Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

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  • Undead
    Rookie
    • Sep 2010
    • 272

    #76
    Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

    This is the main reason I log on to OS. Keep it up~!

    Comment

    • saaddzz
      MVP
      • Feb 2012
      • 1366

      #77
      Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

      Very, very good thread and story line man! And thanks for using my roster, it means ALOT! Beast association, keep it up, and good luck on Shabaazz!
      NBA 2K16 2015-2016 Ultimate Rosters -- NBA 2K16 2015-2016 Ultimate Rosters (PS3)

      Comment

      • trekfan
        Designated Red Shirt
        • Sep 2009
        • 5817

        #78
        Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

        Originally posted by saaddzz
        Very, very good thread and story line man! And thanks for using my roster, it means ALOT! Beast association, keep it up, and good luck on Shabaazz!
        No prob, man! Love your rosters and ratings. I'm glad you like what you've seen so far ... and thanks for the luck with Shabazz-the dude is a bad bad man, I think he could be the next great SG in the NBA.

        Stay tuned, more is on the way
        Any comments are welcome.
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        Comment

        • trekfan
          Designated Red Shirt
          • Sep 2009
          • 5817

          #79
          Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)



          7-4-2013

          “How’s he doing?” Andy asked quietly as the two watched their other draft pick, Nerlens Noel, shoot around in the gym.


          Gil, reliably carrying his scouting notebook, seemed pleased. “Not bad. He’s pretty much useless outside of fifteen feet but he’s so young, so raw, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.” He scribbled something down in his notebook and made a face. “But he needs work.” He looked up from his notebook and met Andy’s eyes. “You talk to McHale yet?”


          Andy shook his head. “We’re scheduled to meet in the next hour.”


          “So you want to talk to him, then?” Gil said with a chuckle.


          Andy nodded and looked out onto the court, watching Nerlens thunderously dunk a ball into the hoop. “He’s bigger in person.”


          “He’s bigger, period.” Gil got up and whistled, motioning for Nerlens to come over to them.


          The young player stopped what he was doing and did just that. “Yes, sir?”


          Gil shot Andy a knowing look.

          He’s not going to let me live down passing him up first overall, Andy thought to himself as he looked over Noel. The guys was tall, a bit lanky, but carried himself well. The scouts had been worried-as they always were with big men-about injuries but Nerlens was pretty clean on that front. He looked to have a very good, injury free career at this point.


          Andy and Nerlens exchanged had shakes before Nerlens sat down. Even then he still towered over Andy. “Nerlens, glad to see you’ve found the gym.”


          “Yeah, it’s nice … good facilities. I like it. Quiet, let’s me do my thing, sir.”


          Andy waved him off. “Just call me, Andy. He’s the only one here old enough to be a ‘sir’,” Andy said while pointing at Gil.


          Gil barely acknowledged the jab, his eyes a glow with pride. “Nerlens, why don’t you tell him what you told me.”


          Nerlens nodded slightly. “I was just telling Mr. Gil here that I’m ready to step up ASAP. I want to be the starter from day one and I’m gonna work to be that.”


          Andy smiled. He thought Nerlens would have a chip on his shoulder from being passed up and by God, the kid did. He sounded like he wanted a piece of a few people. “That’s what I like to hear … I’ll let you get back to working on that then. How about me, you, and Shabazz do lunch tomorrow? I know this great Cuban place down the road.”


          Nerlens thought for a moment and nodded. “Yeah, sure … you paying?”


          Andy smirked. “My treat.”


          “Cool.” Nerlens walked back onto the court while Gil shot Andy a curious look.


          “What?” Andy asked.


          “You’re gonna take them out to lunch? Kid, there’s a reason why GMs and players only interact during contract negotiations or trades.”


          “And there’s a reason players feel like the front office doesn’t have a damned clue about what’s going on with them and that’s it,” Andy countered. “I’m not gonna sit in my office and ignore them. That’s what leads to hard feelings and hard stances. I want to build an environment here that nurtures growth and communication.”


