Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

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Duke of the West

A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty

In spectacular fashion, the New Orleans Pelicans made out with by far one of the biggest NBA Lottery victories in quite a long time. With the number one overall pick secured and arguably one of the best players in the league requesting a trade, Nola's got the means to build a young and talented future.

Fourteen games and win or go home playoffs....let's do this!

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Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

reserved #1

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Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Western Conference

Conference Regular Season Champions
2019:
2020:

Conference Tournament Champions
2019:
2020:

Overall Team Conference Records
1. Los Angeles Lakers:
2. New Orleans Pelicans:
3. Los Angeles Clippers:
4. Memphis Grizzlies:
5. San Antonio Spurs:
6. Golden State Warriors:
7. Utah Jazz:
8. Houston Rockets:
9. Oklahoma City Thunder:
10. Phoenix Suns:
11. Minnesota Timberwolves:
12. Dallas Mavericks:
13. Portland Trail Blazers:
14. Sacramento Kings:
15. Denver Nuggets:

Conference Players of the Year
2019:

Conference Rookies of the Year
2019:
2020:

All-Conference Players
2019:
2020:

Rookie All-Conference Players
2019:
2020:

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Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Free to go from here. I'll be starting at the 2019 NBA Draft with a couple of notable trades from franchises around the league.

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Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

NBA Draft

June 20, 2019

Pelicans take duo of Duke studs

New Orleans, LA - Fire and Ice, Yin and Yang, Cheech and Chong, whatever you want to call them, Zion and RJ are headed to New Orleans. The Freshmen out of Duke have been the only two names mentioned as number one selections since the end of last year's draft, and with the right moves in place, Nola snagged them both.

The typical draft carousel began as soon as Memphis shipped off Mike Conley for Miami's Goran Dragic and their thirteenth overall pick. With Ja Morant seemingly the man of the hour for Memphis, the New York Knicks knew RJ Barrett would likely be in their hands. For the first time in a while, New York actually had a bargaining chip. Their focus? Anthony Davis. Their assets? RJ Barrett with the third overall pick, as well as dealer's choice of some young assets headlined by Mitchell Robinson, Emmanuel Mudiay, Dennis Smith Jr, Kevin Knox, and Alonzo Trier. With New York desiring to keep Knox, Mudiay, and DSJ, the Pelicans agreed to ship Davis to New York for the third pick, Robinson, and Trier.

With the pre draft fun out of the way, it was time to get down to business...

NBA Draft Results

NBA Draft 2019
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt
1	New Orleans Pelicans	Zion Williamson (Duke)	PF	6'7"	287
2	Memphis Grizzlies	Ja Morant (Murray State)	PG	6'3"	175
3	New Orleans Pelicans (Knicks)	RJ Barrett (Duke)	SG	6'7"	210
4	Los Angeles Lakers	Jaxson Hayes (Texas)	C	6'11"	242
5	Cleveland Cavaliers	Sekou Doumbouya (France)	SF	6'9"	229
6	Phoenix Suns	Coby White (North Carolina)	PG	6'5"	191
7	Chicago Bulls	Jarrett Culver (Texas Tech)	SG	6'5"	195
8	Atlanta Hawks	Cameron Reddish (Duke)	SF	6'8"	215
9	Washington Wizards	Kevin Porter Jr (USC)	SG	6'5"	222
10	Atlanta Hawks	Romeo Langford (Indiana)	SG	6'6	205
11	Minnesota Timberwolves	KZ Okpala (Stanford)	SG	6'8"	195
12	Charlotte Hornets	DeAndre Hunter (Virginia)	SF	6'8"	225
13	Memphis Grizzlies (Heat)	Nassir Little (North Carolina)	SF	6'6"	220
14	Boston Celtics	Jaylen Hands (UCLA)	PG	6'3"	181
15	Detroit Pistons	Darius Garland (Vanderbilt)	PG	6'2"	178
16	Orlando Magic	Tyus Battle (Syracuse)	SG	6'6"	205
17	Brooklyn Nets	Rui Hachimura (Gonzaga)	SF	6'8"	235
18	Cleveland Cavaliers (Pacers)	Simisola ****tu (Vanderbilt)	PF	6'10"	229
19	San Antonio Spurs	Kris Wilkes (UCLA)	SF	6'8"	205
20	Boston Celtics	Quentin Grimes (Kansas)	SG	6'5"	210
21	Oklahoma City Thunder	N. Alexander-Walker (Virg Tech)	SG	6'5"	202
22	Boston Celtics	O'Shae Brissett (Syracuse)	SF	6'8"	204
23	Utah Jazz	Luka Samanic (Croatia)	PF	6'10"	215
24	Philadelphia 76ers	Keldon Johnson (Kentucky)	SG	6'6	205
25	Portland Trail Blazers	Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State)	PG	6'2"	190
26	Indiana Pacers (Cavaliers)	Kerwin Roach (Texas)	PG	6'4"	186
27	Brooklyn Nets	Daniel Gafford (Arkansas)	PF	6'10"	230
28	Golden State Warriors	Jontay Porter (Missouri)	C	6'11"	240
29	San Antonio Spurs	Austin Wiley (Auburn)	C	6'10"	262
30	Milwaukee Bucks	Nazreon Reid (LSU)	C	6'10"	260

The first three picks were obvious, King Zion would head to Nola, later joined by RJ Barrett at three, and Ja Morant would replace Mike Conley as the point in Memphis. At four, the Lakers' selection was all but known... The field consisted of media favorites for Los Angeles, such as: Jarrett Culver, DeAndre Hunter, Nassir Little, and Cameron Reddish. In the end, it was Jaxson Hayes, out of Texas, who's name was called as Lakers faithful was stunned at the number four overall selection.

Next up on the clock, Cleveland. The Cavaliers decided to go international, a popular choice presumably following the success of Luka Doncic last year. The 'Cavs are on a long road back to success as they continue 'Life after James', but Doumbouya certainly has the qualities to speed up the clock. Cleveland also moved Kevin Love and the twenty sixth pick to Indiana in return for the Pacers' eighteenth pick and Doug McDermott.

