Chamberlain Conference: Transformers Division

Here we go, post-draft division previews, at the rate of one a day. We start with Transformers, a division that traditionally sees a lot of upheaval from year to year. It's also been a tough place to play as the teams have taken turns jostling for the division lead, with Half Man Half ImAsian being the only one not to win one yet. [2013 Preview]
Header formatting: #2014DraftPickPosition: TeamName (2013SeasonRecord, 2012SeasonRecord)

#3: Eron, Joven and Chandler (6-13, 5-7)
Already strong and balanced on the front lines — led by Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin — EJC went heavy on guards and swingmen. Ricky Rubio will run with Nick Young and Vince Carter alongside him, with Jarrett Jack coming off the bench for some scoring pop. We think Swaggy P and Ex-Vinsanity’s 3PT shooting will be perfect complements for this roster. It’s a shame Danny Granger is dinged up, but he’s not needed at the beginning of the season with newly acquired SF Jeff Green slotted into the utility slot. Cody Zeller went ahead of fellow rookies Anthony Bennett, Trey Burke, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the first round and he should have the chance to play big minutes out of the gate. Sixth round pick Jordan Hill could carve out some supplemental REB/BLK stats on a team that’s stacked with bigs. We like how Lucas really went for lots of shooters to balance out a frontcourt heavy roster that features Anthony, Griffin, and Utah youngsters Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter.
Status: A team trending upward with a playoff spot within reach if the young bigs work out.

#4: Half Man Half ImAsian (7-10-2, 8-4)
Oliver won the Toilet Bowl and jumped on Ben McLemore. He’ll need McLemore to start his ROY campaign early as Nate Robinson and J.J. Redick were drafted and then immediately slotted into the starting lineup — with Tony Allen as a change of pace backup. MVP candidate Kevin Durant is poised for a monstrous year but he’ll need some help to pump this team into the postseason. Ersan Ilyasova is back to being a superior stretch forward but even he could fight for consistent minutes on this deep frontcourt. There were rumors that some teams were moving up to select Amir Johnson but Oliver got him in the second round and he’s likely a low double double candidate. (Admission: I was one of those teams coveting Johnson.) With LaMarcus Aldridge, new trade acquisition Greg Monroe, Anderson Varejao, and JaVale McGee, Half Man has a ton of big bodies to throw at people so it’s going to be up to McLemore to quickly step up to the spotlight. Michael Beasley is also on this team to provide chaos. And to hold the drugs.
Status: Contender, with the addition of Monroe and growth from McGee. Needless to say, we love McLemore and Johnson this year too.

#12: Squirtle Squad (12-6-1, 10-2)
The most consistent team in the division, Brian’s team has been the class of the division for the past two seasons. They won the Trasformers title two years ago and was just one game out last year and would have made a strong title push if not for injuries up and down the roster. With a strong, balanced, and somewhat newish keeper core -- Bradley Beal, Tobias Harris, Nikola Vucevic are all new, while Greg Monroe and Brook Lopez were traded away -- Brian drafted a lot of upside guys: Kelly Olynyk, Patrick Beverly, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Steven Adams. All four will start on the bench while their elders take the floor to win games. First and fifth rounders Wilson Chandler and Manu Ginobili will start before maybe giving way to the youngsters. Most of the advancement from this team will come from within as the Squirtles need both Deron Williams and Ty Lawson to stay healthy, plus continued growth from Beal and Harris to push into contender status. The real question we should be asking is if Antetokounmpo's nickname is the Greek Freak or The Alphabet?
Status: Always a regular season beast, Squirtle will be playing for postseason success this season.

#15: LA Buffy (13-6, 5-7)
The Spurs lost their championship because they couldn’t secure one rebound; Buffy lost theirs because they couldn’t put up four more PTS. A dream season that started off 11-1 ended in a heartbreak in the 2013 Finals. Now what? Well, Buffy is filled to the brim with veterans so they will push ahead for another title shot. Last time they went 13-6, in 2011, they collapsed to 5-7 the following season. Roger is hoping that doesn’t happen again. They’ll need another big season from Tim Duncan but Roger got him some help in the form of Tristan Thompson and Omer Asik. Asik is almost for sure to be traded, so he’ll have solid numbers once that happens. Those three, along with Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer, give this team a strong frontcourt. First round pick Joe Johnson will step in alongside Jameer Nelson, Raymond Felton, and Jeremy Lin. Adding more veterans to the mix, Roger traded away three lower round picks for a RD3 that he used to select Caron Butler, who could have sneaky good value in Milwaukee and he’ll start at SF. Jordan Farmar was clearly drafted because Roger is a Lakers’ homer. In our fantasy league, Roger drafted Jordan Cameron and I semi-mocked it by declaring that I had to Google him. Now look at JORDAN CAMERON! So in that vein, I say to Roger: "Who is John Jenkins?"
Status: Still stinging from the closest Finals loss ever, Buffy is reloaded and dying for revenge.