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Subject: RIHC 2005-06: Draft Rationales (rounds 8-15)

Posted by: Guru - [330592710] Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 13:36

This thread will continue with rationales for rounds 8-15 of the 2005-06 RIHC draft.

For the ground rules and rationales for rounds 1-7, go to this thread.

Pacers Rule
Leader
ID: 02730280
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 15:39

8.01 Jason Williams, PG, MIA

This pick has the potential to be a bit of a bust for me, but I felt that I was weak in assists, with only one PG so far. In looking at the remaining PG, I felt he was a cut above and had the potential to have a strong year. I have to admit, his flashiness was a sell for me. I am hoping that he continues the progress he began under Hubie. With a chance at a championship, he may focus in a little more and have his best season yet. I liked that he hits 3's and has the potential to rack up assists if he does a nice job. He certainly has plenty of capable targets to pass to. He’s not the most well-rounded player on my team, but hopefully he’ll merit an 8th round spot when all is said and done.

Doug
Leader
ID: 02730280
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 15:39

08.02 – Sam Cassell, G, LA Clippers

I knew I needed a guard here because I only have 2 so far and I feel the talent is falling off fairly quickly. In particular, I felt I needed assists and to a lesser extent steals, so I was focusing on PG specifically. I had a few on my list and was having a tough time deciding, so I figured dropping a slot with this pick wouldn’t matter.

Tinsley would probably provide the best per-game numbers in the AST/STL categories I want, but his injury history is a major concern (having missed 72 games the past two seasons). Tony Parker’s 69% from the FT line ruled him out. I like Marko Jaric in these two categories, but between injuries, the mediocre 74% FTs, and the likelihood of him sliding to the next round I didn’t think he was worth the small reach here. Pacer’s took Jason Williams so I didn’t have to think about him either.

Instead, I took the Cassalien. Who knew when I anonymously referred to him in my round 4 rationale that I’d actually end up with him on my squad? I certainly didn’t. It must be fate. And, living in LA, I now have a reason to tune into Clippers games from time to time. =-) The only concern I have is that he might lose some playing time to an undrafted player, but I’ve read enough about that situation to ease my concerns.

I did have him rated ahead of all the other PGs I considered… but he doesn’t really get a lot of steals, which is why I was hesitating and second-guessing. The big thing he DOES give me is solid percentages in both FG/FT categories, so that’s what really seals the deal for him. However, I think this move will definitely put steals at the forefront of one of my next two picks. I guess it’s time to do some more research…

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 15:57

8.03 Ben Gordon, G, Chi

I was thinking about Gordon 2 rounds ago. He’s still available. I guess I should take him.

OK, so maybe he does have a profile similar to Korver. So what? As a second year player, I’m hoping he gets over 30 mpg, and gets his scoring average up near 20 ppg. If so, he could easily be a top 50 player. I can still use more 3s, and I can stand a low 40s FG%.

Admittedly, this is a bit of a homer pick. Maybe I see him through rose colored glasses because I got to watch his college career at UConn so closely. Jim Calhoun has always said that Ben Gordon can be as good as Ben Gordon believes he can be. If he thinks he can be a stud, he can be. Here’s hoping that with a year under his belt and a 6th man award on his mantel, he believes!

for Hoopsklyce
Leader
ID: 041831612
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 20:41

8.04 James Jones, F, Pho
I felt this was a real risky pick considering Jones is an unproven player. But he has been lighting it up (points and treys) in the preseason and he seems to be a main beneficiary of the injury to Amare. I am not expecting much from him beyond points but since he is a second year player. Perhaps he can show some improvement on a per minute basis in the block and steal category over what he achieved last season. I would be very happy if he can average over 2 treys per game and think he has the potential to be at 2.5 treys or more. A potential downside for him would be the return of Amare in the second half of the season. Once again Tony Parker was out there and I ignored my depth chart by not taking him.

for Lionprideguy
Leader
ID: 041831612
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 20:43

8.05 Al Harrington, F, Atl

Last year I picked up Al Harrington sometime in the late fifth or early sixth round, and while he wasn't terrible, he of course didn't perform up to my hopes as a leading forward for the Hawks. A broken finger on his shooting hand (or something like that) for the first month of the season got him off to a slow start and dragged down his %'s, and when he didn't become a solid 20/10 guy he wasn't as exciting a pick this year. The addition of yet more swingmen in Atlanta is of course a concern, trying to get minutes for all of them. And since they're not winning right now, I'd think Atlanta would be more likely to give minutes to Josh Smith, Childress, and Johnson than Harrington. But ...

Harrington is the first pick where his preseason numbers started to influence my thinking. He wasn't really on my radar until the 9/10 rounds or so initially, but I couldn't help but notice. Even with all the new players there, after an initial 7-point opening game, he's put up 25, 21, and 23 with strong shooting %s and 4-5 assists and rebounds. Last year he did get me decent steals and assists for a forward. His FT% was painful last year at 67%, but previous to that it was 73%, 77%, and 79.9%, so hopefully it'll come back up. And finally, he's in a contract year, which is what eventually pushed me to pull the trigger. After a year in Atlanta to get settled, he should be ready to step up as a leader of the younger players, and the extra motivation of playing for his contract always helps.

Other players I considered were Bobby Simmons, Tony Parker, Mike Dunleavey, and would have taken Troy Murphy had he been around.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 041831612
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 20:44

8.06 Raef LaFrentz, FC, Bos

So many choices. So little time. I liked Murphy here, but Doug, always searching for something to do, traded up and snatched him. Maybe it was just to add more color to the Draft Grid, at the request and enjoyment of Dave R.. I had also pegged Gooden in this spot, but could not bring myself to pull the trigger on him. Especially after comparing LaFrentz, who gives me the almighty center qualification.

I need another center, and there aren’t that many left that I want to team with Duncan. LaFrentz is so unique for a big man in that he has great %s, hits the 3 pointers, AND blocks shots. He has the potential to be a 6 category contributor this season, only lacking in assists and steals. He should get plenty of minutes, though with Doc you never know. Raef was playing well last year until ‘Toine was brought in to ruin things. I didn’t feel it was a reach at this point to complete my open center spot with the big lefty. After all, he’s not in Kansas anymore.

KnicksFan
Donor
ID: 030815418
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 20:58

8.07 Sebastian Telfair, PG, POR

At this point my roster only had one point guard, Luke Ridnour. I could have gone with one of the few proven PGs who were left, but I thought what the hell, might as well go for potential again. Telfair has the starting job all to himself in Portland, and showed flashes near the end of last year of what he will be someday; a stud point guard. I don't think he'll reach that status until next season, but for now, I'll enjoy his stats as he nears stud status. This season, he's got two high FG% guys in Przybilla and Randolph to toss the ball to. That should translate into a few easy assists. He'll also probably shoulder a lot of the scoring load in Portland, at the expense of FG%.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 21:06

8.08 - Jamaal Tinsley, PG, IND -

I’m not doing projections, like some other league managers, in an attempt to figure out who ranks where. I’m just going with my gut. So for this turn, I feel I need assists, threes, and rebounds … and I feel that there will be better rebounders in 9 more picks than assist guys. So I hope than Kenyon Martin will be there, and narrow my choice to Tony Parker and Jamaal Tinsley.

Why did I choose Tinsley? He might be injury-prone (missed 72 games the last two seasons). The Pacers added depth this season to take away some of his minutes. He has a FG% in the low-40s. But I’m going with my gut. Fewer minutes means more games. He shoots (and makes) more threes than Parker, and all the websites I look at project him getting more steals than Parker. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a very good #2 point guard for me.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 22:40

8.09 Bobby Simmons, GF, MIL

I had slept on Simmons for a couple rounds, and was honestly still surprised he was still there. I had a couple positional spots I needed to fill here and since Bobby was guard eligible I decided to take him. For a guard position he shoots a high pct from the field and also does well from the line. He can score as well as rebound so the areas where he is a little weak, I think I can cover. The only concern is his role in Mil, whether he comes off the bench or moves into the starting lineup. Either way, 35 mins a game should be expected, and could turn in decent numbers for a 9th rounder.

Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Thu, Oct 20, 2005, 23:31

8.10 Tony Parker, PG, SA

Tony Parker is a champion - sure he's not a great fantasy stat-filler but he has all the intangibles. He does the things that may not show up in the boxscore (unless you look under the miss free throw column or the miss 3 pointer column).

Actually, I wanted to get another point guard and he was top on my list after Jason Williams was taken. He scores quite a bit, continues to improve his assist numbers, and shoots a high percentage (from 2-pt range). Hopefully he and Duncan have practiced their ft shooting during the offseason.. and despite his tenure in the league, Parker is still just 23 so he should still be improving.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 05:39

8.11 Zaza Pachulia, C, ATL

Forget "Escape From Atlantis". We should rename our team "Escape From Atlanta". Zaza is our 3rd Hawk; i'm really not sure what says about us in terms of drafting aptitude, but hey...

After delaying the inevitable for as long as possible, we couldn't pass these 2 rounds by without drafting a Center. The death of Jason Collier is tragic, and we all feel for what his family and the Hawks organization are going through. But from a purely fantasy perspective, there's now a gap of another 10 or so minutes in the rotation that Zaza figures to fill. Upscale his numbers from last year to starters minutes, and they look pretty nice. Something in the order of 13 points, 8 boards and a block is not an unreasonable expectation, we feel. We considered other Cs here too, but Zaza seemed the one that was least likely to torpedo our FT%. The kid's got plenty of upside, so let's see what he can too with a starter's gig on a team that has no inside bangers whatsoever.