As the draft continued, the Suns, Bulls, Hawks, Hornets, and Grizzlies, managed to luck out on a couple of picks with top five potential. Chicago scored big as Jarrett Culver fell into in their hands, Atlanta managed to secure Cameron Reddish, Charlotte snagged DeAndre Hunter, and Memphis landed easily the biggest steal of the draft in Nassir Little.

Two noticeable free falls in the draft, beyond Little and Hunter, include Darius Garland and Rui Hachimura. With Ja Morant and Coby White taken by the two teams that mainly needed a true PG, the only other team that had any interest in a point was Chicago, somewhat forced to go best available with Culver. At fifteen Detroit landed Garland, a big question mark, but also easily on the boards of most franchises as the number two PG in the draft. Big win? Quite possibly. Hachimura on the other hand landed with Brooklyn at seventeen, a far ways away from the lottery where many mock drafts had him comfortably nestled in. With that said, Brooklyn is a dark horse, and Hachimura's defintely got a chip on his shoulder following the drop.

It's debatable who won the draft between New Orleans, Memphis, and New York. Two of the top three overall selections is obviously franchise altering, but how long will the turn around take? Remember the last time two rookies led a franchise to the promised land? Exactly. Memphis' strategy of moving Conley rewarded them with Ja Morant, Nassir Little, and Goran Dragic. Obviously combine the former two with Jaren Jackson Jr and Memphis has the makings of a 'big three'. Finally, New York didn't haul in a first rounder, but what more needs to be said about bringing in Anthony Davis from New Orleans and still having the capacity to sign one supermax and another maximum free agent. Their targets? Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Klay Thompson, and DeMarcus Cousins. Pairing just one of those names along with Davis, Knox, Mudiay, DSJ, and others, is a recipe for disaster. The league has quite a lot to look forward to on July 1st.

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Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

NBA Free Agency

July 31st, 2019

Empire State of Mind

New York, NY - For all the talk of New York not quite getting whom they desired, that all changed on July 1st as Kevin Durant announced his intent to sign with the New York Knicks. With the first spin of the Free Agency carousel underway, the madness was on...

Despite all the celebration, festivities, praise, and being given the keys to Canada, the Raptors still failed to keep Kawhi Leonard up North. Leonard, along with Khris Middleton, are headed out West to the Clippers in hopes to take the throne of Los Angeles away from the Lakers.

Speaking of, it's time for a reunion between Batman and Robin, also known as, LeBron and Kyrie. The Celtics really had no shot of keeping Kyrie as it appeared he had more than burned his bridges in Boston. It was a fifty fifty in a lot of people's eyes whether Uncle Drew would sign with Durant in New York or with LeBron in Los Angeles. In the end, Kyrie went with The King in hopes to stop the evil Leonard from taking over Los Angeles.

As Irving made his bed in Los Angeles, New York moved on to their second interest, Kemba. With Utah capable of signing Walker to a bigger deal, it was in their best interest to pull off a deal with the Knicks that included Kevin Knox, Frant Ntilikina, and a 2021 First Rounder. Utah would also send newly drafted Luka Samanic to New York as part of the deal. As Ntilikina taking over as Utah's starting point seemed a bit iffy, the Jazz signed Derrick Rose who seemingly revitalized his career after a successful campaign in Minnesota.

Everything is bigger in Texas, as is the likely new ego of the Mavericks as they take on Boogie following his one year stint in Golden State. Cousins, Porzingis, and Doncic, make up what could be a Western Conference Finalist.

NBA Free Agency 2019
Pos	Player	New Team
SF	Kevin Durant (95)	New York Knicks
SF	Kawhi Leonard (95)	Los Angeles Clippers
PG	Kyrie Irving (92)	Los Angeles Lakers
PG	Kemba Walker (88)	Utah Jazz sign and trade to New York Knicks
C	DeMarcus Cousins (87)	Dallas Mavericks
C	DeAndre Jordan (84)	Oklahoma City Thunder
SF	Khris Middleton (84)	Los Angeles Clippers
C	Willie Cauley-Stein (83)	Los Angeles Lakers
C	Jonas Valanciunas (83)	Atlanta Hawks
PG	Derrick Rose (83)	Utah Jazz

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Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Trade Alert

August 1st, 2019

Battle for Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA - It appeared the madness was over following one of the biggest league changing Summers in a long time, but that was far from it...

As the morning sports news began for the month of August, early reports came flying in surrounding Joel Embiid. The heavyweight Cameroonian was on the block, apparently being actively shopped around by Philadelphia in hopes to find a little more depth behind Simmons and the newly resigned Jimmy Butler.

With the Knicks, Lakers, and Mavericks already done making their moves, all eyes rested on the Clippers, Nets, and Pacers. Brooklyn's trade package would include Jarrett Allen, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Caris Lavert, while Indiana's had Myles Turner, Boban Bogdanovic, and Domantas Sabonis. Both packages seemed pretty solid, but it was Los Angeles' deal that would get the nod. Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams would head East as Embiid and Zhaire Smith would head West from Philly.

Trade Update
Pos	Player	New Team
C	Joel Embiid (94)	Los Angeles Clippers
PF	Danilo Gallinari (85)	Philadelphia 76ers
SG	Lou Williams (82)	Philadelphia 76ers
SG	Zhaire Smith (73)	Los Angeles Clippers

[saintrules]

Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Roster Preview

September 20th, 2019

Contender or Pretender

New Orleans, LA - Following an absolutely fantastic NBA Draft and subsequent resigning of Julius Randle, the Pelicans are on the verge of something in New Orleans. With that said, the team built for the coming season is mainly riding the tails of first year talents, Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett. There's no doubting the two will be battling for Rookie of the Year honors, but a playoff bid, that's a tough call.

