As GM, you’ve been given a blank slate, plenty of money to spend, and 15 roster spots. You can have anyone in the NBA on your team. This is not an expansion draft — there are no restrictions on the players you can select. Your team will be fighting for a championship, assuming they make the playoffs. They will have to play a full schedule of 82 games.

The fun part is picking complementary players. It would be easy to identify the 15 best players in the NBA and stick them together, but would they realistically have a shot at the title, and could such a team realistically be put together anyway? Unlikely on both counts. A bunch of superstars doesn’t guarantee victory — look at Team USA! Look at all the talent the Knicks have, and they can’t win, either.

So Chris and Jeff set out to answer the aforementioned question, and then pitted their teams against each other in a best-of-seven series. Here are the rosters:

Clarkey’s Lineup
PG
Steve Nash — One of the best players in the game, and a guy who dishes out between 10-12 assists a night on average. How can he not be the dream teammate?
Jose Calderon — Right up there with Nash in assists, Calderon is passionate, vocal, and unselfish.
Chris Duhon — A guy whose game is severely underrated in Chicago, he’s been a solid backup point guard in the NBA.
SG
Brandon Roy — Helped Portland to a miracle first half of the season, and has been rewarded with an All-Star berth.
Manu Ginobili — Ah, Manu. One of the only players in the history of the NBA who doesn’t complain one bit, even though he comes off the bench and deserves to start on every other team in the NBA.
Ime Udoka — Another SA Spur, Udoka proved he belonged in this league last season in Portland, and has been rewarded with a contract from the Spurs. He’d fit in anywhere.
SF
David Lee — The brightest spot in New York’s future. If I had to gut the Knicks, I’d insist on keeping him. He’s not a guy you build around, but he can succeed playing with anyone.
Luke Walton — Walton is a lot like David Lee in that he makes good players better. I loved watching Walton play alongside Shaq, and thought that Shaq would want him when he went to Miami, but Mitch Kupchak signed him long-term.
Tayshaun Prince — I went with Prince over Battier for one reason: NBA rings are more valuable than college championships. Prince 1, Battier 0.
PF
Tim Duncan — The best player of our generation, Duncan exemplifies and embodies everything about being a great teammate.
Jorge Garbajosa — Garbo is probably the player the Raptors are missing most right now. They can’t rebound every so often, and who was it that did it quietly for them? Jorge.
Walter Herrmann — Herr-Mann does the dirty work. I just love watching him eat garbage. He’s like an attractive version of Brian Cardinal.
C
Tyson Chandler — The best young centre in the NBA. Paxson’s #1 regret must be trading him.
Joakim Noah — Noah is such a talent, but he’s proven to be a horrible teammate so far in his rookie season. Bold prediction: he will either be traded, or lead the Bulls back to prominence as other moves get made around him.
Scot Pollard — Pollard just happens to sit on the bench for good teams. I just associate him with winning and being a solid bench guy who gets a bit of burn. Not a talent, but certainly a character.

Salary of 12-man active roster, with Prince, Garbajosa and Noah in street clothes: $50,634,753 (2006-07 figures)

Jeff’s Lineup
PG
Chauncey Billups — Mr. Big Shot can also distribute. He’s arguably a top 3 PG in the East this season.
Rajon Rondo — KG says he’s T-Pizzle and J-Kidd rolled into one.
Earl Boykins — A real team-first guy, he’s willing to sit out half the season. Bra-vo.
SG
Richard Hamilton — Every super team needs a masked man.
Monta Ellis — Exciting young Mon-TAY is an efficient scorer who tolerates being jerked around by Don Nelson.
Anthony Parker — Clutch shooter, good defender and my personal fave.
SF
Gerald Wallace — Multi-talented Crash could spend less time in sick bay if he’s not Option One.
Jason Kapono — In today’s NBA, it’s wise to load up on shooters, and J-Kap’s the most efficient one.
Bruce Bowen — In case of emergency, stick foot under opponent.
PF
Kevin Garnett — Gratingly intense, but you can’t argue with his ability to will the Celtics into a defensive juggernaut.
Drew Gooden — Can’t … resist … neckstache …
Matt Bonner — *Awkwardly pumps fist*
C
Dwight Howard — Just dominate the paint, big man.
Jeff Foster — Just, run, rebound and look pretty.
Mark Madsen — Just sit. Good Mad Dog.

Salary of 12-man active roster, with Boykins, Bonner and Madsen in street clothes: $64,183,855 (2006-07 figures)

Are you wondering how these teams would perform against each other? Well, wonder no more. Here are the results, courtesy of What If Sports:

In a seven-game series, 2-3-2 format, and Clarkey with home court,

Game 1: Jeff wins 101-90. Player of the Game is KG (14/13/3/3/1)
Game 2: Clarkey wins 125-120. PoG is Tim Duncan (14/12/7/0/1)
Game 3: Jeff wins 102-83. PoG is Dwight Howard (22/17/1/0/4)
Game 4: Clarkey wins 107-96. PoG is Tim Duncan (22/12/1/1/5)
Game 5: Jeff wins 110-105. PoG is KG (31/9/4/3/1)
Game 6: Clarkey wins 113-106. PoG is Tim Duncan (24/14/2/1/6)
Game 7: Jeff wins 106-91! PoG is KG (20/10/5/1/1)

Jeff’s Team wins series 4-3!

Clarkey: What are you going to do with your million-dollar winnings, Jeff?
Jeff: Oh, I don’t know. Throw it on the pile, I suppose.

Who would be on your Top 15 roster?

Kevin Garnett Photo Credit: Icon SMI

Q: How do you explain the underwhelming 16-15 record, and should we really be disappointed?

