The Golden Era | A Golden State Warriors Dynasty (NBA 2K20)

[marshdaddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by trekfan

Wow, major trade for Denver -- Giannis in the West vs the Warriors is going to be some storyline. I like the idea of him teaming up with the Joker and Jamal, that duo already was deadly on their own -- now they get the Greek Freak to complete their big three. It's a steep (and risky) price Denver paid, but the organization is run well enough that even if Giannis leaves, they're still in solid shape.

What I liked most about this deal from the Bucks' perspective was that they add two good players who also fit the timeline for Khris Middleton. They should be a competitive playoff team next season with three All Star level players.

Their top three should be among the best in the East, if not the best if you are comparing their third star, likely Michael Porter Jr., to the rest of the East. Miami's is Herro (Butler is aged and regressed); Boston is maybe Kemba but also old and regressed; Atlanta is I don't know who, depends on the day; Toronto is either OG Anunoby or Fred VanVleet, depending on preference; Knicks are Jarrett Allen. Honestly, if the Bucks just ran it back with Giannis they probably would've been the favorites in the East, but that wouldn't have been as fun.

[marshdaddy]

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Sources: Dallas acquires Harden; Oklahoma City acquires Ayton to begin flurry of league deals

Ryen Simons
June 24, 2024

As expected, the trade dominoes are falling quickly after Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealt to the Denver Nuggets earlier this week. Many teams who had been in the running to acquire Giannis, immediately pivoted to second or third options.

Harden to Dallas

Anthony Nojkic @NojRinger

Quote:

Sources: James Harden has been dealt to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the 18th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Harden was the first to go, with the Mavericks sending the 18th overall selection, as well as Seth Curry and Malik Beasley to the Rockets in exchange for the 34-year-old former MVP. Dallas had pursued Giannis, but without serious draft capital or young pieces, they quickly fell out of the race. But they didn’t waste time in bringing in another piece to surround Luka Doncic.

Doncic had been, like Giannis, long rumored to be out the door following disappointing playoff runs. According to sources, Doncic met with the organization and indicated that while he wanted to remain in Dallas, the team needed to make serious improvements to the roster. They’ve just done exactly that.

Harden should be able to take over some of the playmaking duties that had fallen primarily to Luka, but also provide a backcourt running mate that should be able to provide more offensive firepower. Dallas also avoided giving up valuable pieces, holding onto Isaac Okoro, their young starting small forward and Aaron Nesmith, a former lottery pick who served as the Mavericks’ sixth man.

Ayton to Oklahoma City

Anthony Nojkic @NojRinger

Quote:

Sources: The Oklahoma City Thunder are sending the 2nd and 24th picks in the 2024 NBA Draft to Phoenix for DeAndre Ayton.

According to people I’d spoken to, Ayton had indicated to the Suns organization that he had no plans on picking up his player option next summer and would become a free agent after seeing Devin Booker dealt to the Timberwolves at the trade deadline. While he didn’t explicitly ask for a trade, the Suns wasted little time in getting assets back for him.

The Thunder were in desperate need of a talented third wheel to go next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cade Cunningham. Ayton should fit that role nicely. The Thunder also didn’t have to give up Troy Brown Jr., the team’s starting small forward last year, which should allow Oklahoma City to surround Ayton with athletic, slashing and shooting wing pieces who can switch across the board.

Simmons to Golden State

Anthony Nojkic @NojRinger

Quote:

The Golden State Warriors have acquired Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a three-team trade, sources tell The Ringer.

Golden State, long rumored to be a Giannis destination, instead turned their attention towards Ben Simmons, who, like Ayton, told the organization he planned on entering free agency next summer. The Warriors will be sending the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and Aaron Gordon to the 76ers, and will also be sending Myles Turner to the Brooklyn Nets. Along with Simmons, the Warriors will also receive the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and the 15th pick in the 2nd round.

The Warriors were determined to make good use of yet another year of lottery luck, this time turning the pick into a player that should help them compete immediately and into the future. Simmons will finally be surrounded by shooters at all four positions, and should play like a more athletic and better scoring Draymond Green. Simmons’ defense will also help soften the blow of losing Turner, who had anchored the Warrior defense the last two years.


Embiid to Utah

Anthony Nojkic @NojRinger

Quote:

Philadelphia has dealt Joel Embiid to the Utah Jazz, along with Bojan Bogdanovic, in exchange for Andre Drummond and Marquese Chriss.

