on Mon/Tue and then switch to McConnell for his three games on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
​

Insanely Deep League Add

Juan Toscano-Anderson, SF/PF, GSW, (10% Rostered)
Strong Cats: FG%, 3PM, REB, BLK/STL
The NBA is crazy, and this season is making it even crazier. Thus, it shouldn't come as too big a surprise that I am recommending a player here who has played just seven games from the start of the season until February and scored a total of 22 points in those seven games. He actually had 11 personal fouls in those seven games as well, so 2 points for every personal foul. Not quite what you want from your fantasy players.
Juan Toscano-Anderson is buried in a crowded Warriors' rotation when everyone is healthy. But at this very moment, almost no one is. We got Marquese Chriss, James Wiseman and Kevon Looney already confirmed out for the next week (Chriss even longer of course), and Eric Paschall missing the previous game and questionable for the Week 7 Saturday game, so he could potentially also miss games in Week 8 as well.
And in the two February games in these new circumstances, Juan has been quite good, averaging 15.0 points with 2.5 threes on 70.6% from the field and no misses (in just one attempt) from the line, 5.0 boards, 3.0 dimes, 0.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 turnovers in 33 minutes a night. I will just mention that this has him ranked at #30 on Yahoo, although this isn't a reliable indicator on such a small sample size.
Nevertheless, Juan has been given a shot and has used it quite well. He even played 40 minutes in the previous game. And with so many players making way for him, and such a favorable schedule for GSW next week, Toscano-Anderson is someone who could really contribute to your fantasy team. Of course, he could do nothing as well, since he is a rotational player usually, but it seems he is as good a bet as any in deep leagues.
​

Other Deep League Options for the Week

Rostered in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues
​
Juan Toscano-Anderson, SF/PF, GSW, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, 3PM, REB, BLK/STL
Eric Paschall, SF/PF, GSW, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB - buyer beware: currently injured day-to-day
Kent Bazemore, SG/SF, GSW, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL/BLK, REB
Brad Wanamaker, PG/SG, GSW, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FT%, 3PM, AST, STL
Damion Lee, SG/SF, GSW, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
P.J. Tucker, PF/C, HOU, (16% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, REB
Jae'sean Tate, SG, HOU, (7% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL/BLK - positive circumstance: rookie factor; - buyer beware: also the rookie factor
Sterling Brown, SG/SF, HOU, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, a little bit of everything
David Nwaba, SG/SF, HOU, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL, a little bit of everything - buyer beware: missed a couple of games due to an ankle sprain and still hasn't returned
Danuel House Jr., SF/PF, HOU, (11% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a little bit of everything
Doug McDermott, SF/PF, IND, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%
Aaron Holiday, PG, IND, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, FT%
T.J. McConnell, PG/SG, IND, (22% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL
Goga Bitadze, C, IND, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK
Kendrick Nunn, PG/SG, MIA, (19% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, STL, FT% - buyer beware: his minutes are very dependable on whether Goran Dragic is playing or not
Precious Achiuwa, SF/PF, MIA, (3% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK/STL, FG% - buyer beware: plays just 16 minutes a game so far this season
Andre Iguodala, SG/SF, MIA, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL, REB
Shake Milton, PG/SG, PHI, (22% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%, AST
Danny Green, SG/SF, PHI, (23% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit little of everything
Tyrese Maxey, SG, PHI, (6% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Matisse Thybulle, SG/SF, PHI, (7% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL/BLK
Dwight Howard, C, PHI, (16% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG% - buyer beware: poor FT%
Furkan Korkmaz, SG/SF, PHI, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
​
I hope this article helps you jump over your next obstacle on the way to the Fantasy ring!
EDIT: If you read this post in the first 10 minutes of publishing, there were some mistakes in it. Thanks to u/dubious_dinosaur for pointing it out. I've corrected the mistakes. Two games have been added to Week 8 and some schedules have changed a bit. This resulted in an extra game for Boston, Detroit, New Orleans and Toronto. The article should be fully correct now.

Row, row, row your teamGently down the STREAMFantasy, fantasy, fantasy, fantasyTitle's not a dream
In these crazy times, fantasy GMs need to be flexible and quick to react. Plenty of games are being postponed, and plenty of fantasy lineups are remaining unfilled. This is where streaming can come in handy and fill those holes left by poor schedules or game postponements.
Here are my thoughts on the fantasy basketball streamers for Week 5.
Just one word before we go deep into next week. I've been getting some amazing replies to my posts in the past few weeks, and thank you guys so much for this!
I just wanted to let you know that the whole RotoBaller crew is working hard to help fantasy GMs out, and there is a ton of quality stuff on plenty of topics on our website, so if you're looking for information about something else as well, you can probably find it here: https://www.rotoballer.com/category/nba-fantasy-basketball-advice

NBA Schedule Guide - Week 5

Very obvious week for streaming. Tuesday with two and Thursday with three will be the days we focus on. All other days have between seven and 13 games played so fantasy GMs should have less difficulty filling up the lineups there.
Here's the low-down:
Teams with 4 games:
Atlanta Hawks
Brooklyn Nets
Dallas Mavericks
Detroit Pistons Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Memphis Grizzlies
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New York Knicks
Orlando Magic
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
​
Teams with 3 games:
Boston Celtics
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets
Indiana Pacers
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City Thunder
Philadelphia 76ers
Sacramento Kings
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
​
Teams with 2 games:
None
​
Number of teams playing each day:
Monday: 20
Tuesday: 4
Wednesday: 22
Thursday: 6
Friday: 26
Saturday: 14
Sunday: 16
​
Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest):
Monday/Tuesday: -
Tuesday/Wednesday: -
Wednesday/Thursday: GSW
Thursday/Friday: MIL, NYK
Friday/Saturday: BKN, CHI, DAL, DEN, DET, HOU, MIA, MIN, PHI, PHO
Saturday/Sunday: -
Sunday/Monday the following: BOS, CHA, CLE, IND, MEM, OKC, ORL, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR
​
Days with SIX or fewer games:
Tuesday: 2 games
Thursday: 3 games
​
Teams playing on both Tuesday and Thursday:
New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Utah Jazz (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
​
Teams playing on Tuesday:
Denver Nuggets (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sat)
New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Oklahoma City Thunder (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sun)
Utah Jazz (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
​
​
Teams playing on Thursday:
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
New York Knicks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
Los Angeles Lakers (3 games - Mon, Thurs, Sat)
New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
Utah Jazz (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat)
​
​
Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday)
Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat)
​
Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday to Sunday)
Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
New York Knicks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun)
​
Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday)
Boston Celtics (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Charlotte Hornets (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Chicago Bulls (3 games - Mon, Fri, Sun)
Cleveland Cavaliers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun)
Denver Nuggets (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sat)
Indiana Pacers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Los Angeles Clippers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Oklahoma City Thunder (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sun)
Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Sacramento Kings (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
Washington Wizards (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat)
​
Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday to Sunday)
None

Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 5

Absolute stars of this week will be players from the New Orleans Pelicans and the Utah Jazz. Although both teams have just three games this week, they play on both two-game Tuesday and three-game Thursday, along with Saturday which has the next fewest games with seven.
Furthermore, streaming players from these teams potentially allows you to have a five-game week from the streaming spot. Now, this is in an ideal situation, but you could have a guy play on Monday, then cut him in favor of a player from NOP or UTA, keep him until Saturday and then drop for another player who has a game on Sunday. Keep in mind though that you're probably not the only one streaming in your league so these players won't just wait around for you to pick them up. So it might be worth more to pick one of these guys up before Tuesday if you think they could be gone by then.
There are two more teams that play on Tuesday (Denver and Oklahoma City with three games apiece this week), and four more that play on Thursday (Golden State, Milwaukee and New York with four games and LA Lakers with three). We will be taking a look at their players as well.
One important thing to remember here though is to always check whether any new games have been postponed before adding a player based on his schedule.

Streaming Options for Week 5

Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week (Rostered in 25-75 % of Yahoo leagues):
Josh Hart, SG/SF, NOP, (27% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL
Bojan Bogdanovic, SF/PF, UTA, (71% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Jordan Clarkson, PG/SG, UTA, (67% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
Will Barton, SG/SF, DEN, (56% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, a bit of everything
Paul Millsap, PF/C, DEN, (40% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK/STL
Darius Bazley, SF/PF, OKC, (54% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, a bit of everything
Hamidou Diallo, SG/SF, OKC, (37% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Luguentz Dort, OKC, (25% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB
George Hill, PG/SG, OKC, (25% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL, AST, FT%, 3PM
Donte Divincenzo, PG/SG, MIL, (70% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, REB
Bobby Portis, PF/C, MIL, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL
Elfrid Payton, PG, NYK, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL
Alec Burks, PG/SG, NYK, (44% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% - buyer beware: still hasn't returned from injury at the moment of writing this
Nerlens Noel, PF/C, NYK, (30% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK - buyer beware: plays very limited minutes
Marc Gasol, C, LAL, (27% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK
Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF, LAL, (41% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS

Shallower League Add

Jordan Clarkson, PG/SG, UTA, (67% Rostered)
Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT%
If by any chance you're in a league shallow enough that Clarkson is still sitting on your waiver wire,
in case you need some help in threes, points and FT% and don't care too much about turnovers don't waste too much time pondering whether to pick him up or not.
Clarkson is the offensive leader of Utah's second unit and is averaging 13.4 field goal attempts per game (6.9 from beyond the arc). He is using his 25 minutes a game quite effectively with averages of 17.1 points, 2.9 3-pointers, 48.4% from the field, 93.3% from the line, 4.8 boards, 1.8 dimes, 0.9 steals, 0.3 blocks and 2.1 turnovers. This has him ranked inside the top 80 on Yahoo.
These stats are not too much out of the ordinary for Jordan, although he is rebounding a bit more, but is also turning the ball over more than usual. Therefore, he should be on a similar level next week as well, and with games on such scarce days, he could prove vital to you winning your matchup.
Furthermore, Utah plays two games against the Pelicans and one against the Warriors. Neither of these teams have had trouble with Covid so there is less risk of the games being postponed.

Deeper League Add

Royce O'Neale, SF/PF, UTA, (23% Rostered)
Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, a bit of everything
First of all, if someone told me that I would be recommending O'Neale as a pickup at the start of the season, I would have thought that Utah would have to have seven games that week, and he would still be in the "Insanely Deep" category. But lately, we are witnessing crazier things happen than O'Neale playing some of his best ball so far, so why the hell not?
His role on the Jazz team is that of a three-and-D role player who usually just sits in the corner on offense and waits to launch a three, occasionally running down the court for a transition basket. Rarely is the ball in his hands to try to create a scoring opportunity for himself or others. The fact that he is playing close to 32 minutes a game and is averaging 5.0 shot attempts says it all. And that is completely fine, just not that attractive for fantasy purposes.
Now, things didn't change drastically with Royce's role, but he is doing everything he does just a little bit better. Averages of 7.3 PTS with 1.8 3PM on 50.0 FG% and 62.5 FT%, 7.4 REB, 2.3 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.4 BLK and 1.1 TO are enough for him to be ranked at #103 in Yahoo leagues.
If you like what O'Neale brings to the table, which is a little bit of everything, you could do worse in deep leagues. And with such a low usage rate, he is a pretty safe bet that he won't hurt your fantasy team too much even on an off night.

Insanely Deep League Add

Immanuel Quickley, PG, NYK, (9% Rostered)
Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT%
Immanuel could prove to be both a streaming, but also a season-long pickup. Elfrid Payton is the designated starter at the PG position in New York at the moment, and we all know how much their coach Tom Thibodeau likes to play his starters plenty of minutes, but Quickley has been outplaying Payton in their last two games. Even Thibs said that everything is under consideration, so if Quickley was to take over the starting role and get 30 minutes a night, that would be huge for him and his fantasy value.
His upside was flashed quite brightly in the previous two contests with him scoring a combined 42 points (16-of-32 from the field, 4-of-5 from the line) with six 3-pointers, along with seven boards, seven dimes, two steals, a block and just one turnover in 25 minutes a game.
With four games (one of which is on the scarce Thursday) next week, Quickley is worth a gamble in deep formats and could pay dividends on this investment for months to come.

Other Deep League Options for the Week (Rostered in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues)

Jaxson Hayes, C, NOP, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG/SF, NOP, (21% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS - buyer beware: could see a drop in minutes upon Lonzo Ball's return
J.J. Redick, SG, NOP, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, PTS
Royce O'Neale, SF/PF, UTA, (23% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, a bit of everything
Joe Ingles, SG/SF, IND, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, a little bit of everything - buyer beware: missed his previous couple of games due to Achilles soreness
Georges Niang, SF/PF, UTA, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM - buyer beware: should see a drop in minutes upon Joe Ingles' return
Derrick Favors, PF/C, UTA, (11% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG% - buyer beware: plays just 16 minutes a game so far this season
Gary Harris, SG/SF, DEN, (18% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit little of everything - buyer beware: missed his previous couple of games due to personal reasons
Monte Morris, PG/SG, DEN, (20% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, FT%, 3PM
P.J. Dozier, PG/SG, DEN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM
JaMychal Green, PF/C, DEN, (16% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL/BLK
Facundo Campazzo, PG, DEN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, 3PM
Mike Muscala, PF/C, OKC, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT% - positive circumstance: more minutes while Al Horford is out
Theo Maledon, PG, OKC, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST - positive circumstance: rookie factor
Isaiah Roby, PF/C, OKC, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM, FG% - positive circumstance: more minutes while Al Horford is out
Aleksej Pokusevski, SF, OKC, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, BLK - positive circumstance: rookie factor
Kenrich Williams, SF/PF, OKC, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB - positive circumstance: more minutes while Al Horford is out
Kevon Looney, PF/C, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK/STL
Eric Paschall, SF/PF, GSW, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB
Kent Bazemore, SG/SF, GSW, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL/BLK, REB
Brad Wanamaker, PG/SG, GSW, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FT%, 3PM AST
Damion Lee, SG/SF, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Bryn Forbes, PG/SG, MIL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%
D.J. Augustin, PG, MIL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST
Pat Connaughton, SG/SF, MIL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, FT%, STL
Austin Rivers, SG/SF, NYK, (19% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Kevin Knox II, SF/PF, NYK, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM
Immanuel Quickley, PG, NYK, (9% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT%
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PG/SG, LAL, (13% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL - buyer beware: sprained his ankle on Friday (Jan 1st), no news on his availability yet)
Talen Horton-Tucker, SG/SF, LAL, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FT%, REB, STL/BLK
Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, LAL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL
Alex Caruso, PG/SG, LAL, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL - buyer beware: is currently in COVID-19 protocols - check his availability before adding
Markieff Morris, PF/C, LAL, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB
​
Hopefully, some of these guys will help you win your next week's matchup and get you that one step closer to winning the whole thing!

