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Subject: RIHC Draft Rationales 2004/05 - Rounds 6-10
Posted by: Guru
- [330592710] Mon, Oct 18, 2004, 13:32
Just to keep the rationale threads to a digestable size (for those stuck with dial-up speed), we'll segment the draft rationales in 5 round batches. This thread will be for rounds 6-10.
Rationales for rounds Round 1-5 |
| 1 | hoopsklyce
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 18, 2004, 13:33
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6.01 Chris Bosh, C, TOR
At this point in the draft it was time to take a center. My shortlist included Bosh and Eddy Curry. I had them rated similarly and I was not comprimising much on my depth chart to take them. I had heard good things about Curry's offseason workout program and he was coming up on a new contract but could not get over his slump last year. Have heard only good things about Chris Bosh and felt he had a nice upside that included shot blocking and he would not hurt me on the FT line.
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| 2 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 18, 2004, 13:33
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6.02 Cuttino Mobley, G, Orl
Time for another guard. I still need someone for the SG slot, and Cuttino Mobley is the top player on my list right now. I need scoring, 3's, and steals, and that's what Cuttino brings. I considered going for a 3rd PG with this pick, but decided that when my need intersects with the top of my ranking list, I should take it and stop over-analyzing. Cuttino may not be a sexy pick, and may not have much upside, but I think I'm getting what I paid for with this pick.
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| 3 | APerfect10
ID: 369168
Mon, Oct 18, 2004, 13:51
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6.03 Rafer Alston, PG TOR
Rounding out my team, the only main piece that I was missing was a true Point Guard. Although I was in need of a PG, I will never draft by need. I have to feel that the player is a good value pick at this position.
At pick #63 overall, I felt Rafer was good value here. My projection placed him everywhere from 40th - 65th so while his value may not be quite as high as a few of my previous picks, Rafer fit well into my plan.
Seeing significant playing time in Miami last year (31.5 minutes per game) Alston put up good assist numbers, double digit points and decent steal's. His weakness of FG% is not a major concern as the rest of my team is strong in this category.
Moving to Toronto and basically having the starting PG role locked up should help build upon the success he experienced last year; regardless of how poor Toronto's team really is. He now has a true stud to feed in Vince Carter and this can only be a positive for his assists. With the lack of quality players in Toronto, I see Rafer's PPG going up slightly as well.
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| 4 | Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Mon, Oct 18, 2004, 18:15
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6.04 Marquis Daniels, G, DAL
It could be argued that Daniels is a bit of a stretch here. But based on the fact that Mark Cuban handed the guy a fat contract based on the evidence of 30 or so games, this is a calculated risk. Marquis tore it up at the end of the season. In April, he averaged 20 points, 5 assists, 6 boards, over 2 steals, and an almost superhuman 52% FG and 92% FT. Although it is not realistic to expect a full season of those type of numbers, trim them down by around 30% or so, that puts him around Manu and Stephen Jackson level. Both of which were selected right around here.
Don Nelson has already come out and said that Daniels is a big part of the offense and is the best passer on the team. Dallas has so many weapons that he will get open shots and a chance to get to the hoop. Despite a crowded backcourt, he seems a lock to start at SG and spell Terry at the point at times also. We needed a starting SG, and also a leg up with our %s to cancel out Walker, so Marquis is exceptional value for a G in these cats at this stage.
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| 5 | Mike D
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Mon, Oct 18, 2004, 20:35
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6.05 Gary Payton, G, Bos
I would have loved to grab Manu or Mobley here, but predictably they were gone. I found myself intrigued by Marcus Camby in this spot, which would have locked up my center spot. Using last year’s stats, I basically had penciled him in. Until I remembered he was made of glass, and the odds of him staying healthy were loooooong.
Wanting a safer choice, my short list became very guard driven. I ended up choosing Payton for a lot of reasons. His season last year was not as bad as I thought, once I took the time to look. However, it was a clear aberration when reviewing his tremendous career. Just a year ago he was being taken in the top few rounds. The year before, he was a 2nd rounder.
It says here that he returns to his previous form, or at least closer to it. I haven’t seen many players prouder than Payton. Doc Rivers said Payton is acting like he was “released from prison” now that he is out of the triangle offense. I like that attitude. I liked his first game in the pre-season the other night. It’s his show to run, and he has some weapons to pass to. He also has the freedom to run the break again, something he has always excelled at. And he should get some open looks.
Bibby and Arenas both hit a lot of 3s and resemble SGs in many ways. So I’m not really looking at this as if I have 3 point guards. Payton is one of the last pure point guards who doesn’t look to score first. A high FG % shooter for a PG, he’ll give me a load of assists while helping in points and steals. After all, he is still the Glove.
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| 6 | Rand
Dude
ID: 204401122
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 01:40
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6.06 Eddie Jones, G, MIA
JRich kept dropping and I was psyched that he could be mine, but when the time came I ended up signing Eddie Jones instead. I admit to be slightly awed by Jones' studly 3pt numbers (177 made), and his cool 83% FT success. And I'm truly sold on the notion that Shaq will dramatically effect Eddie's numbers in a very positive way. I anticipate his FG% (a dismal 41% last season and is easily his ugliest numbers) will rise significantly as he gets better looks. His improved shot selection will help him get closer to his career average FG of over 44%. There is also the possibility that Eddie will get time in at the SF position, position flexibility can always come in handy. Eddie Jones is a sharpshooter and a great scorer and I think he's in line for an excellent year. |
| 7 | RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 204401122
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 01:50
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6.07 Stephen Jackson, G, IND
Of all my picks, this is the one I have the least confidence in. I have never been a Stephen Jackson fan, but I am hoping he continues to improve off of what he did last season. Last seasons strong three and steals rankings are tough to read since they came on a scrub team. I think the steals will continue under Rick Carlisle’s tutelage, and if he really is Old Man Reggie’s successor, he should see enough minutes to justify this pick.
