Post by troybarnes on Aug 31, 2020 23:27:44 GMT
Shay McTodd
Sim Illustrated
As we draw near to the end of the 2043 regular season, some teams are gearing up for a run at the title while others are trying to figure out where it all went wrong and what they can do to fix it. I'll be providing a breakdown of the FA market for those teams that find themselves in the latter category. Of course, there is a chance that any or all of these players re-sign before they even hit the market, but these are the players you should be targeting should they decide they want to see if the grass really is greener on the other side.
*All numbers listed are the per 36 averages for the current season at the time this post was made
PG
Chris Paul (Bulls)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
19.3 4.5 10.8 1.5 0.3 2.3 .461 .831 .370 1.100 19.9
Paul has reached the end of his rookie deal and is likely looking for a well deserved payday. He's a franchise PG and that's hard to find in this league. I would imagine Bulls' GM TimPig will be re-signing him if he's able, but if he hits the market, he may be the hottest commodity on the market this off-season
Michael Ray Richardson (SuperSonics)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
19.1 4.5 10.9 0.9 0.2 2.0 .419 .786 .347 .988 17.9
Honestly, the PG list could've just been Paul because he's the only true star at the point in this FA class, but for everyone who doesn't land him, Richardson is a seasoned option. His FG % and bleal to TO ratio leaves a lot to be desired, but there's no doubt that he can distribute effectively, racking up almost 11 per 36 in the '43 season.
Tiny Archibald
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
14.0 2.9 9.5 0.9 0.2 2.0 .448 .807 .368 1.051 14.4
Archibald has had a journeyman career as a bit player, so it may surprise some veteran GMs to see his name on this list, but he put up a solid stat line in his first season as a starter. What really gets him a mention here, though, is that he still has 10 upgrade points left which means his best basketball could be in front of him, despite the fact that he's 31. Archibald is my darkhorse pick for this year's FA class, at least in the PG category.
SF/SG
Lou Williams, SG (Hornets)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
23.4 5.9 3.0 1.7 0.2 1.1 .477 .921 .414 1.151 19.4
The younger half of the Hornets' 1-2 punch on the wings enters his first FA and is likely looking for pay dirt as the best 2 guard in this year's FA class. He's young, has a 2/1 bleal to TO ratio and combines volume and efficiency on the offensive end. Williams is a piece you could build a team around
LeBron James, SF (Bulls)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
28.5 8.7 5.0 1.5 0.3 2.0 .539 .943 .455 1.300 26.1
He's old, but it's LeBron. He's still putting up elite elite numbers at the age of 34 and until that stops or he retires, he'll be on this list every time. I mean, just look at that ridiculous stat line. However, he may hard to pry away from the Bulls, as they have 16 bird years on him.
Pete Maravich, SG (Blazers)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.7 6.5 3.5 1.4 0.1 1.7 .527 .785 .341 1.191 19.1
Pistol Pete has been a top end SG since he entered the league a decade ago. Efficient on the offensive end and a good rebounder for a 2, the only question with Pete is how long he can keep it up. Like many of the best wings in this year's FA class, Maravich is certainly in the latter half of his career. He could continue to produce at a high level like Lebron or AD, but he might also start to experience a sudden decline like the next entry on our list, making him a high risk/high reward proposition
Dominique Wilkins, SF (Bobcats)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.6 7.3 2.0 1.1 0.2 2.5 .476 .678 .328 1.058 15.5
Keeping on theme with another big name who's perhaps in the twilight of their career, 'Nique is still one of the better SFs in the league, despite a fairly dramatic production drop this year. Will he continue in a rapid decline or does he still have a few more seasons left in the tank? Time will tell, but I'm betting somebody will be willing to pay to find out
Austin Carr, SG (Stags)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
20.9 4.6 1.8 0.7 0.4 1.7 .445 .752 .346 1.036 13.3
Another 2 guard who's in the 30+ age bracket. Carr spent most of his year with the Magic before being traded to the Stags at the deadline. His 2043 was cut short by injury, which makes the second time in 4 years that he's had an extended absence due to injury. This history combined with his age (31) will likely make durability an area of concern for potential suitors, but when he's on the floor, his numbers are good enough that he'll still have several kicking the tires this off-season.