Point Guards

Point Guards
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
11	Jrue Holiday (84)	PG	29	6'4"	205	$25,000,000
2	Tim Frazier (73)	PG	29	6'1"	170	$1,570,000
25	Raul Neto (73)	PG	27	6'1"	179	$1,570,000
8	Shane Larkin (72)	PG	27	5'11"	175	$1,570,000

Is Jrue Holiday the PG of the future for the Pelicans? Eh, it's hard to say. At twenty nine, Holiday is just flat out on another chapter compared to the youth on the roster, but that's also not necessarily a bad thing. Holiday isn't questionable, he's a solid perimeter defender and we kind of know what we are going to get with him. With that said, twenty five million per year is a hefty load to pay for someone of his talent. There's a chance Holiday is moved at some point during the year, but the deal definitely has to be right for Nola, he's a still a solid asset.

Shooting Guards

Shooting Guards
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
5	(R) RJ Barrett (85)	SG	19	6'7"	210	$7,500,000
14	Allonzo Trier (77)	SG	23	6'5"	200	$1,620,000
55	E'Twuan Moore (75)	SG	30	6'4"	191	$8,660,000
12	Trevon Bluiett (71)	SG	25	6'6"	198	$1,070,000

No real shock at the two, it's RJ now and it'll be RJ in the future. Barrett is a dream in the back court, long, athletic, great handles, and a shot that can & will likely improve. The Duke stud is destined to become a two-way All-Star if all goes accordingly, if not an All-NBA talent on both ends. Speaking of talent, there really does need to be a couple of eyes fixated on how the former Knicks' talent, Allonzo Trier, performs in his first year with the Pelicans. While not seemingly capable of stud status, Trier could easily develop into a fantastic sixth with his three point capabilities. E'Twuan Moore is one of the last remaining long-term Pelicans that'll likely see his contract played out or moved prior in a deal for future picks.

Small Forwards

Small Forwards
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
1	(R) Zion Williamson	SF	19	6'7"	287	$9,500,000
44	Solomon Hill (73)	SF	28	6'7"	225	$12,760,000
31	Georges Niang (73)	SF	26	6'8"	230	$1,570,000

There's no need to hype Zion anymore, but on a night to night basis he's going to be one of the most physically talented players on the whole court, a true testament considering he's a nineteen year old rookie. It'll be interesting to see Zion's scoring potential in the league, especially considering his mid-long range is suspect, at best. Like at Duke, he could easily be a super solid 1B alongside Barrett, picking up all the extra curriculars from game to game.

Power Forwards

Power Forwards
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
30	Julius Randle (85)	PF	24	6'9"	250	$26,000,000

Your eyes are not deceiving you, Julius Randle is the only player listed as a Power Forward on the Pelicans. While Robinson and Okafor (soon to be previewed) will support Randle at the four, the newly resigned twenty four year old is clearly the man New Orleans will be sticking with for the long-haul. Randle isn't a leading man, but a supporting actor, absolutely. Whether Zion or RJ leads the way, number thirty won't be far behind.

Centers

Centers
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
26	Mitchell Robinson (79)	C	21	7'1"	240	$1,560,000
8	Jahlil Okafor (77)	C	23	6'11"	275	$1,700,000

Want a good position battle for a payday and spot on the future roster? Look no further than the Center position this upcoming season. Robinson, part of the Davis deal, will likely get the nod off the bat, but that's not to say Okafor isn't capable of gaining ground from the six or seven. Both are very capable talents and the likelihood for one to be moved prior to the deadline isn't a bad idea. Question is, which one?

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Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Eastern Conference Preview

October 15th, 2019

Big Expectations in Big Apple

ESPN.com - Not since LeBron, Wade, and Bosh combined in Miami has there been a newly formed team with such talent and such high expectations. Optimists call for an NBA Championship, pessimists say too many chefs not enough cooks. No matter which direction it goes, New York is buzzin'...

#1 New York Knicks
Projected Record: 13-1

New York Knicks (83)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	K. Walker (88)	D. Smith Jr (80)	(R) D. Dotson (77)	A. Bradley (77)
F	K. Durant (95)	A. Davis (95)	M. Hezonja (76)	W. Reed (76)

From worst to first isn't just possible, it's likely. The potential for New York to breeze through the regular season is pretty high behind two of the best players in the world at their respective positions, if not in general. The bench isn't something to write home about, but Dennis Smith Jr was certainly improving last season and should be a tad overqualified for the second unit. Nonetheless, he won't see playing time over a Charlotte free Kemba who will likely see a slow down in production but an uptick in success.

#2 Philadelphia 76ers
Projected Record: 11-3

Philadelphia 76ers (82.3)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	B. Simmons (91)	L. Williams (82)	T. Burke (75)	S. Curry (75)
F	J. Butler (89)	D. Gallinari (85)	T. Harris (85)	J. Lauvergne (76)

Philly shocked the league when they opted to move Embiid out West, but once the dust settled, things could be seen a little more clearly. Gallinari and Lou Williams were two pieces that took a heavily under talented Clippers squad to the playoffs, and something wasn't quite right in Philadelphia. Quite a bit of talk was centered around the Sixers moving Simmons, but it appears Embiid drew the right deal. With Butler and Harris back on board, the Sixers definitely have talent, depth, and now, grit. Look for New York to have a legitimate competitor for the East.

#3 Boston Celtics
Projected Record: 10-4

Boston Celtics (81.4)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	J. Brown (84)	M. Smart (81)	T. Rozier III (76)	C. Joseph (75)
F	J. Tatum (89)	A. Horford (85)	G. Hayward (81)	M. Morris Sr (80)

Kyrie in Boston was a pretty big waste of time. For starters, nothing got accomplished, ego's got bruised, and Al Horford got older. With that said, we're back to a very similar lineup to the one that actually worked, plus Hayward. The right moves can really turn the tide for an already strong squad, and with assets out the wazoo, there's no need to hold on, the window is now.