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| 8 | blackjackis21
Leader
ID: 034837521
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 12:22
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6.08 Erick Dampier, C, DAL
I almost flipped a coin here between Dampier and Jason Richardson - I really wanted both. Looking at the the next several picks, it looked like there might be a run on Centers, so I opted for Dampier on the outside chance that Richardson could make it all the way back to me 8 picks later. Of course Dave R takes him with the very next pick.
Dampier came out of nowhere last year to average 12 pts, 12 rebounds, and nearly 2 blocked shots per game. Now that he's signed a fat contract with Dallas, I expect similar numbers with perhaps a slight decrease in scoring.
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| 9 | Dave R
Dude
ID: 3010361110
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 13:02
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6.09 Jason Richardson G GS
I too was looking at Dampier and Richardson at this pick and Blackjack's pick made mine easier.
Truthfully I probably would have picked Richardson anyway. I have a forward that can shoot 3's (Lewis ) so I might as well have a Guard that can rebound like a forward.
Richardson can score and if Golden State goes to an up-tempo offense maybe improve on last years 19 ppg. I expect nearly 7 RB's per game, some blocks, a steal a game and an increase in 3's from last year. %'s won't kill you either.
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| 10 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 14:32
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6.10 Emeka Okafor, C, Cha
um, a rookie for an expansion team - what was I thinking?
Actually, I was thinking I needed another center, and although he's a rookie, Okafor has a complete game. He probably won't actually be playing much 5, but I'll take the center eligibility. As far as him being on an expansion team, it will mean that his team may not be very good, but he looks to be the #1 option. Thus I expect close to 18pts/10 reb/2 blocks. Needless to say, I'll be quite interested in how he adapts to the pro game (and my team's success may hinge on it...). And, hopefully he won't be a 50% ft shooter as rotowire initially had him pegged.
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| 11 | Doug
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:08
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6.11 Tyson Chandler, F, CHI
Ugh... 20 picks. Lots of guys coming off the board. For some reason, this time around seemed more painful than the previous two. I was focusing on improving steals, 3s, and blocks with these two picks (6.11 and 7.02)...
I think Chandler has huge upside this season and, like Webber, he has had a really good offseason and preseason. I also figure I can get a few more blocks later on when I fill my second C slot, so being able to count on 2 blocks per game from a F is a huge boost for my squad. I did consider the rookie C Okafor here, but his 50% FTs were a little too brutal. I was really worried that Slack would take Chandler, since he needed blocks too, so was relieved when he fell through to me. I'm excited that Chandler's great potential will finally bear fruit this season. |
| 12 | coldwater coyotes
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:09
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6.12 Marcus Camby, C, DEN
Having elected to take the first pick of the draft and then taking KG, I was unable to participate in the first wave of Center picks. However at this point in the draft I'd better take a couple of "B" grade Centers or I am dead.
The obvious concern with Camby is whether he can stay healthy. If he can play then he puts up very good numbers in rebounds, blocks, FG% and FT%. Last year he played in 72 games while in the previous two years he played 29 games each year. He is clearly a gamble but I have a good feeling about the Nuggets this year....lets hope he can make at least 65 games.
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| 13 | coldwater coyotes
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:09
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7.1 Eddy Curry, C, CHI
The second of my "B" grade centers and a player that always reminds me of home, England, where in my youth once the pubs were closed (11.00 pm!!) we used to invade the Indian restaurents for the beer which was served with a curry.
Hugely talented but lazy, reports are that he has turned up this year fitter and with a better attitude. I expect over 100 blocks, 18 PPG, 10 RPG, 50%FG and an improvement in FT% to 70.5%.
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| 14 | Doug
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:10
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7.02 Jason Kidd, G, NJN
I knew I wanted another G here, and at first didn't really have designs on Kidd. However, I decided to combine 50% of Kidd's stats with 50% of the stats from a player I'd expect to draft in round 14 or so. The combined stats of these two players reflects what I can expect to get out of that roster slot, IF Kidd meets my expectations when he returns AND plays 41 games. This "combined" player was rated well ahead of any remaining options at this point, so I decided to pull the trigger. If Kidd can play more than 41 games (say 50 or even 60), then I'm really coming out ahead on this one. Obviously, there is downside if he doesn't come back soon enough, or comes back and can't put up the stats I'd expect to see from him (I have him projected conservatively, with per game averages below those of the last few years). At this point, a very worthwhile risk IMHO.
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| 15 | Slackjawed Yokel
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:11
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7.03 Shareef Abdur-Rahim, F, POR
Here's hoping for a return to form for 'reef. He had been a top fantasy player for several years consistently getting 20/10 with high percentages, but he really languished in Portland after the trade last year. Sounds like he's solidly in the rotation for this year, but the best scenario would probably involve him being traded to a team on which he can start at PF.
