Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

[RolePlayer]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

I have to catch up but just so ecstatic to see you back

[trekfan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)


Ch. 17


The Houston Rockets were NBA champions and their offseason reflected the realities — both good and bad — of that fact. The Rockets were back at home, in Houston, the next morning to a raucous celebration that had been going on since the night before — while the Rockets were playing in Boston, their hometown was watching from The Summit, which had opened the arena to broadcast the final game of the series. When the Rockets won, the party began and it poured into the streets, like a bottle of champagne tipped over.

The Rockets championship parade was a wild affair — Houston, like most of Texas, had been in the midst of a bit of an economic depression and there had been little to celebrate … until now. “People were lining the streets, loud as hell and partying like nothing else,” recalled Rockets PF Derek Strong. “I had one chick take off her bra and toss it to me … it was like Mardi Gras.”

The entire organization spent the next few days taking victory laps. Rockets players who had barely been noticed before were now in high demand — Strong, the sixth man off the bench, had more requests for appearances than his agent knew what to do with. He would end up becoming the spokesman for the Houston area PetSmart and even got a kitten out of the deal.

Pippen, Payton, and Grant were each flooded with appearance requests — talk shows, radio shows, late night TV — and even low-end use players, like Terry Moncrief, scored some endorsement deals (Moncrief would star in some fondly remembered local roofing commercials). The Rockets weren’t just champions, they were beloved champions in the city of Houston and in Texas. Finally, many thought, Texas had something to cheer for again — the Rockets were the first Texas team to win a title since the NFL Dallas Cowboys in 1977-78 season. It had been a long time.

But the work of getting a championship is one thing — maintaining a championship core is quite another. Three days after the Rockets title win, the work to repeat began and it began with contracts. Otis Thorpe’s agent called up and informed the Rockets that his client wanted a new deal — unsurprising, considering Thorpe’s contract was a bit of a bargain now. “That was the first out of a few calls like that,” recalled Rockets GM Nate Hale. “We knew we had some contract issues to address.”

The Rockets coaching staff spent the next week going over film and tape of the season, identifying weaknesses and collaborating with the front office to figure out how they could get better. One thing, above all else, stood out: Houston was a middling rebounding team. Despite the presence of Grant and Thorpe, Houston’s rebounding stats were pretty average and unremarkable.

More than that, the lack of rebounding contributed — time and again — to second possessions for the opposition. “We needed help on the boards,” said Houston head coach Randy Kern. “Our effort wasn’t lacking but the results were. We should have been a top-twelve team in rebounding really, especially with the extra help we got from Scottie and Gary, but we were just middle of the pack. Boston took advantage of that and so did every playoff team we battled, minus the Warriors.”

The draft wouldn’t be much help to Houston, however: stuck at the bottom of the draft order and well outside the range of the 1991 draft’s best rebounders like Mutombo, Dale Davis, or even Stanley Roberts, Hale refused the urge to trade up. Instead, he waited until their pick and spent it on a player his overseas scouts raved about — Sasa Drobjnak, a power forward out of Slovenia.

The issue with Drobjnak, however, was that he couldn’t be available until at least 1992. Slovenia was in the midst of a battle for its independence and Drobjnak wasn’t willing to leave his home country until the matter was resolved. Houston had spent its first round draft choice on a player that wouldn’t make a difference that season. It wasn’t exactly a popular move.

“I was pissed,” said Kern. “I needed someone to eat glass and Nate went out and got me … nothing.”

The local press was just as aggravated. Wrote Houston Chronicle columnist Chris Judge:

The Rockets are coming off an unlikely championship and aren’t a team that’s too old or too injured, so you can forgive the GM taking a risk on a player who may have some red flags. But using a precious first round pick on a guy who won’t even play for the next season and a player that hardly anyone in the states has seen? That’s either extreme confidence or extreme hubris. Houston’s championship is already being called a fluke and though Nate Hale has proven himself far more capable than expected, he’s still inexperienced compared to his peers: this move reeks of that inexperience.

