Scene
The date is July 22nd, 2023, and Adam Silver has just shocked the world by announcing that he has sold the NBA to a relatively-unknown businessman known as KobeBrown4MVP.
KobeBrown4MVP has announced that there will be significant changes to shake up the landscape of the NBA, starting with players being swapped between teams. These were done via a random number generator and 2K ratings, to keep things somewhat similar. Starters (via ESPN depth chart) and rookies were exempt.
Player Swaps
Pelicans: Torrey Craig for Bulls: Dyson Daniels
Jazz: Damian Jones for Cavaliers: Udoka Azubuike
Wizards: De'Anthony Melton for 76ers: Delon Wright
Hawks: Gary Trent for Raptors: Onyeka Okongwu
Timberwolves: Cory Joseph for Warriors: Austin Rivers
Lakers: Ish Wainright for Suns: Scotty Pippen Jr.
Thunder: JT Thor for Hornets: Ousmane Dieng
Clippers: Justin Minaya for Trail Blazers: Moussa Diabate
Rockets: Seth Curry for Mavericks: Jae'Sean Tate
Pistons: Terence Davis for Kings: Joe Harris
Heat: Jalen Suggs for Magic: Kyle Lowry
Knicks: Malik Beasley for Bucks: Donte DiVincenzo
Spurs: Oshae Brissett for Celtics: Sandro Mamukelashvili
Nuggets: RaiQuan Gray for Nets: Braxton Key
Grizzlies: James Johnson for Pacers: Jake LaRavia
Next, the new commissioner has demanded that every team's best player and two other randomly decided starters are to be traded. Best player is decided by 2K ratings (unless I decide that a rookie is better), and starters are found via ESPN depth chart
Must-Trade Players
Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey
Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford
Brooklyn Nets: Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton, Cameron Johnson
Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, PJ Washington
Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic
Cleveland Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen
Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Grant Williams
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr.
Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, James Wiseman
Golden State Warriors: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins
Houston Rockets: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr.
Indiana Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Myles Turner
Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, Nicolas Batum
Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jarred Vanderbilt
Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar
Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Josh Richardson
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Grayson Allen, Brook Lopez
Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert
New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram
New York Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, Quentin Grimes
Oklahoma City Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams
Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Gary Harris
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker
Phoenix Suns: Kevin Durant, Josh Okogie, Deandre Ayton
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, Shaedon Sharpe, Jusuf Nurkic
Sacramento Kings: De'Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis
San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson
Toronto Raptors: Pascal Siakam, Dennis Schroder, Scottie Barnes
Utah Jazz: Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, Walker Kessler
Washington Wizards: Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma, Daniel Gafford
If a team fails to trade all of these players, they will lose all three and their nearest FRP. If they are only able to trade one, they will lose the other two and their nearest SRP. If they can trade all but one, they will only lose the player they were unable to trade away.
All lost players will enter a mock free agency. Each team will have 125 coins to bid, and a max contract will be 50 coins. The highest bid with a pitch to the player will win the player. If several bids are tied, the best pitch will get the player. Any team who loses a player will not be able to resign the player they lost.
Along with these players, one random, non-starting, and un-swapped player from each team has been released into the bidding war as well. Every team, including the team they were released from, will be able to bid on these players.
Released Players
Atlanta Hawks: Jalen Johnson
Boston Celtics: Payton Pritchard
Brooklyn Nets: Darius Bazley
Charlotte Hornets: Bryce McGowens
Chicago Bulls: Dalen Terry
Cleveland Cavaliers: Caris LeVert
Dallas Mavericks: Christian Wood
Denver Nuggets: DeAndre Jordan
Detroit Pistons: Buddy Boeheim
Golden State Warriors: JaMychal Green
Houston Rockets: Boban Marjanovic
Indiana Pacers: Ben Sheppard
Los Angeles Clippers: Bones Hyland
Los Angeles Lakers: Wenyen Gabriel
Memphis Grizzlies: Vince Williams Jr.
Miami Heat: Orlando Robinson
Milwaukee Bucks: AJ Green
Minnesota Timberwolves: Matt Ryan
New Orleans Pelicans: Dereon Seabron
New York Knicks: Jaylen Martin
Oklahoma City Thunder: Vasilije Micic
Orlando Magic: Joe Ingles
Philadelphia 76ers: Louis King
Phoenix Suns: TJ Warren
Portland Trail Blazers: Keon Johnson
Sacramento Kings: Matthew Dellavedova
San Antonio Spurs: Gorgui Dieng
Toronto Raptors: Jeff Dowtin Jr.
Utah Jazz: Juan Toscano-Anderson
Washington Wizards: Landry Shamet
Expansion
There will also be two expansion teams, named by their respective owners. Every other team will be able to protect three players, along with the three players they are required to trade. Before the expansion draft, you will only be able to trade protected players. When trading protected players, their protection slots come with them. I.E. if Team A trades two protected players to Team B for one protected player, Team A will now have 5 protection slots, and Team B will have 7. You will be allowed to switch protected players at any time before the day of the expansion draft.
Other Stuff
Bad trades will be vetoed, all currently unsigned players will also return to their previous team, and the Stepien Rule and salary cap have been removed to allow for larger trades.
End Of Mock (maybe)
The mock will be simmed in a similar way to SchlenkSystem's Chaos Mock. Each team will be asked to name their direction for the mock (i.e. tanking, rebuilding, contending), and then each team will be placed in a randomly-seeded bracket, in which each matchup will be decided via poll, based on which team has done the best job at achieving their main objective.
Teams
Atlanta Hawks: SpiralSTEPH
Boston Celtics: GoPats69
Brooklyn Nets:
Charlotte Hornets:
Chicago Bulls: lakeshowszn
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Dallas Mavericks:
Denver Nuggets:
Detroit Pistons:
Golden State Warriors: ShaiForMVP
Houston Rockets:
Indiana Pacers:
Los Angeles Clippers: Kairon
Los Angeles Lakers:
Memphis Grizzlies:
Miami Heat: sriramkrishnan2
Milwaukee Bucks:
Minnesota Timberwolves:
New Orleans Pelicans:
New York Knicks:
Oklahoma City Thunder: devynmacdonald
Orlando Magic:
Philadelphia 76ers: bentleybuehler9
Phoenix Suns:
Portland Trail Blazers:
Sacramento Kings:
San Antonio Spurs: TheBuzzerBeater
Toronto Raptors:
Utah Jazz:
Washington Wizards:
Seattle Supersonics: blocker_bears9
Expansion Team 2:
Related Posts
Trade Negotiations: https://fanspo.com/nba/s/general/p/sQJ4HE-32s3nC2/trade-negotiations-for-mock-of-madness
Trade Tracker: https://fanspo.com/nba/s/general/p/8V3MntIrHPseeF/trade-tracker-for-mock-of-madness
Roster Post: https://fanspo.com/nba/s/general/p/hxL-qS9RrbnWIO/roster-post-for-mock-of-madness
Inspired by SchlenkSystem's Chaos Mock
Please like and flame so we can get more teams filled in. Thank you!