Author Topic: 15 Years Later - the Dream Team Challenge  (Read 1372 times)

Offline Joe Vancil

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15 Years Later - the Dream Team Challenge
« on: December 21, 2006, 04:51:18 PM »
Here's the challenge:  take the 12 original Dream Team Members, add one to 12 different NBA Teams, and tell why that Dream Team member would make the team a CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDER.

The Dream Teamers were:
C - David Robinson
C - Patrick Ewing
PF - Charles Barkley
PF - Karl Malone
PF - Christian Laettner
SF - Scottie Pippen
SF - Larry Bird
SF - Chris Mullin
SG - Michael Jordan
SG - Clyde Drexler
PG - Magic Johnson
PG - John Stockton

Yup - you even have to use Christian Laettner.

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Offline Joe Vancil

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Re: 15 Years Later - the Dream Team Challenge
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2006, 05:12:35 PM »
Here's my attempt:

Ewing to the Los Angeles Lakers:  The Lakers get a 2nd option to go with Bryant, a low-post scoring threat, and a shot-blocker - all the things they really need in one player.

Robinson to the Detroit Pistons:  Robinson fills the void at center, provides quickness necessary to play for Flip Saunders, picks up on rebounds and blocks that are needed, and can serve as post offense.

Barkley to the New Jersey Nets:  Nets get their counterpoint to Kidd/Carter/Jefferson.  Barkley does the dirty work, runs with the Nets, and gives the team post scoring.

Malone to the Denver Nuggets:  A low-post threat as a scorer, willing to share the ball, capable of playing up-tempo.  Can play along with other superstars and *ADD* to the harmony.  Also sets bone-crunching picks to keep people off of Iverson.

Laettner to the Dallas Mavericks:  A nice fill-in for Nowitzki, and capable of moving over and playing the big spot to provide better offense than Dampier.

Pippen to the Golden State Warriors:  Finally!  Someone capable of playing defense in Golden State, capable of either carrying the team or sharing the spotlight, and a person to bring some pride with him to work each day.  Should thrive in Nellie's system.

Bird to the Orlando Magic:  A primary scoring threat and stabilizing veteran influence to a young team, while also being a capable passer, and therefore, able to use Dwight Howard effectively.  Plus, you've now got your "time's running out" threat - from 3-point range, no less.

Mullin to the San Antonio Spurs:  A secondary scoring threat capable of playing either the 2 or the 3, with exceptional range outside.  The prefect thing to open the lane up for Duncan and Parker.

Jordan to the Chicago Bulls:  A primary scorer for a team that's deep all the way around - except in the scoring department.  Plus, a good defender capable of fitting in to the Bulls defensive schemes.

Drexler to the Utah Jazz:  The solution to the defensive problems at the 2-guard, with a solid shot, and capable of handling the ball.

Magic to the Houston Rockets:  Check it out!  A point guard actually willing to throw the ball to Ming and McGrady, who is capable of building team chemistry, and at the same time, taking a back-seat to the big guy when he needs to.

Stockton to the Miami Heat:  A pesky, pass-first guy capable of putting the ball in the hands of Shaq or Wade, shouldering the responsibility of protecting the ball, and living through Riley's workouts, capable of shooting OR driving and dishing - meaning Wade doesn't have to shoulder the entire burden of it.
« Last Edit: December 21, 2006, 05:15:23 PM by Joe Vancil »
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Offline westkoast

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Re: 15 Years Later - the Dream Team Challenge
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2006, 06:14:05 PM »
C - David Robinson - Clippers.  Brand needs another big body in the paint to help him play defense and someone who can take the rebounding load off of just his shoulders.  With D-Rob's help defense and leadership the team would  thrive.  They lack toughness and players who work HARD.  D-Rob is both and then some.

C - Patrick Ewing - Suns.  Provide a bigger body in the middle who can focus in on what everyone else doesn't want to do....rebound and play interior defense.  Maybe be able to run some back to the basket plays.

PF - Charles Barkley - Bucs.  Has a major outside threat in Redd but needs a post presence to really compliment that inside outside game.  Redd is a bonafide scorer but with no toughness inside the team is going nowhere.  CB could help major in that dept.

