2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Here's a little something to wet your whistle before I post the full 2014/15 Season 3 Preview...


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The Off-Season is over, and some big moves have been made around the league... Everyone will be gunning for the World Champion Oklahoma City Thunder this year... On paper, there are a few teams that look like they could give OKC a run for their money in their quest for a 2nd straight NBA Title...

Below you will see the starting rotations for every team in the league...



Last year - Finished 62-20, #1 Seed in Eastern Conference... Lost in NBA Finals to OKC Thunder

Philadelphia 76ers Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jrue Holiday (90)	Delonte West (71)	Anderson King*(64)
SG	Jason Richardson (70)	Sean Kilpatrick (64)	Jordan Aboudou*(64)
SF	Evan Turner (91)	Dorell Wright (75)
PF	Thaddeus Young (80)	Arnette Moultrie (66)
C	Andrew Bynum (92)	Cole Aldrich (68)

2014/15 Outlook - The Sixers lost Manu Ginobili in the Off-Season, and are going to have to find someone to step up at the SG position... That being said, they have a great team everywhere else on the floor... I look for them to be one of the best teams in the East again this Season...



Last year - 28-54

Charlotte Bobcats Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kemba Walker (85)	Chauncey Billups (74)
SG	Shannon Brown (77)	J.R.Smith (75)	Gerald Henderson (73)
SF	Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (82)	Jeff Taylor (67)
PF	Tiago Jacobsen* (72)	Tyrus Thomas (77)	Mason Plumlee (71)	Jesse Hester (66)
C	Rudy Gobert (78)	Brendan Haywood (62)

2014/15 Outlook - The Bobcats come into the Season with Higher expectations than years past... The Bobcats are young across the board, so I'm not sure if they will meet those expectations, however, 2nd year Center Rudy Gobert, from France, last years #2 overall pick in the Draft will be starting alongside this year's #1 overall pick PF Tiago Jacobson from Ohio State, and the two should be a formitable 1 - 2 punch for the Cats in the post... With Kemba Walker, Shannon Brown, and MKG, the Cats are very athletic... How many games they will win remains to be seen...

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stay tuned for the full season preview coming soon...

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Sorry fellas I've been slacking lately... I'll get an update posted here soon.

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Damn... Its been a crazy busy few weeks at work... We are working on some Prototype Seat Frames for the New 2015 Ford F-150's...

I'm gonna finish my Season 3 preview tonight and get it posted for you guys...

Stay Tuned.

[goblue1523]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Damn... Its been a crazy busy few weeks at work... We are working on some Prototype Seat Frames for the New 2015 Ford F-150's...

I'm gonna finish my Season 3 preview tonight and get it posted for you guys...

Stay Tuned.

Can't wait! I'm interested to see how the Wizards progress because i just started my 2nd season with them.

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Can't wait! I'm interested to see how the Wizards progress because i just started my 2nd season with them.

They knocked me out of the playoffs last year

Wall and Beal are studs and the two monsters in the paint Block tons of shots and grab a ton of boards... They are tough.

I'll post my full Season 3, team by team preview tonight.

Thanks for the Follow.

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Dang, the Lakers suck

I think you'll be excited once you see who fell to your Lakers in the Draft this past year

I used SwaggerCoach's 1st Fictional Draft Class for my 2nd draft... Heres a link

http://www.slideshare.net/swaggercoach/fictional-draft-class-1

I'll post a full Rookie Draft review here soon... I'm hoping to be busy tonight updating everyone on what happened during the draft and I'm gonna post some rookie reports from Swagg's Powerpoint presentation.

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

I've got a question for a Mod...

would it be easier for my readers to keep updating the 1st post of this thread with new information, rather making a new post for each article?

How long can one post be before it reaches its limit?, or, is there a limit?

Also, is there any way to edit the image size when I'm posting images in my Articles?

[buckeyedude33]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Man I am pumped to see what is next haha. I have had this page bookmarked for awhile now. I've been checking it two or three times a day since you said you've been slacking waiting anxiously for the update. Cannot wait to read it. Keep up the good work

[ffaacc03]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

I prefer new individual posts ... editing one over and over doesnt gives a sign of new content on a thread, so would be hard to keep track with updates, plus surely there is a limit to post extentions ... anyways, do as you see fit.

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

NBA 2014/15 SEASON TIP OFF




The Off-Season is over, and some big moves have been made around the league... Everyone will be gunning for the World Champion Oklahoma City Thunder this year... On paper, there are a few teams that look like they could give OKC a run for their money in their quest for a 2nd straight NBA Title...

Below you will see the starting rotations for every team in the league...

*NOTE* Player Name with a (*) after it denotes a Rookie... I will post a "rookie report" after each month of the regular season.



Last year - Finished 62-20, #1 Seed in Eastern Conference... Lost in NBA Finals to OKC Thunder

Philadelphia 76ers Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jrue Holiday (90)	Delonte West (71)	Anderson King*(64)
SG	Jason Richardson (70)	Sean Kilpatrick (64)	Jordan Aboudou*(64)
SF	Evan Turner (91)	Dorell Wright (75)
PF	Thaddeus Young (80)	Arnette Moultrie (66)
C	Andrew Bynum (92)	Cole Aldrich (68)

2014/15 Outlook - Last year the Sixers steam rolled through the Eastern Conference Playoffs, winning their 1st 12 games to sweep all the way to the NBA Finals... In the finals, they lost the OKC Thunder, but, they showed during that playoff run how dominant they could be... In the Off-Season, re-signing SF Evan Turner was the #1 priority, they did just that as they locked up Turner to a 5 year $76m deal... With Holiday, Turner and Bynum, the Sixers have arguable the best young core in the NBA... They lost Manu Ginobili in the Off-Season, and are going to have to find someone to step up at the SG position... That being said, they have a great team everywhere else on the floor... I look for them to be one of the best teams in the East again this Season...



