Weekly Roundtable-January 6th

New Year's day has come and gone and one thing still remains the same. 2k12 still sucks. At any rate, year 1 of ISBA Reboot continues and is going strong. Many trades have happened in recent weeks that has changed the landscape greatly. Can the Knicks and Lakers become contenders after making 12 trades in 2 weeks? Time will tell. Joining me to discuss the topics this week is Hrvoje aka Govou and Ante. Although Ante's responses are rushed but judging from the forum lately he has problems of his own so I respect what he's going through etc. Let's get to the topics for this week without further delay.


1. Do you think that the cpu trade committee is overly harsh or fair?

Bryan: It's a little harsh, I'm not going to lie. I find it amusing that EDC, Hrvoje and Crax veto/disapprove everything but Crax and EDC make a million deals with humans, particularly EDC. Yet that's suppose to be "realistic" in some way? Look, I'm glad the trade committee isn't a free for all but sometimes they are harsh just to be harsh IMO. It's a video game (and not a very good one at that) so I say live a little and not be as harsh.

Hrvoje: It's just fair. There are trades where you have to say no, and there are more trades where you have again to say no. Some guys are trying to cheapshot CPU even now with the current state of committee, imagine how would they act if there wasn't one or if it was more open to allow ridiculous trades. The fact that there are 5 to 7 guys to give their opinion on each trade makes the trade committee one of best ideas we had. One guy might be biased, but the chances that like 6 guys are biased regarding a trade are much lower.

Ante: Well some of us are fair, but some people are really really harsh. I made some really good trades and I was blown out of the building. No need to get rude when I make a trade and y'all just blew me out just because it's Ante. I'll change my ways of dealing with ya here because I had enough.



2. What is your reaction when you see the CPU GM's do stupid things? Laugh, cry, shake your head?

Hrvoje: You obviously cant do anything about it other than to smile. When Nate or Oden or Morrow get 60+ million deals its just cringeworthy. Its like they are trying to bury their team in longshot and I hope to see the day in the day where a team won't be able to resign Deron because Humphries got a max contract. Some real NBA GM's are similar to these in-game GM's.

Ante: It's 2K, everything is possible.

Bryan: I find myself shaking my head. I just don't get it, I guess. I don't remember the CPU GM's being this stupid for offline association in past years. It's just another failure by 2k. This online association is pathetic how bare bones and unprepared it is for play. 2k has several months to prepare it for game play and go a step further by removing leagues all together and this is the best we get? If OA is going to be with this many flaws then why not leave leagues in so people have an option? Between this and no crews 2k really shit the bed for 2k12 from an online perspective.


3. If things aren't dramatically fixed with OA next year will you be purchasing 2k13 with the intent to play OA?

Hrvoje: Depends on how this season plays out. If it doesnt last 2-3 seasons then there's no purpose of playing OA in future. The mode itself just needs minor tweaks like sliders and Owner options and its good to go.

Ante: I love basketball and I'll purchase the best basketball video game available.

Bryan: ^You purchased NBA 2k10 instead of Live 10 so I know that's not true. Anyway, if they are committed to addressing the many things that plague 2k12 OA then I'll likely be around for 2k13. If it's the same thing I'll pass. 58 game seasons are a little long for my taste anyway. I realize 15-20 will be simmed but still. Had I known the OA would advance every 4 hours this time I would have voted for 29 game schedule instead.


4. Who are some early candidates for MVP and GM of the year in your eyes?

Ante: No clear MVP predictions so far to me. We must go mid January for it, but GM of the year will be Paul, edc or Vince. Clearly what Paul done, well he made miracles, that team is scary. Championship bound.

Bryan: I'm not sold on Paul and the Lakers just yet. Kyrie Irving is a clear MVP candidate right now. He's exceeded my expectations and is among league leaders in points, assists, and turnovers. Kevin Durant is having a monster season for the Thunder in mostly sims. Carmello is another guy to keep an eye on and perhaps Ray Allen.

Hrvoje: MVP is usually the best guy on a top ranked team. Those positions are currently in CPU hands and I would have to say the MVP, if the season ended today would be either LeBron or Rose. If a player is on lower than 4th in conference or he was traded then he can't be the MVP, as his team either isnt that good or he isnt that good so he had to be traded. GM award would go to Vince, that is clear by now. It's easy to get Amar'e or Dwight or whomever when you already have all the pieces of the puzzle and just have to go through or not. Cavs didn't have anything and in normal circumstances they would be a lottery team/8th seed and right now if they can avoid CPU matchups in playoffs they could go to all the way to ECF.


5. Fact or Fiction: Golden State will miss the playoffs?

Bryan: Fiction, Golden State is starting to play better and will qualify for the playoffs. Are they any kind of contender? Probably not.

Ante: Fact, the West is rugged and GSW is struggling and Dexter is getting a good 1st round draft pick.

Hrvoje: Fact. They can't win majority of games they would've need to make it.