“Yeah, I was getting hammered in the press,” said Hale, “and it wasn’t undeserved, I guess. I was annoyed no one trusted me after the roster I had helped put together, but trust isn’t something you can just get after a year on the job. I needed to prove I wasn’t just some one-hit wonder.”

Houston’s rebounding woes would have to be solved in free agency — and it is there where the Rockets made a signing that would reunite the franchise with one of its first stars. Hale and his front office reached out to the greatest rebounder in the NBA, Moses Malone. Malone, coming off a year where he went 17-9 for the Hawks in 33 MPG, was 35-years old and had a lot of NBA miles on him.

But Malone could play and he was more than open to return. The Rockets quickly negotiated a deal with Malone, who returned to the team for the first time since 1982, and his signing was a big PR win. Malone, despite his mumbling answers to press questions, was well-respected and liked in the NBA and media. Not only that, but Malone was a willing teacher — not something that was guaranteed with a veteran near the end of their NBA career. “It was a signing I loved as a coach and I loved as a fan of the game,” said Kern. “With Malone on the roster, we had a real chance to be top-ten in the league in getting boards. It solved a big problem for us.”

Malone was Houston’s only major move of the offseason, but it certainly wasn’t the only big NBA move: the Rockets ascendancy up the standings, from worst to first, had caught the league off-guard. “I thought it was a fluke title,” admitted Lakers executive Jerry West. “I saw all the pieces they had and was impressed with the talent acquisition, but looking at their playoff games … they were on the ropes multiple times and dodged the knockout blow by mere inches. You can’t repeat that kind of luck.”

The Lakers responded to the Rockets unlikely title by bringing in new blood: they traded longtime Laker James Worthy to Philly for the brash Charles Barkley. Barkley’s stats (23-10-2 the previous season) weren’t anything to frown at and his desire to win was at an all-time high. “Man, going to LA was the best thing to happen to me,” recalled Barkley. “Those Philly teams weren’t doing a damn thing, we didn’t have ownership that wanted it bad enough: Dr. Buss wanted it bad enough.”

While the Lakers had paired up Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, the Bulls had gone out and rebuilt around Jordan and Olajuwon, importing in Jay Humphries, Larry Nance, and Ron Anderson to remake the starting five. Jerry Krause was under intense pressure by Jordan to get him more help and not be so loyal to his draft picks — Krause begrudgingly agreed that the Bulls needed more.

The Mavericks weren’t sitting idly by, either. Watching his brother and father win the title in their first year had shaken loose the idea that stability had to be valued more than anything else; for Trent Lewis, that Rockets title served as a wakeup call. “I needed to be proactive,” recalled Lewis. “I needed to get my hands dirty if I was going to beat them.” Lewis commanded his front office to get him a big scorer and someone who could lock down the post — the Mavericks front office did just that, adding Ricky Pierce and Rick Mahorn.

Even the normally unexciting Spurs got involved in the arms race, signing away Jeff Hornacek from Phoenix. “It was a free for all,” recalled NBA columnist Sam Gray. “Ever team saw what the Rockets did and thought they could replicate the process: new pieces and new players were flying around the league. It was a bonkers free agency period.”

The new CBA, negotiated just a year before, was now starting to resonate with front offices, agents, and players alike — freedom of movement was easier than ever before. If a player or a team wanted to change things, it was simpler than ever to do so. “It was exactly the type of jolt free agency needed to make it less a slog and more an event,” said Gray.

As the summer of 1991 came to a close, Houston seemed to have stood still comparatively to their rivals — and by the time training camps opened up, the Rockets had only added a few more fringe players, no big names or difference makers. It was the opposite of what Houston had done the year before, but it was a stance that their GM was confident in. “Knowing when to stand pat, fold, go all in, or walk away … that’s the name of the game in both stocks and the NBA,” said Hale. “We had a really good hand and adding in Moses was all we really needed.”

The Rockets entered the 1991-92 season with a target on their back and teams around the league sporting new weapons to use but the biggest threat to Houston wasn’t outside the team, but within. The Rockets would discover, like so many teams before them, that championships didn’t solve all problems.