Last year - 28-54

Charlotte Bobcats Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kemba Walker (85)	Chauncey Billups (74)
SG	Shannon Brown (77)	J.R.Smith (75)	Gerald Henderson (73)
SF	Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (82)	Jeff Taylor (67)
PF	Tiago Jacobsen* (72)	Tyrus Thomas (77)	Mason Plumlee (71)	Jesse Hester (66)
C	Rudy Gobert (78)	Brendan Haywood (62)

2014/15 Outlook - The Bobcats come into the Season with Higher expectations than years past... The Bobcats are young across the board, so I'm not sure if they will meet those expectations, however, 2nd year Center Rudy Gobert, from France, last years #2 overall pick in the Draft will be starting alongside this year's #1 overall pick PF Tiago Jacobson from Ohio State, and the two should be a formitable 1 - 2 punch for the Cats in the post... With Kemba Walker, Shannon Brown, and MKG, the Cats are very athletic... How many games they will win remains to be seen...



Last year - 32-50

Milwaukee Bucks Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Brandon Jennings (89)	Pierre Jackson*(65)
SG	Myck Kabongo (77)	Doron Lamb (72)
SF	Danny Granger (85)	Luc Richard Mbah A Moute (72)	Tobias Harris (71)
PF	Ersan Ilyasova (81)	Larry Sanders (73)	John Henson (69)
C	Ramon Uwawah* (72)	Ekpe Udoh (73)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Bucks had a disappointing Season last year and it cost coach Scott Skiles his job... New Head Coach Greg Leonard will lead a new look Bucks team as they made some big changes in the Off-Season... Gone is gunslinger Monte Ellis, as he left in Free Agency and headed out west to Phoenix... With a boatload of cap space, the Bucks went out and signed SF Danny Granger, one of the most versitile Small Forwards in the league... Granger will be expected to be the the leader on both sides of the floor for this team... With PF Ersan Ilyasova spreading the Defense out with his great shooting, there should be plenty of driving lanes for Granger, Jennings and 2nd year SG Myck Kabongo from Texas, who replaces Ellis in the starting lineup... I don't think the Bucks are good enough to compete for a title in 2014, but, they are starting to look like a team that should make the playoffs this year...



Last year - 52-30... Lost in 1st round to Brooklyn Nets

Chicago Bulls Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Derrick Rose (94)	Steve Blake (61)	Marcus Claxton* (54)
SG	Marquis Teague (72)	Drew Crawford (61)
SF	Loul Deng (83)	Jimmy Butler (69)
PF	Taj Gibson (80)	Carlos Boozer (77)	Rakeem Christmas (69)
C	Joakim Noah (80)	Rakeem Christmas (69)

2014/15 Season outlook - After a disappointing loss to the Brooklyn Nets in the 1st round, the Bulls come back this year with nearly the same team... One change will be the Power Forward position, where Taj Gibson will replace Carlos Boozer... Boozer has already voiced his displeasure with the decision, but, he will still see significant minutes and be expected to contribute on a nightly basis... If his attitude about coming off the bench doesn't change though, there could be a change coming down the road... This team is only going to go as far as Derrick Rose takes them... I think they will be a in the Top 4 or 5 teams in the Eastern Conference all year and I look for the Bulls to compete for the Central Division in the East, but, I'm still not sure if they've got enough Offense to win an NBA Championship...



Last year - 45-37... Lost to Wizards in 1st round

Cleveland Cavaliers Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyrie Irving (90)	Trey Burke (71)
SG	Shabazz Muhammad (87)	Dion Waiters (84)	Tony Allen (69)
SF	LeBron James (99)	Solomon Hill (63)	Tony Allen (69)
PF	Tristan Thompson (79)	Jonas Jerebko (74)	Renaldo Balkman (63)
C	Anderson Varejao (73)	Tyler Zeller (71)	Rambo Hightower* (66)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Cavs made great strides last year, making the playoffs for the 1st time in the Kyrie Irving era, but losing to the Wizards in the 1st round... During the Off-Season, it was known throughout the League that the Cavs would make an effort to "bring home" LeBron James... With plenty of cap space and a great young roster, LeBron decided that "home" didn't look so bad after all... With the addition of LeBron, the Cavaliers now look to be the favorite in the Eastern Conference... With Kyrie Irving, Shabazz Muhammad, Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson, alongside LeBron, this team is down right scary... Oh yeah, and LeBron wasn't the only one that decided to come back, Center Anderson Varejao decided to return to the Cavaliers, just 4 months after being traded to the Mavericks for a future 1st round pick... It will probably take a little while for LeBron and Kyrie and the rest of the team to gell, but, once they do, look out, Cleveland is once again the Center of the Basketball Universe!



