Top 10 Stips in SLN History
Posted: May 6th, 2024, 7:22 pm
TOP 10 STIPS IN SLN HISTORY
Ashes is a god and spruces drafts up mightily where he sees fit! Before going through each draft, I thought there would be more stips, but Ashes has strategically placed stips within each draft. I do think as drafts become more modern, and we get into college, high school, and make-believe classes, stips will become a more used tactic in creating draft classes less like how they played out in real life. Ashes has said himself he likes to create stips way before the draft is actually created. Let's get into:
Honorable Mentions:
1. Lebron James 2003 Draft -- "Can play PG. Will play to at least age 39. Must be a starter for the duration of his career."
I was debating placing the Lebron stip higher because of its game-breaking nature and how long Lebron will be game-breaking because of the stip. However, we have seen this stip before and who knows how well playing until 39 on a large contract will payoff as a must-starter. The stip is playing out and has paid dividends so far.
2. Joel Embiid 2014 Draft -- "Embiid will miss his entire rookie season and there is a strong chance he misses his sophomore season as well. Could maybe extend beyond that."
What a fun realistic stip... Again, the only reason its a honorable mention is because we have not seen how it plays out yet. Everyone's first thought was how does this affect the tank, but Ashes asked how does affect the non-tank. Will it be tougher to flip the switch because who knows how long he sits out for. Is this stip stopping Embiid from being first pick? I can't wait for the preseason box scores where Embiid magically appears healthy and dominates and leaves the GM salivating and 5 seasons down the line finally steps onto the court.
3. Greg Oden 2007 Draft -- "None! Let this man have a future!"
I wanted to throw this one in here because shout out to Ashes for giving this man a career. Controversial player but dominate nonetheless.
4. "Cannot go to NDL"
This stip has been draft changing. GMs have differing theories about it, but it has ultimately changed where certain players are drafted. Do these players fundamentally have higher potential? Do they automatically go earlier because no reason to waste a prime NDL draft position, or do these players go later for the exact reason? Fun!
All-Time Stip Rankings from 10-1:
10. Darko Milicic 2003 Draft -- "Audentes fortuna iuvat"
Who knows what Darko could've become if he was drafted higher... 100 potential Darko at pick #2 would have been insane. Fun to add a little spice to the top 4 in the generational 2003 draft. Darko still ended up pretty damn good, but is definitely 5th best compared to Lebron, Wade, Melo, and Bosh.
9. Al Horford 2007 Draft -- "For 9 seasons, every offseason, Horford receives +8 to his 3P attribute. This attribute cannot change outside of that bonus for those seasons (IE cannot go up or down in TC or receive camps/freebies in 3P)."
This is a really fun stip and very realistic. Al Horford's oustide game throughout his career really took off in his veteran years, and we are seeing it now in SLN. Horford gets stocks and now add a 3pt game to the arsenal and he can become a dominate force. This is practically 4*800+5*1200=9200 free RP. If only we knew how valuable RP was going to be.
8. Shaun Livingston 2004 Draft -- "Don't skip leg day. The following injuries will turn into 2-year injuries: Broken Leg, Fractured Leg, Torn ACL, Torn Hamstring, Torn Quad, Torn Ligament and Dislocated Knee. If he is camped +8 in Strength (Non-Pick-Em/Freebie), the additional injury chance is reduced to 50%. Additionally, if he is also camped +8 in Quickness (Non-Pick-Em/Freebie), the additional injury chance is reduced to 25%. If he is camped +18 in whichever combination of Strength/Quickness (IE a supercamp), the additional injury chance is 0%."
This stip caused one of the biggest trades in SLN history when Nav traded for Deron Williams. Livingston sat out for a couple years to protect him from injury, which made his campable in the attributes Dmo wanted.
7. Big Z 1997 Draft -- "For his first three seasons, if Ilgauskas receives either of the listed injuries, he will be injured for the remainder of that season. Injuries: Stress Fracture (Foot) or Broken Foot. However, if he makes it through his first three seasons without those injuries, he will receive +25 Potential."
This stip really hit. What would Big Z have been if not for the +25 potential he received? Big Z was a big part of an early SLN dynasty and was one of the best big men in the league for a few seasons. High risk, high reward.
6. Manu, AK, Rubio 1999 and 2009 Drafts -- International Players who skipped seasons due to being under contract with foreign teams
I grouped these together because they are all similar! Each were international teenagers before coming to the NBA, and in SLN, each were international teenagers, who played out their contracts abroad before crossing the Atlantic. This stip pans out well for Rubio since AK and Manu are both Hall of Famers.
