Draft Wrap

[guest-koast]

^---whoops that was me!

[WayOutWest]

Like I said, ive learned a good deal of things about fantasy basketball after this year.  The last few years i've played with others there were alot of homer and favorite player type picks so they could get more into players they already liked so I kind of knew who was going when.

That is my style, I pick players I know or have seen in action first hand.  I don't do any pre-draft number crunching.  Once all the guys I know are gone I just go by their ranking on that draft list and decide by position what I want, I don't go by Mr. Logo's philosophy of picking the best talent.

This year I did do a little pre-draft homework.  I was in the hospital for 3 days and caught some Fantasy NBA shows on ESPN and wrote down 12 names, of those 12 I liked 8 of them and put them in my draft que, that's how I ended up with Williams and Nelson.  Of course Williams was in my que and got picked without me wanting to pick him in that round.  Pachula was a ranking pick, all the rest were players I know.  

I'm not in same uber-geek league as Joe the seal sucker, Skandy Pants and Celibate4Life.  They are the Fantasy Masterbaters...err...Masters.  Ziggy is in that league as well, he always seems to do well in fantasy land but he's left us for greener geek pastures.  Good luck, it's up to us guys with natural talent to out duel the spreadsheet dorks!  WEST SIIIIIDE!!!!!!!!!!!

[WayOutWest]

P.S.  Watch out for Ted, he's like the Forest Gump of Fantasy B-Ball.  Randy is fun to play against, he's like Gump's best Friend Bubba, he dies right in the middle of the whole thing.

[Ted]

Mike, you're my Lieutenant Dan.

My draft unfolded a little erratically. Having started the draft on a Mac, I did not realized my Java applet was not displaying the "Pick a Player" button on the lower right. So I made my picks by keeping my queue well updated. It worked for the most part, until the seventh round, when I decided to figure out how to turn of the auto pick function. I tried switching to my PC (I have a Mac and PC on one monitor), but the Java would not load at all on the PC, even after I totally quit Safari on the Mac. So by the time I got back on, I was the unproud owner of JR Smith. I don't know, maybe I'll get lucky and he'll pull his head out.

The SG I wanted at that point and should have taken in the next round was Larry Hughes. But after getting the Mac back up, I then noticed that Speedy was still there and I grabbed him.

And then came the eighth round . . .

You all may believe or disbelieve this if you wish. I decided to try to pick with the HTML version on Safari so I could stop the dang auto pick. But found that I was too slow, getting only the response that "another player is picking." With a quiver of trepidation, I loaded up the Java applet again to see who I'd had in my queue for later rounds, and then, before I saw the name, I knew. I had left Nene (who I looked at for round 10 or later) ahead of Tayshaun Prince and Wally world in my queue. Oh the horror. I knew what was coming . . .

[Ted]

Anyway, I'm happy overall with my draft. Bosh has turned out to be well worth the No. 1 pick I spent on him last year, and the next Kevin Garnett will be mine for two more years. I kept Camby because he was the only unique player left. IMO, there are plenty of guys like Joe Johnson out there, and with Speedy on the Hawks now, JJ won't be as versatile as he was last year. With Bosh, Camby, and AK47, I will own rebounds and blocks against most opponents, and my FG% will be strong too.

Choosing AK over Brand was hard to do, and my turn out to be a ridiculous decision. I just couldn't believe both were available to me. I was blown away when Derek picked Yao. I had him at the bottom of the 1st round. I was scared off by the whole playing year round thing and the reports that his toe looks like a big hunk of chewed up polish sausage. But that put me in a bind, and the fact the Andrei is my favorite player won out. Could come back to haunt me. But then again, if he returns to form, I have Chris Bosh and Andrei Kirilenko as my keepers next year. I like the sound of that.

I was very happy to get Stephon in the fifth. I was thinking with that pick that I had to choose between Steph and Deron as my point guards. But the Deron was still around in the sixth, so I suddenly found myself building a team of strong point guards and big forwards.

I am going to have to do something at SG eventually, unless Kevin Martin averages 20 a game as a starter like he did in limited time last year. He could end up being my steal of the year. Who knows.

But now that I have Nene again, I find myself feeling strangely complete and content. I can't explain it . . .  :moon:  

[Skandery]

But now that I have Nene again, I find myself feeling strangely complete and content. I can't explain it . . .   :moon:

...hilarious!!

 :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

   

[ziggy]

Skandery, ya I overloaded on guards.  I am hoping that I can deal either Sam or Derek Fisher depending on how I want to approach my line up.  If Fish gets the nod to start at the 2 for the Jazz then that could be a good pick up or at least good trade bait to land a quality SF.

