Post by kobe24 on Oct 19, 2009 22:24:05 GMT -5
There hasn't been many huge blockbuster trades lately in UOSLR outside of the Chris Webber and Jason Kidd deals, which proves that any player can be had at any time. But Im sure most every player in the league could be had for the right price. Sure GMs deem some of these guys as untouchable, but if you come at them with an unbelievable offer, they will almost have no choice. EVERY player has their price, I will break down the most valuable players in the league using four categories, and we will truely see if anyone can be traded for the right price.
Most of the trading happens during the off-season and near the trade deadline. Teams are always trying to trade for the top picks come draft time or gear up their team for the upcoming season. And this year was no different. I haven't been a part of UOSLR very long, so I've only seen one huge trade, which I was apart of. That is part of the reason I decided to write this article. GMs with these types of players should hold all the leverage while trading them and should carefully consider the trade before pulling the trigger.
Before I show you the players, I will show you what I used to come up with the list.
Age/Potential - It doesn't matter which league you are in, every GM loves a good young player with potential over almost anything. There has been many cases where GMs would trade their whole team for these types of players in hopes that they would turn their franchise around. Some of the older guys are at a disadvantage with this category, but I won't really be discussing who the best players are during this article, rather the most valuable ones. And the age/potential of a player plays a big part in trades because everyone would rather have a guy that can give great production for the next 10 seasons rather then 3-4.
Contract - Another important thing to consider when considering the value of players. Teams should always map out their salary situation over the next few years with that player they are getting to see if they can make it work. Guys making lesser money are easier to trade then guys making more money, since its easier to match contracts and the team getting the player will have more cap to work with. This is a pretty easy one to figure out here...
Production - This is the one that really breaks the rookies off from the rest of the group. As most rookies just don't put up the amazing stats as some of these other guys. They might have the potential and age factor on their side, but their value will take a hit when considering production. So there was a very fine line between potential and production, but it was very easy to distinguish when making this list.
Name Value - Yes, unfortunately this has to be a category. This league isn't as bad as some of the others I have been in. But it is still a big factor for some GMs when trading. It wont be that big of a factor in this article for me, just simply because I haven't seen any glaring examples of this just yet.
10. Vince Carter
Age - 24
Ratings - A- A- C B C B
Stats - 27.4 PPG 6.2 RPG 2.7 APG 1.3 SPG
Contract - $3,447,164
This was a hard choice, well this whole list was pretty hard actually. A ton of guys could have gone here, but I decided to go with Vince since he is the only guy in the league with A- A- scoring and that amazing dunk in the pic above. Vince is in the top 10 in the league in scoring and has lead his Rockets to an impressive 23-10 record so far thus season. The two knocks on Carter are his contract(he expires) and his defense, or lack thereof. He is probably the worst defensive player on this list. But you cant deny what he can do offensively. The Rockets will be crushed if he does not resign with them come this offseason.
9. Shawn Marion
Age - 23
Ratings - B+ B- C+ A- B- B
Stats - 23.5 PPG 8.1 RPG 5.2 APG 1.5 SPG
Contract - $3,189,982 / $3,378,220
Another guy who had a monster TC who looks like he could be a beast for years to come. Marion is very similiar to Odom, except he is two years older and doesnt have much of an outside game at all. That is really the only reason Marion is down this far, but Im sure over time he will develop a good three point shot and once he does he will shoot up this list. I am a huge fan of Marion, I love the rebounding he gives at the SF position, and 5 APG? That is crazy. He is also close to averaging a block per game. When he starts doing that then this guy might be in some MVP conversations, but for now he needs to work on his three point shooting, if he shoot atleast 35% from three then that would be huge.
8. Kevin Garnett
Age - 25
Ratings - B+ C+ C+ A A- C
Stats - 25.5 PPG 12.0 RPG 4.2 APG 1.6 BPG
Contract - $3,517,514
The only thing not sexy about this guy is his contract. He does expire at the end of this season, but he deserves the money he will be getting. KG reminds me of a young Chris Webber. Great scorer, rebounder and defender sure, but he is also one of the best playmakers from the PF position. KG was one of the guys who stayed in college for a long time so you think he would have came into the league and been great, but that wasn't the case, KG has been a late bloomer, as he is finally having his breakout season, 4 years in. The Blazers have been firing and hiring GMs left and right, recently hired GM I Iz Insane has a big decision to make in what he does with Kevin Garnett. It could make or break that franchise.
7. Dirk Nowitzki
Age - 23
Ratings - B- B+ C+ B+ A- A
Stats - 25.7 PPG 11.3 RPG 3.9 APG
Contract - $10,375,000 / $11,412,500 / $12,450,000 / $13,487,500 / $14,525,000 / $15,562,500
Well when Dirk isnt out on the town partying it up he is dropping 26 and 11 a night. Dirk is similiar to Odom, they have very unique skill sets and can play many different positions. There are a lot of things to love about Dirk, like his age, contract and the monster numbers he is putting up this year. But the thing that brings him down on this list is his defense at PF and C. If you can somehow play him at SF that would be an awesome lineup. But Dirk is still very young and if he ever develops a defensive game than he will be one of the best players in the league. The Kings got sort of lucky in FA when they nabbed him and he was have said to be on the block, but after they saw what he could in Preseason, he was quickly taken off the block. Kidd was just recently traded to the Kings making them the only team with two players on this list which is outstanding for the Kings.
