X's Bucks Dynasty *WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN*

Start CH legacy after exams.

That sucks X. I'll be sure to back you up if a mod gets pissed about you putting your CH legacy here. (it is a 2k basketball game after all)

-hova, Do PS3's not have a "clear cache" option? That's how I'm keeping mine afloat (despite it not getting many replies lately, you bastards). I would love to see you make another dynasty though. Your 2k10 dynasty was my favorite. (Do the Timberwolves or Pacers and lose )

What could have been? I decided to sim NBA Finals and off-season to see where my Bucks would sit come opening night. Here are the results:

NBA FINALS

Finals' MVP Carmelo Anthony (30ppg, 10rpg) capped off a monster 46 point, 15 rebound game in the decider to carry the Nuggets to a 128-102 win and their first ever NBA title. The Nuggets won the series 3-2, but probably should've tied it up in Orlando in game 4 but Vince Carter's jumper on the buzzer extended the series to a deciding game. Orlando becomes the first team since the Utah Jazz of 1997 and 1998 to lose back-to-back NBA Finals.


RETIREES

The list of retirees was led by former All-Stars Michael Finley (Bucks), Brad Miller (Bulls), Antonio McDyess (Spurs), Grant Hill (Suns) and Juwan Howard (Blazers). Surprisingly George Karl (Nuggets) retired after leading Denver to their first ever title. I guess it was due to health issues. Mike Dunleavy (Clippers) also had enough of the coaching game.


TEAM/PLAYER OPTIONS

The Bucks exercised Leon Powe's 1 year, $916k team option, but declined James Jones' 1 year, $4.64m team option.

Around the league, there were not many surprises. All the big stars (Nowitzki, Bosh, Wade, Amar'e and Paul Pierce) sans Lebron James all exercised their player options. Although Lebron would just end up re-negotiating a new deal with the Cavs

The most interesting decision was made by Detroit's T.J. Ford, who for whatever reason declined his 1 year, $8.5m player option. Very strange as he won't get close to that on the open market.


MILWAUKEE RE-SIGN PLAYERS

The Bucks re-signed backup point guard Luke Ridnour to a 2 year, $2.7m deal with a team option for the third year. The Bucks signed Zydrunas Ilgauskas to a 1 year, $1.2 million deal with a team option for the second year. However, this was just an arrangement for a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls for their 2011 2nd Round Draft pick.

Hakim Warrick elected not to negotiate as he wanted to test the free agency market.


DRAFT LOTTERY

Entering the Draft Lottery, the Bucks had the third best chance (15.6%) to win the top overall pick, however fell to the fourth pick. The Bucks really must have rued their victory over NBA Finalists Orlando in the regular season finale, which took them from the worst record in the league to equal worst, but third on tie-break.

The Utah Jazz ended up picking up the top pick, with the Sacramento Kings being the biggest movers, climbing from the seventh slot to the second overall pick. The Minnesota Timberwolves therefore will be picking from number three.

Milwaukee held four picks in the 2010 NBA Draft (4, 33, 35 and 53).


PRE-DRAFT WORKOUTS

Milwaukee surmised from the pre-draft workouts that there were three standout prospects (Wall, Turner & Favors). Unfortunately for the Bucks, there was a good chance that all three might be snapped up before they pick at four. No other players stood out, however the Bucks were looking at filling a need with power forwards such as Patrick Patterson and Greg Monroe, although at pick four, that might've been a little bit of a stretch, unless the Bucks were to trade down for them. Otherwise wings Wesley Johnson and Xavier Henry could fill a need for the Bucks.

In the workout of the NLSC prospects, Will Sit stood out as the most NBA-ready prospect of the three and could turn into an Earl Boykins-like player at the next level. Although Watson's shot was sweet, his lack of size (6'3") and athletic ability (he's white) at the shooting guard position casts a shadow over his ability to be effective in the NBA. As for Liam Washburn, he looked like a poor man's Steve Nash and got abused defensively, so his stock might be falling, but he will probably ending up being the best prospect out of the three of them.


NBA DRAFT

Unfortunately for the Bucks, there three targets were snapped up by the Jazz (Favors), Kings (Wall) and Timberwolves (Turner) respectively, which left them in a quite a quandary. In the end, Milwaukee went with Syracuse swingman Wesley Johnson, who should provide much-needed scoring lift from the perimeter, which was lacking last season. The Bucks made the most of their three 2nd Round picks, snagging forwards Luke Harangody (Notre Dame), Larry Sanders (VCU) and Damion James (Texas) at 33, 35 and 53 respectively, with each a good chance of making the team.

