There are a lot of discussions in the forums regarding the 'unknowns' in the game engine. Let's see if this thread takes off . . . if there is a topic that we think will have a lot of concern, let's take it to a new thread just for cleanliness.
GAME ENGINE STUFF
So Kaile alluded to a couple of the more 'common' theories with regard to the game engine, but just for completeness; I believe the following to be true:
1) Right now, OD is the single most impactful skill set on defense. OD not only lowers the percentage of outside shots made by your opponent, but high OD also makes it difficult for 'inside offenses' to work well because the guards can tip or deny the ball from getting into the post players.
Most of the 'top' managers (look at NBBA, NAISMITH, etc) are running a Look Inside offese with either a M2M or 3-2 defense. M2M and 3-2 are extremely effective with high OD in both guards and the SF position. Personally, I think there will need to be a tweek to lower the impact OD is having on the game - I really believe it is the most dominent skill a player can have . . . EVERY aspect of the game can be made better or worse through Outside Defense skills.
2) High passing skills are essential to long term success. The higher the passing skills, the higher the flow rating, the more open shots a team will have. If you watched any of the Dallas Maverick playoff games against Portland or OKC, you know how damaging the 'extra pass' can be. Same is true in BB; if you have a SF and SG with Wonderous JS and Wonderous JR they will make 40% of their shots outside of 16 feet. However, if the collective passing ratings of the team are respectable or higher, the same players will shoot 45 - 55% because they will have more time and space for their shots.
3) Enthusiasm management and Gameshape management are absolutely necesssary at all levels. The impact of having 13 enthusiasm vs. 8 enthusiasm is HUGE. More and more managers are figuring this one out, so teams are on much more equal footing . .. but for many seasons, a team with 30% less payroll could consistently win simply by having 2 or more points higher enthusiasm. Gameshape is also massive. A $25,000 player with average gameshape will play like a $15,000 player at best . ..
4) (I believe) that stamina has a large impact on how players play in the 4th quarter. My team right now is performing contrary to this rule . . . but in seasons past, I would have very good players with poor stamina shoot 10 for 14 in the first 3 quarters and go 0 for 8 in the 4th. I have not been able to isolate exactly what the impact is yet, but I am working on it.
5) (I believe) that driving and handling are the most underrated skills in BB. Not only can very high driving and very high handling help against strong OD players (by getting to the rim, by driving and opening a passing lane, etc.) but the shooting percentages of my players with very high driving is MUCH higher than than my other players. Also, there is not much of a salary bump for high driving . . . it is not free, but it is pretty cheap. I also believe that steals are tied to the combination of OD, driving and handling (but don't have support for that, yet).
6) There is absolutely a 'hidden attribute' related to fouls and injuries. Players that foul often also injure other players more often . . . AND they tend to get injured more often as well. When looking at players on the transfer list, I try to avoid players that average more than 3.5 fouls per game for this reason. There is also a stamina connection to fouls . . . the lower the player's stamina, the more likely they are to be tired and foul the player they are trying to guard.