Last year - 30-52

Boston Celtics Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Rajon Rondo (89)	Jason Terry (67)
SG	Avery Bradley (80)	Mike Fordham* (72)	Courtney Lee (72)
SF	Jeff Green (80)	Alex Poythress (77)
PF	Derrick Williams (80)	Jared Sullinger (72)
C	Brandon Bass (70)	Dewayne Dedmon (65)	Fab Melo (59)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The rebuild is in full effect in Boston after a disappointing 52 loss Season... With the trade of Paul Pierce to Minnesota, and the acquisition of PF Derrick Williams, that rebuild could come quicker than expected... Boston has a very solid team from top to bottom... I'm not sure if they have that one offensive player that the opponents must fear and respect on a nightly basis, but, they have a group of players that can all contribute every night... Without that one, legit superstar that can "get his own" though, I'm not sure how far this young roster can go... There have been rumors around the league that the Celtics GM would consider trading Rondo for a more dynamic scoring Point Guard, so, stay tuned on that... As constructed, I think they will play good ball all year long and they are talented enough to make the playoffs... I don't think they can go very far if they get there however...



Last year - 41-41

Los Angeles Clippers Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Chris Paul (94)	Erick Green (63)
SG	Jamal Crawford (73)	Ben McLemore (70)
SF	Carmelo Anthony (90)	Mack Sharp* (70)	Robert Covington (66)
PF	Blake Griffin (94)	Paul Milsap (83)	Donovan Saunders (54)
C	DeAndre Jordan	Paul Milsap (83)

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2014/15 Season Outlook - Lamar Burns, Clippers young head coach finished .500 last year and failed to make the playoffs... With as much talent as there is on this roster, failing to make the playoffs is unacceptable... In his 2nd year as head coach, I expect him, and the Clippers to be much better... Oh yeah, acquiring one of the most dynamic scorers in the game in Free Agency wont hurt either... If you can recall, a few years back before Carmelo Anthony entered Free Agency, he openly admitted that he would one day love to play with his good friend, Chris Paul... At the time, things just didn't work out, Paul and Anthony were traded, but, not to the same team... This past Off-Season, Carmelo once again hit the open market, as things just weren't going as planned in New York... After weighing his options around the League, Carmelo decided to take a substantially less money and sign with the LA Clippers... Carmelo left about $8 million per year on the table, opting to sign a 4 year $40m deal with the Clippers... In his words "the chance to play with Chris and the chance to play for a championship were well worth it"... With the addition of Carmelo Anthony, the Clippers now of one of, if not THE most star studded team in the NBA... I don't think there is any way they do not come out of the Western Conference and reach the NBA Finals this year...




Last year - 38-44

Memphis Grizzlies Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Mike Conley (82)	Tony Wroten (71)
SG	Vin Sampson Jr* (69)	CJ Wilcox (68)	Michael Snaer (63)
SF	Rudy Gay (88)	Quincy Pondexter (68)
PF	Zach Randolph (80)	Darrell Arthur (75)
C	Marc Gasol (81)	Brandon Wright (75)

2014/15 Season Outlook - Over the last few years the Grizzlies have been one of the more consistent teams in the league... Last year however, they had a disappointing season, only winning 38 games and missing the playoffs... In the off-season, they managed to retain most of their starting lineup and acquire some fresh young talent in the draft... With the 10th pick in the Draft, the Grizzlies selected SG Victor Sampson Jr, who, is considered by most to be the best perimeter defender and one of the most athletic players in the draft... With Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, I think this team is primed and ready to make another run in the Western Conference... Darrell Arthur and Brandon Wright are two, solid young, athletic big men off the bench and backup point guard Troy Wroten and CJ Wilcox (both from the Univ of Washington) will provide some nice scoring off the bench... Playing together at the Unviersity of Washington, Wroten and Wilcox will be the leaders of one of the better 2nd units in the league...



Last year - 32-50

Memphis Grizzlies Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jeff Teague (77)	Devin Harris (77)	Nate Wolters (67)
SG	Louis Williams (80)	Ryan Harrow (72)	John Jenkins (68)
SF	Terrance Williams (78)	Darius Miller (69)
PF	Josh Smith (89)	Bryce Cole* (70)	Rod Black* (60)
C	Al Horford (84)	Bryce Cole* (70)

2014/15 Season Outlook - Another year, Another disappointing year for the Atlanta Hawks... This year, on paper, doesn't look like its going to be much better, but, I think this team is finally starting to put some good young players in place to hopefully become relevant in the future... Last year, the Hawks drafted PG/SG Ryan Harrow from Kentucky with the 12th pick in the first round and this year, they selected PF Bryce Cole from Michigan with the 6th pick in the 1st round... Cole isn't quite ready to step into the starting lineup yet, but, when he is the Hawks will finally be able to move PF Josh Smith to his natural SF position... I look for this to be a year of growing pains for the young Hawks, but, as I said I believe they are starting to build something that could be really good down the road...



Last year - 49-33... Lost to Pacers in 1st round

Miami Heat Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Mario Chalmers (78)	Norris Cole (71)
SG	Dwayne Wade (94)	Billy Jordan (55)
SF	Trevor Ariza (77)	Chris Douglas Roberts (73)	Clifford Bowman* (67)
PF	Alex Oriakhi (70)	Udonis Haslem (66)
C	Spencer Hawes (75)	Mindaugas Kupsas (65)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Heat won 49 games last year and looked to be the favorite in the East, well, the Indiana Pacers had other ideas and they bounced the Heat in the 1st round... After the game, the deconstruction of one of the best teams we've seen in a long time began... LeBron James left "south beach" and headed home to Cleveland and Chris Bosh also left and headed to "The D" to play with the up and coming Detroit Pistons... So, what now? All that's left in Miami is Dwayne Wade and a group of young players... I think its going to be a long year in "South Beach" as losing the best player in the game is never easy to overcome (just as the Cavaliers from a few years back)... Trevor Ariza and Chris Douglas Roberts will replace LeBron James at the Small Forward position, so, I think its going to be a long year for the Heat... Some are already wondering if now, could be the time to trade Dwayne Wade, in hopes of acquiring draft picks and young talent...