          “A family environment?” Gil asked with a chuckle. “You didn’t really have that in Phoenix.”


          “I didn’t have time to implement it. I just made a few trades there to get us into the playoffs … here, I’m building a team from the ground up. We’re only carrying five guys who played on this team last season.”


          “It’s admirable but it’s a pipe dream. When push comes to shove, when money gets in the way, this ‘family environment’ stuff goes straight down the toilet. This is a business, kid.”


          “And the best businesses are family owned and operated,” Andy shot back.


          Gil sighed. “Whatever, go about it your way.”


          Andy was about to shoot off another comeback but his phone vibrated. He had a text. He took it out, read it, and groaned. “Damn, I forgot I had an early lunch with my mother today.”


          “What time?”


          “Same time as the McHale meeting.”


          “What are you and he talking about?”


          Andy frowned. “Final contract. Pretty dry stuff but it’s necessary.”


          Gil patted him on the shoulder. “I can handle that.”


          Andy shot him a look. “You hate talking money.”


          “Money too often screws up teams,” Gil lamented. “But, we need a coach. You and I can’t do it and McHale is more than just a coach for us here … he’s also a former GM. We can use his experience there to help the team if we want to.”


          “He wasn’t the best GM ever, you know.”


          Gil flashed a smirk. “No one is. Go grab lunch with your mom, I got you covered.”


          Andy sighed. He wasn’t looking forward to eating with his mother. “If you say so.”



          ***



          “Andrew, are listening to me?” His mother chided.


          Andy looked up from his menu. “Mom, I’m sitting right here.”


          “Are you listening?”


          Andy nodded as he internally scolded himself for letting Gil handle the McHale meeting. Not only was it his responsibility to be there but it was preferable to hearing his mother scold him-yet again-for being too obsessed with work.


          “Good,” she said as she put dressing on her salad-again, she was trying to lose weight-and began to crunch the crackers atop it.


          He frowned at the salad. “You know the crackers don’t do anything for you, right?”


          “We’re not all as radical as you are, Andy.”


          “It’s not radical, it’s smart,” he said as he tried for the umpteenth time to reason with her. “Mom, I lost fifty pounds in six months after I gave up bread … I’m the thinnest I’ve been since I was in high school.”


          “You’re 24 and male. You can lose weight easily,” she countered. She picked up her fork but set it down. “Don’t change the subject. We’re talking about your job.”


          “I came to lunch to not talk about my job,” he said with a chuckle.


          She leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms. “Andrew, you need to work less.”


          He set his menu down. “And do what? I’m good at this, Mom, I can do this job and do it well. Why waste time doing anything else?”


          “You should get out more, find a date.”


          Now it all made sense. He shook his head. “Mom, I’m radioactive after what happened in Phoenix. People know my face and who I am in this town … no way I land a date. I don’t want to date after what happened,” he said sourly. The sting from Angela’ s betrayal was still too raw. It hadn’t been two months yet and already his mother was calling for him to get back out there.


          She reached her hand across the table and took his gently. “I know it hurts, honey, but you need to get back on that horse. Burying yourself in work is going to make your life seem a lot less years from now … work can’t replace living.”


          He pulled his hand away from hers, incensed at what she was insinuating. “I’m not Dad.”


          “I know.”


          The bustle of the little bistro around them seemed to die out as the two sat there. “I don’t go and drown myself in work when the world gets tough.”


          His mother looked at him sympathetically. “Your father said the same thing for many years. When he died your freshmen year, he did it at the office.”


          Andy picked the menu back up, opened it, and covered his face. He took a moment to silent curse as many profanities as he could before taking a calming breath.


          His mother was damned good at the guilt trip. If that was a skill in the NBA, she’d be MVP every year.


          He set the menu back down and motioned for a waiter. “I think I’m ready to order my main course.”


          His mother sighed and went back to her salad. “I’m just trying to help.”