#4 Atlanta Hawks
Projected Record: 9-5

Atlanta Hawks (80.9)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	T. Young (88)	K. Huerter (78)	(R) R. Langford (77)	K. Bazemore (77)
F	J. Collins (85)	B. Ingram (84)	J. Valanciunas (83)	T. Prince (79)

While the vast majority of the East's offseason focus rested with New York, the Hawks made arguably the next best moves. Atlanta hauled in reigning NBA Champion Jonas Valanciunas, Brandon Ingram off a trade for the eventual pick of Cam Reddish, and Romeo Langford who many scouts believe to be rather underrated following a underwhelming season at Indiana. With a pretty deep roster and not a whole lot of expectations, the ATL might just be a dark horse to punch an Eastern Conference Finals ticket.

#5 Milwaukee Bucks
Projected Record: 9-5

Milwaukee Bucks (80.5)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	E. Bledsoe (85)	M. Brogdon (83)	T. Satoransky (77)	P. Connaughton (75)
F	Antetokounmpo (97)	T. Young (79)	(R) N. Reid (74)	T. Snell (74)

Last year should have proved one thing to the Bucks' front office: It's possible. Behind Giannis, Middleton, Bledsoe, Bogdan, and Lopez, Milwaukee rolled the East and made it to the Conference Finals. With Middleton and Lopez out of the picture, the Bucks hauled in Thad Young, but seriously need to consider bringing in another asset or two. Rookie Naz Reid really shouldn't be starting at the five on a contending team, so it's possible Milwaukee can look at guys like Griffin, Drummond, Adebayo, and Whiteside. Just one of those names combined with Giannis can make a big difference.

#6 Indiana Pacers
Projected Record: 8-6

Indiana Pacers (81.1)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	V. Oladipo (88)	A. Holiday (77)	T. Allen (74)	I. Shumpert (74)
F	K. Love (86)	M. Turner (84)	B. Bogdanovic (83)	D. Sabonis (83)

Indiana made some noise in the pre-draft as they opted to send their eighteenth pick and Doug McDermott to Cleveland in return for Kevin Love and the twenty sixth selection. While it's debatable how much Kerwin Roach out of Texas will do, Kevin Love can sure spin some dough. There's no doubting the front court in Indiana is strong, so it'll be interesting to see how it stacks up against some of the East's stronger competition. Look for Indiana to be a mild sleeper.

#7 Chicago Bulls
Projected Record: 8-6

Chicago Bulls (81.1)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	Z. LaVine (86)	K. Dunn (79)	D. Collison (79)	(R) J. Culver (77)
F	L. Markkanen (86)	W. Carter Jr (83)	O. Porter Jr (81)	B. Lopez (78)

Like Atlanta, Chicago has gone through the proper channels of a rebuild, adding Markkanen, Carter Jr, and now Jarrett Culver in the draft. The Bulls are still without a prototypical stud most units need for a reasonable playoff run, but there's definitely a playoff worthy team in this mix. There really are a couple of different directions this team can go to get to contender status, either by grooming what's already in the system or moving a few pieces around to bring in something that bumps them up. Either way, it's interesting.

#8 Washington Wizards
Projected Record: 7-7

Washington Wizards (78.5)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	J. Wall (90)	B. Beal (88)	(R) K. Porter Jr (76)	S. Livingston (76)
SG	K. Oubre Jr (76)	T. Brown Jr (74)	(R) C. Bassey (74)	(R) J. Hoard (74)

Dark horse central. The Wizards came away with an extremely good offseason, opting to keep Bradley Beal despite the Los Angeles rumors, drafted Kevin Porter Jr at nine, and still managed to come away with Charles Bassey and Jaylen Hoard in the second round. While the front court is young and inexperienced, look for Wall & Beal to take over as one of the stronger one two punches in the East. If the rest of the roster can get up to speed quick enough, DC really does have a high ceiling.

#9 Toronto Raptors
Projected Record: 6-8

Toronto Raptors (79.6)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	K. Lowry (84)	F. VanVleet (77)	N. Powell (74)	A. Burks (74)
F	P. Siakam (85)	M. Gasol (84)	S. Ibaka (82)	D. Carroll (77)

Despite all the praise, press, a parade, and being given the keys to Canada, Kawhi Leonard chose to move on, and so too should Toronto. The Raptors did it, NBA Champions and nothing will ever take that away. Not all NBA Champs are destined to be dynasties, not by a long shot. The roster is still pretty nice, minus Leonard, but it's hard to imagine a world where maintaining the same lineup holds NBA Finals potential. The opportunity here is to build heavily for the future by shipping off some strong starter worthy talent for picks, whilst maintaining some of the youth. Front office, it's your turn.

#10 Brooklyn Nets
Projected Record: 6-8

Brooklyn Nets (81)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	D. Russell (88)	S. Dinwiddie (83)	C. LeVert (80)	S. Napier (77)
F	J. Allen (84)	B. Portis (80)	J. Harris (78)	R. Kurucs (78)

At some point in the year Brooklyn will win a few games and people will think they've got it going on. In reality, this is a lineup where there just isn't a whole lot there. Depth? Sure, if you consider depth having a bunch of second team guys. Youth? I suppose considering Russell, Allen, LeVert, Portis, Kurucs, and Hollis-Jefferson are under twenty five...but they've also been in the league a few seasons. Brooklyn is teetering on mediocrity over the next few seasons and overpaying a couple of guys who are young and seemingly have potential.

#11 Detroit Pistons
Projected Record: 5-9

Detroit Pistons (79.8)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	(R) D. Garland (79)	R. Jackson (79)	L. Kennard (78)	(R) I. Whitehead (75)
F	B. Griffin (88)	A. Drummond (88)	T. Maker (76)	J. Leuer (75)

Detroit is in a bit of a pickle here...the idea of moving Griffin or Drummond has definitely been shopped around, but the two of them are definitely some of the best players at their positions in the league. Without a ton of assets, the best play here may actually be to keep the two and see if the underrated Garland, who somehow fell out of the lottery, pans out. Best case scenario is to go after the heavy Guard class of 2020 to pair alongside an already decent three.

