NSL Musings V.1

Hello, NSL-world. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on what side of the coin you want to face up, we are absolutely, undoubtedly within the long winter of the NSL off-season. We had some hot days early on, with the pent-up trade energy released in a beautiful burst of transactions and community engagement. Now, the trades have dried up in both the NSL and the NBA. Managers have gone fishing, with fewer and fewer phone calls being made and returned. The site lays dormant, aside from the occasional release of a TPE or set of rights here and there.

While we wait, and while many of us clutch to some form of NSL entertainment or information, I will run a fine-toothed comb through sneaky pockets of information from across the NSL. In this edition, we will investigate the pick distribution across the NSL and look at roster composition, as we consider free agency in the future.


Pick Your Poison:

Which teams hold the future power of the Realm?

According to who you talk to, picks can fall into multiple categories. For some, picks bring the major source of enjoyment gained from the NSL. Others, see picks as an annual value injection to their team; a stimulus package that is to be used and spent in the pursuit of winning. Others, just see it as an asset.

What is for sure, is that there is a chasm between the teams who have spent the picks and banked the value, and those that have invested in future assets. As a baseline figure, we revert to the beginning of the NSL journey; teams were assigned five first and five seconds at their disposal to begin the NSL league with.

*It must be noted that this count doesn�t include current rookies, and the teams that selected them (some teams had multiple picks, which negatively skews the placing of them in the ranking).

*These figures don�t take into account deals that have been agreed upon in principle but not completed




The Future-Rich (10-8)

Miami Heat � 9 (5 seconds)

Dallas Mavericks � 8
LA Clippers � 8 (6 seconds)
Memphis Grizzlies � 8 (12 seconds)
New Orleans � 8 (8 seconds)
Utah Jazz � 8 (11 seconds)

The Wise Investor (7-6)

OKC Thunder � 7 (7 seconds)

Portland Trailblazers � 7 (2 seconds)

Chicago Bulls � 6 (5 seconds)
LA Lakers � 6 (7 seconds)

The Even Money (5-4)

Denver Nuggets � 5 (5 seconds) *As it was in the beginning*
Houston Rockets � 5 (5 seconds) *As it was in the beginning*
Indiana Pacers � 5 (5 seconds) *As it was in the beginning*
Milwaukee Bucks � 5 (7 seconds)
Toronto Raptors  - 5 (1 second)

Atlanta Hawks � 4 (3 seconds)
Boston Celtics � 4 (7 seconds)
Detroit Pistons � 4 (1 second)
New York Knicks � 4 (11 seconds)
Orlando Magic � 4 (7 seconds)
Philadelphia 76ers � 4 (24 2nds) *Obscene second-rounder gluttony*

The Spenders aka �Stepianed� (3-2)

Brooklyn Nets � 3 (3 seconds)
Charlotte Hornets � 3
Cleveland Cavaliers � 3 (4 seconds)
Golden State Warriors � 3 (2 seconds)
Minnesota Timberwolves � 3
Phoenix Suns � 3
Sacramento Kings � 3
Washington Wizards � 3 (1 second)

San Antonio Spurs � 2 (1 second)


Notice anything interesting? Comment below and get some discussion started about the pick distribution in the NSL!

The ten teams with the highest number of first-round picks, when combined, possess half the first-round picks in circulation in the NSL.

The bottom nine teams account for 1/6 of the first-round picks in circulation.

Speaking of sixths, the 76ers possess 1/6 of the league�s second-round picks, despite only being 1/30 teams.

Six teams out of thirty, or 1/5 of the league, hold the same amount of first-round picks as they do second-round picks.



Roster Roulette:

How are NSL teams currently composed?




Taking into account cap holds that I think will stick and disregarding those that I think will be released, we take a look at the current compositions of all NSL rosters in terms or contracted players and RFAs/returning players in NBA and rookies yet to be signed. These are merely projections and I�m certain I have got some stashes incorrect.

Atlanta Hawks - 11

Boston Celtics - 16

Brooklyn Nets - 13

Charlotte Hornets - 8

Chicago Bulls - 14

Cleveland Cavaliers - 14

Dallas Mavericks - 19

Denver Nuggets - 14

Detroit Pistons - 12

Golden State Warriors - 10

Houston Rockets - 12

Indiana Pacers - 13

Los Angeles Clippers - 14

Los Angeles Lakers - 16

Memphis Grizzlies - 17

Miami Heat - 15

Milwaukee Bucks - 10

Minnesota Timberwolves - 13

New Orleans Pelicans - 14

New York Knicks - 13

Oklahoma City Thunder - 15

Orlando Magic - 13

Philadelphia 76ers - 15

Phoenix Suns - 16

Portland Trail Blazers - 13

Sacramento Kings - 8

San Antonio Spurs - 7

Toronto Raptors - 11

Utah Jazz - 15

Washington Wizards � 15

Many teams are at capacity or near it, free agency looks to be down to a few number of teams. What do you notice?

Check back in for more NSL Musings in the future!