If you want to just get to the goodness, you can view the entire sheet here
So I did one of these about a month ago and found some really great conversation. I didn't get to do another before the regular season ended, but my predictions should actually get a bit better due to knowing the full draft order and how some FOs are changing around. Let's go team by team
AFCW
KC - We start with the defending champion, who seek to replace their offensive and special teams coaches with internal hires: QB coach Mike Kafka and Asst ST Coordinator Andy Hill. Nothing surprising here. They enter the offseason just a bit over the cap, but restructures to Eric Fisher and Tyrann Mathieu should help fix that. They also bring in veteran AJ Green to start across from Tyreek Hill on a cheap one year deal. The draft helps the team maintain their strong offense. Two of their first three picks are on the OL, one on Irish tackle Liam Eichenberg and the other on Crimson pivot Landon Dickerson. Marshall adds depth to a depleted WR room. Spagnuolo has run a great unit despite a lack of high capital talent. He'll continue to do so with depth pieces in LB Browning, CB Griffin, and DE Sanders.
LAC - The Chargers should hire the man that can turn around an undisciplined team. That man is Chiefs ST coordinator Dave Toub, who brings in Chad O'Shea to run his offense and Lovie Smith to run his defense. The rest of the transactions are centered around building a team to help Herbert suceed. Hunter Henry is retained and David Andrews is brought in to shore up the OL. VT rookie Christian Darrisaw and BC guard Alex Lindstrom add to this quickly improving unit. I don't think I need to justify most of the other picks. Florida kicker Evan McPherson is brought in to replace a kicking unit that was only 53% from 40+.
LV - The Raiders' first act is to bring in Packers DB coach Jerry Gray, who has overseen the elite seasons of Jaire Alexander (20), Xavier Rhodes (17), and Alterraun Verner (13). Gruden and Mayock have been vocal about wanting to improve the secondary play, and Gray should be able to do just that. The Raiders are also able to free up space by cutting Tyrell Williams and Jeff Heath, as well as by restructuring Trent Brown. They add Sammy Watkins and Tevin Coleman to their depth chart. In the draft, they add my favorite safety in Oregon's Jevon Holland, who is a nickel/S hybrid with great physicality. They also add DT Jay Tufele, DE Carlos Basham, and DE Xavier Thomas to an underwhelming front 4.
DEN - Elway's decision to step back as the GM is complimented by the hiring of former Falcons' GM Thomas Dimitroff, who has shown the ability to build a SB caliber roster and isn't afraid to be aggressive to get the right pieces for his team. Dimitroff starts his tenure by signing S Justin Simmons to a multi-year deal, as well as adding veterans Richard Sherman and Gus Edwards in free agency. He sits still with his first draft pick, adding the draft's top CB in Patrick Surtain before bringing the guns out and trading up to 30 to draft Florida QB and Heisman candidate Kyle Trask. While Trask doesn't bring the elite upside of someone like Fields or Lawrence, he proved he was more than capable of reading defenses and winning games. Dimitroff also drafts OT Brady Christensen, LB Dimitri Moore, and DE Tyreke Smith before the draft is over.
AFCN
PIT - Despite a stellar season, the Steelers are able to enter free agency with their full coaching staff in tact. They start by extending DPOY TJ Watt through 2025, as well as re-signing Al V to a cheap deal and cutting Steven Nelson and Eric Ebron. The Steelers are quietly full of holes, but their draft helps them fill them. Star RB Najee Harris falls to them at 28, and mammoth OT Daniel Faalele and CB TJ Carter are right behind him. QB Desmond Ridder gets picked up in the 4th. Ridder is a high upside athlete with a very inconsistent arm. He's a cheap gamble at a QB of the future. They also add punter Max Duffy from Kentucky.
CLE - With plenty of cap and all of their picks, Berry and Stefanski are able to spend their first full offseason building off their 2020 success. They re-sign DE Vernon and LB Butler while extending QB Mayfield and RB Chubb. They also trade away David Njoku to the Jets for a 4th, and they add S Keanu Neal and DT Suh in free agency. The draft falls their way. They grab the uber physical slot corner Shaun Wade in the 1st before coming around for Pitt DT Jaylen Twynam. I know this FO doesn't care about LB, but McGrone at 87 is too good a value to pass up.
BAL - EDC is busy this offseason. With plenty of cap space to play with, he is able to start off by re-signing Ngakoue and extending Lamar Jackson. He then adds two key offensive pieces in WR Allen Robinson and C Ted Karras. The Ravens have a solid draft. They pick up Texas LB Joseph Ossai, who is a mean power rusher to replace Judon. They also add OG Vera-Tucker and S Bubba Bolden. Justyn Ross in the 5th is a risk, but his red zone ability means a lot to this team.
CIN - As much as I would've liked to replace DC Lou Anarumo, the Bengals have stated that he is staying on the team. No matter. The Bengals spend money on their key players, franchise tagging CB Williams Jackson and extending S Jessie Bates. Bobby Hart is cut and replaced with former JAX LT Cam Robinson, giving this team flexibility in the draft. They start the draft by trading down with CAR, picking up an extra 1st and 2nd along the way. With Sewell off the board, the Bengals draft star TE Kyle Pitts, giving Burrow a huge target in the middle of the field. They then add back to back linemen with Myers and Randunz in the 2nd before adding Aidan Hutchinson and Pete Werner on defense.
AFCE
BUF - Brandon Beane's first task of the offseason is replacing OC Brian Daboll, who has left to coach the Jaguars. He does so by hiring Panthers OL Coach Pat Meyer, who has over 20 years of coaching experience. Beane retains LB Matt Milano on the franchise tag before signing QB Josh Allen to a huge extension. The Bills trade out of the first round, picking up the 41st and 72nd picks to do so. They use those picks on Bulldog CB Eric Stokes and Miami TE Brevin Jordan, with Kentucky EDGE Jamar Watson stuck in between them. They also add two OL in the draft, as well as two DTs, a LB, and another CB. This defense is replenished with youth while Allen gets the middle of his offense strengthened.
MIA - The Phins start by using their huge cap space to add key playmakers. They sign two former Packers in Corey Linsley and Aaron Jones, as well as a big time pass rusher in Matt Judon. The draft goes really well for Miami. With 5 picks in the top 100, the Phins are in a great spot. They add generational OT Penei Sewell with the Texans' pick before letting WR Jaylen Waddle and LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah fall into their laps.
NE - The Pats are a tough offseason to predict. A lot of their action hinges on QB. Well I thought I'd be a bit poetic and have Billy B trade for his former signal-caller, giving a pair of 4ths to SF for QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy G fits the traditional QB mold much better than Cam, and they're going to give him some tools to work with. The Pats add WR Curtis Samuel and TE Gerald Everett in free agency. They also retain JC Jackson, James White, and Jason McCourty while bringing in KJ Wright and Jadevon Clowney on cheap deals. In the draft, the Pats are patient. They let WR Devonta Smith fall to them at 14 and LB Zaven Collins get to them at 45. They spend their draft filling out the holes in the roster, adding a TE, two DTs, and another WR. They also take a shot on Miami QB D'Eriq King, who is an inconsistent passer with a nice upside.
NYJ - I had a bit of fun with the Jets. I had JD bringing in Titans OC Arthur Smith to coach the team. Joining him are PIT secondary coach Teryl Austin, who has experience as a DC, and BAL assistant TJ Weist. With one of the highest cap spaces, the Jets are active this offseason. They re-sign S Marcus Maye and CB Brian Poole. They add some key playmakers in WR Will Fuller, LB Bud Dupree, and RB Kenyan Drake. They also add OG Joe Thuney and trade for TE David Njoku. The Jets are done with Darnold, shipping him off to Tampa for a 3rd round pick. In the draft, the Jets are smart. They don't overthink it. They draft Ohio St QB Justin Fields, who has shown time and time again that he has the tools to be a franchise QB. They also add Sooner center Creed Humphrey and Miami DE Quincy Roche. Javonte Williams comes at 66 to compliment Drake, and Surratt comes at 91 to be a red zone target. Perhaps my one regret with this class is failing to address CB sooner, but Deommodore Lenoir at 90 is a pick I'm a real fan of.
AFCS
TEN - The Titans unfortunately lose OC Arthur Smith to the Jets, prompting Vrabel to promote QB coach Pat O'Hara to the position. The Titans aren't flush with cash, but they are able to retain TE Jonnu Smith while adding WR Marvin Jones and DE Melvin Ingram on cheap win now deals. In the draft, the Titans address their weakest position early, grabbing Georgia's Azeez Ojulari at 25. They then add CB Asante Samuel in the 2nd before grabbing a potential Isaiah Wilson replacement in Teven Jenkins in the 3rd. Elijah Moore at 128 is interesting. He's a poor man's Rondale Moore in this class. Tennessee also adds a K in Miss St's Brandon Ruiz, who has only ever missed one PAT and was 10/12 in 2020.
IND - Colts fans are going to hate me for this, but Carson Wentz is going to be the starter in 2021. Let's come back to that. First, we have to hire a DC. They promote DB coach Alan Williams. They also re-sign CB Xavier Rhodes, who had a surprising resurgence under Williams, as well as Justin Houston. Darius Leonard gets a big extension and is now the league's highest paid LB ever (well starting in 2022). Agholor adds WR depth and Dalton gives some insurance at QB. Ok so Wentz. Just hear me out. The Colts have plenty of cap space, and the Eagles are paying them to take on the deal. Wentz thrived under Reich in the past, and a lot of his issues seem fixable with a proper offseason. Now in the draft, the Colts try to give Wentz the tools to succeed. They add Texas OT Sam Cosmi in the 1st, giving a long term answer should AC call it quits. They also add Florida WR Toney in the 2nd, a man who has taken huge strides in 2020.
HOU - We need to start by saying that JJ Watt is gone. I have the Texans trading him and a 5th to SF for Dee Ford and a 2nd. While this is a sad move, it's a necessary one. Watt frees over $17M in cap space for a team with no cap space. That, combined with the firing of both Johnson RBs, allows the team to add CB K'Waun Williams and RB James Conner for relatively cheap deals. Other than the Watt deal, Houston's big move this offseason is bringing in Seahawks executive Scott Fitterer to run the front office while former Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy runs the team. Bieniemy adds Raheem Morris as his DC and Phil Galiano as his ST coach. The Watt trade proves hugely critical. Houston now has a pick inside the top 60, which they use on Oklahoma St WR Tylan Wallace. They also add CB Paulson Adebo, who is a raw but super physical player from Stanford. Joe Tryon and Trey Sermon add depth to the DL and RB rooms respectively. This team is still working its way back to the top, but this draft is a good start.
JAX - The Jaguars have a great offseason. They hire Vikings executive George Paton, who has turned down previous jobs for the right opportunity, to be their GM. He hires BUF OC Brian Daboll to run the offense. Daboll brings his former assistant Ken Dorsey to help him on offense while Dan Quinn calls the defense. Paton adds several key free agents capable of starting immediately. Rashard Higgins becomes the WR3 on this team while Julie'n Davenport replaces Cam Robinson. Mack Alexander and Troy Hill complete the CB room, and Anthony Harris gets some big money to start in the secondary. While Paton isn't afraid to spend his money, the real crux of the offseason occurs in the draft. They take Trevor Lawrence, obviously. But they also add DT Marvin Wilson to replace Taven Bryan, as well as Alex Leatherwood, who can challenge Davenport for the LT spot and kick into LG if he fails. Pat F becomes to long term answer at TE and Andre Cisco is that big hitting playmaker to fill in the gap next to Harris.
NFCW
SEA - With a good amount of money to spend, the Seahawks prioritize their in house men. Shaquill Griffin and Chris Carson are retained, and Carlos Dunlap and Tyler Lockett are restructured. Jamal Adams gets an enormous deal, surpassing Budda Baker's from just a few months ago. TY Hilton is also brought in. The draft goes well for Seattle. They are able to add a productive pass rusher in Victor Dimukeje without trading up. They also nab Florida CB Marco Wilson and add to their trenches with Josh Ball and Mustafa Johnson. The Hawks are keeping things more or less the same and trying to build on a successful 2020.
LAR - Despite all the buzz, I have a hard time seeing DC Brandon Staley getting a HC job after one year at the helm. Instead, the Rams FO remains in tact. They lose Andrew Whitworth to retirement, but they are able to retain breakout CB Darious Williams. With such little cap, it's crucial that the Rams are able to fill out the starting lineup with rookies. That happens with DE Hamilcar Rashed, LT Jalen Mayfield, and LB Monty Rice filling up their cards.
ARI - Despite a promising start to the year, the Cards have fallen flat. They'll need to look at their 2nd half collapse to assess where this roster stands. With a decent amount of money, they prioritize some in house players, re-signing Patrick Peterson, Zane Gonzalez, and Andy Lee. They also bring in DE Trey Hendrickson, who has been on fire for New Orleans, as well as former UDFA RB Phillip Lindsay. The Cards take Gamecock CB Jaycee Horn with their first pick before adding to their OL with Trey Smith in the 2nd. Kenny Gainwell (yes, he can gain well) looks like a potential star in the 3rd.
SF - This is the fun one. So out the gate, Shanahan has to replace Robert Saleh at DC. We're sticking to LB coach DeMeco Ryans, who has earned high praise from Shanny. Now the fun stuff. The 49ers aren't flush with cash, but they are comfortable. That gives them some room to play around. SF re-signs Trent Williams and Jason Verrett before extending LB Fred Warner. They also add C Austin Blythe, who has been solid for the division rival Rams. Jimmy G can't seem to stay healthy, so he gets shipped off back to the Pats for a pair of 4ths. To replace him, the 9ers make a big move and give up their 1st and 5th round picks for QB Matthew Stafford. But wait, they aren't done. They also package DE Dee Ford and their 2nd round pick for veteran DE JJ Watt and a Day 3 pick. Shanahan believes that his roster is ready to win. Without a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round pick, the 49ers have to be wise with their draft picks. They add Michigan's Ambry Thomas, as well as guard Zion Johnson, two guys that can push to start as rookies. Sterns, Smith-Marsette, Castro-Fields, and Herbert should all rotate into the lineup as well.
NFCN
GB - There isn't too much action in the offseason for the Packers. They cut Preston Smith to free up some money, and they extend Davante Adams to a backloaded deal. They also retain Allen Lazard and Robert Tonyan. It's a quietly solid draft. They are able to add a dynamic playmaker in Rondale Moore before addressing their defense with DT Jordan Davis and LB Chazz Surratt. Chuba Hubbard in the 5th gives some depth to a depleted RB room.
CHI - So Bears fans aren't going to like this, but I gave Trubisky a franchise tag. Trubisky went 4-1 to close the season and got them into the playoffs. To make room for this deal, the Bears restructure Akiem Hicks and cut both Bobbie Massie and Jimmy Graham. They also bring Corey Davis in to be the ARob replacement. They add local OT Rashawn Slater in the draft, a Daniel Jeremiah favorite who has some positional versatility. Chris Olave in the 2nd helps make up for the ARob departure, and Nasirildeen in the 3rd provides a hard hitting safety to play alongside Eddie Jackson.
DET - For the Lions, I decided to hire Saints exec Jeff Ireland, who has had a long history with successful teams. He hires SF DC Robert Saleh, who brings with him SF's passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur to run the offense. While there have been reports that Stafford isn't going anywhere, I have them dealing him to SF for the 15th overall pick. They do tag Kenny Golladay to a one year deal to prove his worth to a new regime. They also sign Kwon Alexander to start at LB and Jacoby Brissett to be their new bridge QB. Frank Ragnow gets a huge extension too. In the draft, the Lions start off aggressive. They ship off two 1sts, a 2nd, and a 3rd to get Zach Wilson. With the SF pick, they add Miami's Greg Rousseau, a versatile linemen with plenty of upside. They then add Nico Collins and Tre Walker to the WR room.
MIN - After losing OC Gary Kubiak to re-retirement, the Vikes promote QB coach Klint Kubiak to the position. They also hire former HOU ST man Tracy Smith to replace Marwan Maalouf. The team moves some money around, restructuring Riley Reiff and extending Harrison Smith. In the draft, they are unable to trade back but do grab the best guard in the class with Ohio State's Wyatt Davis. They also add S Paris Ford and DT Alim McNeil in the 3rd to potentially start as rookies. Brock Purdy in the 4th comes in to be the backup and possible heir to the QB room.
NFCE
WAS - I feel like I'm going to dissapoint WAS fans a bit. I had them signing Cam Newton to compete with Alex Smith. The good news is that the rest of their offseason is productive. They hire KC exec Brandt Tills to be their new GM, and they are able to retain Scherff, Darby, and Dustin Hopkins. Jared Cook and Emmanuel Sanders come in to start for them as well. Rashod Bateman falls into their lap at 19, and Jackson Carman tumbles to 51. Jamie Newman in the 3rd is a bit of a risky pick, but I really like his upside. He can develop on the bench for a year.
NYG - The Giants are quiet in free agency. They do retain Leonard Williams and Logan Ryan. Restructuring Zeitler's deal allows them to bring in Ryan Kerrigan. Their draft goes fairly well though. Micah Parsons falls to them at 8, and they grab Amon-Ra St. Brown (a potential top 30 pick) in the 2nd. Joe Judge will count on a year of improvement from his young OL and QB to compliment a strong and disciplined defense.
DAL - The one coaching change I have for Dallas is the replacement of Mike Nolan with Gus Bradley. Other than that their offseason is relatively quiet. They sign Dak to a long term deal (as they should have done last year). And Dalvin Tomlinson comes in to start at DT. They use the draft to fix their defense, adding Farley, LeCounte, and Rumph as potential starters. Walker Little in the 3rd gives them some much needed OL depth.
PHI - The Eagles are active this offseason, with a massive debt in cap space and no DC. They hire PIT DL coach Karl Dunbar to coach the defense, and they cut Goodwin, Jeffery, DJax, and Malik Jackson. The big news is that they are sending Wentz to Indy in a Osweiler-CLE esque deal, pairing a 3rd with him. They spend the draft retooling, adding Ja'Marr Chase in the 1st before going to the defense with Tyson Campbell and Dylan Moses on Day 2. Cade Mays and Cordell Volson add depth to a depleted line, and Divine Deablo will push for serious playing time.
NFCS
NO - Similar to the Eagles, the Saints are going to have to blow it up after this season. Brees retires, and they cut: Kwon Alexander, Emmanuel Sanders, Nick Easton, Malcolm Brown, Janoris Jenkins, Josh Hill. They also extend Lattimore and Ramczyk to backloaded deals before restructuring Cam Jordan. In the draft, they take Mac Jones in the 1st and hope to surround him with the same level of talent he had at Bama. They add Derion Kendrick in the 2nd and Dazz Newsome in the 4th.
TB - The Bucs are in a great spot to push for a 2021 Championship while maintaining a bright future. They have a good amount of cap and are able to retain David, Godwin, Barrett, and Gronk. They also trade a 3rd for Sam Darnold. In the draft, they work on maintaining a suffocating defense with DT Daviyon Nixon, DE Jayson Oweh, and DE Shaka Toney. Kylin Hill, Damon Hazelton, and Tre' McKitty add some potential dynamicism to this offense.
CAR - The Panthers start by bringing SF VP Adam Peters to run the show. He signs Okung and Moton to big money deals before turning his attention to the draft. Peters sees that Bridgewater limits this team's ceiling, so he trades up for Trey Lance, giving up a pair of 1sts and a 2nd to grab his QB of the future. Lance is raw, no doubt, but he'll be in a great spot learning behind Teddy. The Panthers then add Bolton in the 3rd to replace Whitehead. Amari Rodgers in the 5th is a fun pick. He plays exactly like Curtis Samuel.
ATL - The Falcons overhaul their entire front office, bringing in Indy's Ed Dodds to run the show with Matt Eberflus next to him. Mike McDaniel gets promoted to OC from his run game coordinator position in SF, and Franky Ross follows Eberflus to coach the special teams. Without any money to spend, the Falcons are relatively quiet. They cut Fowler, Ricardo Allen, and Allen Bailey to free up space. They add Charvarius Ward and Jamaal Williams in free agency. The focus primarily on defense in the draft, adding Kwity Paye in the 1st after trading back with Detroit. They also draft S Trevon Moehrig, DT Christian Barmore, and DE Daelin Hayes. Travis Etienne comes in to play next to Jamaal Williams, fulfilling all fantasy players' dreams.
Overall I felt like there are definitely some moves in here that are going to cause tension. But I think that's also realistic. This was a lot of fun, but I don't expect to be doing another one of these for a while. I need to turn my head back to scouting (I've only truly watched about a third of the players in this draft). Let me know what your thoughts are. What did I do well? What do you hate?