I was only debating two players with this pick - Abdur-Rahim and Jason Williams. And Dave R ended up taking Williams with the very next pick. I guess I opted again for the player with greater upside (but if I keep doing this, I'm likely to get burned.) |
| 16 | Dave R
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:12
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7.04 Jason Williams, G, Mem
After missing out on the top tier PG's ( somewhat by design with Iverson hopefully running the point in Philly ) and with the increasing realization that I still needed a PG by Yahoo's standards, at least until Iverson is deemed a PG, I focused on someone to slot in there. Some assists would also be helpful.
Williams or Damon? Their stats are really quite similar with maybe an edge to Damon. But Van Exel is now in Portland and who knows what that might mean.
I decided on Williams. With Jason I feel I know what I'm getting. 30 min/game, 11-12 ppg, 7-8 assists, 100 steals, 130 3's. He's also an excellant FT shooter.
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| 17 | blackjackis21
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:13
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7.05 Joe Johnson, G, PHO
Last year was quite the coming out party for Joe, as he averaged nearly 17 points, 4.4 assists, 5 rebounds and 1 steal in 40 minutes per game. With the Suns' addition of Quentin Richardson in the offseason, I have Joe pegged at more like 36 minutes a game, and would expect his stats to adjust proportionately. I agree with Rotowire's assessment that the Suns may go "small" from time to time with a lineup of Amare, Marion, Nash, Q, and Joe, so whether or Joe stats he should still see big minutes. The only other guy I considered here was Arroyo (another guy taken from me by Rand).
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| 18 | RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:14
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7.06 Mike Dunleavy, F, GSW
Everyone wants to be like Mike...right? More minutes and more responsibilities in the offense should lead to his "breakout" season. His game doesn't have a many holes in it (as viewed through my rose colored glasses.) He should supply decent 3s, fair FT and FG%, and quality rebounds while increasing his assists and points. Realistically, I'm looking at a 15-6-4 with a 3 and a steal+ ppg. The toughest part I see is maintaining the 6 RPGs he had last season, with a return of Troy Murphy and Foyle replacing Dampier. End result might be more points though. |
| 19 | Rand
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:15
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7.07 Tony Parker, G, SAS
I wanted to get a reliable PG and ended up agonizing over whether to take Parker or Arroyo. Suspect FG% ruled out Stoudamire and Tinsley, in my mind (of course, they may prove stronger in other areas). Although he's gained plenty of experience, Parker is very young (22, I think) and should continue to grow into an excellent point guard. He is an important scoring option for the Spurs, but maintains a very good FG% for a PG (44%), decent FT%, and could approach 500 assists this season.
After I made the pick, I finally found info on the previous nights Utah game, and Arroyo had 10 assists! I thought I made a mistake picking up Parker instead of Arroyo. Regardless, I've got great faith that Tony Parker is going to have a very good season and provide a steadying influence for the Rand Dragons. Oh, and I gotta admit I had an almost overwhelming desire to get Grant Hill with this pick, but I stayed the course and beefed up my Assists totals.
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| 20 | Mike D
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:16
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7.08 Kurt Thomas, C, NYK
I narrowed this choice down to Thomas, Brent Barry, and Q Richardson. I really liked the way all 3 fit my team at this point. Ultimately, I decided on Thomas because I could lock up my second Center spot and throw away the key. I didn’t like the list of remaining Centers, and if I hadn’t taken Thomas here, I would have been waiting a long time, which I certainly thought about.
Thomas has excellent FG/FT %, the latter being a big deal for a big guy. His is a strong rebounder, and throws in a shot block a game to boot. He plays more like a power forward than a center. Probably because he IS a power forward. In fact, he will probably start at the 4 spot this season. There is a lot of pressure being put on for playing time, but I feel Thomas will be on the floor a lot. He is too valuable to the Knicks not to get the minutes he needs to help my fantasy team. The more I look at this pick, the more I like it.
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| 21 | Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:26
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7.09 Grant Hill, F, ORL
Maybe it's the fact several players with undefined roles started to disappear in this round (Kidd, Shareef, JJ, Kurt). Maybe it's the fact that Hill put up his first meaningful numbers of the season a few nights ago. Or maybe it's just the Euros taking another risk-reward player, which seems to be quickly becoming the norm, rather than the exception for us in these middle rounds. But why on earth would we risk picking up a player that has just come off his 4th major surgery on the same ankle in as many years?
The answer to that question is simple. Grant Hill puts up sweet numbers. And that includes the very limited amount of time he has been on a basketball court in a Magic jersey. We have projected Grant very modestly at 12-4-4 with 45% FG and 78%FT. And only 50 games. Obviously he has the game to elevate these numbers significantly, but even with these numbers, that wouldn't make him a complete bust. He might gives us nothing or he might make one of the greatest comebacks ever. With the 81st pick, we felt happy enough with our squad to take a mini/maxi-risk with Hill. Like 'Toine a few rounds earlier, he has 2nd round potential if he works out.
Maybe it's seeing the words "Marcus Camby" and "DNP" too many times this preseason already, but i am reminded of a quote from the movie Unbreakable: "They called me Mr. Glass". We will find out soon enough. Rather ironically, all our other contenders made it back to us round the turn for the 8th. I hope Edgar is ready for another lengthy MSN debate. |
| 22 | APerfect10
ID: 26981219
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 18:44
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7.10 Darius Miles, F POR
Through the first 6 rounds my draft choices were fairly clear. Entering the 7th round things started to become a bit more fuzzy.
