Sim League Nirvana

Hello hello

I've been having a (text) conversation with Tong over the past few weeks where I suggest he changes his third scoring option to someone he actually wants to shoot. Tong is certain that his strategy is his best option, given that it worked out pretty well last year.

Hard to argue with that, but in order to determine out how out of the ordinary his strategy is, I created a table detailing the scoring options choices across the league. This is based on the latest available DCs
1. The Pacers are the only team with a scoring option under 10 points (excluding Kuzma who has played very few minutes so far this year)
2. Among competing teams, it is rare for a scoring option to play off the bench (I am trying out something new this sim, the only other exceptions are the wolves, pacers and spurs)
3. The most common #1 option position is SG with 12 occurrences, next is SF with 6 and then PG with 5
4. 23 teams have the starting SG as a scoring option, 20 have their starting PG, and 18 having their starting SF
5. The knicks scoring options are generating 82 ppg

Option 1					Option 2					Option 3
Team		W	L	Win %		Name	Position	String	PPG		Name	Position	String	PPG		Name	Position	String	PPG		Total PPG
Knicks		37	12	75.5%		Carmelo	SG	1	36.0		Joel Embiid	C	1	24.6		Myles Turner	SF	1	21.4		82.0
Mavericks		34	13	72.3%		Kyrie Irving	PG	1	33.9		Jimmy Butler	SG	1	20.8		Blake Griffin	PF	1	20.6		75.3
76ers		18	24	42.9%		Lamarcus Aldridge	PF	1	20.0		Chris Paul	SG	1	21.3		Lebron James	PG	1	32.0		73.3
Kings		24	20	54.5%		Monta Ellis	SG	1	24.8		Ryno	SF	1	27.3		Eric Bledsoe	PG	1	20.5		72.6
Nets		25	19	56.8%		Lou Williams	SG	1	29.4		Kemba Walker	PG	1	22.8		Anthony Davis	PF	1	20.3		72.5
Heat		21	23	47.7%		Dame Lillard	PG	1	25.1		Dwyane Wade	SF	1	23.0		Klay Thompson	SG	1	24.3		72.4
Timberwolves		26	17	60.5%		James Harden	PG	1	26.8		THJ	PG, SG, SF	2, 3	21.0		Giannis	PF	1	23.6		71.4
Raptors		30	12	71.4%		Demarcus Cousins	PF	1	26.1		Yaroslav	SG	1	24.9		Aaron Gordon	SF	1	19.2		70.2
Hawks		32	17	65.3%		Kevin Durant	SF	1	32.7		Tyreke Evans	SG	1	23.0		Valanciunas	PF	1	14.2		69.9
Grizzlies		33	10	76.7%		Zinger	SF	1	24.2		CJ Miles	PG, SG, SF	2	25.3		Mike Conley	PG	1	19.9		69.4
Celtics		25	18	58.1%		Jamal Crawford	PG	1	25.2		Beasley	SF	1	25.1		Paul George	SG	1	18.6		68.9
Jazz		28	11	71.8%		Marvin Williams	SF	1	31.3		Greg Oden	C	1	21.1		Jameer Nelson	PG	1	15.7		68.1
Rockets		11	29	27.5%		Rudy Fernandez	SG	1	29.5		Gasol	PF, C	2	14.5		Brandon Roy	SF	1	20.4		64.4
Magic		35	13	72.9%		Devin Booker	SG	1	22.5		Eddy Curry	C	1	14.3		Steph Curry	PG	1	26.6		63.4
Suns		31	14	68.9%		Boban	C	1	29.6		Shaun Livingston	PG	1	17.9		Dwight Howard	PF	1	15.6		63.1
Spurs		22	17	56.4%		Kevin Love	PF	1	24.2		Tyus Jones	PG	1	20.4		Dahntay Jones	PG, SG	2	17.7		62.3
Trail Blazers		10	31	24.4%		McCants	SG	1	25.6		Markkanen	PF	1	14.5		OJ Mayo	PG, SG, SF	1	19.8		59.9
Cavaliers		20	28	41.7%		Lavine	SG	1	30.2		Crowder	PG, SG, SF	2	13.2		Dlo	PG	1	15.1		58.5
Lakers		12	27	30.8%		CJ McCollum	SG	1	18.1		Rubio	PG	1	21.9		Wiggins	SF	1	16.9		56.9
Clippers		22	20	52.4%		Eddie Griffin	C	1	17.3		Derrick Rose	SG	1	26.6		Markelle Fultz	PG	1	12.4		56.3
Hornets		16	31	34.0%		Jamal Murray	SG	1	20.5		Jonathan Isaac	PF	1	14.4		Yao	C	1	21.2		56.1
Bucks		6	37	14.0%		Bradley Beal	SG	1	20.2		Spida Mitchell	SF	1	21.5		Patty Mills	PG	1	14.1		55.8
Pacers		29	20	59.2%		Chris Bosh	C	1	22.2		Jrue Holiday	PG	1	22.8		Damion James	PG, SF	2	9.7		54.7
Pistons		20	25	44.4%		Otto Porter Jr	SF	1	17.9		Harrison Barnes	SG	1	17.6		Dejounte Murray	PG	1	19.1		54.6
Warriors		18	26	40.9%		Jabari Parker	SF	1	19.1		Sabonis	PF	1	13.8		Dipo	SG	1	18.5		51.4
Bulls		11	34	24.4%		John Wall	PG	1	20.8		Derrick White	SG	1	12.9		Dillon Brooks	SF	1	14.6		48.3
SuperSonics		18	27	40.0%		Norman Powell	SG	1	14.8		Green	PG	1	15.1		TLC	SF	1	14.5		44.4
Bullets		8	37	17.8%		Warren	SG	1	12.9		Wood	SF	2	15.9		Siakam	SF	1	11.9		40.7
Nuggets		18	28	39.1%		Kuzma	SF	1	4.6		Alex Caruso	SG	1	10.7		Vucevic	PF	1	11.8		27.1

Would be interesting how many non-options are 15+ PPG. I know Tong is a believer that options are where you want the ball not where you want the points.

Think it is a fun topic to dive into with Ashes and Jesse on a pod at some point

This is a dope article!

To expand upon my scoring option philosophy (based on the data I've seen):
- Most players show worse possession efficiency when set as an option. Few players perform at the same efficiency when set as option, and VERY few show improved efficiency.
- Volume generally increases when a player is set as the top option, but I have yet to see consistent evidence of volume increasing for the second and third options.
- My general theory is that scorers are better as either "off ball" (better as a non-option) or "on ball" (better as an option). This might be semantic, but on ashes' depth chart guide the description for option doesn't say "who you want to shoot" - it says "who you want to have the ball".
- To unify the above - my approach is that options should be set as players who 1/ at a minimum don't see significant drops in efficiency when set as an option, and 2/ ideally show increased volume when set as an option. If you have 3 players that fit this bill, that's ideal - if not, the remaining option slots are better set as lower-utilization players who are less turnover-prone.

As always, I'd love alternate perspectives to the above!

I think handles/turnovers need to be included in any discourse surrounding options to get a full picture.

A lot of times, I’m just trying to mitigate damages/TOs when setting options

425 RP