As a basketball fan, it's always fun to speculate on the NBA Draft prospects. That said, I'd stress the speculate part of that statement. As an outsider with no real access to these players, it's hard to be arrogant and steadfast in our opinions. We're working with about 10% as much information as actual NBA teams. If you feel confident in your analysis based on some highlight tapes of James Wiseman dunking on South Carolina State or LaMelo Ball jacking up shots in the Australian League, god bless you. And if you want to read my amateur analysis, god bless you too. But before you do, remember to check your sodium levels and take these picks with a grain of salt.

BEST PROSPECTS in the 2019-20 NBA DRAFT

(1) SG Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Based on pure stats, Anthony Edwards would be one of the least impressive # 1 picks of all time. We're talking about a player who just averaged 19-5-3 on bad shooting splits (40-29-77) on a bad Georgia team. In fact, the Bulldogs didn't even crack .500 (finishing 16-16). All things considered, this isn't the resume of a top overall pick. It's like a kid with a 2.9 GPA applying to Harvard Law.
Still, the "eye test" helps Edwards' case in the same way it helped proud Harvard alum Elle Woods. Edwards has a powerful frame (strong and long with a 6'9" wingspan) and a scorer's mentality. He's going to be a handful for NBA wings to contend with, especially when he's going downhill. And while he hasn't shown to be a knockdown shooter, his form looks better than the results suggest. I'd project that he can become an average (35-36%) three-point shooter in time.
It may be unfair to label Edwards with the "best case scenario" comparison -- Dwyane Wade, for example -- but it may be just as unfair to liken him to "worst case scenario" comps like Dion Waiters as well. One of the reasons that Waiters is such an inefficient scorer in the NBA is that he's allergic to the free-throw line; he averages 3.1 FTA per 36 minutes. Edwards didn't live at the FT line, but he did get there 5.3 times per game. With more encouragement from an analytical front office or coaching staff, Edwards has the potential to get to the line 7-8 times a game and raise his ceiling in terms of efficiency.
The key for Edwards' career is going to be his work ethic and basketball character. As a prospect, he reminds me of Donovan Mitchell; in fact, he's ahead of where Mitchell was at the same age. That said, Mitchell is a natural leader who made a concerted effort to improve his body and his overall game. If Edwards can do the same, he has true All-Star potential. If he walks into the building thinking he's already a superstar, then he may never become one.
best fits
Anthony Edwards has some bust potential, but he also has true star potential. Given that, it'd be great to see him go to a team that's willing to feature him. Chances are he won't last this long, but he'd be a great fit for Charlotte (#3). The Hornets desperately need a signature star, and Edwards has the chance to be a 20 PPG scorer within a year or two.
worst fits
If Edwards falls in the draft, he may end up clashing with the talent on the teams in the 4-5 range. Chicago (#4) already has a scoring guard in Zach LaVine. Meanwhile, Cleveland (#5) has already doubled up on scoring guards with Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. Adding a third would be a potential headache, both offensively and defensively.
(2) C James Wiseman, Memphis
A true center? Gross! What is this, 1970?
Traditional big men tend to get treated that way these days. In some ways, they've become the "running backs" of the NBA. They once ruled the draft, but now they have to scrape and claw to climb into the top 5.
Still, let's no go overboard here. Even if centers aren't as valuable as they used to be, there's still some value here. Some of the best centers in the game (Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid, etc) have helped make their teams staples in the playoffs. Wiseman can potentially impact a team in the same way, especially on the defensive end. He can get beat on switches now and then, but he's about as agile as you can expect out of a kid who's 7'1" with a 7'6" wingspan. Offensively, he has an improving face-up game in addition to being a devastating lob threat.
Another reason that I'm comfortable with Wiseman in the top 3 is because he appears to be a smart kid with the will to improve his game. He intends to keep stretching out his range towards three point territory. Even if he can be a passable three-point shooter (in the 33% range), that should help make him a consistent 18-12 player and a fringe All-Star. And if not, then he'll still be a viable starting center.
best fits
We mentioned Charlotte (#3) as a great fit for Anthony Edwards, and I'd say the same for Wiseman here. His game complements the more dynamic P.J. Washington well; between the two of them, they'd have the 4-5 spot locked up for years. While Wiseman's best chance to be a star may come in Charlotte, we don't know if he truly has that type of aggressive upside. The more likely scenario is him being a pretty good starting center with an emphasis on defense. In that case, he makes some sense in Golden State (#2) and Atlanta (#6).
worst fits
Apparently James Wiseman doesn't want to go to Minnesota (#1), which makes sense given the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns. If he slips, Chicago (#4) may also be an odd fit. Wiseman is a better prospect than Wendell Carter Jr., but they're not terribly dissimilar. The new Bulls administration didn't select Carter, but it still feels too early to give up on a recent # 7 pick.
(3) PF/C Onyeka Okongwu, USC (HIGHER than most expert rankings)
Another big man? I may be showing my age here.
Still, I'm going to stick to my guns and suggest Onyeka Okongwu is a top 3 prospect in the class for some of the same reasons we ranked James Wiseman so highly. In fact, Okongwu is arguably an even better defensive prospect than Wiseman. While he doesn't have the same size (6'9" with a 7'1" wingspan), he's more switchable. He projects as a prowling, shot-blocking panther, not dissimilar to Bam Adebayo on Miami. Offensively, he flashes some solid skill here and there, although it's unlikely he'd get to Adebayo's level as a playmaker.
Another aspect that should help Okongwu is his selflessness. In high school, he played for Chino Hills alongside stars Lonzo and LaMelo Ball. While there, he blended in and did the dirty work for the LaVar Traveling Circus. It's likely that Okongwu will play a similar role in the NBA, complementing a star perimeter player.
While Okongwu may not have All-Star upside, I don't see much downside here. I'd be surprised if he's not a long-time starter at the center position (with the potential to play some PF if his shooting range improves.)
best fits
The most natural fits for Onyeka Okongwu mirror the best fits for James Wiseman. There’s a chance he may slip further than Wiseman too. Washington (#9) should be salivating if that’s the case.
worst fits
As a low-usage player, there aren't a lot of terrible fits for Okongwu on the board. However, Detroit (#7) already has Blake Griffin on a long-term deal and may re-sign Christian Wood as well. Given that, there wouldn't be much room for Okongwu barring a Griffin trade.
(4) PG LaMelo Ball, U.S./Australia. (LOWER than most expect rankings)
Every draft pick is an inherent gamble, but there's a difference between gambling in blackjack and gambling in Roulette. To me, LaMelo Ball is more of the latter.
No doubt, there's a chance that you may get lucky and "win big" with LaMelo Ball. He has great height for the position at 6'6"/6'7", and he makes some exceptional passes that illustrate a rare court vision. ESPN's Draft Express team ranks him as the # 1 prospect overall, and I take that seriously. Those guys were way ahead of the curve on calling Luka Doncic a transcendent talent at a time when most others were still skeptical.
At the same time, I'd say there is a sizable downside here as well. In fact, I'd estimate that there's a greater than 50/50 chance that Ball is a "bust" based on his current draft status.
LaMelo Ball put up good raw numbers this past season in the NBL -- 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists -- but he was in a situation specifically designed for him to put up good numbers. The efficiency tells a different story, as his shooting splits (38-25-72) look worrisome. Yes, height helps on defense, but it doesn't matter much if you're not locked in on that end. And yes, highlight-reel passes and super-deep threes are fun to watch, but they're not a path to consistency on offense. As Ball makes the jump to the NBA, he may smack hard into a wall and crash into the water like was on Wipeout. There's a chance he'll be among the worst players (from an advanced stats perspective) as a rookie.
So what? We expect most rookies to struggle, right? That's true, but I'd be nervous about how LaMelo Ball and his camp would respond to those initial struggles. Again, I've never met the kid and have no real basis for this, but media interviews make him seem a little immature. That's totally understandable for a 19 year old, but it's not ideal for a 19 year old who's about to get handed the keys to an NBA franchise. If he struggles out of the gates, will he start to lose confidence? Will LaVar Ball start to make waves? Will the media gleefully tear him to shreds? No clue. And if I'm picking in the top 3, I'd prefer to have more confidence than question marks.
best fits
If we treat LaMelo Ball as a developmental project, then I'd prefer he land with a team like Chicago (#4). New coach Billy Donovan is a former PG himself, and spent decades working with young kids at the college level. If they slow play Ball's development, we may see the best of him down the road. Detroit (#7) also makes sense. Coach Dwane Casey has a pretty good reputation in player development himself, and he has a solid bridge PG in Derrick Rose to help buy Ball some time.
worst fits
Cleveland (#5) is an obviously wonky fit based on the current roster. I'd also assert that Charlotte (#3) is a poor fit as well. While the team desperately needs a signature star, they don't have the type of supporting cast that would be conducive to him right now. And if he struggles as a rookie, then coach James Borrego and the whole front office may be cleaned out. If that happens, a new administration would be inheriting a franchise player that they didn't pick in the first place.
(5) SF/PF Deni Avdija, Israel
The NBA tends to be reactionary when it comes to the draft, which can be particularly impactful for international prospects. Their stock tends to swing up and down more violently than a ride at Action Park. There was a ton of skepticism about Euros when Dirk Nowitzki came along. When he hit, the NBA got so excited they drafted Darko Milicic at # 2. Eventually that excitement wore off as the busts started to pile up again. But when Latvian Kristaps Porzingis looked like the real deal, it helped reverse that narrative and helped Dragan Bender go # 4 the following year.
In terms of that up-and-down timing, Deni Avdija stands to benefit. He's coming into the NBA on the heels of an incredible sophomore campaign from Luka Doncic. No one thinks that Avdija can be a superstar like Doncic, but teams aren't as wary of international wings (specifically white wings) these days. Avdija should go somewhere in the top 10 if not the top 5.
In my mind, that's justified. He's 6'9", which should allow him to play either the SF or PF positions. He hasn't shown to be an excellent shooter yet, but he should eventually be solid there. He's better suited as a playmaker and passer, and he can also use his size and skill to convert on slashes around the rim. I've seen some comparisons to Lamar Odom before, although that may be optimistic. More likely, he'll be a 4th or 5th starter. His experience as a pro should help toward that end, as he's used to working hard and fitting in on a team of vets.
best fits
If you project Deni Avdija to just "fit in" and be a solid starter, then he'd make sense on a team like Golden State (#2). He could effectively play the role of Harrison Barnes or old Andre Iguodala for them. If the intention is to make him more of a featured player, then the Knicks (#8) would be interesting. In that market, he has real star potential.
worst fits
I don't love the fit for Avdija in Charlotte (#3), where he may duplicate some of P.J. Washington's talents. Atlanta (#6) and Phoenix (#10) have also invested in young SF-PFs recently, so Avdija may find himself scraping for time there.
(6) SG/SF Devin Vassell, Florida State (HIGHER than most expert rankings)
Every single NBA team needs 3+D wings. They thirst for them like a dying man in the desert. And then, when a legitimate 3+D wing comes along, they often ignore them in favor of splashier players at other positions.
Part of the issue is that low-usage 3+D wings aren't going to put up monster stats. That's certainly true of Devin Vassell, who averaged a modest 12.7 points this past year. Still, you have to go deeper than the pure numbers alone and consider the context. Florida State had a stacked and balanced team. In fact, Vassell's 12.7 PPG was the highest on the roster (and came in only 28.8 minutes.) There's more in the tank here than we've seen so far. He can hit the three (42% and 42% from deep in his two years), and he shows a good feel for the game (2:1 assist/turnover ratio.)
Vassell shows even more potential on the defensive end. He's currently listed at 6'7" with a 6'10" wingspan, but he looks even longer than that to my eye. He's tenacious and disruptive (1.4 steals, 1.0 blocks) without being out of control. Presumably, he should be a good defender at either the SG or SF spot.
In a sense, Vassell's the prototype for a 3+D wing. To be fair, I don't anticipate him being a great shooter at the next level. His FT% was iffy, and he's apparently been tweaking his shot during the draft process. Still, if he can be a viable shooting threat in the way that Josh Richardson is (an inconsistent shooter who averages around 36%), then he should be a solid starter for an NBA team. That may not sound like something worthy of a top 5 pick, but the high "floor" helps him in this case. He also appears to have a strong character and work ethic, making him feel like an even safer bet.
best fits
Devin Vassell's skill set would fit on virtually any NBA roster -- but his perceived lack of upside may keep him from going as high as my personal ranking. If he does, then Cleveland (#5) would be a nice fit given their lack of big wings and their lack of defense. Defensive-challenged Washington (#9) would also make sense; Vassell tends to be listed as a SG but he should have enough size to play the SF for them.
worst fits
You can never have too many 3+D wings, but it may be a duplication to put Devin Vassell on the same team with Mikal Bridges in Phoenix (#10).
(7) PG Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
One of the reasons I'd have to be specific about a fit with a player like LaMelo Ball is that he needs the ball in his hands to maximize his potential. That's true for most lead guards.
Given that, it's a nice change of pace to see a prospect like Tyrese Haliburton come along. He's listed as a PG and he can perform those duties. This past season, he averaged 15.2 points and 6.5 assists per game. But he ALSO can operate as an off-the-ball player. As a freshman, he did exactly that, effectively working as a wing player and a glue guy on offense. His three-point shot looks wonky, but he converted 43% as a freshman and 42% as a sophomore. If that translates, he can be an effective spacer as well.
Haliburton's versatility also extends to the defensive end. He's 6'5" with an incredible 7'0" wingspan, allowing him to guard either PG or SGs. Like Devin Vassell, he also puts those tools to good use. Either one is an incredible athlete, but they're disruptive and locked in on that end. I'd expect Haliburton to be one of the better guard defenders in the NBA.