          Andy ignored her.


          Helping was one thing.


          Comparing him to his workaholic dad was another. He was a great dad but he was gone now.


          There was no point in dredging up the past.


          It was time to take hold of the future.



          Any comments are welcome.
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          Comment

          • AdamMorrisonHOF
            Rookie
            • Oct 2012
            • 31

            #80
            Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

            Not McHale

            Any more roster moves planned?

            Comment

            • trekfan
              Designated Red Shirt
              • Sep 2009
              • 5817

              #81
              Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

              Originally posted by AdamMorrisonHOF
              Not McHale

              Any more roster moves planned?
              Yeah, McHale's only getting a one year deal-I don't think he's gonna make it to next offseason. Not a big fan of his but he's the best real coach available. There are tons of fake coaches but I don't want to use those because 2K really inflated their skills and they're fake-which sucks. I wish I could hire some real coaches that are currently out of work (like bringing back Stan-Van!) but 'tis not a feature.

              As for more roster moves, some minor stuff-I'm really investing in the long term of this team so expect more youth to show up.

              A full recap of the offseason will be up sometime today ... some interesting moves by the CPU (in particular the Spurs). Stay tuned
              Any comments are welcome.
              Texas Two-Step (2K20 Alt History)
              Orange And Blue Forever (NCAA 14 Dynasty)
              You Don't Know Jack (2K18 Pacers Dynasty - Complete)
              Second Coming (2K16 Sonics MyLeague - Complete)
              The Gold Standard (2K13 Dynasty - Complete)

              Comment

              • trekfan
                Designated Red Shirt
                • Sep 2009
                • 5817

                #82
                Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)



                COMMENTARY


                The Offseason: Winners and Losers


                Hector Young

                August 1, 2013



                The Summer of 2013 hasn’t been as exciting as some would have hoped but teams have made improvements: some of these are small and some of them are big. Here’s are eight teams whom this offseason has meant more than most.

                WINNERS:

                1. The Houston Rockets – D12. Need more be said? Houston finally got the star they’ve been craving for years. After last year’s Harden-Martin trade fell through (leaving both teams scrambling to clean up their mess) the Rockets didn’t even get to the playoffs. Didn’t even sniff them. They fired Kevin McHale and then got their man.


                Dwight Howard, unsurprisingly, decided to sign elsewhere than LA. By picking Houston, Howard has now helped put that franchise back on the map. Howard now plays with less talent than he did last year but much younger talent, talent that has room to grow and isn’t set in their ways. For Dwight, a championship isn’t required in Houston every year like it would be in LA.

                2. The LA Clippers – CP3 is back. Things looked hairy for the Clippers after their unlikely trip to the NBA Finals last season. Would CP3 come back? Would Billups? How would the team replace either if they left? Luckily for the Clippers, the worst case scenario did not come to pass.


                Paul hit free agency but after a few days signed back with the Clippers, Billups following suit soon after. They lost Grant Hill to retirement but most of their team is still in place. Getting Chris Paul back and having him signed for the next four years is going to keep the Clippers relevant. It may keep them in the title hunt too.

                3. The Orlando Magic – Muhammad and Noel. No, it’s not a buddy cop show, but it might be the next great dynamic duo in the NBA. Jordan had Pippen, Kobe had Shaq, Payton had Kemp, Stockton had Malone, and now Muhammad has Noel. The way the draft went has put a positive vibe in Orlando for the first time since the Dwightmare started.


                The free agency signings weren’t nearly as glamorous but the organization has committed to rebuilding in all phases, including free agency. They signed James Anderson, Josh Selby, and Quincy Miller, all young players who could develop into assets for the organization. They also preserved nearly 18 million in free cap, which means next summer they could make a run at some significant free agents. This is a rebuilding year for the Magic but there appears to be a plan in place, which is more than could be said this time last year.