Sometimes they caused new ones.

[marshdaddy]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

What a run by Houston, Pippen completely re-writing his legend in one season. What's most fascinating, or hilarious, is that the Bulls lost again to the Cavs. After all the hoopla MJ makes about how Pippen and Grant can't get it done and are the reason they lost to Cleveland, he gets a better teammate and then goes out and loses to the same team? I know this is pre-titles MJ but I don't see a pathway to him being the GOAT, regardless how the rest of the decade plays out.

[trekfan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

What a run by Houston, Pippen completely re-writing his legend in one season. What's most fascinating, or hilarious, is that the Bulls lost again to the Cavs. After all the hoopla MJ makes about how Pippen and Grant can't get it done and are the reason they lost to Cleveland, he gets a better teammate and then goes out and loses to the same team? I know this is pre-titles MJ but I don't see a pathway to him being the GOAT, regardless how the rest of the decade plays out.

Yeah, losing to Cleveland -- again -- after all the *hit he put Pippen and Grant through was just the icing on the cake. Pippen and Grant got out at just the right time ... even with Hakeem, MJ simply couldn't overcome the better team in Cleveland. Will he be the GOAT in this universe? Unknown.



Right now, he's definitely incredibly talented -- possibly the most talented individual player in the league -- but his odds of getting 6 rings and putting down any questions seem long. Then again, I don't plan on letting him retire for baseball, so with that extra time (and the inevitable non-retirement after 1998, which I assume he will still be around for) it's possible he could hit 6.



The GOAT debate in this universe is still between Kareem/Magic/Russell in some order I think and if Magic adds another title, well, that vaults him into at least a tie for first I think.

[trekfan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)


The SI 1991 NBA Draft Recap
By Sam Gray

The NBA is in the midst of one of its greatest eras in recent memory and welcomed in new blood into the league once more.

First, the one trade that happened on draft day.


The Nets shipped of SF Chris Morris — unhappy in New Jersey and in the final year of his deal — to Denver for Kelly Tripuka and the Nuggets 10th overall pick. Denver, desperate to make the playoffs, tried a year of Tripucka and found he wasn’t a good fit. The Nets wanted his veteran presence and his scoring off the bench, as well as another chance to grab a difference maker in this draft.



At the top, the Hornets did what everyone suspected and took Larry Johnson. Johnson is a player who can play the 3 or 4 (reports out of Charlotte say the Hornets are going to start Johnson at the 3 due to last year’s 1st round pick, Tony Massenburg, performing well at the 4). Johnson’s superb scoring and high-flying dunks should energize the Charlotte crowd as the Hornets continue to build.


2nd overall, the the Knicks didn’t waste time selecting Michigan State’s Steve Smith. Smith can easily play SG or SF, but New York is likely to start him at SF (and trade away their veteran starter, Vandewige). Smith is a steady, consistent scorer that plays well within an offense and he provides good defensive ability as well — the Knicks have a new head coach, new GM, and a new chance to pull themselves back into the playoffs after two years straight of missing it due to poor play and bad team chemistry.

3rd overall, the Jazz took a chance on the best big man in this draft — Dikembe Mutombo. Already 25 (old for a rookie), Mutombo will immediately seize the starting role in Utah and look to close down the gaping hole in the middle the Jazz have dealt since last season, when Mark Eaton fell off a cliff and never recovered his form.

4th overall, the Grizzlies selected SG Bobby Phills. Phills was a late riser in the draft process and multiple teams found themselves hoping he’d fall after a lackluster final college season, but Phills is a bucket-getter; able to hit from inside, mid-range, and long-range, the Grizzlies are adding him to the already impressive Lionel Simmons (who averaged 22.3 PPG last year) and a young core that has a lot of room for growth.