Kinnon: On one hand, I wouldn’t say that the team is off to a slow start as they’ve had a fairly tough schedule so far. For one thing, they’re doing better than they were last year, and that’s with fairly significant injuries to many important pieces. Let’s look at that: Bosh out five games, Rasho out six games, TJ Ford out eight games and counting, Bargnani out four games, and Garbajosa out indefinitely. Each injury occurred in succession, and each injury has kept the Raptors from coming up with a proper, stable lineup. At the other end, Calderon’s been playing out of his mind, and Jamario Moon along with Delfino have been quite good. Personally, I thought they’d tie up more home games, and they’ve let a few close games slip through their fingers, unlike last year, where it was impossible to wrestle control of the game from the Raptors.

Jeff: I agree — injuries have taken a toll on the Raptors’ record. Their “Big Three” (Bosh, Ford and Bargnani) was out, as were four key bigs (the Rasho, Garbo, er, Bosho and Bargno). That left the Raps’ attack with little more than a perimeter game.

Another problem is that Bargnani is adjusting to the 5 spot, a pretty big change considering that he’s been a perimeter-oriented 3/4 prior to this year. He’s a key guy from last year who’s not producing right now.

But like you said, there are the positives: Calderon (let’s call him “The Ocho“) proving last year wasn’t a fluke, Jamario and Delfino coming out of nowhere, and now Kris Humphries playing well, too. Even the much-maligned D-Mart is playing some productive minutes. (Did I just say that?)

Q: Who’s the most outstanding Raptor up to this point?

Jeff: Gotta give it to The Ocho for stepping up big-time in TJ’s absence and proving himself a bona-fide starting PG. And looking at his career stats, it’s pretty amazing to see that his turnovers have gone down while his minutes went up.

Kinnon: On a night-by-night consistency basis, I’d have to say Calderon as well, but to me, a couple guys that have stood out a lot more as far as coming out with a better season to this point are Delfino and Humphries. Delfino has been a more consistent defender than AP in this early going, and he’s also shown scoring and rebounding ability at times. He’s gotta work on his free throws, but he’s a guy that I think the Raptors will need to use while they have him.

What more can you say about Kris, as he’s kept the middle a busy place and has come in and just taken away the ball from opposing players. He still tries to score a little too much and doesn’t have the court vision or presence of mind to reset a play, but the guy can light it up and has single-handedly kept the Raptors in it in several games.

Q: What do we need to do to make sure the rest of the season is a success?

Jeff: Uh, keep watching the games and keep cheering?

Seriously, “stay healthy” is the first phrase that comes to mind. Also, “stick to the game plan”: pass to the open man (a la Phoenix Suns) and keep the defence tight. Getting more players to go into the paint would be on the list, too.

Kinnon: I think Bryan Colangelo’s gonna have to look to make a trade, maybe a three-for-one (Graham, Baston, and Delfino) to get a player to come over who might be more consistent. With Delfino opting out of his contract, it’s doubtful that we’ll be able to re-sign him and Calderon.

Q: What does Bargnani have to do to get out of his funk?

Jeff: Keep healthy and keep playing. While taking care of his knees and whatever else may be distracting him, he’s got to find his shooting stroke, regain his confidence, and play decent D at the 5.

Kinnon: Yeah, Bargs just gotta keep at it. I’ve said it many times before: Bargnani and Nowitzki have had similar paths, so guys shouldn’t give up on Andrea so early. He’s in a funk, but so was Dirk for a lot of his rookie year, and Bargnani’s only recently been asked to change his game. I’m liking the recent aggression and look to drive hard to the hoop as well as his more consistent passing. Oh yeah: When he flashes to the post, pass him the ball for crying out loud.

Q: Finally, what do you think the Raptors received under their Christmas tree?

Kinnon: I hope that Joey Graham and Maceo Baston got some nice suits, because they’re going to be nailed to the bench like no one’s business. For Darrick Martin, a few extra dollars so he can buy a clue, and hopefully TJ Ford got a private jet with all the specialists he’s been visiting.

Jeff: I hope that my favorite basketball Parker, Anthony, found his groove and will remove any doubts at the 2 spot. I also hope the team got a jumbo gift pack of offence and defence to use every game the rest of the season.

Earlier this year, a contest was held in collaboration with HoopsAddict.com, TheScore.ca and FANBOY.

There were two sets of Winners: Editor’s Vote & Media Vote.

For Editor’s Vote, this design was chosen by FANBOY. ‘Boogie!’ from the RealGM boards was the designer. It will be available End of December 2007.

For the Media Vote, all the designs on TheScore.ca, RealGM and HoopsAddict.com were compiled and presented to our esteemed media voting panel (see below). Keep in mind that not every choice presented here will be printed in December. While the most popular out of all the votes will be printed in late December — for example, the ‘Moon Landing’ design — many of the designs will be slightly refined and printed during the season.

Expect the following designs soon:

Eric Smith of the FAN590

“As a fan of ‘The Sopranos’ I love this design. And considering one of the great assets of the Raptors overall is that they’re a ‘team’ in every sense of the word … this t-shirt does a great job of highlighting most of the guys — the ‘core’ that holds it together.”

“Fans, writers, broadcasters … we’ve all used the term/phrase: ‘Good Joey; Bad Joey’. This t-shirt depicts those words perfectly … in a humorous way … that doesn’t denigrate Graham either.”

“Great creativity on this design. The only thing I might change is the title or slogan under Garbo’s name … I’d prefer it if it simply read: ‘GARBO’. That’s it. But I dig this shirt — a solid spin-off of the Che Guevara shirts that we see EVERYWHERE.”

Jeff Wong of Hoops Addict

“Just a good, clean, simple design.”

“Love the way this looks, but I can’t help but mentally force an apostrophe into ‘LETS’.”