PF/C
Ronny Turiaf, C (Stags)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
26.0 9.7 2.6 0.9 1.9 2.5 .519 .690 .000 1.126 21.1
Turiaf has emerged as the Stags best player over the last 2 seasons and word is that he wants to play for a winner, so he will likely be looking elsewhere this offseason. The Stags' coaching staff seems to prefer his younger counterpart, Willie Cauley-Stein, but looking at their per 36 numbers, we can't understand why. Positive bleal to TO ratio and excellent FG percentage is a good combo. Unfortunately for Turiaf, his position is the deepest in this FA class and lacks the size of most premier post players in this league.
Andrew Bogut, C; Bryant Reeves, C; Chris Bosh, PF (Amigos)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
AB) 24.0 11.0 3.6 0.9 0.8 1.8 .485 .842 .300 1.120 21.1
BR) 26.2 11.3 1.9 1.2 2.1 2.5 .504 .559 .000 1.052 20.6
CB) 29.2 9.3 3.7 1.0 2.1 2.2 .502 .892 .321 1.155 24.7
I've grouped the Amigos big men together because I had to consolidate this section somehow and they're all worth mentioning. Of the two younger players, Reeves is a bit more efficient and sports a much better bleal to TO ratio than Bogut, but Bogut seems to be the better passer and is a bit younger (23 vs. 26). Either way, both are good options this FA if you need help in the post and are looking to build for the future. However, if you're in win now mode, Bosh is clearly still the choice here. Even at 34, he's averaging 29+ points /36 to go along with 9+ boards and 2+ blocks. He could be a real difference maker for a team looking to make a championship run in the next year or two.
Andrew Bynum, C (Blazers)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
19.8 13.1 4.1 1.2 1.3 2.6 .523 .610 .000 1.111 19.6
Bynum is right there in the mix with our next entrant for best young big man in the game. He's only 21, but he's been performing at a high level in TMBSL for the last 3 years. He's a guy you could build your franchise around.
Marvin Williams, PF (Bulls)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.9 11.7 2.1 1.2 1.3 2.5 .545 .870 .385 1.254 21.3
Marvin Williams is a grown man at 22 years old, having spent 4 years in the big leagues already. His rebounding is elite, great percentages, excellent p/tsa. What more could you want, aside from TOs being a little lower?
Bobby Cattage, PF (Bullets)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
18.4 10.4 2.1 0.8 1.4 2.1 .495 .668 .167 1.078 16.1
Cattage has only 2 years in the league but in that time he has established himself as one of the best value picks from the 2042 draft. Once he gets the +30 (!) that he has remaining for his career, he'll be a monster. He was a sleeper 2 years ago and he's my sleeper pick in this year's FA class.
Kosta Koufos, C (Stags)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
18.9 11.1 1.9 1.3 2.0 1.6 .475 .546 .000 . 998 16.9
A very solid 6th man and sometimes starter over the last couple of seasons for the Stags, Koufos brings a great bleal ratio and good rebounding numbers. He's by no means a dominating offensive presence, but he has steadily improved that aspect of his game, shooting better from the field and netting more PPG in each of the last 2 seasons. At a minimum, a very solid depth piece, which is a role he's already very comfortable playing
Clemon Johnson, C (Spurs)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.3 11.8 2.7 0.8 1.5 2.0 .522 .613 .000 1.101 19.7
The Clemon has been a solid option in the low post for almost a decade in TMBSL and we don't expect that to stop now. His FT percentage isn't what you'd like ideally, but that's the biggest knock against him.
HMs to consider if you're in win now mode:
Terry Cummings, PF (Pistons)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
27.5 10.6 1.3 1.2 2.4 2.8 .463 .939 .448 1.134 22.0
34 years old
Bill Cartwright, C (Kings)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
24.0 14.9 1.7 1.0 0.9 1.5 .516 .691 .000 1.126 22.0
34 years old
Anthony Davis, PF (Heat)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
21.7 12.1 3.8 1.2 1.1 1.7 .499 .798 .313 1.133 21.1
36 years old
Sim Illustrated
As we draw near to the end of the 2043 regular season, some teams are gearing up for a run at the title while others are trying to figure out where it all went wrong and what they can do to fix it. I'll be providing a breakdown of the FA market for those teams that find themselves in the latter category. Of course, there is a chance that any or all of these players re-sign before they even hit the market, but these are the players you should be targeting should they decide they want to see if the grass really is greener on the other side.
