NBA 2k14

Trav, you ballin?

I d/l'ed it yesterday but haven't had time to play. I almost didn't buy it after the Kings/Seattle fiasco, but I figure this will be the one way I give a $*@( about anything NBA related. I'm leaning towards the clearly tanking 76ers for my first franchise.

Not yet. Probably soon. I'm still actually playing my Madden relocated Okland Raiders (San Antonio Express. 73 Overall, 0-4, baby.)

Likely to pick it up over the next week or so, assuming R*'s GTA Online launch continues to be such a catastrophic bunk hump.

Finally got around to picking it up.

I think I'm finally going to stay local and try a Spurs franchise. Much as I like taking a team in the toilet and trying to build them up, figured I'd try to navigate the Spurs through the increasingly delayed retirement of Timmy and Manu. There're no clear heirs on the roster, but there's actually a good bit of wiggle room with the cap going forward (Particularly once Duncan retires... I'm assuming he'll play at least another year, but with a decreased old man salary/role.

Before I started that, I was tinkering around with a Pelicans roster. Their starters are a stack of young badasses (Minus the obvious lack of a true center). Just for kicks, I went through a trading frenzy to see what I could put together for a 'going forward' roster (Of their four studs, only Jrue has a good value contract I think. Evans is a bit overpaid, and the other two are on two-year deals and already talking about testing the free agency waters). A frenzy of trading ended me up with a starting five of: Jrue Holliday, Kevin Martin, Danilo Gallinari, Kevin Love, and Javele McGee. BAM. Cheaper, and everyone talking about staying with the 'cans long term.

Anyway, starting up the Spurs franchise. Challenges ahead are many... Duncan has little left in the tank, same Ginobli. Tony Parker has some time left and is worth continuing to build around. Leonard is outstanding, but already talking wistfully about free agency. Splitter is ridiculously overpaid. Matt Bonner continues to be on the team. Looks like we're going to have another solid season... maybe two, before a HARD crash if we don't find a big man replacement in FA when Tim retires. At least the money will be available if we keep planning for it.

So. Nailed it.

Spurs had an iffy season, plagued by injuries to old people. Won the division, but got bounced by Houston in the first round of the playoffs. Earlier in the year, I had ended up trading away Manu. I didn't really WANT to trade Manu, but NBA 2k Manu has emotional problems. Basically, he gets classified as a role player or sixth man.. which he kinda is. But he's FEATURED, and gets tons of minutes. The game logic can't decide if it likes Manu's role or his minutes, and either way Manu gets just pissed the hell off and demands a trade. I ended up with the Pelican's 1st rounder.

So blah blah, trade trade scout scout. Saw some great prospects coming up in the draft I feared I wouldn't get. Pel's pick was #10. Got offered a trade up to #6, but had to give up Kawhi Leonard for Tobias Harris. Looked at Kawhi's sheet, and he straight up said he'd already decided that we could go to hell, he's testing free agency after next season. Okay, so go test it for your new team, Mr. Leonard.

With that pick, we drafted our coveted 7'1" center. 78 overall, B potential. Huge talented big man. With our #10 we basically replaced Manu. SG/SF type with 90 speed, 99 layup. Bald. It's Manu 2. Tweaks and so forth.. We start preseason an 89 overall.

PG: Parker
SG: Green
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Duncan
C: Baxter (Rookie guy)

Also have Beaubois (Our MLE), Belinelli (Pissed off), Splitter (Overpaid), R. Anderson (Not so bad), Mercer (Manu II), surprisingly solid team that's suddenly young. Duncan is down to an 82 overall and 38 years old, so.. gotta deal with that.

Taking over the Lakers for the same reasons you took on the Spurs. I've done the rebuild, now I'm trying to roll over an aging but competitive roster that is over the cap. I traded Pau Gasol for someone that is alive, barely, Jeff Green. First month, Kobe gets hurt, then Nick Young gets hurt, then Wesley Matthews, gets hurt. All in the span of 13 games. Bring on the lottery!