Philadelphia wasted little time moving on from the other piece of The Process, sending Embiid to the Jazz for Drummond and Chriss. Utah was committed to making a move that should improve their title chances with Mitchell still in his prime, and they believe Embiid does just that. The swap of Drummond for Embiid gives the Jazz a better offensive weapon on the interior without sacrificing a lot on the defensive end or the glass. The big question will be the fit between Embiid and John Collins, but Utah clearly believes that if Drummond and Collins worked, so should Embiid.

The move is the end of The Process era in Philadelphia, and while they got back decent pieces, it is no less a disappointment. The Process was flawed only in that the pieces they got as a result of were less than ideal fits, resulting in a crowded paint and choppy offensive dynamics. The return is also sparing, outside of the third overall selection, but the Sixers found few takers for a 30-year-old center on a big contract, although it was rumored the Pelicans had inquired about the big man but balked when forced to give up the top pick in the draft.

Fox to New Orleans

Anthony Nojkic @NojRinger

Quote:

The New Orleans Pelicans have acquired De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings.

And this is why they balked at giving up the top pick for Embiid. The Kings reportedly were on the verge of striking a deal with the Phoenix Suns that would have sent Fox to the Suns in exchange for the sixth overall pick. But when canvassing the rest of the top of the draft, the Pelicans immediately made the top pick available, according to sources.

Fox is a dynamic point guard who can attack the paint at will and fits perfectly into the Zion-Brandon Ingram timeline, as he is just 26-years-old. The Pelicans are sending the Kings Lonzo Ball as part of the deal, but it’s nonetheless a massive upgrade for a team seeking to make up for playoff disappointments.

Where the dust settles

Now that the trade market has (likely) settled, the Western Conference arms race is full speed ahead. After the trades, the top contenders in the NBA look like:

Denver: Giannis Antetokounmpo; Nikola Jokic; Jamal Murray

Oklahoma City: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; Cade Cunningham; DeAndre Ayton

Utah: Donovan Mitchell; Joel Embiid; John Collins

New Orleans: Zion Williamson; Brandon Ingram; De’Aaron Fox

Golden State: Stephen Curry; Klay Thompson; Ben Simmons

Dallas: Luka Doncic; Kristaps Porzingis; James Harden

All that is a build up to free agency where Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker will both be on the market, and the Los Angeles Lakers have max salary cap space. Should Towns and Booker return to Minnesota, they, along with D’Angelo Russell, expect to factor into the playoff hunt.

Let’s not forget about the Memphis Grizzlies with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., or the Los Angeles Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. If teams remain healthy, the West could boast nine teams all with a decent case for a title shot.

Let the drama begin.

[itsmb8]

Quote: Originally Posted by marshdaddy

What I liked most about this deal from the Bucks' perspective was that they add two good players who also fit the timeline for Khris Middleton. They should be a competitive playoff team next season with three All Star level players. Their top three should be among the best in the East, if not the best if you are comparing their third star, likely Michael Porter Jr., to the rest of the East. Miami's is Herro (Butler is aged and regressed); Boston is maybe Kemba but also old and regressed; Atlanta is I don't know who, depends on the day; Toronto is either OG Anunoby or Fred VanVleet, depending on preference; Knicks are Jarrett Allen. Honestly, if the Bucks just ran it back with Giannis they probably would've been the favorites in the East, but that wouldn't have been as fun.

Sucks the Giannis era is over in Milwaukee in your world, but im glad he went to a smaller market like Denver. In terms of realism, knowing how depleted the East is, Giannis probably wouldve ran it back and gave it one more year if this was real life. But if he were to be traded IRL, itd definitely be to a smaller market.

So all in all, I like how you made the storyline really intriguing yet realistic and logical at the same time.

[marshdaddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by itsmb8

Sucks the Giannis era is over in Milwaukee in your world, but im glad he went to a smaller market like Denver. In terms of realism, knowing how depleted the East is, Giannis probably wouldve ran it back and gave it one more year if this was real life. But if he were to be traded IRL, itd definitely be to a smaller market. So all in all, I like how you made the storyline really intriguing yet realistic and logical at the same time.

