The Trade Machine

It’s been a semi-quiet SlamNation season, especially after the blockbuster moves earlier this year.
As a league, I think we have at least three more trades in us before the regular season ends. Am I going to personally push everyone to get on the trade chatter? YES! Feel free to email, text, AIM chat, GroupMe, whatever. Let’s get some trades in! For my part, I will present some suggestions, ideas, and basically some ready-to-go trades that should happen. Like right now. Just unwrap, heat up in the microwave, and they’re good to eat.

Big for Small
There’s a few teams who are just overloaded on the front line, or the backcourt. We’ve heard that Sour Snails and Chunky Monkeys are both looking to shed some guards for big men to pair with their solitary men in the middle — DeMarcus Cousins for Snails, Marc Gasol for Monkeys. With plenty of shooting and smaller types to spare, teams such as Fob Stars, Buffy, Half Man Half ImAsian, Funk Coalition, MoRRie’s Pogiboys should hook up with Snails, Monkeys, and Beast Brawlers.

Pogiboys in particular have way too many BLK, almost 40% more than their next closest competitor. Any of the bottom five BLK teams want to pony up for Miles Plumlee, John Henson, or even Brook Lopez? Pogiboys could have seven to eight keepers on their hands, why not move a few pieces now for draft picks? Perhaps John Henson (or Roy Hibbert) for Nicolas Batum or an injured Ryan Anderson? Another big for small move: Eron, Joven, Chandler has five PF types -- Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Derrick Favors, Jeff Green, Enes Kanter -- but a hole at guard. Who says no to Brandon Knight for Enes Kanter and pieces?

Here’s a most logical trade. Half Man Half ImAsian already have LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe, Anderson Varejao, and an injured Javale McGee while ranking overboard in REB. They need some 3PT/AST and basically a point guard who is better than Mario Chalmers. Couldn’t Chunky Monkeys swap Jeff Teague, Jrue Holiday, or Goran Dragic over there for a big? Sure they could! Greg Monroe and Mario Chalmers for Jrue Holiday? Who says no!

Category Flips and Flops
A savvy owner told me that it takes about thirty 3PT to win in that category per week. Using 330 3PTs as the cutoff, that leaves LA Buffy and Squirtle Squad as the teams with just the right amount of outside shooting. They are sixth and seventh ranked in 3PT, respectively. Jedi Knights, Half Man Half ImAsian, Fob Stars, and Funk Coalition fall far beneath that standard. Should they target some tasty treats like Ryan Anderson, Jose Calderon, Channing Frye (NJ All-Stars), Klay Thompson, Trevor Ariza (Sour Snails), Kyle Korver (Spade), and our most recent fifty point scorer, Terrence Ross (Beast Brawlers)? I fail to believe that all four top 3PT teams need so much shooting on their roster.

The same goes for every non-percentage category! Beast Brawlers should trade in some of that excess 3PT for REB, where they are ranked third-to-last. And Fat Jubas, why hold all the AST when you can easily give some to Inept Henchmen, who are just dying for a serviceable point guard in Derrick Rose’s absence. Sample: Jamal Crawford for Kendall Marshall, who says no?

Jedi has some extra STL with Thaddeus Young (2.1) and Jimmy Butler (2.0). Is Chris Bosh for Thad Young crazy? Would Young for Squirtle Squad’s Bradley Beal make sense? Speaking of, Squirtles need some scoring. They’re ranked second-to-last. Plus they would welcome some REB and STL too. They’ve got the Greek Freak but he’s likely not for sale. How about Wilson Chandler though? He’s averaging 14.2 PTS, 4.9 REB, and 2.0 3PT, as well as a smattering of BLK/STL for Squirtles. I think we have an Evan Turner destination! Alert So Buckets. Or could we get fancy with Bradley Beal for DeMar DeRozan? A slight uptick in ancillary stuff from DeRozan in exchange for some 3PT from Beal? Sounds good to me.