All in all, you may ask: why isn't this guy ranked HIGHER? The skill set would justify that. At the end of the day I don't see elite upside here (maybe George Hill?) because he may have some trouble getting his shot off in a halfcourt offense. Still, he's one of the safer prospects overall and a kid that you'd feel good betting on.
best fits
The New York Knicks (#8) may bring in a big-name guard like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, but if they stick with the rebuild then Tyrese Haliburton makes loads of sense. He can share playmaking duties with R.J. Barrett, and he can help Tom Thibodeau establish a defensive culture. He'd also make sense for Detroit (#7) and even Atlanta (#6). While the Hawks have Trae Young locked in at PG, Haliburton can play enough SG to justify 30+ overall minutes.
worst fits
Obviously any team that doesn't have room for a PG OR SG would be a problem here. Cleveland (#5) and Washington (#9) are the clearest examples of that. While Haliburton could theoretically guard some SFs, it's not the best use of his talent.
(8) PG Killian Hayes, France
If NBA centers are like NFL running backs, then point guards / lead playmakers may be like quarterbacks. There's positive and negatives to that comparison. Obviously, a good lead guard can immediately boost your team. At the same time, you don't really need more than one. And if you're not "the guy," then your impact is going to be limited.
Given that, there's a high bar to being a starting PG in the NBA. You have to be really, really friggin' good. According to many experts, Killian Hayes is exactly that. Physically he's what you want in the position, with a 6'5" frame. He averaged 16.8 points and 7.8 assists per 36 playing in Germany this year for a team that had a few former pros like Zoran Dragic. The Ringer has him # 1 overall.
Personally, I haven't completely bought into that hype yet. I can't claim to have season tickets to Ratiopharm Ulm, but when I watch highlights I don't really see ELITE traits here. He's not incredibly explosive, he's not a great shooter, he's over-reliant on his left hand. I have no doubt that he has the upside to be a good starter, but I don't think we've seen enough (or at least, I haven't) to make me confident in that projection.
best fits
Chicago (#4) and Detroit (#7) appear to be the most obvious fits for a potential star guard like Killian Hayes. And while the Knicks may have been underwhelmed by a French PG before, he would make sense for them at #8 as well.
worst fits
Teams with lead guards locked in -- Golden State (#2), Cleveland (#5), for example -- would be obviously problematic fits for Hayes. While he has the size to play some shooting guard defensively, he has a ways to go before he's a sharpshooting spacer.
(9) SG/SF Aaron Nesmith, Vanderbilt (HIGHER than most expert rankings)
Back when I was single, I dated a girl who presumably viewed me as a "developmental prospect." She'd always tell me how cool I'd look if I got some new jeans. How hot I'd be if I lost some weight. After a while, reality set in. It ain't happening, honey. What you see is what you get. The whole transformation idea may have worked with Chris Pratt, but it's not going to work with schlubby ol' Zandrick Ellison.
Sometimes it feels like NBA teams view prospects in the same delusional way. Josh Jackson can be a superstar -- if he develops his shot! Isaac Okoro can be a great pick -- if he becomes a great shooter! IF IF IF. We tend to forget that it's not that easy for a leopard to change his spots or for a player to suddenly develop a shooting stroke. It may have worked with Kawhi Leonard, but it's not working with most players.
Given that, we should value players who already have developed that skill. Aaron Nesmith is one of the best shooters in the draft -- right here, right now. He shot 52% from three and 83% from the line this past season. There's a sample size issue there (he only played 14 games prior to injury), but his shooting form looks fluid and suggests that he should be a legitimate 38-40% shooter from deep. While Nesmith isn't a great athlete or defender, his 7'0" wingspan should help him hang at either the SG or SF spots. All in all, we're talking about a player who should be a starter, or at the very least a high-level rotational player.
best fits
Aaron Nesmith isn't going to put a team on his back, but he can help carry the load offensively given his shooting ability. That should make him a good fit for a team like New Orleans (#13) as they look to replace J.J. Redick down the road. He'd also be an excellent fit with Orlando (#16) as they eye more shooters/scorers.
worst fits
It's hard to find a bad fit for a good shooting wing, but there are a few teams that may not have starting positions available. Phoenix (#10) already has Devin Booker and a few solid young SFs. Sacramento (#12) already has Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic (presuming they retain them.)
(10) PG/SG R.J. Hampton, U.S/N.Z. (HIGHER than most expert rankings)
After that rant about delusions of grandeur with development prospects, let me try and talk you into a raw developmental prospect.
Like LaMelo Ball, R.J. Hampton went to play in the NBL during his gap year after high school. They were both top 10 prospects going in, but their stocks diverged from there. LaMelo Ball put up big numbers and locked himself into top 3 status. Hampton didn't showcase much (8.8 points per game on 41-30-68 shooting splits) and may drop out of the lottery altogether. But again, I'd caution us to consider context here. LaMelo Ball went to a bad team where he could jack up shots. Hampton played on a contending team that didn't spoon-feed him minutes.
Given that limited sample, I'm falling back on the "eye test" here. No doubt, Hampton's shot is a problem. He's a poor shooter now, and it may be 2-3 years before he straightens it out. At the same time, his size and explosion jumps out at you, particularly when he's attacking the basket. He also appears to be a mature and charismatic young man. That combo -- physical talent + basketball character -- tends to be a winning formula. There's some chance Hampton turns out to be a genuine star as a scoring lead guard. There's also a sizable chance he busts. Still, it's the type of gamble that teams in the late lottery should be considering.
best fits
In a PG-rich class, it'd be bold for Detroit (#8) to reach on R.J. Hampton. Still, he would fit there, as the team could groom him behind Derrick Rose for another year or two until he's ready to take over for major minutes. Any team that can afford him the luxury of patience would be a nice landing spot, even if it means going later in the draft to places like Boston (#14, #26) or Utah (#23.)
worst fits
I'd be less bullish on R.J. Hampton in situations where he may have to play early and take his lumps. The N.Y. Knicks (#8) have struggled to develop point guards Frank Ntilkina and Dennis Smith already, and a new coaching staff doesn't make those concerns go away. Hampton would also have lower upside on teams that already have scoring guards locked in, like Sacramento (#12) or Portland (#16).
(11) PF Obi Toppin, Dayton (LOWER than most expert rankings)
When Obi Toppin sees the list of names ahead of him, he should be stewing with rage. He's arguably the most productive player on the entire board. This past season at Dayton, he averaged 20.0 points on 63% shooting from the field. He's a good athlete and dunker, and he even hit 39% of his threes. At 6'9", he's a natural PF but he could theoretically play some SF or C too if need be. What else does a guy need to do to go in the top 5??
But while Toppin checks all the boxes on paper, I'm a little more skeptical. In fact, he reminds me a lot of Arizona PF Derrick Williams, who went # 2 in the 2011 draft. Many pundits thought Williams was the best player in the class, fresh on the heels of an awesome sophomore season that saw him average 19.5 points per game on 60% shooting and 57% (!) from three. The trouble is: Williams benefited from a small sample size from 3 that year (74 total). And while he was athletic in the dunking sense, he didn't have the hip movement to guard 3s or 4s effectively.
We see some of the same traits play out here with Toppin. He dominated this past season as a (22 year old) sophomore. Still, I'm doubtful that his three-point shooting is as good as the numbers suggest. I'm doubtful that his run-and-dunk athleticism translates to the defensive end, where he often looks stiff when changing direction. I can see a scenario where Toppin is a scoring big in the mold of a John Collins, but it's more likely to me that he'll be a scorer off the bench instead.
best fits
While I'm cool on Obi Toppin myself, I fully admit that I could be wrong and he may just end up being Rookie of the Year. That may happen if he plays on a team like Washington (#9) where his guards will be able to take a lot of pressure off and give him good opportunities to score. Cleveland (#5) would also make some sense if they trade Kevin Love.
worst fits
If Toppin's defense is going to be bad, then he'd be a poor fit with Atlanta (#6). I also don't see much of a fit with Sacramento (#12) given the presence of Marvin Bagley III. In the long run, both may end up being smallball 5s.
(12) SF Isaac Okoro, Auburn (LOWER than most expert rankings)
We've all had this experience before. You'll go see a movie that you hear everyone rave about and you come away... underwhelmed. It's fine. It's OK. But you just don't get all the fuss about it.
Right out of that Silver Linings Playbook comes Isaac Okoro. His stats don't jump off the page: 12.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks. He's allegedly a great defensive player, but his dimensions (6'6" with a 6'8" wingspan) don't suggest "stopper." Worse yet, he's a poor shooter from distance (29% from three, 67% from the line.) The last time I got this sense of "meh-ness" was Jarrett Culver last year. I didn't understand how he went in the top 5, and I'm not going to understand how Okoro goes in the top 10 this year.
To be clear, I don't think Okoro (or Culver) is a BAD prospect, just that they're both overrated by the community. Okoro is definitely a strong kid who is active around the rim. He's a live body. He could theoretically improve his shooting and become a starter. Still, "potential starter" is not something that I want in a top 10 pick.
best fits
While I don't love Isaac Okoro myself, I can see some good fits on the board. Washington (#9) could use some thicker wings who can play solid defense. Portland (#16) is incredibly desperate for capable wings themselves.
worst fits
With Okoro, I don't necessarily think the worst fits are a matter of skill set as much as expectation. If he goes as high as Chicago (#4) or Cleveland (#5), I suspect he'll disappoint in terms of the returns and garner some resentment from the fan base.
(13) SG/SF Josh Green, Arizona
As oddly overrated as Isaac Okoro is (in my mind), Josh Green is oddly underrated. Okoro tends to go about 10 spots higher in mock drafts, but they seem nearly identical in terms of a head-to-head comparison. In fact, I had to go back and forth about which I'd rank higher. They're both good athletes for their position and should be backend starters at the next level. Okoro is thicker and better around the rim, while Green is further along as a shooter. Overall I leaned to Okoro because he had the size to match up with bigger SFs and has a little more of a bullying scorer gene in him, but it was a close race.
In fact, you can argue that Josh Green's selflessness will actually benefit him in the NBA. He's a "team guy," with an underrated passing ability and basketball IQ. The stats don't jump off the pages in that regard (2.6 assists, 1.6 turnovers), but he was also playing with a good college PG in Nico Mannion. As he moves to the NBA, he's unlikely to have the ball much either, but he projects to be an all-around glue guy who can help on both ends.
best fits
As with Isaac Okoro, Portland (#16) could be a nice landing spot for a solid wing player. And while New Orleans (#13) has a lot of athleticism already, it never hurts to have another viable wing. They tended to play small at the SG-SF spot, which hurt their defense overall. Playing Green could help them when they slide Brandon Ingram over to the 4 and Zion Williamson at the 5.
worst fits
I don't see many "bad" fits for Josh Green on the board, but you'd prefer that he went to a team that intended to make him a part of the future. Minnesota (#17) may not be able to do that if they already have Jarrett Culver and Josh Okogie. Brooklyn (#19) may not be looking for long-term projects since they're in a "win now" mode.
(14) PG Tyrell Terry, Stanford
Tyrell Terry is rocketing up draft boards on account of his stellar shooting ability (41% from 3, 89% from the line) and his better-than-expected measurement of 6'3". It's only natural that pundits would start comparing him to stud shooters like Steph Curry.
That said, not every stud shooter is Steph Curry. Some are Seth Curry. Some are Quinn Cook. There's a slight chance Terry breaks out as a good starter, but there's a better than average chance he peaks as a rotational player instead. Still, he should be an asset to a team as a spacer, particularly if they run their offense through a playmaking forward (like a LeBron James).
And in case you're wondering, no he is NOT related to Jason Terry, although some of their skill sets do overlap as scoring guards with deep range.
best fits
If we presume that Tyrell Terry can be a Seth (not Steph) type player, then adding him to Dallas (#18) makes sense. He can develop behind Seth for a year or two as he gains weight, and then help complement Luka Doncic as a spacer after that. Similarly, he makes sense for Philadelphia (#21) as well. We'd still lock Ben Simmons into the starting PG role, but Terry could play alongside him in lineups or be used as a sparkplug off the bench.
worst fits
Teams that may be eyeing Tyrell Terry as a surefire starter will have to be careful. For example, Phoenix (#10) needs an heir apparent for Ricky Rubio, but a Terry + Devin Booker combo may be problematic on the defensive end. Some other teams -- Brooklyn (#19) and Denver (#22) -- already have sharpshooter guards, so they don't have as strong of a need for this type of player.
(15) PF Aleksej Pokusevski, Serbia
We mentioned that LaMelo Ball may be the biggest boom/bust prospect in the class, likening him to gambling on Roulette. Enter Aleksej Pokusevski. "Gambling" may not even be doing it justice. This is like risking your family fortune on a bag of magic beans.
But hey, that worked for Jack, and it could work for an NBA team as well. I have a friend who works in coaching who raved about Pokusevski and considers him a top 10 prospect overall. After all, this is a legit 7'0" player with true perimeter skills. Playing for Olympiacos' development team, he averaged 16.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.8 blocks per 36 minutes. He hasn't even turned 19 years old yet, giving him an enormous amount of upside.
Still, he scares the hell out of me. He's listed at 7'0" and 200 pounds, with narrow shoulders that make you doubt how much weight he'll be able to carry in the long term. His body type doesn't remind you of any current NBA forwards; it reminds you of two kids wearing a trenchcoat.
All in all, Pokusevski seems like a great prospect to invest in, presuming you don't have to withdraw from the bank until 2023 or 2024. To that end, teams should only consider them if they feel confident in their long-term job security.
best fits
If the goal is to send Aleksej Pokusevski to a good, stable organization, then you can't do much better than San Antonio (#11). Even if Gregg Popovich retires from coaching, R.C. Buford should be around to help the next coach (Becky Hammon? Will Hardy? R.C.'s son Chase?). And if the goal is to find a good stable GM, Sam Presti and Oklahoma City (#25) would be a great home as they prepare for a long-term rebuild.
worst fits
Orlando (#15) always values length, but they have limited space left in the frontcourt and limited leg room left on that poor charter plane.
I wasn't kidding when I said this post was "overly" long. The rest of the top 20 got cut off because of a length limit. I'll try to include them in the comment section.