Dave R
Dude
ID: 3010361110
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 14:22

8.12 Kenyon Martin F Den

When it came my turn for the next two picks I knew I needed to fortify rebounding. Since I have no NJ players on my team at this point I figured I may as well grab an ex-Net.

After witnessing Kenyon first hand for his first three years and seeing him improve each year to near All-Star status, his career took a slight turn the worse with Denver. Was Kidd that much of a factor in his success or was it a nagging knee injury, that was surgically repaired after the season.

No question if KMart can remain healthy ( he always seems to be nicked up ), he can be an asset to any fantasy team, particularly at this point in the draft. I feel 16/8 is well with in reach, adding 1.5 steals and over 1 block per game. Kenyon shoots nearly 50% from the floor. The only fantasy drawback is a less than stellar FT%.

9.01 Mike Sweetney F

On the heels of drafting KMart, although I had somewhat fortified my rebounding, I felt Sweetney offered to much potential at this point to pass on, knowing he would never make it back to me.

My scouts in the Bulls camp love what they see from Sweetney. He seems to be the opposite of what the Bulls saw from Curry over the past few seasons, having the ability to grab tough rebounds in a crowd. Watching him play for the Knicks, I saw some decent low post moves last year.

What does this all mean for team SANFORDORS? I'm hoping for 14/8 and maybe a block and steal/ game. Good %'s as well. That might be a stretch, but here's to hoping. Anything close will be more than acceptable.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 14:26

9.02 Brevin Knight, PG, CHA

To me, the thing that sticks out about Brevin Knight is the amount of minutes that it took him to generate his top 10 status in steals (6th, 2.0spg) and assists (2nd, 9.0 apg). Brevin figures to be in a similar timehsare scenario this season as the previous one, when he averaged 29 mpg. Scale his key stats down 25%, and he's still a very tempting option here for the thefts and dimes. We felt we needed another PG here, and having owned Brevin last year, we don't have a bad word to say about him. Health and new talent are both minor concerns, but we're anticipating that Brevin's leadership will be required. You don't just scrapheap a guy that gave you NBA leading type numbers in such key areas.

Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 14:34

9.03 Marquis Daniels, F, Dal

I went with Daniels here in hopes of a breakout season for him. He's been having a very nice preseason contributing across the board. After a strong close to his rookie season, much was expected of him last year, but he suffered with injuries. I looked to see when he was selected last year and he went in the 6th round to the champion Euros of all teams. It's all dependent on the minutes he gets, but this could be a steal (or a dud, I suppose).

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 16:22

9.04 PJ Brown, FC, NO

Was looking for a C eligible player here, and of the guys I considered, PJ is the most balanced. He doesn't get quite as many rebs, points or blocks as some of the others, but he also doesn't hurt you at the line. I know PJ is a favorite of a certain manager drafting toward the bottom of the round, and figured it was my last shot at him.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 16:25

9.05 - Udonis Haslem, PF, MIA -

One reason why I take Haslem this round. Rebounds. Since PJ Brown was just taken at 9.04, I enjoyed reading this about Haslem at Rotowire … “Haslem is like the 10-years-younger version of P.J. Brown”. He is not a sexy pick, but he does all the dirty work down low. He nearly averaged a double-double last year (10.0/9.1), and should do the same this season. The Heat are a deeper team this year, which may cut into Haslem’s time, but his great work ethic means he won’t lose much.

for KnicksFan
Leader
ID: 041831612
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 22:22

9.06 Mike Dunleavy, SF, GS

I was considering taking Mike with my pick in round 8, so I was happy that he was still around in round 9. Mike's game really improved once Baron Davis took over near the end of last season. The bigget source of improvement was in 3 pointers made, and in FG% because Baron is finding him open looks. Also, Mike is entering a contract year, which is always a fantasy bonus. Golden State is going to be a good, high scoring team (like during the Mullin-Hardaway era), and Dunleavy is the best scorer after Richardson and Davis. Dunleavy is a decent contributor in rebounds and steals too. I think reasonable expectations for Mike are 15 points, 2 threes, 1.5 steals, and 6 rebounds. The wildcard is whether his percentages will hang around their usual levels, or if they'll stay at his improved post-Baron levels.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 041831612
Fri, Oct 21, 2005, 22:22

9.07 Drew Gooden, PF, Cle

Gooden kept slippin, slippin, slippin…..into my team. Based on last year’s stats, many sites had him ranked highly. But we all know the personnel has changed in Cleveland. I’ve passed up Gooden previously, but this time I sent the limo and brought him in.

I’m not exactly looking for him to duplicate his stats from last year anyway. But if he can rebound the ball in a similar fashion, I’ll be happy. And there should still be lots of bricks thrown up in Cleveland, even though the faces have changed. Hughes to Gooden via the missed shot will be a common occurrence. Gooden’s percentages are nice, he’ll still contribute a small amount of points and blocks, and he’s very active and young which is a nice complement to CWeb. I needed to grab another rebounding forward here.

for Pacers Rule
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 09:42

9.08 Al Jefferson, PF, BOS
Here’s another great player for my all-injury team. At the time I made this pick,he hadn't played a single minute in preseason after spraining an ankle on the first day of camp. This is an all-upside pick, since last year he averaged 15 minutes a game. With new minutes opened up at the PF spot in Boston this year, this second year player is expected to pretty much double his production this year, which would be nice and I think justify his selection at this point in the draft. Honestly, I would have loved to grab him later, but I figured he was one of the more well-known sleepers and therefore most of this group was probably waiting for their chance to pounce on him. I decided to be the early bird. I was thrilled to actually pick in FRONT of Guru for a change, and I was certain with only 2 Forwards on his team at this point, he was leaning toward a Jefferson type player. So far he hasn’t given me the satisfaction of admitting that I sniped his player, and since I just read his rationale for his 9.10 pick, I see that this time is no different!

I thought about Gerald Wallace here but I could not afford to absorb his FT% like Guru could.

As I post this, I was able to see Jefferson play in a preseason game last night against Toronto and he looked a little rusty coming off his ankle sprain and missing all of camp. However, he's very active and the Celtics are committed to developing him this year, so I'm confident he'll at least give me boards, blocks, and some points on a good percentage.

for hoopsklyce
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 09:44

9.09 Kwame Brown, C/F, LAL

Thought about Gerald Wallace and Charlie Villanueva here but decided to take a gamble that things would work out for Brown in LA. His preseason performances have not seem to indicate he would fail while whle at the same time not great. The deciding factor came when I discovered he was also center eligible. Hoping to see why he was the number 1 overall pick this season.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 09:49

9.10 Gerald Wallace, G/F, Cha

My short list coming up to this pick included Gerald Wallace, Marko Jaric, and Mo Peterson.

Jaric has been picked in the 6th or 7th rounds in the other drafts, and yet he’s still available. I suppose the fact that he has yet to appear in a preseason game is part of the reason for the slide. He is a pretty substantial injury risk, having played in only 66, 58, and 50 games in his first 3 NBA seasons. That trend suggests only 42 games for season #4. He’s got a lot of upside though, and could be a bargain 9th round pick if he can appear in more than 60 games, assuming that those games are on par with expectations.

Mo Pete is someone I tend to avoid. I think that whenever I’ve picked him up in past seasons, either as a free agent in a roto game or in a salary cap game, I’ve been disappointed.

Gerald Wallace finally began to show flashes of delivering on his preseason hype last season, although it was a season of high volatility. There were spurts when he was a beast, and there were times when he disappeared, sometimes due to poor play, and twice due to injuries that caused him to miss a total 12 games. Even so, that’s a much healthier record than Jaric.

I’d like to get both Wallace and Jaric with the next 2 picks, so what’s the correct order? Looking at the other drafts, Jaric would seem to warrant the earlier pick. There will be four players taken in between my 9th and 10th rounders. Doug and Pacers Rule each have one, while lionprideguy has 2. Of those teams, LPG is the most difficult to assess, because he has only 2 PGs to go with 3 forwards and 3 centers. One of his centers could fill a forward slot. But with two picks, a PG certainly seems plausible, and yet either Wallace or Jaric – or both – could be good fits. So I guess I have to go with my gut here.

Both have upside, but with Jaric posing the bigger injury risk, I think I’ll defer on him. Wallace it is. He should provide good supplements to blocks and steals (averaging 1.3 and 1.7 last year, respectively), decent boards, and hopefully an uptick in the other stats. His weakness is FT% (61% career, 66% last year), but even with him on the roster, I project my team FT% at about 81% so far, which should be near the top. And, once again, he’s a G/F, which may come in handy.

Doug
Leader
ID: 02730280
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 18:37

09.11 – Shane Battier, F, MEM
I was hoping that Mr. Consistency, P.J. Brown, would fall to me here… instead I get Mr. Garbageman Shane Battier. Both guys contribute in a number of categories. I kept flip-flopping between the “safe” pick of Battier and a whole host of other players who have much greater upside. The problem is, most of those other guys could also drop out of fantasy starter status due to lack of playing time, changing roles, lingering preseason injuries, etc.