Categories is the easiest place to find potential trades, as it’s simple to see what you’re lacking. C’mon guys, moving sideways is a great way to be! Let's try some position for position trades...

Old for Young
There are some useful veterans that have no place on a rebuilding roster. Number one, Inept Henchmen is 4-8-1 and looking for future assets. Nobody can use Dirk Nowitzki’s 21.2 PTS, 6.0 REB, 1.6 3PT, 1.0 STL, 0.7 BLK, and sterling percentages? How about Tim Duncan? A very useful 14.8 PTS, 9.8 REB, and 2.0 BLK. Dirk and Duncan are 35 and 37 year old respectively but they’ve got another year or two left right?

For some lesser pieces, how about Carlos Boozer or Zach Randolph? Both are 32 years old with no upside left but still plenty of production. For example, Randolph is averaging 17.0 PTS and 10.7 REB. Nobody wants that? We’d love to see one of the contenders make a move here. Heck, maybe 36 year old Manu Ginobili and his 12.6 PTS, 4.6 AST, 1.4 3PT, and 1.0 STL could be the piece to put someone over the top? Or the similarly aged Paul Pierce? Actually, Buffy’s entire roster has some old parts that could use replacing. Jameer Nelson’s 6.7 AST, Boozer’s 15.0 PTS/8.4 REB, Vince Carter’s 1.5 3PT?

Also, maybe Eron, Joven and Chandler can fill in a hole at center by moving one of their young bigs for something while chasing a division title and a playoff spot. Again, Enes Kanter and his upside for something? Here’s a beautiful old for new: Dirk Nowitzki for Andre Iguodala, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, or Tobias Harris. Just throwing some ideas out there. Anyone got other oldies on a roster to trade? Derek Fisher?

Kobe Konundrum
This is a very specific category. Everyone hates Kobe except for Lakers fans. Current Kobe owner Randall isn’t a Lakers fan. (Smart man.) Seeing as Kobe just signed a ridiculous extension, he’s going to be around for at least another two seasons. Would a Lakers fan such as Fob Stars, Beast Brawlers, Buffy, or Sour Snails want to take on Kobe for his twilight years? Of course! Who says no: Buffy trades Joe Johnson and Carlos Boozer to Spade for Kobe Bryant. Spade needs some healthy bodies now while Buffy is out of contention and can hang out with Kobe as he recovers. That's basically what Roger does in real life anyway right?

Some other ideas:

• Should NJ All-Stars cash in on Nerlens Noel now for a useful piece this year? Noel is not going to help in 2014 but Dirk, Duncan, or Randolph could probably give Eddie’s team a boost on the front line. The All-Stars are 9-4 and are one game back in their division, plus they could be poised to be the Russell Conference favorites as Spade stumbles due to injury. Also, they potentially have some extra keepers so it behooves them to trade someone now instead of during the off-season.
• Great idea: Zach Randolph and Dion Waiters for Dwayne Wade and Terrence Ross. A REB boost for Beast Brawlers as they unload Wade and his 75% games played while Fob Stars can get some added 3PT and position versatility from Ross for Waiters.
• Fat Jubas and Buffy should hook up for a trade as Buffy has all sorts of bigs to fill-in Jubas’ hole in the middle. Or maybe Jubas makes a push for Jedi Knight’s DeAndre Jordan with Gordon Hayward as bait? Jordan’s 2.4 BLK either need some support or he could be a spare piece. If support, why not a David Lee for Pau Gasol trade? So Buckets get a younger guy while Jedi Knights get some extra BLK to pair with Jordan. Or flip it the other way and go DeAndre for Pau, so the monstrous BLK pairing of Larry Sanders and DeAndre Jordan can happen.
• Does anyone want to spin the bottle on Derrick Rose? Is Rose cursed forever or could he return to All NBA status? Guess who’s poised to find out? Fob Stars! They have Isaiah Thomas, Kemba Walker, Trey Burke, and Dion Waiters, all promising options in the backcourt. Wouldn’t Trevor take the spin on a 2-for-1 to get Rose? Heck, do a 3-for-1. How about Derrick Rose for Trey Burke, Kemba Walker, and Marcin Gortat (or Zach Randolph). Tell me, who says no?! Fob Stars gambles on getting a top tier star while Inept Henchmen get, well, pieces to flesh out a roster short on pieces. I’m so excited about this deal I could cry.
• Blockbuster alert! How about this doozy: Eron, Joven and Chandler trade Blake Griffin to Squirtle Squad for Serge Ibaka. On the surface it’s maybe a little unfair by name, but hear me out. Griffin averages 22.8 PTS, 9.9 REB, 1.1 STL, and shoots 52.7 FG%. Serge Ibaka is only the third best player on his team and averages 14.7 PTS, 8.9 REB, and 2.5 BLK. That BLK number is the key here though. Ibaka can almost win the entire category by himself some weeks, but he’s the lone guy averaging over 1.1 BLK on this team. Squirtle desperately needs a high scorer and Griffin fits the bill despite his lack of BLK and his poor FT%. EJC has a ton of bigs but is lacking another shot blocker, plus they have a bit of excess points. Could this happen? I dunno Lucas and Brian, you guys down?
• Kevin Garnett to Funk Coalition. Done. And I’ll take Paul Pierce too. Thanks. I think we should all do an “over the hill but he's from my favorite team” swap. I have Steve Nash for all you Suns fans out there...

