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Subject: RIHC 2006-07: Draft Rationales (Rds 9-15)

Posted by: Guru - [330592710] Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 09:25

This is the continuation thread for rationales for picks mades in rounds 9-15 of the 2006-07 RIHC.

Rationales for rounds 1-8

RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 040625911
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 17:42

9.01 Pau Gasol, PF, MEM

Two to three months from a mid-low level PF and two to three months from Pau hopefully add up to a ninth round selection. Picking from these extreme ends of the draft is tough, as its impossible not to make stretch picks in the mid to late rounds.

Here's to Pau and a speedy and solid recovery.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 17:43

For Hoopsklyce

9.02 Kendrick Perkins, PF, BOS
I could not wait any longer for a center and decided to take Perkins. Others candidates included Nazr Mohammed. While I could come up empty on this one I believe he still has upside and hope last years lack of emergence was due to injury. He has the potential to deliver rebounds and blocks.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 040625911
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 17:44

9.03 Mike Dunleavy, SF, GS

Passed him up in round 8 to go big. I think Mike D(unleavy) improves in all areas this season playing Nellie-ball. He’s a tri-captain who will handle the ball a lot in the famous Billy Owens “point-forward” role. High upside pick that could be huge. At the very least, he should contribute across the board.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 17:45

For Euros

9.04 Hedo Turkoglu, SF, ORL
Pretty much a straight choice between Wally and Hedo here. Hedo gets the edge for few reasons. Firstly, he was rolling at the end of last season and has some momentum. And with ORL having so many weapons, it figures that Hedo will get his fair share of open looks. We sort of discounted (possibly wrongly) Wally due to the crowded rotation in Boston at SG and SF, but mainly because Wally has a history of knee trouble. Boths players' stats should work out almost identical if they played a whole season, but here we give the edge to Hedo, just because he's more likely to do that than Wally. Hopefully Turk can get near to the magical 2.0 3s barrier, since he'll have half the gym to shoot from whilst defenses collapse on Howard.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 17:47

9.05 Wally Szczerbiak, SG/SF, BOS

The only reservation here was does his knee hold up. It is unlikely he can play 72 games, much less 82, but 70 is what I am expecting. He is a scorer, contributes nicely in 3s and shoots very well from the field and the stripe. The Shaq factor probably influenced this pick since of the three players I was considering here (Prince, Mo Williams and Gooden ) he shoots the highest ft%. I could have taken another pg at this point, but felt it was time to take a little gamble. I guess after the big gamble with Shaq, this one was not very difficult!

Uptown Bombers
Donor
ID: 35616416
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 18:02

9.06 Damon Stoudamire, G, MEM

Another player on my team coming off an injury plagued year. That makes 4 out of 9 by my count. Some of them have to play well, right? The odds are in my favor. At least that’s what I tell myself.

According to his preseason play and the reports, Stoudamire has looked ready to go. Banking on that information, it was hard to pass up the chance at a starting PG with the potential to average 1.5 3’s, 6 asts, 3 reb, 1 stl and 12-13 pts. His FG % stinks, but outside of my first two picks, that seems to be a recurring trend with my team. And while he doesn’t shoot enough FT’s to have a large impact, every little bit helps. The PG ranks were getting slim, and most of the other ones I considered carried question marks (IMO at least). Last point: he was on my team last year, as my #2 PG. He numbers dipped last year (a concern) and then came the injury. I figure I owe him a second chance to redeem himself. I’m a nice guy (or sucker) like that.

MikeV
SuperDude
ID: 25924115
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 18:47

9.07 Eddie Jones, SG, MEM
As is the norm in this league, the next two players in my queue went the two picks before me. I really thought that Wally would still be there but would have been happy with Hedo.

Eddie is no where near the player he used to be but has improved both his steals and 3s. He is in the top ten in the sum of those and the only one available.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sat, Oct 21, 2006, 23:21

9.08 Drew Gooden, PF, Cle
So far, I haven’t really paid too much attention to my positional needs, opting not to reach just to grab a center, for example. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I think I’ve effectively conceded blocks, and therefore I don’t want to spend for any players who derive a meaningful portion of their value in blocks. As a consequence, I’d like to land a second center who offers decent value other than blocks. Maybe I should have gone for Diaw instead of Odom in round #3. Who knew!?

I reranked my player list to exclude blocks, just to see what shook out. Excluding a couple of guys who are injured, the top center candidate was ranked #141 on my new list. Hmmmm. I guess I’ll have a center problem, but I’m not about to cure that with pick #104. Bogut is tempting, but his injury situation introduces too much risk for a 9th rounder. Maybe next round, however, if he’s still available.

Interestingly, two of the three contenders for my 8th round pick are still available. The other, Szczerbiak, was taken 3 picks ago, and I’d have probably nabbed him here if he was still around. The other two are Marvin Williams and Drew Gooden. It also seems like I should have another PG, but curiously enough, palatable PGs still seem more plentiful than rebounders at this juncture.

While Marvin probably offers more upside potential, my gut tells me it will take awhile to develop, and this is not a keeper league. (Of course, if a keeper league, he probably wouldn’t still be available in round 9.) Gooden is perhaps the best rebounder left on the board, and also helps out with 50% FG shooting, another cat I need some boost in. While he doesn’t offer much else, I think he’s a good fit for the team needs, and this seems like the round to take him.

Florian
Sustainer
ID: 034815289
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 01:27

for coldwater coyotes

9.09 Tayshaun Prince, F, Det
I was really happy to find Prince available. Such a solid player for a 9th round pick.

Based on last year's results in this league I projected that to win this year I would need the following: 46%FT, 78%FG, 1.0 3PTS, 15.2 PTS, 6.0 REBS, 3.7 ASS, 1.1 STL, 0.7 BL. Prince projects to hit or come very close to all of these targets.