I get where you're coming from, but he's going into his age-30 season and the roster around him was less than ideal. Also, even with all the trades, the East didn't lose a lot except Simmons and Embiid leaving and they were the six seed but in that 6-9 mosh pit. So the top teams are all returning their cores and the Bucks would be too, so it made sense he'd ask out. The tough part was no teams in the East really had the capital to bring him in.

[marshdaddy]

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Grading the 2024 NBA Draft

James Bowman
June 26, 2024

After a whirlwind of activity before and leading up to the NBA Draft, the dust has settled and the picks are in. After the Pelicans, Thunder and Warriors all traded away the top three picks in the draft, a flurry of trades came on draft night itself.

The Charlotte Hornets dealt Nikola Vucevic and P.J. Washington to Minnesota in exchange for P.J. Dozier and the 10th overall pick.

In the final move to break up the Houston Rockets, the Rockets dealt Russell Westbrook and Seth Curry to the Nets for the 16th pick.

The Knicks acquired Cam Reddish and Robert Covington in exchange for the 21st overall pick and a 2026 1st round pick.

The Memphis Grizzlies acquired Doug McDermott from the Cavaliers in exchange for the 30th overall pick.

Here are our grades for the top 15 picks of the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, and a few other notables, with full draft results to follow. The team we mention is the team that will end up having the player, not who drafted him.

1. Sacramento Kings: Marcel Hampton, F, UCLA (acquired via trade with New Orleans)
Dealing away De’Aaron Fox was most certainly a move done as a result of Fox saying he didn’t want to be there. But in Hampton they get a type of player at a position of need. Hampton should provide immediate offensive firepower and could be an ideal fit next to Marvin Bagley III. He’ll need to develop a shot from beyond the arc, but the Kings got the best player on the board.

Grade: A-


2. Phoenix Suns: Nathan Sirven, C, France (acquired via trade with Oklahoma City)
Sirven is a gifted passer with shades of Nikola Jokic. The Suns have gone into a hard reset after dealing Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton. Sirven should be the first piece in the rebuild and has a game that may better complement today’s NBA.

Grade: A+


3. Philadelphia 76ers: Sterling Weems, PG, Pittsburgh (acquired via trade with Golden State and Brooklyn)
Weems is perhaps the best point guard in the draft, but at 5’9” his size is a major question mark. He is a hard working player, but height matters in the NBA. Taking him so high is a big risk.

Grade: B-


4. Charlotte Hornets: Nico Harrington, PG, Duke
The Hornets are ripe with point guards, but Harrington is the best passer in the draft. He still has work to do as a scorer, but should be able to facilitate with James Wiseman immediately.

Grade: B


5. Washington Wizards: Mateo Delgado, SF, Spain
Delgado was one of the best players in the draft in my opinion, and is an ideal fit next to Rui Hachimura. When the Wizards dealt away Beal they began their rebuild. Delgado is a great first building block.

Grade: A-


6. Phoenix Suns: Keon Wallace, PF, Louisville
Wallace is a stout defender, having earned Defensive Player of the Year at Louisville. That will be a perfect compliment next to Sirven, who may struggle on the defensive end. His athleticism should allow him to defend the wing and inside. He has work to do on the offensive end, but if Sirven is the playmaker, Wallace should have some open lanes.

Grade: A-


7. Cleveland Cavaliers: Gideon Delk, SG, Virginia
Delk was the best shooting guard in college and lit up the stat sheet at Virginia. A talented shooter, my only concern is his fit. Do the Cavs plan on ditching Darius Garland at the point and moving Colin Sexton back there? Do they intend to play Delk at the three? I love Delk in general, but i don’t love him in Cleveland with a misshapen roster.

Grade: C+


8. Sacramento Kings: Trevon Dejean-Jones, PF, Texas
I had Dejean-Jones as a mid-first pick, so the Kings are stretching to get him in my opinion, especially when considering some of the other players that are still available. He is good in the pick and roll, and I think his best NBA comp is his new teammate, Bagley. The issue is, without a reliable jumper, and with Hampton needing to develop one, the paint could be crowded for the Kings.

Grade: C


9. Portland Trail Blazers: Bruno Sosa, SG, Kansas
Sosa is a good defender, something the Trail Blazers need a lot of, but they drafted a player at a position I consider to be their strength, with C.J. McCollum and Kaden Dickerson at the two, and Dame Lillard and Anfernee Simons at the one. Maybe this is a long-term view for Portland, but I think there were better players available and at bigger positions of need.