Last yaer - 40-42

New Orleans Hornets Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Austin Rivers (75)	Grevious Vasquez (71)
SG	Eric Gordon (91)	Xavier Henry (76)	Nick Young (71)
SF	Al-Farouq Aminu (77)	Yunlong Su* (71)	Doug McDermott (70)
PF	Nerlens Noel (81)	Ryan Anderson (73)
C	Anthony Davis 91)	Robin Lopez (71)

2014/15 Season Outlook - After a rough 2012 Season, the Hornets drafted Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel with the #1 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft... Anthony Davis and Nerlens Noel instantly became one of the best Center / Power Forward combos in the league... Together, they helped the Hornets improve greatly last year, winning 40 games... Despite the improvement, the Front Office decided that it was time for a new voice and let go of head coach Monty Williams... New Coach Bernard Daugherty will bring a new school approached to the team and his defensive system is where he makes his money... With a great defensive team already in place and two twin towers down low, I think the Hornets are going to be one of the better defensive teams in the league... After another solid draft where the Hornets picked up the best on ball defender in the draft with the 13th pick in the 1st round, SF Yunlong Su from Japan, the Hornets look to be primed and ready to make a run in the Western Conference...



Last year - 39-43

Utah Jazz Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Eric Bledsoe (75)	Mo Williams (74)
SG	Gordon Heyward (80)	Alec Burks (75)	Aaron Tyson (62)
SF	DeShaun Thomas (76)	Quentin Richardson (64)	Jamario Moon (62)
PF	Derrick Favors (87)	Jeremy Evans (62)
C	Al Jefferson (84)	Enes Kanter (73)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Jazz took some positive strides last year, winning 39 games in a tough Western Conference... This year, after a few big moves, they are hoping to turn the corner and become a legit Playoff contender out West... The trade deadline acquisition of PG Eric Bledsoe from the Clippers was big for a few reasons... #1, it gave the Jazz their Point Guard of the future, as Mo Williams' contract will expire following this Season... #2 trading Paul Milsap finally opened up the starting Power Forward spot for the #3 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Derrick Favors... With Favors and Al Jefferson down low, the Jazz should have a Big Man Advantages over nearly every team in the league... Bledsoe is more explosive than Mo Williams, so, when they aren't setting up their half court, low post game with Favors and Jefferson, look for the Jazz to push the tempo and get their two young wingmen, SG Gordon Heyward and SF DeShaun Thomas some open looks on the break... Off the bench, Mo Williams, Alec Burks and Enes Kanter provide great depth... They Jazz could make some noise this year, without question...



Last year - 46-36... Lost to Thunder in 2nd round

Sacramento Kings Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Isaiah Thomas (78)	Jimmer Fredette (74)	Dexter Strickland (66)
SG	Marcus Thornton (79)	CJ Leslie (72)
SF	Tyreke Evans (89)	CJ Leslie (72)	Travis Outlaw (67)
PF	Thomas Robinson (81)	Jason Thompson (75)
C	DeMarcus Cousins (91)	Chuck Hayes (67)	Mark Hatcher* (65)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Kings took a big step in the right direction last year, making the playoffs and losing a hard fought 2nd round series to the eventual NBA Champion OKC Thunder... Center DeMarcus Cousins, became arguably the best young center in the game and SG Tyreke Evans took his game to another level... Point Guard Isaiah Thomas keeps improving every day and the Kings are looking like one of the better young teams in the league... Very deep with CJ Leslie and Jimmer Fredette coming off the bench, along with PF Jason Thompson, I think the Kings are ready to make some serious noise out West this year...



Last year 41-41... Lost to Sixers in 1st round

New York Knicks Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Raymond Felton (77)	Elijah Johnson (66)
SG	Iman Shumpert (84)	Ronnie Brewer (71)	Gerald Woolridge* (54)
SF	Alonzo Gee (77)	Dante Cage* (70)	Steve Novak (54)
PF	Amare Stoudemire (84)	Gani Lawal (62)
C	Steven Adams (75)	Tyson Chandler (75)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The post Carmelo Anthony era begins in New York City... You've got to believe that the Knicks are going to struggle this year, and probably for a few years as they try to replace one of the best pure scorers in the league... After Carmelo bolted for "Lob City" in the Off-Season, the Knicks had some unexpected cap space, however, there missed out on several big time Free Agents, for, whatever reason.. SF Danny Granger decided to sign with the Bucks, SF Evan Turner decided to return to Philly and SF LeBron James decided to go home to Cleveland... This left the Knicks shopping for bargains on the open market... They were able to sign Alonzo Gee, who has never really been asked to be "the guy" in his career, but, he's going to have to play huge if the Knicks are going to be any kind of threat at all in the East this year... Felton, Shumpert, Gee and Stoudemire is a terrible group, but, the Knicks lack depth and they don't have much outside of those 4 players... I don't expect them to turn it around in 1 year, so, hang on Knick fans, its going to be a long season...



