Buy, Sell & Hold

The NSL season is a wave of alternating momentum, with all teams hoping that they have more positive upswings and stretches throughout the year than downswings. Typically, the teams that win the title have accrued a significant amount of value, whether that be in terms of wins, team output and/or roster assets, with players breaking out and improving. Also typically, the teams that don’t do so well have a lack of assets and wins and may have had players significantly lose value and ability throughout the year.




For this exercise, let’s take a look at all the times and view them as a stock – do you stay patient and hold, do you get on board or do you drop the shares like a bad habit? I will only consider each team’s fate for this season, not taking into account future trajectories past this season in terms of building or breaking down.


BUY

Miami – at the helm is one of the most subtly competitive people I have associated with. He smiles and helps everyone but the guy just wants to win. When you have titles to your name and are a 2k genius, it’s a solid buy at a current 20-9 record. You won’t make a heap but you’re a lock to profit.

Toronto – Raptors are too talented to be three games under .500 and scraping wins. Another competitive GM who hates to lose and has made it clear he is willing to sell any future assets to help win now. Commitment = security. Get on now and double your money.

Charlotte – They were never positioned to do well and have bottomed out – the margin for profit is small but with a winning percentage around .200 the only way is up. A hustler’s buy.

Milwaukee - They were never positioned to do well and have bottomed out – the margin for profit is small but with a winning percentage around .200 the only way is up. A hustler’s buy.

Boston - They were never positioned to do well and have bottomed out – the margin for profit is small but with a winning percentage around .200 the only way is up. A hustler’s buy.

Sacramento – Klemm is the guy at the roulette wheel putting it all on red, including the family pet. However, this bodes well for present results and after sputtering through the first month they bit the bullet and started James at PG and used a winning team’s settings and have looked terrific. On the surface they look shaky but James at PG could see them as Blue Chip. Amazing value at 14-13 - buy!

Oklahoma City – Devastated by injuries more than any other team in the league and they’ve managed to hover around .500. Now, with their team back at full strength, and Neo as their GM guide through the NSL Matrix, they could climb as high as top four. Get on!

Golden State – The brief Mailo era wasn’t a positive one for the Warriors but the new GM has brought trade acumen and a real chirpy, outgoing attitude to the gig. After being the worst team in the league for a few weeks, they’re much better than that now despite it not showing on the standing. New trade sees them as undervalued quite a bit.

Minnesota – Something similar to Golden State, they’ve looked horrible for weeks but recently have looked much better. At 7-19, and with Stephen Curry waiting in the wings, the only way is up. A safe option to add to your money.

SELL

Brooklyn – Don’t get me wrong, I like the Nets and I think they will be a solid playoff team, but just a week ago they had the best record in the East. Their team relies on two great players and the team system. They will keep winning more often than not but I think they might subtly slide.

Detroit – Pistons looked like a powerhouse in the first few weeks but the last few weeks sees them just hanging on. It’s same old story with Kyrie and Blake – they’re great when they’re healthy but they just are so often not. Pretty risky cornerstones, and I can’t see them staying at the very pointy end of the standings (but Adebayo and Dinwiddie could prove me wrong).

Washington – As GM Joshua would say, the Wizards are ‘pesky’ or some kind of synonym to that to describe how his team performs, as they have caused multiple upsets against ‘better’ teams. Joshua, however, is building for next year and when the eyes aren’t in the now, it doesn’t bode well for positive growth this season.

Memphis – Too many trades for Memphis and whatever grit and grind momentum they had to begin the season, where they sat atop of the standings, has well and truly gone. They are sliding down the standings as quickly as any team as of late. Jump off while there’s still room on the lifeboats.

Houston – I just can’t see this team doing any damage, and while they have held up well in the face of impactful injuries, they just don’t seem to have much in the way of ‘teeth’. I could be wrong here, and they could be a buy, but I think their GM is as happy as any other manager to slowly watch his players develop and not push the envelope.

Denver – Despite having plenty of win now veterans, without their best player in Thompson, the Nuggets are stuck in limbo this season. Despite their GM’s best efforts to shed all the veterans and slide into rebuild, the bloated contracts will keep them trapped in mediocrity.

