Daily Babble: The All-Class-of-'04-and-Beyond Team

by Steve Weinman on Jan 30, 2008 11:00 PM EST in NBA Articles

Preface: This is the first of several pieces on the way in the coming months based on a series of debates between Spur of the Moment's David Southern Hospitality Thiessen and yours truly. DT and I both attend a variety of meetings and lectures together on a regular basis, and given that both of us tend to prefer the NBA to the contents of said meetings, these events have turned into a breeding ground for basketball thought, as the two delinquent columnists outline imaginary basketball teams. On Monday, each of us created our 'ideal team' of active NBA players. Wednesday morning, we decided to go with a tougher task: building a team of players with four years in the league or less. Dave's can be found over at Spur of the Moment, and mine is below. We look forward to your responses telling us who we omitted and why your team is better than either of ours. Enjoy!

The rules are simple:

The goal is to build the best real team possible going forward, not just a group of individuals with good statistics for fantasy basketball, but a winning basketball team, both for the present day and going forward (thus bringing age, potential and intangibles into the equation).
The roster is built like an All-Star roster: Two full lineups of two guards, two forwards and a center, and two wild cards of your choosing.
The coach must fit the qualifications of the theme of the day (in today's case, someone who didn't get a head coaching job until June 2004 or later).
Salaries are not a concern.

Originally, the plan was to go with all players with five years or less of experience in the league, but that allowed for the Class of 2003, which simply included too many gems (Bron, Flash, Melo, Bosh et al.), so all eligible players cannot have entered the league prior to the 2004 draft. Away we go...

All of Steve's daily posts can be found in the CelticsBlog: NBA blog. Check him out!

Starters

Guards: Chris Paul (2005), Brandon Roy (2006) -- CP3 doesn't require much explanation, except that he has my vote by a hair for best point guard of the 2005 draft class, with the very close second coming later as his understudy on this team. His only issue has been his health, but when he plays, he is excellent, as has been the case in his MVP-caliber campaign thus far this season. The man from Wake Forest can do it all.

Roy is fast becoming one of the league's best young players. He is already a captain in Portland, and he would provide excellent leadership on a very young team, as well as a versatile guard who can do just about everything at the two. He can handle, penetrate, dish and score the basketball very well, but he doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective, and he plays his share of defense, too.

Forwards: Kevin Durant (2007), Al Jefferson (2004) -- Sure, Durant's rookie campaign hasn't been earth-shattering. His percentages could be a lot better, and he has a long way to go as an NBA player. But it's worth bearing in mind that he is playing with no one and is still putting up close to 20 per game. We saw what his athleticism can do for him last year at Texas, and once the 19-year-old has a couple of years under his belt in the pros, he should just be as dangerous as billed. I'll take my chances with him.

Undoubtedly, I'm a bit partial to Big Al due to fan allegiances, but the fact of the matter remains that his offensive game is right up there with that of anybody in the West. He has really put the work in to make himself a ferocious scorer down low (21.1 points per game on 49.8 percent shooting) as well as an excellent rebounder at this level (12.1 per game). The only hesitancy here remains with regard to Jefferson's porous defense, but the facts of the matter are that Jefferson is considered to be a better defender from his natural power forward position than at center (which is where he is getting most of his minutes for Minnesota this season), and, well, it is worth noting that he'll be playing next to...

Center: Dwight Howard (2004) -- ...a man who needs no introduction. Especially on the defensive end.

Bench

Guards: Deron Williams (2005), Kevin Martin (2004) -- The string bean they call Speed Racer in Sacramento probably deserves a spot in the starting lineup here, although Roy gets the nod as the better all-around player. Despite some rather foolishly misplaced criticisms I laid on him early in the season, as Tom Ziller pointed out back in November, Martin has established himself as a very efficient scorer (24.4 points per game on 46.2 percent field-goal shooting, 41.3 three-point shooting and 87.2 percent from the foul line) as well as someone who isn't scared to take big shots and knock them down. He would get plenty of run on this team and would have a field day next to either of the point guards in this group.

Speaking of which, Deron Williams is really good. He began his emergence last spring in the playoffs and has only continued it with an excellent third season. This guy is without doubt for real.

Forwards: Josh Smith (2004), Al Horford (2007) -- Lots of love for the tandem in Atlanta. Smith has a long ways to go as far as playing with a greater semblance of control, but his versatility and athleticism simply can't be ignored. He attacks the rim well and has the potential to change a game with his efforts as an excellent weak-side defender. He is 22 and just starting to 'get it,' and he is already averaging 17.9 points, 8.0 boards, 1.9 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.