Last year - 38-44

Los Angeles Lakers Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Tyshawn Taylor (75)	Ray McCallum (72)	Lorenzo Brown (71)
SG	Kobe Bryant (91)	Wilson Chandler (84)
SF	Roger Fox* (80)	Wilson Chandler (84)	Chris Singleton (72)
PF	Kris Humphries (74)	Kenyon Martin (71)
C	Dwight Howard (97)	Chris Kaman (73)	Jordan Hill (74)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Lakers struggled last year, after winning the NBA Finals in the previous year... The Retirement of PG Steve Nash left a huge hole at the Point Guard position, and, with the rookie Lorenzo Brown running the show, the Lakers never really got anything going... In typical "big market luck" after missing the playoffs, the Lakers got lucky in the NBA Draft lottery and ended up with the 3rd overall selection... With that selection, the best player in the draft was amazingly still available, SG Roger Fox from Miami (FL)... Fox has been compared to some of the better scorers in the league already, some have said he has a jumper like Ray Allen, with an off the dribble game like Kobe... There is no doubt that he's going to be a star, and, the Lakers and their fans should be thanking the NBA Gods that the ping pong balls bounced their way... It looks like the Lakers are going to run a "point guard by commitee" system this year, as they have 3 very solid young point guards who all bring something different to the table... If you could combine all their skills, you'd have the next great point guard in the league, but, for now, they are going to have to use all 3 in the proper situations... With Kobe Bryant nearing the end of his career, this could be his last shot at an NBA Title... I think the Lakers are going to be a much better team this year and if Kobe, Fox, and Dwight Howard can gell, this team can make some noise in the playoffs...



Last year - 27-55

Orlando Magic Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kenny Caballero* (76)	Jameer Nelson (69)
SG	Gilbert Arenas (77)	Otto Porter (72)
SF	Arron Afflalo (79)	Otto Porter (72)	Maurice Harkless (71)
PF	Al Harrington (67)	Andrew Nicholson (71)	Bismack Biyombo (70)
C	Cody Zellers (81)	Bismack Biyombo (70)	Nikolva Vucevic (67)

2014/15 Season outlook - Orlando has been struggling since the departure of Dwight Howard a few years back, but, after two solid draft classes and now a new Head Coach they are beginning to put together a team that can at least compete on a nightly basis... After being worse than expected last year, Head Coach Jacque Vaughn was fired and young, up and coming coach Herb Chase was hired... Coach Herb is a much better "teacher" and that is just what this young team needs at this point... Last years NBA Rookie of the Year Cody Zeller is back, for his 2nd Season and he's looking to build off of his fantastic rookie campaign where here averaged 17.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. A big addition this year is #4 overall selection, Point Guard Kenny Caballero from Duke... This guy is your modern day athletic point guard and the pick and roll with him and Zeller will probably be the foundation of the Magic Offense going forward... The bench unit is led by veteran PG Jameer Nelson, 2nd year SF Otto Porter and 3rd year PF Andre Nicholas... I don't expect the Magic to be a real contender in 2014/15, but they've got a few good young pieces to build around, so, its only a matter of time for them to start competing for the playoffs...



Last year - 29-53

Dallas Mavericks Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Darren Collison (80)	Rodrigue Beaubois (79)
SG	OJ Mayo (81)	Brandon Rush (73)
SF	Andre Iguodala (89)	Mason Sweetney* (74)
PF	Dirk Nowitzki (79)	Marreese Speights (75)
C	Samuel Dalembert (70)	Gorgui Dieng (69)	Frasier Kramer* (63)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Mavericks had a very disappointing Season last year, only winning 29 games and never really gelling after signing SF Andre Iguodala in the previous Off-Season... This year could be the "last ride" for long time Maverick Dirk Nowitzki as he will turn 37 during the Season... The Mavericks, really need to come up with a good year, as their 1st round pick will be headed to Cleveland after this Season from that Anderson Varejao trade at the deadline last year... At the deadline last year, the Mavericks were making a desperate attempt to reach the playoffs, and traded for Andy for a future 1st rounder... On paper, I think this team will do much better than they did last year, with Collison, Mayo and Iguodala they should be able to put up points with the best of them... Still, I'm not sure if I'm ready to call them a legit playoff contender in a very tough Western Conference...



Last year - 44-38... Lost to Sixers in Eastern Conference Finals

Brooklyn Nets Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Darren Williams (91)	Stacy Hughes (68)
SG	Joe Johnson (85)	Jamaal Franklin (66)
SF	Gerald Wallace (78)	Mike Moser (64)	Courtney Stallworth (53)
PF	Pau Gasol (84)	Trevor Mbakwe (74)
C	Brook Lopez (86)	Chris Anderson (63)

2014/15 Season Outlook - Last Season, the Nets surprised everyone when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals... The trade to acquire PF Pau Gasol at the trade deadline proved to be the difference maker for this team down the stretch... With Gasol at PF the team was able to get instantly better offensively as apposed to when they had Kris Humphries at PF... Gasol and Brook Lopez formed a solid 1, 2 punch on the inside, and Deron Williams and Joe Johnson did most of the scoring from the perimeter... They are a very explosive team and they've got All Stars all over the court... On any given night, from a pure talent perspective they will be better than most of their opponents, so, they are just going to have to put it all together... This year, I look for the nets to take that next step and compete for an Eastern Conference Championship again...