Florian
Sustainer
ID: 034815289
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 01:29

9.10 Kyle Korver SF PHI

I considered Andrew Bogut, Nazr Mohammed, Smush Parker and Maurice Williams for this pick. I picked Korver because I felt his was the least risky. I just took a big risk on Milicic and the next 6 rounds will be risky enough without taking any more chances than absolutely necessary. With Bogut I had concerns about his recovery from injury and his conditioning when he does recover, though I probably would have taken him in the 10th round had he still been available. Nazr Mohammed always seems to play well for stretches then completely disappear for long stretches. I'm not sure I have the patience for him (though of course I picked Korver, who is extremely streaky so I'm not necessarily any further ahead). I really wanted Maurice Williams because his production can be great (witness the last months of 2004-2005 until he of course got hurt). I really expected he'd last until the tenth round.

In my mind Korver is a fairly low risk pick at the end of the ninth round.He's get around 200 3PTM, 70-90 steals, 900 points, 300 rebounds, 150 assists and 20 blocks while shooting around 42% from the field and 85% from the line.

lionprideguy
ID: 32357261
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 04:59

9.11 Nazr Mohammed, C, DET

I would say that Florian and I seem to be continuing to pick from the same draft list, if I had been organized enough to create one that went this deep into the draft. I picked Francis in the 8th round with hopes of getting Dunleavey here, but a backup plan of Damon Stoudamire who I thought would barely survive to me. When that didn't happen, I did take a long look at Korver and Bogut too, although Korver became a moot point.

Nazr has shown glimpses of potential a few times in the past few seasons and produced when given the opportunity, but never been able to hold on to a starting job. I think Detroit can be a great fit for him, as he's the kind of center that Flip Saunders likes and they obviously have a big hole to fill with Wallace's absence. His preseason stats have been good so far, although a little light on the rebounds, but he's shown an ability to do that in the past. San Antonio just seemed to be a bad fit for his style of play and I liked being able to get a starting center on a team that plays a limited rotation like the Pistons. This year I think he'll get a consistant 30+ minutes per game for the first time in his career. His FT% isn't that bad for a center, and I'd take 11ppg, 8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game without thinking it's too out of the realm of possibility. Last time he started in New York, he got a little better than those numbers in 28 minutes per game while shooting over 50% from the field, and didn't seem to be too prone to foul trouble. He was a popular commodity until the San Antonio trade put him on the bench, but I think he'll get a second (third?) life in Detroit and be a solid starting center. Since Boris Diaw isn't a traditional center in any sense of the word, I liked being able to pick up another player at that position so I wasn't too weak in the middle, as 3 solid centers can really help flexibility for my roster.

lionprideguy
ID: 32357261
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 05:00

placeholder, for FootWedge

9.12 Andrew Bogut, C, MIL
Needed a backup C. Hoping that Bogut can fill missed games by Camby and Webber. Was hoping Curry would drop here but that was just wishful thinking.

10.01 Marvin Williams, F, ATL
Feeling really good about the potential here with Al gone. I'm needing lots of backup on the front line and I think Marvin can help here.

lionprideguy
ID: 32357261
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 05:18

10.02 Maurice Williams, G, MIL

I might be officially panicked about my PGs at this spot. With most of the multi-contributing players, or sure bets, off the board, this seemed like a good pair of picks to start looking at specializations. Going into 9.11 I liked 3 players - Nazr at center and Maurice Williams and Shaun Livingston at PG. I figured I'd take the center in Nazr and whichever of the PGs survived after FootWedge. Both were there, and Livingston lasted all the way to 11.05 even giving me a glimmer of hope to get him at 11.11 for a while.

The choice between the two wasn't easy and I went back and forth a few times. Williams was injury-plagued all last season, although he played 80 games the year before. He had been in and out of the lineup again this preseason, but it seems to be minor things. Livingston is still overflowing with raw talent, but I wasn't confident enough yet about how the PT was going to be split with him and Cassell.

Maurice Williams may also be battling a few others players for the PG spot in Milwaukee, but I don't take those other contendors quite as seriously. He's only been in the league for three years, so I figure he's still getting better, and more resiliant to bounce back from injuries too. With TJ Ford traded to Toronto, someone will have to step up in Milwaukee and I think Williams will benefit a lot from this. His play as Ford's backup was what enabled the Bucks to trade TJ, and even last season there were rumblings that many felt the team was better with Maurice on the floor than Ford anyway. Williams is a bit of a risk because the PT is still uncertain - he hasn't played enough in the preseason to get a good read on what the Bucks are planning for rotating their guard minutes. But he shoots a high FT% and got 12 ppg and 4 assists/game last year as a backup in only 26 minutes. Extend that this year into the 30-35 minute range, where he's handling the ball all the time, and he can show why the Bucks thought Ford was tradable.

Florian
Sustainer
ID: 034815289
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 15:31

10.03 Smush Parker PG LAL

This was pick was difficult. All the players seemed to have large questions marks hanging over their heads. I considered Mobley, but who knows if he will continue to start with Maggette lobbying for the starting SG position (or whether he will play reduced minutes even if he does start). I considered Stephen Jackson, but he might miss half the season if he goes to jail (or he may spend weeks on trial or the Pacers or NBA may suspend him pending further investigation; though a suspension looks unlikely for now). I considered Haslem, but I don't think his stats will improve this year and I'm not sure he contributed in enough different categories to take ahead of Smush. I considered Fisher, but there are a lot of questions about his role this year.

With Smush the questions are: 1. Will he be able to keep playing the minutes he did last year or will some of the backup PGs cut into his playing time? and 2. Can he keep producing at last year's level (or if I get really really lucky maybe even improve)? I felt the risks were worth taking. The numbers that jumped out at me from Smush's 2005-6 campaign were the 140 steals and 120 3PTM (while shooting a reasonable 45% from the field). He also managed 300 assists, 270 rebounds and 900 points. I'm hoping his 69 FT% improves.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 19:57

for Coldwater Coyotes
10.04 Jamal Crawford G NYK
My second Knicks pick which makes no sense as I don't believe that Isiah Thomas will turn around the franchise. Guards were becoming scarce and it was a close call between Mobley and Crawford. Similar in that they both help with 3PT and steals but Crawford's FG% will be dismal. However I felt that I had built up a surplus in this category and could go with the better upside of Crawford.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Sun, Oct 22, 2006, 20:02

10.05 Randy Foye, G, Min
After the last pick, I figured that my 10th rounder would either be Bogut or a guard. Of my first nine draftees, only 3 are guard-eligible. Bogut disappeared at the end of round 9. I don’t know if I’d have taken him here or not – but I do know that I don’t see any other center I want here. Let me expand - ...er, contract on that… I don’t see any other center that I want.

