All-Time NBA Roster with $15

[wadesworld]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2077569-15-all-time-nba-team-challenge-sweeps-the-internet?is_shared=true

Interesting discussion topic.  For me, Durant definitely is the 3. I think I'd take Shaq at the 5. Duncan definitely at the 4. Jordan at the 2 and I kind of like Stockton at the 1. I'm a big fan of pure point guards. If Jordan wasn't so good I'd be tempted to go with Magic at the 1, Wade at the 2, Durant at the 3, Duncan at the 4, and Russell at the 5.

I am a big believer that Duncan is head and shoulders the best PF to ever play the game. He's a steal for me. Shaq at $2 is also a steal, but it's hard to argue with the 3 above him. Top 2 PGs are, in my opinion, at a level above the next 3. I'd be tempted to switch Kobe and Jerry West, and would definitely switch Wade and Clyde, but Jordan is clearly head and shoulders above any other SG. SF you could interchange basically any of the top 4, and it would've been interesting to see Pippen in his prime where he was the key piece of a team.

[Wojo'sMojo]

My $15 roster would be

PG  Oscar Robertson   $4
SG  Michael Jordan     $5
SF  Kevin Durant        $2
PF  Tim Duncan          $3
C   Hakeem Olajuwon  $1

I think Hakeem for $1 is a steal and don't see any combinations that would top my team 

[GGGG]

This is pretty cool.  I'd go Stockton, Jordan, James, KG and Hakeem...and have $1 left over.  (I'm not "upgrading" the PG with Isiah because you already have plenty of offense...I think KG is better than Dirk...and Shaq would clog the lane too much with MJ and LBJ.)

Although I must admit Magic & Durant might be a better combo than Stockton & James.  But it's close.

Some of these guys are underpriced (Duncan is way better than Malone or Barkley), and some are overpriced (Dr. J is in no way shape or form better than Durant).  I think the center position has a ton of bargains.

[Skatastrophy]

Jordan, James, Kareem

3 on 5 and they'd still win

[Freeport Warrior]

My $15 roster would be

PG  Oscar Robertson   $4
SG  Michael Jordan     $5
SF  Kevin Durant        $2
PF  Tim Duncan          $3
C   Hakeem Olajuwon  $1

I think Hakeem for $1 is a steal and don't see any combinations that would top my team 

agree

[reinko]

MJ would be the shortest at 6'6", all the other 6'9" and above with range.

Magic: $5
MJ: $5
Durant: $2
Dirk: $2
The Dream: $1

[Silkk the Shaka]

All in their primes?

I go:
Magic $5
Wade $1
LeBron $5
Duncan $3
Hakeem $1

[Benny B]

My $15 roster would be

PG  Oscar Robertson   $4
SG  Michael Jordan     $5
SF  Kevin Durant        $2
PF  Tim Duncan          $3
C   Hakeem Olajuwon  $1

I think Hakeem for $1 is a steal and don't see any combinations that would top my team 

I could see going with Shaq for $1 more than Hakeem simply because Shaq knows all 20 of Hakeem's moves.  Otherwise, you're pissing money away with Kareem, Russell, and Chamberlain

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I know it's not the most sexy, but this team would be ridiculous on the defensive end.

Stockton $2
Jordan $5
Lebron $5
KG $1
Hakeem $1

It has enough scoring, but probably not enough jump shooting to spread the floor.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I know it's not the most sexy, but this team would be ridiculous on the defensive end.

Stockton $2
Jordan $5
Lebron $5
KG $1
Hakeem $1

It has enough scoring, but probably not enough jump shooting to spread the floor.

I actually like that team better than mine from a shooting perspective. KG can hit the midrange J and Stockton can drain an open 3, of which there would be plenty available on that team.

[GGGG]

I know it's not the most sexy, but this team would be ridiculous on the defensive end.

Stockton $2
Jordan $5
Lebron $5
KG $1
Hakeem $1

It has enough scoring, but probably not enough jump shooting to spread the floor.

Great minds...

[🏀]

I know it's not the most sexy, but this team would be ridiculous on the defensive end.

Stockton $2
Jordan $5
Lebron $5
KG $1
Hakeem $1

It has enough scoring, but probably not enough jump shooting to spread the floor.

This is what I came up with and a co-worker did the same with no discussion.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Great minds...

With this team, you could go under and switch a lot of pick&Roll and not lose a thing. Also, Stockton was not only great at P&R on the offensive end, but he was a really good defender in his prime.

If you really want to get weird, imagine that team playing a zone and allowing them to improvise a little bit.

Offensively, you'd have to find some ways to create space, and that would be a challenge. Stockton, Jordan and Lebron are all best with the ball, so you'd have to find ways to keep the ball moving the the floor spread out.

[mosarsour]

I'd have to go with:

Oscar Robertson: $4
Michael Jordan: $5
Kevin Durant: $2
Tim Duncan: $3
Hakeem Olajuwon: $1

Hakeem is a steal for a buck!

[Sunbelt15]

Magic $5
Jordan $5
Pippen $1
Duncan $3
Olajuwon $1

All around clutch players, chemistry at 2 and 3, complete court vision at 1 and 3, and defensive juggernauts at 2 thru 5 with a long point guard, the ultimate finisher at 2. Unbeatable in any series.

Olajuwon at $1 makes no sense.

[Benny B]

If you want to take this to the existential, I don't think you would want to put Jordan and James on the same team... sure, you might have the two greatest individual players of all time, but would they play well with each other?  Who gets to take the winning shot in Game 7?  Who gets front billing on the team poster?  Whose shoes does the team wear?  Who gets to drive the golf cart?  How's MJ going to feel about his teammate flopping like a flounder on the floor?