The highest rated player on my board was Damon Stoudamire and I definately needed an assist man; however, I also need a forward and more specifically a power forward. Unfortunatley, I felt there were no power forwards worth drafting in this slot. So which Trailblazer do I draft?
I knew there would be four picks made before my next selection and I knew Guru & hoopsklyce needed Forwards and Centers so I drafted Miles as I felt he would be more likely to be drafted during those picks than Stoudamire.
Darius Miles has a load of talent yet has not been able to produce nearly as good as he has been expected. He can do everything from handle the rock to block shots. The problem playing in Portland is that he's battling Shareef Abdur-Rahim for the starting SF slot. It appears that Shareef has this battle pretty much locked up shifting Miles to the 6th man role. I still expect Miles to get his 30+ minutes a game therefore he should get his stats. If Abdur-Rahim gets traded mid-season as many expect, Miles will step right in and not miss a beat. This would be a tremendous boost to Miles stats. The main reason that I like Miles is his potential to block a great deal of shots. His BPG have been decreasing each year he has been in the league. I expect him to rebound in this category and hopefully get back to nearly 1.25-1.50 blocks per game.
Drafting Miles is a fairly safe bet to get his typical numbers; however, his upside due to pure talent and the possibility of Abdur-Rahim being traded make him a solid choice this late in the draft. (82nd overall)
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| 23 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 20:29
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7.11 Kenny Thomas, F, Phi
I considered Thomas two rounds ago when I picked Al Harrington. At that point, I considered Harrington a reach, but I was worried about the continued run on front line players. I have these two ranked very similarly, but took Harrington based on his scoring upside as well as Kenny's proclivity for nagging injuries. But I don’t consider Thomas a stretch at all for this pick – even though I've been trying to steer somewhat clear of guys who have difficulty staying out of street clothes. Still, Thomas played in 74 games last year. And after the All Star break, he averaged 17.6 points while grabbing 11.1 boards in 41+ minutes. Sounds like his time has come.
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| 24 | hoopsklyce
ID: 26981219
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 21:04
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7.12 Mehmet Okur, C UTA
I went for Okur to be my second center. Considering the contract he signed with Utah he should be a starter for them and play decent minutes. For Detroit last year he put up respectable numbers on a per minute basis. However, Larry Brown did have some issues with him and I do have concerns that whatever issues Brown had could be an issue with Sloan and put him in the doghouse. However I am hoping that does not happen and he produces at a level higher than where I took him.
8.01 Drew Gooden, F, CLE
Gooden burned me last year and here I am again taking another chance with him. I can't get out of mind the performance he had in the playoffs two seasons ago and the decent rebounding he showed in his rookie season. I am hoping he can play at a level higher than where I drafted him with contributions in rebounds and blocks. So far he had been averaging double digit rebs in the preseason and he should have motivation to help the Cavs forget about Boozer as well as his upcoming contract renewal.
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| 25 | Guru
ID: 26981219
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 21:04
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8.02 Brent Barry, G, SAS
In 2001-02, Barry turned out to be a complete fantasy stud. But at age 32, he is probably on the decline, and managed to play only 59 games with Seattle last year. Even so, the ESPN player rater ranked him #74 in total stats, and #31 based only on averages. This is pick 86 in our draft, and Barry seems like a good value pick at this level. He is on a new team, and will be part of a 3 guard rotation with Parker and Ginobili. Since Barry can play either guard slot, I suspect he'll get his fair share of the 96 available minutes. At Seattle last year, he averaged 31 minutes, and that level seems reasonable to expect this year, too.
I thought about Arroyo here, and was very tempted to add a 3rd point guard, as assists are difficult to find from the F/A list if an injury strikes. But I opted to take Barry's 3 point shooting and position versatility (i.e., ability to fill my SG slot if needed).
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| 26 | APerfect10
ID: 26981219
Tue, Oct 19, 2004, 21:05
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8.03 Damon Stoudamire, G POR
See pick 7.10
One of the few cases where I thought a player would slip through and he actually did. I needed another strong PG (assist) and felt Stoudamire was the BPA on the board so this pick made sense. His strong FT% also helps fight the battle of negating my first round selections poor FT%.
The only concern here is that Van Exel is now in Portland and could possibly steal some minutes from Damon. What were the Portland GM's thinking? Especially after Stoudamire had a very solid season last year. Van Exel has tended to be injury prone the past few years plus his numbers arent nearly as high as they once were. My prediction is that Stoudamire and Derek Anderson should see only see a slight decline in minutes and Van Exel will give them both breathers.
If Stoudamire can get me 5.5 APG, 1 SPG and shoot in the high 80's from the FT line then I'll be happy.
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| 27 | Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Wed, Oct 20, 2004, 05:10
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8.04 Troy Murphy, F, GSW
The hardest pick so far for us. We flip-flopped more than once between Troy, PJ and Arroyo. In the end we decided we didn't need Arroyo as much as Troy or PJ, even though we knew he would be gone within the next 5 picks (no surprises there, then). So, its either Troy or PJ. And after looking at PJ's numbers against the West's PF elite last year, it's clear his numbers are visibly lower when playing against the big boys. In the East, he's a lock for an almost double double with great %s, we're not convinced he can produce that this year. So that leaves Troy. Coming back from injury, he's a PJ clone with a lot of upside. The F talent is thinning quickly, and with Hill on board, we needed a guy who can be starter F on our team in the worst case scenario. We would say Murphy is a pretty good fit for that requirement.
