NBA Supercoach | Backboard Brown | SC thoughts on all NBA teams

The million dollar question for all NBA Supercoach’s, or should I say the $28 million dollar question is to start or not start with the Joker. The 2 game week, he could still easily be close to the highest scoring player in week 1, and for me, having to rip my roster apart to get him in in week 2, I have made the decision to start with the Joker (for now). I am in the minority though, with only 28% of coaches having him in their side.

NBA Supercoach is not like any other Supercoach game, or even traditional fantasy, you are playing the schedule here. But getting your roster right at the start is key. We are fortunate with a big crop of rookies set to be contributors to their roster from week 1, but if Cooper Flagg was in this draft, he would have gone #1, so there might not be a Cooper Flagg money printing rookie from the jump.

 Is there some money to be made from some mid price guys, or some fallen guns? Lets take a look.

ATLANTA HAWKS

There is no disputing it now, this is Jalen Johnson’s team. Currently sitting at 9.9% owned, the 6th most expensive player in SC, hard to say he is a better starting option than the guys in front of him (more expensive then him). CJ McCollum will start, but where is the love for Kingston Flemings? The 8th pick in the draft got a pre-season start, with CJ not playing. Kingston might serve a long apprenticeship under CJ, but if he gets meaningful minutes, the money will be made.

BROOKLYN NETS 

Is this the most irrelevant Supercoach roster for the season? I’m not convinced on Mikel Brown Jnr as a must have rookie cash cow. Playing the point with two ball hogs in MPJ and Julius Randle, does he get enough opportunity to put some decent stats together? Jury out for me. Can someone also explain to me why Moritz Wagner is 30% owned? ESPN has him forecast to play 13.3 minutes as a back up big for 8 points and 3.5 rebounds. No thanks.

BOSTON CELTICS

Is there a player coming in to the season with a bigger chip on his shoulder than Jayson (with a Y) Tatum? The 2 game week to start is a bummer, but at a discounted price, he should be the most traded in player in week 2. Not much else to write about right now.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS

Hannes Steinbach leads the ownership for the Hornets at 11.6%. I am not convinced he is the back up big, with Ryan Kalkbrenner of 2025/2025 SC cash cow fame, doing nothing to lose his position as the second big behind Moussa Diabate. With Naz Reid coming into the squad, he will lead a small ball 5 at the centre position, so its buyer beware on Hannes. There is some love for Brandon Miller, but Naz is slightly cheaper, and could produce some great numbers on a shitty team. Naz is under priced, there is some value there.

CHICAGO BULLS

Caleb Wilson is a no brainer pick here, but the question is, is it his team or is it Josh Giddey’s team? With the addition of some shooting (hello Norm Powell), Giddey could lead the league in assists. He could also lead the league in turnovers. Its a homer pick (shout out to the whitest Australian in the NBA since Andrew Gaze), but for what its worth, ESPN has him projected for 18.5 points, 9.6 assists and 9.2 rebounds, as well as 1.8 STOCKS. All increases from last year.

CLEVELAND CAVS

A roster mostly ignored due to the 2 game week to start the season, its a tricky one at the best of times with Mitchell and Harden taking it in turns, and then Mobley and Allen doing a lot of his turn, my turn play. You are always chasing the hot hand here. Hard to see Peyton Watson carving out a significant enough role to add value (points or dollars) to Supercoach rosters this year. Beware the guy on a new team who thinks he is better than what he is.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Another question mark on whose team this is, Flagg’s or Irving’s? Irving is interesting, under priced at first glance, after missing all of last season. The last time he played more than 65 games in a season was with the Celtics in 2018/2019. He might be a guy to make some cash out of, but for me, I want to see how Flagg and Irving co-exist before I can swing for Irving, who is owned at 9.6%. Flagg at 26.4% owned should improve on all his rookie numbers, except for assists which should be much the same with a PG to play with (finally).

DENVER NUGGETS

Joker is a set and forget for me. No one else on this roster is owned by more than 1%, and that story checks out with the 2 game week to start. DeMar DeRozan has been announced today as the 6th man on his new team, which might be good for his Supercoach prospects. Not sure if there is any money to be made with him though.