Too much risk, IMO, to put those egos together on the same floor.  I think you're better off with either MJ-Bird or LBJ-Kobe than MJ-LBJ... you're going to want a combination where there isn't going to be pressure on one-upping your teammate.

[GGGG]

I don't think LBJ has near the ego that MJ...or Kobe...has.  I think they would actually complement one another quite well.

[PBRme]

Frazier $1
Wade $1
LeBron $5
Barkley $4
Russell $4

[Silkk the Shaka]

If you want to take this to the existential, I don't think you would want to put Jordan and James on the same team... sure, you might have the two greatest individual players of all time, but would they play well with each other?  Who gets to take the winning shot in Game 7?  Who gets front billing on the team poster?  Whose shoes does the team wear?  Who gets to drive the golf cart?  How's MJ going to feel about his teammate flopping like a flounder on the floor?

Too much risk, IMO, to put those egos together on the same floor.  I think you're better off with either MJ-Bird or LBJ-Kobe than MJ-LBJ... you're going to want a combination where there isn't going to be pressure on one-upping your teammate.

The dream teams have worked out pretty well

[Henry Sugar]

I spent way more time than I should have, but I took the full-career WS48 for each player and then made a quick optimization model.

The best team possible regardless of salary is:
C   Chamberlain
PF   Barkley
PG   Magic
SF   Lebron
SG   Jordan
The total salary is $22. The team would have a combined WS48 of 1.182 (which is as impossible as assembling this team).

The best team I could find with the salary constraints is:
C   Chamberlain   $3   0.248
PF   Duncan   $3   0.211
PG   Stockton   $2   0.209
SF   Durant   $2   0.205
SG   Jordan   $5   0.25
The team would have a combined WS48 of 1.123.

Runner up is:
C   Chamberlain   $3   0.248
PF   Nowitzki   $2   0.208
PG   Stockton   $2   0.209
SF   Lebron   $5   0.243
SG   West   $3   0.213
With a combined WS48 of 1.121

[wadesworld]

I spent way more time than I should have, but I took the full-career WS48 for each player and then made a quick optimization model.

The best team possible regardless of salary is:
C   Chamberlain
PF   Barkley
PG   Magic
SF   Lebron
SG   Jordan
The total salary is $22. The team would have a combined WS48 of 1.182 (which is as impossible as assembling this team).

The best team I could find with the salary constraints is:
C   Chamberlain   $3   0.248
PF   Duncan   $3   0.211
PG   Stockton   $2   0.209
SF   Durant   $2   0.205
SG   Jordan   $5   0.25
The team would have a combined WS48 of 1.123.

Runner up is:
C   Chamberlain   $3   0.248
PF   Nowitzki   $2   0.208
PG   Stockton   $2   0.209
SF   Lebron   $5   0.243
SG   West   $3   0.213
With a combined WS48 of 1.121

Looks like my team but I wanted a Seroogy peanut butter candy bar so I took Shaq at center and spent my saved dollar on my appetite. And I didn't do all the nerdy number finding (kidding).

[Silkk the Shaka]

I spent way more time than I should have, but I took the full-career WS48 for each player and then made a quick optimization model.

The best team possible regardless of salary is:
C   Chamberlain
PF   Barkley
PG   Magic
SF   Lebron
SG   Jordan
The total salary is $22. The team would have a combined WS48 of 1.182 (which is as impossible as assembling this team).

The best team I could find with the salary constraints is:
C   Chamberlain   $3   0.248
PF   Duncan   $3   0.211
PG   Stockton   $2   0.209
SF   Durant   $2   0.205
SG   Jordan   $5   0.25
The team would have a combined WS48 of 1.123.

Runner up is:
C   Chamberlain   $3   0.248
PF   Nowitzki   $2   0.208
PG   Stockton   $2   0.209
SF   Lebron   $5   0.243
SG   West   $3   0.213
With a combined WS48 of 1.121

Ha awesome. I actually thought about doing this, thanks for saving me the time

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

1: Magic $5
2: Jordan $5
3: Durant $2
4: Nowitzki $2
5: Hakeem $1

It has recently been made clear to me that it is a guards' game. Spend your money there.

[LloydMooresLegs]

Looks like my team but I wanted a Seroogy peanut butter candy bar so I took Shaq at center and spent my saved dollar on my appetite. And I didn't do all the nerdy number finding (kidding).

mmmm.....Seroogy's

[MU82]

This is pretty cool.  I'd go Stockton, Jordan, James, KG and Hakeem...and have $1 left over.  (I'm not "upgrading" the PG with Isiah because you already have plenty of offense...I think KG is better than Dirk...and Shaq would clog the lane too much with MJ and LBJ.)

Although I must admit Magic & Durant might be a better combo than Stockton & James.  But it's close.

Some of these guys are underpriced (Duncan is way better than Malone or Barkley), and some are overpriced (Dr. J is in no way shape or form better than Durant).  I think the center position has a ton of bargains.

The only thing Durant does better than Julius did is shoot the 3. Julius had the ballhandling skills and passing ability of a PG, was a powerful player around the rim, was a far superior rebounder, was a good defender and was a natural scorer.

I'm not saying Durant isn't a better "value" in this little fantasy team exercise, but if you think Durant is head and shoulders above Julius, I'm wondering if you ever really saw Julius play ... especially his years in the ABA, when he was a revelation. A great clutch player, too.

Jordan often said that when he grew up, he wanted to be the next Dr. J.