PF - Karl Malone - Nets.  If anyone is close to John Stockton, outside of Nash, it is Jason Kidd.  Perfect inside outside game.  A big body in the middle to help Kidd on the glass and a great passer in his own right.  IMO this would be one of the best fits out of everyone named.

PF - Christian Laettner - There is not a single place he can go that will put a team over the top.  I hated him as a player then and I still feel the same way.  Yes everyone I am still bitter that Laettner was chosen over Shaq Daddy.

SF - Scottie Pippen - Lakers.  Their defense needs improvement and who better to get?  While Odom can play the point forward he still has yet to play it quite like Pippen was able to.  Knows the systemwell , knows Phil well.

SF - Larry Bird - SA, not that they are not already a championship caliber team but a deadly outside shooter would do them nicely.  Barry is just not the same caliber shooter nor does he play as hard as Larry.  If Larry went to SA, 5-peat!

SF - Chris Mullin - Houston.  They need a shooter on this team.  T-Mac is a scorer, Raef is a scorer, and Yao is the post player.  They need a shooter to keep the defense honest and AWAY from Yao.  Not to mention it would also give more space for T-Mac to slash when he would come back.

SG - Michael Jordan - The Raptors.  Has a low post threat in Bosh.  Can score and play defense on the perimeter.  They currently do not have a player who can strap a team on their back and demoralize teams when they actually do get leads.

SG - Clyde Drexler - Hornets.  CP and CD?  May not win a championship but it sure would be fun to watch!

PG - Magic Johnson - Dallas.  Dallas is missing Steve Nash and what he brings to the table.  Magic Johnson is obviously the same kind of play maker but in a bigger body and better defender.  Magic running the show with all those players to pass to?  Championship!

PG - John Stockton - Kings.  Same reason I put Magic with Dallas.  They have players who can finish around the rim and run.  The only problem is they don't quite have a PG who can deliver the ball quite like John.    He is one of the best decision makers to ever play the game and I think that would have a huge effect on this team.  May have to adjust a few people but I think they would be better off.
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Offline Skandery

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Re: 15 Years Later - the Dream Team Challenge
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2006, 11:59:34 AM »
I'm going on the premise of what they were like when they were on the Dream Team, not at their prime
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PG John Stockton - Indiana Pacers - In the half court: Pick-and-roll with Jermaine O'Neal.  When you run, you have finishers in Granger, Jackson, O'Neal, Daniels, and the rooks.  Seems like he would thrive in and enjoy playing in Rick Carlisle's methodical offensive attack with the defensive intensity Carlisle demands.

PG Magic Johnson - Miami Heat - A reunion with his favorite coach!  They need a real point guard and someone who can run the break as easily as realize its time for Shaq to see the ball.  I like Westkoast's pick of Dallas, I just see Magic running Avery Johnson out of town for a guy like....well....Pat Riley.

SG Clyde Drexler - Orlando Magic - Clyde was a scorer and active defender with a decent outside shot.  He could thrive anywhere but with the Magic, he has two things he had in Houston.  A low-post threat, a big man that does the dirty work, and a point guard more suited to spreading the defense with a shot than attacking with dribble penetration -- Clyde will be doing the latter.

SG Michael Jordan - Philadelphia 76ers - More than anything this team needs a guy who can finish games and demand effort on defense.  They can only hear so much from Mo before a "true" leader takes upon himself to own the team.  In Iguodala, he has a multi-talented, multi-faceted forward who is an awesome defender and can handle the offense (hello Pippen).  In Korver, one of the best outside shooters in the game (hello Paxson-Kerr).  In Dalembert, a fast, quick guy with long arms who does the dirty work (hello Rodman).  In Webber, a rebounder with a decent mid-range game and some nice passing skills (a little like Grant).  I think he would try to convince the team to fire Cheeks and hire a Mike Brown-type and trade Webber for somebody like Kaman or Haslem.

SF Chris Mullin - Milwaukee Bucks - Adds to a potent offensive attack while at the same type giving the team more reliability than Simmons and puts Patterson back on the bench where he can focus on being a defensive specialist.  You've heard of Run-TMC, you'd have Run-MMC with a good-passing post-threat to boot.