5. Linsanity 2010 Draft -- "Linsanity."
LINSANITY! Some of the most fun moments in Knicks history in my lifetime... jeez. The stip is so realistic, and creates buzz on the boards when Linsanity does hit, and damn is Lin good when Linsanity is turned on -- automatic POTM. Unfortunately, he still has yet to find his was into a playoff series where he can take over. As an FA this season, is this finally the year?
4. Jamario Moon 2000 Draft -- "Every season prior to FA, Jamario Moon's team will mysteriously incur extra debt of a random amount($1M/$3M/$5M). Any season-ending injury will incur extra medical costs to the tune of $3M rolling into the next season. His Reward Camps will cost an additional 50% RP. He cannot go the NDL."
Jamario Moon is one of the best players in SLN! Controversial... was/is Moon ever worth the risk of the stip? Thank you Tyler for bearing the expensive camps. The debt is also killer, but a team can work around it if the cap sheet is clean.
3. Eddie Griffin 2001 Draft -- "Hidden Stipulation: After his rookie season, Eddie Griffin will receive a value of -10 to +10 potential each offseason for the remainder of his rookie contract. If the team that drafts him re-signs him after his first contract, he will receive either an increase or decrease to his 3 best individual ratings based on if the changes to his potential were negative or positive on average. (Yes this second part is intentionally left unspecific)"
What a stip! The stip was originally hidden until after Mantypas drafted Eddie, and boy did Eddie get the good dice rolls. In SLN, legends live on. Eddie is now a reigning DPOY and all-league player. Absolute stud. I wonder is Eddie did get every single positive dice roll imaginable.
2. Pokemon 2005 Draft -- Gotta Catch'em All
Another fun stip that created draft night mayhem. Grundlesauce was able to pick every single one of them in the first round to receive +20 potential for all. Marvin and McCants really panned out, Raymond is decent, and Sean May is okay/pretty nonexistent.
1. Kyrie Irving 2011 Draft -- "Irving is prone to...unique scenarios. There are both random and determined scenarios. These scenarios may have varying effects that can affect his availability, team morale, or other aspects of him or his team for the duration of his career."
We all knew this was coming! This stip creates so much excitement every sim because we never know what truly is going on with Kyrie... in real life and SLN. Ashes nailed this one. I can't even imagine how many scenarios there are and the decision trees that spark or end each scenario. Once Kyrie is off a rookie deal, is he worth all the money... I think yes because he is officially one of the best in the game.
Let me know what y'all think, agree or disagree, or if I am missing any!
Ashes is a god and spruces drafts up mightily where he sees fit! Before going through each draft, I thought there would be more stips, but Ashes has strategically placed stips within each draft. I do think as drafts become more modern, and we get into college, high school, and make-believe classes, stips will become a more used tactic in creating draft classes less like how they played out in real life. Ashes has said himself he likes to create stips way before the draft is actually created. Let's get into:
Honorable Mentions:
1. Lebron James 2003 Draft -- "Can play PG. Will play to at least age 39. Must be a starter for the duration of his career."
I was debating placing the Lebron stip higher because of its game-breaking nature and how long Lebron will be game-breaking because of the stip. However, we have seen this stip before and who knows how well playing until 39 on a large contract will payoff as a must-starter. The stip is playing out and has paid dividends so far.
2. Joel Embiid 2014 Draft -- "Embiid will miss his entire rookie season and there is a strong chance he misses his sophomore season as well. Could maybe extend beyond that."
What a fun realistic stip... Again, the only reason its a honorable mention is because we have not seen how it plays out yet. Everyone's first thought was how does this affect the tank, but Ashes asked how does affect the non-tank. Will it be tougher to flip the switch because who knows how long he sits out for. Is this stip stopping Embiid from being first pick? I can't wait for the preseason box scores where Embiid magically appears healthy and dominates and leaves the GM salivating and 5 seasons down the line finally steps onto the court.
3. Greg Oden 2007 Draft -- "None! Let this man have a future!"
I wanted to throw this one in here because shout out to Ashes for giving this man a career. Controversial player but dominate nonetheless.
4. "Cannot go to NDL"
This stip has been draft changing. GMs have differing theories about it, but it has ultimately changed where certain players are drafted. Do these players fundamentally have higher potential? Do they automatically go earlier because no reason to waste a prime NDL draft position, or do these players go later for the exact reason? Fun!
All-Time Stip Rankings from 10-1:
10. Darko Milicic 2003 Draft -- "Audentes fortuna iuvat"
Who knows what Darko could've become if he was drafted higher... 100 potential Darko at pick #2 would have been insane. Fun to add a little spice to the top 4 in the generational 2003 draft. Darko still ended up pretty damn good, but is definitely 5th best compared to Lebron, Wade, Melo, and Bosh.