Michael Grange of the Globe & Mail

“I’m a bit biased here, because if I’m not mistaken this was inspired by my throwaway idea on From Deep about a t-shirt inspired by A Streetcar Named Desire; with Sam yelling ‘Jo-eey’ the way Marlon Brando yelled Stella. Anyway, this is a great design and certainly better than I would have imagined. Classic picture of Sam running from the bottom of the shirt is a nice touch; good clear ‘Jo-eyyy’; and then the little Joey logo on the sleeve is a cool little detail. I would wear this shirt. I bet Joey would too.”

“Of the straight designs, I thought this was the best. Very clean, cool image. Not sure Bargnani deserves this kind of treatment yet, but for a Bargnani fan, this is a cool shirt.”

“This guy had some good slogans, but the ‘You Only have ONE point guard’ was pretty good. Kind of insidery, a little funny and to the point. Obviously needs some graphic work.”

Ryan McNeill of Hoops Addict

“I think the Moon Landing idea is brilliant because it’s a great play on words that ties into his high flying game to perfection. The other reason this shirt was my top pick is because of Moon’s amazing start – I’m itching for an excuse to get something with Moon’s likeness on it to wear with pride.”

“Can’t we please go back to this song? The Kanye West song is already getting old and having U2 play at games was weak.”

“After the strong play of Jose last week does this even need an explanation? As a vertically challenged baller myself I’ve always been a point guard fan which is one of the many reasons why I enjoy watching this team play. While this shirt didn’t look as appealing as some of the others the catch phrase was money and made for a shirt I’d like to purchase.”

Doug Smith of the Toronto Star

“Mr. Moon’s a cult figure, and all cult figures should be on T-shirts, somewhere.”

“They may not want to wear this one around Jersey, though.”

“I really, really, really, really wish the Raptors had a player named Stella. But this works, too.”

Orlando Magic
Believing in Magic
Third Quarter Collapse

Miami Heat
I Want to be a Sports Agent
Crazy from the Heat

Atlanta Hawks
Impending Firestorm
Atlanta Hawks Blog

Charlotte Bobcats
Bobcat Bonfire

Archives
CelticsBlog NBA Page

So I asked FanboyGear.com what it would take to get a free shirt out of them. The reply: “I am in need of new ideas for the upcoming season. Perhaps your readers can help us out?”

Okay, not quite what I was looking for, but for the benefit of you, dear Hoops Addict reader:

If you’ve got an idea for a great Raptors T-shirt, create the graphic, publish it somewhere (like Flickr or Picasa) and put the link in the comment field below. If you don’t have the artistic talent, just describe in detail your picture or slogan. We’ll judge your entry, with the winner getting prizes as follows:

• 2 FREE T-shirts: one of your choice, and the other with your winning design
• acknowledgment by Fanboy that it’s your design
• first dibs on all new Fanboy releases for one year

Get those creative juices flowing, folks! Contest closes on Tuesday, October 23.

(This contest is also up on Courtside at TheScore.ca. Please check out the comments there, too, before you post.)

Hi, and welcome to Hoops Addict’s Fantasy Survey: The Results Show. I’m your host, Drew Carey.

You wondering why I’m here? Shameless self-promotion, of course! And I gotta warm up my game-show muscles before I do The Price Is Right, starting October 15 on CBS! Check your local listings!

Okay. Let’s do this Power of 10 style. We polled 73 people about their favorite features of fantasy hoops. Let’s start with the easy stuff:

What percentage of fantasy hoops GMs like their leagues to have 12 teams or fewer?

65%? … That’s right! 47 respondents like 12 or fewer, followed by
27.8% for 13 to 18 teams, and
6.9% for more than 18.

How many GMs prefer 11 to 14 players on their team roster?

77%? … Right again! That’s the answer from 56 GMs, while
15.1% prefer more than 14, and
8.2%, 10 or less.

What percentage of GMs prefer Categories over Fantasy Points?

78%? … Yup. Let’s keep it moving!

What number of GMs prefer Rotisserie over Head-to-Head play?

Rotisserie – 50.0%
Head to head – 50.0%

50/50? What is this, Millionaire? Aw, scrap the game show thing. I don’t know what to do with these results anyway.

How many players for each position do GMs like on their team roster?

Here is the people’s choice for favorite team roster. (Hey, People’s Choice Awards would be a good gig…)

1 Guard (53.4%)
1 Point Guard (65.8%)
1 Shooting Guard (69.9%)
1 Forward (54.8%)
1 Small Forward (72.6%)
1 Power Forward (64.4%)
2 Centers (54.8%)
2 Utility (47.9%)
4 Bench (24.7%)

(See the complete breakdown here).

Interesting that 18% prefer no Guards, and there’s such a difference of opinion on the Bench. Which reminds me of that lawyer joke … Nah. I’ll tell ya later.

Oh, great. Back to the Millionaire stuff.

Hey, some comments here. Kinda like audience participation from Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Three respondents want A/TO ratio. Here’s one guy with something to say:

I really like assist/turnover ratio as a category instead of just turnovers. It biases the system toward point guards a little, but if you’re going to penalize for turnovers, at least penalize the people who are simply turnover-prone rather than playmakers who are more likely to turn it over because they always have the ball.

Crap. The graph thing again:

One guy said NDBA Hoops for “Other”.

Yahoo! predictably has the best ratings, and UFC is coming after them pretty strong in their second year.

The ratings for Salary Cap Challenge (now called Fantasy Hoops Challenge) are surprisingly bad — I liked it. I guess that’s why NBA.com is going with the new Stock Exchange game.

Alright – King James is number one! Cleveland rocks!

And the two people who chose “Someone else” named Amare and Dirk.

Alright. Let’s ask the audience. What other options do you like in your league? Just shout it out.

Okay! I like this one:

Permanent waiver rules with free agents. That way, everybody gets a fair chance in picking up a player. It’s not a matter of who gets to his computer the fastest after a game. Other ideas to make fantasy moves more cerebral rather than based on “running speed” to the computer are also welcome.