Last year 42-40... Lost to Thunder in 1st round

Denver Nuggets Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Ty Lawson (87)	Isaac Newman (68)
SG	Corey Brewer (72)	Evan Fournier (65)	Durand Scott (64)
SF	Danilo Gallinari (83)	Jordan Hamilton (72)
PF	Kenneth Faried (81)	Anthony Randolph (79)	Mirza Teletovic* (68)
C	Javale McGee (79)	Reggie Evans (59)

2014/15 Season Outlook - After sneaking into the playoffs last year, the Nuggets were quickly eliminated by the soon to be NBA Champion OKC Thunder... In the Off-Season, the Nuggets lost veteran wingman Wilson Chandler to the LA Lakers, and, even bigger, they lost their long time head coach George Karl who decided to retire... Karl was replaced with Grant Hughes, who is known for his offensive system and his teaching ability... Time will tell if the team will accept his philosophies and by into his system like they did with Coach Karl... On the court, the Nuggets are still a solid team, despite the loss of Chandler... Ty Lawson will look to push the tempo every chance he gets, Kenneth Faried and Javal McGee, too athletic bigs who can run the floor, rebound well and finish strong at the rim... With Corey Brewer and Danilo Gallinari they've got two players who can knock down shots from anywhere... I think their uptempo system will give teams fits all year long With all that being said, I don't think the Nuggets will be a Championship contender this year, but, I do expect them to make the playoffs in the West...



Last year 44-38... Lost to Nets in 2nd round

Indiana Pacers Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	George Hill (76)	Ian Miller (69)
SG	Gerald Green (76)	Orlando Johnson (73)
SF	Paul George (85)	Caron Butler (76)	Monte Townsend (56)
PF	Ian Mahinmi (71)	Tyler Hansbrough (71)	Julio Summers (67)
C	Roy Hibbert (81)	Miles Plumlee (60)

2014/15 Season Outlook - After shocking the NBA World in last years Playoffs, knocking off the mighty Miami Heat in the 1st round, the Pacers are back, but are they better than last year?... A big loss for them this Off-Season was the departure of long time Pacer, SF Danny Granger who signed with the Bucks in Free Agency... Even with Granger's departure, the Pacers team packs a punch with Geroge Hill, Paul George and Gerald Green... Inside, they are two intimidating shot blockers in Mahinmi and Hibbert... Caron Butler will contribute big minutes off the bench and provide veteran leadership... The Pacers are a deep team, and they are going to need SF Paul George to take that next step and become a Superstar if they are going to make any noise in the East... I think they will be a good team, but, I'm not sure if they've got enough to make a serious run at an NBA Championship this year...



Last year 33-49

Detroit Pistons Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Brandon Knight (81)
SG	Nate Robinson (78)	Hawkeem Freeman* (68)	Scott Meredith (55)
SF	James McAdoo (82)	Tayshaun Prince (71)	Khris Middleton (68)
PF	Chris Bosh (85)	Jason Maxiell (68)	Jonas Bergstedt* (66)
C	Greg Monroe (86)	Andre Drummond (66)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Pistons had another rough Season a year ago, but, this year it looks like they might be ready to to contend for a Playoff birth and possibly make some noise in the Eastern Conference Playoffs... The addition of PF Chris Bosh in free agency is huge for this team, giving them a legit scoring presence from the PF Position that they haven't had for awhile... Bosh and Center Greg Monroe are a nice one two punch in the paint and will be a tough matchup for most teams on most nights... Point Guard Brandon Knight looks like he's ready to take his game to another level and 2nd year SF James McAdoo also looks like he's ready to become a star... I'm not sure if they've got all the pieces to compete for a title, but, there is no question this team is much improved over last year, and they will be a player in this years post season...



Last year - 35-47

Toronto Raptors Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyle Lowery (86)	Jose Calderon (70)
SG	Demar Derozan (83)	Terrence Ross (75)	Archie Goodwin (74)
SF	Landry Fields (79)	Jon Ireland (68)
PF	Ed Davis (77)	Amir Johnson (70)
C	Anrea Bargnani (77)	Jonas Valanciunas (68)	Amir Johnson (70)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Raptors resigned their star Point Guard Kyle Lowry in the Off-Season, however, they weren't able to add much to one of the worst rosters in the league... The Raptors seem content with letting their young talent to continue to develop rather than bringing in 2 or 3 free agents to quickly rebuild... They have Center Andrea Bargnani's expiring contract this year, so, if they are out of the playoff race by the trade deadline (which I'm sure they will be) they could look to move Bargnani to a contender for some draft picks and young talent... I think its going to be a long year for the Raptors, but I think SG Demar Derozan and SG Terrance Ross, with their high wire dunks will at least make this team watchable... There wont be many wins though, so, I expect the Raptors to be a lottery pick team once again...



Last year - 53-29, #1 seed in Western Conference... Lost to T'Wolves in 1st round

Houston Rockets Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jeremy Lin (83)
SG	James Harden (87)	Anthony Morrow (67)
SF	Chandler Parsons (81)	Tony Mitchell (80)	Terrence Jones (66)
PF	Patrick Patterson (82)	Marcus Morris (70)	Royce White (73)
C	Omer Asik (71)	Alec Brown (68)	Donatas Motiejunas (65)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Rockets steam rolled through the regular season last year, finishing with 53 wins and the #1 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs... In the Playoffs however, they were upset in the 1st round by a very good Timberwolves team... The Rockets just couldn't match up well with the T'Wolves in that Series... newly acquired Paul Pierce's leadership really took the T'Wolves to another level as they made it all the way to the Western Finals... Houston is very talented though, and This year, it looks like the Rockets are bringing back almost everyone off the team that finished with the Top seed in the West a year ago... I think Houston could compete for a Championship this season, with James Harden and Jeremy Lin leading the way...