Wings of Silver, Nerves of Steel

Our final look at individual divisions as we head into the homestretch for 2014. There’s six games left in the regular season but it looks like the divison title is locked up here already, as Sour Snails has a four game lead on Fat Jubas. Still, it’s been an uplifting season for Silverhawks as Fob Stars and Jedi Knights are both (finally) out of the cellar. [Pre-season Silverhawks look]

Sour Snails (11-2)
After starting off 2-2, Trieu’s team is on a nine game winning streak. They’ll have matchups against two division leaders in their next matchups but there’s no question Sour Snails are contenders for best team in the league. This is old hat for them, as they went 14-5 last year, and another division crown is a minor victory. Trieu is out for championships and they are clearly a model franchise as they just keep winning and winning, even while retooling on the fly. See: Rudy Gay trade. The trio of Steph Curry, Monta Ellis, and Klay Thompson has shot this team to great heights. And then there’s DeMarcus Cousins, averaging 22.6 PTS, 11.6 REB, 1.8 STL, 1.2 BLK and heck, even 3.0 AST per game. Boogie!

For a team loaded with shooters, Snails is a very respectable middle of the pack in FG%.  They are an explosive offensive team as they rank first in PTS, second in 3PT and AST, and are good from the field and the line. Plus they are first in STL. Their only weakspot, if it can be called that, is TOs, where they predictably are ranked last. For a team that used to be semi-small ball though, it’s impressive that their REB and BLK are almost average. Keep in mind, recent trade acquisition Tyson Chandler has barely played for them too -- just ten games total so far. Injuries have even decimated this team. From Chandler to Russell Westbrook (out for how long?) to now Cousins and Rudy Gay. Trieu has kept his team at the top by savvy GM moves and tons of lineup adds -- 69 total, ranking second behind Beast Brawlers’ 85. Sour Snails can afford to take a few weeks off to rest everyone, as they have this division locked up, barring a late miracle and collapse. Is it about time for Trieu to pick up his second championship?

Fat Jubas (7-6)
Our semi-recent champions have hit a bit of a slump recently. Of course, “slump” translates to playing about 0.500 ball, so that’s not bad at all. Still, after firing out of the gates 4-0, Jubas has only picked up three more wins since. That doesn’t sound like a true contender, and they’ll be hard pressed to win another title this year. Currently Jubas are first in AST, second in FT%, but pretty low in FG% and BLK. They aren’t great at PTS or REB either. Losing Chris Paul for a few weeks will hurt, as they could be overtaken for a playoff wild card spot.