                4. The Chicago Bulls – They kept Taj Gibson and traded for Devin Harris, who will play at the two guard spot beside Derrick Rose this year. The Bulls are now within shouting distance of the Heat and it’s entirely possible that they could beat the Heat playing their style of stifling defense.


                The question is, can they stay healthy? The Bulls are prepared for injuries this year thanks to the signings of Damian James and the drafting of CJ Leslie. They also drafted Zeke Marshal from Akron. Flashy? No. But much like the Bulls, these moves are all about the little things.


                LOSERS:

                1. The LA Lakers – It’s not often the Lakers fail to make the splashy move in the offseason but they failed to do that this summer. The Lakers lost out on Dwight Howard, a first for a franchise that prides itself on attracting the best and keeping them. The Lakers had to settle this offseason for JR Smith and Elton Brand.


                Saddled with a declining Steve Nash, who averaged only 9 PPG and 9 APG, and an aging core of Bryant and Gasol, the Lakers could be struggling mightily this upcoming season. On the bright side, the Lakers will have a ton of cap room next summer if they wait till the summer to resign Bryant and Gasol. But for Lakers fans, waiting till next year will be rough.

                2. The Charlotte Bobcats – It’s not piling on, it’s the truth … the Bobcats stink. From top to bottom, they stink like raw fish covered in skunk. Rather than use their cap space to sign some free agents that could help elevate the team from horrible to slightly less horrible, they stood pat. Rather than draft Nerlens Noel, they allowed their division rival the Magic to take him.


                The Bobcats are bad. They may need to be renamed the Badcats but that sounds cooler than they deserve.

                3. The Portland Trail Blazers – They resigned JJ Hickson and … that’s it. Rather than address their dire need for a true center, they Blazers are content to continue playing Lamarcus Aldridge at that position while Hickson inhabits the power forward spot. In theory, this is a fine idea. In execution, it leads to the Blazers missing the playoffs-again-and hurt feelings for a very tortured fanbase.


                Portland went and drafted well, but by failing to make a move for a true center-a Pekovic or a Kaman-they conceded that they’re not really serious about making noise in the postseason this year. Meanwhile, Aldridge’s prime wastes away.

                4. The Detroit Pistons – The Pistons are a team with too many point guards and small forwards. Johnny Flynn or Brandon Knight? Terrence Williams or Tayshaun Prince? The Pistons are struggling with finding an identity, something that this franchise has little experience with in it storied existence. Pistons teams throughout the years have been known as defensive but this team struggles on that end.


                Decisions will have to be made be made by the Pistons front office on what the direction of this franchise needs to be … until then, the Pistons will be stuck in neutral.


                Quick Hits:


                76ers trade Jason Richardson, Aaron Brooks, and Darko Militic to the Hornets for Shannon Brown, Elijah Johnson, and Jason Smith.


                Bucks resign Brandon Jennings to a one year qualifying offer, resign Jeff Green for 3 years/22M, and then sign Pekovic for 4 years/22M


                Jazz trade Paul Millsap, recently resigned to a one year qualifying offer, and Randy Foye to the Pacers for Danny Granger.


                Hawks trade Devin Harris and Damian James to the Bulls for Kirk Hinrich, Jimmy Butler, and a 2014 1st round pick.


                Spurs sign Andre Iguodola for 4 years/44M.


                Heat sign Steven Jackson for 1 year/1.57M.


                Nets sign Ronnie Brewer for 4 years/9M.


                TWolves sign Chris Kaman for 3 years/10M.