The playoffs continue to rage on, but there are 26 teams sitting at home with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs, watch the Conference Finals, and wait for next season to start.
For their sake, we wanted to look ahead with the next edition of the OFFSEASON BLUEPRINT series. In each, we'll preview some big decisions and make some recommendations for plans of attack along the way. Today, we're looking at the Detroit Pistons.
step one: weave a new narrative
Some teams are good, some teams are bad -- but almost all of them have a general direction. Are you a young team on the rise? Or a veteran team trying to squeeze out as many wins as possible?
Right now, the Detroit Pistons are in a wonky grey area. They're missing an identity. When they tried to make the playoffs, they were fairly mediocre (records of 37-45, 39-43, 41-41). When injuries hit this past season, they plummeted down to 20-46. While that generally suggests a young and rebuilding team, the roster doesn't reflect that yet. Their marquee players are Blake Griffin (age 31) and Derrick Rose (age 31.) They also have a veteran coach in Dwane Casey who's more accustomed to competing than rebuilding. All in all, they feel like a confused, forgotten franchise.
Fortunately, there's a new sheriff in town. The team hired a new GM in Troy Weaver, who had been Sam Presti's right-hand man in Oklahoma City. Weaver's been on the verge of a GM job for several years now, and his hire represents something of a coup for this embattled organization.
Going forward, the franchise needs to hold the keys over to Weaver and allow him free reign to do whatever he wants. Back in OKC, he had experience with a variety of makeups: with a rebuilding team, with a contending team, with a rebuilding-wait-whoops-we're-accidentally-pretty-darn-good team. It's up to him to look at this roster and this payroll and determine the best path forward from here.
step two: hold a garage sale for your old homeowner's property
Presumably, Troy Weaver will treat this project as more of a teardown than a remodel. Mainstay center Andre Drummond is already out of the door, and the other veterans may join him on the bus out of Detroit.
Unfortunately, that may be easier said than done. It makes a lot of sense to trade star PF Blake Griffin to a veteran team, but his injuries and his contract ($37M + $39M player option) would make that difficult from a logistical perspective.
There's a chance that a desperate team may be willing to roll the dice on Griffin. Throughout his career, he's been one of the more misunderstood players in the league. People want to treat him as an athlete-dunker only, but he's actually a skilled ballhandler and passer. In his last healthy season in 2018-19, he averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, and even showcased an improved three-point shot (36.2% on 7.0 attempts per game.) If healthy, he'd be a major difference maker to a team like Portland.
Still, teams aren't going to give up major assets for Blake Griffin until he proves that he is healthy. From Detroit's perspective, it makes more sense to wait to trade him. They need him to come back, put up some good stats, and then float him in offers. Right now, you'd be trading Griffin for 20 cents on the dollar.
In contrast, Derrick Rose's stock may be at a high. He put up good raw numbers this year (18.1 points, 5.6 assists), and he's on a reasonable $7.5M expiring contract. He'd be a positive addition to a playoff team, best served as a Sixth Man scorer. The Pistons and their fans like Rose (and he likes playing here), but it'd be irresponsible for them to not consider trade options. If they get any decent offers, they have to pull the trigger. If the offers are weak -- R2 picks or so -- then the team can keep him around as a veteran leader and placeholder starter.
step three: don't let your breakout break out
As bad as the Pistons were, they had a few bright spots. Derrick Rose played better than expected. Luke Kennard looks on track to be a rising starter. And, most surprising of all, rando Christian Wood broke out as a legitimate NBA player. As a starter, Wood averaged 21.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Wood is a springy, energetic player who also has an improving range (40% from three as a starter.)
You can read a longer deep dive about Christian Wood here, but to sum it up. A) His production looks legitimate, as he's been putting up numbers in virtually every stop as a pro. But B) His breakout may be poorly timed for the Pistons, because he's slated for free agency and about to get more expensive. He's a 24 year old whose best days should be ahead of him.
Based purely on his stats and scouting profile, you could talk yourself into a contract closing in on $15M a year for Wood. However, players with his "pedigree" (undrafted, limited sample size) rarely get that type of contract right away. To me, paying him somewhere in the range of 3 years, $36M would be a fair deal on both sides. There's too much uncertainty to justify much more of a commitment.
Of course, the Pistons should know better than any of us whether to trust Wood. Prior to this year, he had a mixed reputation in terms of his basketball IQ and work habits. If Coach Casey can sign off on Wood's character, then the team can feel more comfortable with him as a building block. If there are still red flags, perhaps it's better not to get too attached. The Pistons have more cap room than most teams this offseason, so the money shouldn't be a major deterrent to this decision. It should be entirely about Wood as a person and a player. If you believe that he's the real deal, then you keep him around.
step four: find your next field general
Christian Wood is a solid young player -- Luke Kennard is a solid young player -- but these aren't franchise players. They're secondary scorers and members of a supporting cast. To truly advance to the promised land, the Detroit Pistons are going to need to find transcendent talent, somehow and some way.
Unfortunately, the NBA Draft Lottery didn't help. The Pistons slipped down from the # 5 slot to the # 7 pick, making it unlikely that they'll land a future star.
On the bright side, the "supply and demand" may be on their side. This draft class happens to be heavy with point guards. There's LaMelo Ball (the # 1 prospect on ESPN), Killian Hayes (the # 1 prospect on The Ringer), and Tyrese Haliburton (one of the safer picks in the class.) If any of them slip down to # 7, the Pistons should strongly consider them. It usually takes a point guard a year or two to find their footing, but they can sit behind Derrick Rose for a year and then get unleashed in 2021. From a personality standpoint, Rose isn't going to mentor and educate like Aristotle, but he's capable of soaking up 25 minutes and allowing the next PG some time to develop.
If those top guards are not available (and they are unlikely to be), the Pistons may have to take some chances. One name I'm intrigued by is R.J. Hampton.
On face value, that'd be a "reach." Like LaMelo Ball, Hampton was a top high school prospect who went off to play in the Australian league. Unlike Ball, his NBA stock suffered as a result. While Ball put up numbers (17-8-7), Hampton put up weak stats -- 8.8 points, 2.4 assists on 41-30-68 shooting splits. As a result, Ball is now locked into top 3 pick status, and Hampton is seeing his name ranked around the 10-20 range in mock drafts.
However, I'd defend Hampton to some degree. We have to consider the context here. LaMelo Ball joined a struggling team called Illawarra. With Ball, the team went 3-9 (and finished 5-23.) When you're playing on a bad team like that, you can be the "star" and jack up as many shots as you want. In contrast, Hampton joined the New Zealand Breakers, a better team that relegated him to 20.6 minutes a night and a more limited role. His raw stats may not do him justice.
No doubt, Hampton has a long way to go, especially as a shooter. At the same time, he's a big lead guard (6'4" with a 6'7" wingspan) who flashes a lot of explosive scoring ability when he's getting downhill to the hoop. He's also a smart kid and allegedly a good worker. There's some legitimate "star" potential here, even if it's a narrow bull's eye. Hampton doesn't have the same athleticism as Russell Westbrook (hardly anyone does) but maybe there's a parallel here. After all, Weaver and OKC selected Westbrook after he'd been a little under the radar after playing off the ball at UCLA.
To be clear, I'm not urging Detroit to take R.J. Hampton at # 7. I'm not endorsing him as a future star like Westbrook. I don't know enough to do that; I don't sit around and splice up tape of New Zealand basketball. Still, the point is, the Pistons should be looking at upside players in that vein, knowing that they're going to need to hit a home run in the future.
step five: keep one hand on the detonator
The Detroit Pistons only have $68M committed on the books for next season, which means they could be players in free agency even if they re-sign Christian Wood.
If the team decided to go "all in" in a desperate attempt to compete, then you could maybe talk yourself into retaining Blake Griffin, handing out a big contract for Fred VanVleet, and shooting for the playoffs. That may work. But to what end...? The 7th seed? The 8th seed? Is that the end goal here?
More realistically, the team should (as discussed) try to get Blake Griffin back and fully healthy in order to showcase him for a trade. After that, they'd then dive into a full rebuild.
Presuming that's going to be the ultimate destination, then the Pistons may as well get a jump on that with free agency. With their remaining cap space, they can take on a toxic asset that comes attached with future picks, or take some fliers on young and promising players. Among my favorite gamblers of this offseason may include PG Kris Dunn (CHI), SG Denzel Valentine (CHI), SF Josh Jackson (MEM), and C Harry Giles (SAC.) None of them should draw huge money offers, making them reasonable purchases and lottery tickets.
If the Pistons end up blowing it up, then they should play their younger players over the course of the season. That should mean a lot of Sekou Doumbouya (entering Year 2) and even some Thon Maker (entering Year 42). If that means you only win 25-30 games, that's all right. It'll only help your odds for next year's lottery.
I've mentioned this before with some potential tankers (CLE, CHA, etc), but next year's draft could be quite strong. The group is headlined by point forward Cade Cunningham (heading to Oklahoma State) and scoring swingman Jalen Green (heading to the G-League), but there are about 4-5 other players who have the potential to join the # 1 pick conversation in time. The Detroit Pistons aren't likely to be bad enough to get a top 3 pick on their own, but the flattened lottery odds make it possible for the 7th or 8th worst team to leapfrog into that territory.
Of course, before Weaver and the Pistons officially press the detonator and go into full-blown rebuild/tank mode, they need to have a heart to heart with Coach Casey. He's 63 years old already, and entering the third year of a five-year deal. Is he going to embrace the rebuild? Is he going to be the scapegoat if they rack up losses? They need to get on the same page, out of fairness to Casey and out of fairness to this franchise. A reasonable solution would be to promise Casey that, if he does tank like a good soldier, he'll still be retained for next season. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will chrome.
previous offseason blueprints
ATL, CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, IND, GS, LAC, MIL, MIN, NYK, POR, SA, SAC, UTA