5th overall, the Kings took PF/C Dale Davis. Davis is a rough-and-tumble type of player and will play C for the Kings (replacing the aging Ralph Sampson, a free agent) and Sacramento will need him to be good right out of the gate. Though the Kings have been awful for years, they can’t seem to find a player who can get them over the hump — Davis will join Dennis Scott (their 1990 pick) and Pervis Ellison (their disappointing 1989 pick) to hopefully raise their level of play.




6th overall, the Pelicans selected PF/C Doug Smith. Smith is a big man who can get buckets, but his defensive ability (and commitment to defense) is questionable. With NOLA continuing to try and attract fans, Smith will give the crowd something to cheer for offensively … defensively, he might give his coaching staff tons of headaches, but the Pelicans are hopeful Smith can be a good player for them.

7th overall, the Raptors select PG Kenny Anderson. Toronto had difficulty at the PG spot last year, having to settle for a bunch of undrafted players or former 2nd round picks; Anderson will give them their first legit point guard in franchise history. Anderson will be expected to get the Raptors offense running, a tall ask for a rookie but one that Anderson’s abilities say he has a chance at succeeding at.

8th overall, the Nets select SF Billy Owens. Owens is the replacement for the recently traded Chris Morris and brings many of the same things to the table, minus the attitude and with the addition of versatility — Owens can play PF if needed and New Jersey is hopeful that Owens’ greater height and length will help their defense, which was among the worst in the league last year.

9th overall were the Clippers, who selected SF Stacey Augmon. Augmon is a defender, first and foremost, and represents a new type of player on the Clippers — someone who gives a damn on that side of the ball. With the trade for Charles Oakley last year, LAC has shown they want to redefine their team towards a defensive squad and Augmon helps in that regard, while bringing solid scoring chops as well.

10th saw the Nets back on the board and they selected C Stanley Roberts. Roberts is a tall big man and someone who checks all the boxes for a center — good rebounding, solid scoring and defense, and room to get better. After the trade of Sam Bowie at last year’s deadline, Jersey had no one manning the middle they could rely on but Roberts solves that problem, as he’ll likely be a day one starter.



At 11, the Sonics grabbed PG Terrell Brandon. Brandon is a scorer and a quick guard, someone who gets his teammates involved while getting his own buckets — something the Sonics desperately want after just missing the playoffs last season. Seattle’s drafting of Brandon means that their former starter, Sidell Threat, is likely leaving them as the veteran is a free agent.

At 12, the Magic opt to grab SF Rick Fox. Fox doesn’t exactly represent a need for Orlando, but the Magic have a bunch of older SFs that are free agents and Fox is likely their replacement. Fox is a solid wing, equally proficient at scoring and defense, though he’s not likely to ever approach 20 points a night — but Orlando isn’t asking him to, at least not yet.

At 13, the Heat select PG Darrell Armstrong. Armstrong impressed Miami with his toughness and ability to score on anyone they tossed at him in workouts; though Miami already has a PG in Sherman Douglas (a free agent likely to return to Miami) the Heat grabbed Armstrong as insurance in case they need a new starter.

At 14, the Sonics are back on the board and selected C Luc Longley. Seattle’s pursuit of a decent center continues as Longley joins the likes of Polynice and Michael Cage (so-so players), and Seattle hopes that Longley is the solution to the problem in the middle.

At 15, the former Bullets (now Wizards) grab PF Bison Dele (formerly Brian Williams) as a potential future starter. Washington is an older team and needed an injection of youth, especially after getting destroyed by the Celtics in Round 1 of the playoffs. Dele will provide defense and rebounding off the bench and may challenge for a starting job, depending on how he performs in training camp.



The most interesting pick here is SG Mark Macon. Macon seems built for Detroit, as the Pistons valued his defense and athleticism highly compared to other squads. Macon will also be a youthful face on a team of veterans whom, despite trying their best last season, may be approaching their end as contenders in the East after a great run in the 80s.



At 23 the Warriors — fresh off their Round 2 (and Pippen-less for the last three games) drumming by the Rockets grabbed young PG Eric Murdock. The Rockets bench guards had their way with the Warriors and Murdock is a clear response to that problem.



