Keepers 2023: Analysis

RUSSELL CONFERENCE

1 FJUB

Eric took home the title in 2021 and will look to do it again with thirty-seven year old Chris Paul still at the helm. CP3 will be joined by surprise keeper Kyle Lowry—who is himself thirty-six years old—and the other new keeper, Devin Vassell. (They replace Tobias Harris and Malcolm Brogdon.) Fred VanVleet is still the offensive heartbeat of the team, and the defensive duo of Myles Turner and Robert Covington make their return as well.

2 CHMK

Looking to stay competitive and relevant, CHMK took home the 2022 Toilet Bowl and could shift to a complete youth movement soon. For now though, thirty-three year old James Harden is still around as the leader of this team, but he now has his successor in place in Desmond Bane, who is one of the best two-guards in the game. With Jordan Poole also breaking out in a big way last season, the need for Collin Sexton and Kevin Porter Jr. as keepers is over. Lynchpin defensive ace Mikal Bridges will be flanked by Bam Adebayo and Robert Williams in the frontcourt, and CHMK has the makings of a tremendous future forward keeper core.

3 FUNK

No big changes here, with only Clint Capela taking over for Gordon Hayward, whose time with FUNK was mostly spent with injuries. The super trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Jayson Tatum, and Trae Young ranks as one of the best in the league, and DeMar DeRozan had a career year, vaulting himself into the MVP conversation. The starting power forward position should be ably filled by John Collins as well.

4 FOBS

The last few rookie drafts have not been kind for FOBS, with 2020 RD1.12 Rui Hachimura and 2021 RD1.12 Obi Toppin now off the team—Toppin was cut just a few weeks into his rookie season. We’ll see if 2022 RD1.6 Jalen Suggs can pan out, but his rookie season wasn’t encouraging. At least 2022 brought two round-two picks in Saddiq Bey and Keldon Johnson that will join the new keeper core—leaving out Hachimura, Isaac Okoro, and De’Andre Hunter. 2022 was kind of a lost season for FOBS anyway, as Damian Lillard and Jamal Murray were injured for most of the campaign. The lone bright spot last season? Center Jarrett Allen emerged as an All-Star in his first year in Cleveland.

5 TRUO

2022 RD1.2 Jalen Green had a rough start to his rookie season but that didn’t matter quite so much when Thien got his Rookie of the Year in Scottie Barnes—acquired for De’Aaron Fox and Jordan Clarkson. (Fox was acquired for Kemba Walker, Lauri Markkanen, and Andrew Wiggins, which we’ll get to later.) With a league leading four new keepers, TRUO now has Jimmy Butler, Green, Dillon Brooks, and Cole Anthony in the backcourt, with Julius Randle and Barnes as multi-dimensional bruising forwards. That’s the start of something promising and new, right?

6 SWMP

With one of the strongest keeper cores around, 2022 Finals runner-up SWMP didn’t have to do much with the core of Nikola Jokic, Paul George, Zach LaVine, Khris Middleton, and DeAndre Ayton. Jettisoning D’Angelo Russell for the promise of Alperen Sengun was a small surprise, but Sengun looks to be worth a keeper slot. SWMP continues to fall just a bit short of a title but this core is gonna keep them contending for a long time.

7 MELO

The much-debated trade off of Kemba Walker for De’Aaron Fox doesn’t look too terrible in retrospect, if Walker is seen as a sunk cost. After all, MELO received new keepers Lauri Markkanen and Andrew Wiggins back, so maybe Fox for those two are equitable? Kevin Durant is still here, and he’s now got Jaylen Brown as a franchise caliber second fiddle alongside him. Nikola Vucevic is a defensive NBA liability but still an excellent fantasy big man—farewell Andre Drummond!—and the only keeper question here is how much longer it will take James Wiseman to make some sort of impact. Time may be running out for Wiseman…

8 KSKT

After focusing purely on upside for a few years, KSKT may be ready to challenge for a playoff bid behind their backcourt of the future: Cade Cunningham (2022 RD1.1) and Tyrese Halliburton (2021 RD1.4). Add in Anfernee Simons and this is the most promising guard trio in SlamNation! (Cunningham and Simons replace Caris LeVert and Clint Capela as keepers.) And lest we forget, Zion Williamson returns, along with Kristaps Porzingis and Michael Porter Jr. Yes, that’s a lot of potential injuries, but that’s also a boatload of talent.