As this pick approached, I was leaning toward either Maurice Williams or Smush Parker. I say leaning, as I wasn’t sold on either of them, and there were a few other possibilities as well – which is why I took Gooden last round and waited until now for a guard.

With Smush and Mo (almost sounds like two of the stooges) recently removed from contention, my short list came down to Foye and Jarrett Jack. Jack has the benefit of being the leading contender to start at PG, but that Portland team is hard to get interested in. (I wanted to say "I don't know Jack about Portland.") Foye, of course, is a rookie, and although he has apparently impressed in summer league action, he hasn’t had much of a preseason. I suspect this pick will be a tough one to live with for the first month or so, but if the pundits are right, he’s worth a flyer at this point.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 041831612
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 06:52

10.06 Udonis Haslem, PF, Mia

Waded through Knight, Stephen Jackson, and Mobley, and realized Haslem was a nice replacement for the Drew Gooden pick I never made. Big boards and good percentages are needed on my squad, and U brings those to the table.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 09:31

For Uptown

10.07 Jarrett Jack, PG, POR
I knew I wanted another PG, especially as an alternative to Stoudamire. Looking at the draft grid, I figured that the teams drafting after me would be looking at guards. Whether or not Jack was an option for them or not, there certainly was a run of guards, so I am happy to taken Jack here.

Since last year, Portland has gotten rid of there two most productive PG’s in order to make room for Jack to be the starter. That seems as if they are confident in his ability to take control of the team and be successful. Jack’s percentages were pretty good last year, so I am hoping that continues with the extended minutes. 10 pts, 4-5 ast, 1 steal, a handful of boards and 3’s and I would be happy. The other player I thought about here was Josh Childress, but I ended up getting him next round, so that seems to have worked out. Overall Jack’s an unknown quantity, but what the heck, he’s a starting PG on a team without many offensive options.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 09:34

10.08 Cuttino Mobley, SG, LAC

I don’t have a Clipper yet, so this seemed like as good a time as any. Really would have wanted Haslem here, but figured he would go to Guru or MikeD (as he did). I again flirted with taking a pg, but couldn’t decide if I liked B. Knight or D. West as both have question marks with playing time. I decided to wait until after the turn to see who was left (neither).

Cuttino ended up my pick because he will score regardless of whether he comes off the bench or not. He has good steal and 3pt numbers and, as I prefer, a high FT% shooter. He doesn’t shoot as many 3s now as he did earlier in his career, though. Maybe it’s the offense, or maybe he now prefers to drive more. Either way, he has a chance to get 100 steals and 100 3s, and that’s pretty good at this stage.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 10:01

10.09 Rudy Gay, F, MEM

I'll be the first to admit that i din't know a thing about Rudy Gay before perusing over his college stats. Wow, did i ever get a shock! This guy has the potential to be a Gerald Wallace type. In college, he avereaged 1.6 blocks and 1.8 steals. There's already signs of that defensive prowess filtering through to the NBA level in Gay's preseason numbers. He already has 3 games with at least 2 blocks, And 2 games with 2 steals. Not to mention leading the Grizz in scoring in 4 of 5 games, and being able to knock down the trey. Ok, ok, it's the preseason, but those types of numbers don't come along very often, and especially not at the end of round 10!!

Obviously, Rudy is a rookie and will have his ups and downs, but with no real scorer on the Grizz (except maybe Mike Miller) while Pau is recovering, Gay has a legitimate shot to lead Memphis in scoring wilst Pau is down. And you know we're loving the blocks from the SF position. The thing that finally swung it was when reading some notes from Rick Kamla from nba.com. He seems to think that Rudy Gay has a legitimate shot at ROY considering the situation he has landed in. Hell - if the kid can score, block, steal and 3-ball AND he's being endorsed by Kamla, who are we to argue?

MikeV
SuperDude
ID: 25924115
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 10:20

10.10 Al Jefferson, PF, BOS
After 5 rounds of trying to get a PF I finally succeeded. Now I have to worry about how many games he'll manage to play. He should produce close to 8 boards and over a block a game which makes a pretty good pick in the 10th round, maybe.
I have managed to corner the only 2 Jeffersons in the league which has got to be worth something.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 16:00

For hoopsklyce

10.11 Devin Harris, PG, DAL
Harris has not been impressive in the preseason due to being slowed by injury but he came on strong last season and in the playoffs. He is projected to start at PG for the Mavs and that seemed a good fit for my team that was light on any top PG guards. I am hoping he can provide points and assists and perform better than a typical tenth round selection.

RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 0931275
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 16:01

10.12 Jason Williams, PG, MIA

Was looking to address 3s, dimes and steals here, fully knowing JDub wouldn't be available until late November.

With only the ancient Gary Payton to split time with and Pat Riley loving vets, I think this is a safe and solid pick. Thought long about Delonte West, but went with the true starter.

11.01 Brevin Knight, PG, CHA

Brev and Raymond Felton were a dynamic duo during the second half of last season, with Brev avaraging 10 dimes per game. If he can get 3/4s that production, it'll be way worth an 11th round flyer.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 16:02

For hoopsklyce

11.02 Delonte West, G, BOS
I am sure that Sebastian Telfair and even Rajon Rondo have scared owners away from West. But he was a pretty good player last season for the Celtics - the type I hope the Celtics feel can't afford to be left on the bench. He had some back issues in the preseason that may have scared some owners off. Lately his preseason performances have been encouraging. I particularly like his ability to provide blocks from the guard spot.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 16:03

For Mike V

11.03 Adam Morrison, F, CHA
I had Morrison ranked in the top 80 but his preseason performance made him easy to pass over. That said, playing with Charlotte will give him as good an opportunity as any to prove that he can convert his All-World college game to the pros.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 16:05

11.04 Kenyon Martin, PF, DEN

This is pick number 124, and Kenyon Martin is still available. Out of curiosity, i looked back at RIHC from the last 2 years to see where KMart had been selected. 2 years ago it was round 5. Last year, he went with the last pick of round 8. So, at least this proves that his decline is a steady one!