The final pick of the first round went to the champion Rockets, who went overseas to select Sasa Drobjack. Not much is known about Drobjak, as he’s from Slovenia and hardly anyone has seen him, but Houston’s international scouts — one of the few NBA organizations to have them — raved about Drobjak’s potential and the Rockets took a flyer. He won’t report for another year for Houston, but they don’t need him yet anyway.

[studbucket]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

The Raptors got a steal in Kenny Anderson. One of the best college PGs of the 80s at Georgia Tech, he could be a multi-time all-star if his head is right.

Plastic man (Augmon) to the Clippers is interesting. His real life career started well then fell off a cliff. He couldn't shoot, but has intriguing size. Of course, LAC is where players go to die.

I also like Chris Gatling to the Hawks at 19. He's a solid role player.

[trekfan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

The Raptors got a steal in Kenny Anderson. One of the best college PGs of the 80s at Georgia Tech, he could be a multi-time all-star if his head is right.

Plastic man (Augmon) to the Clippers is interesting. His real life career started well then fell off a cliff. He couldn't shoot, but has intriguing size. Of course, LAC is where players go to die.

I also like Chris Gatling to the Hawks at 19. He's a solid role player.

The Raptors pick of Kenny Anderson is definitely a good one then and in the future; Toronto nabbed a foundational building block.



Augmon with the Clippers is still a bit of a toss-up at where I am in the future (1994-95) -- some things go down that are good for the team but take some playtime away from Augmon ... we'll see if he's able to really thrive.


Gatling in ATL is a solid role player -- he's not exploded (so far) but he's been important to the team's bench.



Once we get to the 1993-94 season, we'll be looking back at our first draft class (1990) and seeing how the players are doing in some retrospectives (and then we'll be doing that for every draft class forward as a nice look back on the league's evolution), but for now I'd say this draft class has done pretty well for itself.

[studbucket]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

That's making me excited for the future. This draft was pretty "meh" all things considered, though I hope LJ can do more with Charlotte.

But next year's draft and the year or two after really bring some studs and what ifs into the league. Who will Zo and Shaq get paired with? Will Laettner be good? Will Sprewell still fall in the draft? And that's just 1992.

1993 could get really juicy with Penny, Webber, Mashburn, Baker, Houston, and even guys like Cal Cheaney, Isaiah Rider, Sam Cassell, and Nick Van Exel. That draft was full of unrealized potential.

[trekfan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

That's making me excited for the future. This draft was pretty "meh" all things considered, though I hope LJ can do more with Charlotte.

But next year's draft and the year or two after really bring some studs and what ifs into the league. Who will Zo and Shaq get paired with? Will Laettner be good? Will Sprewell still fall in the draft? And that's just 1992.

1993 could get really juicy with Penny, Webber, Mashburn, Baker, Houston, and even guys like Cal Cheaney, Isaiah Rider, Sam Cassell, and Nick Van Exel. That draft was full of unrealized potential.

1992's draft is definitely huge (when I did it at the time, I had no idea how it would affect the storyline -- boy howdy, did it really set some things in motion), and 1993 has some nice pieces as well (no one has stood out quite yet but it's really early on).

[georgiafan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

congrats on winning the title I'm sure your surprised it happened in year 1. It looks like a dynasty in the making with the defense of Pippen and Payton.

[marshdaddy]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA 2K20)

Anderson is a surprising fall, but sets up Toronto well. Always interesting to see how the league is re-written, but as Stud says the next few drafts will be cool to see the shakeup from.

[trekfan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA 2K20)

congrats on winning the title I'm sure your surprised it happened in year 1. It looks like a dynasty in the making with the defense of Pippen and Payton.

I didn't expect the playoff success we had -- honestly was surprised we got through Round 1 and 2 with the injuries to Thorpe/Pippen especially. Boston nearly took it from me and they are a dangerous team of vets.

Anderson is a surprising fall, but sets up Toronto well. Always interesting to see how the league is re-written, but as Stud says the next few drafts will be cool to see the shakeup from.