In the end, even though I was itching to roll the dice, I felt round 9 was just a bit early to do so and that I’d be better served picking up another plug-n-play guy. Battier was the last truly “safe” player who I felt was left near the top of my draft board. In addition, I’ve really liked Battier as a player and as a person ever since his college ball days at Duke... and anytime I can take someone like that who also helps my fantasy team then it’s a double-win, as it makes rooting for my guys all that much more fun during the season.

lionprideguy
Leader
ID: 906204
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 18:44

9.12 Eddie Jones, G, Mem

Another conservative pick, although Eddie is moving on to Memphis and not getting any younger. I generally try never to take Grizzlies unless they're just far too low to pass up, because we all know about the rotation limiting anybody's minutes. But Jones has been a favorite of Jerry West since back in LA, and he contributes in so many ways across the board. Similar to Prince, I'm figuring his value as a defender is going to keep him on the floor longer minutes, and later in games. While Mike Miller is a better shooter (and I also considered him here), he can't defend like Jones and I figure that as coaches get nervous, or games get tight, they go with the player who they know can get a stop and so they get more minutes. Jones throws in 1-2 threes a game, 1-2 steals, and a few rebounds and assists to go with a great FT% which I really need at this point. I'm hoping he can emerge as a leader of this scattered Memphis team and average closer to 35 minutes a game than anything under 30. Coming up to this pick, I knew I would have taken Gerald Wallace or Mike Dunleavey instead, but both were gone a few picks before (Guru was right about that one).

10.01 T.J. Ford, G, Mil

Emboldened by the conservative Eddie Jones pick, might as well take another big roll of the dice here again. Having back-to-back picks make you feel a little more gutsy to do this, I guess. Of course we're all scared of any bad fall ending his career, so I read every story and report online I could find from the last year. The ones from the end of this summer said that not only had he been cleared from any restrictions, but was flown to three different specialists in three different areas of the nation for independant and objective review, and all three gave a complete clearance for unlimited play, no concerns. This doesn't mean I'm not still worried, but I'm not too happy with my team right now and will have to have a few risks pay off to make up some ground.

With only two real true guards on my roster, I know I needed one at this pick anyway. I looked at Jaric and Mike James as PG options, but know that if things go well the upside for Ford is much higher than either of those. In his two preseason games, Ford has seemed back to himself and recorded 19 points on 8-12FG and 9 assists in the last one. High risk and reward, but I'm going to need some longshots to hit. If Ford proves to the Bucks and himself that he can play without fear, the combo of him, Kidd, and Paul could each pile up a mound of assists for me.

The other two players I looked at were Quentin Richardson and Raja Bell, since I was in need of 3's. Q has been the highest rated player on the board in everybody's rankings for a while I'd bet, but we're all wondering how he's going to fit in NY. Bell is going to get a lot of 3's up and is the player I'd second-guess myself about not taking for my team here.

Pacers Rule
Donor
ID: 910311210
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 19:11

10.02 Morris Peterson, GF, TOR
Yet another all-injury pick. Really, there has to be something wrong with me. I guess I’m going for broke, or just don’t know how to find good, healthy players that others have been overlooked. This guy is not a household name, but with a lack of depth in TOR, similar to my Rose pick, he should see good minutes and is good contributor in a lot of cats. I also liked his dual eligibility. Rotowire was high on him this year and I admit I made this pick more on the scouting report than on actual knowledge of his game. I guess we’ll see if he lives up to the billing. The other nice thing about this pick is that it rounds out my line-up with 4 G, 4 F, and 2 C depending on how I assign the dual eligibility players. Now I should have more flexibility in upcoming picks.

Since I originally wrote this rationale (shortly after picking him) I got to watch him play against Boston. The Boston announcers could not stop saying enough good things about him, and he didn't look too injured to me. A sweet behind the back move resulting in his own fast break layup made me feel pretty good about this pick. Hopefully, all these injuries are just 'precautionary' missed games in the preseason and are really nothing serious.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 19:26

10.03 Marko Jaric, PG, Min

”Be careful what you wish for...”

As I mentioned in the prior rationale, I was hoping that Jaric would slide to me. When he did, I scrambled to make several final news checks to make sure I wasn’t missing something new. I know he’s a terrible injury risk. I know that he has yet to appear in a preseason game. But the latest news story indicates that his sprained ankle is almost ready for play, and that it’s not symptomatic of any chronic problem – at least not yet. And it’s not the same foot problem that plagued last season.

So far, I have a roster of players that have been free from recurring injury problems. No Camby. No Webber. No Baron Davis. No Odom. No Shaq.

No longer.

RotoWire has Jaric projected to play in 62 games this season. I suspect that might be a tad higher than the “over/under” line. But If I get RotoWire’s projected stats from him over 62 games, and I fill in with a bench player for the missing 20 games, then I think I have a composite player worthy of a 5th round pick. That seems like ample enticement in round 10. I’m looking for solid additions in steals and assists to go with some treys

Early last season, I proposed a trade to Mike D in which I’d give up Marbury in return for Korver and Jaric. He declined, but said it was a very close call. As the season wore on, I’m sure there were times he second guessed that decision, although when they were both healthy, they provided a nice package of stats.

Well, now I have them both. I wonder how long it will be before Jaric gives me “Drafters Remorse”.

If Pacers Rule had taken Jaric, then I think I’d have gone with Mo Pete, in spite of my prior disappointments. But Jaric was my first choice, so at least for now, I’m glad he made it around the turn.

for Hoopsklyce
Leader
ID: 02730280
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 19:49

10.04 - Charlie Villanueva, F, Tor

Another big gamble taking this player who was so maligned on draft day. But he preseason performances have been impressive including an ability to hit threes from the PF spot. He has every motivation to try to prove people wrong and the Raptors lack of depth should give him PT. I anticipate he may get center eligiblity at some time. I had thought I would be picking a C player such as Haywood, Kaman, or Mihm at this spot but could not resist taking a gamble with Chuck.

Doug
Leader
ID: 02730280
Sat, Oct 22, 2005, 19:55

10.05 – Ricky Davis, G, BOS

I had both Mo Pete and Jaric on my short list after Battier at my last pick, and both disapperared. I definitely needed someone G-eligible, and other than that I just wanted someone who could pitch in a few steals and not hurt my percentages. He doesn't provide Jaric-like steals or assists... or Mo Pete's 3s... but Ricky obviously adds some scoring punch, which is nice since I might be picking up some low-scoring players in the final few rounds... good to get one more guy who can put points on the board.

I think he’ll get his clock even if he remains a 6th man, and he provides a little insurance to my squad, because if Pierce were to miss any time I think Ricky would pick up at least some of the slack.

Mike D.
Leader
ID: 057721710
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 12:32

10.06 - Quentin Richardson, G/F, NYK

I returned home to find that for the first time in this draft, my queue was drained by the picks leading up to me. Eddie Jones. TJ Ford. Jaric. Ricky Davis. Incredible.

After I recovered, I narrowed the choice to Quentin Richardson, Antoine Walker, and possibly another center, of which there were a few. Seriously considered Walker. I’ve never owned him in any league. Ever. But couldn’t come to terms with his horrific free throw shooting. Also, I realized that my team needed someone who commonly is only referred to by one letter. That man is Q.

Q’s 3s will be a big boost. He and Korver are the elite in that stat. His FG % should improve due to playing for Larry Brown. The word is that he will post up more this year against smaller shooting guards and small forwards. That has to be better than not being allowed inside the arc like in Phoenix.

for KnicksFan
Leader
ID: 057721710
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 12:33

10.07 - Mike Miller, GF, MEM

I was debating between Ricky Davis, Antoine Walker and Miller for this pick. I was set to take Ricky until he was stolen before my pick. I spent a while thinking about the merits of Antoine and Miller. Antoine would have been good for my team because I could use another PF, and he is a good rebounder. His percentages are in the toilet, but my entire team shoots poorly so it wouldn't matter much. Ultimately, I was unsure about his role in Miami. I figured we'd see his stats go somewhere below their levels down in Dallas, which isn't that appealing. Mike Miller on the other hand is a good percentage guy, will hit more 3s than Antoine, and will probably score more. I have never drafted a Memphis player before because of their killer rotation, but Mike should be able to get at least 30 minutes a game. Also, post-Hubie he seemed to get more playing time, so I'm hoping that will be the same this year. The main concern with Mike Miller is his injury history. He seems to miss several games every year. This is the 10th round, so I can take that kind of risk on an otherwise good player.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 12:35

10.08 – Mike James, PG, TOR -

This was a tough pick for me. I need a forward or center to fill out the team, and three of the four teams to pick before I’m up again also need centers and forwards. But James is just sitting there on my depth chart, listed well above all the other players that my team needs. So I’m going to fill my first UTIL slot with my third PG.

His stock certainly jumped with the trade to Toronto, as he assumed the starting role. He’s a solid contributor in threes, and adds decent to good numbers in assists and steals. I certainly considered Damon Jones with this pick, but Jones has a better backup than James does, so I went with James.

for skineej
ID: 6742221
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 15:29

10.09 Chris Kaman, C, LAC

This came down to Kaman and E. Griffin. Wanted to pick up some blocks and knew that the teams making the turn would be looking at centers as well. Took the top center left on my list and figured I'd look for my 4th guard in 7 more picks.

Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 6742221
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 15:38

10.10 Erick Dampier, C, Dal

I was fully prepared to take Eddie Griffin with this pick. I still was short a forward and he has been getting solid minutes in the preseason. In the end, however, I played it safe and went with Dampier. Griffin gives blocks and threes whereas with Dampier I'll get rebounds and a very good shooting percentage. There were some other forwards I was also looking at that should last until my next pick. Seeing as one of my centers still hasn't played in the preseason, I needed a safety net of sorts, and I'd hate to use a selection on Griffin only to see him disappear of the face of the earth.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 16:06

10.11 Eddie Griffin, F, MIN

A favourite of ours from day one, Eddie is a terrific choice here, in our humble opinion. There are only a select few players in the league that can give you the unique combination of 3s, blocks and boards that he offers. We were definitely in need of shoring up the first two of those, so he's the perfect choice here. Dave was also pretty short on blocks, so we thought we'd better nab him here than risk him not coming back around the turn. As fate would have it, i found out consequently that we managed to pluck Dave's first choice away from him yet again. This predicting thing is easy ;)

Eddie had a nice year last year, but we made the mistake of dropping him when we finally got a hold of him as an FA. Someone needs to provide KG with frontcourt support, and Eddie is in line for the job here. There is also an outside chance he could get C eligibility if the Wolves decide to go with him at C over the current incumbents. With two of the main weapons in Minny gone, this could be a big, big year for Eddie Griffin if it all goes right.

Dave R
Dude
ID: 3010361110
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 16:43

Needless to say Eddie Griffin was my top choice here. Guess who grabbed him.

10.12 Damon Jones G Cle

I thought of a lot of players here, looking for a boost in assists and 3's, Damon, Nelson, Deron Williams, Felton, and all came with suspect playing time. So after I sorted it all out I felt Jones was the best choice.

I know he is in a battle with Snow for the starting nod for the Cavs. I find it hard to believe he would have been signed with the thoughts of bringing him off the bench. However if thats how it turnes out, it might actually be a boost to his stats, being one of the main men on the court.

Hopefully the minutes will be there and I believe they will. Give me 12 points, 2 3's and 4-5 assists a game Damon, that's all I ask. Oh not to mention he shot 45% from the floor and 79% from the line last year.

11.01 Brendan Haywood C Wash

Sitting with one center still and having seen Kaman and Dampier fall off the board right before I picked I knew I needed to grab one here. I really thought the Euro's would take Krstic so I sort of wrote him off my list. I started looking at other options.

Haywood seemed like the best choice. I've read that Jordan is looking to expand his role in the offense, which is sort of the good news/ bad news scenrio. Brendan is a horrid FT shooter so the prospects of addtional attempts from the charity stripe didn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

When the Euros picked Eddie, I had to reconsider Krstic. While he might possess a more fundamental game than Haywood, I needed blocks. Haywood became the choice.

10points/10 boards, over 50% from the floor and 150 blocks would make me happy. Oh, and try not to get fouled.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 16:45

11.02 Nenad Krstic, FC, NJN

Everyone usually reaches at least one point in a draft where they find themselves having to draft for positional eligibility, despite the fact there are better players on the board. This is one such scenario. Nenad's a decent player, with some nice upside. He's not much of a shotblocker, but provides sturdy percentages from the C spot. Actually, he's remarkably like Zaza in terms of projected stats. I don't know if thats a good thing or not.

We considered taking a PG here, either Deron or Felton. Looking down the board, it was evident that a few teams still desperately needed PG help. I'm not totally sold that we made the best decision here, but the C position needed to be filled and we have now. Whether we'll regret not taking a chance to virtually cripple a couple of teams in PG terms...i guess we'll find out pretty soon.

Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 17:53

11.03 Antoine Walker, F, Mia

I usually try to avoid players like Walker. His percentages are atrocious and I always tend to go with the players with higher percentages. So, perhaps this was an attempt to balance my team out a little more instead of running away with the fg% category like I did last year. Talent-wise, he was too much to pass up in the 11th round.

It's still a little unclear what his role will be with the Heat, though he may be coming off the bench. In the preseason, it seems he's producing in multiple categories while not shooting an awful percentage from the field (can't say the same about the line, however). If I had to throw out numbers, it'd be 15pts, 6 boards, 3-4 assists, and 1 steal - pretty nice numbers for the 11th round. Hopefully with players like Peja and Dirk I can absorb his shooting difficulties.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 18:41

11.04 Raymond Felton, PG, CHA

Hard to say who will be the best rookie pg this season. Paul has the most hype and probably the most potential. After him, Felton and Deron Williams are nearly a tie in my mind. Felton has had a good pre-season, but will share time with Knight. Williams is likely to get more minutes early, but went with the Tarheel so I'd have someone to root for.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Sun, Oct 23, 2005, 20:13

11.05 – Chris Mihm, C, LAL -

We’re really digging deep for players at this point, as it comes down to a decision between Chris Mihm and Primoz Brezec for me. I ended up taking Mihm because I already have a big man from Charlotte (Okafor), there is less big man competition in LA, and the Lakers are just a better team.

Mihm has good athleticism, effective mid-range and hook shots, and a few low post moves. He hasn’t lived up to his 7-footer first round (7th pick) expectations (like many others), but has moderate upside just because he starts for the Lakers. Unspectacular, but solid enough to contribute in the regular big man categories in a deep league.

UPDATE (Since he was drafted) – Mihm played well off the bench on 10/21, which led Phil Jackson to say Mihm sometimes is "overloaded by the surrounding talent" in the starting lineup.

KnicksFan
Donor
ID: 030815418
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 00:19

11.06 Primoz Brezec, C, CHA

I needed a third center (assuming that Chandler will get his C eligibility soon), and the choice came down to Mihm and Primoz. In the end, I liked Primoz's upside better and was happy that Tosh didn't grab him. I'm a little worried that Brezec will lose some minutes to some other guy off the bench, but that's not a big deal. He'll still be good for at least 12 and 7 which is okay for an alternate center.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 041831612
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 00:27

11.07 Raja Bell, SG, Pho

I tried to trade up to get Brezec because I knew KnicksFan would take him, and I figured Tosh might. Swatted away like a layup in the face of Shaquille O’Neal. Figured If Brezec was gone I’d go with Bell, and if both were gone, Jameer Nelson.

Big minutes should be there for Bell and along with that points, 3s, steals, with a smattering of rebounds and assists. Bell broke into this league by being an in-your-face defender who shut down big scorers in big games. Yet, he’s no Bruce Bowen; he actually has an offensive game.

for Doug
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 09:24

11.08 Shaun Livingston, G, LAC

I figured the Clippers were just resting him in the preseason, going easy on his back… then the morning after I draft him I read a report that the team is getting concerned about his status and might add another PG to the roster. His timetable for return is uncertain. Yeesh. Talk about crappy timing.

Assuming he gets healthy, he’s not only Cassell insurance, but I actually think they both could put up good numbers as part of a guard rotation. Lots of upside on assists and steals, which were two areas where I felt I needed depth. I also considered Doug Christie for his steals and FT%, but I’m concerned about how much playing time he’ll get… enough that I probably have changed my mind and won’t even take him in round 12 if he makes it back to me.

for hoopsklyce
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 09:25

11.09 Deron Williams, G, Uth

Looking at my roster I saw a lack of true point guards and my projected average statistics was only around 3.0 apg. I looked at available PGs and decided to take a chance with Williams, At the time he was shooting a decent FG% and I figured he had to be good if he was taken before Chris Paul in the real NBA draft. My other consideration here was Sarunas J but I figured SJ might last until my next pickn which he did.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 09:26

11.10 Luol Deng, G/F, Chi

I looked over the NBA depth charts for all teams, and there are still about 20 projected starters available. A few of those guys may be so limited that they go undrafted, and rightfully so. And there are plenty of non-starters who could still offer value.

One of the starters still there is Luol Deng. He played in only 61 games last year, but with only one year of pro play (to go with one year of college play), it’s too early to deem him an injury waiting to happen – even though he already has a bruised hand this preseason. As a second year player, I’m looking for him to build on last year’s stats, hopefully exceeding 30 minutes per game, and delivering 12+ ppg, with 2.5 assists, 6 rebounds, a steal, and percentages that won’t detract.

Oh yeah, and he’s a G/F. By now, I’ve said that three times, so I guess the marginal benefit is lessening.

The only other player I seriously considered here was Bonzi Wells, but I decided to take the youngster from Duke, rather than the older and often unsatisfied vet. I’d really like to have gotten Primoz Brezec with this pick, but even though he slid to 11.06, it sounds like he suddenly went into high demand at that point.

Pacers Rule
ID: 31261810
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 13:36

11.10 Bonzi Wells, SG, SAC
As much as this is the type of player I would never want to draft, basically because he’s a punk, I can’t ignore his opportunity in Sacramento. With Portland’s extreme lack of depth at the 2 guard, he’s probably going to play 35 minutes easily, maybe 40 if he does well. Bonzi has a lot to prove coming off of a negative experience in Portland and a negative ending in Memphis. He seems to recognize this opportunity to remake his career and though I am somewhat skeptical that he’s ‘reformed’ enough to become a model citizen, I’m hoping he can at least shape up enough not to get benched.

Bonzi brings scoring and steals and the best part about him is he’s playing in Adelman’s offense. For some reason Adelman seems to have the Midas touch with his players. When players show up on his team, their stats magically improve. I’m looking for 5 to 6 rebounds from Bonzi this year, and a bump back up to maybe 4 assists if he gets into the share the rock mentality there in Sactown. He shoots a reasonable % from the line (though not great for a guard) but does shoot decent from the field, esp. for a guard. He’s not going to help me in blocks, but you can’t have it all, esp. in the 11th round.

