7 for 6: Tankers Answer Burning Questions

[Clinton]

I started a group chat with the hopes of gaining intel on my fellow tankers, instead I came up with 6 questions(Mantypas came up with 1) so we could all make some RP for the long road ahead.

7 questions for tankers:

1. If Jokic goes #1, do you take Embiid at 2 or the field, why?

GX (Lakers): "Embiid no doubt, he is phenomenal at every category and follows in line with a bunch of the SLN greats in his play style. definitely worth the gamble and honestly can tank another year or 2 when he doesn't play and just get insane later."

Josh (Grizzlies): "Definitely! Especially because I'm starting a tank, I would like a high upside player like Embiid. The stipulation could suck, but I don't remember seeing a player whose real-life injury history destroyed their SLN career."

Merv (Magic): "Embiid, no question. His starting grades look amazing."

Mantypas / Cavs Czar (Cavs): "I'd take Embiid #1 probably just because he is built for the SLN amid the injury concerns. And if I get Lebron in FA, then I would trade Embiid for quite the sack of assets. I'd go Embiid, Jokic, Wiggins 1 2 3."

Tyler (Suns): "Think I take Embiid at 1 so I'm definitely taking him at 2 lol. Hard to imagine a better draft profile for a big than Embiids. The injury concern is worth the risk and weird injury stips havent stopped me from taking guys in the past (miss you Moon)."

Clint Thoughts: YOU MADE HIM TOO TANTALIZING ASHES. I asked this question in the GC and then at night he proceeds to tell a reporter how half his face doesn't work anymore. I feel bad, and maybe he deserves the 1st pick based on that. He does rip-thrus like a jerk but then he goes full DX hip-thrust all the time. Every time I hate him, he makes me like him. I thought these answers would be different but I was wrong and everyone has gone full balls to wall just like embiid. I guess id take him at #1 just for the ability to use some of the greatest gifs this league has ever seen.


2. With a blank slate, what is your ideal starting 5? Ex) PG-game manager, SG-three & D, SF-scorer and rebounder, PF-stretch 4, C- defensive anchor.

GX (Lakers):
PG: Speedy Boi w/ Dank Handles
SG: Lethal from Outside
SF: Solid 2-Way
PF: Defensive Big
C: Big Butt

Josh (Grizzlies):
PG: Jay will - game manager. efficient, more than average boards, low TOs
SG: wade - volume, 3s, D
SF: Dirk - volume, 3s, boards
PF: Al Jefferson - efficient, blocks, low TOs
C: Diop - big butt, not humongous ass
Supersub: Clackity Clack - athletic, perfect handles, do it all

Merv (Magic):
PG: Super Star Bucket
SG: Solid Defending Bucket
SF: Scorer, Rebounder
PF: Shot Blocker that also Shoots 3s
C: Traditional Big Butt w/ lots of blocks

Mantypas / Cavs Czar (Cavs):
PG: Star 2-Way
SG: 3 & D w/ Volume
SF: AK47-type; Stocky, Efficient, Rebounding
PF: Do it all Scorer
C: Rebounding Block Specialist

Tyler (Suns):
PG: "Who gets lots of steals, protects the ball, and makes it rain from deep."
SG: "High volume scorer, don't care as much about D here."
SF: "STOCKY, +rebounder for the position and efficient if possible."
PF: "Scores and boards, a bruiser, stocks obvi a positive here."
C: "Classic big butt, 4+ stocks, 13+ boards, the Big Ben / Dikembe mold."

Clint Thoughts: First & foremost I think GX actually killed this answer. Upon further review, I botched how I phrased this question. Most people gave a star studded starting 5 and I had to rephrase it individually so thats on me. You all know how I build my teams at this point. PURE CHAOS. We try to go BPA in the Bay and let the chips falls as they might. Ill get it right one day, right? Like right? someone heeeeelp! haha, JK. But seriously, let me know.

3. Do you think its best to get the most value for your players or to just hit the reset button asap, why?

GX (Lakers): "Hit the reset button, waiting too long to make moves can just lead to more indecisiveness. there will always be better deals out there that you can get, no need to chase the gravy that much."

Josh (Grizzlies): "I think the top picks are so valuable, that it is better to prioritize resetting to a trash team rather than achieving value. The best tankers do something in the middle (i.e. not me)."

Merv (Magic): "I think the lottery is real hit and miss and I'd rather be loaded with ammo to go get guys down the road or provide boosts once a tank is ending."