Horford gets the nod over longtime fave Emeka Okafor because of the way Okafor's production has hit a plateau over the last couple of seasons, as well as the fact that Horford has four years of youth on Okafor. Okafor has hit right near his career averages of 14.3 points and 10.8 boards per game each year of his career (certainly respectable, but there was some expectation that he would improve even beyond that), and Horford is already putting up 8.9 points and 9.8 boards per game in his rookie campaign in Atlanta, while playing a couple less minutes per game. The younger Horford has also more than held his own defensively (Okafor's biggest strength, although this team already has Howard clogging up the middle), and he has more athleticism and a higher ceiling to boot. Hawks abound!

Center: Andrew Bynum (2005) -- Isn't it odd how the Lakers' brief sprint to the top of the West's standings coincided with this kid finally grasping how to play this game at the professional level? And then that they went on the decline without him? For those scoring at home, these aren't coincidences.

Wild Cards: Luol Deng (2004), Greg Oden (2007) -- Certainly, Deng hasn't yet developed into the superstar some expected to see this season after his performance down the stretch last spring. But he guards three positions, plays an excellent team game, rebounds well and can score the basketball. Also, he is 22 and has plenty of time to become that superstar.

Chances are, the rotation on this team isn't going to need to go twelve deep. That being the case, it might not hurt to take a flyer on the man hyped as the best big man to hit the Association in decades. This team is in no rush.

Coach: Marc Iavaroni (2007) -- Long touted as an emerging coaching genius in Phoenix, Iavaroni is getting his shot in Memphis and deserves a shot here as well. He has the Grizz playing a very uptempo game and maintaining a balanced offense, and the given his reputation as a defensive coach with the Suns (Mike D'Antoni will happily rave about him), it seems reasonable to expect that the improvement on the other end will come as well. Already the defensive efficiency has improved by nearly two points per 100 possessions from last season, and that improvement will only grow more drastic as Iavaroni has more time to work his magic. He is the man for this unit.

Apologies: Monta Ellis, Rudy Gay, Sean Williams (en route to becoming a great shot-blocker), Emeka Okafor, Danny Granger, David Lee, LaMarcus Aldridge, Mike Conley and hopefully Rajon Rondo.

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Comments

i would love to sneak rondo in somewhere but paul and d williams and roy are as solid as granite and deserve the nod.there is wiggle room around martin who is a good pick and a 2 guard. even tho devon harris and rondo are pgs either one i think is a possibility here. if it has to be a 2 guard, i really think brewer of utah over time will be a better all around player than martin.your centers are indisputable, but i am not crazy about your forwards. i really like lamarcus aldridge of portland and varejao better than your two. al and durant will always score a lot and get the name recognition. varejao is a nicer, gentler form of dennis rodman a winner who does a lot of the dirty work. aldridge has a better all around game which will get easier for him when mr. oden arrives. portland is going to be a beast of a team. al would be my bench man and i would add andre iguodala over the atlanta guys. i actually like childress of atlanta over your 2. no matter how many blocked shots josh gets there’s something about his immaturity or showmanship that smells of individuality over team play.oden not only is the wild card, he is the man. other guys who like rondo, you want to sneak in somewhere are maxiell, nocioni, and calderon.

by nazzbo on Jan 31, 2008 8:31 AM EST reply actions

Would prefer Rudy Gay right now over Durant.

by orrzor on Jan 31, 2008 9:44 AM EST reply actions

I’m with Nazzbo on Aldridge as one of the forwards. I love that Oden-Aldridge combination. I love it so much I’d have to consider leaving the already proven Dwight Howard out.

by Who on Jan 31, 2008 9:47 AM EST reply actions

I’ll give it a crack…

Starting Guards[/b]

Paul

Brandon Roy[/b]

Considering this season, there really does not need to be any explanation. But, just because… Chris Paul would be perfectly happy scoring 10 points and dishing 20 assists on this type of team, but could score 40 if needed. Brandon Roy is the best young leader, has great talent, doesn’t need to dominate the ball to be effective, and has a certain sense about him that just makes you feel like he’s a winner.

Forwards[/b] Deng

Dwight Howard[/b]

Deng is another guy like Roy…. without the seemingly born-with leadership qualities. But he can still do it on the court. He is primarily in this line up for defensive reason. Stong, athletic, long arms, and works hard on the defensive end. Still pretty young. Has shows the ability to go for 25 points and 15 boards pretty regularly. And again, doesn’t need the ball a ton to do his work. I want guys that are perfectly content letting Chris Paul have the ball and make the plays for them.

Dwight Howard came into this league as a power forward, and I’m sending him back. He’s got a little bit better range than he shows, but it’s so unnecessary because nobody can stop him inside. Again, this team is going defensive. Paul is a waterbug on the perimeter, Roy is smart and knows how to play team D, Deng can give any SF fits… and they will all feed into big time shot blockers Dwight Howard and…

Center[/b] Bynum[/b]

He’s shown a great deal of improvement, is still only 20 or 21 years old, and has a bright, bright future. I’m not sold on his ability to create for himself just yet, but again… Chris Paul… Brandon Roy… Bynum won’t have to do much creating. Howard and Bynum would create matchup problems galore for almost any all star team. I think Bynum’s post game will continue to develop.