I looked at Amare here, but really hoped he would make it past LPG, and I also looked at Radmanovic. However, LPG needs another PF and he needs 3's, so why not be a nice guy and let him get his man. I was hoping to snag Deron Williams with this pick, but predictably, hoopsklyce gobbled him up a couple picks prior, since he still lacked a PG after 10 rounds. I did give Jameer Nelson a look, but even though he may not make it back to me in the 13th, I don’t know enough about his game to pull the trigger. Another consideration was Antonio Daniels here, but it’s hard to imagine him getting enough clock behind Gilbert Arenas. Because I have Camby, I’m also looking to pick up Nene at some point for insurance, but I’m hoping that he’s going to still be there at the end of the draft.

lionprideguy @work
ID: 55948120
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 15:43

11.12 Kenny Thomas, PF, Sac

After his trade to Sacramento last year, Thomas put up some of the best numbers of his career. He's athletic, has a decent mid-range jumper, and can pass, which makes him a perfect fit for the Kings system. I know he's in a position battle with Shareef right now, but Rick Adelman has said recently in the Sacramento Bee that no matter which one starts he considers both Shareef and Thomas 2 of his top 6 players, and is committed to finding minutes for both of them. While this may come partially at the expense of my earlier pick Brad Miller, it doesn't mean I can't take advantage of Thomas' time.

In 26 games with Sacramento last year, Thomas put up 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal per game, while shooting 49% and 72% from the line. This was from just being thrown into the mix mid-season, and I think that with a full training camp with the Kings he has a good chance to better learn the system. In an offense where the big men get assists, steals, and easy shots, I don't mind having 2/3 of the Kings frontcourt rotation. (Update: since the pick, Thomas completely sat out one game for the Kings as Adelman is talking about the struggle of finding minutes for all his players. That wasn't encouraging, when I planned on the 4/5 spots just being a rotation of Miller, Shareef, and Thomas. Hopefully it was just a preseason thing and Adelman will go back to playing a his main 7-8 guys heavy minutes instead of a deeper rotation.)

12.01 J.R. Smith, SG, Nor

Looking to address a need, sort of. I'm badly behind on 3-point shooters and while Smith isn't exactly a dead-eye shooter, he should put enough up this year to hit a few a game for a Hornets team desperately in need of scorers. Only 19, he's going to get better, and is already being looked to as the team's leading scorer this year. He's going to have some extremely bad nights I expect, but this late in the draft I'll take a chance on a guy who will play big minutes and get lots of shots. He should grow and improve as the season goes on, and post-all star break last year he put up 15 points with 2.5 assists and 3 rebounds per game. Add in an offseason of work now that he's got an idea of the NBA game, a lack of talent on the team, and the news that he's already grown at least another inch in the offseason, and at least there's potential here.

Other players I considered were Radmanovic (PR was right) and Marc Jackson. With nothing being a sure thing at this point, I ultimately went with the guys who I knew would get more minutes. Radmanovic is still mostly one-dimensional, so I was worried he'd get squeezed for PT, although he would have been more of a safe pick and can hit more 3's than anybody else still on the board. Marc Jackson has been playing great with the Nets in the preseason, getting easy buckets from Kidd, and shoots a high FT% for a big man. But I wasn't sure how New Jersey is going to split the minutes once Collins returns, and Jackson doesn't seem to be getting many reb's for a post.

Finally, I did think about taking Amare here, and once my initial picks of Deng and Wells came off the board just ahead of me, I left for my work event that morning assuming I'd pick Stoudamire and thinking about who that second player might be. I knew that there was no way he'd survive rounds 12/13, when people are getting deep in their roster or picking bench players beyond their first 12, and make it back to me at 13.12. With Eddy Curry and T.J. Ford already on my team, I figured I shouldn't take another big risk though.

for Pacers Rule
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 18:40

12.02 Vladimir Radmanovic, PF, SEA
As my previous rationale indicates, I was really not expecting him to make it back around to me here. So even though I had decided to go with Amare with this pick, in hopes that he could come back strong after the ASB, when Radmanovic was still on the board at this pick, I had to think it through. In the end, I decided that Amare was too much of a question mark to give up Radmanovic’s likely solid production. Oh yeah, and Radmanovic has a sore foot and has been missing games.

Apparently this time I got the sequence of my two picks right (Bonzi, Radmanovic) as opposed to when I batched them at the end of round 3 (Wallace, Odom, which turned into Wallace, Camby).

Funny thing is if I would have been trying to get both players for myself, I would have possibly taken them in the reverse order, since I was so sure LPG was going to be all about a PF who snags 5 boards, hits 2 3's, and shoots 80% from the line. He also gets nearly a steal a game and is in a contract year this year. There is some risk that Seattle is not going to play him as many minutes in part b/c they have little incentive to see his stats bloat up and dictate a bigger contract. Also, they have plenty of depth at the 4 and 5 spots, and Rashard Lewis eats up big time minutes at the 3. I still expect Vladimir to play the bulk of his minutes at the 4, splitting time with another quality big in Seattle with a different skill set, but also to get the rest of his starter’s minutes covering Rashard’s spot when he takes his breathers. Rashard has also had some injury issues, so if he happens to go down, that opens up all the more minutes for Vladimir.

Another feel good thing about this pick is that Vladimir is young and getting better. His FT% has climbed each year in the league, for example. He has pretty decent upside as well as a fairly solid role on his team. All in all, I thought he was a very nice player for the 12th round.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 18:43

12.03 Ikechukwa Somotochukwa Diogu, C/F, GS

One of the benefits of nabbing Yao and Z early is that I didn’t have to use mid-round picks chasing a center. But it would be a good idea to have at least one other center-eligible player. You never know what might happen. And with 168 games to fill from my center slots combined, I’ll probably have 10-15 games to fill even if both of my regular centers stay reasonably healthy.

The three options I found most appealing (least unappealing) were Diogu, Lorenzen Wright, and Kelvin Cato. None of the three have been healthy in preseason. Wright and Cato have had ample opportunities in prior years to prove themselves, and while they have occasionally shown fantasy viability, the accent is on occasionally.

Diogu is a rookie, so he has no professional history to dissuade me. I’ve seen him characterized as a Malik Rose with more offense, cited by one site as offering “Elton Brand upside and Gary Trent downside”. He’s only 6-8, so this may be the only season he ever has center eligilibity, but I only need him for one season. RotoWire projects him for almost 11 points and 7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and good percentages (80% FT), and those sound rather optimistic to me – but I’d be thrilled if they’re right. And if not, even Gary Trent had his moments of brilliance, right?

Amare was also a serious consideration here. If he comes back to play 30 games at something close to full proficiency, then I think he’s good value here. But if, as RotoWire predicts, he only plays in 20, it’s a marginal call. That might be a reasonable bet to take here – and probably no riskier than a bet on a rookie forward with a broken hand – but I decided that I like Ike. (I’ll bet Amare goes sometime in the 12th round, however.)

I peeked at the other RIHC qualifying league drafts on Kafenatid.net, and noted that Diogu was taken at exactly pick 12.02 in all three of them! Since I got him at pick 12.03, it appears I’ve got a certifiable bargain!

for Hoopsklyce
Leader
ID: 02730280
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 03:23

12.04 Sarunas Jasikevicius, G IND

Although a rookie, he has plenty of experience and developed a reputation as a clutch shooter in Europe (or wherever he was). He has three point potential and although projected to be a backup to the injury prone Jamaal Tinsley, he could end up starting at some point for the Pacers. He has the potential to contribute assists and threes.

Doug
Leader
ID: 02730280
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 03:24

12.05 – Marvin Williams, F, ATL

Lots of potential upside here… he’s a rookie who’s looking good in the preseason and theoretically should only improve as the season goes on. [Editor’s note: Then later that night after I drafted him, he played 9 minutes with 0 points and 1 board… hopefully the prior 4 games were more indicative of what I can expect than this performance was!]

I figure he’ll get me some steals, boards, and over 80% FTs… all things that I’m looking for. As mentioned before, I also considered Christie because of his steals and FT%... however, I’m just feeling less and less confident that Christie will get the opportunities. [And suddenly feeling the same now about Marvin. *cry* He even had to leave the game with a sore knee on Saturday and didn’t play on Monday. Livingston now out for 4 weeks. Grr… suddenly these late round picks aren’t looking so hot for me…]

Mike D
Leader
ID: 41831612
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 10:40

12.06 Jameer Nelson, PG, Orl

I like Nelson at this point because he has a big upside and because I considered him last round. Whether starting or off the bench, he should get good minutes and has a good all-around game. Assists, steals, some points and threes are expected. Also considered McCants, who seems to be mostly a scorer at this point.

If a disgruntled Francis performs poorly or shows even a worse attitude, he could eventually be moved......and I don't just mean to shooting guard.

for Knicksfan
Leader
ID: 057721710
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 12:24

12.07 - Chris Duhon, G, CHI

This is a pretty simple pick. I needed a point guard and Duhon is the best starting point guard remaining. Earlier in the preseason it seemed like Ben Gordon would move into the starting lineup but Coach Skiles doesn't think Ben is comfortable in that role. Duhon will continue to start this season, although he'll probably lose some more minutes to Gordon. Duhon doesn't put up big numbers, but if anyone in the backcourt gets injured he'll have good value.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 12:25

12.08 - Hidayet Turkoglu, FG, ORL -

Grant Hill was one of our favorite comeback stories last season. Turkoglu had career highs in scoring, assists, and minutes per game last year (his first year with the Magic), but just won’t see the playing time to make him a valuable fantasy option … unless Grant Hill gets hurt. Here it is, just a short time until the regular season starts, and Hill is having MRIs done on possible muscle injuries. Enter Turkoglu.