#12 Orlando Magic
Projected Record: 5-9

Orlando Magic (81)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	E. Fournier (79)	T. Ross (79)	M. Fultz (78)	D. Wright (78)
F	N. Vucevic (88)	A. Gordon (83)	M. Bamba (83)	J. Isaac (80)

You know things are going down the tubes when a team opts to resign a twenty nine year old with a twenty one year old at the same position on the roster. It's not that Bamba is nearly as talented as Vucevic, but the Magic are far from competing in the East, at least from a realistic perspective. It's likely the front office is living in Disney Land because the only magic that's going on is in fairy tales. Orlando can revamp their roster by moving a few pieces in anticipation of a Guard heavy 2020 class.

#13 Miami Heat
Projected Record: 4-10

Miami Heat (80.5)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	M. Conley (88)	T. Evans (77)	D. Waiters (77)	J. Lin (76)
F	B. Adebayo (83)	H. Whiteside (83)	J. Richardson (81)	K. Olynyk (79)

Taking on the salary of Mike Conley and trading away the thirteenth pick wasn't a bad move. Miami can open up a pretty solid amount of cap space heading into next year's offseason after moving on from Conley and likely Whiteside, bringing in a few decent FA's and drafting a nice Guard or two from a solid class. It's a marathon not a sprint in Little Havana.

#14 Cleveland Cavaliers
Projected Record: 3-11

Cleveland Cavaliers (78.6)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	C. Sexton (83)	J. Clarkson (80)	TJ McConnell (76)	B. Knight (74)
F	T. Thompson (81)	L. Nance Jr (80)	C. Osman (78)	(R) S. Doumbouya (77)

Trading away Kevin Love for cap space reasons was the first wise thing Cleveland did in the offseason. The second? Drafting international. Sekou Doumbouya could have gone in the top three if he wasn't overseas. The six foot nine Forward is going to be good and the Cavs are doing this the right way. While Cleveland is definitely going to get it handed to them in the regular season, Rome wasn't built in a day.

#15 Charlotte Hornets
Projected Record: 1-13

Charlotte Hornets (78.5)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	J. Lamb (81)	P. Beverly (79)	M. Monk (78)	T. Parker (77)
F	W. Hernangomez (79)	C. Zeller (78)	M. Kidd-Gilchrist (78)	M. Briges (78)

Life after Kemba looks really bad. Malik Monk and Miles Bridges are going to be looking to head out of Charlotte at some point and one of the NBA's smallest markets is in for a long, long rebuild.

[saintrules]

Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Western Conference Preview

October 16th, 2019

Wild Wild West

ESPN.com - The Western Conference is absolutely out of control from a talent perspective. Not only were five of the top six NBA Draft picks Western Conference teams, but now Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, Kirstaps Porzingis, and Khris Middleton are all out West!? Aye, aye, aye, this gonna be good...

#1 Houston Rockets
Projected Record: 11-3

Houston Rockets (82.6)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	J. Harden (97)	C. Paul (88)	A. Rivers (76)	E. Gordon (75)
F	C. Capela (88)	D. Favors (81)	T. GIbson (78)	K. Faried (78)

Picking the best team in the West wasn't just hard, it was downright excruciating. The chances of any one team winning more than eleven games is pretty bleak, but if there was a player to get them there, it's James Harden. The Rockets return a stronger roster than last season with Derrick Favors and Taj Gibson added to the mix and their biggest opposition, Golden State, has seemingly (again, seemingly) gotten weaker. Could this be the season Houston finally breaks free from bridesmaid status? Chances are good.

#2 Los Angeles Clippers
Projected Record: 11-3

Los Angeles Clippers (83.5)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	S. G-Alexander (80)	L. Shamet (78)	I. Thomas (77)	R. McGruder (75)
F	K. Leonard (95)	J. Embiid (94)	M. Harrell (85)	K. Middleton (84)

If Leonard and Middleton were their only acquisitions the Clippers would have been stacked. Throw in Embiid and things just got silly. Now, the back court really isn't great, but considering Leonard is a bit of a ball handler it's questionable whether or not they truly need a playmaking point, they may just need a scorer. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't a scoring machine, he's improving steadily and it's likely the Clippers will get enough production either way. Like New York, expectations might be out of control.

#3 Golden State Warriors
Projected Record: 10-4

Golden State Warriors (81.6)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	S. Curry (95)	K. Thompson (89)	E. Mudiay (80)	Q. Cook (75)
F	D. Green (83)	D. Jones (78)	J. Bell (77)	(R) J. Porter (76)

Calm down, the Warriors aren't done yet. For all the hooplah about Durant and Cousins gone, the general makeup of this team is still intact. Splash Brothers? Check. Draymond Green? Check. Depth? Good enough. Jontay Porter and Emmanuel Mudiay will have an immediate impact on the roster and Damian Jones will finally get first team reps. Obviously Curry and Klay have a lot of work ahead of them, but Thompson wouldn't have signed a max deal with the club if he didn't anticipate future success.

#4 Los Angeles Lakers
Projected Record: 9-5

Los Angeles Lakers (83.4)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	K. Irving (92)	L. Ball (82)	J. Hart (78)	K. Caldwell-Pope (77)
F	L. James (96)	K. Kuzma (84)	W. Cauley-Stein (81)	(R) C. Reddish (77)

After an offseason for the ages in a bad way, the Lakers did turn things around. Kyrie is back for LeBron and along the way they really didn't give up any talent. The Ingram for Reddish trade was kind of weird, but maybe it was a chemistry thing or the Lakers just really, really wanted Reddish. Los Angeles pulled the trigger on Jaxson Hayes at four, but then went and signed Willie Cauley-Stein...classic Los Angeles. Depth wise the Lakers are one of the strongest teams in the West and either way, LeBron is likely interested in leaving no doubt he's the best player in the world & that is very scary for the rest of the league. Return of the King?