Now, my starting team is a big, defensive unit. It lacks some real snipers, so I need to shore up my bench with some guys that can strike from deep.

Guards[/b] Williams

Kevin Martin

I can’t argue with Steve’s choices here. They are crucial to my team for their ability to hit the 3 and both are unselfish players that can efficiently score when needed.

by Big Ticket on Jan 31, 2008 2:28 PM EST reply actions

Reserve Forwards[/b]

Rudy Gay
Joakim Noah

Rudy Gay is an easy choice for me. He’s turning into an explosive scorer that can light it up from 3 and has the athletic freakishness to become a devastating defender if he puts his mind to it. Noah might surprise you, but here’s my rationale. This team is not going to score 200 points a game. Somebody needs to do the dirty work. Noah has already proven that he is fine being that hustle guy that dives on the floor, takes charges, boxes out, and capitalizes on opportunities around the basket. He’s also proven he can be a vocal leader and motivator, which may not be necessary on this team, but doesn’t hurt.

To reiterate the topic: [b]The goal is to build the best real team possible going forward, not just a group of individuals with good statistics for fantasy basketball, but a winning basketball team, both for the present day and going forward (thus bringing age, potential and intangibles into the equation).[/b] It is my belief that you cannot have a winning basketball team without players like Noah, Varajeo, Battier, etc.

Center[/b] Oden[/b]

My starting lineup features 2 guys that can play center, so I’m only taking one reserve. And it’s Oden. I have an eery feeling that he might just never be consistently healthy – a more hyped Marcus Camby. But, it’s worth a gamble on possibly having 3 franchise level centers on the team, and another guy who prides himself on defense. I am not trying to build a team that will win in a shootout. In any shootout, you run the risk of being killed by someone with a quicker trigger finger. My team is an elite sniper. They will kill you so fast, that you never even knew they were there.

Cards[/b] Jefferson

Randy Foye

I really wanted to put Ronnie Brewer on this team, because he is another guy like Noah that does the things outside of scoring. But I had to go with the favorite team Timberwolves love! Big Al should be obvious. In his past 5 games (3 wins!) he has erupted with point-rebound efforts of 39-15, 40-19, 26-20, 20-12… and he looked as if he would go off against the Celtics until all world defender, K to the G started helping Perk out. He is one of the few one this team that is lacking on the defensive end, but I think having one offensive-only slugger down low won’t hurt. He’s also proven to defend power forwards much better than centers, and he’d be a power forward exclusively on this team.

Some people might disagree with Foye, but hear me out. He outplayed Roy in their rookie Summer League. He put up remarkably similar numbers to Roy on a per 40 minute basis in their rookie years. He has already proven that he can be an absolutely lethal 4th quarter scorer. He looks to be already getting into shape after only 2 games back this year. I still love Foye’s potential, he can play the 1 or the 2, and he can finish off any team that dares stay close in the waning moments against my young juggernaut!

by Big Ticket on Jan 31, 2008 2:30 PM EST reply actions

Wow … it’s incredible just how weak the forwards have been over the last four drafts. It’s like the centres went for a few years there. Thankfully Bron, Melo, Howard all came the year before. That’s just depressingly weak.

by Who on Jan 31, 2008 3:15 PM EST reply actions

I don’t know, Who. The past two drafts, yes, although it’s unfair to judge any of them this early. But so far it looks like the only potential all star forwards of the 2006 and 2007 class are Aldridge, Gay, Durant, and Horford. Bargnani, Green, Yi, Noah, Brandan Wright, Thad Young, Thorton, Corey Brewer, and Sean Williams can’t be fairly judged yet, but I could see quite a few of them turning out pretty well.

Where I disagree is the 2005 and 2004 draft classes. They produced quite a bit of solid-to-star forwards. Howard, Okafor, and Biedris are all PF/C, so I include them as forwards. Your boy Luol Deng. Igudala, Big Al, and Josh Smith were all 2004. Even Childress, Dorrell Wright, Varejao, and Trevor Ariza have made some solid contibutions thus far, and each could keep improving. The 2005 class includes Marvin Williams, Martel Webster, Danny Granger, Jason Maxiell, David Lee, Blatche, and Gomes. Again, not a ton that make your eyes pop pr shout “franchise player!”, but I wouldn’t say it’s that weak of a group either.

by Big Ticket on Jan 31, 2008 4:04 PM EST reply actions

I’m sorry Big Ticket, I wasn’t clear. I meant top top level forwards. Not solid players but the types of guys you could consider building a team around. Guys like Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Brandon Roy, Dwight Howard, Greg Oden. The only player like that is Kevin Durant right now and he’s been a bit disappointing in how far from that he actually is, although impressive overall. Maybe a few others join but most of them are a long long long way from being that. Little lull here on the forwards.

by Who on Jan 31, 2008 5:16 PM EST reply actions