At first glance, there’s not a lot of traditional star power on this team, but each part fits in nicely together around new franchise superstar CP3. Gordon Hayward (17.3 PTS, 5.4 REB, 4.9 AST, 1.3 3PT, 1.4 STL, 41.9 FG%) and Nicolas Batum are do-everything swingmen, while Tyreke Evans has finally found his groove as another all purpose asset after early season struggles. Ten games of Kendall Marshall has resulted in a PTS/AST double double average -- Eric is hoping Steve Blake never comes back. And the front line is steady with David West and Brandon Bass. It would be nice if young center Jonas Valanciunas wasn’t a flirtatious tease, but he’s not going to transform into Mr. Consistency till at least next season. Traditionally, Fat Jubas have always been a balanced powerhouse but this could be the year they officially slide back to the pack. Still, a playoff berth could be in the cards if Paul can return to pilot these guys the rest of the way.

Fob Stars (5-8)
After going 0.500 last year, we were hoping Jimmy’s team would take another step forward. Instead, they came out with five straight losses to begin 2014 and it wasn’t until a 4-1 mid-season run that they somewhat regain their footing. With three games against winning opponents to go, it’s conceivable Fob Stars could catch Fat Jubas or Eron, Joven and Chandler for a playoff spot, but slightly unlikely. Even if they don’t, this has been a season of continued growth for Fob.

For one, their 2014 draft was incredible, the best by any team. Third round pick Isaiah Thomas has been super steallar with 20.0 PTS, 6.3 AST, 1.4 STL, 2.0 3PT, and 44.8 FG%. Thomas has emerged as a fantasy star. First round pick Trey Burke is in the conversation for R.O.Y. and while he’s been a chucker, Burke can certainly put up nice stats. Second round pick Marcin Gortat has been the perfect addition to the front line. All that and fourth round pick Shawn Marion has been quietly having a resurgent year. Holdovers like Kemba Walker and Dion Waiters continue to grow, and the only thing it seems like Fob Stars lack is a true superstar to lead the way -- Zach Randolph and Joakim Noah have been the franchise stalwarts. Their team identity is a bit in flux too, as they are pretty average across the board, excepting being last in FG%, second to last in 3PT, with their only real strength being third in the league in REB. Still, we like the talent collection on this team and maybe Fob Stars can sneak their way into the post-season, or maybe they’ll be better served gunning for a Toilet Bowl win to secure a superstar?

Just for fun: We mocked Jimmy’s keeper of Gerald Henderson during pre-seasson but it looks like Henderson’s been okay with 15.1 PTS, 4.2 REB, 2.7 AST, and filled in admirably for thirty five games at shooting guard. What am I talking about!? Henderson still wasn’t keeper worthy! (Then again, he outlasted fellow keeper Lou Williams, who was dropped by Fob Stars in early December.)

Jedi Knights (4-9)
Lum’s team has set a new team record this year. No, not wins, although with one more victory this season they could eclipse their previous four win high mark. No, Jedi Knights have made double digit moves! Yes, after one move each in 2010 and 2011, seven in 2012, eight in 2013, GM Lum has made ten moves already this year. Sure, they’re still in last for that non-scoring category -- as they have been every year save 2011 when Bayside Bombardiers had zero moves -- but it’s an upward trend. Now, “moves” don’t signify anything and aren’t tied into wins or losses. For example, NJ All-Stars tend to make few moves, but they are likely doing it because they’re so successful and their rotation so solid. What’s Jedi Knights reasons for making so few moves?!

However, we are not here to pillory but to celebrate! Despite suffering three streaks of three losses already, the Knights are not the worst team in the league, not even one of the worst actually. Plus they have a roster full of wonderful young pieces and it seems like they can build around R.O.Y. candidate Michael Carter-Williams. On paper this team is well stocked, especially on the front lines with Chandler Parsons, Thaddeus Young, David Lee, and DeAndre Jordan. Between those four, it’s everything you want in a forwards and center combination. GM Lum probably wishes Jimmy Butler would step up and take O.J. Mayo’s spot at shooting guard, but that time will come. If Greivis Vasquez can get some minutes up in Toronto, he will serve nicely as a second point guard next to MCW. All in all, this team is strong in REB, FG%, and STL, third in TO, but with some significant weaknesses. They are second-to-last in FT%, pretty poor in 3PT and AST, and weak in PTS. It would also help to add a shot blocker to help DeAndre. The good news is this team is full of assets and a bit of owner involvement could be enough to launch them right into respectability.