What is The Weekly Mock Draft?
Every Wednesday/Thursday of the season (starting today and ending after Week 17), I will post a mock draft. The order is determined by Tankathon (record and SOS) and will be updated weekly as well. This will be used as a tool to determine how the stocks of the top prospects changed throughout the year and for the fans to have something to look forward to once football games are over for the week. The teams will pick players as if they are drafting today. Enjoy!
1. NY Giants: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
After passing on Clemson standout Isaiah Simmons for OT Andrew Thomas this past April, the Giants need to address the LB position. There is a split opinion on whether the team will part ways with the turnover-prone Daniel Jones but truth be told, he has no receiving weapons other than Darius Slayton. The most likely scenario in this case would involve the Giants trading picks with a team in dire need of a QB but since there are no trades in this mock draft, the Giants opt to add a lightning quick off-ball LB to their lackluster defense.
2. Atlanta: Gregory Rousseau., EDGE, Miami
Although viewers of the Monday night matchup between Atlanta and Green Bay watched Matt Ryan throw 0 touchdowns and rely on Todd Gurley for scores, QB is not the problem for the Falcons. Defense should be Atlanta's top priority going into the 2021 offseason and if Parsons is not available, Rousseau is the next best choice. Takkarist McKinley and Dante Fowler Jr. have not lived up to their Round 1 selections and while Rousseau is still developing as a player, his physical traits and athleticism raise his value to the point where a team in the top 5 would be willing to make the gamble.
3. NY Jets: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Sam Darnold has not been provided with the supporting cast necessary to thrive as a franchise QB but with Adam Gase almost certainly out of town after this season, a new QB could be coming to the Jets. New coaches tend to come as a package deal with a top QB prospect in the draft and Trevor Lawrence is the obvious choice. The Clemson junior has a perfect blend of size, athleticism, and arm talent and has shown the ability to play well under pressure. His game is devoid of any glaring weaknesses and with a brand new coach and QB on the team, the Jets will be one step closer to becoming a playoff team.
4. Houston → MIA: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Miami spent the 18th pick this year on OT Austin Jackson and he has lots of time to grow. They also selected Louisiana's Robert Hunt Round 2 and although he is the current backup at RT, he is capable of moving to the interior to make room for Sewell. Jesse Davis is under contract until 2023 but he is nowhere near a franchise OT and a strong blocker like Sewell would be an instant upgrade. Tua Tagovailoa is a lock to be Miami’s QB starting next season and the Dolphins must do everything in their power to keep him healthy.
5. Dallas: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
Chidobe Awuzie is a solid corner but his injury has exposed the depth Dallas has at CB in a negative fashion. Jourdan Lewis has allowed 6 receptions out of 9 targets and Trevon DIggs has underperformed. Diggs has time to grow as a player and is expected to make improvements but Lewis will be a free agent next year and the Cowboys should address their secondary. Farley may be new to the position, but he plays like a polished corner and has tremendous awareness.
6. Washington: Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Terry McLaurin may have been a pleasant surprise, earning PFWA All-Rookie honors last year, but fellow receivers Steven Sims Jr. and Dontrelle Inman are not expected to be core parts of the offense. With a top 5 prospect in Ja'Marr Chase still on the board, Washington needs to provide Dwayne Haskins Jr. with weapons if they want a productive passing game.Chase is a natural pass catcher with terrific vision and could certainly give the offense a significant boost.
7. LA Chargers: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
With Chris Harris Jr. on the IR, Desmond King II, who was unhappy with his playing time weeks ago, is now starting at CB alongside former Pro Bowler Casey Hayward Jr. and although they are both generally solid, King II will be a free agent after this season and so will Hayward Jr. the year after. Harris Jr. will also be on the market with the latter, but both players are catching up in age and may not be back with the Chargers once their contracts expire. With Caleb Farley off the board, the next logical choice is Alabama defender Patrick Surtain II. The 6'1" junior provides an ideal combination of height and length, and displays a high competitive drive and aggressiveness. The Chargers need an injection of youth on the defensive side of the ball and this selection gives them that.
8. Miami: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
Although Miami could decide to find Tua Tagovailoa a WR after providing him with protection, they also need to address their defense, specifically EDGE and LB. Miami's starting ILBs, Elandon Roberts and Jerome Baker, have been the terrible and Dylan Moses would be an instant upgrade. Moses is a unique athlete with great instincts and range, making him an attractive LB prospect for the Dolphins to pursue.
9. Detroit: Marvin Wilson, IDL, Florida State
Nick Williams and Danny Shelton stand at the helm of Detroit's defensive line and although Shelton is a solid player, Williams can be replaced if the Lions can find an IDL worth taking. Florida State star Marvin Wilson is currently a top 15 prospect but has the potential to sneak into the top 10 with a quality senior year. After the emergence of Aaron Donald and other mobile DTs, players like Wilson became more valued and Detroit should definitely look into drafting another defensive player after spending the 3rd pick on a CB last year.
10. Denver: Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
Despite several rumors, the Broncos are not likely to move on from Drew Lock for an enticing QB like Justin Fields. Lock has showed enough promise to clarify that if he had never been injured, the Broncos would not be 1-3. However, Denver does need to focus on the secondary and to be more specific, the CB position. A.J. Bouye is regressing, rookie Michael Ojemudia has not shown enough to be considered a proper replacement. Besides, Bouye and Bryce Callahan will both be free agents in 2022 and neither of them are locks to return, especially the former, leaving Denver with little depth at CB. Tyson Campbell has not been on scouts' radars as much as top CBs such as Farley and Surtain II, but the outside corner from Georgia is much better than advertised and also provides the team with special teams ability.
11. Jacksonville: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
After a great season opener against the Colts at home, Gardner Minshew II has not replicated his heroics since then. In the last three games, Minshew II has been thrown 5 TD, 4 INT, and suffered a loss at the hands of a Dolphins defense missing their star CB. This could very well just be a short slump and the former Washington St QB might make a case to stay as the starter in Jacksonville, but with a top 3 QB in Justin Fields still on the board at 11, the value is just too good to pass up. An effortless thrower, Fields has a natural arm and excellent delivery, along with the ability to survive under pressure and beating defenders outside of the pocket. A new head coach is likely to be in Jacksonville next year and if a player like Fields is available, the new regime should move on from Minshew II.
12. Minnesota: Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma
Since Pat Elflein's injury, rumors have emerged that he may not be a Viking after this season and it is clear that Minnesota needs to fix their IOL. Although C Garrett Bradbury has been great, LG Dakota Dozier is not a long-term option and RG Dru Samia has been a liability, allowing 3 sacks so far. Rookie Ezra Cleveland is the obvious choice to become a starter sooner rather than later and adding Creed Humphrey to the offensive line would pay off tremendously. The Oklahoma blocker has been praised for his leadership, responsibility, and strength, and the Vikings need to keep Kirk Cousins healthy if they want to go back to the playoffs next year.
13. Cincinnati: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Cincinnati's most glaring need so far this season has been OT and they will not hesitate to pick Sewell if he is available. However, the next best OT, Alex Leatherwood, would be a reach at 13 and since there are no trades in this scenario, the Bengals provide their QB of the future, Joe Burrow, with a reliable WR to throw to in DeVonta Smith. A.J. Green is seemingly not the star WR he used to be and Cincinnati needs to find a replacement for him. Smith may not be explosive, but he displays quickness and fearlessness, perfect for a Bengals team hoping to contend in the near future.
14. Carolina: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Teddy Bridgewater has been good enough to potentially stay as Carolina's starting QB throughout his entire contract but that should not deter the Panthers from searching for their true franchise QB. It was clear when Bridgewater was signed that he would serve as a bridge QB for the team's next passer and if Trey Lance falls outside of the top 10, Carolina has to choose him. A player like Pat Freiermuth or Wyatt Davis might be on their board but since QB is the biggest need in Carolina, Lance is the pick.
15. Arizona: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
The acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins gave Arizona's offense an astronomical boost but with Larry Fitzgerald headed for retirement soon and Christian Kirk not living up to his expectations as the WR2, the Cardinals could be looking for a receiver to pair with Hopkins. Although Arizona does need help on the offensive and defensive lines, Humphrey and Wilson are off the board, and Rondale Moore beats out Wyatt Davis as the best player available. Moore has been compared to a human joystick and showcases amazing RAC skills.
16. Las Vegas: Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State
Rodney Hudson can hold his own as the leader of Las Vegas's offensive line but OGs John Simpson and Gabe Jackson have not impressed so far. A new IOL is not a top priority for the Raiders but Davis does fit the size profile of an OT, providing versatility, and the team could shift certain players around to fit Davis in and help protect Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs. The aggressive Ohio State blocker offers power and fluidity, and would upgrade an offensive line that needs help.
17. New England: Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama
DTs Lawrence Guy and Byron Cowart form a middling defensive duo and although Guy is the better of the two, he will be a free agent in 2021 and there is no clear answer to whether he will return to the Patriots. However, Cowart is mediocre and can be replaced if a tempting prospect like Barmore is available. Barmore is not fully developed and has room to grow as an interior defender, but he possesses immense power and an array of moves that make him a great defensive player with star potential.
18. San Francisco: Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
Richard Sherman, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Emmanuel Moseley will all be free agents next year and the 49ers need to prepare for the future at the CB position. Sherman is likely to only sign one more contract with the team before retiring, Witherspoon has not looked great but the sample size is too small, and Moseley should return if all goes as planned. This leaves the 49ers with only one CB they can depend on for years to come, proving CB is a priority for San Francisco. Shaun Wade is the perfect pick here and his stock can only soar from here on out with the spotlight on him.
19. Philadelphia: Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
Darius Slay is undoubtedly a core member of Philadelphia's defense and could be labeled as a cornerstone if he stays in town for the entirety of his contract. Avonte Maddox, on the other hand, is replaceable and not worth re-signing in 2022 if the Eagles can find better options in the draft. Stanford corner Paulson Adebo would be a welcome addition to Philadelphia's secondary with his dynamic skills and instincts, and would be an upgrade over Maddox.
20. New Orleans: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
Jared Cook might retire next offseason or leave for a new team and although the Saints traded up to select him, Adam Trautman has not been a focal point of the offense, only amassing 3 receptions for 34 receiving yards. New Orleans could either be in the mix for another TE or they could be completely fine with their current players at the position, but there is no denying that Freiermuth would drastically improve the offense. The Penn State TE is a borderline top 15 prospect and has garnered comparisons to Rob Gronkowski. He can function as a blocker or a pass catcher and would be a dependable target for whoever the Saints play at QB in the future.
21. Tampa Bay: Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami
Ndamukong Suh is nearing retirement and will be a free agent next year, and Jason Pierre-Paul and William Gholston will both be on the market in 2022, with the former also close to the end of his career. Shaquil Barrett is expected to return to the Buccaneers on a new contract next year but the team still needs to improve their defense. Quincy Roche is quite underrated due to Gregory Rousseau receiving most of the attention for Miami's defensive efforts, but he still brings explosiveness and fluidity to the table. The 235 lb defender has excellent vision, strength, and length, and functions as a great run defender, which will be useful in a division housing many great rushing attacks.
22. Cleveland: Josh Myers, IOL, Ohio State
All three of Cleveland's starters on the IOL are incredible, but their contracts also expire within the next three years. The team's cap space will be spent on securing Nick Chubb, Denzel Ward, and potentially even Baker Mayfield to long-term contracts and there may not be enough money to keep all three interior linemen on the roster. In that case, the Browns will have to think long-term and find a player to fill in a future need at IOL, and Josh Myers is capable of doing so. Although he would be a reach at 22, the Browns have zero need for players like Alex Leatherwood and Kyle Pitts, making Myers a possible choice.
23. Indianapolis: Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State
With Malik Hooker on the IR, the Colts have turned to rookie Julian Blackmon to replace him and he has been solid. Khari Willis has also played at an average level, but overall, the team needs more explosiveness in the secondary and Nasirildeen would add much needed depth.
24. Baltimore: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Besides Marquise Brown, who is somewhat inconsistent, the Ravens have no reliable WRs in the passing game and with Willie Snead IV headed for free agency next year, Baltimore could be in search of the yang to Brown’s yin. Bateman has an exciting set of receiving skills and can deliver on big plays, which should make Baltimore’s offense even more dangerous than it already is.
25. Chicago: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Allen Robinson II should be Chicago’s priority in free agency and although the emergence of Darnell Mooney has been nice, the sample size is too small and he needs to prove that he can be the long-term WR2. As of now, QB and WR are two of Chicago’s biggest needs and with the top 3 passers off the board, Jaylen Waddle is the pick. Whether Chicago sticks with Foles/Trubisky or moves on to a new QB, the team’s passer will have a legitimate receiving duo in Robinson and Waddle.
26. LA Rams → JAX: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
After drafting their new franchise QB in Justin Fields, the Jaguars decide to protect him with 310 lb Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood. Cam Robinson is not Jacksonville’s LT of the future and the smart move would be to let him go in free agency and find a promising prospect like Leatherwood through the draft. Florida TE Kyle Pitts is also a possible choice but protecting Justin Fields should be the first priority.
27. Pittsburgh: Jay Tufele, IDL, USC
According to PFF, NT Tyson Alualu has been phenomenal for the Steelers and DT Cameron Heyward has been also amazing. Heyward is under contract until 2025 and Alualu will be a free agent next year, and if all goes as planned, both players will be on the roster for next season. However, Alualu is 33 years old and nearing the end of his career, which means the Steelers should not hesitate to draft a replacement if the value is there. Tufele is a quick and balanced athlete that can sufficiently generate pressure in the passing game and use his power to get past interior linemen and rush the passer.
28. Tennessee: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Jonnu Smith has been the starting TE in Tennessee since 2017 and in that timeframe, he has gathered 1035 yds. In 2019 alone, rising star Darren Waller of the Oakland Raiders had 1145 yds. Waller is also a perfect comparison for Florida’s Kyle Pitts. It is clear that Smith is not as important to Tennessee’s offense as Waller is for the Raiders, but an outstanding player like Pitts would be crucial in helping a team win. The 6’5” junior is a TE on paper but acts as an extra WR, which is a need considering the fact that Corey Davis and Kalif Raymond will be free agents after this season.
29. Kansas City: Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
The Chiefs selected TCU’s Lucas Niang in Round 3 of the 2020 draft to succeed current RT Mitchell Schwartz once he starts declining. However, the plan at LT is unfinished. Eric Fisher will be a free agent in 2021 and backup Mike Remmers is not starting material. This could be seen as a luxury pick but drafting an agile 301 lb OT in Dillon Radunz should pay off in the long run.
30. Seattle → NYJ: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
After securing Trevor Lawrence with the 3rd pick, the Jets need to choose between addressing EDGE or WR. The best WR available would be Chris Olave from Ohio State but he would be a reach at 30 and the real decision will be between EDGEs Aidan Hutchinson and Hamilcar Rashed Jr. While the latter is a good athlete and effective block shedder, he is still raw as a pass rusher. On the other hand, Hutchinson seems to be more ready to thrive as a power rusher and would be the smarter pick.
31. Green Bay: Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan
Christian Kirksey, Green Bay’s often injured ILB, is once again on the IR and his replacement is Ty Summers, a Round 7 pick who has not proved that he can be a long-term starter for the Packers. Cameron McGrone is certainly a reach and the Packers could draft an interior lineman such as Trey Smith to bolster the offensive line, but the team has to draft for need at this stage and McGrone makes sense for the future.
32. Buffalo: Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
Starting OTs Dion Dawkins and Daryl Williams have played an important part in Josh Allen’s success, keeping him safe and allowing the franchise QB to lead the team to victory. Williams will be a free agent next year and it would be wise for the team to re-sign him, but the logical move would be to also move him to RG and draft Faalele to play RT. RG Cody Ford is a pedestrian player and the offensive line would be much more successful with a starting lineup featuring Dion Dawkins, Quinton Spain, Mitch Morse, Daryl Williams and Daniel Faalele. Keeping Josh Allen healthy is a priority for Buffalo and this pick would make the future brighter for the Bills.