CHAMBERLAIN CONFERENCE

9 SQSQ

After yet another dominant regular season, SQSQ and Giannis Antetokounmpo found themselves bounced early from the playoffs. The trio of Giannis, LeBron James, and Jrue Holiday are great on paper, but injuries can hit hard with this team, as Jusuf Nurkic and new keeper Caris LeVert are always a bit dinged up. (Not that different from jettisoned keeper Lonzo Ball.) While SQSQ is still title-focused, scooping up Jonathan Kuminga as a sixth keeper—replacing Bogdan Bogdanovich—was a wise move as the rookie showed a lot of promise. The goal remains the same this year for Giannis and Co. though: a SlamNation ring!

10 ABCX

After edging back into the playoffs last year, ABCX shuffled some of their long-toothed veterans around, dumping Derrick Rose and Evan Fournier—and TJ Warren—for Harrison Barnes, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kelly Oubre Jr. While that isn’t the highest upside keepers around, they are steady and will help Ja Morant (2020 RD1.2) and LaMelo Ball (2021 RD1.1) continue on their upward trajectory. The question is what is the worth of Russell Westbrook, who has been long-tenured and still productive, but might be better utilized on a different team?

11 BUFF

No changes for BUFF this year in the keeper core. After landing Anthony Edwards (2021 RD1.6), BUFF has the cornerstone for their new future. And Brandon Ingram and Domantas Sabonis are both top-tier options who aren't even in their primes yet. Heck, even Kyle Kuzma has been a real boon in Washington. Depending on what BUFF can get from Ben Simmons this season, this is a very promising keeper core. It's likely Klay Thompson's keeper days are over after this season, so it'll be interesting who BUFF can find for that slot.

12 SOUR

No owner is less afraid of big trades and Trieu made quite a few last season. Never mind the acquisition of De’Aaron Fox—for Scottie Barnes—SOUR also moved Bradley Beal for Draymond Green, Jerami Grant, and Wendell Carter Jr.! Green may not be a keeper, but Grant and Carter will join Pascal Siakam and Christian Wood to flesh out SOUR’s core—farewell Derrick White and PJ Washington. With reigning champ Steph Curry fully healthy again, SOUR is always gonna be contending, no matter the mix.

13 SBUK

Kyrie Irving got a ring! Irving was SBUK’s 2012 RD1.1 selection, and that isn’t SBUK’s only homegrown keeper. Joel Embiid (2015 RD1.12), Rudy Gobert (2015 RD4.12), and new keeper Jalen Brunson (2022 RD5.11) were all draft selections that stayed on for a SBUK title. (Not all were hits of course, as 2020 RD1.3 RJ Barrett won’t be kept this season. And neither will Miles Bridges.) The new champs of SlamNation will also have longtime SBUK CJ McCollum back, along with 2022 rookie free agent find Franz Wagner. SBUK is talent, semi-young, and now sitting on top of the world!

14 SPDE

The champion that never was… SPDE has long invested into win-now veterans but that ship has likely sailed behind years of injuries. The youth movement—minus Kawhi Leonard and Victor Oladipo—has arrived. 2022 draft picks Josh Giddey (RD1.8) and Tyrese Maxey (RD4.15) should both be keepers for years to come, and they’ll combine with Devin Booker and Tyler Herro to form SPDE’s new core—good bye Eric Bledsoe and Obi Toppin. We’d love to see Leonard and Oladipo shifted off SDPE this upcoming season, as the team is long overdue for an epic overhaul.