The Draft turned on its head as Memphis shocked all to take diminutive point guard William Sit (Fordham) at pick number five. This was a huge shock considering Sit was considered a mid-to-late 1st Round pick heading into pre-draft workouts, but he must have done something that Heisley liked Talking of the Grizzlies, they threw away their second 1st Round pick, selecting sharpshooting guard Andrew Watson (Virginia Tech) with the 22nd overall pick. I don't know what the Grizzlies were thinking, using their two 1st Round picks on what essentially has to be the team's new bench backcourt. Maybe they know something we don't.

Liam Washburn (Washington) went two picks later to the Boston and looks to provide the Celtics with a true point guard backup for Rajon Rondo.

The lottery went as follows:

1. Utah: PF- Derek Favors (Georgia Tech) - Boozer is an unrestricted FA who may bolt, so Favors could be the PG of the future in Utah
2. Sacramento: PG- John Wall (Kentucky) - it is scary to think of Tyreke Evans and Wall in the starting backcourt together
3. Minnesota: SG- Evan Turner (Ohio State) - this pick broke Milwaukee's heart. Funnily enough the T'wolves also declined the player option on Corey Brewer's rookie contract prior to the Draft
4. Milwaukee: SF- Wesley Johnson (Syracuse) - the Bucks went with the best available player and he should help them
5. Memphi$: PG- William Sit (Fordham) - not much to say except bad pick
6. LA Clippers: PG- Willie Warren (Oklahoma) - this is a vintage Clippers' pick. They must be hoping to inspire Blake Griffin to superstardom
7. Miami: SF- Aminu (Wake Forest) - a pretty good pick at this juncture, although Cousins would've been ever better
8. Oklahoma City: PF- Patrick Patterson (Kentucky) - great pick for the Thunder, Patterson will help
9. Detroit: PF- DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky) - good pick at this spot
10. Toronto: SF- Jordan Hamilton (Texas) - another pick that I don't like by the Raptors. This isn't going to help them. Hamilton is not ready to contribute.
11. New Orleans: SG- Xavier Henry (Kansas) - an absolute steal at this juncture and the perfect starting SG next to Chris Paul. Henry had been overrated by many when they suggested he was a lock for top 5, but he definitely shouldn't have fallen out of the top 10.
12. Chicago: SG- Lance Stephenson (Cincinnati) - for the second straight year the Bulls are on their own tangent, picking Stephenson about 15-20 spots higher than anybody else expected.
13. Charlotte: PF- Greg Monroe (Georgetown) - possibly the biggest steal of the Draft, especially considering the Bucks considered him at 4.
14. Indiana: PG- Avery Bradley (Texas) - a shooting guard trapped in a point guard's body. Freshman. Not NBA ready. Might turn out to be a good pick in time but Bradley needed another year or two in college to refine his game.
---------
15. Philadelphia: C- Cole Aldrich (Kansas) - once considered a top 5 prospect, his below expectation junior season cooled many scouts on him, especially considering his lack of athleticism (he's white). He's a steal at 15 though.
--------
22. Memphi$: SG- Andrew Watson (Virginia Tech) - this pick makes no sense
--------
24. Boston: PG- Liam Washburn (Washington) - the C's make the most of this year's late 1st Round pick. He won't take Rondo's job but he should be a good backup and has potential to run a team of his own sometime during his career.


FREE AGENCY - CHASING DAVID LEE

With all these cashed up teams, the biggest prize of the 2010 famed free agency class was none other than Carlos Boozer with Rudy Gay, David Lee, Ray Allen and Tracy McGrady being the fallback options

Knowing this, the Bucks laughed at Boozer's 4 year, $72m max asking price and instead put their focus into getting David Lee, a hard working forward from the Knicks who had an eye for the ball. The Bucks needed to get help on the boards for All-Star pivot Andrew Bogut.