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| 28 | Mike D
Sustainer
ID: 041831612
Wed, Oct 20, 2004, 07:10
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8.05 Quentin Richardson, G, Pho
I had eyeballed Q when I picked in the previous round. I hoped either he or Brent Barry would somehow be available here, although I suspected Barry would be gone. Q is showing a lot of confidence so far in the pre-season in his new confines in Phoenix. I expect him to get heavy SG and SF minutes (when the Suns go small). In the wide-open style of the Pacific division, I think a lot of points will be scored, and Q will get his share, possibly building on his 17 ppg average from last year. He had 120 3PM in only 65 games. Q has been a strong rebounder for a guard, and with the cast around him I’m hoping his percentages rise this season. I needed a starting SG, and Q fits the bill. Plus, you gotta like someone that shows up at the press conference with Brandy on his arm.
A big new contract, an engagement to Brandy, and a new team ready to roll, all add up to a big 5th season for this breakout player.
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| 29 | Rand
Dude
ID: 204401122
Wed, Oct 20, 2004, 14:32
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8.06 Carlos Arroyo, G, UTA
With Arroyo's Olympic experience and success, and with the news of an injured Raul Lopez, it would seem that Carlos will be The Man at the point for Utah this season. With some impressive scorers to feed, it is not impossible to believe that Carlos could average 7 assists a game. Optimistically, I'm hoping Carlos averages 14-15 ppg, with a good FG%(45%) and a very good FT%(80%) and a boat load of assists.
I was planning to try and get Dwight Howard in this round, but I couldn't pass on Arroyo as I felt he was the best player still available. And this way I won't be kicking myself all season for taking Parker over Arroyo initially. |
| 30 | RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 204401122
Wed, Oct 20, 2004, 14:49
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8.07 P.J. Brown, F, NOR
What can Brown do for you?
Very unsexy pick. Had a two man queue of Troy Murphy and Doug Christie. The Euro Gollums took Troy, so I figure this is an easy one. Doug Christie, right? Well, I was making that pick based on past references, so I decided to use the "RSF's Gurupatron Player Info" tool to check in on the former Longview WA resident. Turns out he has "plantar fasciitis". Bad feet...uhh...no thanks, not just yet. Back to the drawing board.
Rebounds, I need rebounds, and PJ should supply those, as he has throughout his career. 47% FG with 85% FT (although he doesn't get there too frequently) with 8 PPG and 8 RPG would work nicely for me. Anything above that is bonus money.
Heres to hoping that PJ delivers.
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| 31 | blackjackis21
Sustainer
ID: 41831612
Wed, Oct 20, 2004, 15:47
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8.08 Jamaal Tinsley, G, Ind
None of the top-tier PG's lined up to where I thought they were a good value with my picks in the first several rounds, then Rand took two that I thought could fit my team well in the middle rounds (Parker and Arroyo), so I thought I better grab Tinsley before I was left with Pooh Richardson or something.
Actually I'm mildly excited about Tinsley's upcoming season. He had some injury issues last year and only played 52 games, but I read that Carlisle is happy with his off-season workout this past summer and is planning to "trust" him more this year. Not sure exactly what that meanss, but I hope it translates into approx. 7 assists and a couple of steals per game.
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| 32 | Dave R
ID: 369391514
Wed, Oct 20, 2004, 17:07
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8.09 Dwight Howard F ORL
I wanted a big man here, but the two I was looking at were taken ( Murphy and PJ ). I know Howard is young but on the plus side he should see plenty of minutes. I also considered Rasho ( who I got next round ) and Swift.
Roto wire says " He might grow into a Kevin Garnett type player, but this year is more likely to be Stromile Swift ". Since Swift was on my radar I don't feel this is a reach at all and would be thrilled with something between the 2.
Looking for 15 ppg, 8 rb, 1 block and steal per game and a couple of assists.
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| 33 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Wed, Oct 20, 2004, 18:16
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8.10 Jalen Rose, G, Tor
There was a fairly large number of players I was considering at this point, and no one really stood out above the others for me. I ended up deciding to try to get someone (preferably a guard) that would produce in multiple categories. I ended up narrowing it down between Rose and Sprewell who both can be expected to put up a decent number of rebounds, assists, points, and threes. In the end, I'm not sure what made me get Rose - must be the homer in me picking the former Pacer over the former Knick. Also, it looks like Rose will be playing SF this year, but to start with has PG and SG eligibility. This flexibility might come in handy down the road.
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| 34 | Doug
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 11:29
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8.11 Larry Hughes, G, WAS
I still needed 3s and steals, and was looking for a player with some upside. Hughes fits that bill. He's put up great numbers on occasion in the past, and I think the Wizards sytle of play suits him well. I'm looking for him to take another step in his maturity and consistency this year. I realize he won't be option #1 or #2, but I still expect him to be a major part of this team... and so far I think his preseason performances are supporting that expectation. I hope that Jamison's presence will open up some of his 3 point looks and increase his overall shooting percentage over last year's abysmal sub-40%.