KMart's value lies in his versatility. He has the ability to average 1+ blocks and steals (only a handful of players can offer that), hit his shots a high percentage, and crash the boards. The question, as always, is regarding health. In round 11, even 65 games of 14p-7r-1st-1bl would represent outstanding value at this point.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 17:04

11.05 Shaun Livingston, PG, LAC

Well, I was already writing my rationale for Josh Childress here. So why the change of heart? I had bypassed many pgs the last few rounds. I had Mo Williams queued up a couple times and backed off, and I would have taken Knight or Delonte West had they made it back to me. Maybe that was a silver lining since Boston has a packed backcourt and Felton has nearly edged out Knight in Charlotte. After both were taken, I turned my attention to Kenyon Martin, but again the Euros swooped in. I guess he and Redd are sufficient payback for the Shaq pick! Again, I may be thanking them a few months down the road for not leaving Kenyon to me, as he has burned me in the past.

There is a changing of the guard in Clipper land. Cassell is still the expected starter, but it is evident his minutes will be kept down. He’s been held out in the preseason and may be slow to get things going early on. After watching a Clipper pre-season game the other night, I’m convinced Livingston will be a star this year if he gets the minutes or starts if Cassell has lingering injuries. Livingston has not been a picture of health either in his short NBA career, so there is some risk. If I can get 72 games of 13 pts and 7 assists in round 11, I will be ecstatic.

Rooting for the hometown Hawks, I nearly took “J-Chill”, but it will be tough getting solid minutes in the early going. He has been a spark plug at times the past few seasons and Woodsen likes to keep guys in that are playing well. What I worried about was looking at the guard and sf positions. The Hawks have 5 players that will be vying for regular time at the 1 and 2 positions, and 4 at the 3 and 4 spots. I see him only getting about 25 minutes unless injuries open up more time. Also, he has been slowed in the preseason due to his own minor injuries, so he may be slow out of the gate.

Uptown Bombers
Donor
ID: 35616416
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 17:31

11.06 Josh Childress, G/F, ATL

I almost took Childress last round, so I was happy to get him here. Nothing flashy about him, just solid all across the board. I especially like his rebounds and FG%, which I felt my team needed help in. He chips in with blocks as well. His position eligibility is a plus. The situation in Atlanta is muddled in terms of playing time, but I figure Childress will get his minutes some way or another. He played well last year when given the opportunity so I don’t see why he would be buried on the bench. If anyone on ATL gets injured, he looks to see an increase in playing time. At this point in the draft he felt like a good choice based on potential.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 041831612
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 19:25

11.07 Stephen Jackson, SG/SF, Ind

Jackson was still around and I had considered him last round. When he plays this season, I expect big points along with 3s, steals, and decent FT%. Not a lot of scorers in Indy, and with Jermo’s expected injuries waiting to happen, that leaves Big Al and Stephen Jackson. I knew Klyce was drooling at the thought of adding Jackson to his “all-role-model” team, so I had to scoop him up.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Mon, Oct 23, 2006, 21:28

11.08 Kevin Martin, G, Sac
The top two players on my list now are both guards – Kevin Martin and Derek Fisher. I wouldn’t mind getting them both. I have them ranked pretty equally (different stats, but tradeoffs that make them similarly ranked), but I think Martin is more likely to be taken before my next pick than Fisher, so I’ll pursue them in that order. I realize that I still need a center, but at this point, there is no center worth taking now. We still have four rounds to go.

Martin is set to be the starting SG for Sacramento, and I’m hoping for a minor uptick over last year’s numbers, including 1+ treys per game while continuing to shoot around 48%. For games in which he started last season, he averaged almost 14 pts.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:50

for Coldwater Coyotes
11.09 Shareef Abdur-Rahim F SAC
A best available player pick. The big question is how many minutes will he get versus Kenny Thomas. SAR is only 29 and should have recovered from his jaw injury.

It looks like Musselman (if sober) will start Kenny Thomas, a better defensive player, but I fully expect SAR to get sufficient minutes to score 14 pts with a FG% of 50+%, plus 6.5 Rebs and a FT% of 80%. These numbers would more than justify a 9th round pick.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:50

for Florian
11.10 Bobby Simmons F MIL
I thought about this pick for a long time. The only other player I seriously considered at this spot was Derek Fisher, but I just wasn't sure whether he would get enough playing time to justify taking here.

So I took Simmons. The only reason he fell this far in the draft is due to the uncertainty surrounding his heel injury. I'm hoping he's only out until mid November as forecast, but even if he returns in early Dec. and plays as well as he did last year I believe he'll contribute enough to be worth taking here. However now that he's had a full year to get used to Milwaukee's system I'm hoping his numbers improve. Simmons contributes a little in a variety of categories. He shoots a reasonable percentages, scores 12-15 points/game, pulls down 4-5 rebounds, get 2-3 assists, 1 steal and 1 3PTM.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:51

for lionprideguy
11.11 Sebastian Telfair, G, BOS

Still short on assists, I had planned this pick to be another PG unless something really strange happened and a great opportunity fell to me otherwise. Many times earlier I looked for a PG but decided to wait another round or two, and eventually had to make sure to grab another just so I wouldn't be too lacking at the position. I had always felt like there was sufficient depth at the position and opportunities that would be available later in the draft for guards, so I felt okay with the overall theory. While I didn't expect Livingston to fall to me here (although he came closer than I had expected), I did think I would be able to get Jarret Jack or Brevin Knight. Since they were my first options, once they were gone I decided to take Bobby Simmons, but of course Florian was thinking the same when the pick came. Time to move on to plan D.