Last year - 39-43

San Antonio Spurs Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Tony Parker (80)	DJ Augustin (77)	Patty Mills (70)
SG	Manu Ginobili (80)	Danny Green (73)
SF	Kawhi Leonard (82)	Danny Green (73)
PF	Andray Blatche (75)	DeJuan Blair (77)	Dennis Lambert (68)
C	Tim Duncan (79)	Patrick Young (71)	BJ Mullens (68)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Spurs run of being one of the best teams in the NBA has officially come to an end... This team is just too old and they desperately need an influx of young talent or they risk having one of their worst Seasons in recent memory... Tony Parker can still play, but lets be realistic, he's now 32 years old and is entering his 14th year in the league. To expect him to average 20 points and 10 assists per game is a bit of a stretch... Tim Duncan enters his 18th season in the league, and the 38 year old hasn't really talked about retirement yet, although, it seems inevitable that this will be his final season... The Spurs have a log jam at the Power Forward and Center positions with Blatche, Duncan, Blair, Young, Lambert and Mullens, there aren't really any minutes available for all of these guys... I would expect there to be some "unrest" if they keep all these big men on the roster because someone is probably going to get angry about not getting minutes... Honestly, I'm not sure what the Spurs staff was thinking with their recent acquisitions... They just drafted Center Dennis Lambert in the 1st round with their 11th pick last Season even though they had all these other big men on the roster... I think there is going to have to be a few trades in the Spurs future for some wing players... Stay tuned...




Last year - 45-37... Lost to T'Wolves in 2nd round

Phoenix Suns Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Goran Dragic (83)	Kendall Marshall (71)
SG	Monte Ellis (86)	Wesley Johnson (74	Cooper Francis* (64)
SF	Jared Dudley (78)	Adonis Thomas (77)
PF	Michael Beasley (85)	Markieff Morris (71)	Channing Frye (62)
C	Luis Scola (74)	Jeff Withey (67)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The emergence of Point Guard Goran Dragic has rejuvenated a Phoenix Suns franchise that had been down in the dumps since the departure of Steve Nash a few years back... Dragic and Michael Beasley has helped bring this franchise back to life so to speak and now, they look like they could be a contender in the Western Conference... In the Off-Season, they went out and gave Shooting Guard Monte Ellis a 4 year, $58m contract... Some say he is overpaid, but, there is no debating the fact that he can flat out score with the best of them in the NBA... With the Suns uptempo system, Dragic running the point and Beasely doing work on the boards and in the low post, I think the Suns are a scary Offensive team... Wesley Johnson, Kendall Marshall and Adonis Thomas off the bench will provide some nice depth and the only real question mark for the team is, will not having a true Center hurt them in the long run? I don't think it will, I think they will be able to score enough and play good enough Defense to compete in the West this year...



Last year - 48-34... Won 2013/14 NBA Championship

Oklahoma City Thunder Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Russell Westbrook (95)	Reggie Jackson (73)	CJ McCollum (69)	Eric Maynor (69)
SG	Kevin Martin (78)	Jeremy Lamb (75)	Thabo Sefolosha (64)
SF	Kevin Durant (96)	Perry Jones (68)
PF	Serge Ibaka (85)	Perry Jones (68)	Nick Collison (60)	Kevin Chambers (65)
C	Kendrick Perkins (75)	Aziz N'Diaye (63)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Defending Champion OKC Thunder come into this year looking stronger than ever... Last year, Russell Westbrook stepped into the relm of the NBA's Elite Players as he carried the Thunder to their 1st NBA Title while Kevin Durant struggled in their playoff run... I don't think anyone will be questioning the amount of shots that Westbrook takes from here on out... Kevin Durant is still the unquestioned leader of this team, but, Westbrook has closed that gap significantly... At the SG position, the Thunder have 2 players that could both make a case for a starting job, SG Kevin Martin and SG Jeremy Lamb are both fantastic players and they have shown that they can step in and be that 3rd scoring option on any given night... With Ibaka and Perkins prescense in the paint, this team really doesn't have a weakness... If I wanted to nitt pick their roster, I could say that the only apparent weakness is their lack of depth on the front line, so, you might see a minor trade made during the year to beef up the frontcourt a bit... Even if they stand pat, and don't make any changes, I fully expect the Thunder to have a shot at a 2nd straight NBA Title



Last year - 42-40... Lost to Thunder in Western Conference Finals

Minnesota Timberwolves Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Ricky Rubio (90)	Alexey Shved (67)	JJ Barea (68)
SG	Brandon Roy (81)	Igor Kasparov (68)	Malcolm Lee (68)
SF	Paul Pierce (79)	Chase Budinger (75)	Oleksandr Lypovyy (65)
PF	Kevin Love (91)	David West (75)
C	Nikola Pekovic (77)	Alex Len (72)

2014/15 Season Outlook - After an up and down Season, the T'Wolves made a bold move at the trade deadline last year... Trading away former #2 overall pick PF Derrick Williams to the Boston Celtics in exchange for long time Celtic Paul Pierce... Pierce's leadership made an immediate impact as the T'Wolves went on a run after the trade and snuck into the Playoffs as the #8 seed in the West... In the playoffs, the team really started to play well, and they upset the #1 seed Houston Rockets and rode that momentum all the way to the Western Conference Finals... The T'Wolves would come up short in the West finals, losing in 7 games to the OKC Thunder, but they a coming into this Season with sky high expectations... Point Guard Ricky Rubio is where everything starts for this team... When he is playing well, they are very tough to beat... Kevin Love does his thing on a nightly basis and with average 20 and 10 like every year... The added dimension of Paul Pierce, even at 37 years old, gives them "that guy" that can get important buckets at the end of close games, which is something they were lacking before the trade... After coming up 1 game short of the NBA Finals last year, I think this team is hungry and ready to take that next step... For this coming Season, I expect the T'Wolves to win close to 50 games and make some noise in the Western Conference...