The league's history definitely has some major changes coming up in the next few draft classes but also some nice callbacks of players pairing with certain teams. Anderson's legit and will be a big piece of Toronto's future.

[trekfan]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)


1991 Free Agency Recap
By Sam Gray



The moratorium period is over and the NBA is back to business, in a league reshaped by multiple offseason moves. First up, the trades — as the league negotiates the new CBA, salary cap, and trade rules, these teams dipped their toes in the water and are hoping they made good deals.



First, the Lakers swung BIG for the fences in a sign and trade deal for Charles Barkley. Barkley hasn’t been quiet about him wanting to see Philly improve the team, but after their loss to Boston in Round 2 last year, he asked out. Philly waited, but they eventually found a deal they wanted as they shipped him off to the Lakers for James Worthy, AC Green, and a 1992 1st. Barkley has united with Magic and will move to his more natural position, PF, and the Lakers hope this move will get them back into the Finals.



After unloading Barkley, Philly turned around and picked up Kiki Vandeweghe, who had worn out his welcome in New York. The Knicks grab a young roster player and a 2nd rounder, but were happy to be done with Vandeweghe — Philly will look to their new SF as a sixth-man, someone tasked with getting buckets off the bench.


Now, to the major signings — good, bad, or ugly:

PG Sedale Threatt/C Mike Gminski/SG Craig Hodges to MIL — Bad. The Bucks lost a lot of players and firepower over the offseason, as multiple veteran free agents decided to take their talents out of Milwauke; Threatt and Gminski were the only players who really wanted to take their money, and Hodges is there on a one-year prove it deal after a bad year in MEM.

PG Jay Humphries/PF Larry Nance/SF Ron Anderson/C Ralph Sampson to CHI — Good. The Bulls were shockingly upset, again, by Cleveland in Round 2, losing in 7 games and they responded by stealing one of the Cavs best players in Larry Nance, who was tired of being in Ohio. Chicago added in Humphries (formerly of MIL), Anderson (formerly of PHI) and a friend of Hakeem in Sampson (not expected to see more than a few minutes a night, tops). Jordan and Hakeem were expected to at least make the ECF last year and fell short; these signings show the front office is willing to go all-in to get their elusive title, but after witnessing Pippen and Grant winning it all in Houston, both superstar players have to be wondering if uniting was the right move.

SF Jerome Kersey to CLE — Good? Cleveland lost Larry Nance but Nance, 31, was showing his age. They replaced him in the draft with young Issac Austin and then went out and signed Jerome Kersey, formerly of POR, and hope that he can give them the wing defense they sorely lacked when they were beaten by Bird and the Celtics convincingly (4-1 in the ECF).

C Jack Sikam/PF Sidney Green/SG Dennis Johnson/SF Purvis Short to BOS — Good. The Celtics brought back Short and Johnson, then added in Sikma and Green to their already veteran squad. Boston’s loss in their 7-game series against the Rockets had little to do with one true weakness and more to do with the fact they just didn’t have the bodies to deal with the Rockets grueling offensive style (inside scoring, lots of contact, lots of fast breaks). Boston, hard against the salary cap, didn’t have a lot of moves it could make but adding Sikma and Green — two bigs who can stretch the floor a decent amount — should help them.

PG Alvin Robertson/PF Kevin Willis to ATL — Good. The Hawks lost Doc Rivers and Moses Malone, both heading off to greener pastures, but brought back Willis and added former Buck Robertson, who’ll bring a lot of defense and solid scoring to Atlanta. Were these moves enough to compete in the tough East? Probably not, but Atlanta isn’t willing to blow it up yet … though that could change by the trade deadline if things are going south.

PG Sherman Douglas to MIA — Good. The Heat outbid everyone for Douglas and Douglas wanted back in Miami, as both parties are convinced they’re close to getting into the playoffs. Douglas has shown improvement every year he’s played (last season putting up 16-3-13) and his play has been one of the best surprises the Heat could have asked for.