If Turkoglu is able to get starter minutes, he’ll provide average scoring, assists, and rebounds, and a good ability to make the three. If he doesn’t get the minutes, he’ll possibly end up as waiver-wire fodder. I certainly hope it’s the former.

for skinneej
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 12:33

12.09 Theo Ratliff, C, POR

Well, I really messed this pick up. Not because I took Theo, but because of who I didn't take. One of the problems with being on vacation and having three slow drafts going on at the same time was keeping track of each draft separately. I had three stacks of draft sheets plus multiple excel files going and this was the first time I got them shuffled. I had Amare pegged since the last pick at 11.04 as the top guy on my list. I figured if he made it back to me, it was time to store him for the second half and still have a solid team going forward. Somewhere in the time that I got back to the hotel room and before making my pick, I was concentrating on the wrong team that still needed a center. That team is in a keeper league, so Amare was not in the available pool, and Theo was at the top of my list there. Hence, Theo was my pick. Doh!

Well, one area I did need to address was blocks, so Theo may have some value, but he is likely to only see 20-25 mins per game if healthy. While he can still get 2+ blocks and 6+ rebounds a game in that time, he is a marginal player for a 12th round selection. Unless Joel P. get injured or becomes ineffective, I only see Theo having limited value for my team.

Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 15:28

12.10 Doug Christie, G, Dal

Christie is slated to be the starting SG for the Mavs. Of course, he's getting up there in age and did absolutely nothing last year partly because of injuries and has Marquis Daniels coming off the bench behind him. He's supposedly recovered from his injury, but is still icing his ankle in the preseason. So, tempered expectations aside, I still like what he can provide which is steals and high shooting percentages - two areas I was trying to address with this selection.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 15:46

12.11 Marc Jackson, FC, NJN

Dave, are you watching this? Net number 3 for the Euros. You better make sure these guys play well this year, or i'll be holding you personally responsible! ;)

It's getting difficult here. Not a lot of players are screaming "pick me!". So, it seems a good time to concentrate on the specific weakness of FT%. 2 names were in the hat here - Marc and Des Mason, who Dave subsequently picked anyway. Marc is not a great rebounder, but he does get to the line almost 5 times a game and made his freebies at an 83% clip last year. Some more trips to the line are possible this year, given a possible increase in PT from 24 mpg in Philly, and not much in the way of frontcourt help on the bench in NJ. Why Jackson over Mason? We have our fill of swingmen already, and it's silly not to take the C eligible option when 2 similar players are available. Especially when scrambling to get out of the rather precarious C hole we have managed to dig ourselves.

Dave R
Dude
ID: 3010361110
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 17:33

12.12 Rashad McCants G Min

Exit Cassell, Hoiberg, and Spree. Enter McCants. This is more of a pick for " down the road " a bit this season as most depth charts list Trenton Hassell currently as the starter, however I expect that is likely to change.

McCants is considered an outstanding shooter, with excellent range. He shoots for a high percentage. With the above three mentioned gone, I expect the T-Wolves will give him plenty of opportunities. Hopefuly he will make the most of the opportunity.

Although there have been some questions of his attitude and defensive intensity, I fully expect the Euro's main man, KG, to make sure that doesn't become a problem. 12 ppg , 3 assists and RB's and over 100 treys would be very useful.

13.01 Desmond Mason F Mil

Desmond is one of those players that won't do an awful lot to help significantly, but won't do anything to hurt. Athletic, and a excellent scorer, he will be relegated to coming off the bench with the addition of Simmons to Milwaukee. But Mason will still get his minutes and could be a candidate for 6th man of the year.

Rotowire projects 17 ppg, 4 rb's and a couple of assists per game. For his career he shoots 45% from the floor and 78% form the charity stripe.

All in all, I feel I got excellent value with Desmon in the 13th round

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 18:33

13.02 Amare Stoudemire, FC, PHO

Well, someone had to take him! And we're pretty sure this is about the right slot for Amarebeast. And judging by the comments from previous picks, we guaged it about right. We considered him in the previous set of picks, but there were still some C holes we needed to address. With that now sorted out (as best as it can be in rounds 10-12), and no one else that we really wanted here, time for a gamble. In the worst case scenario, he doesn't play at all. In the best case, he comes back on schedule around the ASB, and gives us a couple of months of 75% Amare numbers. A boost like that can help to win a fantasy title in the closing months, and that's what we are hoping for.

The nice thing about taking him here as it's very likely we'll be able to pick up an FA of comparable quality to a 13th round pick. Although, with the new rules regarding IL status, things are still a bit up in the air as to how Yahoo are going to handle this.

Slackjawed Yokel
Leader
ID: 052347519
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 19:58

13.03 Michael Finley, SF, SAS

This pick was all about giving Finley a second chance. Last year I picked him up in the fourth round - really my only stinker of a pick of the first six rounds. (I hate to keep bringing up my awesome draft last year, but he was sandwiched between Dirk, Nash, Amare, Wade, and Okafor). Somehow with that stacked lineup I ended up 9 points out of first - and for that I have to blame Finley (or this guy named bron-bron...). I figure this additional motivation might be enough to propel Finley to 10th round stats in which case in the 13th round he'd be a steal.

Actually, I'm not sure exactly what to expect out of Finley. He'll definitely be playing a different role with the defending world champs, but he still has skills and should produce. The problem is he'll be even more inconsistent than last year, but I think I can live with that in the 13th round.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 057721710
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 20:53

13.04 - Channing Frye, C, NYK

This was a impulse pickup based on what I saw happening in the pre-season and, when not getting confused with the other leagues, he was being taken about this point. While the book on him is too thin and injury prone, he could be a Camby-esque player and get points, rebs and blocks while being listed as a center also helps his trade value. Not sure if I will keep this pick or look to trade him, but at this point in the draft, it is time to look for potential sleepers.

One side note about the final three rounds of a draft. I have studied drafts in all sports over the past few years, and found that at this point, the picks have about 50% chance of panning out. The second to last round is about half that (25%) and the final round is another half (12.5%). Looking at totals for a 12 team league, I have only seen 1-2 players in the last round of any draft that end up having any value at all for the season. The next to last round there may be 3-4 players that have some impact, and the third to last round about half will end up useful during the season. I have not officially tested this, but I also have not seen any information to reject my null hypothesis. I guess it comes down to what threshold you set for being a "useful" player.

Tosh
Leader
ID: 057721710
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 20:55

13.05 – Lorenzen Wright, C, MEM -

I’m scanning up and down the list of available players trying to just find a starter. Wright might fit the bill. Another serviceable center that has the skills to average a double-double if he got the playing time. Of course, I seem to think the same thing about him every year … and every year I’m wrong. He’s the only experienced center on the Grizzlies, but it sounds like Gasol will spend some time there. Wright is in the last year of his contract … always a reason to consider drafting a guy.

KnicksFan
Donor
ID: 030815418
Tue, Oct 25, 2005, 22:52

13.06 John Salmons, GF, PHI

Coach Maurice Cheeks had this to say:

When Allen (Iverson) comes back we can take him off the ball and run the offense through Allen with Johnny (Salmons) handling the ball or we can have Allen on the ball and run the offense through Johnny. He is an effective player that can help create mismatches at the one spot, the two spot or even the three when there are certain guys guarding him. When he’s out on the floor, he pushes the ball and gets us in the penalty where we can get to the foul line. If we can end up shooting 16 for 20 foul shots that’s a lot of foul shots. I just try and tell him to drive the basketball. He’s shown his versatility by putting the ball on the floor and he trusts his own teammates that if someone steps up and to take his drive away, he can either stand or kick the ball out to an open shooter.

Salmons has been outstanding this preseason, and Cheeks is ready to use him at 3 positions. It looks like Salmons will be first off the bench, and will probably contend for 6th man of the year. He's a great scorer, gets to the line a lot, and can rebound and pass. Not bad for the 13th round.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 41831612
Wed, Oct 26, 2005, 09:18

13.07 Jim Jackson, GF, Pho

Love the dual G/F eligibility, though with my lineup I’ll probably use him more at forward. Love the FT % of 93%, ability to knock down 3s (122), and wide open Phoenix style. Jackson still contributes small amounts in the other categories, though nowhere near as much as in earlier years. FG% has dropped some due to his game becoming more perimeter. With the 151st pick I’m getting a guy I can plug in whenever, and wherever, I want.

Doug
Leader
ID: 02730280
Wed, Oct 26, 2005, 13:01

13.08 – Nene Hilario, C, DEN

Looking for some boards and still feeling I needed to shore up steals… I had Nene targeted for this pick for a while. I figured Pacers Rule might take him as Camby insurance, so I couldn’t wait until round 14. And I definitely needed to get a 2nd C to start the season, but didn’t want to over-pay because I expect Murphy and/or Abdur-Rahim will become C-eligible at some point.

I think Nene could put up pretty decent numbers this year even if Camby is healthy all season long (*snicker* *snicker*)… so I really like his value and upside at this point in the draft.

for hoopsklyce
ID: 330592710
Wed, Oct 26, 2005, 17:35

13.09 Delonte West, G, Bos

I took West despite him being the third PG in a row in my draft. I figured at this point one of the three should pan out. West is projected to start for Boston and has shown some abilities in the steal category. His immediate backup is a fellow named Orien Green or something like that - so perhaps he won't push West too much once the games start counting.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Oct 26, 2005, 17:38

13.10 Kelvin Cato, C, Orl

Even assuming a roster with reasonably good health, it requires 13 full-time players to use up the 1008 games available for each team. Thus, at least one bench slot has to be considered as a starter (or each bench slot has to start one-third of the time). So just because this is pick 13, I can’t assume that this player won’t be needed. I might need to play him full time.

Yikes!

Last year, my 14th round pick was Udonis Haslem, so it is possible to find diamonds in the rough at this stage. Well, maybe cubic zirconias.