I figured that Telfair would have been drafted a little bit earlier if it weren't for his possible involvement in the whole shooting incident. While this isn't a risk I'd like to take, I think that if it really were serious enough to take him out of games for Boston it would have happened already. Even if they decide they want to involve him in the case, it would probably be delayed and tied up and put off until after the season like Kobe's case was. So Telfair is still a starting PG and although he has competition from West and Rondo, the Celtics seem very committed to going with him. He's only two years out of high school and point guards take a few years to really mature and do well in the NBA most of the time (big exception is Chris Paul of course), and especially since he was a high school draftee and didn't even go to college, I think there's even more he can improve. While he doesn't have a great shot, his FT% isn still in the 70's and he hit 57 3's last year with a steal a game in limited minutes. Expand that to the increased minutes as a starter, and 80-100 3's and 80-100 steals isn't crazy (although maybe optimistic) along with 12 points and 5 assists. In the 5 preseason games, he's never scored less than 10 points and is averaging nearly two steals while shooting much better, presumably from getting more layups.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:52

for Footwedge
11.12 Grant Hill F ORL
Grant is an obvious gamble. I just felt it was late enough to go for it. If he can play a decent number of games and put up good numbers I can rotate bench players and average out well.

12.01 Jamaal Tinsley G IND
If healthy he’s a bargain. I think he will also play enough to be worth it at this point in the draft. Also no one really stands out to me at this point. I was thinking about Kawame but his injury scared me more.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:53

for lionprideguy
12.02 Kwame Brown F LAL
Kwame has been for years a constant tease and disappointment for hoops owners - NBA and roto/fantasy. I took him based on the chance he can keep up his second half stats from last year, when he seemed to start to gain a better confidence and understanding of things in LA, and looked the most consistant of his 5-year career. After the break, he shot 58.8% from the field with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Not great numbers, but if he can boost that a little more this year he could be a decent role player for my team. While the Lakers have height, they still are lacking other options at PF/C and so the minutes will be there when Brown comes back in 3-4 weeks from his shoulder injury this preseason. He'll just need to finish the wide-open dunks and putbacks on offense and stay away from the FT line, and it could be okay.

After picking Telfair at 11.11, I had turned things off for the night planning to come back in the morning and draft either Grant Hill or Jamal Tinsley, still deciding between the two. I thought there was a good chance one would be drafted anyway and I wouldn't have to choose, but FootWedge surprised me by taking both. I didn't have an immediate backup plan so Kwame was one of the first players I could come up with. I came close to taking Fred Jones instead and may wish that I had, but since I was in doubt getting a starting big man seemed like a better idea than a (currently) non-starting guard. We'll see.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:53

for Florian
12.03 Derek Fisher G UTA
After considering Fisher the last two rounds, I didn't really consider anyone else. I'm expecting that Fisher will get around 30 minutes per game between the PG and SG positions in Utah and will produce about 120 3PTM, 120 steals, 1000 points, 300 assists and 200 rebounds, while continuing to shoot about 42% FG and 80 FT%.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:54

for Coldwater Coyotes
12.04 Ryan Gomes F BOS
It looks as if Gomes has beaten Al Jefferson for a starting position with the Celtics. Solid for FT%, FG%, Points and Rebounds and weak on blocks. A great addition to my winning team.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 12:56

12.05 Vladimir Radmanovic, F, LAL
I thought Derek Fisher would survive to this pick, but as usual, the back end of the draft interferes again.

Radmanovic isn’t someone I was targeting at all. I’m not sure his statistical profile meshes well with my needs, although injuries can always change a team’s complexion, so I don’t want to get too caught up in micromanaging stats before the first game of the season. He’s not a center, and I still need a second one of those. He’s got a sore ligament in his right hand, which may or may not turn out to be relevant by the time November rolls around.

So why did I take him? My ranking list finds him at the top now, and all of the names in close proximity have similar or bigger “issues”. I could fill my 2nd center slot now, but there are about 4 of them currently available that I’ve already identified as roughly comparable, none are ranked this highly, and I its possible that one or two of them won’t even be drafted. So what’s the rush?

Consider this a “best available” pick, and I’ll figure it out later. If his ligament situation isn’t a problem, I might start him in lieu of Randy Foye for awhile, just to let Foye get his sea legs under him. Or, I might bench ‘em both and see if I can learn anything just by observing.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 41831612
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 13:34

12.06 Fred Jones, SG, Tor

Young, athletic, can hit the 3, and should have a ton of playing time this year. He showed glimpses in Indiana, especially when filling in for injured players. This could be a breakout year.

Uptown Bombers
Donor
ID: 35616416
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 13:39

12.07 Leandro Barbosa, G, PHO

Based on the stat targets I came up with before the draft and the projections I am using, I went into this pick needing I needed 3’s and steals. Looking over my team with common sense, I decided I needed rebounding as well. Radmanovic filtered to the top of my list. Sadly he was scooped away from me two picks before. I had mostly been looking at forwards and thought I had a back-up plan to Radmanovic in Donyell Marshall. But I looked around some more and looked at the available guards.

That’s when Barbosa became my new favorite pick. He played well enough last year and I expect him to improve since he is so young and came on so strong towards the end of the year. While he hasn’t played a full season yet without getting hurt, I’m hopeful that this is his year for a break-out performance. He is slated to be move to SG instead pf PG, but I still feel he will chip in across the board, but especially in 3’s and steals, as he has been working on his defense according to D’Antoni. He has looked dynamite in the preseason. And this quote from an article excited me:

If there is one prevailing question at Suns training camp other than “When will Amare Stoudemire be healthy?” it’s a query that has a consistently positive outlook. “Just how good can Leandro Barbosa be?” Coach Mike D’Antoni smiled, watched the Brazilian guard drop another practice jumper Wednesday and said, “Real good. Really, really good. It’s hard to take him off the floor as it is.”

I decided to wait on Marshall until next round. I came up one pick short on that plan. Either way, I am happy about Barbosa.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 14:13

12.08 Mark Blount, C, MIN

Only one other player was above Blount on my rankings, and since I have an abundance of guards, I was looking big with this pick. Blount is a serviceable big man and can play PF or C so he will serve as a backup to both positions. He is currently the starter in Minnesota, and had some nice games after the trade from Boston last year. There is probably not alot of upside here, so the best I can hope for is 12 pts, 6 rebs and 1 block per game. There are very few players left that are legit starters, so instead of taking one of the better bench players, I opted for a starter that should get at least 30 mins a game.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 18:19

12.09 Earl Watson, PG, SEA

Considering how closely fought the battle for PG duties is in Seattle, i was a little surpirised to see Luke Ridnour being taken in round 7. It certainly feels nice to grab Earl here in round 12. He should put up very similar numbers to Ridnour, and there's a chance of him eventually being the starter because of his superior defense. Earl is one of the top assists guys for a backup (5+ last season after the trade), and he has a penchant for knocking down the 3 (2.0 per game in April) as well as contributing over a steal a game. Those numbers put him in Mike Bibby territory (minus the %s and scoring, of course).