[Edit: Those ten moves actually all came at the beginning of the season when draft players were added. GM Lum has made no moves all season long (and last year too actually)! Where are you Lum?! Come back, your basketball children need you! In related news: Congrats on a new baby!]

A Separation

Eleven games in and The “Division of Death” has fallen upon some hard times as two teams have sunk to the bottom. Still, there are two true blue contenders within Thundercats and the class of the Russell Conference probably lives in this division. Let’s take a look. [Pre-season Thundercats look]

Spade (9-3)
We knew Spade would be good but they exceeded all expectations by jolting out of the gate with nine straight wins. Fellow owners were a bit worried that Spade might not lose all season, but rookie owner Randall has hit his first speed bump and is on a three game losing streak as injuries continue to pile up -- Kobe Bryant, Al Horford, Eric Bledsoe are all out for extended stretches. Of course, Spade is still not an easy out, as they’ve lost their last two games -- both versus playoff contenders -- by only two STL one week and three REB/PTS the next. Even without three of their top players, Spade still boasts a roster that features Kevin Love, Paul Millsap, Arron Afflalo, Kevin Martin, and Kawhi Leonard. Afflalo is averaging a mind boggling 20.9 PTS, 4.6 REB, 3.9 AST, 2.1 3PT this season, and has to be the fantasy surprise of the year.

There was a time when Spade was tops in many categories but injuries have sunk them down across the board. Still, they are ranked third in PTS and 3PT, second in STL, strong in FG%, and only have a consistent weakness in BLK, where they are ranked second-to-last. While we’re not sure the status of Bryant, Horford, and Bledsoe, it looks like Spade has plenty of gas to get them into the playoffs. They won't be the absolute favorites anymore, but should still be strong contenders. The rest of the league breathes a sigh of relief as Spade falls a bit back to the pack. Whew!

NJ All-Stars (9-3)
While Eddie’s team doesn’t have a gaudy win streak to their name, they’ve been winning consistently and look like they could be primed for a nice stretch run. They only have three games left versus winning opponents and one of them is versus the hobbled Spade team this week. GM Eddie hasn’t made many roster moves this season but that’s because they've turned a lot of straw into gold. Second round pick Reggie Jackson now has the starting job in Oklahoma City, Lance Stephenson averages 13.9 PTS, 6.8 REB, 5.2 AST, 1.1 3PT on 50.1 FG%, and Kyle Lowry is back to being a fantasy beast. Not having Ryan Anderson around has been a bit of a disappointment but Channing Frye bombs 2.2 3PT per game, while Jose Calderon drops in 2.6 3PT per. Also, is J.J. Hickson the quietest almost double-double guy around? He’s at 11.5 PTS and 9.2 REB, with almost a STL and BLK per game.

NJ All-Stars play a fast paced open style, and are first in 3PT, second in PTS, third in AST/STL -- while turning the ball over a lot, and not really defending the rim. If they weren’t second-to-last in FG%, we could call them the SlamNation version of the Miami Heat. Then again, with LeBron James and Paul George leading the way, along with a talented and deep supporting cast, they’re basically our favorites right? Watch out for the All-Stars come the playoffs!