6. Fact or Fiction: The Lakers are better after all the trades they've made?

Ante: As I said it in the previous question, Lakers are better and aiming for the big prize, they've just beat the CPU Heat and to me that's nearly impossible. So I say this is fact. Love the ESPN fact or fiction, really nice roundtable, sorry for being late edc and real life problems messed me up, sorry man...

Bryan: I'm saying fiction. They should be better but they aren't as of yet. Jamison has made little or no impact so far and I'm surprised by that. He seems like a great fit with Bynum and Kobe. The Lakers have made too many moves IMO. Paul is a great coach so they'll still be competitive regardless but I'm not sold on them being better.

Hrvoje: Fiction. Pau Gasol alone is better than all those players combined. Their trades have no real purpose other than to spin the wheel and get random guys on the Roster. They are like the "human CPU" regarding trades. Cringeworthy.

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Thanks for Hrvoje and Ante for joining me. We'll return to our early week time slot in the future editions of Weekly Roundtable.

Good read

not my words... again

Well, Hrvoje, I think Pau Gasol is a better player but not for coach like Paul who prefers Bynum, so Jamison is a much better fit, but not a better player overall, you must have that difference...


I bought NBA LIVE 10 because of DD, but that game is crap compared to 2K10...

That's his fault, not Gasols. That's like trading LeBron for Kleiza and then saying I'm better because I can use Kleiza better than LeBron.

It's not even about that it's all about trade frenzy in LA.

I tend to agree with Hrvoje on the Lakers stuff. Ability wise they aren't any better but salary cap wise they're a little better. I had to laugh at Paul wondering if he waives Luke Walton if he'll owe him the rest of his contract.

Well the question was were they better team now or before trades. Its fair to assume that we are talking about on court quality and not salary cap status. And thats what I said. Thats like saying the Bobcats are the best in the NBA because they have the best salary cap situation (and Bitchsmack Bongo).

I think the Lakers are slightly worse talent wise after all the trades but at least they're in a better cap situation.

Arenas > Fisher
Kobe = Kobe
James Posey < World Peace ,but barely on this game
Gasol > Jamison, but a huge cap saver and Jamison is decent as a fill in
Bynum = Bynum

bench has remained about the same, maybe regressed a bit but getting rid of Steve Blake and Redick's contract was nice. Bench is slightly worse but better cap wise.

Bryan wrote:

getting rid of ...Redick's contract was nice

He doesn't even play for LA, he was a part of the "unnecessary trades" so he doesn't really count.

But whatever, who cares there were 5 other talking points, not just this minor one.

I'm stuck in mediocrity, just like gsw in real life, to tank or not to tank, that is the question atm

Goldielox wrote:

I'm stuck in mediocrity, just like gsw in real life, to tank or not to tank, that is the question atm

Man you have my pick too ... I startd experimenting and trying to change my game so my projected spot now is 28th or less ... I also changed the 2k camera to broadcast. 2K is more effective but so much more boring. So cheers ...

You both are far from stuck in mediocrity. Knicks and Warriors are both trending upward IMO.

being 3-4 wins away from playoffs isn't that piss poor as it's made to look like above

its mediocre non the less, i can make the playoffs, go out in the 1st or 2nd at best, get a mid-late pick, which is, again, not good or bad, the only good thing is i've got about 13 mil to spend in FA....to sign some mediocre players

^you have such a positive outlook on things.

The upcoming FA looks quite rich. Wish Kiri and Yin made up their effing mind this FA though ...

but then again i'm not really interested in championship, so its cool

I'll have like 10 mil + full MLE for the Summer, hope that's enough to land Scal and some other top level FA.

El-Divin-Codin wrote:

The upcoming FA looks quite rich. Wish Kiri and Yin made up their effing mind this FA though ...

wait till cpu signs all decent FAs for max contracts, even if they don't have cap room

Bounce wrote:

I'll have like 10 mil + full MLE for the Summer, hope that's enough to land Scal and some other top level FA.

you can land scal now

atm I can't give him a 120mil extension

Lakers seems to be the hot topic this week. lol

I had to get rid of Pau Gasol. He's soft. I wanna get rid of him IRL too so Lakers can get a decent PG. WIth Bynum carrying the team, I have a better experience with the CPU now. Last season, I couldnt win a single game vs CPU.. now I win more CPU games than human. lol

2k wise, I think my team improved specially the bench.
The bench alone did beat the Hornets

Sessions > Blake
CJ Miles > Barnes
Marco > Ebanks
Parker > Caracter

then we have McRib, Murph, and Luke.

Forgot about Sessions. That is a nice upgrade over Blake. Similar money but one can play and one can't.

Barnes is twice the player CJ Miles is IRL and on 2k12. Marco is a 2k all star. Or at least he was in NOLA with Ante.

he scored 30 on me once with NOLA. lol unrealistic IMO. he's just a bench for me..

oh I forgot about someone.. I think this is a better comparison:

Marco > Kapono

Ante made both Bello and Gallo AllStars last season.

I suggest that next roundtable on Monday is Laker themed.