DETROIT PISTONS

Commonsense has prevailed, and Jalen Duren has put pen to paper on a $200 million extension. Cade will be happy, but will Jalen? You’d like to think so, but these drawn out contract negotiations have derailed teams in the past. Ausar Thompson is worth a look early, he also signed the big extension, and could be in for a big leap in stats. 3% owned.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

A lot of buzz about summer league MVP Yaxel Lendeborg, who sits at 57.1% owned. Been named the SF starter with SF/PF dual in SC, but Steve Kerr has a long history of not trusting rookies. In Yaxel’s favour, this roster is poo, and it will be a sad ending to the Steph Curry career, if the second best player on his team in his twilight years is Brandin Podziemski. Steph is nostalgically picked in 4.1% of teams. I admire your dedication. Not for me.

 HOUSTON ROCKETS

Don’t look now, the Rockets have a point guard, albeit one returning after missing all of last season due to injury. Does a 31 year old Fred Van Fleet alter the Supercoach landscape here? There might be some sneaky value in FVV, but returning from injury after a full season missed, I would like to watch and see. Sengun, KD and Thompson all were great over stretches last year, but there is lots of mouths to feed, which based on ownership levels, might be the reason why the Rockets are being mostly ignored to start the season

INDIANA PACERS

Tyrese Haliburton. 43.2% owned. Returning from a torn achilles. 16 months between competitive NBA games. I get it, but I want to see it first. His assist numbers will be through the roof with Zubac as his new pick and roll partner, but again, that might take some time to gel. Here’s a left field thought - Larry Nance Jr - Priced as a rookie, and slated as the back up Center. If he can carve out a 20 minute role, he could make some coin for us.

LA CLIPPERS

The curse of Kawhi trade continues to haunt the hapless Clippers, with Brandon Ingram missing the start of the season with achilles surgery. Rui Hachimura leads the ownership from the Clippers at 9.2%, but a big man who doesn’t rebound or block, its a no from me. Gradey Dick priced at rookie price, could be a sneaky money making option. Darius Garland is the most interesting SC option on this roster, but his health concerns, not sure I can do it.

LA LAKERS

Doncic is the must own gun to start the season. And an easy captain choice. Walker Kessler is the intriguing piece here. Can he challenge Wemby for block champion, unlikely, but he could average 14 and 12 with 3.5 STOCKS, on absurd shooting percentages. Austin Reeves might also be underpriced, now there is no Lebron, and assuming the Lakers play with a bit more pace with Luka’s fighting weight at rookie levels.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Cameron Boozer must own. Karim Lopez is a watch, as the middle of this atrocious roster shakes out. Ty Jerome as the PG in the post Ja era, did average 19.7/5.8/2.8 plus a steal before injury ended his season, but this might be a team where Boozer is the only Griz player owned all season. Zach Edey I like, but he is over priced to start the year.

MIAMI HEAT

Full disclosure - I am a long time Heat fan (dating back to the Harold Miner days), and the addition of Giannis is cause for optimism in the Supercoach world, its a strange fit with Bam. You have two centers that think they are power forwards. ESPN lists Bam as the starting C, but he has the 3 point shot that Giannis doesn’t, so that might be flipped. Klay is starting. Klay is cheap. Klay is washed. I like Davion Mitchell for a big season, and looks underpriced.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Let the rebuild begin. Myles Turner is slated to be the starting center, but if this ends up being Kelel Ware’s position, I like him. Rollins and Herro will put up numbers, but on poor percentages and turnovers galore.This could be an ugly fantasy roster for the season, with the Temu Heat roster a hard avoid to start the season.

MINNESOTA TWOLVES

Isaiah Evans is the back up PG, and is only a Lamelo injury away from a starting point. I am surprised he is only owned by 23.8%. The LaMelo and Ant Man dynamic is going to be much watch League Pass to start the season. If it goes as the TWolves hope, they are both great options, LaMelo in particular is underpriced. Injury concern will always be there. Who is filling the Naz Reid void?? Kuminga anyone???

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

Has a franchise been more aptly named than these Pelicans?? AJ Johnson is the most owned player at 4.9%, and i suspect they are all NBL fans. Nothing on this roster appeals to me. Next.