#5 Oklahoma City Thunder
Projected Record: 9-5

Oklahoma City Thunder (82.8)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	R. Westbrook (91)	D. Schroder (79)	A. Roberson (77)	T. Ferguson (75)
F	P. George (94)	S. Adams (85)	D. Jordan (84)	J. Grant (77)

It's tough to make a call on the Thunder. On one hand, Westbrook, George, Adams, and the newly signed rental of Jordan, make up a really strong four man core. On the other, Westbrook is just flat out overrated and has struggled leading OKC to a deep run. George really has picked up the pace, but there's a point where he alone can't compete against the talent in the West. The Thunder front office really should tread carefully with this roster, things change fast.

#6 Utah Jazz
Projected Record: 8-6

Utah Jazz (81)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	D. Mitchell (89)	D. Rose (83)	F. Ntilikina (76)	D. Exum (75)
F	R. Gobert (89)	N. Mirotic (80)	K. Knox (79)	J. Ingles (77)

Utah came away with a pretty solid sign-and-trade situation with New York. Sure, they gave up the rights to Kemba, but they still snagged Derrick Rose & Nikola Mirotic in Free Agency and upgraded behind Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina through the Kemba deal. Utah has to play the dark horse card because of all the brand name talent in front of them, but don't be surprised if the Jazz make some noise in the regular season and subsequently in the playoffs.

#7 Denver Nuggets
Projected Record: 8-6

Denver Nuggets (82.3)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	J. Murray (84)	G. Harris (81)	M. Beasley (79)	M. Morris (79)
F	N. Jokic (94)	P. Millsap (82)	M. Porter Jr (80)	W. Barton (79)

Denver fans need to be patient. Here's a fact: The average age of Jokic, Murray, Harris, Porter, and Beasley is just under twenty three. It's obvious the Nuggets have some interesting things brewing, but it's wise they just don't mess this thing up by knee jerk reacting to anything else in the league. Mainly, keep your dudes content. Winning more than seven in this tough West is going to put some experience on this young core and that can go a long way for future success.

#8 Dallas Mavericks
Projected Record: 7-7

Dallas Mavericks (82.1)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	J. Brunson (80)	T. Hardaway Jr (78)	JJ Barea (76)	JR Smith (75)
F	K. Porzingis (92)	L. Doncic (91)	D. Cousins (87)	D. Powell (78)

Gotta hand it to Cuban, he swung some deals. Dallas is a pretty big question mark and the play style of Porzingis, Doncic, and Cousins is kind of weird to imagine all together, but the talent is there. Considering Doncic is a bit of a Point Forward, it'll be interesting to see what roles Jalen Brunson, Tim Hardaway Jr, JJ Barea, and JR Smith play with the club. Could this be a three and defense foursome? Pretty good if it turns out like that. Consider the Mavericks: "interesting".

#9 Phoenix Suns
Projected Record: 7-7

Phoenix Suns (81.6)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	D. Booker (89)	M. Bridges (80)	(R) C. White (77)	T. Johnson (76)
F	D. Ayton (89)	E. Kanter (82)	TJ Warren (81)	J. Jackson (79)

Phoenix stayed pretty low-key in the offseason by adding Enes Kanter and selecting Coby White with the sixth pick. The Suns have a really strong young core and sometimes people seem to forget Ayton was the first overall pick just a season ago. Look for Ayton, Booker, and White to build a strong youthful core in the desert.

#10 Portland Trail Blazers
Projected Record: 7-7

Portland Trail Blazers (80.5)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	D. Lillard (93)	CJ McCollum (86)	R. Hood (75)	W. Lemon Jr (74)
F	J. Nurkic (86)	M. Leonard (77)	Z. Collins (77)	M. Harkless (76)

Dame, McCollum, and Nurkic. To be honest, there's no way Portland does damage in the West with two pure scorers and a second tier Center. The Blazers snagged a little too much attention last season and it's time to send them back to reality. This team needs help by bringing in some more all-around talent.

#11 New Orleans Pelicans
Projected Record: 6-8

New Orleans Pelicans (81.8)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	(R) RJ Barrett (85)	J. Holiday (84)	A. Trier (77)	E. Moore (75)
F	(R) Williamson (92)	J. Randle (85)	M. Robinson (79)	J. Okafor (77)

New Orleans made out big time in the offseason by drafting Zion & RJ, hauling in Robinson & Trier, and resigning Julius Randle. There's really no question the two young studs will be great to see on the floor together once again, but expectations and hype does need to be reasonable. Overall this roster has way more good than bad and Nola should be feeling pretty good about itself at the moment.

#12 Sacramento Kings
Projected Record: 6-8

Sacramento Kings (81.1)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	D. Fox (86)	B. Hield (83)	JJ Redick (79)	Y. Ferrell (75)
SG	M. Bagley III (86)	B. Bogdanovic (80)	H. Barnes (80)	J. Parker (80)

Sacramento brought in Jabari Parker in the offseason as their only move since they didn't have any draft picks. The Kings have a pretty long way to go in terms of a rebuild, but they do have a plethora of young talent.

#13 Memphis Grizzlies
Projected Record: 4-10

Memphis Grizzlies (78.4)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	(R) J. Morant (82)	G. Dragic (79)	D. Brooks (76)	W. Matthews (75)
F	J. Jackson Jr (84)	(R) N. Little (79)	I. Rabb (77)	(R) B. Fernando (75)

Behold, one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA: Morant, Jackson Jr, and Little. The Grizzlies have a long, and I mean long way to go, but they went through the proper channels and this is the outcome. Dragic should be off the books soon and maybe they can combine a couple of decent vets with these young-ins for a future powerhouse.

#14 Minnesota Timberwolves
Projected Record: 3-11

Minnesota Timberwolves (80.1)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	J. Teague (77)	(R) T. Jones (77)	B. Wanamaker (74)	(R) KZ Okpala (74)
F	K. Towns (94)	A. Wiggins (84)	R. Covington (81)	D. Saric (80)

Towns and the 'Wolves aren't a bad roster even in the slightest, but for the West it isn't great. Okpala and Jones could be a pretty strong duo of additions from this year's draft, but we'll have to wait and see how much of a difference they can make. The block could possibly be Minny's friend to improve their future.