I should also point out that we picked up Earl as an FA during our late season charge last year. He was nothing short of impeccable. More of the same please, Earl!

MikeV
SuperDude
ID: 25924115
Tue, Oct 24, 2006, 19:09

12.10 Sean May, PF, CHA
That's two Charolette forwards in a row for me. There are some questions about Okafor's ankle which if true could have a very positive effect on Mays minutes. He's projected to be the first big man off the bench with 14 pts, 6+ boards and just short of one block per game. On the risk side, he was only able to play 23 games last year with knee problems. A very productive summer league indicates that the two off-season surgeries have corrected the problems.

RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 204401122
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 01:17

For hoopsklyce

12.11 Ike Diogu, C, GSW
Diogu is pretty good in rebounds and points on a per minute basis and he qualifies as a center. I am hoping Don Nelson finds a place for the second year player to fit into his offense. It seems to me playing Dunleavy at PF may not be the best lineup at times, giving Ike a chance.

RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 204401122
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 01:24

12.12 James Jones, F, PHO

Just looking for high powered 3s and what better offense than in Phoenix. My biggest concern is has Mike D'Antoni learned his most important leason from last year? That being to expand the minutes of the bench from his tight 7 man rotation, so everyone won't collapse in the playoffs again.

I would be content with equalling last season's numbers, although I can see an improvement on them, given a full season of the Phoenix system under his belt. Not much help beyond 3s and a nice FT% (in limited attempts).

RecycledSpinalFluid
Dude
ID: 204401122
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 01:31

13.01 Nick Collison, PF/C, SEA

Deliberated on this pick quite a bit, flip flopping between Nick and Kurt Thomas. I don't believe Amare is going to last the full season, but not strongly enough to go with Kurt over Nick.

Ofcourse, Nick has a lot of "bigs" to deal with in Seattle. His only real competition for minutes, as I see it, is Chris Wilcox, and even then, they are completely different ballers.

Nick's preseason numbers have been superb at around 11-8 at 50%+ shooting, in about 25 minutes per game. If he can come close to replicating those numbers, added to the position versatility, then I think this was a flyer worth gambling on.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 05:39

For hoopsklyce

13.02 Martell Webster, G/F, POR
Webster qualifies at G or F giving me some lineup flexibility. He has great upside potential and I am hoping he can provide my team some support in the three point category once his back heals!

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 05:39

For Mike V

13.03 Sarunas Jasikevicius, G, IND
I was focused on addressing my shortage of assists and there weren't many guys left that helped much. Jasikevicious and Rondo looked to be the only two left to choose from. I already think I picked the wrong one. Jasikevicius should get a reasonable amount of minutes backing up the injury prone Tinsley and will help with some 3s.

Swish City
Dude
ID: 0931275
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 05:42

13.04 Rajon Rondo, PG, BOS

Steal.

In many contexts, this is a word that has been used describe Rajon Rondo, the 21st pick in the 2006 draft. Let me run down a few facts on Rondo's pilfering ability in recent times:

Kentucky Wildcats 2005-2006: 69 steals in 34 games
FIBA World Championships: 27 steals in 8 games (a new FIBA championship record, including an 8 steal game vs China)
NBA Summer League 2006: 12 steals in 5 games
NBA preseason: 18 steals in 7 games (league leader)

I think you get the picture. Rondo will be battling with Sebastian Telfair for time at the PG slot, and has probably become one of the most hyped sleepers in fantasy bball land following his electrifying preseason performances. The skinny is that he can't shoot a lick, but also he has untapped assist potential given that he was not able to use his speed and quickness on the break to full effect at Kentucky with their slow down offense.

Personally, we think this is a really exciting pick, and it's going to be a lot of fun to see if Rondo can challenge superstars Paul, Wade and Marion at the top of the NBA steals charts. He definitely has a damn good chance.

Steal.

skinneej
Leader
ID: 040625911
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 08:48

13.05 Antonio McDyess, PF, DET

Had Diogu penciled in here as my sleeper pick this year. Hoopsklyce saw to it that I had to get out the eraser and start over. Round 13 has been good to me in the past in leagues and last year, Channing Frye turned out to be a great pick for me. Starting in this round, there are only a few players left that you really know what they are going to do. Taking a flyer on a guy here that might be in a good situation can work out. I probably have spent too much time on this pick, going between McDyess, Kenny Thomas, and Donyell Marshall. As you might figure, I was looking big again here. These were the three best PF eligible players that I had left, but none of them really gave me a warm fuzzy.

McDyess might be in the best situation. Here’s a guy that was a star until injuries caused him to miss most of several seasons, but he has been a great backup in Detroit the past few years. With Big Ben gone out of the middle, and Nazr the replacement, he has a chance to get more minutes. Detroit will probably go small more with Rasheed at center, and McD at PF in order to have more scorers on the floor. If his minutes do indeed rise to around 30 per game, he could return to a double digit scorer and be around 7-8 rebs per game. Even at age 32, he is a little bit of a sleeper here. Kenny Thomas may start at PF in Sac, but then again he might not. He’s not much of an offensive weapon, but of the three he is the best rebounder. Donyell is the most prolific offensive player, but he may not see as much time with the emergence of Gooden. He adds a lot of 3pts from the position, but shoots poorly in the process.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 41831612
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 12:07

For Uptown Bombers

13.06 Kurt Thomas, PF/C, Pho
Two Suns in a row for me. Thomas is coming back from injury and is expected to back up the frontcourt positions in Phoenix. I needed another center with good rebounding potential. Thomas is just that, plus he does well in both % and could chip in nearly a block a game. Obviously his value is closely linked to Amare. The healthier Amare is, the less Thomas plays and vice versa. I suspect that Amare will not be healthy all year and this will mean a boost to Thomas at various points in the season. He was always a favorite of mine during his Knick days and I am a sucker for players I like to root for. There certainly were other options at center that I liked. I simply opted to take one of those options them here since I’ll most likely be eyeing another for the next round for added security.

