With holleybard's blessing, I have taken on this league for another season.
This is the league in which we replay the 2009-10 season, with help from the 50 Greatest Players of all time, who make up the draft pool. There will be a two-round draft in the 24-team league, with each team coming away with 2 all-timers (so, technically, it's the Greatest 48 players of all time).
Draft order will be determined by 09-10 total team salary, worst-to-first draft in both rounds. Here are the rules:
* No WW, Rookies or Trades (and that includes no trading of draft spots).
* Each team will draft 2 all-time greats. Those players are yours exclusively. You can use any season of your draftees' careers, ABA and NBA alike. To make room for them on your roster, you're the coach/GM: cut any 2 players who don't fit.
* There will be one all-time great clone: Shaquille O'Neal (the only active player on the 50 Greatest team). Other "clones" will be players who were traded during the season. You can only use players who performed for your team. Let's use the Wizards as an example. The Wizards coach will NOT be permitted to use the 74-game season of Caron Butler; just the 47 he played in Washington.
* No Cap, it will be high enough where all teams will fit under it
* Divisional/conference alignment will be kept as close to real life as possible. Please find a way to either incorporate the city or nickname of your team when naming your squad. Also, not that the game factors this in, but also try to use an arena that is identified with your team (the Celtics playing in Staples or the Knicks at Boston Garden just seems criminal).
* Franchises are first come, first serve.
* Have lots of fun
Here is the official list of the 50 Greatest Players, released in 1996:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/nba_50_greatest.html
12/30/2010 8:50 PM (edited)