Zigs, I agree about Rahim.  That is why I gave myself a C- because I felt I jumped on a few players too early, he being one of them.  It was hard for me to really figure out how the phillyarena crew drafts and who they are looking for so I made some moves a little too early. 

Players that I did not jump on that I really wanted (Eddie Jones and Igs) I both thought would go later in the draft and I was sadly mistaken.  I am pretty light in the SF category.

Like I said, ive learned a good deal of things about fantasy basketball after this year.  The last few years i've played with others there were alot of homer and favorite player type picks so they could get more into players they already liked so I kind of knew who was going when.

Koast,
I sent you an email before the draft, but it got kicked back to me said it was a bad address.  It was a little about the other players, and who they do and don't like.  I knew if you left Brad Miller off your keeper list that Joe and Skander would be on him like a rat to a cheeto.  Same with Derek and Iggy.  I also thought that Randy would have been hot after Odom, I think he had him 2 years ago.  Didn't think to say anything about Ted and Nene', I thought he was over that  :rofl: .

My biggest strategy when I draft is not to get too stuck on a particular player, though I am not as successful at that as I would like.  It is so easy to get stuck on a guy and then pick them earlier than you need to.  A player is only a sleeper if he gets picked below what his final numbers would indicate.  

Last year Chris Kamen was a great sleeper, because he was drafted later.  This year though he is more of a knowm commodity.  It is easy to stretch on a player when you pick early or late, because you have a long time between picks, and if this is a guy you really want you move to quick.  If you pick in the middle of the draft you can have the paitence to wait, because you next pick is only 8-14 picks away.

Good luck.

PS  -  Skander I have to say that Shaq in the 5th isn't all that late.  This is the first time I have seen Shaq drop past the mid-second round in about 5 years, and for the first time it was about right.  Shaq is obviously a great NBA player, but for fantasy he is not.  I have never seen a team with Shaq on it finish higher than 4th, normally it is lower than that.  I have had him once, got him in the second round and I finished 4th, one of my worst fantasy finishes ever.

[WayOutWest]

Mike, you're my Lieutenant Dan.
 

Ted you moron!  You should have left me at Yahoo to DIE!  It was my destiny!

Other than Bosh, AK and Starbury I'm not all that thrilled about your team, but like I posted before I'm all about the "names I know".  I don't know how half the guys on your roster will preform but I bet if I look up their stats I'll be impressed.  I've not kept up with basketball that last two years so your guys maybe NBA household names.

I don't think Camby can duplicate last year's performance other than the injuries.  

Grant Hill's feet are like a box of chocolates IMO.  

Diaw IMO is a big question mark, I don't know how the return of Amare will affect him.  Diaw is the 4th scorer on a high scoring team so it could go either way.  I see Diaw being more effective with the second unit.  One positive for Diaw is that only he and Amare can have isolation plays run for them, Marion is more of an effort and junk player.

IMO Dalembert is a waste, too dumb, always in foul trouble.

I've got tons of question marks on my team as well.  Davis, Richardson and Magette are all injury question marks as well as being first choice starters any time they play.  Injuries aside, Magette is a question mark.  There are so many scorers on the Clippers that I don't know where he fits in, he used to be the 2nd option now he could slip as far down as the 4th.  I hope he gets traded.

Dirk, Jamison and Okur should be solid performers on my team, I haven't had this good a front court ever.  I'd put my healthy starting line up against anybod, Davis, Richardson, Magette, Dirk, Okur and Jamison but whenever I have a team I'm happy with I get hit by the injury bug.

If Tinsley can stay healthy he's a solid backup PG, Boykins is ok, probably somebody I could do without.  

Brezec and Pachulia were just the best out there when I had to think about a backup center.  

I think Bell is going to have a solid year with the Suns after his playoff performance, it seemed to be a coming out party for him.

Williams and Nelson I'm not at all familiar with, I just heard about them on some fantasy league show and Stackhouse could be a non-factor but a nice back up in case I lose a starter plus he has spurts of high scoring.

Arch, Lttk and Lurker are my favorite teams in that order.  They had solid drafts and their rosters look solid across the board.  I think my team ON PAPER looks like a top 5 team, we'll see if the manager can manage to blow it.  

Nerfgundeathsquad could be the dark horse of the league if Shaq can hold down the center posistion, it should be ok since most centers suck.  He's got solid starters and a few decent back ups.

Bubba has a solid set of starters but gets thin very quickly after that.  I had Mihm and Z in previous season and Mihm was usually a big Zero but Z has always been solid for me.  Parker is another steady player I like as is Gooden.  Odom is too inconsistent for me.  Mohammed and Chandler IMO are a waste over the past few years.  With Kob8 and AI in the back court he should light up the scoring stat box.