Mike D
Leader
ID: 41831612
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 12:07

13.07 P.J. Brown, F/C, Chi

I waited a few rounds to see if either Blount or Brown would last. Didn’t want either of them too much, and felt they’d probably be around. Brown is a young 37 who can play his comfortable PF position with Big Ben around this year. But he’ll play center for me, and give me boards and percentages. He might even score in double digits occasionally, and block a shot by mistake.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 12:14

13.08 Nene, C, Den
Two of my four center candidates have disappeared since my last pick, so maybe I’d better belly up to the bar before I have to dig even deeper. Diogu and Blount were taken in the 12th round. The other two options were Nene and Brezec. Frankly, I don’t know how to choose between them. I think I’ll take Nene now, because he played well last night, and Brezec was sick. But if Brezec is still available in round 14 (and why wouldn’t he be?), I might take him too. Then I can mix and match all season long, depending on whether Camby or Okafor is injured at the time.

coldwater coyotes
ID: 31554112
Wed, Oct 25, 2006, 14:57

13.09 Antoine Walker, F, Mia
We all know that he is a terrible FT shooter. Interestingly he only went to the line an average of 1.6 times last year versus over 5 two years ago. Lets hope he keeps his FG% at over 45%. Good bench player if I need extra 3pts or rebounds.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:27

for Florian

13.10 Joel Przybilla C POR

I was hoping Przybilla would fall to this spot. After reviewing my projections for all my players, I realized that my team was still lacking in blocks (and rebounds). Przybilla was the perfect solution. He averaged 2.3 blocks per game in 24 minutes of playing time. I can't imagine Portland playing him any less than that this year as he'll still be around in several years, while Magloire won't be back next year. Even if he plays only 24 minutes per game he's a good source of blocks and rebounds. However he really hurts my team FT%. As a result he likely move in and out of my line-up depending how my team is faring in the blocks and FT% categories.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:27

for lionprideguy

13.11 Stromile Swift, F, MEM

Another player who teases every year and hasn't delivered yet ... so he's due, right? I wouldn't have considered Swift, except for Pau's injury for the first few months and I have to figure Swift is going to be forced to play more minutes than he has in any previous years. Who are they going to sub in for him, Jake Tsakalidis? We all know he's very athletic and has the potential to get a lot of blocks and rebounds, but it's never panned out yet.

I tried to do some research before getting completely fooled again, and a lot of the reports out of Memphis have been positive (again) about Swift. Coach has said a few times how much they're going to depend on Stromile in the middle, how much of a difference he's going to make for the team, and how many minutes they expect him to play. Of the picks I was considering here, I felt Swift had the highest possible upside potential and yet another golden opportunity to prove himself. After a few weeks, he should be position eligible at center as well hopefully, giving me more options if he does play well enough to stay on the roster that long.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:29

for Footwedge

13.12 Kenny Thomas F SAC
Consistent numbers. Nothing spectacular but solid. Should give me the rotation I need to cover injuries. Might end up playing 82 games for me from the bench.

14.01 Bobby Jackson G NOR
I think he should get good minutes off the bench. I’m hoping he splits time with Mason at SG. From there I like his fantasy value over Mason even though he probably won’t outscore him.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:30

for lionprideguy

14.02 Desmond Mason, F, NOR

Not an exciting pick, but at least a stable role player. After picking Kwame earlier, who is going to start the season on the IR, and Swift, who I have no idea what to expect from, I still needed one more player to fill a regular, reliable role on the roster. I looked at Magliore, Zo, and Warrick, but thought Mason was best for this role.

While not spectacular, Mason still is pretty steady. He's a starting SF and gets 35 mpg on a Hornets team without much of a bench. His first season with the Hornets was a disappointment, taking a step back in a lot of statistical categories. It sounds like Mason was personally disappointed by that and used it as motivation to work out over the summer and get better. Peja, Paul, and West are going to be the primary scoring options of course, but Mason might be the best defender the Hornets have and that alone will keep him on the floor long enough in games to give him time to get other stats. Hopefully his terrible FG% and FT% last season were an aberration from his loss of confidence. There were a few articles this fall about his vastly improved shooting form and abilities. Just bouncing back up to his career averages of 45% FG, 77% FT, 12.6 ppg and 4.5 rebounds would make him a steady role player at this stage of the draft while some of my other guys come and go.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:30

for Florian

14.03 Earl Boykins PG DEN

I felt Boykins was a good match for my team. Boykins can contribute of assists and 3PTM and to a lesser extent points when needed for my team.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:31

for Coldwater Coyotes

14.04 Jamaal Magloire C POR
I went for a back up Center. It looks like Przybilla will start for the Trail Blazers and Magloire is not happy about this. Hopefully this will be an incentive for Magloire to work harder and become the starter by mid year. In the worst case he can help if I run short on rebounds, he should be dependable for at least 7 a game even if he never gets the start.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:32

14.05 Primo Brezec, C, Cha

Primo has all of the attributes I’m looking for in a center: He can score a little, he can rebound a little, and he shouldn’t destroy my shooting percentages if I opt to play him. He completes the two-headed monster for my second center slot: Nene and Primo. As I mentioned in Nene’s rationale, the plan is to “feature” Nene when Camby is out, and to feature Primo when Okafor is out. That should get me close to 84 games from the two of them – unless they are also injured when the targeted conditions are met. (Not a long shot, I realize).

Last year my 14th round pick was Vashon Lenard. Primo can’t produce any less value than that pick did! (Although I suppose it could be a dead heat..)