#15 San Antonio Spurs
Projected Record: 3-11

San Antonio Spurs (80.9)
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
G	D. Murray (83)	D. White (79)	L. Walker IV (77)	B. Forbes (76)
F	L. Aldridge (87)	D. DeRozan (87)	R. Gay (79)	J. Poeltl (79)

Similar to Minnesota, the Spurs aren't bad, the West is just a lot better. San Antonio is a little wonky with a bunch of decent second team talent, but age is creeping up on a lot of players pretty quickly. Not too sure what the solution for them is...again, the block could be their friend.

[saintrules]

Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Game Update

November 1st, 2019

Flashes of greatness within home loss

New Orleans, LA - Despite the final score, tonight was a moral victory for New Orleans. The Pelicans dropped their home opener vs. Utah, 98-77.

Three Positives

Duke Duo
Despite a pretty awful shooting night from RJ (29% FG/11% 3P), the lengthy and athletic first year led the Pelicans in scoring with eighteen. Barrett had nothing but a full fledged green light as he attempted twenty four on the evening, double the attempts Randle and Okafor who were behind with twelve. When the shots did fall, however, the stroke was a thing of beauty. It's pretty clear Barrett had a difficult night battling against a former MVP in Rose and Donovan Mitchell, so look for a rebound performance when he faces a slightly less talented back court. For Zion, shot selection was a totally different story. Williamson only attempted nine, making four, but more importantly found two of four from beyond the line. Zion's jump shot has been pretty questionable since before anyone can remember, so draining two at NBA distance is a very positive sign moving forward. The league's top pick hauled in nine boards and added two blocks defensively, just shy of a double-double in his first outing.

Julius Randle
Sometimes when a player signs a new deal with a rebuilding franchise they relax a bit...not Randle. The freshly signed Forward led the Pelicans with thirty nine minutes, adding fifteen points and fourteen boards in the outing. There was no doubting Randle had a lot to contend with between Mirotic and Gobert, but the twenty five year old held strong, even escaping to the perimeter to add a long range bomb.

Robinson vs. Okafor
Grab the popcorn and settle in for a good ole battle in the paint. When New Orleans brought in Robinson and gave him first team duties, it was pretty clear Okafor wasn't going to go down without a fight. The two combined for twenty four on the night, adding sixteen boards, eight assists, three steals, and a block. Robinson arguably won the night with his double-double and three steals, but the assist game from Okafor was huge as he lead the Pelicans with seven. Round one: Robinson.

Utah Jazz at New Orleans Pelicans
Nov 1, 2019	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Utah (1-0)	27	27	20	24	98
New Orleans (0-1)	23	22	16	16	77

Utah Jazz
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
D. Rose	24	3-5	0-1	5-5	4	5	1	0	1	11
D. Mitchell	33	7-15	2-4	5-7	3	7	1	0	1	21
K. Knox	21	5-11	0-4	2-2	0	3	0	0	1	12
N. Mirotic	22	2-7	1-2	3-4	4	0	1	0	1	8
R. Gobert	33	6-10	0-0	2-4	21	2	1	2	0	14
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Crowder	15	2-3	1-1	4-4	2	3	3	0	1	9
D. Exum	13	4-6	0-0	0-0	2	0	1	0	0	8
A. Aminu	27	2-4	0-1	2-2	9	0	0	1	0	6
J. Ingles	27	2-8	1-5	0-0	1	5	1	0	2	5
F. Ntilikina	25	2-8	0-3	0-0	2	2	0	2	1	4
R. O'Neale	-- DID NOT PLAY --
T. Zeller	-- DID NOT PLAY --
D. Bender	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		35/77	5/21	23/28	52	27	9	5	8	98

New Orleans Pelicans
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Holiday	23	0-5	0-2	0-0	1	3	0	0	0	0
R. Barrett (R)	30	7-24	1-9	3-4	3	1	1	2	2	18
Z. Williamson (R)	32	4-9	2-4	0-0	9	4	0	2	2	10
J. Randle	39	6-12	1-2	2-3	14	1	1	0	2	15
M. Robinson	31	5-10	0-0	0-1	11	1	3	1	2	10
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Okafor	25	7-12	0-0	0-0	5	7	0	0	2	14
A. Trier	18	3-5	2-3	0-0	0	2	1	0	1	8
R. Neto	13	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	2	0	0	0	2
E. Moore	16	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	1	0	1	0
T. Frazier	12	0-3	0-2	0-0	1	3	0	0	0	0
G. Niang	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
S. Larkin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
S. Hill	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		33/82	6/23	5/8	47	24	7	5	12	77

Three Negatives

Jrue Holiday
Twenty three minutes, zero points, and less than a handful assists. For all intensive purposes, Holiday was bad tonight. The twenty nine year old is slated to make upwards of fifty million over the course of the next two seasons and that's a remarkably bad sign for New Orleans. Hopefully, it was just a bad game, but Holiday was absolutely exposed by Rose and Mitchell on the perimeter.

Lack of Depth
Aside from Okafor, the only other decent weapon the Pelicans have is Alonzo Trier. The former Knicks' Guard looked pretty solid and honestly could have been part of the three positives this outing, but I digress. Raul Neto, E'Twuan Moore, and Tim Frazier, are just simply nowhere near enough fire power off the pine for any form of a sustained run.

Solomon Hill
It's time to get this guy off the books. Hill will make thirteen million this season and with Williamson, Randle, and Okafor capable of handling any needs at the four spot, there's really no room for Hill. Front office, put together a package, any package, and clear up some space.

[saintrules]

Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Game Update

November 17th, 2019

Pelicans earn strong victory on road

Dallas, TX - Off the back's of Zion and RJ, the New Orleans Pelicans pickup a huge victory over a revamped Dallas unit on the road. In an exciting back and forth contest, the visitors managed to capitalize big time in the latter quarter of the two halves to come away with the win, 119-108.

