@woe Eight teams in a points league with those scoring settings? Things can go haywire in a contracted league if you suffer injuries or other setbacks. With that said, I’m fairly confident in this team’s ability to compete. I’ll rate your team as if your additions of Adams and Zubac happened after this review, since I should still be measuring your core roster’s competitiveness and it’s not clear if they are actually a part of that picture. Having 17 players in my projections instead of 15 would change these results and give a less-than-accurate picture of how your weekly matchups would turn out.
Strengths: AST, BLK, DD (*), PTS (*), REB, STL
Weaknesses: FT%, TO
Mid: FG%, 3PT
Players that are good at your strengths: Allen, Ball, Cunningham, Doncic, Fox, Garland, Hayward and Siakam
Players that are bad at your strengths: Clarke, Green, Poeltl, Sengun, Smith and Wagner
Players that are good at your weaknesses: Hayward, Vassell and Wagner
Penalties for missed shots could really bite you with so many high-volume perimeter players. In particular, Doncic and Fox’s poor FT% with high volume could incur more penalties than benefits. Thankfully, this team masks those losses with above-average AST and PTS production. In previous roto reviews, you may have noticed that I need to see a 2-to-1 AST/TO ratio in order to be enthusiastic about a team’s chances in AST when there are penalties. You will certainly experience your fair share of FGA, FTA and TO penalties with this squad, but that’s the cost of being competitive in counting stats, which you are.
This team should be very effective in PTS, although additions of Adams and Zubac won’t help there. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that we’re expecting another jump from Cunningham, Green, Sengun, Smith and Vassell, but what is really convincing me about this team’s potential is that you’re already well-above average based on last year’s production.
Adams and Zubac can help your effectiveness in FG% and will bring it closer to a strength for you, but they are going to drag your competitiveness in 3PT. Along with the nice bonus in OREB, I expect them to join an already solid core of potential DD producers for your squad: Allen, Ball, Cunningham, Doncic, Garland and Poeltl. There will be occasions where other players get into this group, but it’s unlikely to happen often enough to be counted upon. You have assembled a very competitive REB team, so I expect you to regularly get a boost from this category.
The bonus points for BLK and STL aren't so overwhelming that they need to be prioritized in this league. While you do have solid producers in both categories, the reality is that these extra points aren't going to put you over the edge unless you have the true elites. For example, there's almost a difference of three fantasy points per-game between the value of Allen's BPG versus Clarke's BPG from last year, and Clarke certainly isn't making up ground elsewhere. Your defensive producers are only as valuable as their other categories can take them.
Pay extra close attention to Clarke as the year progresses. This league format will not be very rewarding for a player of his caliber if he isn’t showing growth from last season. I tend to view Clarke as more of an asset in H2H versus roto because he’s only above-average in BLK, FG% and TO. A middling performer in several other areas can still be rostered, but Clarke’s playing time will be a major influence on his overall effectiveness. Truthfully, I’m not convinced he can make enough of an impact in any of his strength categories to really make him an asset for your team. I recognize that I may be going against the grain with Clarke being on a lot of sleeper lists this offseason, but I don’t think his FGM will be noticeable amongst your high-volume scoring team. His BPG is solid but not spectacular, and his TO is only an asset because he is historically a low-usage player. Even though I have also drafted Clarke in some leagues, I think he’s a good player to float in early trade talks while people are still trying to nail down his value.
Next time you look to the wire, consider players like Ayo Dosunmu, Bruce Brown, Caris LeVert, Darius Bazley, Derrick White, Isaiah Stewart, Jae’Sean Tate, Robert Covington, Patrick Beverley and Will Barton.
Feedback on this team is greatly appreciated.
G - Kyrie, Maxey, CP3, Mathurin, Ivey
F - OG, Keegan Murray, Bogdanovic (DET), Eason, Doku, Aldama
C - Bam, Robert Williams
I’m in a 10T 9CAT H2H league and I had the 5th pick. I don’t typically play 9CAT but I tried my best and would love some feedback (where I went right or wrong, what I should look for on waivers, etc.) I wanted to punt FG, Blks and TOs. Should I target assists/steals on waivers?
I’m in a 10T 9CAT H2H league and I had the 5th pick. I don’t typically play 9CAT but I tried my best and would love some feedback (where I went right or wrong, what I should look for on waivers, etc.) I wanted to punt FG, Blks and TOs. Should I target assists/steals on waivers?
Just drafted this with the 9th pick in a 9 cat, 14 team H2H league:
9 - KAT
20 - Trae Young
37 - Mobley
48 - Rozier
65 - Ben Simmons
76 - Horford
93 - Lowry
104 - Cam Johnson
121 - Caruso
132 - Melton
149 - Caleb Martin
160 - Aldama
I do feel like I have some regrets picking Lowry at 93, I was thinking then of Jaren Jackson but I was hoping he would make it back to be at 104. I also feel some regrets picking Caruso when there were some bigs out there like Isaiah Stewart, Wiseman and Kuminga, Hartenstein, or Vanderbilt that could have helped make my Frontline a bit more solid.