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| 35 | Coldwater Coyotes
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 11:30
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8.12 Kerry Kittles, G, LAC
With the same name as the next President we are looking
at an honest, hard working and intelligent guard for the
Clippers. Providing he fully recovers from his minor injuries, Kittles will have a big year. His experience will be invaluable for his team and he will become the leader of the team. Over 100 3pts, 16 PPG, 4.5 APG and solid shooting percentages will make him a good pick up in the 8th round.
9.01 Ricky Davis, F, BOS
Even if Davis doesn't start he will play over 30 mins a game and will provide pretty good numbers in all categories. In fact he will probably put up numbers right in the middle of all averages: 14.5 PPG, 4 RPG, 3.5 APG, .452FG%, .757FT%, 95 steals, 48 3PM and 25 blocks. This is my final all rounder and I will now need to get help for certain categories from my remaining picks.
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| 36 | Doug
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 11:31
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9.02 Glenn Robinson, F, PHI
A little bit of a gamble here, but I was looking for players who I felt had a chance of being a lot better than their current draft position, and willing to take a bit of a risk to do it. Robinson's numbers obviously trailed of significantly last year, and he's recovering from elbow surgery. BUT, the training camp reports were that he has been shooting lights out and is in the best shape of his career. I read that Iverson was excited about playing with him this year too. I don't think it's out of the question he'll return to his numbers of a year or two ago. A bold prediction for the old dog...err.... big dog, but this is definitely a pick I'm pretty happy about.
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| 37 | Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 16:07
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9.03 Tayshaun Prince, G, Det
Despite Sprewell, whom I had seriously considered with my previous pick, still being available, I once again had several players to pick from. Plus it was really Rose or Sprewell on my squad, I didn't really need them both.
At this point in the draft I tend to become overly anal with my selections (I guess as opposed to being appropriately anal...). I've got a spreadsheet in which I'm tracking the available players, so I might as well compile some projected standings. Then I take the different players I'm considering and plug their projections in to see how it effect my team's composition with respect to the other teams. (Hey, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's doing this, and some of you guys are probably using statistics and probability, etc.)
Anyways, I had been planning on going with Radmanovic or Doug Christie as it seems my team was lacking in 3's and steals. But I was a bit concerned about their dependability and PT. I ended up going with Prince because of his high FG% and his ability to fill in the whole stat sheet. While not providing the 3's of Radmanovic or the steals of Christie, he will be contributing in every category.
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| 38 | Dave R
Sustainer
ID: 41831612
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 16:21
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9.04 Rasho Nesterovic, C, SAS
I desperately needed a Center at this point and felt Rasho was the "best of the rest". Under consideration at this point also was Nene and Swift. With Rasho at least I knew he would be a starter and never seems to miss any games.
Rasho should average 10 ppg, 8-9 Rb and 2 blocks.
Hopefully he will improve his FT%.
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| 39 | blackjackis21
Sustainer
ID: 41831612
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 16:23
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9.05 Latrell Sprewell, F, MIN
With a weak crop of PG's on my team, and no remaining PG's that I really like at this point, I decided to look at the Forwards for a source of some assists. Last year, Spree averaged 3.5 assists per game, and there's not much reason to believe that should change this year. Spree also does fine in rebounds, points, three, steals and FT%. Early news out of Wolves camp might have Wally taking a few minutes from Latrell this year, but I still think Spree "gets his". In a change of events however, Wally appears to be healthy and Spree is resting, so that's something I'll be watching with interest as the opener nears.
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| 41 | RecycledSpinalFluid
Sustainer
ID: 41831612
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 16:24
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9.06 Eric Snow, G, CLE
Addressing my need for a PG...by selecting an SG. Snow and McInnis are going to be co-PG/SGs, whose job is to feed the rock to "the Precious".
He should provide a fair amount of dimes and steals to go with decent points. FG% is relatively weak at 43% and I don't think he has ever hit a 3 pointer in his career.
My main other consideration here was Jimmy Jackson, with all those 3, but last season he had nearly 33% more 3PA than any other year in his career. Is he going to do that again...with McCrazy around to pump up the rock? And Lil' Jim isn't exactly the most durable player around. Anyway...
If he can pull a 10-6-3 season, I'd be more than satisfied. My concern is how McInnis and Snow are going to share the rock. If only I could get both...
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| 42 | Rand
Sustainer
ID: 41831612
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 16:25
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9.07 Adonal Foyle, C, GSW
Reasoning behind drafting Adonal Foyle? Let me spell it out for you...b-l-o-c-k-s. And that's about it.
Foyle's got his big chance to be the main man at C for the Warriors. He's also been given the opportunity to be a shot-blocking stud with my fantasy team, and hopefully he doesn't blow it. Honestly, I'm not too wild about this pick.
I have my doubts about Adonal Foyle, but I've been wrong many, many times before. So there's hope.
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| 43 | Mike D
Sustainer
ID: 41831612
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 16:26
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9.08 Jim Jackson, F, HOU
Though Yahoo has Jackson as a G/F, I penciled him in at one of my two open Forward spots. His position flexibility could come in handy later in the season, but right now, my focus was on filling those last 2 spots unless a huge value pick was there to put at Utility.
Jackson caught my eye as the top remaining 3PTM guy on the board. With 162, he finished 7th in the league last year. He should still get big minutes, and his share of looks this year playing the SF spot in Houston. I actually considered Jackson in the last round before going with Q, so I was very happy to pick him up here. I love his FT shooting, which my team can use, and he helps a bit in some other categories as well (steals, rebounds, even assists). Jackson addresses some needs on my team besides filling a starting forward spot, which was a nice mix for the 104th pick.