Three Positives

First Year, First Win
It was only a matter of time before Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett collected their first victory, but to do so by tallying sixty four points off of sixty two percent from the field and fifty seven percent from deep, wow. While Barrett and Williamson were bodied up at times from the more experienced Doncic, Porzingis, and Cousins, both traded blows with the three studs time and time again. In particular, a break away steal by Barrett and subsequent open lane slam-dunk by Zion surged a ridiculous amount of momentum towards New Orleans that never seemed to slow down.

Allonzo Trier
Snubbed a bit last week in favor of others, Trier nails the second positive this time around. The young two Guard was fantastic, accounting for a bench leading fifteen in just fifteen minutes of action. Moreover, the six foot fiver accounted for six boards. Thirty minutes of action could have brought Trier thirty points and twelve boards...

Jrue Holiday
The third positive has to go the way of Holiday considering he made a pretty nice turnaround from last week. With seven points, four boards, and three assists, it's not like Holiday was lighting it up, but he did manage to avoid any turnovers and limited Jalen Brunson and Tim Hardaway Jr pretty nicely. Along with Barrett, Holiday kept the top of the key pretty secure, holding Dallas to just thirty one percent from beyond the arc, a clear key to victory.

New Orleans Pelicans at Dallas Mavericks
Nov 17, 2019	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
New Orleans (1-1)	25	37	26	31	119
Dallas (1-1)	31	27	24	26	108

New Orleans Pelicans
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Holiday	27	2-2	1-1	2-4	4	3	0	0	0	7
R. Barrett (R)	33	12-20	5-10	4-4	0	5	2	1	1	33
Z. Williamson (R)	33	12-19	3-4	4-8	8	2	1	0	2	31
J. Randle	41	3-11	0-1	3-4	13	4	1	0	1	9
M. Robinson	29	3-5	0-0	3-4	7	7	2	2	1	9
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
A. Trier	15	5-9	3-5	2-2	6	1	0	0	2	15
J. Okafor	26	5-10	0-0	2-4	6	4	1	0	0	12
E. Moore	13	1-2	1-1	0-0	0	1	0	0	0	3
T. Frazier	12	0-2	0-2	0-0	0	2	0	0	0	0
R. Neto	11	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	3	0	0	0	0
G. Niang	-- DID NOT PLAY --
S. Larkin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
S. Hill	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		54%	54%	67%	52	32	7	3	7	119

Dallas Mavericks
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Brunson	34	5-10	1-2	2-4	3	3	1	0	1	13
T. Hardaway Jr	31	1-4	1-4	2-2	1	2	0	0	1	5
L. Doncic	39	13-21	0-0	1-5	7	6	0	0	1	27
K. Porzingis	37	5-12	0-2	2-2	10	3	0	1	2	12
D. Cousins	39	14-22	0-1	5-5	14	9	2	4	1	33
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
J. Smith	19	5-9	3-4	1-1	0	2	1	1	2	14
D. Powell	11	1-2	0-0	0-0	2	1	0	0	0	2
J. Motley	1	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	2
J. Barea	15	0-5	0-2	0-0	2	4	0	0	1	0
O. Casspi	14	0-3	0-1	0-0	3	1	1	0	1	0
J. Jackson	-- DID NOT PLAY --
K. Antetokounmpo	-- DID NOT PLAY --
D. Macon	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		51%	31%	68%	45	31	5	6	10	108

Three Negatives

Randle's minutes
Forty one minutes is quite a bit for a guy who's never averaged more than thirty in his career. With Robinson and Okafor platooning the five, Randle has really been the only one capable of holding down the fort at four without sacrificing size. Last week, Randle appeared to handle his thirty nine in stride, but this week's opponent in Porzingis and Cousins down low certainly rattled the twenty five year old.

Moore, Frazier, and Neto
Over the course of thirty six minutes played, the combination of one normal starter, E'Twuan Moore, Raul Neto, and Tim Frazier accounted for three total points. It wasn't a situation where the three shot a ton, just one for four, but more or less a situation where there weren't any shots to be had. Moore is a catch and shoot, while neither Frazier or Neto are capable of creating their own shot.

Season Focus
The massive performance from Williamson and Barrett does beg one question: What's New Orleans mindset? In a league that is made up of contenders and tankers, getting caught somewhere in the middle is dangerous territory. On one hand, New Orleans did just take down a formidable opponent, but even so, Dallas is thought of to be a fringe playoff team. It's important not too get too crazy off one victory and keep the eye on the prize, this is rebuilding...

[saintrules]

Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Decided to suspend this dynasty in favor of starting a new one either after the draft or Free Agency...all depends on what reports come out for guys like Kyrie, Kawhi, Horford, Kemba, Butler, Durant, Klay, and Boogie.

I don't personally care about starting dynasties where second tier players are on different teams, but any one of the aforementioned just irks me pretty badly.

I also made the mistake of just doing the Western Conference again. I thought I could do it, but I really want to do 29 games to see all the of the East as well.

Not sure which team I will use when I boot up another, Nola is way different now with the Lakers guys. Ideas are welcomed.

[saintrules]

Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Decided to suspend this dynasty in favor of starting a new one either after the draft or Free Agency...all depends on what reports come out for guys like Kyrie, Kawhi, Horford, Kemba, Butler, Durant, Klay, and Boogie.

I don't personally care about starting dynasties where second tier players are on different teams, but any one of the aforementioned just irks me pretty badly.

I also made the mistake of just doing the Western Conference again. I thought I could do it, but I really want to do 29 games to see all the of the East as well.

Not sure which team I will use when I boot up another, Nola is way different now with the Lakers guys. Ideas are welcomed.

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: Duke of the West: A New Orleans Pelicans Dynasty (2k19)

Be mindful that on 2K, if you do a Start Today franchise at this point the contracts will be a year further along that they are supposed to be. It was a glitch last year and wasn't fixed this year. Basically, the 2020 FA class will join the 2019 FA class if you elect to the Start Today.