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Adapting to the Circumstances
Round 2 was a reminder that pitfalls lurk everywhere. Sometimes, tough decisions must be made.
Published: 08/10/2025 19:22
In the review we made of the first two rounds — which, I think, included several useful conclusions about the course of the game — we noted that the Kattash choice proved disastrous. Still, the solid performances of the team’s core (Hall, De Larrea, Forrest, Osmani, Milutinov, Vezenkov, Moses Wright) limited the damage somewhat and left us with a sense of relief, considering how close we came to a historic low.
On the other hand, Rathan-Mayes and Lucic were disappointing — especially the former, who came in as an upgrade for Pajola. Ironically, the Italian ended up having exactly the playing time and role we expected, posting a respectable 17 PIR, confirming that keeping him would have been the better decision. Rathan-Mayes, meanwhile, finished with a negative PIR and, by all logic, should be the one to leave the team. However, we believe that performance was more of an off night — a temporary lapse — so we’ll give him at least one more chance.
Lucic, on the other hand, is definitely leaving. His 10 points for 2 PIR were underwhelming, and his sale will also free up credits for a higher-level and more expensive coach.
From there, we have to make some hard calls to adapt to the three-turn format, ensuring we have players available each day. Looking at the Turn 1 options, the most notable one seems to be Oturu (we can’t afford Hoard, nor even Sorkin). He’s clearly the main center for Itoudis’s Hapoel, and his start to the season has been strong. That said, to bring him in, one of our current centers must go — and both are players we value and consider long-term assets.
Milutinov, given Donta Hall’s situation, has secured major playing time, while Fournier’s absence suggests even greater offensive involvement for him. His place is therefore non-negotiable. Which means, if we want to add Oturu, we’ll need to part with Moses Wright — one of the best value-for-money picks in this year’s Fantasy. That’s not an easy call.
Still, it’s one we’ll take. Having players in all three Turns is a significant advantage, and the matchup against Maccabi’s talented but somewhat soft front line makes this move even more appealing.
At coach, we’ll go — like almost everyone else — with Sergio Scariolo. As mentioned, to secure the necessary funds we’ll sell Lucic, and with the remaining 6 credits, we’ll look for a cheaper forward.
With those three changes decided, the question becomes what to do with the fourth transfer. With Fournier out, the already strong pick Dorsey becomes almost essential. Meanwhile, as you’ve surely noticed, I consider Baldwin one of the best choices in his price range this year. Hall, on the other hand, has performed well, and the only reason I’d consider selling him is to avoid having two Fenerbahce guards (if Baldwin joins).
So the options are as follows:
Hall and Dorsey, with Rathan-Mayes out and 6 credits available for a forward,
or
Rathan-Mayes and Baldwin, paired with a 4-credit forward.
Every Fantasy player knows these are the hardest decisions in the game — the ones that test you. We’ve all been there: you make your choice, only to watch your final picks disappoint while the players you rejected go off for big scores. In hindsight, the decision you didn’t take always seems “obvious.” But in this case, which option truly is the right one — and which the mistake?
After much back and forth, the most likely scenario for now is Baldwin + Rathan-Mayes, along with Edwin Jackson at forward. But I’ll be re-evaluating until 21:05, that’s for sure.
UPDATE: Latest reports suggest Oturu is questionable. Since this is an important move for the team, we’ll wait for further updates right up until tip-off. If his absence is confirmed, we’ll simply carry over the roster setup to next round.
For any last-minute updates, comments, or suggestions, follow on X: @NewEntryIlias
On the other hand, Rathan-Mayes and Lucic were disappointing — especially the former, who came in as an upgrade for Pajola. Ironically, the Italian ended up having exactly the playing time and role we expected, posting a respectable 17 PIR, confirming that keeping him would have been the better decision. Rathan-Mayes, meanwhile, finished with a negative PIR and, by all logic, should be the one to leave the team. However, we believe that performance was more of an off night — a temporary lapse — so we’ll give him at least one more chance.
Lucic, on the other hand, is definitely leaving. His 10 points for 2 PIR were underwhelming, and his sale will also free up credits for a higher-level and more expensive coach.
From there, we have to make some hard calls to adapt to the three-turn format, ensuring we have players available each day. Looking at the Turn 1 options, the most notable one seems to be Oturu (we can’t afford Hoard, nor even Sorkin). He’s clearly the main center for Itoudis’s Hapoel, and his start to the season has been strong. That said, to bring him in, one of our current centers must go — and both are players we value and consider long-term assets.
Milutinov, given Donta Hall’s situation, has secured major playing time, while Fournier’s absence suggests even greater offensive involvement for him. His place is therefore non-negotiable. Which means, if we want to add Oturu, we’ll need to part with Moses Wright — one of the best value-for-money picks in this year’s Fantasy. That’s not an easy call.
Still, it’s one we’ll take. Having players in all three Turns is a significant advantage, and the matchup against Maccabi’s talented but somewhat soft front line makes this move even more appealing.
At coach, we’ll go — like almost everyone else — with Sergio Scariolo. As mentioned, to secure the necessary funds we’ll sell Lucic, and with the remaining 6 credits, we’ll look for a cheaper forward.
With those three changes decided, the question becomes what to do with the fourth transfer. With Fournier out, the already strong pick Dorsey becomes almost essential. Meanwhile, as you’ve surely noticed, I consider Baldwin one of the best choices in his price range this year. Hall, on the other hand, has performed well, and the only reason I’d consider selling him is to avoid having two Fenerbahce guards (if Baldwin joins).
So the options are as follows:
Hall and Dorsey, with Rathan-Mayes out and 6 credits available for a forward,
or
Rathan-Mayes and Baldwin, paired with a 4-credit forward.
Every Fantasy player knows these are the hardest decisions in the game — the ones that test you. We’ve all been there: you make your choice, only to watch your final picks disappoint while the players you rejected go off for big scores. In hindsight, the decision you didn’t take always seems “obvious.” But in this case, which option truly is the right one — and which the mistake?
After much back and forth, the most likely scenario for now is Baldwin + Rathan-Mayes, along with Edwin Jackson at forward. But I’ll be re-evaluating until 21:05, that’s for sure.
UPDATE: Latest reports suggest Oturu is questionable. Since this is an important move for the team, we’ll wait for further updates right up until tip-off. If his absence is confirmed, we’ll simply carry over the roster setup to next round.
For any last-minute updates, comments, or suggestions, follow on X: @NewEntryIlias
Roster