Mantypas / Cavs Czar (Cavs): "I don't understand why you can't do both, get max value and reset, put people into bidding wars, hit everyone up JWoo style, being patient in SLN is hard but its not impossible and these two things are absolutely not mutually exclusive."

Tyler (Suns): "As is the answer to any academic question, it depends. I think value is important but when you hand is shown you are tanking and you are trying to lose as many games as possible, it's best to swallow your pride and start to lose as much as possible. Is that 500 RP you are haggling for worth missing out on having the best odds as possible for a franchise cornerstone? not in my opinion."

Clint Thoughts: I am a hypocrite for this but, dump the players and tank. If you post a block with multiple players the vultures will flock for the best. Take advantage of the only offer you got for a rotational player, remember, you can always build another or re-acquire that player later. Joe will read this and start to fume over why I havnt traded him Sanders yet. Or for multiple years Wes gave me strong offers for Blatche and now no one wants him. Thats what happens. Let your players go win and embrace the suck *pause* tank.

4. If you had a choice between signing Lebron in FA or getting the #1 overall pick the next three seasons, which do you choose?

GX (Lakers): "#1 Pick for sure, shoutout Tonger for the dank analysis viewtopic.php?t=1175. seems that having all your salary into a guy that's gonna cost 25+ mil isn't favorable in SLN. Being able to get the best 3 players coming out and surround them with good talent that will compliment their skills will get you closer to contending for longer."

Josh (Grizzlies): "I wanted to say #1 pick in each of next 3 seasons. I like long term team building. And Lebron is so damn good and would force me to go all in. But since I already have a serviceable starting PG, SG and C I think it would be the easier path to a ring."

Merv (Magic): "LeBron. I know how good he is and I don't have the nightmare RFA issue."

Mantypas / Cavs Czar (Cavs): "Lebron and the reason is the sixers, they practically did this then only was able to keep one guy."

Tyler (Suns): "This is a fun question. Probably the #1 overall pick the next 3 seasons just because of contract and easier to extract value. I imagine it will be hard to find one team that can pay a price that comes close to Lebron's value."

Clint Thoughts: I think I go Lebron, nah fuck that, BRON IN THE BAY IS THE VIBE. You know the famous bridge? Yeah, I heard they renamed it the Bronden Gate(nearly replaced that G w/ a B lmao) Bridge. This for me would be the true test of how good is Lebron. If he could take my team to the playoffs, in a much better conference than what he has played in his whole career then he truly is the ONE.



5. Out of the 5 players in the 2014 draft i give you, i want you to NOT CHEAT and rank them in order of games played in their career. 1 being most games played and 5 being the least. I will rank the true order when I post this. Jordan Clarkson, Joel Embiid, Rodney Hood, Zach Lavine, Doug McDermott.

GX (Lakers): "I honestly don't know real life basketball that much so I've only heard of 3 of 5 guys but Lavine(shoutout Bulls), McDermott, Embiid, Clarkson, Hood."

Josh (Grizzlies): "Clarkson, LaVine, McDermott, Hood, Embiid"

Merv (Magic): "Clarkson, McDermott, LaVine, Hood, Embiid"

Mantypas / Cavs Czar (Cavs): "Clarkson, Doug Mc, Embiid, Hood, Lavine"

Tyler (Suns): "Zach Lavine, Doug McD, J-Clark, Rod Hood, Embiid"

ANSWER: Merv totally cheated, but the correct answer is:
1) Clarkson - 716
2) Dougie McBuckets - 655
3) Lavine - 580
4) "Rod" Hood - 448
5) Embiizle - 433



6. When did you start your tank and what was the reasoning?

GX (Lakers): "Started tanking the second I joined the league, this is my first season that was not cap strapped so first real tank. and the reasoning was because my team was a pile of trash and you gotta tear it down to build it up."

Josh (Grizzlies): "After I got swept in the playoffs. My team was getting older, and I thought I had to choose between spending my picks and going for it, or moving to a tank and getting some draft capital back. In hindsight I should have retooled after trading away Wade."

Merv (Magic): "This season. I got bored and didn't think my team had any upside. When Josh didn't trade me Wade, I knew we had run our course."