Grade: C+


10. Charlotte Hornets: Jakob Kuksiks, PG, Dayton (acquired via trade with Minnesota)
Remember when I said the Hornets were ripe with point guards? The position got even more crowded. Kuksiks is big enough at 6’6” to play the two, which is where I’d expect to see him play. A smart passer should be a great fit next to Harrington.

Grade: B


11. Indiana Pacers: Qyntel Mason, PG, Alabama
The Pacers drafted Caleb Love in 2023 and he has looked good as the backup point guard behind Malcolm Brogdon, so it’s not necessarily a pick at a position of need. That being said, the Pacers don’t have a lot of weak spots, and drafting a guy like Mason who can do a lot of things well makes sense. It’s a bit high, as I thought he was a mid to late first round talent, but they are slowly but surely stacking a roster full of good players.

Grade: B

12: Detroit Pistons: Jontay Taylor, SF, Real Madrid
Taylor decided to skip college and play oversees, and while it was a slow start he found his footing against more talented players. His lack of hustle and work ethic is the biggest thing holding back a young player who has a quick first step. His positional fit next to LaMelo Ball, Desmond Cooper and Evan Mobley should be a good one though as the Pistons are looking to build a core to compete with.

Grade: B+

13. Washington Wizards: Jared Jennings, C, Kentucky
Jennings should be able to take on the responsibility of defending opposing bigs right away, as he is a good interior defender. The fit next to Hachimura will be interesting, but after having drafted Mateo Delgado, the front line of the Wizards future should be in good shape.

Grade: B


14. Milwaukee Bucks: Clifton Yates, SF, Michigan State
The Bucks are getting a talented shooter who should be able to provide an immediate impact on the offensive end. He’s a good passer and should be a nice option to go behind the newfound trio of Khris Middleton, Bradley Beal and Michael Porter. Only problem is none of those players, and Yates included, is much of a defender.

Grade: B+


15. Golden State Warriors: Darius Stith, SG, Texas (acquired via three-team trade with Philadelphia and Brooklyn)
Stith is perhaps the best perimeter defender in the draft and a very good deep threat. He doesn’t have the skill of a primary ball handler, but Golden State doesn’t need that from him. His fit as a 3-and-D wing will be a perfect compliment to the roster. That being said, the Warriors already have a lot of wing talent, with Jonathan Kuminga, Anthony Edwards, Klay Thompson, and Ben Simmons in the rotation. Jordan Poole has been trying to crack the rotation, so it will be interesting to see if this signals the end of Poole's tenure in Golden State or if the Warriors view Stith as a G-League stash until they feel he is ready.

Grade: B+


16. Houston Rockets: Cameron Kobongo, PF, South Africa
18. Houston Rockets: Nefi Diop, C, Texas A&M
The Rockets get credit for not only getting off of the Harden and Westbrook contracts, but getting something in return. Kabongo and Diop are far from proven, but Houston is going into a substantial rebuild and needed all the assets they could get.

Grade: B+


24. Phoenix Suns: William Flowers, PG, UCLA (acquired via trade with Oklahoma City)
Flowers has drawn comparisons to Russell Westbrook in the way that he plays the game. He’s a raw athlete, but the Suns are looking for anything to help them compete in their rebuild. Flowers should at the very least be an aggressive attacker who can give the Suns a good PnR look next to Sirven. I had him projected as a lottery pick, so this is a great value pick.

Grade: A-


29. Utah Jazz: Tyshawn Drew II, PG, Purdue
The Jazz get a guy who has proven he can play but his age, a four-year senior, is probably the biggest reason he fell. Drew II was named First Team All-American and led the Boilermakers to the NCAA Championship, earning Tournament MVP honors along the way. At the very least, he won’t be lacking in confidence.