*All numbers listed are the per 36 averages for the current season at the time this post was made
PG
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
19.3 4.5 10.8 1.5 0.3 2.3 .461 .831 .370 1.100 19.9
Paul has reached the end of his rookie deal and is likely looking for a well deserved payday. He's a franchise PG and that's hard to find in this league. I would imagine Bulls' GM TimPig will be re-signing him if he's able, but if he hits the market, he may be the hottest commodity on the market this off-season
Michael Ray Richardson (SuperSonics)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
19.1 4.5 10.9 0.9 0.2 2.0 .419 .786 .347 .988 17.9
Honestly, the PG list could've just been Paul because he's the only true star at the point in this FA class, but for everyone who doesn't land him, Richardson is a seasoned option. His FG % and bleal to TO ratio leaves a lot to be desired, but there's no doubt that he can distribute effectively, racking up almost 11 per 36 in the '43 season.
Tiny Archibald
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
14.0 2.9 9.5 0.9 0.2 2.0 .448 .807 .368 1.051 14.4
Archibald has had a journeyman career as a bit player, so it may surprise some veteran GMs to see his name on this list, but he put up a solid stat line in his first season as a starter. What really gets him a mention here, though, is that he still has 10 upgrade points left which means his best basketball could be in front of him, despite the fact that he's 31. Archibald is my darkhorse pick for this year's FA class, at least in the PG category.
SF/SG
Lou Williams, SG (Hornets)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
23.4 5.9 3.0 1.7 0.2 1.1 .477 .921 .414 1.151 19.4
The younger half of the Hornets' 1-2 punch on the wings enters his first FA and is likely looking for pay dirt as the best 2 guard in this year's FA class. He's young, has a 2/1 bleal to TO ratio and combines volume and efficiency on the offensive end. Williams is a piece you could build a team around
LeBron James, SF (Bulls)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
28.5 8.7 5.0 1.5 0.3 2.0 .539 .943 .455 1.300 26.1
He's old, but it's LeBron. He's still putting up elite elite numbers at the age of 34 and until that stops or he retires, he'll be on this list every time. I mean, just look at that ridiculous stat line. However, he may hard to pry away from the Bulls, as they have 16 bird years on him.
Pete Maravich, SG (Blazers)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.7 6.5 3.5 1.4 0.1 1.7 .527 .785 .341 1.191 19.1
Pistol Pete has been a top end SG since he entered the league a decade ago. Efficient on the offensive end and a good rebounder for a 2, the only question with Pete is how long he can keep it up. Like many of the best wings in this year's FA class, Maravich is certainly in the latter half of his career. He could continue to produce at a high level like Lebron or AD, but he might also start to experience a sudden decline like the next entry on our list, making him a high risk/high reward proposition
Dominique Wilkins, SF (Bobcats)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.6 7.3 2.0 1.1 0.2 2.5 .476 .678 .328 1.058 15.5
Keeping on theme with another big name who's perhaps in the twilight of their career, 'Nique is still one of the better SFs in the league, despite a fairly dramatic production drop this year. Will he continue in a rapid decline or does he still have a few more seasons left in the tank? Time will tell, but I'm betting somebody will be willing to pay to find out
Austin Carr, SG (Stags)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
20.9 4.6 1.8 0.7 0.4 1.7 .445 .752 .346 1.036 13.3
Another 2 guard who's in the 30+ age bracket. Carr spent most of his year with the Magic before being traded to the Stags at the deadline. His 2043 was cut short by injury, which makes the second time in 4 years that he's had an extended absence due to injury. This history combined with his age (31) will likely make durability an area of concern for potential suitors, but when he's on the floor, his numbers are good enough that he'll still have several kicking the tires this off-season.
