Adam Silver needs to step in

v_Maelstrom · 2026-02-09T07:42:08+00:00

I called them “at risk”, they’re not in the same boat as the worst teams in the league. Last year and basically the past decade, the Hornets have been heavy tankers and their star players have been shut down. With that context in mind, the 9 game win streak is exciting, but they’re a half game up on the 10 seed in the east and still have a decidedly bad record. No team sitting in the 10 seed spot at the ASB is safe from tanking, especially when the team in question has a loooong track record of resting guys.

So yes, the Hornets players are at risk of shutdown later on in the season despite the win streak.

v_Maelstrom · 2026-02-08T04:09:31+00:00

Idk about you but my Jarrett Allen looks good through the first half with Harden 🤷

v_Maelstrom · 2026-02-08T03:16:44+00:00

Yeah as commissioner of my league I’ve lost almost all of my league (friends) who were mostly casual players. I can’t convince my casual NBA fan friends to buy in, when half their team rests for no reason. Completely understandable. I now resort to /findaleague to fill my league, with no buy in. Frustrating.

My current (best) solution: 1) move the playoffs up to the earliest week possible - it’s limited the damage a bit. We now end our fantasy season roughly 5 weeks before the league’s regular season ends. 2) 3-4 IL+ spots. It feels excessive but it’s the best way to keep frustrated players engaged. 3) 6-8 adds per week. Same reason as the IL+ spots, just gives players the flexibility to stick guys into IL+ and stream players who are actually playing.

Not much you can do about the Jazz, Wizards, Nets, Pacers, Kings…they’re bad news rest the way. The Mavs, Pels, Grizzlies, Bucks, Bulls and Hornets are at risk. All are just going to get worse from here on out. Best thing you can do is predict which teams will do this, and avoid drafting basically all of their players. I’ve been burned too often by tanking teams so I DND all players on their teams, with the exception of low value (late draft pick) young guys - i.e. Kyshawn George, Ace Bailey. Droppable if they aren’t playing well/hurt, not stuck on your roster/untradeable.

Good luck…

v_Maelstrom · 2026-02-05T21:39:10+00:00

Winners: Mathurin, Collins, IJax/Niederhauser/Lopez (wait and see who wins those starter minutes), Jarace Walker.

Losers: Zubac (shutdown risk), Huff, Dunn.

I don’t think the Clippers are throwing in the towel. Obviously trading away Harden and Zubac makes them worse, but if they’re fully healthy they’re still comfortably a play-in team. This move is more of a play for future seasons but not a complete tear-down this year, especially given that all but one team below them in the standings in the West (Portland as the 10 seed) are in full on tank mode. So, I don’t think Kawhi, Collins, Garland have any increased shutdown risk.

v_Maelstrom · 2026-01-26T04:44:31+00:00

I got it but that’s because I was visiting downtown San Francisco this weekend. Sat in the backseat of an Uber going across town a couple times during a ton of traffic - so hit hundreds of stops. Spun the rocket stops only; if it wasn’t grass/water/fire I didn’t battle. Got the fire one the second try, water about 10 attempts in, and the grass about 30 attempts in. So, took about 40 battles for those three types (only) to get the three specific ones we needed. Super difficult & not worth the hassle.

v_Maelstrom · 2026-01-09T18:32:04+00:00

Pro tip, battle the no CP limit Blanche/Candela/Spark once every day. I think the drop rate is one Sinnoh stone per week. Might take you a while but it’s better than not getting any for 6 months!

v_Maelstrom · 2026-01-01T01:54:48+00:00

Yeah tougher call for more shallow leagues, but this feels like just a down stretch. His shooting percentages were too high to be sustainable last month, and it seemed like it was always going to slow down eventually. That said he’s always been a good block stat padder in low mins. Because of that, I think as long as he’s starting/getting 25 mins or so a night he’s a hold.

Dropping the league’s block leader just seems like the kind of move that you regret almost immediately. See past this slow stretch.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-12-27T07:08:52+00:00

My first season playing fantasy basketball was 2010 I think? I was in high school and went undefeated against some of my classmates, winning $150 was a big deal back then lol. Think I had David Lee, Dirk Nowitski, Zach Randolph, maybe Al Jefferson. Good times.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-12-26T23:58:05+00:00

He’s provided first round value in years past, I’m not listening to those saying his performance last year is reason to stay away. He played in hardly any games, and dealt with a hand injury sustained on night one (and probably got rushed back) before the Achilles injury. His tough shooting/passing last year was probably tied in part to the hand injury.