SG Doc Rivers to UTA — Good. Rivers wanted out of Atlanta and got his wish, ending up in Utah and on a Jazz team that looks ready to compete for a top-seed after falling well-short the last few years. Utah is on the upswing, having drafted Mutumbo to solve their center issues, and Rivers will solve their SG issues; freed from having to run the point fulltime, Doc should be able to provide scoring and leadership to a Jazz team looking to compete for a title.

PF Cliff Robinson to LAL — Good? The Lakers are a very top-heavy team, but their depth is full of players who are old veterans or young-guys trying to make it. Robinson, a project player from POR, falls into the latter camp, but showed flashes of good play in the very limited minutes Portland gave him. On the Lakers, he’ll get plenty of time and will be crucial in LA’s title hopes.

SG Rickey Pierce/C Rick Mahorn to DAL — Good. Dallas made it to Round 2 yet again last year, but fell to the Spurs in 7 — their biggest issue was stopping David Robinson and getting buckets when it mattered most. Pierce solves the buckets issue (he scored a sizzling 25.4 PPG last year) and Mahorn will bring the defense (a skill that’s gotten him paid in Detroit and Philly). Dallas is taking a run at the Rockets and you’d expect that considering the competition between Trent Lewis and his younger brother, Nate (who brought a title to Texas before Trent could).

PF Derrick Gervin to NOLA — Good. NOLA brought Gervin back after taking a 1-year flyer on him; he rewarded them with 22-5 last season, scoring at a remarkable rate. Gervin wasn’t a lock to come back but the Pelicans liked him and he liked them; that was enough to get the deal done for the former 1985 4th rounder.

PF Kenny Gattison to DET — Good. The Pistons needed a big man they could trust to get boards, get points, and push people around; Gattison is that guy. Putting up 10-5 off the bench for Minnesota last season, Gattison should see more minutes here, giving some of the veterans on Detroit a breather in the regular season.


C Moses Malone to HOU — Good. The Rockets made one of the biggest moves ever last offseason to get Pippen and then survived a grueling playoffs while missing their center Otis Thorpe for the early rounds, then Pippen a bit for the later rounds, before finally putting down the Celtics (who bested Houston twice before in the Finals). Their biggest weakness throughout all that was their lack of rebounding (a middling 14th best team in the league) and lack of big man depth (they had to play both their rookie PF Strong and an undrafted center in Moncrief big minutes in the playoffs at crucial points). Moses Malone solves both those issues — 35, Malone will get maybe 30 minutes a night, but with Thorpe there to help keep him fresh, Malone’s best skill, rebounding, will be valued and used well.

SG Jeff Hornacek to SA — Good. The Spurs lost to Houston in 7 in the WCF and responded by using their massive cap space to bring in a dedicated shooter and defender in Hornacek. Hornacek will give the Spurs good guard play, something they’ve lacked despite multiple attempts to address it, and points — something San Antonio was lacking from their guards in the WCF.

SG Walter Davis to PHX — Bad. Davis, 37, put up 19.3 points last year on a poor Denver team, but PHX seems unconcerned. Davis can’t replace Hornacek (Dan Majerle will do that, ascending from his sixth-man role) and Davis can’t be counted on to repeat his performance from last season.

SF Michael Ansley to GS — Good. Golden State let former backup SF Terry Teagle walk and replaced him with the younger Ansley (just 23). In 20 minutes a night last season for Orlando, he put up 12-4 and was far more effective than the Magic thought he would be; Orlando wasn’t sold he could do it again, but Golden State felt like he was a good fit in their system and signed him to a 3-year deal.

[studbucket]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

If Nance still has his athleticism, I like him alongside Jordan and Hakeem a lot. He aged quickly IRL though, so not sure how he'll hold up here.

Hornacek is a great fit in San Antonio, and Robinson is a great complementary piece for LA.

[RolePlayer]

Re: Texas Two Step: An Alternate NBA History (NBA2K20)

Barkley and Magic will be quite the fun duo to see unfold. I'm guessing in this alternative history Magic won't have to leave the league early.