Midge 52 Rosters & Commentary Topic

riftonapple
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13) Midge----DRob, Zubac, Kyrie, J.Collins, Murray, Caruso, Otto P ---- not sure Zubac is a 2nd Rounder even now but I definitely know that Kyrie isn't a 3rd rounder!!! Kyrie is a 2nd rounder! So what if maybe they should be flip-flopped, you got them both. I love this draft but I am interested in seeing how you completed your SF position. That will be the determinant in a deep playoff chip contending run and an early round exit. Draft Grade: A Prediction: Playoffs and anything can happen from there
5/17/2025 11:29 PM (edited)
riftonapple
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14) raggedclaws----KD, Kessler, JaDuren, Manu, Kirilenko; Porzingis, Mark Wms---- geez, lighten up on us Francis. I mean the only thing even remotely negative I can say about this draft is that Manu has a spotted history. He sometimes does great and sometimes just ok. Ja Duren and Mark Williams' new season is fantastic looking but not real high on the Defense rating but you have Kirilenko and KD who are strong. I got a feeling you will do just fine. Draft Grade: A Prediction: Deep Playoff run
5/17/2025 11:28 PM
K123456789
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Posted by riftonapple on 5/17/2025 10:49:00 PM (view original):
10) K123456789---Gobert, D. Sabonis, M. Porter, C.Wood, Magic, A.Gordon, Bynum---He's baaaaaack. :) After an incredible, mind blowing rookie season 2 seasons ago followed by a little bit of coming back down to earth last season, KDigits has assembled a very strong group of players in his 3rd season. LOVE Gobert, imo he's a cheat code to the Center position as SGA is to the PG position. I could never get away with a high minute poor Defensive player like D. Sabonis but I am pretty sure he was on your inaugural CHIP team so you know what you are doing and at least this time you've got one of the best defenders in Gobert around him. M.Porter and C.Wood are high efg guys--going back to more of your 1st year recipe, I see. Magic in the 5th is a good pick up--I'll be interested in what season you pick and how he meshes with the rest of this bunch. A. Gordon and Bynum were absolutely the right picks here in the 6th and 7th. I hope you forgot the advice I gave you b4 your 1st season about sprinkling in some High Defense subs otherwise we may be chasing you all season. Personally, I have to have a little better Defense across the board in my draft than what you have put together but I sure was wrong with my assessment of your 1st draft. Draft Grade: B+ Prediction: Playoff bound and if he sprinkled in enough D filling out his team, chip contender.
Thanks for the eval, Rift. I used 83-84 for Magic, higher eFG% with less usage than some of his later seasons (mostly giving up FT attempts). Primarily wanted the 78 DEF so he can match up with the opponent's best PG-SF while Gobert guards the best big. I tried to build a team with 89-90, but didn't love the bench.