Chunky Monkeys (4-8)
After two strong winning seasons, Evan opted for a rebuild this time around. A bold move to ship off Chris Paul had pundits suggesting they were going into tank mode. Sure, Jeff Teague has been pretty good — 16.6 PTS, 7.6 AST, 1.3 STL but on 41.4 FT% — and Marc Gasol is back after a long injury break, but a five game losing streak from WK5-9 indicates that Monkeys are right on track for the lottery. When Wesley Matthews has played the most games for your squad, that’s probably not great. There are some bright spots for Evan though. Take Terrence Jones, who is averaging 15.0 PTS, 9.6 REB, 1.9 BLK during the past month. Also, Goran Dragic has been stellar all year long. And while James Harden seems to have lost some of his luster, he’s still an incredible fantasy asset, and he has Teague, Dragic, and the recently injured Jrue Holiday paired with him to form an incredible backcourt.

For Monkeys, the transition away from a small ball team has been tough, but they’ve got Gasol, Jones, and Taj Gibson helping a little bit around the edges. Sure, they’re still second-to-last in REB, but that’s okay, they’re growing. Right now the Monkeys are middle of the pack statistically in most places, with strenghts in FT% and AST, but horrible in the aforementioned REB and also TOs departments. This season isn’t about wins and losses for Evan though, as he navigates his team through an overhaul and focuses on which Toilet Bowl position he can achieve.

Funk Coalition (3-9)
Joining Chunky Monkeys in the Toilet Bowl will be the mess that is Funk Coalition. While they weren’t planning on tanking, it turns out that Jon’s team is ill conceived and don’t play well together. For most of this season they have been the worst team in the league and they suffered a seven game losing streak after starting off 2-1. Now they are staring at a long off-season and aren’t quite sure what direction the roster should go in. Their big ball strategy has resulted in being number one in FG% and REB, plus second in STL and TO. The problem is they are dead last in AST, FT%, 3PT, while ranking near the bottom in PTS and STL as well. That’s a recipe for a lot of losses.

Some nice things: Andre Drummond has fulfilled expectations with 12.6 PTS, 12.7 REB, 1.8 BLK and 1.4 STL per game. Dwight Howard has returned to healthy Dwight and is averaging 18.0 PTS, 12.6 REB, 1.8 BLK. Plus Al Jefferson has returned to form as a 20-10 guy. Also, Avery Bradley has inexplicably become a great shooter and averaged 17.1 PTS over his last month. The bad news is this roster is always one player short -- even with Rajon Rondo making his return -- and they are often playing one player down anyway as Josh Smith seems hellbent on being horrible with his 40.6 FG%. J-Smooth still has nice AST/STL/BLK for his position but his shooting and slip in REB, plus his high TO hurt this team. So far it’s looking like Funk is headed for a high draft pick irregardless of how they perform in the Toilet Bowl. Maybe with Rondo back they can up their marks in AST but it’s looking like team success is unlikely in the near future. Wah wah.

How's That Draft Class?

All the pundits are saying that this has been the least productive NBA class in awhile. Injuries have decimated some top names and incompetence and inopportunity have waylayed most of the rest. I thought I’d take a look at our “lottery” picks, the top eight non-playoff teams, and who they drafted. Plus grades, of course.

1. Ben McLemore (Half Man Half ImAsian)
Oliver’s team is off to a fast 7-4 start, and looks to be headed to the post-season. Their prized 2014 rookie Ben McLemore, the prize for their 2013 Toilet Bowl win, isn’t exactly the reason for their success. McLemore, touted as NBA ready and seen as an instant contributor, has been stuck playing only 25 minutes a game for the Kings. His averages of 8.0 PTS, 2.9 REB, 1.2 3PT on 36.0 FG% isn’t exactly inspiring. Stuck behind Marcus Thornton in the rotation, it doesn’t look like McLemore will get the chance to break out this season as his minutes seem restricted. Little Ben is averaging a paltry 4.9 PTS in his last fifteen games, ouch.
Grade: C-


2. Victor Oladipo (MoRRie’s Pogiboys)
Alvin’s team has drifted to the bottom of the Voltron standings due to injuries to big men Anthony Davis and Brook Lopez. The good news is that Oladipo is playing some solid minutes, 30.7 a game, and is contributing across the board with 13.2 PTS, 4.2 REB, 3.6 AST, 1.5 STL, 0.9 3PT, and 0.7 BLK. His FG% is low and his TO are high, but that’s to be expected of any rookie. With second round pick and fellow NBA rookie Otto Porter Jr. totally floundering, having Oladipo in the Rookie of the Year race must be very soothing for Pogi. More importantly, is this franchise headed toward a third straight Toilet Bowl finals!?!
Grade: B+