Grade: B+

2025 NBA Draft
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Proj. Pick
1	New Orleans (via LAL)*	Marcel Hampton (dealt to SAC)	SF	Top 3
2	Oklahoma City (via HOU)*	Nathan Sirven (dealt to PHX)	C	Top 5
3	Golden State (via ORL)*	Sterling Weems (dealt to PHI)	PG	Top 10
4	Charlotte	Nico Harrington	PG	Top 5
5	Washington	Mateo Delgado	SF	Top 5
6	Phoenix	Keon Wallace	PF	Top 10
7	Cleveland	Gideon Delk	SG	Lottery
8	Sacramento	Trevon Dejean-Jones	PF	Mid 1st
9	Portland	Bruno Sosa	SG	Lottery
10	Minnesota*	Jakob Kuksiks (dealt to CHA)	PG	Lottery
11	Indiana	Qyntel Mason	PG	Mid-Late 1st
12	Detroit	Jontay Taylor	SF	Lottery
13	Washington (via DEN)	Jared Jennings	C	Mid 1st
14	Milwaukee	Clifton Yates	SF	Mid 1st
15	Brooklyn*	Darius Stith (dealt to GSW)	SG	Lottery
16	Brooklyn (via PHI)*	Cameron Kabongo (dealt to HOU)	PF	Mid-Late 1st
17	Chicago	Clayton Alexander	PG
18	Dallas*	Nefi Diop (dealt to HOU)	C	Mid 1st
19	San Antonio	Patrick Szerb	PG
20	Oklahoma City	Jett Nicholson	SG
21	New York*	Shane Ruffin (dealt to IND)	SG	Mid 1st
22	Boston	Peter Jelinek	PG
23	Toronto	Efrain Dyson	SG
24	Oklahoma City (via LAC)*	William Flowers (dealt to PHX)	PG	Lottery
25	New Orleans	Imeh Diallo	C
26	Memphis	Levi Franco	SG	Lottery
27	Atlanta	Caron Theus	PF	Lottery
28	Miami	Amir Roberson	C	Mid 1st
29	Utah	Tyshawn Drew II	PG
30	Memphis (via GSW)*	Gerald Nicholson (dealt to CLE)	C	Lottery

[marshdaddy]

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Free Agency comes and goes with little fanfare

Isaiah Charles
July 16, 2024

After a raucous start to the 2024 NBA offseason, the free agency period was always going to be a little quieter. With few superstars on the market, and the two best players expected to return to their previous home, teams viewed free agency as an opportunity to fill in potential holes in their rosters.

Unlike next summer, when a plethora of big names could be available, like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ben Simmons and Anthony Davis, this summer featured just two All Star-caliber players. Below are the notable moves made.

Notable Signings
Dallas Mavericks: Acquired Josh Richardson via sign-and-trade
The Dallas Mavericks were able to acquire Richardson via sign-and-trade thanks to new league rules that no longer hard cap teams who acquire a player via the provision. By sending T.J. McConnell and Jaylen Hoard to the Suns, the Mavericks add a 3-and-D wing to go alongside their new combination of James Harden and Luka Doncic.

Los Angeles Lakers: Signed Dejounte Murray and Buddy Hield
The Lakers are both winners and losers, but we’ll look at this as glass half full. The Lakers swung and missed on both Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker, the Lakers used some cap of their cap space to add a pair of guards that should fit well alongside Anthony Davis.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Re-signed Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker
Minnesota was a sub-.500 team after trading for Devin Booker at last year’s trade deadline, but it was apparent that Towns likely wasn’t coming back if Booker wasn’t as well. Along with D’Angelo Russell, the three close friends will give the Timberwolves the offensive boost they need if they want to contend in a suddenly much more crowded Western Conference.

Indiana Pacers: Re-signed Domantas Sabonis
The Pacers are still looking for a serious playoff run, and getting Sabonis back is a nice first step. This team still needs to get better, but losing Sabonis wouldn’t have helped that.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Re-signed Steven Adams
The Thunder have their starting five locked up with DeAndre Ayton, but they kept Adams in town on a one-year deal worth $20 million. As much as anything, this could give the Thunder the ability to acquire another big name during the regular season as teams have been reluctant to use up salary cap space during the summer of 2025.

Portland Trail Blazers: Re-signed C.J. McCollum
The Trail Blazers are still looking for ways to improve, and McCollum will be an important part for a team trying to stay relevant during the twilight of Damian Lillard’s career.

Warriors Activity
The Warriors' big move was no doubt to acquire Ben Simmons via the Philadelphia 76ers, and with only the minimum and tax-payer mid-level at their disposal, Golden State will be bringing back the majority of last year's title-winning team.