15 ILCN

Darius Garland (2020 RD1.4) fully arrived as an All-Star last season and now he’ll join Luka Doncic and Donovan Mitchell as the homegrown backcourt that could power ILCN into postseason contention. Adding Bradley Beal—at the cost of Draymond Green and Jerami Grant—to that trio is almost criminal. Jaren Jackson Jr. continues to flash his unique upside but there’s also hope that new keeper Onyeka Okongwu could blossom into a stout defender if given more minutes in Atlanta. This keeper core is a little unbalanced but frightfully talented.

16 SCRM 

Landing into the postseason for the first time--their second season in SlamNation--SCRM made their mark in 2022 by knocking out top seeded SQSQ in the first round of the playoffs. That taste of success could be the beginning of something much bigger as SCRM seems to have leveled up all at once. Dejounte Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both made the All-Star team for the first time, OG Anunoby was a D.P.O.Y. candidate, and 2022 RD1.3 Evan Mobley looks like a generational defensive player—no need for Mitchell Robinson or Isaiah Stewart anymore. Oh yeah and Anthony Davis is here, Anthony Davis! And even sixth keeper Terry Rozier isn’t that old. This is a team to watch out for…

Draft: 2023 RD1 Grades

Up to the minute draft grades and analysis! The content team is coming in hot this season—despite not articling anything about our last champion (yet)! [ 2023 Draft Recap ]

RD1.1 CHMK - Jabari Smith, Jr.

After a Toilet Bowl win, it seemed like this would be the best time to do some research on the rookies. Instead, GM Evan looked at the consensus top three prospects and took the 6’10" Rockets forward based on this reasoning: “I don’t know crap about the rookies. I just saw a big who shoots threes, [and] I draft.“That’s an owner who’s overpaying his scouting staff! (Or too cheap to have a scouting staff?)

The good news is that the nineteen-year-old rookie should add some offensive punch to the young CHMK frontcourt that also features defensive aces Bam Adebayo and Robert Williams.

Rumors are that James Harden is now on the move as he is now sorely miscast on a rebuilding team.

Grade: A-, hard to fault any of the top three picks

RD1.2 SPDE - Chet Holmgren

As an organization, Spade has always been unafraid to take injured players. So while it was a bit of a shock to see Holmgren still go number two, it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise.

GM Randall loves to roll the dice on upside and Holmgren has a lot of it. He could break the NBA!—at least until Victor Wembanyama arrives next season. SPDE now has a fully future-forward roster, as Holmgren can grow alongside last year’s rookie, current OKC teammate Josh Giddey.

After finishing with the second worst record in Slam last season, we’re likely looking at another tank year for SPDE. Note: Should a contender go get Kawhi Leonard?!

Grade: A, love the upside reach!

RD1.3 ILCN - Paolo Banchero

The semi-surpris first overall pick of the 2022 NBA draft falls into Frank’s lap, a bit unexpectedly. While Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren could both turn out to be exceptional, Banchero will be given the reins in Orlando immediately. This pick has shades of Luka Doncic falling into ILCN’s lap a few years ago.

With a young roster that really blossomed last season—Darius Garland, Jaren Jackson Jr., all put it together—ILCN was already on the verge of contention. Getting an impact rookie like Panchero is going to accelerate their path toward a title even further. Wow!

Grade: A+

RD1.4 TRUO - Keegan Murray

Last year’s second overall pick, Jalen Green, is looking like a future star and TRUO’s keeper core was a churning this offseason as they inserted four new keepers.

Sophomores Green and Scottie Barnes will be a wonderful foundation to build on, while Dillon Brooks and Cole Anthony can provide scoring from the backcourt. Now the 6’8” Murray—who projects as a well-rounded and versatile asset— will join the TRUO youth movement, to be mentored by Jimmy Butler and Julius Randle.

Grade: A, next best rookie and a perfect fit for this team

RD1.5 BUFF - Collin Sexton

The first owner to deviate from taking rookies at the top of the draft, Roger had his sights set on Sexton, whose new role in Utah will be to get plenty of shots up—which he will, with aplomb!