HOLD




Chicago – Merencio has some absolute monsters in his big men and they are currently terrorising the league to the tune of a 15 win streak. If you were lucky enough to buy up when they were just 6-7, you’d be laughing all the way to a huge profit.

Atlanta – Hawks are flying under the radar somewhat but reside just a game and a half outside of top spot in the East. I genuinely haven’t noticed them at all, but Ben has been making good moves all season and his addition of Melo for a young asset ensures that he’s looking to win as many games as he can.

Cleveland – Just a few weeks ago, the Cavaliers were languishing under the rule of a terrible GM with no personality. Thankfully for Cleveland fans, their new leader is charismatic and astute in his trading, turning around the fortunes and turning over the roster effectively. They will continue to climb, albeit steadily.

Orlando – They have played valiantly as GM Gav has shipped off his win-now assets and have proven to be a team that when they are on can beat almost any other team. Just recently, Markelle Fultz lead the team to a win over the Miami Heat. With Durant on the shelf, they’ve outperformed the expectations so if you got on them at the start, they’ve still likely turned you a profit.

New York – GM smokey is one good offer away from bringing in another star and turning the Knicks into a playoff team. However, how soon will this happen? This season? No guarantee. It was clear from the start the Knicks were playing the long game so if you fancied that stock, you aren’t at risk to lose any value.

Portland – currently possessing a winning streak of 18 games, the Blazers continue to play consistently well against all-comers. Way too expensive to get onto now and could even be a sell candidate at the lofty heights they are currently reaching. But if the form continues, you have a Blue Chip asset.

LAC – I am so intrigued to see what the Clippers will be able to do without Giannis. I think the answer will be ‘a lot less’, but when he plays, he’s the best player in 2k and they can beat anybody. Too good to sell, as someone else will just snap the remaining shares up.

Dallas – A very talented roster, the Mavericks have carried over their great form from the pre-season tournament and are showing no signs of slowing down. You probably bought them as a top four team projection and I see no reason why that won’t happen.

LAL – Despite saying almost nothing to anyone in the league, GM greenmig has made moves to improve the roster for the now and has Russell Westbrook as a top MVP candidate. Greeny’s strength lies in 2k output and winning titles, so rest assured that Laker stock won’t ever dip too much.

New Orleans – Despite trading off every single win-now asset bar Donovan Mitchell, the Pels continue to trouble some good teams and put up a fight in every game. I saw them as a bottom team but they continue to hang around the eighth seed. With heart like that you can trust that winning should continue.

THE TWILIGHT-ZONE

Phoenix – Arguably the most puzzling team in the entire league, the Suns just came out and declared they had shut up shop in terms of trading, strongly endorsing their roster and inadvertently professing that they’d gotten onto a winner. However, they’ve come out this week and looked really average, despite the addition of Fournier. What has happened? I suggest steering clear of this situation for now. If you bought stock, hold. However, if they can’t figure it out you’ll take an L, as they started at a lofty price.

Philadelphia – Everbody loves GM Ben but he doesn’t appear to be showing any love to his organisation as they ghost-ship their way through the season. Everyone thought they would be contending and thus far they aren’t even in the playoffs. It’s too late to sell and I discourage you to buy until we achieve some clarity to the team’s direction.

San Antonio – Very active on the trade front, polarising GM Nels has decided to play it safe and invest in younger win-now guys at the expense of talent to maintain roster security and upside. Rumours have circulated that he’s happy to let some other teams win for the next few seasons and these sentiments should scream out to you to avoid the situation or sell your stock. Just six weeks ago, this team was a title favourite.

Utah – The Utah Jazz have copped some horrible injuries and just haven’t been able to have any continuity within their roster from week to week. However, they are a win-now team who can’t seem to win at all at the moment. If you bought at week one, and are still holding, you can’t sell now as you’ll lose out big. All you can do is hope they figure it out and sell when they climb. Otherwise, avoid!

Indiana – Another team affected by injuries and likely by a GM who has his priorities elsewhere. On paper, I really like this team but they do have injury-prone players and players such as that tend to keep getting hurt. They have posted about selling off their older veterans, which means they are happy to focus on the future. They aren’t bad enough to be a buy-low and not good enough to sell high. Avoid!