A lot of the high DEF subs I used 2 seasons ago were drafted this time, so its possible I came up short there. Think my overall team D is a hair better than that first team though, so will see.
5/17/2025 11:38 PM
riftonapple
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15) oddson – DeJordan, Artis, Stockton, Montrezl, Klay, JJJ, Ty Jerome---- DeJordan is so solid and Klay in 5th and JJackson in the 6th is crazy good. I just don't think Artis was the right pick in the 2nd round to pair with De Jordan. I could see maybe Embiid or McHale here if you wanted to go big-big back-to-back. This draft was not bad, though, and you picked up a couple really good value picks. With as much player research as I do, my best seasons have been when players just fell into my lap like Montrezl, Klay, and JJackson have for you here. Draft Grade: B Prediction: playoff contender
5/17/2025 11:38 PM
riftonapple
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16) riftonapple---Shaq, Wemby, D.Daniels, Sc. Barnes, CJ McCollum, Looney, Goga Bitadze----so what's the point of having a new season come out if you aren't going to try some of them out? Wemby did well for me a few seasons back (3rd rd) on a chip team I had so I said wth just take him in the 2nd so you can try out his new season otherwise he won't make it back around. Too soon to select him for sure. Daniels in the 3rd is just more experimenting. SGA light is what went thru my mind but I fear he could be more of a Mookie Blaylock light. Scottie Barnes was just a stat stuffer pick who could provide solid D at 3 positions. I feel good about CJ in 5th and Looney in 6th. Now, one of the elite 5 did question my Goga Bitadze pick and what was I thinking. I really like his new season. I was thinking, I have Shaq at Center who can't really switch on D. I got Wemby who for some reason isn't 100 at Center so he's gonna play PF but the new season is only like 19 minutes. So, looking at the makeup of all my other players, I needed a high efg PF, who could rebound, defend, and assist and who wasn't going to take shots away from Shaq. Goga efg 61.5%, 11.8 Oreb, 23 Dreb, 74 D, and 12.1 Assists. The plan is to start Goga and bring Wemby off the bench. I think he's actually one of my better picks. Draft Grade: C Prediction: The usual, Playoffs with a 1st Round exit.
5/18/2025 12:01 AM (edited)
riftonapple
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17) chewy----Rodman, Duncan, Valanciunas, Tatum, Clarke, Kemp, Batum----- absolutely love the fact that chewy chose Rodman here. I have always thought Rodman should be drafted in the Top 20 every time and the fact that one of the Elite 5 picked him at 17 validates my thinking.
(Side note: I personally admire raggedclaws team building in wis more than any other owner, but I find myself getting sniped by chewy more than any other owner. It's uncanny how much the 2 of us think alike in our player picks. I'd be happy to think of myself as "chewy-lite". :)))
I will say that the only pick chewy made that I know that I wouldn't of made is Tatum in the 4th. I am sure he's got a plan, maybe it's to play tatum at PG? Take note of how he beautifully sandwiches Valanciunas between Duncan and Rodman and then supports them with Kemp in the 6th. All moves I think I would of done the exact same thing providing my to's were in good shape b4 selecting Kemp. Draft Grade: A Prediction: Deep playoff run and possible Chip
5/18/2025 12:15 AM
lukemikk
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Thanks for these Rift! Hoping my team can exceed your expectations.

I also love that new Goga season. Gives you a little bit of everything you’d want a low-usage big. And he plays for my Magic lol
5/18/2025 11:25 AM
riftonapple
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18) beloud----KMalone, BWallace, Boucher, Oscar, TJD, Isaac, Bane---- the Master of the $52 had another masterful draft. He continually turns in stellar $52 performances and yet we continue to let Oscar fall into his lap. Usually it's in the 3rd Round but he must be giggling to himself that he can now pick him off in the 4th. U would think the rest of us would learn something from him. While all the players selected are spot on, several (Boucher, TJD, Isaac) are bit players, albeit top notch bit players. Methinks the $52 million now leaves us with plenty of $ and similar talented big minutes undrafted players that an owner of beloud's pedigree knows he can put together a competitive team post-draft and that what separates some of these teams are the A++ bit players. That, or he may be stretched for time during the draft and just throws out the best player available regardless of minutes so as not to hold up the draft (kudos). The draft assembled would test the novice owner's team structuring, but I don't think it will hamper beloud much. Draft Grade: B Prediction: Playoffs and dangerous
5/19/2025 12:28 PM (edited)
riftonapple
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19) jethroeg----Bird, Moses, Payton, PGasol, Mikal B, Jaden Mc, Ca Jones---- I like Bird but was surprised that Kawhi dropped as far as he did. Moses is a great pick, you just have to watch your turnovers. Payton, PGasol, and Mikal B are good picks but all picked a round early. Jaden is fine. Caldwell Jones is a wasted pick. If memory serves me correctly, Mikal has a couple seasons to choose from and I think one with 90D. The issue is that he is not a stat stuffer at all. And depending on what season Payton is used, you could be woefully low on Rebounds in the backcourt. (Which frankly, that's one thing I don't care much for, where in wis you can have assembled a great team but because one of your Guards can't rebound your team may suck). All in all, not a bad draft. Draft Grade: C Prediction: could surprise some folks and make a run at the playoffs. Most likely 30-35 wins.
5/18/2025 9:23 PM
riftonapple
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20) uptowngbv---- Haliburton, Capela, Brand, Mobley, Parish, ThYoung, jalenJ-----you dog. I was dreaming of picking Haliburton in the 2nd Round. I think this new season is going to be fantastic but not sure he's quite a 1st Rounder in the $52. Capela is a good pick but he is short on minutes and I never know if guys like Mobley and Parish will be great or just ok. I really like Brand if you play him at SF. I used to think ThYoung was draftable in the $52, but he's let me down. I really like Jalen Johnson, he's a great pick in the 6/7. Draft Grade B Prediction: Competing for a playoff spot.
5/18/2025 9:53 PM
riftonapple
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21) samuelyork--- Luka, Wade, DoMitchell, Mutombo, JLucas, Vanderbilt, Andersen---- Hmmm, I don't know, just seems like too much. Hard to explain. Just my initial impression is a group of really good players that may not be able to gel into a cohesive unit. Not a fan of Vanderbilt or Andersen in the $52 although I fully see why you picked them. Draft Grade: B Prediction: playoff contender

