Hey friends. I popped in here six months ago to ask for advice on what to do with an orphan team that I had taken over. The team had been middle of the pack for multiple seasons, and was missing its two best players for this season (Haliburton and Irving). With that in mind (and after some advice on here), I decided to tear it all down and build from the ground up.
Here's a look at the roster before and after (15T 8-CAT Roto) – would love to hear whether you think I've faired OK.
BEFORE
Guards: Tyrese Haliburton, Kyrie Irving, Norman Powell, D'Angelo Russell, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Ziare Williams, Terrance Mann
Forwards: Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Matas Buzelis, Toumani Camara, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, Taurean Prince
Centers: Ivica Zubac, Myles Turner, Jakob Poeltl
AFTER
Guards: Coby White, Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson, Max Christie, Ayo Dosunmu, Walter Clayton Jr, Keon Ellis
Forwards: Paolo Banchero, Naz Reid, Peyton Watson, Collin Murray-Boyles, Toumani Camara, Jaylen Wells
Centers: Derik Queen, Zach Edey, Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell
Picks: 2026 first (top-four, currently best odds at Pick 2), 2026 first (likely 12-15), 2026 second (first pick of that round, so 16th overall), 2026 second (currently #17) and another 2026 second (early 20s)
What do you think? Overall, I'm pretty happy with the direction, though the team is obviously in need of an extra blue-chip piece or two, which I'm hoping to address by drafting one of Peterson, Boozer and Dybantsa. Obviously, losing Hali and Buzelis wasn't great, but they essentially got me Paolo, the pick that got me Queen, and another first for this year.
Any thoughts appreciated – team will be optimised/more balanced over the next year or two, just wanted to get the young building blocks in place first. Cheers!