The Ebbs Effect

[Foreman]

Hello and welcome to my article. My name is Foreman, and like many of you, I have been a victim of Josh Eberley. This is my story:​

Going back to the last iteration, I was able to start the league off with the Philadelphia 76ers. With that 76ers team, I had owned a first round pick from the Celtics due to real life trades. That pick ended up being 13th overall, pre lottery. Most here know, but that pick jumped from 13 to 1 and allowed me the choice between Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and RJ Barrett.

2019 Draft Ratings, Pre-TC​

With all three prospects looking like stars, I had the luxury after an ECF trip of selecting any of them. With a core of Embiid, Boban, Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, and Ben Simmons, it may seem clear to even the Jasons of the league that Zion Williamson should be the pick. So with that, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Ja Morant with the first overall pick in the 2019 BSL Draft. San Antonio selected Zion Williamson 2nd overall, which then allowed the Chicago Bulls, managed by Josh Eberley, to select RJ Barrett with the 3rd overall pick. This is where everything changed.

2019-2020: Ja Morant, after TC and all camps/coaching, was B- B- A- B- C B. As you can see, he went +5 which is more than what you want from your rookie, and especially when you already have a competitive team. However, Zion went +3 (+1 Def, +2 Reb) and I believe also boosted. RJ Barrett only went +1 (Inside) but also boosted. The 76ers were bounced in round 2 this year and Zion Williamson was named Rookie of the Year.

2020-2021: This set me up to make moves due to being close. I traded Ja Morant and received Bradley Beal back, with some other pieces likely in the deal. However, I also lost Jimmy Butler in FA or traded him, not fully sure what happened. With a lineup of Ben Simmons, Bradley Beal, Tobias Harris, Boban, and Joel Embiid, I was ready to make some noise again. Josh was also ready to compete this season. RJ Barrett jumped up to B B- B B+ C A, which is +6 from his rookie ratings.

As the #1 seed, after easily moving past the Heat in 4 games and the Hornets in 5 games, I believed I had built the team to win it all. The #3 seed Bulls had a different plan as they bounced me out in 6 games and won the championship over the Timberwolves.

2021-2022: I attempted to come back the next year, but finished as the #6 seed entering the playoffs, landing me a first round match-up with Josh Eberley. I lost in 6 games, again, leading to the Bulls winning back to back championships.

2022-2023: I finish as the #7 seed but make a run to the ECF, matching up once again with the #1 seed Josh Eberleys. I lost in 5 games. Clippers win the finals in 5 games over the Bulls, preventing a 3-peat.

2023-2024: The #8 seed 76ers are set to face the #1 seed Eberleys in the first round. I lose in 5, Bulls lose in 6 in round 2.

2024-2025: My window had closed so I began to tank. Josh won the championship.

He then won once again in the 2029-30 season, while I still had not made it back to the playoffs.

2041-2042: The 76ers are finally back into the playoffs after a long drought, landing a round 1 match-up as a #6 seed with the Bulls. I lost in 5, which led the Bulls on a run to winning the championship once again.

2042-2043: I finally miss the Bulls in the playoffs as the Bucks knock them off to meet me in the ECF once again. Bucks advance to the finals and lose in 7. I'm still cursed. I'm out of the playoffs the following year.

The Bulls win the championship once again in the 2045-46 season.

2046-2047: I meet the Bulls again in round 1 and get swept.

The iteration ends after the 2050-2051 season with the 76ers never advancing past the ECF.

Even with mistakes on my end, such as selecting Ja Morant, who was considered a tank commander last iteration, one GM shouldn't be able to supply this much torture. RJ Barrett in his 10th season at 29 years old had ratings of A- A+ A- A C+ and averaged 36.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game. He had already obtained three finals MVPs and four MVP awards for the regular season prior to Ebbs trading him after this season. RJ Barrett at this time had 9 seasons averaging 24.7 PPG or more, with 7 of those seasons having an average of at least 31 PPG. Ja Morant at this time was C+ B+ A B C and only averaged above 16.5 PPG once in his career, with 3 seasons averaging a double-double, and only one season above 1.8 SPG. And just so the data is presented, Zion Williamson was A- C+ C A- B- with 4 seasons averaging a double-double, 8 seasons with at least 2.1 BPG, 8 seasons averaging above 16.5 PPG, and 9 seasons averaging at least 2.1 SPG.

Fast forward to this iteration, I'm in the opposite conference of Josh Eberley. With no finals trips, I haven't had to relive my trauma from the previous iteration. However, Josh Eberley still gets to haunt me.

Hokey, in an effort to compete, doesn't work with me to move my 2017 first back and instead moves it to Ebbs, who also refuses to send the pick back. Hokey's Raptors finish as the #8 seed and lose in 7 games in round 1. The Eberley Bullets make it to the ECF but lose in 7 to the eventual champion, the Boston Celtics.

The pick ends up being the 7th overall pick, which allows Joshua Eberley to have the last laugh... for now.