SF Larry Bird - Los Angeles Clippers - Bird would be a great second scoring option (since he is now advanced in age) on a defensive-oriented team.  You have the reliable outside shooting that came and subsequently left with Radman.  A guy who can handle the offense, play great team defense, and generally pull the guys together in the locker room instead of apart (like Magette). 

SF Scottie Pippen - Houston Rockets - This team needs someone to be able to run the offense in addition to Tracy McGrady.  Instead of a Point Guard, why not a tall, lanky defensive-minded forward who brings the ball up the court and distributes giving Tracy the energy to finish the game and raise his efficiency.  When all else fails, dump in to Yao.   A little redundant with Shane Battier but I think Shane could be moved to Power Forward and you'd a heckuva imposing lineup size-wise.

PF Christian Laettner - San Antonio Spurs - Laettner is a bad player on a bad team and a good player on a good team.  He needs a good, solid team with a good, solid game plan.  Laettner can play foil for San An's big three while doing a lot of what Oberto, Elson, and Butler do more efficiently in one package.  He's also another offensively intelligent player which always helps make up for Popovich's deficiencies in that area.       

PF Karl Malone - Sacramento Kings - A leader who leads by example (without fanfare or ultimatums) for this ball club desperately in need of stable leadership and a little bit of reliability with injuries and such.  Karl Malone's spleen could be hanging out, he's giving you 82 games.  I think Bibby would wise up and learn the pick-and-roll with Malone (a guy who'll take the ball and dunk it on people) rather than Miller (a guy who'll pop the shot or work it around with a pass).  A gifted SG, in Martin, who can handle the ball and keep people honest.  And Brad Miller himself who, along with Malone, will form the best passing front court in the NBA.  Kenny Thomas and Shareef can be what they are, bench role-players.  Which leaves us Ron Artest, if he buys into the idea that its Malone's team, keep him.  He starts causing trouble, send him packing...maybe to the Clippers for Quinton Ross and a 1st round draft pick. 

PF Charles Barkley - Toronto Raptors - Would absolutely decimate people in Toronto's open court attack.  He will bang around the low block and grab a ton of rebounds, keeping Bosh fresh to work in the half-court offense and keep his minutes down a bit.  Obiously this hinders the development of Bargnani but I think he should develop nicely as instant offense off the bench.  Barkley will be Bryan Colangelo's type of big man. 

C David Robinson - Utah Jazz - Robinson will make up for all (and its quite substantial) of Carlos Boozer's defensive deficiencies.  A hardworking, cerebral player who'll understand Sloan's system and work seamlessly in the motion offense and pick and roll.  What this does is make Okur a little redundant and you can trade him for a SG (like Kirk Hinrich or Brandon Roy).  What it also does is add someone with great hands who'll be able to catch the passes Kirilenko and Williams like to zip down. 

C Patrick Ewing - Seattle Supersonics - A real low-post threat.  Essentially they'll finally get somebody who'll do all the things that they wanted someone to do when they drafted Nick Collison and then Robert Swift and then Johan Petro and then Mohammed Sene and then signed Chris Wilcox.  Ewing will be the Ying on the inside to Allen and Lewis' Yang on the outside.  Sould finally be a complete team.   

 

 

   
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Offline westkoast

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Re: 15 Years Later - the Dream Team Challenge
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2006, 12:07:38 PM »
Super cool thread btw!  Made me want to bust out all my old Dream Team basketball cards, hats, shirts, etc!

Skand, Don't you think have Barkley with Bosh is going to limit Bosh?  I know he likes to shoot jumpers but if Barkley is in the middle he will NEVER go there.  IMO once Bosh develops more of a post game he is going to be a big time player in the next 3-4 seasons.

After looking over others picks...I think I should have sent Magic to Houston instead of Dallas.  Thinking exactly how well T-Mac would play on the wing and Yao filling a Kareem type roll that would be something cool to see.  I also think he would work well in Miami for the same reason I think Pippen would work well in purple and gold.

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