3+4. Michael Carter-Williams & Jimmy Butler (Jedi Knights)
The Knights already have three wins so far this season, tying their win total from last year. A lot of the credit for that success must go to their great draft picks at #3 and #4 overall. MCW started off the season with a bang, and despite some injury woes, has played 26 games to the tune of 17.5 PTS, 7.0 AST, 5.8 REB, a league leading 2.7 STL, plus 1.0 3PT and 0.7 BLK a game. Sure his FG% is 41.4% but that’s fine. Carter-Williams is the far and away fantasy R.O.Y. favorite and he gives this team an electric guard to build around. As for Butler, much was expected of him in a breakout year but he’s struggled with injuries and inconsistency. His best contribution right now is 1.8 STL per game, as his 12.1 PTS, 4.1 REB, 1.0 3PT are merely average. Plus he’s shooting 38.1 FG%. Butler will get plenty of touches and opportunity to up his numbers however, as Derrick Rose is out for the season and Luol Deng just got moved to Cleveland. Jedi Knights had a hell of a draft!
Grade: A-

5. Cody Zeller (Eron, Joven and Chandler)
Fourth overall NBA pick Cody Zeller currently sits on our free agency pile, ready to be picked up by anyone. In his 16.9 minutes of play, he’s averaging 5.1 PTS, 3.9 REB, and um, well, whatever. He’s had only one double digit scoring game in his last thirteen games and his high for rebounds is seven. The good news is he’s shooting 36.9 FG%. Oh wait… EJC, the current Transformers division leader after two down years, never even put Zeller in a game, and cut him way back on November 19th. Since then Cody has rotated through four other franchises already -- So Buckets, Funk Coalition, Beast Brawlers, and Squirtle Squad. If you want to give Zeller a swirl, he’s VERY available. But you’d better check out this video first.
Grade: D-

6. Anthony Bennett (Funk Coalition)
If you thought Zeller was a bust, how about a #1 overall NBA pick averaging 10.4 minutes a game and “producing” 2.4 PTS and 2.2 REB. Bennett was mocked for not hitting a field goal until his fifth NBA game. He’s also currently shooting 26.9 FG%. We would laugh but as the Bennett owner, this is not funny. It hasn’t been Bennett's fault that Funk is 3-8, but he's shown no signs of life whatsoever. Why is Notorious S.U.C.K. even on a roster still? Jon must really be desperate.
Grade: F

7. Brandon Knight (Beast Brawlers)
Before the season, we thought it was a pretty savvy gamble for Thien to draft Knight, who was slated for a starting position in Milwaukee. After dealing with some early season bumps, Knight has emerged to average 19.8 PTS, 4.9 AST, 4.7 REB, 1.5 3PT, 1.5 STL on 44.0 FG% for his last month. Not bad! While his season long stats aren’t nearly that good, Knight has been a steady contributor for Voltron leading Beast Brawlers. While Knight may not have the upside of some of the rookies, he’s still only in his third season and could remain the Bucks’ starter for some time. Wonderful value pick.
Grade: B

8. Trey Burke (Fob Stars)
After starting off 0-3, Jimmy’s team has gone 4-4 and righted the ship pretty well. In related news, Burke came off injury to start his NBA career in late November. While there were some questions about Burke’s athleticism and fit at point guard, he’s proven his skeptics wrong and is averaging 13.3 PTS, 5.3 AST, 3.3 REB, 1.5 3PT during his rookie year. His shooting is putrid at 38.8 FG% but his TOs are pretty low for a rookie point guard, at just 1.9 per game. While he’s still struggling with lingering injuries, it’s clear that Burke was a steal at #8 in the SlamNation draft.
Grade: B+