22) dh555---- Kawhi, Hakeem, Pippen, B.Jones, Tree, Jalen Wms, Clingan------ on the surface looks like a good draft. Some of these players do have some warts, though. And I am not sure Kawhi and Pippen can play well together. Pippen is like Dr. J. it's hard to pick the right season to use based on team needs/cohesiveness. BJones TO% is a little higher than I would like, same with Tree's fouls. Draft Grade: C+ Prediction: In the playoff hunt but may come up a little shy


5/18/2025 10:28 PM
riftonapple
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23) seapilots----Hassan, Harden, Poeltl, Nance, Conley, Javale M., DeWright------I really like the 1st 4 picks although Poeltl may be a little bit of a reach for the 3rd. Not a fan of the last 3 picks. Boy, this woulda been a great spot for McAdoo or Amare.
Monday morning Quarterback: Hassan/Harden/Favors/Nance/Amare/Caruso/Tyreke Evans (8th Round Kyle Anderson who went undrafted)
What coulda been? Draft Grade: C Prediction: just shy of playoffs.
5/18/2025 11:12 PM (edited)
riftonapple
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24) steelers821---Barkley/KG/Favors/MiRob/TPorter/Lavine/Oladipo---- well Barkley and K.G. are best when utilized at SF and you got both. I like how you compensated for KG's lower OREBs with Favors and MiRob. Very nice. Kinda stinks to wait 5 rounds before picking a guard and you have to go with TPorter and Lavine (I like Oladipo---he was the right pick)... Since when did guys like: DeWilliams/Billups/Simmons/Conley/TPorter/Lavine/TJ McConnell start getting drafted ahead of Penny Hardaway who went undrafted?!! This is the $52, this isn't ODL. There's a reason why beloud wins the $52 all the time with stalwarts like Oscar. Penny/McAdoo/and Amare are $52 players and some of these other bozo's are not. Draft Grade: C- Prediction: Solely on the backs of Barkley and K.G. may get close to .500 PS. I have changed my mind...you have Oladipo too. Probably a little too harsh. This team could gel and do just fine. I just kinda lost my mind when I realized Penny wasn't drafted. :)
5/19/2025 12:32 PM (edited)
Midge
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Thanks Rifton, great job!
5/19/2025 12:30 AM
steelers821
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Posted by riftonapple on 5/18/2025 11:17:00 PM (view original):
24) steelers821---Barkley/KG/Favors/MiRob/TPorter/Lavine/Oladipo---- well Barkley and K.G. are best when utilized at SF and you got both. I like how you compensated for KG's lower OREBs with Favors and MiRob. Very nice. Kinda stinks to wait 5 rounds before picking a guard and you have to go with TPorter and Lavine (I like Oladipo---he was the right pick)... Since when did guys like: DeWilliams/Billups/Simmons/Conley/TPorter/Lavine/TJ McConnell start getting drafted ahead of Penny Hardaway who went undrafted? This is the $52, this isn't ODL. There's a reason why beloud wins the $52 all the time with stalwarts like Oscar. Penny/McAdoo/and Amare are $52 players and some of these other bozo's are not. Draft Grade: C- Prediction: Solely on the backs of Barkley and K.G. may get close to .500 PS. I have changed my mind...you have Oladipo too. Probably a little too harsh. This team could gel and do just fine. I just kinda lost my mind when I realized Penny wasn't drafted. :)
No you’re right i might as well have named this team tanking for wilt. Although I’d say KG has plenty of great seasons at pf that I’ve won 50+ with in the 52. Maybe even one of the big 5 used his Celtics season at some point.

thanks for doing these and gl!
5/19/2025 6:53 AM
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