One more thing — the winner of the free RotoWire.com subscription (drumroll, please):

Erez! Enjoy your leg-up on the competition, buddy.

That’s all for today. I’m Drew Carey, see ya next time!

Kinnon: Okay Jeff, we’ve decided to look at one of the most difficult problems on this Raptors squad, in the completely inconsistent Joey Graham. Looking at the past year, he didn’t post horrible numbers (FG% was particularly high), but what’s it going to take to really turn him into that breakout guy that everyone looks for in a prospect?

Jeff: I think Joey’s had two years of decent playing time under his belt, so I don’t think it’s playing time. Maybe he needs a change of scenery? Maybe he’d be better off on a team with a more deliberate style? How ’bout a swap of Graham and salary ballast for Andrei Kirilenko?

But seriously, it’s been observed (i.e. by Doug Smith) that Graham is better suited in his natural spot at power forward. Yes, he’s got the athleticism to cover SFs, but he just doesn’t have as much of an impact there. His situation makes me think of Shawn Marion moving to SF when Amare returned at PF, and AK-47 doing the same when Boozer took over at the 4; they just didn’t produce like before.

Kinnon: Nevertheless, I think Joey’s situation has been different. On this Raptors team, there’s no question that they have an ability to score. We’ve got even more opportunities now that Jason Kapono is with the team, and I’ve always wondered, “Why doesn’t Joey bring that rebounding ability he’s supposed to have as a PF, into all positions he plays?” I mean, when it comes down to it, just because he’s playing a SF/SG position, doesn’t mean he shouldn’t go in for a rebound instead of hanging on the perimeter. This is especially true since Bargnani (at least on the offensive end) will be out closer to the 3 pt line on most plays, leaving the Raptors down one rebounder. Everyone knows there are two things that are the most troublesome for this current Raptors team: 1) Defending and 2) Rebounding. Three years in, we can safely say that Joey’s just not going to be that “lock-down” defender he was boasted as when we drafted him. Physically, he might be gifted to defend positions 2-4, but mentally, he has too many lapses at the pro level.

So, when it comes to finding a niche, he should be looking at rebounding again. With the logjam at the 4/5 positions, Joey should bring a rebounding intensity at the 3 spot which would make him a niche player within this squad and the league. In the end, that’s my advice to him to become a player that the Raptors need.

Jeff: Y’know, I used to think that rebounding is a matter of just “getting after it,” too. But I’ve read so much lately about a player’s proper position. Dr. Greenberg spoke a bit about how a player’s mindset determines whether they’re suited for playing PG, SG or SF.

I also asked David Thorpe about Joey Graham, his natural position, and rebounding in general:

I see your question as actually two questions.

First, can playing out of position make a difference? The answer is an unequivocal ‘yes!’. Graham’s inability to make deep perimeter shots, and his lack of creative scoring feel make it hard for him to score as a 3. His smaller size makes it tough to defend true ‘bigs’ as a power forward. He’s a classic ‘tweener’. [Jeff's note: A definition of tweener here] Although he’s a great jumper, I’ve always felt he’s lacking in quickness, which is a great asset for a 3 unless you have real ‘craftiness’. Graham simply cannot overpower most 3’s or 4’s, and power is his only true asset other than jumping.

The second question, regarding rebounding, can be answered like this:

It’s not necessarily ‘intensity’ that has to be elevated to improve rebounding, but rather ‘awareness’ first, then dedication.

Here’s an example. Say you were very overweight, but never knew. It just never dawned on you until one day your doctor told you to lose weight by eating only healthy food and exercising. Now that you are aware that weight must be lost, you have a chance to do so, but only if you dedicate yourself to healthy eating habits. Graham, in my opinion, is simply not aware that he should be a better rebounder, or he is just not dedicated to becoming one. Studying film, going to the glass more, positioning himself properly when a teammate (Bosh) is making a move that typically ends in a shot, etc.

Incidentally, I actually think Graham is rebounding okay. But he is a poor defensive player, as I see it, and poor on the other end as well. Not a good combination.

Kinnon: Coach Thorpe brought up some interesting thoughts about Joey’s predicament, which actually supports a lot of what Coach Mitchell has been saying for years. It’s not about his talent or athleticism, but his experiences and smarts. But back to his comments, Coach Thorpe has shown that it depends on how you look at the situation. It’s true that Joey might not be the scorer that most people expect out of the SF position, but in the end, he can bring other skills to that set instead. Putting it in a different way, if Garbajosa/Bargnani draw their bigs out to the perimeter, then that means that Joey should have a size and jumping advantage against the competition in the paint for those loose rebounds. Unfortunately, according to some preliminary reports, it seems he’s been working on his ball handling all summer.

Speaking of Joey’s game, what player do you think we can compare Joey to? He’s kinda unique in that sense, in that he kind of has a big body, but doesn’t throw it around much, and is more of a finesse guy at times. Potentially, he could become a taller, better shooting Reggie Slater, or Corliss Williamson. What do you think?

Jeff: It’s funny that, around draft time, he was also compared to Ron Artest. Physically, maybe, but I don’t think the basketball IQ is there.

I was hoping for a little Antawn Jamison: long-range shooting and rebounding ability. Is there still time? From what I remember, Jamison is a late bloomer. According to his stats, he didn’t play a full season until his third year, and he really blossomed in his sixth year, his only season with the Mavs. (Wow, has he been in the league 9 seasons already?)

Kinnon: We’re not getting any younger, Jeff.

Jeff: *Sigh* - I guess not.

I still have my handy-dandy spreadsheet of PERs from my Center Development article. According to these numbers, the average forward shows the most improvement (marginally) in their fourth year. If you isolate the combo forwards on this list (small number, I know) and extrapolate, Joey’s peak year should be his third year – next season.

Not very scientific, but gives me a little hope.