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| 44 | Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 18:25
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9.09 Ben Gordon, G, CHI
If Jim Jackson was available this would have been a very, very close call. But rather predictably, Mike D pulled a EuroGollum © on us and snatched away another potential member of the Fellowship. So we settled for Gordon. Despite a rocky pre-season thus far, it's far too early to cast many dispersions. Anyway, it's not like Chicago is brimming with options at the 2 now that Crawford is gone, so Gordon is virtually guaranteed minutes. Gordon's best qualities are his excellent FT% (around 80%) and the generous amount of 3s (100+ ?) he provides. Reports we have read suggest he is a more polished shooter than Wade was last year, so if thats any indication, 16ppg is not an unreasonable total to expect. He also gived us another good option at our SG slot should Marquis Daniels not be able to go when the season starts.
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| 45 | APerfect10
ID: 369168
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 18:38
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9.10 Stromile Swift, PF/C MEM
By my 9th round selection, I noticed that I was lacking in Blocks, Rebounds, Steals and I can always use FT% help with Shaq in my lineup. With that in mind, I did not have a PF at this point in the draft and since we need to start at least 1 Power Forward I needed to make that selection with 1 of my next 4 picks, preferably my next 2 picks as picking forwards were getting slim.
I had previously thought about select Swift at the end of the 7th round and then again at the beginning of the 8th round. IMHO, I was fortunate to have him slip the entire way to the end of the 9th round.
Swift is stuck in Memphis as the backup Center behind the less talented Lorenzen Wright. I do not know why Hubie insists on starting Wright over Swift. He's a very good rebounder & shot blocker and he will not kill you from the line or floor.
If Stromile Swift can somehow find the minutes he could be very productive...
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| 46 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 19:37
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9.11 Nene (Hilario), C, Den
I made up a list for this pick at the beginning of round 9, and just about everyone is gone. Is everybody peeking at my list before they draft?
I still need a center, and there aren't many left that don’t have serious shortcomings. Nene doesn't have the blocks you'd like to get from the center position, and with Yao as my other center, I may be effectively punting that category. Or I may simply have some trade needs. Time will tell.
There is some concern that the addition of Kenyon Martin will crowd minutes for Nene, but I think he should be able to retain close to the 32 MPG that he got last year. After all, Camby is bound to miss more than his fair share, and KMart hasn’t exactly been Mr. Durability either. If I can get similar production to last year, he's the best center left on the board. If he improves, all the better. And he won’t destroy my FT%.
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| 47 | hoopsklyce
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 21:06
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9.12 Derek Anderson, G, POR
I took Derek Anderson since he was the top rated player on my depth chart. I realized that he has past injury issues but with a 5 player bench I thought I could work around the 15-20 games he may miss with a sprained ankle. Although he is not a PG, he can get around 4 apg which I found atractive. Also, he will be a starter for Portland.
10.01 Bobby Jackson, G, SAC
Jackson was the top rated player on my depth chart and I took him realizing I would need to wait 22 more picks in order to get a forward that will end up starting for me. In hindsight I am wondering if I would have been better off taking Gerald Wallace here. I realized Jackson has missed a lot of the last two seasons but he has been playing this preseason. With Doug Christie likely to miss the beginning of the season, I am hoping for Jackson to put up the big numbers he frequently does when getting playing time. I am hoping he can also help in the assist category. I look for him along with Derek Anderson to be part time starters at guard in my lineup.
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| 48 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 21:07
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10.02 Vladimir Radmanovic, F, Sea
Unless you play fantasy hoops, you probably haven't heard of this guy. As a fantasy player, he's no stud, but he puts up better all around numbers than you might expect, ranking #79 last year in the ESPN player rater. He could get 150 treys, and while the rest of his stat line isn't stellar, he gets a little bit of everything. Barring injury, I don't think there is much downside here. But I doubt if there is much upside either – unless something else happens in Seattle to increase his role.
The other player that sticks out on my rating grid at this point is Doug Christie. He's tempting, but with plantar fasciitis overlaid on stats that seem to be declining with advancing age, I thought that maybe the potential downside was enough to steer clear of.
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| 49 | APerfect10
ID: 369168
Thu, Oct 21, 2004, 21:30
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10.03 Doug Christie, SG SAC
As mentioned with my last pick, steals and FT% are two of my four weakest categories at this point therefore Christie was the obvious choice to me. Averaging nearly 2 SPG and shooting slightly less than 90% from the charity stripe fit my team perfectly.
Christie is one of those scrappy players who is consistent year in and year out. While its important to take risks in a league like this; I also feel its equally as important to take a few of those solid guys you can rely on and do not have to worry about. Christie would've been drafted much higher than #111 overall (I have him ranked 75 - 98) however he has a corn on his foot which he has had treatment for and which will keep him sidelined the majority of the pre season. The last report I read stated that he is hoping to be ready for the start of the regular season so hopefully the only major impact due to his foot injuries are that he slid down the draft boards to me. Corns are fairly common for basketball players and are extremely painful; however, once that jump ball gets the game underway the pain is numbed so I do not see this affecting his PT or stats all that much.
