Chamberlain 2018: Transformers

Sager’s Suits and Ties (4-15)
It was a tough season for SST last season, their first year in in SlamNation. After getting their first win relatively early, in WK3, Matt’s team went on a six game losing streak and any hopes of a 0.500 rookie year was dashed. Unfortunately, it was the worst regular season in the franchise’s history — dating back to Eron, Joven, and Chandler days (C Lucas has mysteriously re-joined our GroupMe!) — so there’s nowhere else to go but up! The good news is that Sager’s Suit and Ties are in prime position to have a great sophomore year. Blake Griffin is on a bounceback year and we love that he’ll now have more assists with micro-manager/aggressor Chris Paul gone. Draymond Green is still the most versatile fantasy player alive despite an off shooting year, and then there’s Bradley Beal, who had a fantastic true breakout season befitting his contract. Enes Kanter is now gone as a keeper, replaced by his former Thunder teammate Steven Adams, and Lou Williams was kept to bring some extra shooting to the core.

With the #4 overall pick in 2018 Matt elected to not invest in a rookie but instead took Jeremy Lin, who has set off social media with his new (appropriated) hairstyle, and will also likely have a pretty good season now that he’s fully healthy. Some prognosticators are saying that Lin will outproduce many of this year’s touted rookies, and he’ll definitely be given full rein to run point for SST -- something they were missing last year. We like the re-upside of RD3 pick Kent Bazemore on an empty Atlanta team and by adding Gorgui Dieng and Al-Farouq Aminu, GM Matt is hoping to build some useful depth. While JR Smith sulks about his non-starting role in Cleveland, he will be handy as another shooting threat. And while we’re not sure how Mason Plumlee will do in a crowded Denver front court, he’s a useful last round gamble. Overall, SST is still looking to find an identity and if they can hit 0.500 or somewhere close to it this season, their supportive fanbase would be happy with the upward trajectory. Also, RIP Craig Sager.

LA Buffy (7-11-1)
It’s official, Buffy is stuck on mediocrity hill. That may not even quite describe how Buffy has slipped to a three year record of 24-30-3 (after a 5-14 campaign in 2014) after their glory days of two division titles (2011, 2013). Playing in the traditional tough Transformers division hasn’t helped, but Roger is now officially the least playoff decorated team in the division — everyone else has at least four post-season appearances. Part of the problem for Buffy has been health issues. Last year Khris Middleton, Danilo Gallinari, and George Hill all missed major time. And now franchise cornerstone Isaiah “Back up the Brinks truck” Thomas will be out until at least February, which effectively takes him out of the 2018 SlamNation regular season. So the hope here is that 2017’s #2 overall pick, Brandon Ingram develops quickly! Roger did swing a pre-draft trade to pick up Serge Ibaka to bolster the frontline and that’ll help a lot as he replaces Tristan Thompson and Robin Lopez as keepers.

Traditionally, Roger’s drafts have skewed veteran heavy and he’s done it again (mostly). This time around though, Roger's gone for youngish veterans, the likes of Avery Bradley, Greg Monroe, Jordan Clarkson, Austin Rivers, and Mike Muscala. Buffy’s only drafted old guy was Ersan Ilysaova, who is thirty. Is Buffy suck a little in-between competitiveness and a youth movement? After four straight Toilet Bowl appearances, it may behoove Buffy to go into the loser bowl once again to grab a high pick in a loaded 2019 draft. We’d like to see this once proud franchise rise again but it may need to count on some more consistent health to avoid the mediocrity treadmill.

Squirtle Squad (8-11)
After four appearances in the Toilet Bowl (2010, 2011, 2016, 2017), Squirtle Squad finally made a TB Finals, and emerged with a high pick at the perfect time. While #2 Lonzo Ball may have more impact on the court with his unselfish play, there’s no doubting that fantasy Ball will at least bang in 3PT and distribute a ton of AST. Paired with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s all-around game, Squirtles could find themselves back in the playoffs after a two year absence — following four straight appearances from 2011-2015. While Zach LaVine’s injury recovery will take awhile, his new situation Chicago is a great one, and last year’s FA pickup of Thon Maker could pay off soon as Maker had a intriguing NBA playoffs run. Marquese Chriss has similar upside and this young Squad could be fully grown soon. For now, Goran Dragic — a result of a Serge Ibaka trade two years ago — and Nikola Vucevic are here to add a steady hand at PG and C until the kids are ready.

With a solid keeper core in place, GM Brian did grab some veterans to round out a potential postseason push. Trevor Ariza is always deceptively great and um, maybe Lance Stephenson and Chandler Parsons could maybe return to some glory? Squirtles is gambling that Timofey Mozgov will be there to grab all the REB for Brooklyn — oh wait, he’s already been cut for Alex Len -- and there were shots taken on sophomores Dejounte Murray and Tyler Ullis (via FA). Squirtles are definitely on a youth movement but their power curve could prove pretty short if Ball can work his magic in fantasy as well as on the floor.

Another Bad Creation (9-10)
Oh the indignity of not only a losing record playoff season but also a division title! Do we have rules against division titles handed out for sub-0.500 teams? No? Well, then ABC can say that last season was a success as they picked up their second Transformers banner (first back-to-back for the division) and Transformers' leading sixth playoff appearance. And oh yeah, not to bury the lead here but Oliver traded Kevin Durant. Yes, the player Oliver swore to never move got moved last season… For former teammate and triple double MVP Russell Westbrook!!! This league shattering deal immediately made Another Bad Creation a team of intrigue and despite getting upset in the first round by Fat Jubas, we’re excited that ABC finally has a point guard for their roster. And what a point guard! While Westbrook isn’t likely to average a triple double again, his numbers will still be incredible.

A very veteran heavy team, ABC is clearly gunning for playoff success behind Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge, Dwayne Wade, Wesley Matthews, Dirk Nowitzki, and Marcus “Boston Strangler” Morris. That’s an old team, possibly the oldest in SlamNation and even Malcolm Brogdon, last year's ROY and ABC's 2018 RD1 pick, is a bit old at twenty-four. The rest of the draft brought in Enes Kanter, Tyreke Evans, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist while post-draft FA pickups added Evan Turner and Trevor Booker. The only other youngish player outside of Brogdon on this team is third year TJ Warren, who flashed signs of being a very effective situational scorer. Overall, Oliver is confident that with a new franchise cornerstone, and all this veteran savvy, he can get over the Fat Jubas playoff hump — ABC has been eliminated by Jubas in the first round three times — and then continue on to even greater things.