PF/C
Ronny Turiaf, C (Stags)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
26.0 9.7 2.6 0.9 1.9 2.5 .519 .690 .000 1.126 21.1
Turiaf has emerged as the Stags best player over the last 2 seasons and word is that he wants to play for a winner, so he will likely be looking elsewhere this offseason. The Stags' coaching staff seems to prefer his younger counterpart, Willie Cauley-Stein, but looking at their per 36 numbers, we can't understand why. Positive bleal to TO ratio and excellent FG percentage is a good combo. Unfortunately for Turiaf, his position is the deepest in this FA class and lacks the size of most premier post players in this league.
Andrew Bogut, C; Bryant Reeves, C; Chris Bosh, PF (Amigos)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
AB) 24.0 11.0 3.6 0.9 0.8 1.8 .485 .842 .300 1.120 21.1
BR) 26.2 11.3 1.9 1.2 2.1 2.5 .504 .559 .000 1.052 20.6
CB) 29.2 9.3 3.7 1.0 2.1 2.2 .502 .892 .321 1.155 24.7
I've grouped the Amigos big men together because I had to consolidate this section somehow and they're all worth mentioning. Of the two younger players, Reeves is a bit more efficient and sports a much better bleal to TO ratio than Bogut, but Bogut seems to be the better passer and is a bit younger (23 vs. 26). Either way, both are good options this FA if you need help in the post and are looking to build for the future. However, if you're in win now mode, Bosh is clearly still the choice here. Even at 34, he's averaging 29+ points /36 to go along with 9+ boards and 2+ blocks. He could be a real difference maker for a team looking to make a championship run in the next year or two.
Andrew Bynum, C (Blazers)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
19.8 13.1 4.1 1.2 1.3 2.6 .523 .610 .000 1.111 19.6
Bynum is right there in the mix with our next entrant for best young big man in the game. He's only 21, but he's been performing at a high level in TMBSL for the last 3 years. He's a guy you could build your franchise around.
Marvin Williams, PF (Bulls)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.9 11.7 2.1 1.2 1.3 2.5 .545 .870 .385 1.254 21.3
Marvin Williams is a grown man at 22 years old, having spent 4 years in the big leagues already. His rebounding is elite, great percentages, excellent p/tsa. What more could you want, aside from TOs being a little lower?
Bobby Cattage, PF (Bullets)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
18.4 10.4 2.1 0.8 1.4 2.1 .495 .668 .167 1.078 16.1
Cattage has only 2 years in the league but in that time he has established himself as one of the best value picks from the 2042 draft. Once he gets the +30 (!) that he has remaining for his career, he'll be a monster. He was a sleeper 2 years ago and he's my sleeper pick in this year's FA class.
Kosta Koufos, C (Stags)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
18.9 11.1 1.9 1.3 2.0 1.6 .475 .546 .000 . 998 16.9
A very solid 6th man and sometimes starter over the last couple of seasons for the Stags, Koufos brings a great bleal ratio and good rebounding numbers. He's by no means a dominating offensive presence, but he has steadily improved that aspect of his game, shooting better from the field and netting more PPG in each of the last 2 seasons. At a minimum, a very solid depth piece, which is a role he's already very comfortable playing
Clemon Johnson, C (Spurs)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
22.3 11.8 2.7 0.8 1.5 2.0 .522 .613 .000 1.101 19.7
The Clemon has been a solid option in the low post for almost a decade in TMBSL and we don't expect that to stop now. His FT percentage isn't what you'd like ideally, but that's the biggest knock against him.
HMs to consider if you're in win now mode:
Terry Cummings, PF (Pistons)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
27.5 10.6 1.3 1.2 2.4 2.8 .463 .939 .448 1.134 22.0
34 years old
Bill Cartwright, C (Kings)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
24.0 14.9 1.7 1.0 0.9 1.5 .516 .691 .000 1.126 22.0
34 years old
Anthony Davis, PF (Heat)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOPG FG % FT % 3P % Pts/TSA PER
21.7 12.1 3.8 1.2 1.1 1.7 .499 .798 .313 1.133 21.1
36 years old