6. Lamar Odom
Age - 21
Ratings - B+ B B B B B
Stats - 22.0 PPG 8.9 RPG 4.8 APG 1.1 SPG
Contract - $2,942,338 / $3,115,963
Fresh off an amazing TC that made him the most complete player in the league. Never seen a 21 year old with his skill set in any league I've been in. He is probably the only player in the league who can effectively play all five positions. If he was on my team I would play him at PG just so he can try and average a triple double which I could see happening later on in his career. The suns are very,very lucky to have a player like this. Like every player on this list he is a franchise player for years to come. He still has two years left on his rookie contract which is amazing. The Suns better not like this guy walk in his final year. I can see Odom battling for the MVP award year in and year out in just a few years. He should also have his team in title contention every year for years to come.
5. Jason Kidd
Age - 28
Ratings - B B+ A+ A C C
Stats - 20.4 PPG 5.0 RPG 13.3 APG 2.4 SPG
Contract - $10,887,500 / $11,725,000 / $12,562,500
What would this list be without the best PG in the league? And Jason Kidd comes it at #5. To me he is by far the best PG in the league, only because Etienne plays a few other position from time to time. Kidd holds the league lead in assists, 3 more then the next time. Kidd is also third in the league in spg. And Kidd was JUST traded to the Kings, proving my point that any player can move at any time for the right offer. Though the deal was kind of lop sided has a lot of guys shaking their head. The Twolves did manage to get back two promising young rookies and a veteran PG along with their first this year, which seems to be the big piece of the deal. Kidd was originally drafted by the Kings in 94 and now he is finally returning their to form a duo with Dirk Nowitzki. The things that bring Kidd down a bit on this list is his age and his contract. Though he isnt old nor does he have a bad contract, but both just aren't as desirable to some GMs.
4. Tim Duncan
Age - 25
Ratings - A- C- C A A B
Stats - 20.8 PPG 13.1 RPG 3.3 APG 2.6 BPG
Contract - $10,375,000 / $11,671,875 / $12,968,750 / $14,265,625 / $15,562,500 / $16,859,375 / $18,156,250
Tim is basically the younger version of Shaq. With just a few more years of perfecting his post moves, Duncan should take over as the most dominant big man in the league. He already has the rebounding and defense. He just needs to prove he can be a franchise scorer before we can crown him most dominant. Another great thing about him is that he just got a brand new 7 year contract that should keep him in Cleveland for a long time. Duncan and the Cavs are out to a 21 and 12 start and im sure GM Ducky with a capital D is having to ignore some of the other GMs who keep asking for Duncan. But Im sure it has to be hard to look at some of those good offers yet you have to turn them down because players like Duncan dont come around to often. Duncan is another guy I just dont see moving in the near future no matter what the offer is.
3. Shaquille O'Neal
Age - 29
Ratings - A+ D+ C+ A+ A C
Stats - 28.0 PPG 12.6 RPG 4.8 APG 2.3 BPG
Contract - $12,562,500 / $13,609,375 / $14,656,250
Shaq comes in as the oldest player on the list, but also the most dominant outside of Preira. Shaq might not have been so high on this list if he wasn't having the best season of his career. If he keeps this up he will set a career high in scoring. Shaq is a bit of a controversial pick here since he is older and expires in three years, but you just can't deny his greatness. He still has a ton left in the tank, which he has proved this season. The Grizz's run atop the league was thought to have been over, but as long as they have Shaq they should be atop the West for years to come. The Grizzlies have managed to keep Shaq for his entire career and the Grizz have been winning his entire career. Shaq is surrounded mostly by a bunch of has beens, so the Grizzlies GM will need to bring in some fresh new talent if he wants to keep this thing going.
2. Kobe Bryant
Age - 22
Ratings - B+ A B- A- C A
Stats - 28.1 PPG 7.0 RPG 4.3 APG 1.7 SPG
Contract - $10,828,125 / $12,031,250 / $13,234,375 / $14,437,500 / $15,640,625 / $16,843,750
Kobe might not have cracked this list last year, but he is definitely deserving of this spot. He has been nothing short of dominant this year. Kobe is also the second youngest player on this list at 22 years old and he just got a new contract last year. The Heat have a real gem here, Kobe has led them to a 21-11 record so far this season while shooting a cool 51% from the field. The Heat don't have much outside of Kobe, so Kobe is having to beat double and triple teams night in and night out. Kobe has the Heat in title contention for the first time in awhile. It may not seem like Kobe could ever leave Miami, but I've seen it happen before. That can't be for certain, but what is certain is that the Heat have found a franchise player for many years to come. As long as they can keep putting good role players around him then they will win, but the day that they find Kobe a side kick, the rest of the league better look out. Kobe almost grabbed the #1 spot, Etienne just got the edge because of the production category, no one comes close to him in production.
1.Etienne Preira
Age - 28
Ratings - B A A A C+ C
Stats - 30.2 PPG 7.9 RPG 8.8 APG 2.8 SPG 1.9 BPG
Contract - $12,993,750 / $14,437,500 / $15,881,250 / $17,325,000 / $18,768,750 / $20,212,500
It is almost unfair just how good this guy is. I mean just look at his freakin stat line. WOW. And to think he was the 14th pick in the second round. The 76ers couldn't bring him back after his second round contract was up. It was then that the Chicago Bulls made the biggest FA steal of all time. They signed the young Senegalian to a 5 year deal worth 45 million dollars. The rest is history. Preira went on to win the Bulls two titles, and 4 MVP awards for himself. The game has truely never seen a player quite like Etienne. An unknown who no one cared about to truely being what I think may be the only player in a sim league who I think is untouchable. Preira is still only 28, so he still has many years left. He is due to make 20 mil when he is 34 years old, it will be interesting to see what kind of player he is at that age.