With a roster that is already offense-heavy—Anthony Edwards, Brandon Ingram, Domantas Sabonis, Klay Thompson, Kyle Kuzma—we’re not sure if a different pick would have been more useful here, but Sexton is still quite young and has an outstanding opportunity on his new team. This was definitely “player over fit” pick.

Grade: B, young and productive, even if not the ideal player for this team

RD1.6 FOBS - Jaden Ivey

Tabbed as “the best guard in the draft,” Ivey will slot in on FOBS as Damian Lillard’s understudy perfectly. Both are highly explosive players who play no defense, but it seems like GM Jimmy is encourages that.

Jamal Murray, Keldon Johnson, Saddiq Bey are all score-first players, and it’ll be huge task for Jarrett Allen to give this team some semblance of defense. Still, drafting Ivey was a no-brainer here, as there was even some early talks of him going in the top-three.

Grade: A, easy obvious pick

RD1.7 MELO - Kevin Porter, Jr.

Chances are that the twenty-two year old Porter will outperform almost all of the players drafted above him, and especially the rookies. Despite some sub-par shooting percentages, Porter flashed great upside as a scorer and passer toward the tail end of last season—and is projected to post 16.9 PTS, 6.3 AST, and 4.5 REB. (For reference, Porter Jr. is less than a year older than Keegan Murray.)

MELO needed to add talent to this team—especially after the disastrous De’Aaron Fox for Kemba Walker trade—and it looks like Porter Jr. will be a huge value for them.

Grade: A, great pick!

RD1.8 KSKT - D’Angelo Russell

Ah D’Angelo…nobody wants him, everyone would love the potential of him. At twenty-seven years old and just hitting his prime, it can be safely said that what Russell is now is what you’ll get in the future: terrible FG%, nice points, seven assists, a bunch of 3PT, and one-fourth of the season missed (at least).

For a team that is already fielding injury risks like Zion Williamson, Michael Porter, Jr. and Kristaps Porzingis, what’s one more right?!

Nobody will be counting on Russell to be a fantasy star this season—not behind sophomore Cade Cunningham, shocking projected top-ten fantasy pick Tyrese Haliburton, and Anfernee Simons—so maybe D’Angelo is in the perfect situation as the fourth guard here.

Grade: B, good value, no risk

RD1.9 TRUO - RJ Barrett (via SWMP and then SOUR)

So the final trade for De’Aaron Fox to SOUR ends up looking like this: Fox and Jordan Clarkson to SOUR for Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett for TROU. The jury is out on who got the better end of the deal, but the drafting of the still twenty-two year old Barrett is a nice bit of business for Thien.

With RD1.4 Keegan Murray also on board—Murray and Barrett are actually only one month apart in age—TRUO had a hell of a first round.

Grade: A+, lots of upside here!

RD1.10 FOBS - Jalen Smith (via FUNK)

Adding another “Jalen” to the mix—alongside Suggs—will give FOBS some marketing versatility at least. When Jaden Ivey fell into FOBS’ lap at RD1.4, we said that this team needed some defensive and frontcourt options.

Six picks later, third-year pro Jalen Smith could step right in as the new power forward starter for Indiana, and that could mean both BLK and 3PT from the center position for FOBS.

Note: The final trade for John Collins turned out to be John Collins and 2022 FOBS RD4.13 Monte Morris for FUNK 2022 RD1.12 Buddy Hield, FUNK 2022 RD2.7 Saddiq Bey, and 2023 FUNK 2023 1.10 Jalen Smith.

Grade: B+, with lots of big man options available, we like the combination of youth and upside

RD1.11 SCRM - Jakob Poeltl

ESPN had him listed as its next best player and someone had to take him right? GM Jordan was more than happy to grab the Spur’s double-double machine, who will ably fill the role left vacant by this year’s castaway keepers Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Stewart.

The still young-ish Poeltl isn’t a sexy pick, but he’ll be perfectly cast as the backup big man to defensive stalwarts Anthony Davis and Evan Mobley.

