Published: February 12, 2008
If you were to start an NBA team today with the goal of winning a championship, which 15 players would you select?
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
9 Comments on "Battle of the Dream Teams"
Ryan on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 10:10 am
Are we able to roll with some of the same players from your lists? Once I know the criteria I’m all over this. Will Jeff run this through the sim as well?
As a side note, I am amused that neither of you included LeBron or Kobe. Kobe’s on my list for sure, but LeBron would be left off as well.
Link-O-Rama 2/12 at GotGarnett.com on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 10:51 am
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Celtics247.com » Blog Archive » Today’s Links 2/12 on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 10:51 am
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Gagan on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 11:01 am
What Ryan said.
Also, do salaries matter? how do we know we’re within budget?
pedro on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 1:04 pm
this is immensely fun. here’s my roster:
PG’s
Steve Nash – he’s on the tail end of his prime, yes, but he’s the best playmaker out there. and he can shoot like few others in this game. and he seems to be a great teammate and does not compete for shots.
Jose Calderon – a semi-all star destined to be the team’s PG of the future. I bet he could learn a lot from Nash while improving even further.
Jordan Farmar – he’s, er, the backup PG of the future. he can shoot some and has a nice basketball IQ. should keep improving.
SGs
Raja Bell – defensive stopper on the perimeter, can knock down three’s. that’s all we need.
Kevin Martin – also a semi-all star who keeps improving and who’s still young. on this team he’d be the sixth man, a la manu ginobili, to provide a scoring spark off the bench.
dahntay jones [inactive] is athletic enough.
SF’s
LeBron James – the best player in the league. unstoppable athleticism, surprisingly willing to defer to teammates. nash’s and bell’s shooting 3p shooting accuracy could open up the floor and make it perfect for him to wreak havoc on opposing teams.
Travis Outlaw – athletic guy in fine form. can score and rebound. that’s all we need.
Bruce Bowen – adds some veteran poise, good D and the occasional 3.
amir johnson [ínactive] is a hot prospect.
PF’s
Kevin Garnett – selfless, intense, true competitor, never gives up, can score, pass, rebound and block. guess that’s enough.
Paul Millsap – young gun who could improve further but adds some muscle and hustle as it is.
C’s
Dwight Howard – a dwigh-KG pairing would be a nightmare for the other teams’s offenses. future mvp candidate.
Andrew Bynum – another youngster who seems destined for the all-star squad. right now, he’d be the best backup big in the league.
adonal foyle [inactive] – seems to be a good guy.
overall i think this’d be a great team. as good as he is as a playmaker, lebron james could just erupt with a capable pg beside him. same applies to dwight howard. the starting line-up would have the shooters to spread the floor, lebron to penetrate and dwight howard to do his post play. and then KG. second unit would have an excellent 6th man, a great PG and lots of role players and youngsters. if defense wins championships, this team would be a true dynasty.
i stand byt this team. there are lots of fierce competitors and true character guys there. no one seems to be placed on a excessively inadequate role. what if sports says the 12-man roster is $62 million, but that looks fishy to me, as kg’s and lebron’s salaries are grossly underestimated.
Jeff W on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 3:29 pm
Glad you like it, pedro.
BTW, big thanks to Chris Clarke for thinking up this post and taking the lead. And for letting me tag along.
I’ve published a poll here if you’d like to vote for your favorite lineup.
Ryan on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 3:40 pm
Jeff – So, can we draft some of the same players as both of you? What were the “rules” for your draft so we can play along?
Chris Clarke on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 6:27 pm
By all means, use some of the players we used! And don’t worry too much about salaries, but Jeff and I did this with the intention of keeping it somewhat realistic. It’s more fun if you use a few great players and surround them with great teammates than to compile the All-NBA first, second, and third teams.
jimmy on Tue, 12th Feb 2008 11:16 pm
Hey Chris….
I like your picks except for one glaring exception. Chris Duhon. He’s not severely under-rated. He’s just not good. He had one solid week and the bandwagon starts all about this guy. He’s had one week.
He crashed back to earth tonight and played his normal game. 5 points, 5 assists. That’s Chris Duhon.
http://www.nbaroto.com/2008/02/chris-duhon-crashes-back-to-earth.html