So who are the zircons?

I’ll start with Kelvin Cato, who is still expected to start at center for Orlando. He’s still recovering from shoulder surgery, and has only played 7 minutes so far this preseason. So I’ll probably start him on the bench until he works his way into game shape. At that point, I’ll hope for some rebounds, some blocks, and as many points as the rest of the team will let him have. He should shoot 50% from the floor, but probably only mid-60s from the line, unless last year’s 78% FT shooting wasn’t just an aberration.

Pacers Rule
Donor
ID: 910311210
Thu, Oct 27, 2005, 02:19

13.11 Antonio Daniels, PG, WAS
Here I had several guys on my radar that I hoped would be available at this pick. Like others, I had hoped to nab Amare in this round after I came oh so close to taking him early in the 12th round. Time will tell if that was a good pass or a bad one.

I had my eye on Jimmy Jackson as the Nash and the Suns can only be good for his numbers. But courtesy of Mike D, that was not to be. I was also hoping that Nene would eventually be on my roster, but I really didn't think he'd get pulled in this round. I figured I'd have to decide to take him here or risk him making it past LionPrideGuy to me again in the 14th. I wanted him primarily as insurance for Camby, since if Camby goes down, Nene's stock rises sharply. He'd be a nice player to stash on the bench, just in case, and who knows, he could even earn a fantasy starter role if he gets minutes and plays to his potential.

However, since he was surprisingly gone, I went ahead with a player that is probably a better real player than his fantasy numbers will bear out in his situation as a reserve in Washington. But similar to Nene/Camby- since I have Arenas- if Arenas goes down, Daniels' numbers will rise. Antonio shoots a nice percentage from the line and from the floor as well, and should see enough time to rack up some assists. All of those things were things my team could use, and considering who was left on the board, I felt he was my guy here late in the 13th.

lionprideguy
Leader
ID: 906204
Thu, Oct 27, 2005, 03:22

13.12 Matt Harpring, F, Uta

As everybody is mentioning, things start to get a little thin at this point. There were only two guys I was sure I would want to take here as it got close - Jim Jackson since I need a shooter so bad, but he didn't even get close to falling to me, and then Antonio Daniels who was a no-brainer to me. Sadly, PR grabbed Daniels right before me once again, so I had to go with alternate plans.

Harpring isn't a potential all-star, breakout performer, but he is a solid all-around guy who is a safe utility pick at this spot. His %'s are good, and he averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal last year when he played. I don't expect quite that much again, but something slightly less than that would still be nice. I'm sure he's fallen to here since he's been injured, and rotations for the Jazz are still a bit up in the air. But he's still under 30 years old and one of the leaders of the Jazz team, so I expect he'll still get consistant minutes at both SG and SF once he's healthy. I initially drafted him thinking he'd be an IR player for the first few weeks, then he even came back early to play a bit this week. If he was healthy from the start, he would have gone a few rounds ago, so I'm happy with the value and stats he gives me at this pick.

14.01 Danny Granger, F, Ind

Obviously a quick pick made mostly on some nice preseason numbers so far. I know he's not going to get the same minutes at the start of the year since Indiana's so deep, but every report I've read since last year's draft always said he was one of the most NBA-ready players out there, and could make an immediate impact. Unfortunately he's buried a bit with the Pacers roster, but he might be playing well enough to force some PT anyway. Recent games with 15 rebounds and 11 rebounds, getting blocks, steals, and 3's from a 6'9" guy - at least there's potential here. Maybe I just stash him on my bench for a few weeks and see what happens, how his PT develops. If Artest has another blow-up, or Bender or Jermaine get another injury, all of which happen with greater than normal occasion, Granger could get some decent time and pay off. Or be waiver fodder in a few weeks, who knows. But without a lot of big potential players left, might as well take a chance on a rookie.

I almost drafted Nick Collison but the Sonics confirmed that day that they'd be playing him off the bench. Hmm. I didn't take Radmanovic two rounds ago because I thought Collison would be starting and Radman was off the bench. So now I've passed on both because I thought each time that the guy I was going to get less minutes, then it switched on me. Sonics got me twice.

Pacers Rule
Donor
ID: 910311210
Thu, Oct 27, 2005, 08:52

14.02 Mark Blount, C, BOS
I could definitely use another center at this point in the draft, and looking at the remaining choices, none were particularly impressive. I drafted Mark Blount last year in the 5th round as part of my "Go Big, Go Early" plan last year, and he was a major dud. However, he looks better this preseason, and apparently a very candid conversation occurred between himself and the coaching staff prior to this season. He was not happy with his role, and they were not happy with his work ethic. He reportedly has rededicated himself, and at this point, looks like he has carved himself out a starting role. I was hoping Al Jefferson, my 9th round pick, was going to start, but this may be a win win for me, if they both see good minutes. Blount has the potential to make a good contribution to my team this year if he gets and keeps his act together. And since I'm only wagering a 14th round pick on him instead of a 5th, expectations are not nearly as high.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 27, 2005, 10:34

14.03 Voshon Lenard

After my last pick, I made up a short list. Fortunately, with only 4 intervening picks, a short list should do this time.

It’s still a tad early for Ruben Boumtje Boumtje, but if he’s there in the last round, I might take him as a good luck charm.

The short list included Danny Granger, Smush Parker, Antonio Daniels, and Voshon Lenard. If this was a keeper league, Granger would have ranked first. But I’m leery of his ability to get playing time, although with Artest and Stephen Jackson on this team, assume nothing. I also figured that Pacers Rule would nab Granger on the turn. He’s currently got one more Piston on his team than Pacer – and that just can’t be right! I was surprised when lionprideguy took him instead.

I really don’t know much about Smush Parker (although I love the name). Even after doing some research, I don’t know much. But he’s apparently got the inside track on the starting Laker PG spot.

Lenard appears to have the inside track on the shooting guard spot in Denver, and after a busted season, seems ready to go. If I need 3s at some point, he’s a good source. It’s the 14th round – why not?

for hoopsklyce
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:36

14.04 Trevor Ariza, F, NYK

Ariza was near the top of my depth chart and generally has received favorable reviews for his play. As a SF he does not hit the trey, but has shown potential in the steal category and has shown some rebounding skills in the preseason. He may get off to a quick start if Quentin Richardson is injured to begin the year.

for Doug
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:37

14.05 – Earl Boykins, G, DEN

Wow, I just took two Nuggets in a row! With the Livingston news (out 4 weeks) I decided I needed to get another assist man… and it certainly doesn’t hurt that Boykins is a 90% FT shooter. Yep, even in round 14, I’m still feeling the effects of Shaq.

Boykins has looked good in preseason, it’s just a question of how much action he gets once the year starts. On the court, I mean. Because playing time could be a little dicey with both Andre Miller and “the other Earl” (Watson)… although surprisingly Boykins was used some at SG last year too. I really like his potential though, enough to outweigh those concerns… and I also just love watching him play. It’s hard not to have fun when you’re rooting for a 5’5” NBA baller. I mean, seriously… lots of PGs can dribble the ball through their legs, but precious few can actually dribble-drive through the DEFENDER’S legs. Now there’s a highlight I’d like to see on Sportscenter.

for Mike D
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:38

14.06 Keith Van Horn, SF, DAL

Just looking for a frontcourt player to fill in my roster. Considered some of the centers still hanging around and a few forwards that I think can contribute, but none have the percentages Van Horn offers. Love his free throw shooting. Feel he is being undervalued this year and that he will perform well off the bench in Dallas. He can slide to power forward if necessary, especially if they go small with Dirk at center. Has always been able to score, and Dallas is actually struggling in that area so far in the pre-season. Should get a few boards, 3s, points, and nice percentages. Not bad for a 14th round pick. Secretly, I just want to lead the league in guys needing a tan.

for KnicksFan
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:39

14.07 Nate Robinson, G, NYK

Early reports after the summer leagues ended said that Nate could start at PG and Marbs would move to the 2 spot. Clearly, that isn't the case. In fact, I don't even think Nate will see more than 12 minutes a game to start the season. I made this pick out of the belief that later in the season the lineup will change, as Larry Brown gets frustrated with Crawford and/or Quentin, and Nate will be inserted into a more prominent role. It is a little disheartening to hear that the Knicks are shopping for another PG right now, but hopefully Nate the Crate (because he has to stand on a milk crate) will get his chance to shine.

for Tosh
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:40

14.08 Nick Collison, PF, SEA

Collison is just another young player without a lot of flaws, but also without a lot of flair. He’s going to be coming off the bench for the Sonics, but the first-year coach seems impressed with his fundamentals, hard work, and desire to learn. If the team starts off slow, Collison might see more court time. At a minimum, he should get 23-27 minutes, 8-10 points, 7-8 rebs, and solid percentages. His agent has already been told that he’s the most likely to get cut from my team when I start scouring the wire.

for skinneej
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:41

14.09 David Wesley, SG, HOU

With the last two picks I was looking to add depth at the guard position. Wesley should make a nice fill in as the 13th man and will be counted on to perform while Hill is down. Wesley shoots a high FT%, contributes in 3's and should get around 3 assists per night which is not bad for a 2 guard. His minutes could be impacted by Derek Anderson and it is not clear to me from the preseason who will be the starter. I am expecting 30-32 mins per game from him regardless and to duplicate his numbers with Houston last year.

for Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:42

14.10 Nazr Mohammed, C, SAS

As skineej pointed out previously, these aren't typically impact players taken late in the year, they're waiver wire fodder. I'd gone through my spreadsheet of players who were still undrafted and marked a half a dozen that I might consider picking. And this pick was based on me questioning the minutes of my first two centers (Dalembert and Bogut), and then seeing that Nazr was picked quite a bit earlier in the other leagues (9th, 11th, and 12th rounds).

for Swish City
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:44

14.11 Joey Graham, F, TOR

Not a lot to say here. This may be our first pick that isn't based on any solid substance. I read a couple of draft kits that said Graham has the ability to challenge for ROY if he can beat out Mo Peterson. And he had a couple of nice games in preseason as well as a few iffy ones. Just taking a flyer here, really. It's near the end of the draft and one potential waiver wire candidate is pretty much as good as another. Actually, the best thing about this pick is that we thwarted Dave R again for the final time (sort of) in that he was looking at JG also ;)

for Dave R
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:44

14.12 Dan Gadzuric C Mil
15.01 Adonal Foyle C GS

Give me a B
Give me an L
Give me an O
Give me a C
Give me a K
Give me an S

What's that spell - B L O C K S
What's that spell - B L O C K S

Seriously as I got to these picks, I felt I was in need of a boost in blocks. I had considered Graham here, planning to pair him and Foyle with my last 2 choices. Of course the Euro's picked Graham.