Jerry Lewis managed to create a fantasy or virtual Cavaliers, he's a one man team.  Bibby and Butler should help but I just don't think much of his team, he'll probably cream me in our head to head match ups!

I don't get Joe's team but he's always at the top of the standings so he must know what he's doing.

Bod's team is decent but IMO middle of the pack.  Yao is a question mark and Iggs is just a teaser that never seems to deliver on his promise.  Redd, Kidd and Carter are going to shoulder the load for him all year.

On paper, not crunching any numbers or stats, I think Lurker and lttk will end up at the top of the league if they actively participate in the league.


 

[Guest_Randy]

I arrive at draft day with a well planned strategy based upon taking Brand with my 6th pick -- my entire draft was based upon the assumption that LeBron, KG, Dirk and Kobe would be off the board and then I find myself with the chance to take Kobe.  I would have been better off taking Brand and sticking with my initial plan but I just couldn't resist the homer pick!  I planned a team of players that I really didn't even like (beginning with AI and Melo).  However, now I have a chance to take Kobe (who IS a fantasy stud) and keep him for 3 years (not to mention that I finally get a guy on my team who I like).  So I took him -- and as a result ended up throwing my strategy to the wind in order to take Kobe.

A. Iverson
K. Bryant
J. Childress
C. Anthony
L. Odom
A. Harrington
K. Thomas
D. Gooden
A. McDyess
C. Mihm
Z. Ilgauskas
T. Parker
N. Mohammed
T. Chandler

I definately like my starting line-up:  AI, Kobe, Melo, Odom and Ilgauskas.  

I think there are some questions about some of my bench players:
   Chandler -- he has been made the "center" of the Hornets and this team is going to run with a great PG who will reward Chandler.  I think he could have a great year!  
   Mohammed -- the Pistons are going to need Nazr and he is going to play a lot of minutes.  His scoring is already up in the preseason and he just needs to hit the boards more (he is an underrated shot blocker too).  I think the move to Detroit is a great one for Nazr so I gambled.
   Kurt Thomas and Mihm -- I felt they were the best players on the board -- and I really NEED to upgrade at the SG position so I took Centers to trade down the road.  We will see how that works out for me!
   Parker -- coming off the best year of his career and with an aging TD, he is going to continue to be the Spurs leading scorer.  Definately a great pic (he isn't a great assist man and his 3 pointers are sparse).
   Childress -- I really thought with Harrington gone, Childress would have the opportunity to realize his potential (found several analysts who actually agreed with me) so I took him.  I really need him to start playing better but I will still need another back-up who has G status.
   Harrington -- Al is a stud and he is definately going to get a chance to score in Pacer land.  I think the Pacers are moving away from O'Neal as their first option and desire a more moving offense -- that puts the ball in Harrington hands, IMO.  He is a great rebounder, can shoot 3's and can score.  He will help me.
   Gooden is a solid PF -- points and rebounds and a little help in the block shot department.  A no-brainer.
   McDyess -- this guy was SOLID last year off the bench -- I really thought he might get a bit more playing time this year and I thought he was one of the best players on the board at the moment.  

I would probably give myself a B- in the draft this year.  I think my original plan was more on the B+ variety but I think I would do it again just to get Kobe.  I didn't really like my keepers -- AI is great in points, steals and Ft% but lousy in FG% and TO's.  Melo was great for me last year but I don't like him as a player but they were the best players on my roster (that I could keep anyway).  Kobe was worth a lower grade.  I don't think that I will be in the top of the pack this year -- but I think I can challenge people week in and week out and I think I will finish in the middle and allow myself to build on Kobe for the future.

[WayOutWest]

Bods,

Could you explain your rational behind picking Yoa ahead of TD, EB and JO?  I can understand EB if you're desperate for a center but TD and JO stats are better than Yao at center plus they can play PF.  I had Yao for a few years and I would have jumped all over a TD and JO trade.

I'm sure you've read about the stories of Yao being over worked in the off season and his problems with his feet/toes.  Are you concerned at all?

I can't beleive you passed on TD, what the dilio?

[Skandery]

The question was for Derek but I'll interject on his behalf.  

2005-2006 season comparison versus Tim Duncan.  Jermaine O'Neal numbers aren't anywhere near Duncan's numbers and he's more injury prone than Yao himself so I'll let someone else compare JO:

Yao Ming v Tim Duncan:

FG%  

.519 v .484

FTM    

337 v 335

FT%

.853 v .629

Pts

1271 v 1485

Reb

581 v 881

Ast

85 v 253

Stl

30 v 70

Blk

94 v 162

TO

147 v 198

As you can see Yao shoots slightly better from the field and decimates TD in the free throw percentage category while converting a hefty number per game.  Now then, aside from points, TD absolutely dominates Yao in the accumulation category until you realize Yao accumulated those numbers in 57 games as opposed to TD who played 80 games.