Kinnon: Finally, what do you think has caused Joey Graham to be able to stick with this Raptors squad, and not his brother, Stephen? Is it because Joey is that much more different, or are the Raptors just stubborn? Or is there really something that the staff sees that the rest of us don’t?

Jeff: I’m pretty sure there are significant differences between Joey and Stephen, not only regarding their contract sizes. Remember, in Oklahoma State, Stephen played fewer minutes, and in the post instead of his more familiar PG position. And Stephen continues to bounce around the league, so other coaches must agree that he’s not ready for primetime.

In fact, comparing his profile to Joey’s, you can see that these are two different players (particularly the ballhandling part), although twin brothers.

Kinnon: I honestly don’t see much difference in their game though. They more or less, played the same position in university, but teams have tried to groom Stephen into a different position, and let him “play through his mistakes”. Granted, it’s hard to tell because Stephen’s hardly had any burn in the league, and continues to bounce even though he’d probably benefit from some time in Europe. An unselfish Joey-sized guy, with some clearer understanding of plays (since he was a PG in high school for a time) and you just wonder which would actually be a better fit? Take Stephen’s brain and dump it into Joey’s more experienced body, and you’d probably have the guy the Raptors need.

This was not really intended to be a post or anything, just something that I can’t keep off my mind: the Shawn Marion trade demand.

While Marion is the perfect fit for the Suns and they’ll never get what they need because he’s also possibly one of the most untradeable players in the league since he’s essentially an All-Star role player. Who else can clean the boards, defend several positions and hit threes?

The Suns could get seriously screwed over by dealing Marion.

Despite all the positives he brings to a team you wouldn’t want to build your franchise around him because he’s got a massive contract and he’s only really suitable for teams that are already contenders.

That being said, Steve Nash is nearing the tail-end of his prime and their Championship window is closing on them but there’s no way they can win the whole enchilada with such chemistry issues as posed by Marion’s complaining.

So, what should the Suns do?

On the one hand, the Suns are in a dire need of big men or any kind of roster depth. Pundits dismiss the Celtics’ chances on account of their thin bench, but Phoenix only has seven NBA-worthy players (and very good ones at that). Considering that one of them is the notoriously injury-prone Grant Hill, Steve Nash has chronic back problems, Amare came back from microfracture surgery just one year ago and Boris Diaw dipped into mediocrity last season I’d say they need some insurance. Trading Marion for a couple of reliable, dependable guys could be one way out.

Where does that lead them? Well, I cranked up the ESPN Trade Machine and played with a few trade scenarios.

The High Risk Tickin’ Time Bomb Scenario
PHOENIX sends Shawn Marion ($16.4m) and Eric Piatkowski ($1.2m) to SACRAMENTO
SACRAMENTO sends Ron Artest ($7.4m), Shareef Abdur-Rahim ($5.8m) and John Salmons ($4.7m) to PHOENIX

For Phoenix: It all boils down to Artest. He’s a loony, but he can play ball. He’s a top defender, a good rebounder (6.5 rebounds per game last season) and can play above the rim and shoot threes (last season he had a better three point percentage than Marion). Maybe playing alongside Steve Nash will keep Artest sane and happy for a while. Perhaps Amare’s alpha dog personality will intimidate him a bit. Who knows? But it could work: Artest’s a lot like Marion in several aspects and earns a lot less. That’d make room for John Salmons and Shareef Abdur-Rahim to bolster the Suns’ bench. Shareef has a big body and can come off the bench, nab a couple of rebounds and score a bit. Salmons is a decent three-point shooter and can bring some defense to the mix. The downside of this deal is that all three have contracts with at least three years left. But the Suns are looking to win now, right? They can’t keep selling draft picks and giving away their big men for free.

For Sacramento: Artest and Mike Bibby have an on-going feud and it’s getting increasingly difficult to move Bibby. Also, they need to make room for the emergence of Kevin Martin so adding a selfless player like Marion will help. With Brad Miller on the downswing of his career, they desperately need a rebounder. Besides, Marion is young enough to stay around for a few more years and lead the team in their post-Bibby and post-Miller era. Piatkowski is a throw-in who’s in the last year of his contract.

The Obvious Choice
PHOENIX sends Marion ($16.4m) to UTAH
UTAH sends Kirilenko ($13.7m) to PHOENIX

For Phoenix: Kirilenko saves them money this season (but costs more in the long run) and has similar traits to Marion. He’s a tenacious defender, good rebounder, knows how to score, can steal and dish some important assists. As Bill Simmons points out, he could very well thrive on a free-flowing Phoenix offense.

For Utah: Kirilenko wants out because he’s firmly in Sloan’s doghouse. Millsap-Marion-Boozer would dominate the boards. The only downside I see in this is the following: Marion was tired of being the third banana in the Suns, but a move to the Jazz would mean he’d become the team’s fourth scoring option. He doesn’t shoot as well as Okur, doesn’t slash as well as Williams and has no post moves like Boozer. Could he be happy in such a setting?

The Let’s Hope He Doesn’t Get Injured Again Scenario
PHOENIX sends Marion ($16.4m) and Eric Piatkowski ($1.2m) to LAKERS
LAKERS sends Lamar Odom ($13.2m) and Vladimir Radmanovic ($5.6m) to PHOENIX

For Phoenix: Odom is very similar to Marion, except not as durable and not as good a long-range shooter (and probably an inferior defender too, but, hey, you can’t have it all). Alas, bring in V-Rad, who fell out of favor with Phil Jackson and was even called a ’space cadet’. Phoenix would be able to keep their playing style and would increase their roster’s depth. Playing alongside Nash I feel both Odom and V-Rad could post big numbers. Besides, Phoenix’s second unit would feature Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Radmanovic, which would make it pretty strong. Sure, both Odom’s and Radmanovic’s health would be a concern…

For Lakers: Maybe this is the kind of deal that would appease Kobe. Also, Marion would bring some hustle and some much needed defense. Besides, with Luke Walton looking good and Andrew Bynum progressing along, they don’t really need Radmanovic.

