It’s safe to say that the lockout has definitely left its mark on the basketball world already. After word broke that the NBA was cancelling all NBA summer leagues, my heart was crushed. The fact that the rookies won’t initially be in NBA 2K12 has me convinced that they are taking this lockout thing a little too far, but that’s beside the point. A couple weeks ago we informed you about the “Lockout League” that will be taking place this fall out in Las Vegas. Why they didn’t think of this idea sooner is beyond me. It’s too bad that the games won’t be televised because the rosters look extremely intriguing. Unless you’ll be living the fast life in Sin City this fall, these lineups will have to serve as eye candy for now. And with that, here is Dime’s official roster breakdown of all eight teams.
Team A
Sebastian Telfair
James Anderson
Kawhi Leonard
Malcolm Lee
Larry Hughes
Marreese Speights
Melvin Ely
This group is an athletic handful of guys. Rumor is that Leonard is only playing for a week though. His presence will definitely be missed. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lee take the driver’s seat on this team. Someone’s gotta put the ball in the basket and it looks like this group will be looking at Lee to carry the weight. Telfair is the only real PG, so he’ll have to do his best to be the captain of this ship.
Team B
Derek Fisher
Armon Johnson
Josh Selby
Tony Allen
Xavier Silas
Coby Karl
Jeremy Evans
Al Harrington
Stephen Jackson
Gary Forbes
Derrick Caracter
Team B is very deep, experienced and well rounded. Fish, Allen, Harrington and Jackson will make it their duty to put some of the younger competition through hell defensively. There are also a few younger guys on this team who have something to prove, especially guys like Caracter, Silas and Karl. One player to keep your eyes on is Selby. If you caught a glimpse of the work he’s been putting in this summer, I’m sure you already know why.
Team C
Kyle Lowry
Jared Dudley
Courtney Lee
Alan Anderson
Hakim Warrick
Austin Daye
Channing Frye
This is a very well-rounded team from top to bottom. Look for Lowry to take control of this group. They’ve got some long-range snipers with Dudley, Frye and Lee, so putting up points shouldn’t be difficult for these guys. Hopefully some of Warrick’s tenacity down low can rub off on Daye. Don’t sleep on Anderson, either.
Team D
Chauncey Billups
Iman Shumpert
Damon Jones
Roger Mason Jr.
Jamaal Tinsley
Shawne Williams
Jermaine O’Neal
Team D will definitely be looking a lot older and slower than the others. With Billups and O’Neal both coming off of injuries, and Tinsley and Mason Jr. fighting to stay relevant, Team D will have a hard time keeping up with some of the younger, more athletic rosters. Last I heard, Jones was dabbling in construction this summer. Hopefully that’s not a reflection of what he’ll be bringing to the table this fall. Needless to say, all eyes will be on Shumpert. Since most Knick fans don’t know how to feel about him, he’s definitely going to be playing with something to prove this fall as well.
Team E
Mo Williams
Eric Bledsoe
Travis Leslie
Willie Warren
Al-Farouq Aminu
Ryan Gomes
Team E is going to be running circles around a few of these other teams. Although the squad is only six players deep, these guys never seem to get tired. They should have better chemistry on the court than the rest of the teams since they’re all Clippers. Look for them to use that to their advantage. I feel sorry for whoever doesn’t make the starting lineup, though. It could get lonely riding that pine all by your lonesome. Nobody likes to feel left out.
Team F
Avery Bradley
Isaiah Thomas
DeMar DeRozan
Dorell Wright
Bonzi Wells
Corey Maggette
J.J. Hickson
Team F is a roster full of hungry players. Rumor has it that Wells has been working hard trying to get back in the League. Bradley has been flying under the radar since he was drafted, so he’s looking to make this opportunity worthwhile. Thomas is on a mission to prove that he isn’t your “Mr. Irrelevant”. DeRozan and Hickson are two of the NBA’s best young players and can both taste their first All-Star appearance, not to mention Wright is tired of being overlooked. Look for this team to go out and make a mouthful of statements this fall.
Team G
John Wall
Nick Young
Marcus Banks
Jordan Crawford
Shelvin Mack
Desmon Farmer
Terrico White
Rashard Lewis
Larry Owens
Team G will definitely be the most fun to watch. The Wizards have a very promising roster and Team G is a great reflection of that. Between Wall, Young, Crawford and Mack, there is plenty of firepower on this squad. These guys will be looking to establish chemistry and get a feel for each other out there. Once they click, they’ll have the NBA sewn up. Not to mention they’ve got a solid group of young sleepers. Farmer, White and Owens are all names you don’t hear on the regular. After this fall, that will most likely change.
Team H
T.J. Ford
Dominique Jones
Dahntay Jones
Brandon Rush
Paul George
Corey Stokes
Wesley Matthews
Jordan Williams
Team H has the best team on paper. Ford is out to prove that he’s still a force to be reckoned with. Jones is the best player you’ve forgotten about; he led the Big East in scoring in 2009-10, remember? You already know what Jones is going to bring to the table. Rush, George and Matthews will provide a solid core defensively, and Williams will make every GM who passed on him in the draft feel like an idiot. The player to watch on this team however is Stokes. If you ask me, he’s the best player to go undrafted. He’ll prove he deserves a spot in the League with his performance this fall.
What do you think?
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