                Any comments are welcome.
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                Comment

                • vicebeliever42
                  Pro
                  • May 2011
                  • 708

                  #83
                  Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

                  I'm finally caught up and this has been amazing. I'm just literally speechless I'm a big story line lover myself and this got me on the edge of my seat as though I was Andy McCutcheon.
                  SimWorld - #SimWorldDweller
                  twitch: twitch.tv/simworldgaming --- youtube: simworldtv --- instagram: @simworld4k ----- twitter: @namedmany --- @simworld4k ---

                  Comment

                  • JP Dubs05
                    Rookie
                    • Mar 2012
                    • 10

                    #84
                    Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

                    This is great stuff. Keep up the good work

                    Comment

                    • trekfan
                      Designated Red Shirt
                      • Sep 2009
                      • 5817

                      #85
                      Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

                      Originally posted by vicebeliever42
                      I'm finally caught up and this has been amazing. I'm just literally speechless I'm a big story line lover myself and this got me on the edge of my seat as though I was Andy McCutcheon.
                      Thanks! The high praise is probably unwarranted, but nonetheless appreciated. I'm still working out some of the kinks as far as the story goes so it should get better as things go along, and go along they shall. Stay tuned for more
                      Originally posted by JP Dubs05
                      This is great stuff. Keep up the good work
                      I shall endeavor to continue doing great work. Thanks!
                      Any comments are welcome.
                      Texas Two-Step (2K20 Alt History)
                      Orange And Blue Forever (NCAA 14 Dynasty)
                      You Don't Know Jack (2K18 Pacers Dynasty - Complete)
                      Second Coming (2K16 Sonics MyLeague - Complete)
                      The Gold Standard (2K13 Dynasty - Complete)

                      Comment

                      • trekfan
                        Designated Red Shirt
                        • Sep 2009
                        • 5817

                        #86
                        Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)


                        11-10-2013



                        Andy smiled broadly as he watched the young team before him celebrate this win with an uproarious crowd in the Amway Center. The noise was the loudest he had heard the place in his short time in Orlando but what a sweet sound it was.


                        “Howard sucks! Howard sucks! Howard sucks!” The crowd chanted as Dwight Howard, now part of the Houston Rockets, walked off the floor.


                        Andy wasn’t surprised at how hostile the crowd was to Dwight but he was surprised at how they affected him. He had been off all game, scoring only 13 points and pulling down 6 rebounds, which is why the Rockets had gotten blown out of the building, losing 94-66 to the Magic. It was a good feeling to see Dwight walk off this floor as a loser, as opposed to last year where he beat the Magic both times with the Lakers.


                        This year it was a different story. The Rockets had been their first win this season a week ago and now, thanks to another win, the Magic had a 3-2 record heading into their first division game versus the winless Bobcats.


                        Andy glanced over at his computer screen as he looked over the stats. Muhammad and Noel both had career games, Shabazz finishing with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, with 9 assists, and 4 rebounds and Nerlens finishing with 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting, with 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.


                        The game was a blowout by halftime but the crowd didn’t leave. They stayed and the Rockets attempted a comeback, closing the gap to 13 points by the time the fourth quarter arrived. Then Muhammad and Noel made it into a two man game, the two young stars finding each other open looks and setting up other teammates.


                        It was a beautiful thing to watch.


                        Andy elbowed Gil and pointed at the court below. The team was celebrating with the crowd as if they had won a championship. “That’s the kind of enthusiasm I like to see.”


                        Gil was less than impressed. “That’s the kind of rookie junk that’s gonna make the rest of the league hate us.”


                        “Lighten up, Gil,” Andy chided. “Can’t you let them have this one? We’re a young squad and a blowout like this against a supposedly ‘superior’ opponent is a great win!”


                        “We’re young alright. Average team age is 23,” he grumbled.


                        Andy rolled his eyes but moved towards the door. “I’m going to the locker room. This is our first homecourt win this year.”


                        “There won’t be champagne, kid.”


                        Andy smirked. “Not yet anyway.”