9. Al Horford 2007 Draft -- "For 9 seasons, every offseason, Horford receives +8 to his 3P attribute. This attribute cannot change outside of that bonus for those seasons (IE cannot go up or down in TC or receive camps/freebies in 3P)."
This is a really fun stip and very realistic. Al Horford's oustide game throughout his career really took off in his veteran years, and we are seeing it now in SLN. Horford gets stocks and now add a 3pt game to the arsenal and he can become a dominate force. This is practically 4*800+5*1200=9200 free RP. If only we knew how valuable RP was going to be.
8. Shaun Livingston 2004 Draft -- "Don't skip leg day. The following injuries will turn into 2-year injuries: Broken Leg, Fractured Leg, Torn ACL, Torn Hamstring, Torn Quad, Torn Ligament and Dislocated Knee. If he is camped +8 in Strength (Non-Pick-Em/Freebie), the additional injury chance is reduced to 50%. Additionally, if he is also camped +8 in Quickness (Non-Pick-Em/Freebie), the additional injury chance is reduced to 25%. If he is camped +18 in whichever combination of Strength/Quickness (IE a supercamp), the additional injury chance is 0%."
This stip caused one of the biggest trades in SLN history when Nav traded for Deron Williams. Livingston sat out for a couple years to protect him from injury, which made his campable in the attributes Dmo wanted.
7. Big Z 1997 Draft -- "For his first three seasons, if Ilgauskas receives either of the listed injuries, he will be injured for the remainder of that season. Injuries: Stress Fracture (Foot) or Broken Foot. However, if he makes it through his first three seasons without those injuries, he will receive +25 Potential."
This stip really hit. What would Big Z have been if not for the +25 potential he received? Big Z was a big part of an early SLN dynasty and was one of the best big men in the league for a few seasons. High risk, high reward.
6. Manu, AK, Rubio 1999 and 2009 Drafts -- International Players who skipped seasons due to being under contract with foreign teams
I grouped these together because they are all similar! Each were international teenagers before coming to the NBA, and in SLN, each were international teenagers, who played out their contracts abroad before crossing the Atlantic. This stip pans out well for Rubio since AK and Manu are both Hall of Famers.
5. Linsanity 2010 Draft -- "Linsanity."
LINSANITY! Some of the most fun moments in Knicks history in my lifetime... jeez. The stip is so realistic, and creates buzz on the boards when Linsanity does hit, and damn is Lin good when Linsanity is turned on -- automatic POTM. Unfortunately, he still has yet to find his was into a playoff series where he can take over. As an FA this season, is this finally the year?
4. Jamario Moon 2000 Draft -- "Every season prior to FA, Jamario Moon's team will mysteriously incur extra debt of a random amount($1M/$3M/$5M). Any season-ending injury will incur extra medical costs to the tune of $3M rolling into the next season. His Reward Camps will cost an additional 50% RP. He cannot go the NDL."
Jamario Moon is one of the best players in SLN! Controversial... was/is Moon ever worth the risk of the stip? Thank you Tyler for bearing the expensive camps. The debt is also killer, but a team can work around it if the cap sheet is clean.
3. Eddie Griffin 2001 Draft -- "Hidden Stipulation: After his rookie season, Eddie Griffin will receive a value of -10 to +10 potential each offseason for the remainder of his rookie contract. If the team that drafts him re-signs him after his first contract, he will receive either an increase or decrease to his 3 best individual ratings based on if the changes to his potential were negative or positive on average. (Yes this second part is intentionally left unspecific)"
What a stip! The stip was originally hidden until after Mantypas drafted Eddie, and boy did Eddie get the good dice rolls. In SLN, legends live on. Eddie is now a reigning DPOY and all-league player. Absolute stud. I wonder is Eddie did get every single positive dice roll imaginable.
2. Pokemon 2005 Draft -- Gotta Catch'em All
Another fun stip that created draft night mayhem. Grundlesauce was able to pick every single one of them in the first round to receive +20 potential for all. Marvin and McCants really panned out, Raymond is decent, and Sean May is okay/pretty nonexistent.
1. Kyrie Irving 2011 Draft -- "Irving is prone to...unique scenarios. There are both random and determined scenarios. These scenarios may have varying effects that can affect his availability, team morale, or other aspects of him or his team for the duration of his career."
We all knew this was coming! This stip creates so much excitement every sim because we never know what truly is going on with Kyrie... in real life and SLN. Ashes nailed this one. I can't even imagine how many scenarios there are and the decision trees that spark or end each scenario. Once Kyrie is off a rookie deal, is he worth all the money... I think yes because he is officially one of the best in the game.
Let me know what y'all think, agree or disagree, or if I am missing any!