Outside of re-signing Sharife Cooper to a one-year deal, the Warriors inked Devin Vassell, a small forward out of Florida State, to a two-year deal. The fifth-year pro spent the first four years of his career in Portland, and outside of appearing in 77 games two years ago, had yet to see consistent playing time with the Trail Blazers. Golden State expects him to compete for minutes off the bench backing up both Anthony Edwards and Jonathan Kuminga.

The Warriors also signed Keon Granger (small forward, Michigan State) and Kofi Toupane (center, Baylor) to two-way contracts.

[marshdaddy]

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Introducing the Rhadi Staley Diaries

Rhadi Staley, Vice President, Basketball Operations

Author’s Note: Introducing Rhadi Staley, the new VP of Basketball Operations for the Golden State Warriors. Staley joined the Warriors in 2019 as a Player Development Manager. I first played with Rhadi in College Basketball 2006 on my old Xbox when he was a point guard for Georgetown. The first top overall recruit I ever signed, Rhadi led me to multiple NCAA titles before going pro and since then has been a staple of my 2K experience. He had a brief cameo in 2k15 but I never finished his career because of how intense the regression metrics were in that game. He went from a 96 overall at age 29 to 79 overall by age 30. *Insert “look how they massacred my boy” meme*. I couldn’t let that be his final chapter. He was my general manager in 2k16 in another untold MyGM story, spearheading a move from Memphis to San Diego.

But enough of those worthless facts, on to how he’ll be featured in this story. Every month, or as often as fits naturally, we’ll have updates from Rhadi in the form of diary entries. He’s a busy guy, he needs to jot down his thoughts. The updates will be first person, so unlike every other post that is public-facing, these are ‘private’ and will give a more in-depth look into the thought process he has running the team. Whether it’s his thoughts on the team success, a recent meeting, contract negotiations, etc., here is where we’ll get to know who Rhadi is and how he’s running the team.

As always, any and all thoughts are welcome. Enjoy.

October 21, 2024

Well, here we go. After building my skills for the past five years, it’s finally time to take some reigns of this operation. I’m excited, but nervous. Bob didn’t really give me the easiest year to take over. Major moves in the offseason have made the West a landmine-filled path to the playoffs. Denver gets Giannis, Utah gets Embiid, Dallas adds Harden? I mean, come on now. What the hell? Even the Thunder got better with Ayton and they were already a pain in our ***. The West has 9-10 teams that could all win a title, forget making the playoffs.

I’m excited we are bringing in Ben Simmons. And as the first big move I make, it better pan out. I think Ben will give us a new type of attack, being an incredible athlete and playmaker. He can’t shoot, which of course has been our staple, so we’ll need to get good off-ball success from the rest of this group. My biggest concern is what does our end-of-game group look like? Is Ben with the ball? How does that impact Steph, Klay and Anthony?

I spoke with Steve Kerr at the end of the preseason and we had talked about Ben at the five in closing groups. I like that look, and he will certainly be more athletic than anyone guarding him. We’ll just need to find ways to cover for his lack of shooting. What does the paint look like if he is at the five? Do we have good enough defense inside to not get blitzed on the glass?

But that move doesn’t mean we’ll still be in the hunt for the title, let alone a playoff berth. How will Steph play at 36 years old? How will Klay look at 34? We’re putting a lot of eggs in the Anthony Edwards, Jonathan Kuminga and Ibraham Mobley development baskets. If they don’t turn into All Star-level players, even making the playoffs is going to be brutal this year and moving forward.

We’re still projected to be good though, as evident by Ryen Simons preseason power rankings, which I’m including here to keep me motivated. Second best already? Let’s take back first.

Last season I heard mentions that this year would be like the post-Jordan Bulls, and I can tell you one thing: that’s not us. We won’t rest on our previous success and consider that good enough. We’ve got guys who have felt the thrill of an NBA title and are determined to get it back, and others who are looking for their first taste of it. We’re still driven to compete and are fully expecting to be in the hunt for a fifth-straight title next summer.