The Let’s Try it Differently This Time Scenario
PHOENIX sends Marion ($16.4m) to MIAMI
MIAMI sends Udonis Haslem ($6m) and Jason Williams ($8.9m) to PHOENIX

For Phoenix: They’d have to change their playing style a bit, I guess, since Udonis Haslem is hardly a multi-task three-point-shooting kind of guy, but he’s a hard-nosed player with a knack for playing tough defense and snagging rebounds which would help hide Amare Stoudemire when Tim Duncan struts towards Phoenix’s paint. He’s not the great defender and smart player that Marion is but he is big and could be of enormous help. Also, Jason Williams’ flamboyant playing style just reeks of Phoenix, dosen’t it? He has a fat expiring deal so if they’re unhappy with him they could use that as a trade-bait later on. Phoenix would save some money this season too. He could be the back-up point guard Phoenix so desperately needs to give Nash a good rest during the season, though his health and durability is dubious to say the best.

For Miami: Marion could mean giving less minutes to Antoine Walker and that would be a good thing. With Udonis out, they’d need Shaq to actually put in some effort during the regular season but I think that might be possible. A trio of Wade-Marion-Shaq could be pretty damn good on both ends of the court. They don’t need a PG too badly either since Wade commands most of offensive possessions. It’d increase their pay roll, even though Pat Riley wouldn’t mind it too much as he tries to erase last year’s humiliating blunder from the fans’ memories.

The Possible Heist
PHOENIX sends Marion ($ 16.4m) to NEW JERSEY
NEW JERSEY sends Richard Jefferson ($12.2m) and Nenad Krstic ($1.8m) to PHOENIX

For Phoenix: They’d get two possible starters for one. Both Jefferson and Krstic have looming injury concerns but Jefferson is a talented scorer who can hit threes and would thrive under Mike D’Antoni. Nenad Krstic is a young, still-developing center who’d significantly improve their front court. Defense would obviously be a problem as neither guy is much of a rebounder though. Considering that Krstic is in a contract year and was coming along nicely last season, it could work out marvelously for the Suns if both remain healthy, especially if Amare improves on D.

For New Jersey: They re-signed Vince Carter and kept Jason Kidd which means they’re looking to win now. Jefferson duplicates to a certain extent Carter’s playing style, hanging on the perimeter and nailing jump shots so they could use someone completely different. What about playing Marion at the 4 and enjoying his defense and rebounds? With former All-Star Jamal Magloire as center to make up for Marion’s lack of height, that would be a very interesting frontcourt, at least when it comes to D and rebounds.

Well, that’s it. I thought about other possibilities (Marion for Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels, for instance) and I was really bummed that I couldn’t envision a scenario that’d put Rasheed Wallace in Phoenix where he belongs (he’d really add some toughness to the Suns and his out-of-control personality could fit well with their style), but all in all I think all the above scenarios are realistic to a certain extent.

I was afraid of being biased towards the Suns but I think it’s fairly balanced. If it were up to me I’d try the Ron Artest option, after all who cares if it implodes after a couple of seasons if they win the Larry O’Brien in the process? Nash’s career is nearing its end and Phoenix will probably struggle mightily after he goes so a break-the-bank all-or-nothing approach could be their best move. Besides, it would also bolster their roster significantly and that shouldn’t be overlooked.

It’s also a shame that the Warriors dealt Jason Richardson recently. I assume a Jason Richardson and Matt Barnes combo could be somewhat enticing to the Suns. Barnes is the poor man’s Marion and Richardson is the kind of high-flying uber-athletic swingman that would look wonderful alongside Nash.

Oh well…

10:00 – My first class is taught by the head of the department, Prof. Loomer. He tells us about himself. Should I be taking notes?

10:30 – Prof. Loomer lists the traits of successful fantasy gurus:
“… trust yourself …”
That’s me.
“… think outside the box …”
Me.
“… create opportunities if they are not perceived to be there …”
Me also.
“… You may need to start out offering your services for free …”
Um, I’ll get back to you on that.

10:48 – Prof. Loomer lays down some cardboard and performs his breakdance routine. Eat your heart out, Mr. Schneebly!

11:00 – At the library to copy Prof. Loomer’s recommended reading. This’ll take a while…

12:26 – Food fight at the cafeteria. My eye! I’m not supposed to get pudding in it!

1:30 – Regained my sight just as Prof. Kettner puts up his Shooting Guard Rankings.

2:00 – Our TA gives us a take-home test, due at the end of the week. At least it’s multiple choice, and top marks get you a FREE Rotowire subscription. Only 30 openings left!

3:15 – Got lost on my way to Prof. Velasco’s Theory of Draft Positioning. Arrived in time to write down why Gerald Wallace is like a gassy Scarlett Johansson.

4:04 – Prof. Nels hands out a copy of his Mock Draft Round Up. I have to memorize this?!

5:17 – Back in my dorm room, in the fetal position. When will it be summer again?

Jon chatted with me about a number of things, including:

• What he does at NBA.com/Fantasy
• His career path
• His skills on the dance floor
• How to get a job in fantasy sports
• What Samuel L. Jackson is really like
• Predictions for the Raptors’ upcoming season

HoopsAddict.com: Could you describe your typical day as NBA.com’s Fantasy Games Manager?