9cat h2h 14 team 4 moves a week; $300 auction. playoffs 20,21,22.
missed a few of my low targs but anticipate streaming at the bottom anyways
@umamipapi My initial feedback is that Umami Papi is a great moniker.
Strengths: AST, BLK, STL, 3PT
Weaknesses: FG%, PTS
Mid: FT%, REB, TO
Players that are good at your strengths: Green, Hayward, Rozier, Smart and VanVleet
Players that are bad at your strengths: Olynyk
Players that are good at your weaknesses: Murray
Secondary feedback is that Lonzo Ball can’t walk, so I see that as a wasted roster spot and I can’t (didn’t) even factor it into my judgment of your team. Zeroes across the board is the only alternative. Unless you’re plugged in with the Bulls training staff, I’m not sure Ball is worth stashing with such a murky outlook for his physical health. Athletic two-way guards need to have a solid first step, lateral quickness and enough lift to pressure rim protectors, and I’m not entirely sure that Ball will check any of those boxes by mid-season, if at all. I don’t see any reason for the Bulls to rush him back, either, with Caruso, DeRozan, Dosunmu and LaVine all perfectly capable of subbing in as playmakers. For what it’s worth, you’re also far enough ahead in AST without having him on your roster at all. It’s hard for me to forsake a player that I love who shares my surname (I had it first!) but I’m 100% unequivocally out on Ball in all formats but dynasty.
Isaac and Porter are going to be swing candidates on this team. You got them later than they should’ve gone in drafts if healthy, but that’s the issue with both guys. Porter’s shooting percentages from last year are a major red flag if they return, since you need him to be producing solid value in FG%, FT%, PTS, TO and 3PT in order to validate his spot on your team. While he can produce in other categories (BLK, REB, STL), Porter isn’t likely to create enough value to separate himself in those areas. Consider that he is most impactful in extremely volatile categories and less valuable in high-impact areas when monitoring his situation this year. It’s the reverse with Isaac, who is surely going to give good value in those high-impact areas if he plays and retains a solid role with the Magic this year. Anything remotely close to his ‘19-’20 production would make this a league-altering pick, but I expect him to register numbers closer to the previous season, and I judged accordingly. If Isaac is giving you 1-1-1 production (BLK-STL-3PT), then I have every reason to believe this will be a good pick. If the minutes don’t substantiate or something else gets in the way of regular output, then I’m less confident in Isaac’s value. He’s definitely not putting you over the edge in AST, FG% or PTS, and he’s only hanging on to slight value in REB and FT%. Isaac isn’t bad in TO, but that defensive balance is essential to his value and being an asset in a category that many dismiss altogether isn’t too special. Hold steady with both players, but I’d be perpetually prepared to trade them to any team that wants to assume their risk (if the price is right).
Defense is this team’s calling card, thanks to your selections of Green, Isaac, Murray, Rozier, Smart, Turner, Vanderbilt and VanVleet. Given your considerable deficit in PTS, I think you should really be emphasizing the high-impact categories when you make future moves. Defensive specialists should naturally help your TO to remain competitive, while they likely won’t have enough volume to drag your FG% or FT%. If needed, you can sacrifice FG% anyway. Most of your scorers have an ability to create value in other areas, so this isn’t a recommendation to move on; simply an acknowledgement that you shouldn’t value potential additions for their PTS production.
I really hope you will address FT% and REB on this team, because I think you may already be competitive there, even if I didn’t call it a strength for your team. Your team will be competing in those categories by committee, as opposed to leaning on some elite producers. To me, this is the perfect opportunity to turn over Ball’s roster spot and really solidify a winning combination of players. I’m thinking of players like Caleb Martin, Chris Boucher, Cody Martin, Daniel Gafford, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Isaiah Stewart, Kevin Love, Maxi Kleber, Nassir Little and Otto Porter as good options to address those needs.
If you’re set on keeping Ball, you should still be looking at upgrading that end-of-bench center spot by re-evaluating what Olynyk’s value is to this team. If you agree with everything above -that you are weak in PTS, slightly behind in REB and built for success on defense- then I’m not sure if Olynyk will do anything worth doing for this squad. I refuse to believe Olynyk will become a positive in PTS with so many frontcourt options on the Jazz, and there has only been one season (tanking ‘20-’21 Rockets) that Olynyk has produced average or better rebound totals. While 0.8 SPG for his career isn’t bad for a center, it is bad relative to the weight of that category and Olynyk isn’t actually a difference-maker for your already-strong production there. Your team seems a bit hollow at small forward and I think you could replace Olynyk’s best categories with a smaller player and no major impact.
There are some question marks here, to be sure, but I think your categorical strengths lend themselves well to a team that may or may not need to rebuild on the fly. I don’t see any unsolvable problems here, and I think you’re on your way to a competitive season. Good luck!