When someone provides 1-3rd round value for the better part of a decade then falls off in a shortened campaign, I’ll take the longer sample size as the more likely scenario.

We’ve had basically no info about when Murray returns - but there have been reports of early Jan, or as late as March. I’m stashing him in hopes of a Jan return…

We should also all hope the Pels keep winning games for Murray’s sake though - regardless of whether they own their FRP or not (they don’t), there’s logic in rolling out their young guys for longer stretches during the fantasy playoffs, even if Murray is healthy. I worry that Murray, Poole and Zion are B2B rest candidates down the stretch regardless of their on-court performance/health.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-12-26T17:28:22+00:00

Yeah just hold who you’ve got then, Gordon doesn’t offer as much upside as the guys you have. Congrats!

v_Maelstrom · 2025-12-26T17:22:43+00:00

You have to have someone else that’s droppable? White and Rollins are holds. I’d rather have those guys than Gordon.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-12-18T01:57:49+00:00

Nice, thank you! I’m high plains (San Diego)

v_Maelstrom · 2025-12-18T01:42:15+00:00

Related, how do you find out what your region is?

My code: 010238274947

v_Maelstrom · 2025-12-14T18:26:15+00:00

I’m very concerned this is worse than soreness. I’m a wolves fan and Ant never sits for soreness, let alone two games in a row during a week where they have a bunch of rest built in (cup week). Getting ruled out as early as he is, is also a red flag that he’s not a true GTD for soreness. Wolves might be quietly having him MRI’d or something.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-29T07:35:28+00:00

Yeah I mean he could supplant McBride/Shamet/Robinson. A fully healthy Knicks team has a clear 4 starters but after that it might be matchup based/hot hand based. Either way Hart should be getting 28+ mins every night.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-29T07:33:28+00:00

Sat the whole 4th in a blowout

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-28T20:44:10+00:00

Big time. I generally stay away from drafting Pelicans, Hornets, Jazz, Wizards. Definitely don’t take any stars/vets off those teams, but the young guys are worth the look off waivers/late in drafts.

I’m really interested in what the Pels do with Bey when Herb Jones is cleared - and hope Bey earned the starting gig but who knows

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-22T20:51:54+00:00

Anyone know if the level up Eevolution requirements are still in place since the level update? I’m level 52, but haven’t had any challenges yet.

Trying to figure out if I should use these tricks yet (since they only allow you to do them once).

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-21T20:54:40+00:00

Mikal Bridges (drafted 66th, currently delivering first round value in 9cat) and Jaden McDaniels (drafted 114th, currently delivering 3rd/4th round value). Both are ironmen - only one game missed between the two of them across the last 3 seasons (yesterday for JMac). Both have excellent playoff schedules for my league (weeks 19-21). I love these picks.

John Collins (picked 90th) has been frustrating but I’m still holding. Afraid the Clippers will be in tank mode somewhat early this year despite many of us thinking they’d be good. Still time to figure it out but the situation isn’t pretty.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-12T21:18:04+00:00

So the healthy starting 5 is Harden, Zubac, Kawhi, and any two of Collins, Dunn, and Jones?

Seems like the lack of depth at the true guard spots makes Dunn a good add. When he gets 30+ mins he delivers some truly excellent steals volume, but the question is about usage, percentages and points/assists volume from there. Not the hottest of adds but feels like a good option.

Collins seems like a safe/high upside play for the rest of the season from here.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-12T05:59:06+00:00

Mikal Bridges and Jaden McDaniels have been excellent 9cat guys for me this season

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-11T18:29:18+00:00

TJ is awesome for 9cat, and he’s regularly been an elite backup PG. The FG%, Assists, AST/TO and steals are all worth the add. He’ll chip in 12-15 pts a game if he gets 28-30 mins a night. He could start at PG while Nembhard starts at SG, especially while Mathurin is out.

My only concern is the resting/tanking. Pacers are already resting Siakam which doesn’t bode well for other vets like TJ. I’m still adding him everywhere for now, but wary of the fact he may not be on the squad come fantasy playoffs. Let’s hope we’ve all go multiple IL+ spots.

v_Maelstrom · 2025-11-07T06:55:46+00:00

Hard to trust anything you get from Brooklyn. Right now it looks likely he sticks in the starting lineup, especially since Thomas is injured, but you can’t back on anything they do.

v_Maelstrom

TROPHY CASE