Grade your team (EL2022/23)

[tonia]

James is better off where he is! He doesn't need to go anywhere else.

[ronmercer80]

Monaco's season just finished, my evaluation.

S.Obradovic 8, he won the french championship and the cup + an excellent 3rd EL place.

Lloyd 7,5, his best El season.

Okobo 7, quality and personality but we expect more.

Mike James 4,5, please go away.

Blossomgame 5, quite a disappointment.

The 2C, Hall and Motejunas, 6,5, not two superstars, complementary to one another, they did their best.

Rest of the roster: 6, they did their job.

[markkanen]

My team is Zalgiris Kaunas. They had one of the smallest budget in last season, so 7th place is really great achievement. I mean, just look at this roster:

Evans/Taylor, Lekavicius, Giedraitis
Brazdeikis, Dimsa, Lukosiunas
Ulanovas, Butkevicius
Smits, Polonara/Cavanaugh
Hayes, Birutis, Krivas

There is no experience, no one with obvious quality, no big names. Zalgiris players were a big underdog against all teams except Alba and ASVEL. I mean, they had more victories than strong teams with expensive players like Virtus Bologna, Red Star, Anadolu Efes, Emporio Armani Milano or Panathinaikos. Great, great season, I bet that all fans will agree with me.

[ronmercer80]

You may be right. I didn't expect much from Mantzoukas and I didn't like Lee at all during the first round. So, I gave them these grades because they exceeded my expectations. However, I think that Mantzoukas will turn out to be a good player.

I agree that he has the potential but it's not enough. He has to work a lot in order to be able to contribute also close to the paint, he is 2.06

Otherwise we will have a new Charalampopoulos-style missing talent. No one wants that.

[tonia]

Mantzoukas 8? The guy has shown nothing except his 3pt shot. He turns around looking for the occasion to shoot. His defense is very weak, a real hole. Lee was a disaster till February, by then he has improved but 7 overall?

A very very generous girl. Ponitka, Papagiannis and Grigonis ok. Bacon difficult to evaluate but rather bad percentages, ok for Radonjic responsibilities but it was Serelis who ousted him and now we notice a great upgrade regarding the team spirit without him.

You may be right. I didn't expect much from Mantzoukas and I didn't like Lee at all during the first round. So, I gave them these grades because they exceeded my expectations. However, I think that Mantzoukas will turn out to be a good player.

[ronmercer80]

It's also easy for me to grade my team, clearly an F. I didn't expect (just hoped about) top-8, but I was sure that we would have a better season than last year, having Grigonis and Ponitka in the team.
I give an 8 to Mantzoukas, a 7 to Lee, Gudaitis and Ponitka, a 6 to Papagiannis and a free pass to Grigonis, considering the situation with our "beloved" ex coach (I graded them based on what I expected from them). I'm a little confused about Bacon's grade. Since I blame Radonjic that the team played without systems, I'll give Bacon a 7 for his individual game.

Mantzoukas 8? The guy has shown nothing except his 3pt shot. He turns around looking for the occasion to shoot. His defense is very weak, a real hole. Lee was a disaster till February, by then he has improved but 7 overall?

A very very generous girl. Ponitka, Papagiannis and Grigonis ok. Bacon difficult to evaluate but rather bad percentages, ok for Radonjic responsibilities but it was Serelis who ousted him and now we notice a great upgrade regarding the team spirit without him.

[Jazz]

Have you checked result of the series and how Calathes played?

Yeah I spoke too soon after game one. Micic was really on fire in the past two games.

[Killer Bob]

Itoudis was well aware of Calathes' limitations before he signed him but they are having a very solid season with him as their PG. Have you checked the result of the Fener - Efes game played last night?

Have you checked result of the series and how Calathes played?

[Killer Bob]

I agree. Exceptional shooters or exceptional defenders (or both in the optimal case) will always find a spot surrounding the superstars of each team. Superstars are usually ball dominant inside scorers so they need a team around them will help them with spacing. A guy like Stojakovic would still be a significant contributor in the NBA imo.

It looks to me that main target nowadays, for teams that already have 1 or 2 superstars are exceptional defenders, who can hit open shots.

[Killer Bob]

Which profiles? Superstars or 3 and D? Recently superstars in NBA are Europeans - Jokic, Doncic, Giannis. There's a good chance, basically inevitable that Wemby will be another one. Close to that may be Franz Wagner, Banchero and Matas Buzelis (latter 2 grew up in the states though). So that breed is visible and possible.

3 and D? Defense side may be a bit more complicated for Europeans somehow. Plenty of guys who are versatile forwards or bigs offensively.

3&D, with emphasis on D.

Wembanyama can be one of best ever or just a little better KP, depends how his body will hold. Normally that big and stretched players don't have long and healthy careers.

[Straight forward]

...and have at least one exceptional skill, if you want to be a starter. Nba is not looking for players like Micic, they want superstars or players that can complement those stars, mainly in D and shooting. With new CBA, teams with multiple max. players, like Warriors, will be almost impossible to build. Future is 1 or 2 stars, surrounded with not too expensive 3&D players. Europe don't have that profile of players.

Which profiles? Superstars or 3 and D? Recently superstars in NBA are Europeans - Jokic, Doncic, Giannis. There's a good chance, basically inevitable that Wemby will be another one. Close to that may be Franz Wagner, Banchero and Matas Buzelis (latter 2 grew up in the states though). So that breed is visible and possible.

3 and D? Defense side may be a bit more complicated for Europeans somehow. Plenty of guys who are versatile forwards or bigs offensively.

[paspalj]

...and have at least one exceptional skill, if you want to be a starter. Nba is not looking for players like Micic, they want superstars or players that can complement those stars, mainly in D and shooting. With new CBA, teams with multiple max. players, like Warriors, will be almost impossible to build. Future is 1 or 2 stars, surrounded with not too expensive 3&D players. Europe don't have that profile of players.

I agree. Exceptional shooters or exceptional defenders (or both in the optimal case) will always find a spot surrounding the superstars of each team. Superstars are usually ball dominant inside scorers so they need a team around them will help them with spacing. A guy like Stojakovic would still be a significant contributor in the NBA imo.

[Killer Bob]

My two cents:

Unless you are a magician like Luka or Jokic, you need supreme athletic ability to thrive and survive in the NBA. You can be a good basketball player but the season is grueling. You can’t afford not to be in great condition, you’ll just break down.

...and have at least one exceptional skill, if you want to be a starter. Nba is not looking for players like Micic, they want superstars or players that can complement those stars, mainly in D and shooting. With new CBA, teams with multiple max. players, like Warriors, will be almost impossible to build. Future is 1 or 2 stars, surrounded with not too expensive 3&D players. Europe don't have that profile of players.

[paspalj]

My two cents:

Unless you are a magician like Luka or Jokic, you need supreme athletic ability to thrive and survive in the NBA. You can be a good basketball player but the season is grueling. You can’t afford not to be in great condition, you’ll just break down.

[Killer Bob]

What actually makes a great European player excel (or not) in NBA? Is it all about skills or are there more factors (besides injury issues)?
For sure, it is best for a player to make the effort as soon as possible, but for example Arvydas Sabonis went to Blazers when he was 31.
I'm wondering how come De Colo didn't excel with the Spurs, playing with Diaw and Parker.

Sabonis in prime was on Jokic level. Bigger, better athlete, but not similarly good passer. Jokic better in offense, but Sabonis was pretty good too. Sabonis better defender. That's why he could play in Nba without knees.