NEW YORK KNICKS

The champs aren’t popular on Supercoach to start the season, with only Jalen Brunson appearing on 8.9% of rosters. This roster is deep, and the reports are that minutes will be managed so they are ready for another deep play off run. We will all own KAT at least 3 times this season, but no need to start with him.

OKC THUNDER

SGA leads ownership with 21.8%, but can you afford both him and Luka in your backcourt? I like Jared McCain here, Wallace will be 6th man, but there is a big role for McCain off the bench. There is some love for Aday Mara at 8% ownership, but he sits behind temu J Dub as the 3rd center option.

ORLANDO MAGIC

Another team disowned to start the Supercoach season. Franz Wagner is criminally underowned and priced, and currently sits in my team. Like anyone not named Desmond Bane on this roster, health the concern. Speaking of health concerns, is this the year Jonathan Isaac fulfills his potential? Given he is already on the injury report, it would seem unlikely.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

At the risk of shitting on the head of the Tyrese Maxey fan club, SC Mattrix, I cant take the risk on Maxey or Brown in week 1, despite the 4 game slate. Especially now it looks like old bones Lebron will start the season, and Embiid will play 2 to 3 of the games. I think both Brown and Maxey take hits to their counting stats, which might be off set by better efficiency, but there is a lot of mouths to feed here, and it could take a few weeks for them to figure things out. Embiid is owned in 4.3% of teams. That is 4.3% too many teams.

PHOENIX SUNS

Another team overlooked, more so due to the 2 game week to start. Khaman Maluach is the guy on this roster you need to own. Forecast for 23 minutes as the back up center with Mark Williams out indefinitely, he could carve out a nice money making role for Supercoach. Jalen Green looking for a contract as well. With the 2 game week, we get to watch him first up.

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS

Is this a redemption season for Ja Morant, or have we seen the best of him? 1.2% of coaches think he has a bounce back. It was only 2 seasons ago when he was a first round pick in traditional NBA fantasy, if he can find that again, he is criminally underpriced. Last season’s breakout supercoach star Deni Avdija seems to be the biggest loser of the Ja addition and Lillard injury return. Hard to see much to like about this roster to start the season, especially with the 2 game week to begin.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Is Ben Simmons an option to start the season? There, I said it. He has not been fantasy relevant since the 20/21 season with the 76ers during the “Trust The Process” period. Trusting Simmons is a scary thought, Darius Acuff Jnr, his backcourt team mate is the right Kings guard to start the season with. Will Zach Lavine finally get traded is the other watch for the Kings. Detroit Pistons anyone??

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

No words needed for Wemby. Must start, and the only headache for week 1 is him or Doncic for captain. Dylan Harper at 26.7% owned is interesting. I just don’t see how he takes the leap with Fox still on the roster. I am hotter on Stephon Castle to be the young Spurs guard to take a big step up this season. Tobias Harris is a great real world NBA addition to this roster, but not relevant for Supercoach.

TORONTO RAPTORS

The Claw returns to Jurassic Park. Leonard has been in and out of my team all season. How do Barnes and Kawhi co exist is my concern, that might take some time to iron that out, so might be best to avoid both of these stat sheet stffers. Speaking of time, how long until Murray-Boyles usurps Poeltl as the starting center? Give me that CMB action the moment Poeltl goes down with injury.

UTAH JAZZ

Darryn Peterson is on 59.3% of rosters. By my calculation that is 40.7% under owned. I don’t really know what else to say about this confused roster. 2 big man in Markkanen and Jackson who don’t like rebounding, but get buckets. If JJJ can stay on the court, he could be massively underpriced, you’d be a brave coach to start with him though.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Is it Trae Young season? Spoiler alert, it is for me. 15 games last season for a 17.9 points and 8 assists are both career lows. It cant get any worse surely. If, and its a big 7ft if, AD stays healthy, Trae could lead the league in assists, with 25 points a game alongside it. He is absurdly underpriced, and I like him to outscore and out earn Haliburton in the early stages of the season. There, I said it. Real world NBA, Hali all day, Supercoach, give me that Trae action.