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[Laimbeer40]

2022-23 Team Capsules

Boston Celtics

Ownership Rating: 7 (Squeaked into playoffs last year and bounced in Rd 1. 1x Semi Appearance)

Studs: Ant Man playing at a Top 20 level this year. CJ McCollum a Top 40 guy this year. Siakam missed time due to injury or he would be ranked pretty high. Giddey with a slow start so far.

Prospects: Kuminga still a top prospect but he has to be able to crack the lineup. Might need Warriors to trade him.

Decisions: None Pending

Good News: Marvin Bagley showing a pulse

Bad News: Will Jonathan Isaac ever play? When is Time Lord supposed to come back?

Outlook: Plenty of talent but surprising to see them under .500 at this point. They should probably stock their G-League and try to find a gem that way.

[Laimbeer40]

2022-23 Team Capsules

Brooklyn Nets

Ownership Rating: 6.5 (Jumped from a 3 to a 6.5 last year by getting their first winning season, gaining a 7th seed, and riding Embiid to a Semis appearance)

Studs: Embiid looking for an MVP campaign, SGA having a monster season and Maxey was lighting it up before he got hurt. 

Prospects: I'm worried about Johnny Davis. He might suck. Christian Braun should be able to stick in the NBA but he may never be a strong fantasy player. 

Decisions: Would cost $10.7m to extend D.Graham thanks to the 66% rule. Bazley not playing up to his RFA extension price tag.

Good News: Markelle Fultz is finally back!

Bad News: I think we can officially say Isaac Okoro is a bust.

Outlook: Looking at back-to-back winning seasons and something like a 6-7 seed. 

[Laimbeer40]

2022-23 Team Capsules

Charlotte Hornets

Ownership Rating: 3.5 (Team has been trending downward ever since the fateful Kemba extension a few years ago. 1x playoff appearance)

Studs: Wiggins is a Top 20 player in Fantrax. Dame a stud if he is on the court. Bol Bol and Mathurin are Top 100 this year.

Prospects: Mathurin was a steal.  

Decisions: RoCo playing like ass and extension probably too expensive. Kenyon Martin Jr due as well.

Good News: Wait... is that Kemba Walker's music???

Bad News: Might be too good to have top odds for Wemby or Scoot.

Outlook: This season won't help the ownership score unless they land one of the top prizes in the lottery. Can they find a way to buyout that Kemba deal?

[Laimbeer40]

Chicago Bulls

Ownership Rating: 4.5 (Came off their best season with a 23 win dud last year. A career .338 win% will get even worse after this season. 1x Semis appearance)

Studs: Jaden Ivey is already a Top 75 player. 

Prospects: Had a ton of 1st rounders last year. Ivey and AJ Griffin look solid. Jury still out on Blake Wesley. Wendell Moore and Patrick Baldwin have started slow.

Decisions: Flush with $40M in cap next year so the decision is do they make it rain in the offseason?

Good News: Ivey looks like a star and they have their own 1st still. That is worth a king's ransom in the upcoming draft.

Bad News: Hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel for this rebuild... unless they get a godfather offer for their 1st.

Outlook: Things looked promising not so long ago but here we are rebuilding again. Wemby or bust.

[tomviolence]

you're the best laim!

[Laimbeer40]

Cleveland Cavaliers

Ownership Rating: 2.5 (Goldie tanked long term and it only produced 1 winning season before another 16 win season last year. New owner is allergic to tanking so things should improve)

Studs: Trae Young's shooting has been a little suspect this year but still a stud. Fantrax has Jalen Green as a Top 50-ish player. 

Prospects: Chet Holmgren should be a huge addition next year assuming he gets healthy.

Decisions: Dillon Brooks is due for an extension. Cavs have plenty of money to afford it but it could end up costing more than they hoped.

Good News: Nic Claxton has been a pleasant surprise. He and Derrick White are both Top 75 so far this year.

Bad News: The Holmgren injury was obviously a big blow. 

Outlook: Cavs no longer have their own pick so it only makes sense for them to compete. They look like they have the horses to be a 7-8 seed.

[Laimbeer40]

Dallas Mavericks

Ownership Rating: 4 (Aside from a terrible inaugural season they hover around a 40% win rate. Have two of the biggest 1st rd upsets in league history)

Studs: None. Their highest ranked player per Fantrax is Lonnie Walker at like 130th.

Prospects: Walker Kessler and Nikola Jovic have both looked promising in limited minutes. Ziaire Williams looked good in his rookie year but has been injured for his sophomore campaign. And Andrew Nembhard is starting to come on too.

Decisions: Extensions are due for Connaughton and DFS but they are going to need to try a 3-for-1 deal for someone or they could run out of roster spots soon for their talent.

Good News: In decent cap position next year with $17m available. Plenty of decent players who will hopefully make a jump.

Bad News: They traded their 1st this year and they could have probably bottomed out. Worse news is that 1st only brought them 16m of cap relief in the current season where they are 8-15-2.

Outlook: The arrow is pointing up but it may be a bit before they see the playoffs again.

[Laimbeer40]

Denver Nuggets

Ownership Rating: 4.5 (Last season they achieved a 7 seed for their 2nd career playoff appearance but they were bounced in Rd 1)

Studs: Lebron and Garland are both Top 50 players with much higher ceilings when healthy.

Prospects: Not much here. This is a very veteran team.

Decisions: RFA decisions coming due on Garland and NAW. Extension is also due soon for Quickley. 

Good News: The good news is Garland continues to look like a stud. 

Bad News: Currently lacking the cap space they need to bring everyone back next year. LBJ getting older and Denver may be missing the window.

Outlook: Needs a little more depth to make a run at the playoffs. Probably too much talent to bottom out. 

[Laimbeer40]

Detroit Pistons

Ownership Rating: 4.5 (Two straight playoff appearances including a 5th seed last year and their first time making it out of Rd 1. Arrow still pointing up)

Studs: LaMelo started the year injured but is probably a Top 10 dynasty guy right now. Ayton's star has faded a little but still has a world of potential. Fantrax loves Mikal Bridges and has him as a Top 15 guy this year. Ditto for Kelly Oubre who they have in the Top 20.

Prospects: Corey Kispert has developed into a contributor. Peyton Watson is buried in Denver but there is hope for him down the road.

Decisions: Poeltl is due for an extension and right now DET might not have enough cap next year to get it done.

Good News: D.Russell has the look of a Top 75 player again. 

Bad News: Pretty solid squad that is really missing a difference maker with PF eligibility.

Outlook: Started a little slow partly due to LaMelo's injury but is firmly in the conversation for a 4-5 seed.

[Laimbeer40]

Golden State Warriors

Ownership Rating: 8 (At some point we need to dock points for all of the 1st round exits. Added another last season. Regular season hero. Postseason zero.)

Studs: AD looks like the best player in the league this year. And damn if Giannis might not be 2nd best. That is an amazing 1-2 punch.

Prospects: Max Christie? Not much here but that is a good thing. They need to be gunning it for a title. 

Decisions: They have about $16m next year and FVV and Josh Hart due for extensions. Hate to let one of them walk for nothing.

Good News: Myles Turner seems to have taken a leap this season. Pairing him with Greek Freak and The Brow is sicko.  

Bad News: How are they only 18-9-1? Their past history is like a specter that looms large. All of their studs have injury risk.

Outlook: Really want to see a 1 seed out of this team. Anything less would be a little disappointing.