The Bucks looked to be in prime position to land Lee with a 2 year, $20m deal with a player option for the third year. This was until every man and his dog put an offer in for Lee. With the competition heating up, and realising that this wouldn't cut it, the Bucks put forward their final offer, a 4 year, $41m deal. Lee took forever to make up his mind and by the time he did, everybody else of note (not that there were many quality targets) had been signed by other teams. In the end, Lee went with a 5 year, $51m deal from the Houston Rockets. I think the Bucks would've been a better fit system-wise, but ahh well, shite happens.

The Bucks then scrambled to find any free agent so they wouldn't walk out empty handed, picking up Ray Allen for a 1 year, $6m deal with the Bucks holding a team option for the second year. Ray Ray would be returning to his rightful team to end his career, the team that should never have traded him. At least the Bucks didn't waste their cap space, and with Gadzuric's $7m contract coming off the cap next summer, they are well-positioned to picked up a superstar free agent.

Around the league, Donnie Walsh wasted all the Knicks' salary cap on giving Carlos Boozer his 4 year max deal. Now that's a knee-jerk reaction if ever I've seen one Whatever was left went to Rashad McCants in a 2 year deal.

Rudy Gay got a 5 year, $82m from the Grizzlies, although that didn't look likely early with them only offering him a paltry 1 year, $5.3m deal. They only came to play when other teams entered the fray and started throwing near max offers at Gay.

The Heat picked up Josh Howard for a quality 5 year, $32m deal. The Heat looks better with Wade, Beasley, Howard & Aminu leading the way for the future.

Finally, the Bulls signed T-Mac to a 3 year, $19m deal only to send him in a sign-and-trade to the Wizards for newly re-signed Randy Foye.


2010/11 OPENING ROSTER

C- A.Bogut/D.Gadzuric/L.Sanders
PF- L.Powe/E.Ilyasova/L.Harangody
SF- W.Johnson/C.Delfino/L.Mbah a Moute
SG- R.Allen/C.Bell/J.Meeks
PG- B.Jennings/L.Ridnour/D.Gibson

--------

In the end it's a shame that 2k had to stuff up the patch as I was happy to continue this and although my team still doesn't look that good, the second season would've been more entertaining for me than the first, especially with Ray Ray back.

I actually even thought about overlooking the 3pt shooting sim stats bug for big men. That was until I had a pre-draft 2-on-2 workout against Boozer & Gay. Every time I laid off Boozer he always shot a trey rather than trying to get a little closer. He shot about 12 three pointers in that 2-on-2 game. After that, I realised that you can't run an Association with player roles on.

It's all good though, I don't really like Jennings too much and would've found it hard not to trade him by mid-season

Anyways, that is what could have been (obviously presented a lot better and more in detail)

Great recap, and surely you were somewhat tempted to pick this up again especially after signing Ray Allen? Though yeah the Boozer thing sounds annoying. I haven't really had that issue to a certain extent, I'll have maybe 1 or 2 times a game where the other teams C will take a wide open three but it's not enough to be annoying.

Btw if you're doing a College Hoops franchise or whatever you can post it here, it won't get moved.

Nice recap, I really wished that this would continue.

Lol at the Memphis picking two NLSC

[The X]

Great recap, and surely you were somewhat tempted to pick this up again especially after signing Ray Allen? Though yeah the Boozer thing sounds annoying. I haven't really had that issue to a certain extent, I'll have maybe 1 or 2 times a game where the other teams C will take a wide open three but it's not enough to be annoying.

Btw if you're doing a College Hoops franchise or whatever you can post it here, it won't get moved.

Cheers. Do you play with Player Roles ON? I know if I start a new one with it OFF then it is all sweet.


EDIT: One thing I didn't mention is this is the first time that I've taken a look at the off-season functions in 2k10 & I'm quite impressed. Was fun to work through & in Draft was good to see some teams tried to stretch on draft picks (Memphis picking a PG at 5).

Last edited by The X on Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'm not sure if I do to be honest, I have to set the player roles (starter, sixth man etc) so I guess I do. I wish I could turn it off, at least then I could mix the line-ups up a bit.

Yep, once you start an Association with it on then you can't turn it off later & vice versa.

I think the fact I was in a 2-on-2 game where I was hanging back because I knew Boozer wouldn't shoot the 3, but he did everytime, including a 30 foot brick

I guess the Grizz wanted a dynamo PG to take over from Iverson. hahaha

And me and you are destined to play in the same backcourt one day.

Interesting offseason... lol at the T-Mac - Foye trade