Mantypas / Cavs Czar (Cavs): "We had just lost a tough first round series against the Knicks two post seasons ago who I thought we had a chance on, and they rolled us in 5. We had an aging roster with Timmy D, KG, and Devin harris with one year remaining, with BG and Adam Morrison flanking them. I finally had my picks back. I was in between two deals sending Harris out, one to keep competitive basketball alive in Cleveland and one to get draft assets and tank. While deciding, I got a juicy offer for an aging KG, which really helped my decision to take Joes offer, get the two FRPs including #5, and do the full rebuild. We are in year 2, and I hope to score big with some good luck in the lottery, though my fellow tankers are making it quite difficult to get good odds. Hoping to pull a Pankin."

Tyler (Suns): "I started tanking this offseason, really after trading Conley to the Sonics. I was between a rock and a hard place, I felt my only path to a title was mortgaging myself to the tits which I have done since the league started and it can be stressful lol. I thought rather than doing that and waiting another 6 seasons to tank, I could sell my guys while they were at their peak value to make it a fun rebuild. I think I got decent value for my players so im content with the decision but i do wonder what we would have looked like if I paid up for D Wade."

Clint Thoughts: I look back to one trade that changed my entire trajectory of the last build and caused me to star a-new. JJ and Joakim for Deng, nah just playing, I shouldve bit the bullet on a sweetheart deal JWoo offered me for Devin Harris. Devin and Monta wouldve been good enough with Blake ascending to make the playoffs perennially. Honestly I just didnt know WTF i was doing for so long but somehow ended up with a top-tier SG in Monta and Blake. Taught me a lot and hopefully I am able to come back stronger even with everyone constantly reminding me of those two trades. AY at least they live in infamy.

7. Who was your favorite prospect IRL? Whether it was NBA or NFL, your team drafted, or you just wish you had the opportunity to draft them. The player could've been a bust or a superstar but this was the player you banged your hand on the table for.

GX (Lakers): "Derick Rose no doubt. Like i said before i was never really into watching basketball in my life but this was the only time I paid attention. I remember the bulls taking him at 1 and he was so electric before his injuries. As a guy with virtually no knees myself I feel for him. Love that cat and want him to retire in Chicago (if he is not retired already)."

Josh (Grizzlies): "Is it wrong to say Caleb Williams?! Bear down!"

Merv (Magic): "Favorite is Victor because he’s basically perfect. Banged the table for, Donovan Mitchell."

Mantypas / Cavs Czar (Cavs): "As a wizards fan, jumping the lottery odds and getting John Wall was sick, especially since my cousins were New Jersey nets fans at the time, so it was really fun to rub it in their face. John Wall was a complete gamechanger for this sad franchise. As for a prospect I would've loved to have, I'll always tell clint, the Wizards traded the FRP that became Jarrett Allen, a perfect pogo stick big who would've excelled alongside prime JWall, for less than half a season of Bojan Bogdanovic. Fuck Ernie Grunfeld."

Tyler (Suns): "Hmmm. I will say I love Rome Odunze and would have done awful things for the Chiefs to snag him last night but that was never realistic. I will go with this: I really wanted the Chiefs to draft Deshaun Watson when we traded up to 10 in 2017. I was bummed when that pick was Patrick Mahomes instead. Not as bummed as my friends, Kipke and like 3 other of my friends were extremely pissed at the selection and wanted us to wait and get Ruben Foster instead lmao. I was happy we at least took a swing at a franchise QB, and boy did that swing work out."

Clint Thoughts: Sheesh do I have a lot of these. Mike knows i've been livid with the Wizards in the past for not taking a super mid player I craved, honestly cant remember them all. I know we were both super pissed when BolBol is just sitting there in there 2nd round and instead we take Admiral Schoefield...just once let us have fun as fans. Ill always recall sitting on my friend Jack's couch during the 2018 NFL draft and being such a hateful Ravens fan. Calvin Ridley or Lamar at 22 please, nope, a TE. Dude Joe Flacco was probably creating his 20th child in that moment and he had gone from being cool to a total burnout, was pretty sad. So Eagles have the 32nd pick, im about to walk out the door and Jack screams to tell me Ravens traded back in...for Lamar. Never have I wanted a player that badly and my team has actually gotten them. Beautiful.

[mantypas/CavsCzar]

Whoever wrote question #6 must be very smart cool and handsome

[Merv]

I didn't cheat on 5, but did know Clarkson played the most after Woo told me while writing his article

[Kipke]

250 RP for CLINTON
150 RP for GX, MERV, JOSH, MANTYPAS, TYLER