Not seeing any other players that I felt would help my team ( maybe I was just getting brain cramps ), I decided to add another potential shot blocker in Gadz.

Of course that was yesterday and today two of my players were traded for each other. I view the trade as a boost for Mason, but am on the fence as far as Magloire goes, and it could render Gadz as waiver fodder. Time will tell.

for Swish City
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:45

15.02 Boris Diaw, GF, PHO

The only thing that most people know about Diaw is that he played for the Hawks very sparingly last year. He could easily be crossed off as a talented French that just isn't NBA-level material. Dig a little deeper...

Boris Diaw came of age at EuroBasket 2005, comprehensively outplaying Tony Parker on a French Team that finished 3rd, and also made the All Star starting 5 for the tournament, alongside such glamour Euro players as Dirk Nowitzki. His averages over the course of 7 games were: 13.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.3 bpg, 58.3% FG including 43.8% from 3 point land. No matter which way you cut it, that's pretty impressive. Diaw is able to play several positions (he played 1, 2, 3, and even some 4 for France), and if the preseason is anything to go by, it seems he'll be one of the first guys off the bench in Sun country. Granted it is only preseason. But he's already shown he can contribute in different areas: 8 assists and 2 blocks v Seattle; 2 blocks, 6 assists, 6 boards against GSW. And some other nice across the board lines. The final thing that swayed it was a recommendation from a well respected French Gurupie (I'll let you guess who) who confirmed for me that Diaw does indeed have a lot of talent, despite being shut away in a proverbial darkened room in Atlanta.

So...let's see if Nash can make yet another player realise his full potential. Diaw for MVP!! Or should that be MIP? Either would be fine ;)

for Slackjawed Yokel
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:46

15.03 Juan Dixon, SG, Por

Again, I didn't want to put a lot of effort into struggling with this pick, and rotowire had him rated so damn high that I figured I'd give him a chance. He hasn't done much in the preseason, but I'll give him a couple of weeks and see what he does...

for skinneej
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:58

15.04 Martell Webster, F, HOU

And the honor of the first person likely to be dropped from my team...Webster had alot of hype early in the preseason, but that seems to have faded. At one point he looked to be the starting 2 guard, and now he may be 3rd on the depth charts there while backing up the 3 as well. Dixon was a nice pick at 15.03 for a final round and probably will end up winning out the battle for this spot in the end. As far as the final rounds go, this one has some pretty good players and may very well be above average. I count at least 5 players that I think will have an impact at least in the early going.

for Tosh
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 09:58

15.05 Maurice Williams, PG, MIL

A very quick and talented point guard that ended last season 15th in the league in assists. He won’t see those numbers this year unless he gets to be a starter again. I’d like to see TJ Ford make a healthy return from his back injury, but Williams is good insurance as a last round pick in case he can’t.

for KnicksFan
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 10:00

15.06 Prince of Darko-ness, F/C, DET

This guy is block-tastic. Early in the draft I was definitely a leader in the blocks category but as the rounds wore on, I got worried that I would fall behind. Darko has a ton of upside, and I think he'll be able to get 15-20 minutes a game to start the season. That's not really a lot, but once Antonio McDyess gets injured, that number will bump up a little more. Anyway, I feel like Darko today is the equivalent of one of the more NBA-ready rookies that were drafted rounds earlier (Paul, Bogut, Villanueva), so I'm getting good value here.

100

for Mike D
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 10:01

15.07 Chucky Atkins, PG, Was

After reading skinneej’s post in the discussion thread, I figured it really didn’t matter who I took here. So I had my kids decide. (j/k)

I considered several players that I felt were draft-worthy. I like Atkins’s situation in Washington because there are really only 3 guards being rotated into 2 spots, though one is Arenas. Atkins has flat out been the best player in Washington’s camp this year. That’s partially due to Arenas missing time, but still. With the players left on the board, I can’t say that about anyone else. Even if Atkins comes off the bench, which may be the plan, he will be allowed to run, shoot, score, and distribute. And if any of these injury prone guys gets, well, you know, injured, Atkins will be there, ready to scoop up the stats.

101

for Doug
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 10:01

15.08 – Jeff Foster, C, IND

Still a little thin at C until/unless one of my guys attains eligibility there. Foster isn’t a short-term solution, but he’s long-term insurance if I need it there. Hopefully he’ll be on the court by the end of the month. When he gets there, he has the potential to put up double-digit boards as long as he gets the playing time. Seeing as boards is an area I could use a little more depth in, it seemed prudent to grab him and store him on IL for the time being… particularly considering that this is the last round of the draft!

102

for hoposklyce
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 10:02

15.09 Chris Andersen, C, NOR

I wanted to take a center here and it was down between Andersen and Nazr M. both of who had not played all their preseason games. I also gave some thought to another center who was not drafted in our league. After the Magloire trade I decided to take Andersen over M. At times last season Andersen was very productive in bl and rebs on a per minute basis.

103

Guru
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 10:04

15.10 Smush Parker, PG, LAL

I really did consider Ruben Boumtje Boumtje for this pick, but I think it might be about two picks too early. He might have been a good luck charm, however, and if so, might have been more valuable than any other pick in this draft.

But alas, there are still some players who appear to have Ruben outclassed. Well, at least statistically.

Parker seems to have the starting PG role for the Lakers. In this case, I think that role is defined as “the guy who gets to guard the opposing PG.” I don’t expect him to direct the play at the offensive end, as that duty will fall to Odom (or Bryant).

That said, last year’s Laker PG, Chucky Atkins, finished the season rated #61 on the ESPN rater, and #95 based on per game averages. So Kobe evidently does leave some stats for the other Laker guard(s) to pick up. Do you suppose that Smush could live up to the lofty standards set by his predecessor?

We’ll give him a 10 day contract and see what he does.

104

for Pacers Rule
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 10:05

15.11 Austin Croshere, PF, IND

Well, I was shocked to see Jeff Foster come off the board in this final round, considering he is slow to come back from hip surgery and a longstanding Achilles issue. When I saw him in preseason, he was walking slowly.I was hoping to nab him here and stash him myself, until such time as he begins to put up his usual rebounding numbers. Since I had just grabbed Mark Blount, I wasn't sure I needed to grab another center. At the same time, I sort of wanted one, just in case. I have to admit, though, it was freaking late and I was tired and still recovering from my week-long stomach flu, and I was just wanting to pick someone and head to bed.

I remember last year I drafted Croshere and he did me very well as a starter when he played around 30 minutes. He's a big who won't overwhelm with rebounds, but he does hit 3's and he shoots about 90% from the line, which is pretty amazing for a 6' 10" guy. He should probably average double figure points and about 7 boards and maybe 1-2 assists while he's a starter. After the Pacers' Centers get healthy, he'll be waiver wire fodder. That's ok, he's a short term fix which is good enough for a 15th rounder.

105

for lionprideguy
ID: 330592710
Fri, Oct 28, 2005, 10:06

15.12 Michael Olowokandi, C, Min

Last pick of the draft, not much to lose, right? And not often you get a chance to select a #1 overall NBA draft pick here! Okay, so it was made by the Clippers, but it still counts, and there was also still Joe Smith out there. Now that I'm writing this, I'm actually surprised by, despite all the additional media coverage and scouting today, that there would be two players who were #1 overall NBA draft picks who were not even touched.

Anyway - while I was half-joking about the entertainment value of this pick for me in the discussion thread, that also means it was half serious. I looked at 4-5 players I had been kind of tracking for this pick in the rounds leading up to it. None of them really jumped out at me as being clear-cut above the rest, so it just seemed more fun to draft Kandi and a former top pick. And we play fantasy sports for the fun of it, right?

The actual reasons he was in the group of guys I was considering is that, well, centers are always a premium, and he's still starting for the Wolves. While I can't see Madsen taking his job, I also can't put it past Kandi at this point either. But his preseason numbers have been okay so far - 8-12 points, 7-10 rebs per or so. And at least he's back in a contract year. The only other season he played somewhat reasonably less than embarassing, it was his last contract year for the Clippers. Maybe he'll get inspired for one season again to cash in again.

Forum: hoopPage 11572Subject: RIHC 2005-06: Draft Rationales (rounds 8-15)

Forum: hoop
Page 11572
Subject: RIHC 2005-06: Draft Rationales (rounds 8-15)