Talk soon,
Rhadi

Acquisitions
Drafted:
Darius Stith, SG, Texas, 15th overall
Ricky Nealy, PG, Wisconsin, 45th overall

Signed:
Devin Vassell, SF, FSU, Age: 25, Last Year: Portland
Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma, Age: 35, Last Year: Detroit

Two-Way:
Keon Granger, SF, Michigan State, Age: 23, Last Year: Utah Jazz (Two-Way)
Kofi Toupane, C, Baylor, Age: 21, Last Year: Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets

Depth Chart

Golden State Warriors Depth Chart - 2024-25
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Stephen Curry	Aaron Nehmbhard	Sharife Cooper	Ricky Nealy (R)
SG	Klay Thompson	Jordan Poole	Darius Stith (R)
SF	Anthony Edwards	Jonathan Kuminga	Devin Vassell	Keon Granger (TW)
PF	Ben Simmons	Ibraham Mobley	Draymond Green	Blake Griffin
C	Kostas Antetokoumpo	Kofi Toupane (TW)

2024-25 NBA Season Preview

Ryen Simons

2024-25 Preseason Power Rankings

1. Denver - With the addition of Giannis, the Nuggets have one of the best big men duos in NBA history
2. Golden State - The defending champs restocked with Ben Simmons, adding an athletic playmaker they’ve never had before
3. Utah - Embiid is a massive upgrade over Andre Drummond and gives Donovan Mitchell his best running mate
4. Oklahoma City - The Thunder have a dynamic pick and roll trio with SGA, Cunningham and Ayton
5. New Orleans - De’Aaron Fox should be the playmaking point the Pelicans have been missing
6. Atlanta - The Hawks are running back a roster that came within one game of an NBA title
7. Dallas - The headlines for Dallas were about James Harden, but the addition of Josh Richardson is a valuable 3-and-D playmaker
8. Miami - This may be the last chance for Miami with Kevin Durant at the healm
9. Boston - Tatum and Brown are one of the league’s most dynamic wing duos, but need to step it up in the playoffs after years of disappointments
10. Memphis - Ja Morant is ready to get the Grizz over the proverbial hump in a crowded Western Conference
11. L.A. Clippers - Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have one ring under their belt, but have faltered as of late. Is this the last chance?
12. Toronto - The Raptors have fallen short in the playoffs without a bonafide Star, and are still without one
13. New York - Trae Young proved he can make the playoffs as a team’s lead option. Now he has to prove he can contend
14. Minnesota - The Timberwolves are bringing back KAT, Russell and Booker in hopes that they have better success than how they closed out last year
15. San Antonio - San Antonio continues to just hang around, and Zach LaVine has blossomed in a stable situation. Cole Anthony now needs to make a jump to give them a second option
16. Brooklyn - Clint Capela and Myles Turner will be able to clog the paint on defense, but Russell Westbrook is getting yet another chance to lead a team
17. Indiana - The Pacers are a team full of good, not great players. They’ll need someone, most notably Jace Redding, to start playing like a great player if they intend to contend
18. Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers surprisingly swung and missed in free agency, but the addition of Dejounte Murray and Buddy Hield alongside Anthony Davis should at least make them a deeper team
19. Milwaukee - Despite losing Giannis, the Bucks have a team of talented scorers in Beal, Middleton and Porter, but will that be enough in a somewhat weak East
20. Detroit - The Pistons young core has yet to prove they can be serious playoff contenders
21. Chicago - Chicago is full of unrealized talent. A playoff berth a year ago may be the confidence boost they need
22. Portland - The Trail Blazers have yet to make a run at contention with Damian Lillard’s twilight years. His contract is up after this season, so they’ll need to make the most of it
23. Orlando - Jalen Green will be the key to Orlando’s future. Can the fourth-year pro make the leap to get Orlando back up the Eastern standings?
24. Washington - The Wizards are in the midst of a slow rebuild after finally pulling the plug on Bradley Beal last year
25. Charlotte - James Wiseman has been good, but the Hornets have remained a team in mediocrity
26. Cleveland - Jason Sanders is a bright spot but he’ll need help to get the Cavs into the playoff race
27. Philadelphia - The Process is officially over. Now begins Part II
28. Sacramento - De’Aaron Fox is gone, and the Kings don’t have the scoring punch to replace him
29. Phoenix - It’s a new era in the desert, but Nathan Sirven is a great place to start it
30. Houston - Harden and Westbrook are finally gone and the Rockets are getting their picks back. It’ll be a long season, but at least they are moving in the right direction

[RolePlayer]

My Hornets still suck huh... smh

On a serious note, the West just got a lot tougher, it'll be interesting to see how you guys are able to navigate the NBA with a much tougher climate and aging stars