We recently completed our draft in hoops, and the following are the results. The starting lineup consists of PG, SG, G, SF, PF, F, C, C, UTIL, UTIL, with six bench spots (16 rounds). We have a 90 game cap per position. Our scoring is a little different than most, as we don’t count FT% or TOs. I hate using turnovers especially, as it always punishes the better players who handle the ball more. The rest is standard, with PTS, REBS, ASSISTS, BLOCKS, STEALS, FG% and 3PTM. We also have weighted cats, with PTS, REBS and ASSISTS being worth the most, so guys like Peja and Ray Allen aren’t valued quite as high. We had a guy drop out, hence the awkward nine-team league.
ROUND 1
1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Garnett – My Pick
3. Shawn Marion
4. Kobe Bryant
5. Dwayne Wade
6. Tim Duncan
7. Tracy McGrady
8. Dirk Nowitzki
9. Gilbert Arenas
My Pick: I debated going with Marion but decided to go KG instead. I hope his shots per game start going back up, as they have significantly decreased for two years in a row.
Best Value: Dirk at nine is pretty much a steal.
Surprise Selection: Both Duncan and T-Mac will probably go later in most drafts, but I don’t have a problem with either of them. T-Mac’s owner got Nash with his next pick, and he could have easily selected them vice-versa, and no one would have batted an eye. McGrady says his back is 100 percent, and a lot of last year’s physical struggles were a result of emotional turmoil, which he now has straightened out. He’s my favorite guy to target in 2nd rounds this year.
ROUND 2
10. Chris Paul
11. Elton Brand
12. Steve Nash
13. Yao Ming
14. Paul Pierce
15. Chris Bosh
16. Andre Kirilenko
17. Allen Iverson – My Pick
18. Amare Stoudemire
My Pick: Although I secretly wanted AK-47, having A.I. fall into my lap was a pleasant surprise. Although he’s a candidate to break down any year now.
Best Value: I’d have to say A.I. here.
Surprise Selection: Amare Stoudemire is your classic boom or bust pick and carries an awful lot of risk for a 2nd round pick.
ROUND 3
19. Jason Kidd
20. Lamar Odom – My Pick
21. Chauncey Billups
22. Dwight Howard
23. Jermaine O’Neal
24. Carmelo Anthony
25. Vince Carter
26. Joe Johnson
27. Gerald Wallace
My Pick: I was really close to going with Dwight Howard or Joe Johnson but settled on Odom. Most considered it a poor pick, but I don’t think people realize just how good he was last year. Still, his son died over the summer, and he does come with some risk.
Best Value: Dwight Howard is not only fast becoming one of the game’s elite players, but he should also be available at center soon, since he’s set to play a lot of time there this season.
Surprise Selection: Gerald Wallace surprised me, but mainly because I wanted him badly in the fourth round. The more I think about it, the more I see Wallace as a worthy mid third round selection. He worked on his shot all summer, is in a contract year and is second to none when it comes to the steals/blocks combo. He’s injury-prone, but he also possesses top-10 upside.
ROUND 4
28. Ben Wallace
29. Boris Diaw
30. Baron Davis
31. Ron Artest
32. Josh Smith
33. Ray Allen
34. Brad Miller
35. Raymond Felton – My Pick
36. Marcus Camby
My Pick: Felton isn’t the safest choice in round 4, considering Brevin Knight’s presence. Still, if anything I see them sharing the backcourt with Felton sliding to SG, and he put up monstrous numbers over the final couple months last year. He’s only going to get better.
Best Value: If I didn’t get Gerald Wallace, then I really wanted Josh Smith in this round but was swooped on again. Not only is J-Smoove a block machine, but he’s even added a 3-point shot to his game. He is also capable of dropping 4.5 dimes a night. He’s easily a 3-4 round value.
Surprise Selection: None jump out at me here, as I pretty much like all of the picks this round. Baron Davis is probably the most risky, but like Camby, when in the lineup he produces like a top-15 player.
ROUND 5
37. Rashard Lewis
38. Shaquille O’Neal – My Pick
39. Stephon Marbury
40. Mike Bibby
41. Kirk Hinrich
42. Andre Miller
43. Emeka Okafor
44. Carlos Boozer
45. Mehmet Okur
My Pick: I needed a center who blocks shots and strongly considered Okafor but decided to go with Shaq Diesel instead. Remember, his killer FT% won’t hurt me, and it’s hard to pass up the big fella in round 5. Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if he showed up weighing 425 LBS after winning the title last year.
Best Value: I like the Okafor/Boozer/Okur center trio late in round 5.
Surprise Selection: Once again, none were too surprising this round. Is Marbury going to turn back into Starbury like he promises? Either way, his $15 shoe idea is pretty cool.
ROUND 6
46. Tony Parker
47. Jameer Nelson
48. Michael Redd
49. Chris Webber
50. Richard Jefferson
51. Deron Williams
52. Jason Richardson
53. Samuel Dalembert – My Pick
54. Rasheed Wallace
My Pick: Centers were running thin at this point, and I almost went with caveman Chris Kaman. In the end, I went with Sammy’s upside, which I have been enamored with for three years now. He’ll probably disappoint yet again, but that rebound/block potential is mouth-watering.
Best Value: I like Richard Jefferson here, and if Webber and J-Rich (knee) can stay healthy, their respective owners got a steal.
Surprise Selection: I went Dalembert over Rasheed because Wallace is not center eligible, but I still say my pick might have been the most surprising and viewed as a bit of a reach.
ROUND 7
55. Manu Ginobili
56. Rafer Alston – My Pick
57. Zydrunas Illgauskas
58. Speedy Claxton
59. Mike James
60. Zach Randolph
61. Chris Kaman
62. Josh Howard
63. Antawn Jamison
My Pick: It remains to be seen if Skip to My Lou can produce with T-Mac also in the lineup, but I thought the PG options after him started to decline.
Best Value: Easily Antawn Jamison, who may not be exciting, but he slipped quite a bit after last year’s impressive campaign.
Surprise Selection: Speedy Claxton is the most unknown commodity here, but I think he’s a great sleeper and could easily be worthy of this selection.
ROUND 8
64. Andre Iguodala
65. Al Harrington
66. Charlie Villanueva
67. Peja Stojakovic
68. Nenad Krstic
69. Chris Wilcox
70. T.J. Ford
71. Larry Hughes – My Pick
72. Jason Terry
My Pick: I always like drafting players coming off down years about five rounds later than they went the previous year, and Larry Hughes fits the bill perfectly. Still, he’s one of the more injury-prone players around and hasn’t declared his finger 100 percent yet. He was too tough to pass up at this point, but I recognize it could backfire.
Best Value: I like Iguodala and Harrington, who both are pretty much steals at this point in the draft. A.I. #2 didn’t quite live up to the hype last year and won’t score a ton of points if Iverson and Webber stay healthy, but he’s only going to improve and will rack up steals.
Surprise Selection: Wilcox here is somewhat surprising, but he is available at center and has potential. Peja was going as recently as round 2/3 last year, but with our scoring format, his changing teams and injury concerns, this round sounds about right.
The second half of the draft will be posted tomorrow…
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