                        Any comments are welcome.
                        Texas Two-Step (2K20 Alt History)
                        Orange And Blue Forever (NCAA 14 Dynasty)
                        You Don't Know Jack (2K18 Pacers Dynasty - Complete)
                        Second Coming (2K16 Sonics MyLeague - Complete)
                        The Gold Standard (2K13 Dynasty - Complete)

                        Comment

                        • trekfan
                          Designated Red Shirt
                          • Sep 2009
                          • 5817

                          #87
                          Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)

                          Charlotte Bobcats at Orlando Magic
                          Nov 13, 20131ST2ND3RD4THSCORE
                          Charlotte (0-6)2416222284
                          Orlando (4-2)3121182898


                          Magic 98, Bobcats 84


                          ORLANDO -- It wasn't as though the Bobcats didn't show up. It's just that they didn't play well, which worked out perfectly for the Magic because they did. Rookies Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel have taken the league by storm. They showed no mercy to the Bobcats Wednesday night

                          Muhammad finished with a near triple-double, with 29 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. His running mate, Nerlens Noel, posted 28 points and 10 boards, dominating the inside in efficient fashion shooting 12-of-16 from the floor.

                          "We played our game tonight and we did it well," said Magic coach Kevin McHale. "In this league you need guys to make plays and tonight, we made them."

                          Did they ever. The game was a highlight enthusiasts dream as Noel made thunderous dunk after thunderous dunk, while Muhammad gracefully glided through the lane with some pretty lay-ups and a few monster dunks of his own.

                          Even the oldest player on the team, Andrei Kirilenko AKA AK47, had some nostalgic fast break dunks of his own set up by both Muhammad and Noel. "It was fun, this team is fun," said Kirilenko. "I haven't felt so young in a long time." AK47 finished with 11 points and six boards.

                          Muhammad, for his part, wasn't keeping score out on the court. "I didn't even know I was that close," he said with a smile. "I'm glad no one told me otherwise I might have gotten nervous."

                          Hearing Muhammad's comments, teammate Nerlens Noel laughed. "Man, he doesn't get nervous ... he just gets points."

                          Even off the court, the two young stars for the Magic continue to play well off one another.

                          Meanwhile, for the Bobcats, the season looks like more of the same.

                          "We're going to get better," said Michael Kidd Gilchrist, who finished with a team high 22 points. "It's a process and we're going to put in the work ... we'll see them again. And it'll be a different game then."
                          Any comments are welcome.
                          Texas Two-Step (2K20 Alt History)
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                          You Don't Know Jack (2K18 Pacers Dynasty - Complete)
                          Second Coming (2K16 Sonics MyLeague - Complete)
                          The Gold Standard (2K13 Dynasty - Complete)

                          Comment

                          • trekfan
                            Designated Red Shirt
                            • Sep 2009
                            • 5817

                            #88
                            Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)



                            COMMENTARY
                            Shabazz Muhammad: The next great star?


                            Hector Young

                            November 23, 2013



                            “That was awesome,” said one Penny Hardaway, while watching rookie Shabazz Muhammad roll over the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter. You could easily say that Hardaway, being a former franchise star of the Orlando Magic, is biased in his assessment of Muhammad.


                            But then you’d have to find some way to ignore this jaw dropping stat line: 40 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block, and 14-of-23 from the floor going 2-of-3 from deep. Oh, and he was 10-of-10 on free throws. By comparison Muhammad’s running mate, Nerlens Noel, had a not too shabby 29 points and 11 boards.


                            But Shabazz was the story this night. He took a precarious six point lead the Magic had scrapped to get in the third quarter and blew it up almost singlehandedly to twelve points by the time the fourth started.


                            “He was hot out there, on fire,” said a less than pleased Dwayne Wade. “I just didn’t guard him well enough.”


                            There was plenty of blame to pass around for the Heat. The game got away from them in the third and fourth quarters, the second half being a letdown after an early stretch in the first where they were up by seven.



                            “We let this one get away,” said Lebron James. “I switched onto him and I just couldn’t get good position.”


                            James, the NBA’s premier defender, could not stop Muhammad.


                            In fact, the only person on the court who could was Kevin McHale, who rested Muhammad in the second quarter. “Oh, he wanted back in,” McHale said after the game. “I told him to rest up because I needed him for the entire second half. That eased him a little … but not by much. He has an intense, completive fire.”