Grade: A, just take the best guy available!

RD1.12 FJUBS - P.J. Washington

Honestly, this was just fate. FJUBS has long favored do-it-all defensive players and here is Washington with his one STL, BLK, and (more than one) 3PT per game.

You can go ahead and buy a home here in Juba-land P.J., you ain’t never leaving. Maybe Washington and Robert Covington will become roommates?

Grade: A+, just as expected!

RD1.13 ABCX - Bennedict Mathurin

In desperate need of some young talent, ABCX made the playoffs last year despite dragging the corpses of Derrick Rose, Evan Fournier, and TJ Warren around—and is Russell Westbrook finally ready to move on? This year, ABCX is still a bit questionable at keeper with Harrison Barnes and Kelly Oubre, Jr. but it seems like GM Oliver read the tea leaves and a youth movement is underway.

Mathurin is the next-best rookie and he’ll be a perfect third guard next to Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball, as he’s capable of play off ball and just hitting shots. While Buddy Heild is starting in front of him—for now—in Indiana, the Pacers future backcourt will be Tyrese Haliburton and Mathurin.

Grade: A-, an inspired and appropriate pick for this franchise

RD1.14 KSKT - Buddy Hield (via SQSQ)

With their second first-round draft pick, KSKT nabbed Buddy Hield, who averaged 18.2 PTS, 5.1 REB, 4.8 AST, and 3.1 3PT in twenty-six games as a Pacer last season. The problem is, Hield is unlikely to stay there for much longer—hello Lakers?!—and Hield is actually about to turn thirty this season.

With D’Angelo Russell and Hield as their first rounders, KSTK is certainly looking to fill up the bucket, but we’re wondering if a non-offensive focused player would’ve been better here. Note: This was one of the picks coming from the Caris LeVert and Kevin Huerter trade—it was Huerter plus this pick (Hield) and a future SQSQ 2024 RD3 selection for LeVert.

Grade: B-, seems redundant with the Russell pick

RD1.15 SOUR - Herbert Jones

Is “Herb” now a “Herbert?” Whatever the case, this defensive ace adds a fair number of steals but may be better on-the-court than on paper. Like many real-life NBA defensive stalwarts, his game is best displayed in-person and not in the boxscore.

However, GM Trieu must see some great (fantasy) things ahead, as using a first rounder on Jones—who currently mainly contributes in one category—could be seen as overreaching, especially with so many veteran win-now options still on the board. It is not for us to question the great Trieu, but this pick was a little surprising. Perhaps Steph Curry demanded a defensive presence alongside him?

Grade: C-

RD1.16 SBUK - Tre Jones

Back-to-back Jones! This Jones is the new starting point guard in San Antonio and there isn’t a whole lot to go on, the Spurs will be tanking team and that usually means great news for fantasy owners.

The defending champs already have a lovely blend of veterans—Joel Embiid, CJ McCollum, Kyrie Irving, Rudy Gobert—and youth, with versatile sophomore Franz Wagner and new Knicks guard Jalen Brunson slated to go up another (statistical) level away from Luka Doncic.

Picking up another young ball distributor certainly won’t hurt SBUK at all and owner Josh can afford to bask in the afterglow of his first championship while tinkering with his core while working on a title defense!

Grade: B, sure why not!

Draft Order 2023

Our fourth year using draft slots! If you have questions about how this was calculated, these links should help: Draft Slots in RD1. Remember, RD2-6 are slotted in Power Ranking order #1-16, with snaking from RD3 and on. [ New Post-Season 2.0 | Power Ranking 2021 | Draft 2023 Sheet ] *Note these draft slots and picks don't account for trades.

(Note: SPDE gets #2 pick due to seeding rule, ILCN to #3 overall)

Keepers: 2023

2022 Championship: So Sweet

After a thrilling 2021 run to their first Finals appearance, So Buckets came back for more in 2022. Instead of sneaking into the playoffs like last season, SBUK dropped a 13-6-1 record—good for the third seed—and was one of the top contenders heading into the postseason. After an easy wipe of SOUR in round one, followed by a barely harder round two versus FUNK, SBUK came face to face with the Russell Conference champions, Swamp Dragons, who was making their fourth Finals appearance.