If this seems familiar, I actually did a version with 700 players and minimum 15000 minutes played. I dropped the minutes requirement to 10000 to include players who spent most/all of their career in the ABA and players who burned bright but had injury troubles (Brandon Roy and Doug Collins).
If you're not a fan of reading a lot of text, here's the imgur link to rosters, although you should know I added 25 new teams! There is a TL;DR at the bottom!

Inspiration

Ever since LeBron went back to Cleveland, it's always fascinated me on what rosters would look like if everyone went home. I did this during the shutdown for the current rosters (all 514 players that played a game in 2019-2020 before the shutdown plus Jusuf Nurkic, who would have returned had the season continued normally)!

Player Pool and Team Pool

I used the top 957 players who have at least 10000 minutes played in their career.
Why 10000 minutes played? Because that's the lower standard set by Basketball-Reference to get on their ABA career leaderboard (15000 MP for NBA). I added George Mikan, because even though he hasn't played enough minutes, he's featured in All-Time ESPN NBARank and Bill Simmons Hall of Fame Pyramid.
​
I started off with the current 30 teams. To split up the Lakers and Clippers, I gave the Clippers their proposed Inglewood site.
As I looked at the map of player hometowns, I realized that there were:

1. some areas that had a lot of players, but few close NBA teams.
2. conversely, some areas that had bloated rosters with too many players

Based off city population and arena size, I added 25 new teams. I relaxed my arena restrictions (minimum capacity before was 10000).

• I obviously had to give Seattle their team back
• Birmingham, North Little Rock and Shreveport helped to split up the South
• Pittsburgh and St. Louis were big cities without teams
• Berkeley added to siphon off San Francisco
  • if I add Oakland, it takes away too many players
• Anaheim and Westwood added in Southern California (Clippers & Lakers)
• Winston-Salem and Raleigh to pare down Charlotte
• Lansing to prune Detroit
• 2nd Atlanta team in suburb of College Park
• 2nd Washington team and Baltimore
• 2 more teams in Chicago (Rosemont and South Side) + a team in Gary
• 2nd Indiana team + Louisville & Lexington
• 2nd Philadelphia team in suburb of Wynnewood
• 3 more teams in the New York Area (Newark, Queens and Long Island)

New Teams:

Team	Arena (Capacity)	Notables
Anaheim Amigos	Honda Center (18336)	Kawhi Leonard, Reggie Miller, Bill Walton
Baltimore Bullets	Royal Farms Arena (12289)	Dominique Wilkins, Carmelo Anthony, Sam Cassell
Berkeley Bears	Haas Pavilion (11858)	Bill Russell, Damian Lillard, Paul Pierce
Birmingham Barons	Legacy Arena (17654)	Charles Barkley, Eric Bledsoe, Artis Gilmore
Capital City Go-Go	Entertainment and Sports Arena (4200)	Allen Iverson, Kevin Durant, Moses Malone
College Park Skyhawks	Gateway Center Arena (3500)	Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Norm Nixon
Gary Steelheads	Genesis Convention Center (6500)	Shawn Kemp, Jack Sikma, Glenn Robinson
Indianapolis Jaguars	Indiana Farmers Coliseum (6800)	Jerry Lucas, Zach Randolph, John Paxson
Lansing Spartans	Breslin Student Events Center (14759)	Magic Johnson, Devin Booker, Draymond Green
Lexington Wildcats	Rupp Arena (20545)	Hal Greer, Neil Johnston, Dave Cowens
Long Island Knights	Nassau Coliseum (14500)	Julius Erving, Tobias Harris, Calvin Murphy
Louisville Colonels	KFC Yum Center (22090)	Larry Bird, Rajon Rondo, Wes Unseld
Newark Americans	Prudential Center (18711)	Kyrie Irving, Rick Barry, Shaquille O'Neal
North Little Rock RimRockers	Simmons Bank Arena (18000)	Scottie Pippen, Sidney Moncrief, Joe Johnson
Pittsburgh Ironmen	PPG Paints Arena (19100)	Pete Maravich, John Havlicek, Maurice Lucas
Queens Red Storm	Carnesecca Arena (5602)	Bob Cousy, Kemba Walker, Anthony Mason
Raleigh Cougars	PNC Arena (19722)	Michael Jordan, John Wall, Sam Jones
Rosemont Rush	Allstate Arena (17500)	Dan Issel, Shawn Marion, Bill Laimbeer
Seattle SuperSonics	KeyArena (18600)	John Stockton, Steve Nash, Detlef Schrempf
Shreveport Storm	CenturyLink Center (13000)	Karl Malone, Joe Dumars, Willis Reed
South Side Sky	Wintrust Arena (10387)	Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis
Spirits of St. Louis	Enterprise Center (22000)	Bradley Beal, Andre Iguodala, Harry Gallatin
Westwood Bruins	Pauley Pavilion (13800)	Gilbert Arenas, Gail Goodrich, Jrue Holiday
Winston-Salem Demon Deacons	Lawrence Joel Coliseum (14665)	Jerry West, Chris Paul, Bob McAdoo
Wynnewood Hawks	Hagan Arena (4200)	Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Kyle Lowry

The Process

• I started off gathering hometowns due to this fantastic database by Reuben Fischer-Baum (original article source here). But I wanted to get more granular, and try to pinpoint neighborhoods. Basically, I searched up "[player name] grew up neighbourhood" and variations of that, which is how I found out that:
  • Kyle Lowry grew up at 20th and Lehigh
  • Wilt Chamberlain grew up at 401 N Salford Street
  • Julius Erving grew up at 90 Pleasant Ave
  • big shoutout to Ted Silary's site, which was a godsend to divide Philly
• Next, I used the haversine formula to find which arena a player is closest to
  • one exception was in Connecticut where the distance formula would go over Long Island Sound (a body of water), so all players east of Hartford were given to Boston

I created rotations to the best of my ability, but I am not proclaiming these as the be-all, end-all

• I took a glance at stats (lean modern if stats are close) and playing reputation
• I moved positions around to maximize talent, but tried to keep it realistic

Next phase was to add international players

• I assigned them to their American “hometown" which was a combination of biggest impact (most win shares accumulated) and most memorable stop
  • These usually agreed w/each other, a few exceptions covered below
• Dikembe, Divac were some borderline cases
  • Gave Dikembe to Atlanta over Denver (iconic upset against Seattle when in Denver, won 2 of his 4 DPOYS + had best per-minute impact in ATL)
  • Divac- Kings over Lakers (but he’s more known as a component of the fun early 2000s kings teams w/C-Webb, Peja, White Chocolate)
    • Don’t really see people talk about his stint as the bridge between Kareem and Shaq

And with that, here are the all-time hometown rosters including internationals in italics! (If you're more of a visual person, here's the imgur link where I also included regular season stats and career accolades)

Anaheim Amigos

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
darren collison	reggie miller	george yardley	kawhi leonard	bill walton
greg anthony	jim barnett	greg ballard	cliff levingston	mark eaton
paul neumann	jared dudley	bryon russell	keith van horn	bob rule
cj watson			adam keefe	steve johnson
			scott williams	coby dietrick

Atlanta Hawks

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
walt frazier	dale ellis	shareef abdur-rahim	larry nance	dikembe mutombo
sedale threatt	lou williams	mike mitchell	horace grant	al horford
	matt harpring	chris morris	harvey grant	dale davis
	jeremy lamb	willie anderson	al-farouq aminu	jim fox
	shandon anderson	alvin scott	jj hickson	kelvin cato
	jodie meeks			zaza pachulia

Baltimore Bullets

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
sam cassell	reggie lewis	carmelo anthony	dominique wilkins	marvin webster
muggsy bogues	will barton	rudy gay	billy owens
gene shue	dudley bradley	reggie williams
dave twardzik

Berkeley Bears

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
gary payton	damian lillard	jason kidd	paul pierce	bill russell
lester conner	phil chenier	bruce bowen	paul silas	antonio davis
	jon barry	brent barry	drew gooden	brook lopez
		nate williams	cliff robinson	robin lopez
			bison dele

Birmingham Barons

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
eric bledsoe	andrew toney	john drew	charles barkley	artis gilmore
	wesley person	robert horry	antonio mcdyess	ben wallace
	tr dunn	gerald wallace	larry kenon	theo ratliff
		derrick mckey	clarence weatherspoon	leon douglas
		reggie king	demarre carroll
		buck johnson

Boston Celtics

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
dana barros	vinny del negro		vin baker	andre drummond
michael adams			rick mahorn	marcus camby
travis best			matt bonner
johnny egan

Brooklyn Nets

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
lenny wilkens	chris mullin	bernard king	connie hawkins	ray felix
stephon marbury	world b free	billy cunningham	rudy larusso	zaid abdul-aziz
carl braun	rolando blackman	roger brown	taj gibson	len elmore
mark jackson	vinnie johnson	doug moe	john salley
george thompson	jr smith	jim mcmillian
john roche	bob verga	walter simon

Capital City Go-Go

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
allen iverson	paul pressey	bob dandridge	kevin durant	moses malone
ty lawson	victor oladipo	walt williams	joe smith	alonzo mourning
gerald henderson	delonte west	allan bristow	ed davis	mark west
jarrett jack		dante cunningham		jr reid

Charlotte Hornets

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
stephen curry	ray allen	james worthy	kevin garnett	brad daugherty
darrell armstrong	david thompson	alex english	bobby jones	jermaine o'neal
sleepy floyd	walter davis	khris middleton	antawn jamison	hassan whiteside
jim cleamons	anthony morrow	xavier mcdaniel	trevor booker	clifford ray
anthony johnson		tyrone corbin	mikki moore	pervis ellison
				bismack biyombo

Chicago Bulls

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
isiah thomas	jeff hornacek	mark aguirre	terry cummings	george mikan
doc rivers	hersey hawkins	luol deng	toni kukoc	joakim noah
patrick beverley	michael finley	andres nocioni	mickey johnson	nazr mohammed
	corey maggette		jim brewer	luc longley

Cleveland Cavaliers

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
cj mccollum	michael redd	lebron james	charles oakley	nate thurmond
larry jones	kevin martin	james posey	gus johnson	zydrunas ilgauskas
antonio daniels	alvin robertson	ruben patterson		anderson varejao
eric snow	dick snyder	phil hubbard		tom boerwinkle
earl boykins	larry siegfried			kosta koufos

College Park Skyhawks

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
norm nixon	jeff malone	sam mitchell	josh smith	dwight howard
charlie ward	kentavious caldwell-pope	jae crowder	derrick favors	tree rollins
			lloyd neal	elmore smith
				wayne cooper
				joe meriweather

Dallas Mavericks

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
deron williams	ricky pierce	dennis rodman	dirk nowitzki	chris bosh
mookie blaylock	marcus smart	willie naulls	larry johnson	lamarcus aldridge
micheal williams	damon jones	cj miles	kenyon martin	tony battie
spud webb		dave stallworth	julius randle	alton lister
jj barea			kurt thomas	greg ostertag
				oliver miller

Denver Nuggets

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
chauncey billups	micheal ray richardson	danilo gallinari	paul millsap	nikola jokic
chuck williams	reggie jackson	scott wedman	james johnson	nene hilario
		eric piatkowski	eduardo najera
			pat garrity

Detroit Pistons

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
archie clark	steve smith	george gervin	chris webber	mel daniels
bj armstrong	ralph simpson	shane battier	dave debusschere	dan roundfield
paul seymour	jalen rose	campy russell	rudy tomjanovich	kevin willis
kelvin ransey	voshon lenard	steve mix	grant long	derrick coleman
johnny davis		terry tyler	terry mills	tim mccormick
			jonas jerebko