                            He’s already being compared to another NBA star, one Kobe Bryant.

                            Bryant’s heard of this kid, too.


                            “I know him,” said Kobe. “I saw him play at UCLA a few times … he was good then. He’s better now, getting better every day … he’s good.”


                            That’s high praise from Kobe.


                            Muhammad is a rare player that makes everyone around him better. The 106-93 win against the Heat proved that, as he fed Noel in the post when Miami double teamed him. They double teamed him often and he burned them often with a pass to his big man.


                            “We just know where one another is,” said Noel after the game. “It’s a great chemistry we have, a great feel … I never really had that before and I don’t think he did either in college.”


                            Muhammad, for his part, isn’t getting an inflated ego. He has his sights set on just winning.


                            “Stats don’t matter, wins do,” Muhammad said when told about the statistics he put up. “I mean, really, all I care about is the win. If I score 40 and we win, great. If I score 4 and we win, great. This is a game that depends on wins, not stats.”


                            Muhammad is breathing rarified air right now. If the continues with the pace he’s set, he could easily win rookie of the year and vault his team into the playoffs, becoming the first rookie of the year to do so in a number of seasons.


                            “Oh, he can do that,” said a smiling Penny Hardaway. “He’s going to do great things.”


                            If anything is certain, it’s that Muhammad still hasn’t reached his full potential.


                            For the rest of the NBA, that’s a scary thing. Especially considering he just turned 20.

                            Any comments are welcome.
                            Texas Two-Step (2K20 Alt History)
                            Orange And Blue Forever (NCAA 14 Dynasty)
                            You Don't Know Jack (2K18 Pacers Dynasty - Complete)
                            Second Coming (2K16 Sonics MyLeague - Complete)
                            The Gold Standard (2K13 Dynasty - Complete)

                            Comment

                            • trekfan
                              Designated Red Shirt
                              • Sep 2009
                              • 5817

                              #89
                              Re: Fate and Fortune: The Andy McCutcheon Story (NBA 2K13)


                              11-29-2013

                              Andy slid the piece of paper across the desk to Gil, who eyed it suspiciously. “This is what, exactly?”


                              Andy leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “We got stomped last night, Gil.” They lost 110-88 to the Heat … it was embarrassing.


                              “We played the Heat, on their home floor, and they paid us back for being cocky last week. Not a surprise,” he countered as he picked up the paper.


                              “Maybe not, but the play of the rest of the team was … that’s two straight losses where our offense hasn’t cracked 90 points.”


                              Gil looked over the piece of paper and smirked. “Is this a serious trade proposal?”


                              Andy nodded. “The Hornets called late last night, wanted to talk about a potential swap of starting power forwards.”


                              “Anderson for Big Baby? That a crock, they’re fishing,” Gil said as he crumpled the piece of paper into a ball and tossed it in the trash.


                              Andy had come to the same conclusion. “We’re not being taken seriously.”


                              “You know why?”


                              “We’re young and raw.”


                              Gil snapped his fingers at Andy. “Right. You don’t get respect in this league by being what we are … we need to beat the best to get respect.”


                              “But we need to get Shabazz and Nerlens help.” Andy leaned forward on his desk, his arm propped under him. “But where?”


                              “The rest of our starting five is … temporary at best, kid.” Gil took out his scouting notebook and read out some names. “Lowry, Jennings, and Thomas.”


                              “And they are … ?”


                              “Likely free agent point guards. Not a lot to work with there. If we’re looking at upgrading Smith, those are the names to start with.”


                              “We could trade.”


                              Gil nodded. “We could, but guess what? Every other GM out there knows we want upgrades around Muhammad and Noel.”


                              Andy saw his point. “Supply and demand … they’ll run up the prices when we come calling.”


                              “We need a good situation to make that trade and even then, we’ll be in a tight spot. We bargained pretty hard last offseason.” Gil turned the page in his notebook. “Then we have to figure out what to do with Big Baby.”