Loomer: There is no typical day on this job, which is one of the many reasons I love the gig. My generic response is that I oversee NBA.com/fantasy. This includes game development, content, stats, partnerships, promotions, advertising, and drinking coffee. You name it, I have my hand in it (even the coffee). I spend much of my day in planning meetings, on the phone with partners, or on the internet — work-related surfing only, of course. We recently wrapped up the NBA.com Fantasy Basketball Draft Guide (on shelves October 2), and we are now in the process of polishing up the Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner (leagues are open!) and finalizing launch details on game and content offerings for this season. Premier Fantasy Championship, NBA Cares Celebrity Fantasy League, new content partner to name a few. [Ed.'s note: See Jon's first promo of the revamped Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner here.]

This is no newsflash, but it’s incredibly rewarding to do what you love. The great thing about the gig is the control over my product. We brainstorm around here over fantasy content, tools and games on a regular basis. It’s great to be able to say, “You know what would be awesome?….” and do something about it. I fully appreciate that what I do is a “fantasy” job, and I don’t take a minute of it for granted.

HoopsAddict.com: What was your plan coming out of high school? What field of work were you aiming for?

Loomer: Most people I knew coming out of high school didn’t have much of a plan, and those who did have a plan inevitably changed it during their four (seven for some) years in college. For everyone out there graduating from high school who doesn’t know what they want to do, relax. It will be ok. Figure out what makes you happy, and everything will work itself out.

I grew up a huge Wisconsin sports fan, focusing much of my childhood energy on the Brewers, Bucks and Packers. The only things that I knew coming out of high school were that I 1) had a passion for sports, 2) could breakdance with the best of ‘em, and 3) enjoyed writing. The breakdancing thing wasn’t going anywhere, especially in the ’90s, so I had to find a way to combine writing with my love for sports. Some of my days growing up were spent in Michigan, and I idolized Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press. Yeah, seems strange that a kid would idolize a sports writer. Maybe that was a stretch. Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Cecil Cooper, Paul Mokeski and then Mitch Albom.

And the fact that I went to a liberal arts college without a journalism major only emphasizes how I really had no idea what I wanted to do. At that point in time, it never struck me that someone could ever do what I am currently doing for a living. Never mind that the Internet was not yet invented (man, how old am I??). The option simply wasn’t fathomable.

HoopsAddict.com: I didn’t have a clue either coming out of high school. So what did you do coming out of college?

Loomer: I wasn’t any more sure about what I wanted to do coming out of college, to be honest with you — outside of knowing that I wanted money overflowing from my pockets (although that would be a waste). I majored in Philosophy with an English concentration, which prepared me for everything and nothing at the same time. I graduated college with good writing and life skills, but no specific place to utilize them. I still had those breakdancing moves, but after college they are only useful at weddings. Most people refuse to pay for that entertainment. I had thoughts of being a teacher (grade school level or Philosophy professor) and even took some courses to head in that direction. When I got married, however, my wife reminded me that we needed to pay the bills, so I took the first reasonable job available. That happened to be in insurance. Exciting, I know. From the beginning, I saw it as a temporary endeavor. Of course, temporary became six years until this NBA gig came around. Thank you, NBA, for saving my life.

HoopsAddict.com: What led you to fantasy basketball and the NBA?

Loomer: My dad was a mathematics and computer science professor, so I’ve always had a solid background in math and statistics. Everything was a statistic or some question about probability with my dad growing up. As annoyed as I was (“The probability that you would choose that pair of underwear was 1,560 to 1!”), it set a very good foundation.

Even before I started playing fantasy sports, I was playing fantasy in my head. My brother and I played Strat-O-Matic and MicroLeague Baseball, and I was addicted to collecting and trading baseball cards. Serious addiction. And when you think about baseball card trading, it’s very similar to fantasy sports. Analysis of talent, buy low, sell high. Fantasy sports didn’t actually find me until I finally played fantasy basketball back in the mid-’90s. I was hooked ever since. Once I found myself in the uncomfortable world of insurance, I quickly decided I needed to use my fantasy skills to find a way out. It was a ridiculous dream, and one I am still surprised was realized. I started out by writing for some other sites before starting my own. Amazingly enough, I actually got out of the fantasy industry altogether in 2004. A year later, I started writing some sports editorials that got my name back in the game. Just as I hit that “no going back” career crossroads, the NBA job opened. One thing led to another, and the next thing you know I’m packing my family up for beautiful New Jersey. Many thanks to the wife.

HoopsAddict.com: Your career path reminds me of my own. I’m currently at the unrelated-field-plus-writing part.

Loomer: My guess is that most people take a similar path into fantasy sports. Go to school for one thing. Start a career completely unrelated. After some time of dissatisfaction, we turn to fantasy sports as an outlet, and potentially as a career savior. Colleges don’t yet have a Fantasy Sports major, as far as I know. They should so that those interested could take a more direct route going forward. If that happens, maybe I’ll go back to teaching (Fantasy Sports Professor).

HoopsAddict.com: What were the top three things you learned along the way that equipped you for your job?

Loomer: The first would be to trust yourself. It’s easy to read someone’s article telling you to take Paul Mokeski in the first round, but when your pick is up and Paul is still on the board, what matters most is what you think. Many of the experts out there are no more equipped to make a decision than you are (this applies to all walks of life). While collecting thoughts from different people is always helpful when forming an opinion, you inevitably will take responsibility for your picks. Trust your gut — in the end, a successful season (career, life, etc.) is much more rewarding when you put thought into your decisions instead of copying off of the guy’s paper next to you. This helps me now as I am ignorant to what other “experts” think. I trust myself.

The second is to think outside the box. Popular opinions often lead to failure, and you will be ridiculed for not thinking mainstream. Whether it’s your fantasy team, interaction with friends, or your career, it’s important to think about things in new and different ways and stand firm in your findings. Use statistics in new ways, question what is accepted fact, challenge authority. I guess this is a variation of the first in some ways, but hang with me.

I also learned to create opportunities if they are not perceived to be there. You can’t sit around waiting for something to happen. That helped me get this job, but it also helps as we continue to develop new games and content on NBA.com.