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| 50 | Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Fri, Oct 22, 2004, 04:10
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10.04 Raef Lafrentz, C, BOS
Raef brings a lot of things to the table for a 10th round pick. He's a sweet shooting big man, who can stroke the 3, and is capable of blocking a raft of shots when given minutes. Crucially he's also a C (although his FC is a nice added bonus) - something we need. We really saw Foyle and Lafrentz as the only legitimate Cs worth considering before there's a dropoff into scrub C territory. So we took our last possible chance to get him, as no way would he have lasted another 16 picks. We had a pretty reasonable trade offer for Lafrentz, but at this stage his C eligibility and meaningful contributions in several categories are too much to give up.
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| 51 | Mike D
Sustainer
ID: 41831612
Fri, Oct 22, 2004, 10:19
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10.05 Juwan Howard, F, Hou
If Juwan is able to produce as he has in the past, I’ll be happy with this pick. I had a F spot to fill, and I think Howard will make a smooth transition in Houston, and benefit from the attention paid to Tmac and Yao. He’s changed teams in recent years more than most people change their underwear, so it’s old news for him.
I’m not looking for anything special other than solid PF numbers from him. He has excellent FG/FT % which will help any fantasy team, and is a solid rebounder. He always finds a way to contribute in the points category as well. The choice came down to a solid forward that could step into an open F spot (Howard) versus a luxury pick that I would have liked in Jeff McInnis.
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| 52 | Rand
Donor
ID: 083231216
Fri, Oct 22, 2004, 14:27
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10.06 Joe Smith PF Mil
Statistically speaking, Joe Smith qualifies as a slow white guy. Dull, but dependable. One of the top rebounders still available at this point in the draft, Smith is also capable of getting 100 blocks. His offence is uninspired but one can always hope that he might break double digits regularly. His percentages are quite good, but utimately its all about Rebounds and blocks with this pick.
Last year I selected Joe Smith with the last pick in the RIHC, and stated that the pick was meaningless since he was destined for the waiver wire anyway. Well, Joe Average proved to be a pretty valuable player and I expect he'll be even better this year. OK, he'll be serviceable, at any rate.
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| 53 | RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 204401122
Fri, Oct 22, 2004, 16:11
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10.07 Wally Szczerbiak, F, MIN
Wally and his career 50% FG% and 85% FT% were too much of a bargain to passup at this stage. I figure to see him get about 30 minutes per game and have excellent offensive production in that time. I figure to see the camping out around the 3pt arc, waiting for the feed from KG when he gets doubled down. Cha-ching!
The biggest obstacle in Wally's way is Sprewell, but he is getting long in the tooth at 34. He is also already whining about not getting a contract extension saying if it isn't done by the opener, it could lead to "potential problems"...hmmm...Sprewell is exactly know as the most stable individual, is he?
Wally doesn't bring much beyond his offensive skills, but I think I can live with that. |
| 54 | blackjackis21
Leader
ID: 034837521
Fri, Oct 22, 2004, 16:21
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10.8 Matt Harpring, F, Uta
The primary attraction of Harpring at this point was his FG%. My team could use a bump there and i'm hopeful that Harpring can get enough minutes/games this year to really help. If he can follow-up last year's injury with a healthy season, he should be a nice source of points and rebounds as well. With Utah's additions of Mehmet Okur and Boozer in the offseason (joining Kirilenko), the Jazz may opt to play Harpring some at SG, and if that's the case, the G/F eligibility wouldn't hurt. Harpring's looked good in the games he's played so far this pre-season, but he also has already sat out a game due to a sore knee.
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| 55 | Dave R
Dude
ID: 3010361110
Fri, Oct 22, 2004, 17:01
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10.09 Mike James G Mil
At this point I felt that I needed to bolster my assists. It seemed that all the remaining Point Guards were locked in battles for starting status.
I felt with James, at least, that he had the best shot at this point ( with TJ Ford likely out for a signifacnt amount of the season ) of starting and not having his back-up looking over his shoulder . Rotowire must have felt the same due to their recent upgrading of his stat projections.
If James can come close to their projections of 12.7 ppg, 6 assists/ game, 123 steals and 144 3's I be more than satisified.
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| 56 | Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 23, 2004, 08:46
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10.10 Jiri Welsch, F, BOS
Though not starting, Welsch should get considerable minutes as he can play SG, and SF, and has been backing up the point some in preseason. Welsh will help in two categories that I've been lacking (steals, and 3's) as well as contribute in points, assists, and rebounds.
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| 57 | Doug
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 23, 2004, 08:46
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10.11 Josh Childress, G, ATL
A little bit of a "roll the dice" pick here... rookies are always tough to pick IMHO. Who really knows how they'll adapt to the NBA, or how long it will take? Preseason only can tell us so much. Still, I really like this guy's potential, and particularly the fact he make a contribution to all 3 of the categories I feel I am weakest in... 3s, steals, and blocks. My main hope is just that he keeps getting playing time, even if he doesn't produce right out the gate. If so, then I think there's a good chance that in the middle and second half of the season we will really begin to see him blossom as a solid NBA-caliber player.
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| 58 | Coldwater Coyotes
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 23, 2004, 08:47
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10.12 Andres Nocioni, G, CHI
Very impressive player for Argentina's Olympic team. He was worked himself into a starting position for the Bulls and he should see plenty of minutes...helped by Ben Gordon's poor pre-season performance. Good all round numbers with especially good shooting %s expected and a real help to my 3pts total.
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| 59 | Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 23, 2004, 08:52
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Rounds 11-15 will be in a separate thread.
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