Despite being the slight underdog, SBUK pulled out a 6-3 win, taking REB by just six, and STL by three. The twin defensive towers of Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert won SBUK the day, and we crowned a new champ!

After taking over the Bayside Bombardiers franchise in 2012, Josh and the So Buckets have reached the mountaintop in their eleventh SlamNation season! Coincidentally, this Finals matchup was the two 2012 replacement owners facing off against each other, as SBUK and SWMP entered Slam at the same time. Back then, Josh elected to gift Eddie LeBron James while inheriting a Bombardiers’ Toilet Bowl win and the 2012 RD1.1 pick, who turned into Kyrie Irving.

The keepers SBUK took in that initial dispersal draft: Pau Gasol, Andre Iguodala, Gerald Wallace, David West, Darren Collison, and someone named Toney Douglas. Those early SBUK teams had some good success, nabbing two Voltron division titles in their first three seasons behind Gasol, Irving, Igoudala, and Evan Turner. However, two 8-10-1 seasons in 2015-6 left them out of the postseason.

It was during this down period that we start to see the current championship roster begin to toke shape, as GM Josh drafted Embiid (2015 RD1.12) and Gobert (2015 RD4.12) in the same class. DeMar DeRozan was also added to the keeper mix by 2015, and Myles Turner came on-board as a rookie one year later (2016 RD1.7). That core led to a SBUK resurgence, leading to a 14-6-1 record in 2018 and another Voltron division title.

Those heady days were short lived as SBUK slipped out of the playoffs in 2019 despite a winning record. They did win the Toilet Bowl that season—and got the 2020 RD1.3 pick due to the first year of the “SWMP rule,” which didn’t allow the #9 or #10 Toilet Bowl teams to win one of the first two picks. That third pick ended up being RJ Barrett, who was the odd man out from the one-two punch of Zion Williamson and Ja Morant.

Despite assumptions that SBUK would leap back into the playoffs in 2020, they instead went 8-10-1, as some real life things--hi Baby SBUK!--took the coaching staff a little out of focus. However, SBUK management pulled it together in 2021 and 2022, resulting in two Finals appearances and SBUK’s first SlamNation title!

This was truly a homegrown title, as we can see by the Irving, Embiid, Gobert, and Barrett draft picks. Even Myles Turner was directly turned into CJ McCollum via trade. Incredibly, GM Josh has only ever made three trades ever, and only two involving actual players. The first was the 2017 big for small Turner and McCollum exchange, and the second was in 2021, when they moved DeMar DeRozan for the promise of Jonathan Isaac. (Imagine if this team still had DeRozan!) Otherwise it’s just been savvy drafting and good free agent pickups!

New keepers Jalen Brunson (2022 RD5.11) and rookie Franz Wagner (2022, free agent) were both value finds that could make SBUK even stronger than before. Heck, RJ Barrett—who led SBUK in playoff minutes—will be cut as a keeper. At least Barrett will get a ring when he makes a visit to his old team!

Overall, owner SBUK boasts a 105-92-6 regular season record in eleven seasons—good for sixth best out of the current Slam owners—with six playoff runs, three division titles, two Finals appearances, and one shiny new ring! Congrats to our new league champ, may a zesty title defense be in SBUK's future!

As for Swamp Dragon’s eternal chase for a title, this Finals appearance marked SWMP’s fourth appearance in the championship game—2012, 2014, 2018, and 2022—with no hardware to show for it. SWMP has been the most dominant regular season team in SlamNation going back the last four seasons, with a 56-15-4 (0.777) record, three Russell Conference titles, two Most Wins, and two Finals showings. Heck, they even had a rule named after them, due to their Toilet Bowl success!

Losing a hard fought Finals to SBUK can only fuel Eddie’s fire, as that elusive title has to be around the corner soon, right?