HoopsAddict.com: For the fantasy fans who want a job in your field, what advice would you give? What skills do you need?

Loomer: There are many jobs in fantasy, so your skills should be specific to your career path. There are always computer jobs — programming, designing, statistics. And if you can do all of these things, why not partner with someone to start your own site? If you enjoy writing, you can do anything from writing weekly articles to updating player news for fantasy sites. If you’re a businessman or investor, take a good idea and make a million bucks with it. In the end, focus on your skills. If you can’t write, don’t try to be a writer. If you aren’t business savvy, don’t start a company.

For anyone in high school or freshly out of college who wants to get into fantasy, I’d suggest that you contact your favorite fantasy websites and offer to write for them. Don’t expect much. You may be lucky to write articles, but you may only be able to update player news and depth charts. Start somewhere. And it should be a site you enjoy, otherwise you won’t enjoy the grunt work. The grunt work I did back in the day helped prepare me for much of what I do now. Like anything, let your strengths work for you. Also, don’t expect to get rich. You may need to start out offering your services for free.

HoopsAddict.com: Can you put in a good word for me at NBA.com?

Loomer: Sure, I’ll tell Jon Loomer all about you.

HoopsAddict.com: Thanks! Changing gears now … Have you met any celebrities (NBA or otherwise) through this job — for instance, through the Celebrity Fantasy League? Or Carmelo calls and complains that you ranked him too low? I know Gilbert Arenas cares about his fantasy rank.

Loomer: Everyone wants to know. In my regular day-to-day activities, I’m talking to the famous Rob Peterson and Dave McMenamin of NBA.com. What, never heard of them? Hmmm….

I’ve encountered a few celebrities and players through this job, but I’m not as closely involved with players on a day-to-day basis as the features writers are (i.e., Peterson and Dave Mac). I did work All-Star weekend this past season as a writer, so I interviewed players as well as celebrities during that time. The Celebrity League does give me some contact with celebs as well. One of the highlights of this job was talking Samuel L. Jackson through last season’s Celebrity Fantasy League draft. Yes, he is the exact same person you’d expect him to be.

HoopsAddict.com: Is it true that Samuel L. is a Raptors fan?

Loomer: My understanding is that Sam is a Raptors fan, but we didn’t talk about it. The majority of the call was spent talking about what players were available and ripping on picks made by George Lopez. If you’re wondering, I had virtually no say in his draft. I made recommendations, but he regularly ignored them (although I wish he would have ignored my suggestion to wait on Mike Miller). Of course, if his team was successful, I’d take full credit.

HoopsAddict.com: Do you think fantasy affects fans’ perception of players?

Loomer: Absolutely. Without fantasy, Shawn Marion is a very good player, but not a superstar. In the eyes of the general public, he is the third best player on the Suns. If you’re a fantasy player, you see things differently. At worst, he is the equal of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, at least in fantasy terms. A good argument can be made that he is more valuable than either player to your fantasy team. On the flip side, we in the fantasy community tend to devalue players who are otherwise seen as superstars by the media and non-fantasy playing population, particularly if their main forte is scoring (or if they can’t make free throws). In the end, fantasy basketball helps us appreciate stats other than points, and in the process helps us appreciate players who don’t otherwise get their due. I think that it ultimately helps form new rules for how media and the general basketball-viewing public will value players.

HoopsAddict.com: Raptors fans would never forgive me if I didn’t ask you: How far into the playoffs do you think the Raps will go this year?

Loomer: Toronto has a nice team. Although they didn’t make any major moves, they will get better naturally with the growth of Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. The addition of Kapono will help open the floor for Bosh, which can only be a good thing. I have concerns about the center position, but at least they are playing in the East. The health of TJ Ford is important, but Calderon is a very capable replacement. It’s a deep roster, and you need depth to go deep into the Playoffs (that was a deep comment). I see no reason why they couldn’t make it to the second round this season.

HoopsAddict.com: I collaborated on a post recently about the Raptors’ injury potential and didn’t mention Ford. Do you think Ford is injury prone?

Loomer: I wouldn’t say that Ford is injury prone. I just see him as a player who has serious injury potential. The neck injury may be behind him, but it’s this type of catastrophic injury that concerns me about a player his size who attacks the basket without fear. He’s a warrior, but that approach can also work against him.

HoopsAddict.com: Who is your fantasy sleeper on this Toronto roster?

Loomer: Depends on what you call a “sleeper.” Andrea Bargnani should have a nice season, improving on the last, but it’s not exactly out of nowhere. Jason Kapono is going too late in most drafts. Particularly if you need three-pointers, he has to be drafted. Jose Calderon is a nice deep sleeper in the event Ford goes down.

HoopsAddict.com: You replied to my email at 10 AM on a Saturday morning. What kind of hours do you keep?

Loomer: It’s funny. I used to keep track of my hours before taking this job (“I’m exhausted, I’ve worked 52 1/2 hours this week”). I’m sure my wife keeps track, but it’s all a part of the daily fabric of my life now. I go into the office Monday through Friday, but the job doesn’t stop there. Since we have a very strong international audience, people read our content, play our games, and use our stats 24 hours a day. Because of that I need to check in regularly to make sure everything is working and updated properly. This doesn’t mean that I’m up at 3 AM every night, but I do occasionally “work” some late nights. When I’m home, the laptop is always on (even if I’m away from it), and when I’m out of the house the Blackberry is always on me. On one hand, you can say that I’m working 80% of my waking hours, seven days of the week. On the other, I hardly see it as work. It’s challenging and exhausting at times, but incredibly rewarding. It also helps keeping things into perspective by reminding myself: “I work for the NBA. My job revolves around fantasy sports. I am not working in insurance.” It’s easy to keep a smile on my face.

Thanks again to Jon for the interview. Be sure to check out his Pre-Season Blog on NBA.com.