Last year - 45-37... Lost to Suns in 1st round

Portland Trailblazers Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Damian Lillard (90)	Nolan Smith (75)
SG	Wesley Matthews (84)	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (71)	Elliot Williams (73)	Will Barton (67)
SF	Nicolas Batum (83)	Rodney Williams (70)
PF	JJ Hickson (78)	Jared Jeffries (57)
C	Lamarcus Aldridge (88)	Wallace Hart* (65)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Blazers took a step in the right direction last year, making the playoffs but losing to the Suns in the 1st round... Coming into this year, they are expected to take another step forward, and, possibly compete for a Western Conference Championship... PG Damian Lillard is becoming a star in this league... His scoring and assists per game have gone up every year he's been in the league and, he has become great friends with Center LeMarcus Aldridge... The two of them are the faces of this franchise and they've got plenty of talent around them to push OKC out West this year... Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews are two great young wing players that play terrific defense and knock down shots from anywhere on the floor... Backup PG Nolan Smith could probably start for several teams in the league, but that hasn't effected his attitude as he seems to have no problem coming off the bench and playing behind Lillard... I'm not ready to say that Portland can win it all this year, I still think they might be 1 year away, but I think they will be right there in the thick of things when this is all said and done...


Last year - 43-39... Lost to Kings in 1st round

Golden State Warriors Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Stephen Curry (87)	Eric Lane (54)
SG	Klay Thompson (81)	Isaiah Canaan (68)	TJ Starks* (64)
SF	Harrison Barnes (85)	Draymond Green (67)
PF	David Lee (79)	Carl Landry (71)
C	Andrew Boguy (81)	Isaiah Austin (78)	Carl Garrison* (52)

2014/15 Season Outlook - Golden State is a team that strikes fear into most teams in the league as they can flat out score the basketball... However, they have never been known for their defensive prowess, and this year probably isn't going to be any different... Stephen Curry has become a one of the best pure shooters in the league, and he's a candidate to go off for 50 points on any given night... Harrison Barnes has developed into a great 2nd option and his athleticism is off the charts... If he can get better on the defensive side of the ball he will be one of the best SF's in the league... In the pain the Warrios have David Lee and Andrew Bogut, neither really intimidates anyone and both of them are offensive minded big men, but, nonetheless they are two solid players... Off the bench, the 7th pick in the 2013 Draft Center Isaiah Austin from Baylor will seem more action this year... He's more of a defensive presence that both Lee and Bogut so the Warrios are hoping he can become that inside intimidator that they so desperately need... I don't think this team is going to win an NBA Championship any time soon if they can't play any defense, however, they can play with anyone in this league on the offensive side of the ball and they are fun as hell to watch.



Last year - 48-34... Lost to Sixers in 2nd round

Washington Wizards Depth Chart - 2014/15
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	John Wall (92)	Lu Huang* (52)
SG	Bradley Beal (87)	Jordan Crawford (77)
SF	Dario Saric (75)	Van Vesley (70)
PF	Nene (75)	Trevor Booker (73)	Augusto Lima (67)	Bruno Mercer* (62)
C	Emeka Okafor (72)	Trevor Booker (73)

2014/15 Season Outlook - The Wizards made the playoffs last year and knocked off the Cavaliers in the 1st round by being more physical and owning the glass... This year, they look like they are going to play that same style of basketball as they've got two big men down low in Nene and Emeka Okafor... With John Wall and Bradely Beal on the outside they can matchup athletically with any team in the league... This year the Wizards will start the 15th pick from the 2013 Draft, Dario Saric at the Small Forward position... He didn't play much last year, only about 15 min per game, but he showed flashes of greatness from time to time... Also, playing more minutes at the SF Position will be the 6th overall pick from the 2011 Draft Jan Vesley... Vesley hasn't really developed like the Wizards hoped he would when they drafted him so this will be a make or break year for him... Overall I think the Wizards have two great players in Wall and Beal and I think their team is built perfectly for their style... I'm not sure if they've got enough to come out of the Eastern Conference, with Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indiana and Philidelphia, I think there are some teams that are just plain better... The Wizards will make the playoffs though, and you know how things go, once you get in, its a whole new season...

[Nox_Caelum]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

What '14 Draft class did you use, i'm a bit perplexed 'cause I can't see Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Vonleh, Harrison twins, Hill anywhere.

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

What '14 Draft class did you use, i'm a bit perplexed 'cause I can't see Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Vonleh, Harrison twins, Hill anywhere.

I used this "fictional" draft class for my 2nd year

http://www.slideshare.net/swaggercoach/fictional-draft-class-1

[CelticPride]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

He used a fake player draft made by a user on OS.

[cgalligan]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

He used a fake player draft made by a user on OS.

Yeah man, once i read the storylines of some of the players and saw how in depth the classes were i just fell in love with them

[CelticPride]

Re: 2k13 Cleveland Cavaliers - Rise up and Rebuild

Yeah man, once i read the storylines of some of the players and saw how in depth the classes were i just fell in love with them

This might be asking a lot, but since you know your stuff and no one is replying on the Trade Finder thread, can you take a look on my trade on that thread and tell me what you think of it? You're good at this stuff so I could use your help.