Can we still be noob in 2020 playing in an online myLeague ?
I started playing Madden in online league with Madden 2004. I was playing with Arizona Cardinals. A rookie Josh McCown was my very first strarting QB. I started 2-6, but then i bounced back finishing 10-6 and making it into the wildcards for my first season. The next season I made it to the Superbowl loosing by like 30 points against an experimented Broncos user.
if I say that, it is simply to say that back in the days being a noob in an online league was not too much of a jump. There was a learning curve but most players did not have a huge experience playing and mastering the game in details.
Years after years my long experience in Madden online proved me that users who get beaten up badly do not survive long.They usually get abused with a couple of stupid trades usually confused by a high overall not knowing the skills which matters and ignoring salary cap implication....
In 2020 its is a different matters... here is the story.
I knew nothing about baslketball, I had absolutely no interest into NBA. I just knew that 2K had the best franchise mode in sports games market by like a mile.
Black friday sales, game costs 25 boxes, I go for it. When I start the game i get literally stunned. When you edit the players and see the face details,o r the swet when they play. or simply how fun it is to shoot or dunk, just play in general.
Then all the features whe have been dreaming for in the life of a Madden franchise mode user. It is a dream comning true. All the details, stats, trainings, scouting, draft export, past draft classes... All features are there. It loosk like amazing gameplay coupled with a deep detailed franchise mode.
I start getting into it, looking for a team. Which team should I pick ? Pelicans I love their uniform and French king armories but they are OP. Memphies are the small market team I usually enjoy but again Ja Morant makes it already built. I soon identify Knicks and Wizards as my best possible picks.
I start to think playbook, making search... But my Madden experience tells me that online League is the way to go to learn the game and progress. Only condition be mentally prepared to get totally roasted for a while.
Because unlike my Madden debut nowadays when you get into a league as a total noob, you play against people who have for 10 or 15 years of gameonline league experience. They perfectly know the game, the systems, the rules....
So this is what we try to address here, is it still possible to start from scratch as a complete noob in a league with solid active users in 2020 ?
So, I found what looks like a solid goup. My Madden experience helps me to figure that out. So i am not totally green all GM part is in the same framework (draft, trade, roster, cap, contracts, analysis)... and if you can understand how to deal with a NFL roster of 53 to 90 players you can deal with the 15 players of a NBA one.
The Washingthon Wizards in FLM
Ultimately I get in contact with a French league ''La French League Master'' (F.L.M). Note that it is really french because it is League Master instead of Master league... whatever
So big advantage compared to Madden or MLB the Show the community of 2K is quite strong in France (there is a a real NBA game in Paris this week...). So that si quite cool. They look for a Wizards user....unbelieveble so here I am...
So they are in their second season, team stands at 5-4 with a totally changed roster. But you cannot complain too much when you are new and get one of the 2 teams you wanted to play.
The challenge of Wizards this year (and the interest to play them in franchise) was their complex cap situation. So the previous GM made quite a few trades and the roster assembled is quite interesting.
Not being (obviously) an expert i believe the end results is ok, obviously I would have never let Beane, Hachimura or Bryant go,I would have tried to manage the tight cap to keep them in... This roster seems to be designed to play a kind of trendy small ball.
Roster overview
A good looking backfield
Drafted first overall back in 2010 John Wall is the obvious starter at Point Guard. He is still fast he can attack the RIM, he is amazing in dribble (but I am not able to use him yet to that extend), he can eventually shoot from the right corner... He is the leader of the team. I do not mind his wage, his skills make it up.
Behind Wall, we have veteran Jiuan Jose Barea, a former NBA champion with the Dallas Maverick in 2011 and former NY Knicks Kadeem Allen. Both being decent backups with nothing special neither as good or bad.
At the Shooting Guard, we have former Sacramento Kings Buddy Hield. Hield is the best perimeter shooter of the team. He has all the fancy shooting badges and is linked to the team for the next 4 seasons. I would prefer Beal and his ability to both shoot and slash but I am ok with Hield, he is there until the end of his contract.
Behind Hield we have former NY Knicks Reggie Brooks who can be a decent shooter from 3 points or mid range.
Troy Brown is another bench player. The former 1st round selectionin 2015 struggles a bit to establish himself as a starter. He can still provide value to the team with his solid defense and playmaking. He can play as #2 or #3 and will get playing time with a cap friendly rookie contract for the next two seasons.
For the Small Forward position we have two veterans.
Initially drafted 3rd overall by the Wizards in 2013 Otto Porter is back from Chicago. He does not have any special skill. Barely averaghe in evrything ifnot below average he looks klike a dead wood contract costing 28M against the cap. By luck he is on a contract year.
Another former Wizards back in the capital is Nick Young who won a NBA title in 2018 with the Warriors. Very solid on defense and decent shooter, Young should earn playing time either as #3 or #2.
Talented players under the rim
For #4 and #5 we have two very good players. But in my early campaign I am a fan of a a good old school mentality based on very solid on defense under the rim. A Ruddy Gobbert or a Mitchell Robinson are clearly what I am looking for.
Former Sacramento Kings Marvin Bradley may play as Power forward or Center. He is really complete. He can shoot, he can dunk he may even eventually play in the post, solid on defense... with 2 years on his contract he is tied to Washingthon until the end of his contract.
Montrezl Harrell is another amazing talent in this roster. The former Clippers has a lot of valuable badges and is (currently) the designated starter at Center. Linked to the team for the next 3 years (with an additional player option year). Only issue is his rebound which look very good for a PF but limited for a Center. It is a concern. But we cannot deny his talent
Behind these two obvious starters are a bunch of capable players.
- Thadeus Young is a solid 14 years NBA veteran. He is a good finisher, a decent shooter and has good defense. He can play as PF or even SF.
- The former user drafted Killian Tillie 30th overall at the end of the first season. The former Gonzaga Bulldogs looks like a project, best designed for a bench role at PF.
- Luckily Moritz Wagner is still in the Wizards roster,with a cap friendly contract for the next couple of years he should earn a bench role as C or PF.
- Polish star Marcin Gortat has been signed back to the roster. A 14 years NBA veteran Marcin is the only pure ''old school'' Center in the roster providing much needed presence under the rim.
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