Gary Steelheads

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
scott skiles	dick barnett	chet walker	shawn kemp	jack sikma
quinn buckner	kendall gill	glenn robinson		mason plumlee
	craig hodges	junior bridgeman		eddy curry
		rod higgins

Golden State Warriors

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
kc jones	phil smith	willie wise	kenny sears	rich kelley
jeremy lin	mickael pietrus		aaron gordon	red rocha
eddie house			tom meschery	darnell hillman
			kurt rambis	andris biedrins
			kevin restani	dennis awtrey

Houston Rockets

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
slater martin	clyde drexler	jimmy butler	hakeem olajuwon	yao ming
	joe caldwell	rashard lewis	luis scola	deandre jordan
			dwight jones	zelmo beaty
				emeka okafor
				kendrick perkins
				chris andersen

Indiana Pacers

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
oscar robertson	dick van arsdale	gordon hayward	george mcginnis	clyde lovellette
louie dampier	kevin grevey	terry dischinger	alan henderson	rik smits
mike conley	jon mcglocklin	bojan bogdanovic		ian mahinmi
jeff teague	mike woodson	larry steele
jim price	courtney lee	randy wittman
bill keller
jerry sichting

Indianapolis Jaguars

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
john paxson	jim paxson	bonzi wells	jerry lucas	wayne embry
george hill	gary harris		zach randolph	kent benson
allen leavell	eric gordon		johnny green	jim davis
kyle macy	ron harper		goose ligon
	john mengelt

Lansing Spartans

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
magic johnson	devin booker	morris peterson	draymond green	brad miller
	dan majerle	jason richardson	loy vaught	javale mcgee
	trent tucker	jay vincent	ben poquette

Lexington Wildcats

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
glen combs	hal greer	louis orr	neil johnston	dave cowens
freddie lewis	clem haskins	barry clemens	brian grant	arnie risen
george king			tyrone hill	dave robisch
			jack coleman	chuck share
			patrick patterson	lasalle thompson

Long Island Knights

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
calvin murphy	wally szczerbiak	julius erving	tobias harris	jeff ruland
foots walker	randy smith	charles smith	tom gugliotta	mike gminski
mike james	john williamson	danny green		frank brickowski

Los Angeles Clippers

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
russell westbrook	james harden	demar derozan	dave greenwood	swen nater
dennis johnson	bill sharman	tayshaun prince	curtis rowe	elden campbell
mack calvin	paul westphal	bob gross
andre miller	byron scott	josh childress
reggie theus	kyle korver	jan van breda kolff
brandon jennings	jay humphries	arron afflalo

Los Angeles Lakers

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
baron davis	michael cooper	paul george	sidney wicks	pau gasol
darwin cook	stacey augmon	marques johnson	mel hutchins	john block
	lucious harris	cedric ceballos	amir johnson	darrall imhoff
	tracy murray	trevor ariza	john williams
		rick fox
		dorell wright

Louisville Colonels

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
rajon rondo	frank ramsey	cliff hagan	larry bird	wes unseld
don buse	darel carrier	allan houston	les hunter	clyde lee
ted mcclain	derek anderson	greg smith		felton spencer
butch beard	greg buckner
chris whitney

Memphis Grizzlies

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
anfernee hardaway	adrian smith	corliss williamson	bailey howell	spencer haywood
tony delk	bingo smith	otto porter	michael cage	marc gasol
			thaddeus young	sam lacey
			terry catledge	lorenzen wright
			popeye jones

Miami Heat

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
derek harper	mitch richmond	eddie jones	otis thorpe	rony seikaly
goran dragic	tim hardaway jr	raja bell	udonis haslem	neal walk
	james jones			otto moore

Milwaukee Bucks

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
terry porter	fred brown	latrell sprewell	giannis antetokounmpo	andrew bogut
devin harris	wesley matthews	caron butler	ersan ilyasova	jim chones
nick van exel	carlos delfino	don kojis	carl landry	kevin kunnert
		bill hanzlik	paul griffin	kurt nimphius
		luc mbah a moute

Minnesota Timberwolves

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
ricky rubio	ron boone	harrison barnes	vern mikkelsen	kevin mchale
kirk hinrich	dick garmaker	mike miller	bob boozer	gorgui dieng
		devean george	mark olberding	raef lafrentz
			kris humphries	randy breuer
			nick collison	joel przybilla

New Orleans Pelicans

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
dj augustin	kerry kittles	danny granger	bob pettit	demarcus cousins
mo williams	don chaney	purvis short	hot rod williams	al jefferson
avery johnson	mahmoud abdul-rauf	cincinnatus powell	brandon bass	greg monroe
chris duhon	bobby phills		reggie evans	george johnson
	marcus thornton		glen davis	mike green
			othella harrington	erick dampier
			cornell warner	harvey catchings

New York Knicks

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
tiny archibald	charlie scott	metta world peace	dolph schayes	kareem abdul-jabbar
rod strickland	jeff mullins	tom sanders	tom heinsohn	patrick ewing
bobby wanzer	mario elie	jamal mashburn	elton brand	sam perkins
vern fleming			david west	billy paultz
				olden polynice

Newark Americans

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
kyrie irving	bob weiss	rick barry	troy murphy	shaquille o'neal
brian taylor		kelly tripucka	al harrington	karl-anthony towns
larry brown		eric williams	tim thomas	andrew bynum
al attles			kenneth faried	chris gatling
brevin knight			nenad krstic	mark bryant
eric murdock

North Little Rock RimRockers

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
derek fisher	sidney moncrief	scottie pippen	larry smith	caldwell jones
	joe johnson	glen rice	wil jones	joe barry carroll
	eddie miles	ronnie brewer	anthony tolliver	andrew lang
	fred jones		charles jones

Oklahoma City Thunder

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
mark price	john starks	thabo sefolosha	blake griffin	alvan adams
darnell valentine	craig ehlo	maurice evans	serge ibaka	steven adams
jim king			wayman tisdale	enes kanter
			antoine carr

Orlando Magic

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
dee brown	tracy mcgrady	vince carter	amare stoudemire	darryl dawkins
chucky atkins	otis birdsong	hedo turkoglu	truck robinson	nikola vucevic
eddie johnson (78-87)	evan fournier	chandler parsons	red robbins	matt geiger
carlos arroyo			marreese speights	will perdue
				kwame brown
				clemon johnson

Philadelphia 76ers

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
jameer nelson	earl monroe	paul arizin	larry foust	samuel dalembert
bill melchionni	geoff petrie	tyreke evans	warren davis	chris dudley
	chris ford	michael kidd-gilchrist	jim washington	jason thompson
	matt guokas	ollie johnson	ray scott
			malik rose

Phoenix Suns

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
fat lever	leandro barbosa	richard jefferson	sean elliott	channing frye
mike bibby	jerryd bayless		arthur becker
			kenny thomas

Pittsburgh Ironmen

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
norm van lier	pete maravich	john havlicek	armen gilliam	maurice lucas
brad davis	billy knight	jack twyman	len chappell	pat cummings
johnny moore	stu lantz	jack marin
ron williams
george king

Portland Trail Blazers

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
terrell brandon	klay thompson	nicolas batum	kevin love	arvydas sabonis
damon stoudamire	danny ainge	mike dunleavy jr	ac green	mychal thompson
	steve jones	terrence ross		mel counts
	mike newlin	dave gambee

Queens Red Storm

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
bob cousy	richie guerin	lamar odom	anthony mason	leroy ellis
kemba walker	gus williams	mike riordan	ed pinckney	tom owens
dick mcguire	ben gordon	rodney mccray	bob kauffman
kenny anderson	brian winters	malik sealy	charlie villanueva
kenny smith	ray williams	maurice harkless
rafer alston	ernie grunfeld

Raleigh Cougars

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
john wall	michael jordan	cedric maxwell	buck williams	walt bellamy
nate mcmillan	sam jones	jerome kersey	pj tucker	randy denton
phil ford	bryant stith	jerry stackhouse	chris wilcox
john lucas		ml carr	chucky brown
ramon sessions		rodney rogers
henry bibby

Rosemont Rush

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
flynn robinson	nick anderson	shawn marion	dan issel	bill laimbeer
shaun livingston	anthony parker	robert covington	bob netolicky	dave corzine
		don nelson	aaron williams

Sacramento Kings

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
kevin johnson	matt barnes	omri casspi	peja stojakovic	vlade divac
beno udrih	francisco garcia		ryan anderson	bill cartwright
				jim eakins
				james donaldson
				chuck hayes

San Antonio Spurs

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
tony parker	manu ginobili	robert reid	tim duncan	rasho nesterovic
david wesley	marco belinelli	bo outlaw	boris diaw	luke jackson
patty mills			bill bridges	jeff foster

Seattle SuperSonics

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
john stockton	steve nash	detlef schrempf	carlos boozer	byron beck
isaiah thomas	brandon roy	doug christie	marvin williams	james edwards
nate robinson	jason terry	martell webster	vladimir radmanovic	steve hawes
mario chalmers	jamal crawford			mike lewis
luke ridnour	rodney stuckey			blair rasmussen

Shreveport Storm

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
jimmy jones	joe dumars	calvin natt	karl malone	willis reed
james silas		orlando woolridge	elvin hayes	robert parish
			bob love	benoit benjamin
			john beasley	pj brown
			stromile swift	ervin johnson

South Side Sky

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
derrick rose	dwyane wade	cazzie russell	juwan howard	anthony davis
maurice cheeks	tony allen	eddie johnson(81-99)	bill robinzine	red kerr
tim hardaway	quentin richardson	ron anderson	jason maxiell
rickey green	sonny parker	bobby simmons
kevin porter
darrell walker

Spirits of St. Louis

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
jo jo white	bradley beal	andre iguodala	harry gallatin	ed macauley
lucius allen	donnie freeman	jerry sloan	david lee	gene moore
andy phillip	warren jabali	bill bradley	laphonso ellis	steve stipanovich
tyronn lue	doug collins	alec burks		jon koncak
	anthony peeler	kevin gamble		bob ferry
		john brown

Toronto Raptors

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
larry costello	george carter	clifford robinson	tristan thompson	bob lanier
jose calderon	cory joseph		christian laettner	jonas valanciunas
			kelly olynyk	jamaal magloire
			andray blatche	danny schayes
				walter dukes

Utah Jazz

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
	joe ingles	andrei kirilenko	tom chambers	rudy gobert
			fred roberts	mehmet okur
			phil jackson	shawn bradley

Washington Wizards

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
steve francis	adrian dantley	grant hill	elgin baylor	david robinson
sherman douglas	dave bing	dennis scott	thurl bailey	ralph sampson
gene littles	austin carr	jerome williams	kenny carr	roy hibbert
johnny dawkins	dell curry	danny ferry	kermit washington	marcin gortat
	hubert davis	jeff green	jerami grant	curtis perry
	john battle		michael smith
			john tresvant

Westwood Bruins

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
gilbert arenas	gail goodrich	chris mills	kiki vandeweghe	tyson chandler
jrue holiday	steve kerr	jamaal wilkes	lonnie shelton
chris childs			austin croshere

Winston-Salem Demon Deacons

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
chris paul	jerry west	josh howard	happy hairston	bob mcadoo
jason williams	lou hudson	johnny newman	danny manning	brendan haywood
bobby jackson	jj redick	george lynch
	jimmy walker
	rod thorn

Wynnewood Hawks

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
kyle lowry	kobe bryant	richard hamilton	rasheed wallace	wilt chamberlain
walt hazzard	aaron mckie	tom gola	donyell marshall	sam bowie
alvin williams	cuttino mobley	roy hinson	marcus morris	tom mcmillen
	bob sura	mike bantom	markieff morris
	mike gale	gene banks	trooper washington
			hakim warrick

Best Positional Groups (in my opinion)

(in reverse alphabetical order)
Best Guards: Winston-Salem, South Side, Seattle, Queens, LA Clippers, Indiana
Best Wings: Washington, North Little Rock, Long Island, Baltimore, Brooklyn, Charlotte
Best Bigs: Shreveport, Portland, New York, Houston, Detroit, Dallas, Birmingham

TL;DR

What did you do?

• Created all-time hometown/territorial rosters

Why did you do it?

• always been fascinated with it ever since Bron came home

Who did you use?

• player pool was top 957 in career ws/48 (min 10000 mp) from basketball-reference, plus George Mikan (listed in ESPN's AllTime NBARank and Bill Simmons Basketball Pyramid but didn't meet the minutes requirement)
• team pool was originally 30 teams, added more teams where there were an abundance of players

New Teams:

Team	Notables
Anaheim Amigos	Kawhi, Reggie, Bill Walton
Baltimore Bullets	Dominique, Melo
Berkeley Bears	Bill Russell, Dame, Paul Pierce
Birmingham Barons	Barkley, Eric Bledsoe, Artis Gilmore
Capital City Go-Go	AI, KD, Moses
College Park Skyhawks	Dwight Howard, Josh Smith
Gary Steelheads	Shawn Kemp, Sikma
Indianapolis Jaguars	Jerry Lucas, Zach Randolph
Lansing Spartans	Magic, D-Book, Draymond
Lexington Wildcats	Hal Greer, Cowens
Long Island Knights	Dr J, Tobias Harris
Louisville Colonels	Bird, Rondo, Unseld
Newark Americans	Kyrie, Rick Barry, Shaq
North Little Rock RimRockers	Pippen, Sidney Moncrief, Iso Joe
Pittsburgh Ironmen	Pistol Pete, Havlicek
Queens Red Storm	Cousy, Kemba
Raleigh Cougars	Michael Jordan, John Wall
Rosemont Rush	Shawn Marion, Laimbeer
Seattle SuperSonics	Stockton, Steve Nash, Schrempf
Shreveport Storm	Mailman, Dumars, Willis Reed
South Side Sky	Dwyane Wade, D-Rose, Anthony Davis
Spirits of St. Louis	Beal, Iguodala
Westwood Bruins	Arenas, Jrue
Winston-Salem Demon Deacons	Logo, CP3
Wynnewood Hawks	Kobe, Wilt, Lowry

How did you do it?

• Googled "[player name] grew up neighbourhood" and variations of that
• haversine formula to find closest arena
• Custom Google MyMaps with all the arenas on it
• gave international players to their "adopted hometown" aka the combination of biggest impact (most win shares) and most memorable stop

Where did you do it?

• Scroll up
• The original workbook on Google Sheets
• The Imgur album for visualizing it

Are you a nephew?

• Both my parents have siblings, so in the technical sense, yes.

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If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope y'all enjoyed the read!