Fantasy Draft first selection poll

[Ted]

I took him before Kidd, Peja, Arenas, Davis. I explained my logic in another thread. What do you guys think?

[Wolverine]

I don't think you were stupid to select Bosh.  He has more upside at this point than any of the other players you mentioned, and I've liked him ever since his days at Georgia Tech.

By the way Skander, did you know Joe DOESN'T like Bosh that much?  So in reality, we are NOT the same person posting under different names!  

[Skandery]

I voted yes but not because I don't like Chris Bosh.  I think Bosh is a terrific player who is really on a depleted team and is going to have a great year cumulatively speaking.  

Of course since the offensive load is going to be on his shoulders his FG% is going to be hard to maintain at a level with other PFs.  His free throw percentage needs some work and he hasn't excelled with the elite at his position in the way of assists or rebounds.  He turns the ball over and will continue to do so as the focus of the team.  In a lot of ways he's a middle class man's Jermaine O'Neal.  Middle class because because he's not a poor man's anybody.  His value at pick 25 is not quite the value of an Arenas or a Kidd at pick 25.  

Plus you already have one of the top PFs in the game in Shawn Marion.  No reason to muddle the frontcourt or lock-up your Util unless of course they move Bosh back to Center.  Now it is where I think he should play because Villanueva is going to be better than a lot of people are giving him credit for.  But it is well known that Bosh doesn't want to play Center, so does Toronto risk pissing off their best player AGAIN.  At Center though, Bosh's value is instantly greater.  

Strategically I would've gone after a top notch SG, PG, or C since you already have the SF and PF.  That means Ray Allen, Gil Arenas, Jason Kidd, or Ben Wallace.  And since I think Ben Wallace is over-valued in some ways I'd have gone with one of the other three guys--hoping for a Rasheed Wallace or a Raef LaFrentz to plug in at Center later.  

Ceiling (Keeper) wise I could see the argument for Bosh instead of Big Ben or Jason Kidd, but Ray Allen and Arenas' production at their respective positions is going to rival that of Bosh's at his position in years to come.  Bosh might surpass them if he does what I expect and gets C eligibility.  Why roll the dice though?        

[Joe Vancil]

Caleb is right in that I don't like Bosh that much.  However, I think Ted made a wise pick with Bosh.

Ted's draft is about the future as well as the current season.  Bosh should be a top notch player in terms of keeper possibility - moreso than Kidd, Wallace, or Allen.  Arenas is interesting, and would immediately make Ted a threat in terms of "guard-like" play - which is what I think wins this league.  But that being said, you're not going to get a big guy like Bosh in round 2.

It really depends on how things shake out.  There's definitely advantages to taking Arenas, but it's hard to pass on a young big-man.

And, if it doesn't work out for Ted this year, he'll be teaming Bosh with the likes of Duncan, Nowitzki, or Garnett for the next two years.  I like those odds.