                              Andy felt bad discussing this, like some lord over his vassels, but the last two games had shown him that they were relying too much on Shabazz and Nerlens … they couldn’t make it a habit of doing that. “Yeah, Glen,” Andy said unhappily. “He’s a great team guy.”


                              “He’s great at taking up space and giving us virtually nothing in the post, yeah,” Gil bluntly assessed. “His numbers are down … Noel is pulling in twenty points and ten boards a game while Big Baby is giving us ten points and seven boards. He’s not complementing Noel, he’s letting him do all the work.”


                              “What do you suggest? We trade him? He’s not in high demand.”


                              “Maybe not now but the season is barely a month old.” Gil scanned through the notebook. “Frankly, the power forward position is pretty slim in free agency as well. We got a shot at no one of importance.”


                              “Unless Dirk hits free agency.”


                              Gil shot him a look. “Have you been drinking again?”


                              Andy sighed. “And then there’s our mess at small forward.”


                              “Damn straight it’s a mess … AK47 is not gonna resign, which is fine … he’s aging anyway. But we have Harkless, who’s great on defense and gives us nothing offensively, and then we have Quincy Miller who’s great on offense and can’t stop a cold on defense.”


                              “Too bad we can’t combine them.”


                              “Give it a few years, I think science will help us out,” Gil cracked. “Free agency will be filled with vets looking for one last, big, payday but not a single one of them will be worth it in my opinion.”


                              Andy rubbed his forehead. “Trades then. For the small forward spot at least, it’s our weakest position by far.”


                              “I’ll look into it.”


                              Andy’s phone rang and he looked at it. “Damn, I got a meeting!” He launched out his chair and tried to find his jacket.


                              Gil stared at him. “Do I even—”


                              “It’s with this women’s rights group, local chapter … I’m going to try and explain to them what happened. They’ve been hassling me for months now.”


                              Gil rolled his eyes. “It’s a minefield, kid, be careful.”


                              Andy nodded quickly, grabbed his jackets, and flew out the door.


                              He had an image to clean up.


                              ***


                              The woman before him was … well, she wasn’t the prettiest thing. She had some decently attractive qualities but there was the mole on her chin … and the near unibrow on her forehead.


                              There was also the perpetual scowl on her face which didn’t look like it knew what a smile was. “Mr. McCutcheon,” she began.


                              “Andy,” he told her once more.


                              “Mr. McCutcheon,” she insisted. “I’ve done my research on you, I know your background … we here with the National Organization for Women are very wary of your type.”


                              Andy faked a smile. “My type? O positive, I believe, Miss Gomez,” he tried to joke.


                              It seemed to make matters worse. She leaned forward in the chair across from him. “Don’t try to be funny … when men like you get away with what you did it speaks to a severe flaw in the fabric of our society.”


                              “With that I did?” Andy was on the defensive now. This sounded less like an interview and more like an interrogation. “Miss Gomez, I didn’t do anything. I was told this would be an unbiased interview which would allow—”


                              “We’re not that gullible. You might be able to sell DeVos with that lie, but not us. We’ve talked to your former employers and the way you deal with women is clear … we’re going to make sure that you don’t get away with this.”


                              Andy stood from his chair, the anger in him rising. “I haven’t gotten away with anything. I’m innocent.”


                              Gomez smirked coldly. “We have a very strong presence in this city, Mr. McCutcheon … we’ll find the truth and we’ll expose you.”


                              Andy took a deep breath. “You won’t find anything.”


                              “Your previous employers say differently.”


                              Andy glared at her, grabbed his jacket, and left the building.


                              His previous employers … Sarver. Veronica. The Suns.


                              He took out his phone and called the airport. He had a visit to make.


                              One that was long overdue.
                              Any comments are welcome.
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                              • Fresh715
                                Banned
                                • Nov 2012
                                • 74

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