Per game averages reveal:  (once again Yao v TD)

Pts

22.3 v 18.6

Reb

10.2 v 11.0

Ast

1.5 v 3.2

Stl

0.5 v 0.9

Blk

1.6 v 2.0

TO

2.6 v 2.5

Yao is the better scorer but TD is slightly better in rebounds, steals, and blocks.  TD is significantly better in assists and TOs are a wash.  So Yao holds his own against TD winning 4 of 9 categories but the saavy fantasy player notices what Yao did in the second half of last year when all of a sudden rebounds and blocks become Yao's advantage and the assist lead for Duncan shrinks a bit.  However, Yao Ming's turnovers absolutely skyrocket and that's bad for a Center.

Bottom Line:

Will Popovitch continue resting Duncan for the playoffs (under 35 minutes per last year)?  Are you a believer in the fact that Yao will continue the upward trend of his numbers and is he going to be relatively healthy?  

Whether or not he puts up the ridiculous 27 and 12 he was putting up after the All-Star break last year remains to be seen and is probably 50-50, I personally think he'll split the difference and be like 23 and 11.  On the health issue, Yao Ming has played 80 or more games every season of his career but last so I consider last year's injury-plagued campaign an anomaly.  

If I were Derek, I'd think really, really, REALLY hard about passing up Tim Duncan (especially after Duncan's performance in the playoffs), but I'd probably go with Yao Ming since 85% volume FT shooting from a Center is ridiculous and I'd hope my other players make up for what I'd be missing out in the odd-accumulation categories (Ast, Stls, Blks).

In short, NO, Derek is not crazy.  

A no-good, fantasy-player STEALIN' THIEF, YES!!!

[Joe Vancil]

I'm sorry, but I think he's crazy.

Bottom line is that Duncan is a better player than Yao at the accumulation categories on a REAL basketball court.  Eventually, that will translate to the fantasy numbers.  And as for offensively, the question is which player's coach is more inept.

There's nothing wrong with Yao as a player.  But 4 years ago, I took Duncan with the second over-all pick.  The next year, I took him with the third over-all pick.  And when all is said and done, Duncan would be no lower than third on any pick list I'd have - behind Dirk Nowitzki and, on a day when I'm feeling daring, LeBron James.

Outside of free-throw percentage, which is still a mystery with Duncan, you can't go wrong with him, and he'll be the cornerstone in San An from now until doomsday.  Ming is the second option behind McGrady.  (It's official - Van Gundy is worse offensively than Popovich.  But it took me this long to figure that out.)  He's a McGrady hot streak away from being reduced in role on the offense.

Don't get me wrong - pre-draft, if Duncan and Nash weren't there, I was considering Yao.  But it wasn't as much of a no-brainer as Duncan was - at ANY time I've selected him.

 

[Joe Vancil]

I'm sorry, but I think he's crazy.

Bottom line is that Duncan is a better player than Yao at the accumulation categories on a REAL basketball court.  Eventually, that will translate to the fantasy numbers.  And as for offensively, the question is which player's coach is more inept.

There's nothing wrong with Yao as a player.  But 4 years ago, I took Duncan with the second over-all pick.  The next year, I took him with the third over-all pick.  And when all is said and done, Duncan would be no lower than third on any pick list I'd have - behind Dirk Nowitzki and, on a day when I'm feeling daring, LeBron James.

Outside of free-throw percentage, which is still a mystery with Duncan, you can't go wrong with him, and he'll be the cornerstone in San An from now until doomsday.  Ming is the second option behind McGrady.  (It's official - Van Gundy is worse offensively than Popovich.  But it took me this long to figure that out.)  He's a McGrady hot streak away from being reduced in role on the offense.

Don't get me wrong - pre-draft, if Duncan and Nash weren't there, I was considering Yao.  But it wasn't as much of a no-brainer as Duncan was - at ANY time I've selected him.

 

[Derek Bodner]

Honestly, I got to the draft late, and didn't see TD there.

But the reason I went with Yao over EB is C eligibility, which is still a rarity to get a 20/10 center in fantasy sports.  And over JO because 1) JO hasn't exactly played in a lot of games teh last two years, B) his rebounding #'s have dipped, C) Yao had a monster 2nd half of the season last year, D) McGrady's liable to go out for 50 games with a bad back.

[Wolverine]

Derek:

As an official representative of the Gunners, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you.  Your decision to pass on Elton Brand, along with Lurker's choice of Amare Stoudemire at pick five, and Ted's selection of Andrei Kirilenko at pick eight, allowed the Gunners to choose Elton Brand at pick ten.

Our organization has chosen to nominate you for the "Man of the Year" award.

Best regards,
Caleb