Hi Derek, appreciate all the time you're putting in this forum. Below are the results from my auction draft for my 8-cat roto league (draft positions are just ordered $ values):
6 James Harden
8 Trae Young
31 Donovan Mitchell
56 Jakob Poeltl
66 Jordan Poole
80 Jalen Smith
82 Mikal Bridges
93 Jabari Smith Jr.
96 Tyler Herro
101 Isaiah Jackson
115 Cameron Johnson
130 Ayo Dosunmu
139 Ivica Zubac
I am keen to understand what stats I am weak in and what I am strong in as I am trying to be as balanced as possible across the board.
Love your work,
Tama
10 Team H2H points ESPN snake draft - I was 1st pick & all my picks were the end of a round + the turn.
what do we think? Were can make improvements in my roster? Smart & Monte were my last 2 picks
@bryanfdez I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen a manager draft those three players this year. In fact, I’ve done it myself in one league. Your assessment is spot-on and matches the general consensus.
Strengths: BLK, FG% (*), REB, STL, TO
Weaknesses: AST, FT%, PTS, 3PT
Mid: None
Players that are good at your strengths: Antetokounmpo, Gobert, Hartenstein, Jackson, Jones, Wagner, Washington and Williamson
Players that are bad at your strengths: Fultz, Rozier and Porter
Players that are good at your weaknesses: Fultz, Rozier, Porter and Williamson
You’re definitely punting FT% and 3PT this season. I do think it’s possible that you could catch a few teams in AST and PTS, but those aren’t categories I would rely on with regularity. By my estimates, you’re still further back from average than I would be comfortable with. It will be hard to address either AST or PTS using the wire while also protecting your strengths.
I count five 1-1-1 threats on this team, which makes me very excited even if you’re not pushing for 3PT competitiveness. Despite the lost value from range, you can never have too many high-impact defenders. Your team will prioritize defense all season, so this is a natural fit.
How important is Porter to you? He is a net-positive in AST, STL and 3PT with potential to break through as a PTS asset this year, but he is an unequivocal negative on your BLK, FG%, FT% and TO. He’s not helping you anywhere you need the help, with the exception of STL, which he does at a very replaceable level of production. I’m pretty firm that he shouldn’t be on this team, but I understand the appeal of a high-upside lead guard that is beginning to hit his athletic prime. He’s certainly worth considering in a trade.
You could take a few shots at winning AST and PTS if you know your weekly opponent might match you in one of your strong categories. If that’s the case, I’d lean towards PTS as the more likely category to be a winner. It’s not hard to envision a week that Antetokounmpo and Williamson could simply steamroll the competition. Finding a streaky scorer on the market isn’t hard; it’s just the potential impact of them dragging your elite FG% that worries me. If Antetokounmpo and Williamson are rolling and Gobert is healthy, it’s hard for me to say that a bad shooter would ruin your week.
It’s going to be pretty easy for you to maintain this roster and its strengths throughout any difficulties this season. There should be tons of specialists on the wire that can help address any deficiencies caused by injuries or rest. With a limited selection of categories to even try to build on, you’re all set to pick and choose your spots. It sounds extreme, but Matisse Thybulle could return early round value in this build and I would make him a priority right off the bat. Other players like Caleb Martin, Cody Martin, Daniel Gafford, Isaiah Stewart, Ivica Zubac, JaVale McGee, Kyle Anderson, Mason Plumlee, Patrick Beverley and Steven Adams all seem well-suited to your team.
Hi managers,
This is the official Rate My Team thread for the 2022-2023 NBA season. My name is Derek (Twitter @dballbball) and I'll be your host for the year.
Drop your team in this thread and I'll let you know where you're strong or weak, and what you can tweak. Text or photo is fine.
For best results, please give me some extra context. That could include categories, league size, league type, roster size, or any other settings that could change a player or team's valuation. Otherwise, my default answer will be for 12-team, 9-category leagues in a head-to-head format.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you this season!
DB
My draft is Monday but I was proposed the following trade:
12 Team 9cat H2H
I own the first overall pick
i would trade my 2nd-3rd-4th round picks for the #2 overall pick + 9th and 14th round pick
i would own the 1st and 2nd pick. Would you do this?
Hey, Just drafted in a 9 cat H2H 10 team keeper league (non-snake 10th pick)
Keepers were Steph - 10, Tyrese - 60, Rozier - 70, Bane - 130
Team in order of draft;
Steph -10
Siakam - 20
Butler - 30
Bridges - 40
Vassell - 50
Tyrese - 60
Rozier - 70
JJJ - 80
Bamba - 90
Monte - 100
Cam J - 110
Conley - 120
Bane - 130
I know some players seem crazy drafted so early but because its a keeper league, the draft pool started VERY limited!
ANNNNNDDDD I realised pretty early im guard heavy and naturally punting rebounds. I didn't plan on it and am low key stressing!
12 Team 9CAT h2h
1st. Damian Lillard
2. Lebron James
3. Donovan Mitchell
4. Evan Mobley
5. Christian Wood
6. Jalen Brunson
7. Devin Vassell
8.Mitch Robinson
9. Malcolm Bogdan
10. Spencer Dinwiddie
11. Steven Adams
12. Kevin Huarter