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:34

for Mike D

14.06 Donyell Marshall, SF/PF, Cle

I was really hoping Marshall would slide this far but was not optimistic. He is multi-dimensional in that he can block a few shots and hit some threes. He’ll also help on the boards. I’m hoping his percentages improve too. Playing time could be an issue, but I think he’ll get enough to produce, and in the event of an injury will be ready to step in.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:35

for Uptown Bombers

14.07 Tyrus Thomas, F, CHI

My 12th round rationale contained an error in regards to Donyell Marshall. I did start to think about him in round 12, but felt that was too high for him. In the 13th round I seriously thought about Marshall, but I knew I wanted two more players with center eligibility, so I passed. I would have taken Marshall with this pick had he made it, but I missed him by one spot.

So I decided to go another route here with Tyrus Thomas. Who knows what kind of playing time this kid will get at what spot on the floor. I do know that this guy has a lot of raw potential and brings energy onto the court. Not expecting much points, but if he plays any significant time, so he should contribute in the defensive stats. My one thought with him is that I need to patient. It might take him awhile before he works himself into the regular rotation. Last year I had Villanueva early. When he fizzled, I cut him, but then he went on a tear and I was too late in re-picking him up. I’d like to avoid that situation again if possible.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:35

for skinneej

14.08 John Salmons, SG, SAC

I had been rethinking my last pick whether I should have gone with McDyess or Donyell Marshall, but figured he would not make it back around to me. He was the highest player left on the Yahoo rankings, so I figured there was high visibility. As it started getting closer, it seemed he might just make it back. I unsuccessfully tried to move up through three teams, but Marshall was taken two picks before me (by who else but MikeD). He may have taken him anyway had he received my e-mail in time, but who knows what will happen when a trade offer is presented to him!

Instead, again maybe it worked out for me as I started catching up on some of the latest news. With the reports of Bibby missing at least a couple weeks with the thumb injury, Salmons jumped to the forefront. He was the highest rated player left on my projections after Marshall, and now has a chance to start for a few weeks. Maybe good play will be rewarded with extended minutes even after Bibby returns. Salmons should produce in a couple areas that I was looking to bolster which are steals and 3s.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:36

for Euros

14.09 Alonzo Mourning, C, MIA

It's pretty much a given that Shaq will miss some games and have his PT reduced again this year. Enter Zo, who averaged 11 points, 8 boards, and a freakish 3.8 blocks in the 20 games he started in Shaq's absence. It's round 14, we need another C, and Zo is about as sure a thing as there is left in terms of blocks. Now all we need is Shaq to pull his hammy, and off we go!

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 09:37

for Mike V

14.10 Marcus Williams, PG, NJ
Jason Kidd's backup that had a great summer league where twice he had 12 assists in one game and nine in another and buried 10-of-18 three-pointers in five games. Only time will tell if at 33 Kidd will will still get his 30+ minutes.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:17

for Hoopsklyce

14.11 Jason Maxiell F DET
Maxiell was good last season on a per minute basis and his preseason performance this year has given the Pistons reasons to give him playing time this season. He is also the type of player who could disappear when the season begins but I will be prepared for that.

RecycledSpinalFluid
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:17

14.12 Jarvis Hayes F WAS

I'm biting on Jarvis' preseason bravado, where he is talking about Comeback POY and 6th Man of Year. His preseason lines of 10+ ppg including a few 3s and boards. With the focus on Arenas, Jamison and Butler, I think Jarvis can sneak some nice numbers in there.

15.01 Hakim Warrick F MEM

Just an insurance play here for Pau. His preseason numbers have been excellent. And for anyone who thinks the Stro Show is of any concern...I hope you are in this league.

If Hakim can come close to his 12 and 7 he is near in preseason, this is the steal of the draft.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:18

for Hoopsklyce

15.02 Charlie Bell G MIL
Bell has shown the abilty to fill out the stat sheet when given playing time. However it may take an injury to a competitor such as Mo Williams to give him fantasy value. I am hoping he has proven himself too good to not give playing time to.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:18

for Mike V

15.03 Chris Mihm, C, LAL
I think a 3rd C is a must but all the quality(?) ones are gone. I took Mihm only because of the IR rule as he is sure to start the season injured. When he does come back and get back in shape and I still have him he'll be good for some boards and blocks.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:19

for Euros

15.04 Eddie Griffin, FC, MIN

Every damn year we take this guy. Maybe this is his year. He leads the NBA in shots blocked in the preseason, and is the only real backup for Blount and KJ. Hopefully Dwane Casey will come to his senses and finally realise that E-Griff is a beast, he's on EuroGollum's squad, and he'll average about 28.91 blocks per game if given PT.

Seriously, I've read articles about how Eddie is focused, has lost 25 pounds and is ready to put on a show this season. Yada yada, heard it all before, but it's the last round and there's always the waiver wire if he turns out to be his annually disappointing self again.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:20

for skinneej

15.05 Andrew Bynum, C, LAL

I changed my mind a couple times on this pick. Probably spent too much time on it as these late round flyers usually have limited value. Initially I had Anthony Johnson ready to go. Then thought about taking one of the rookies - either Shelden Williams or Bargnani. I ended up on Bynum because he will see a lot of minutes in the early going. When Kwame and Mihm return, he will probably go back to the bench, but who knows. If he does well he might hang on to the role of trying to rebound Kobe’s misses.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:20

for Uptown Bombers

15.06 Raef Lafrentz, F/C POR

Raef is just back from injury. This pick is just a shot in the dark at a player, who when healthy does some good things from the Center position. 3’s, good %’s and some blocks. Whether he does any of that is beyond my knowledge I don’t expect him to be all that great, but you never know. At this point in the draft there aren’t many sure things, if any at all. So I’ll throw my hat into the ring with this guy. While I’ll try to be patient with Tyrus Thomas, I suspect that Raef will be my first casualty if he starts of slow and there is an attractive option in the FA pool. How’s that for a glowing rationale!

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:21

for Mike D

15.07 Erick Dampier, C, Dal

Can a pre-season positional battle bring out the best in Dampier? Do we even care? Does he even have a best anymore?

Figured I’d finish out my draft with a potential shot-blocking center. Came down to Damp and the other scary fog like centers out there hanging around like zombies, and Damp lost the coin toss. Beware the Damp.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:22

15.08 Anthony Johnson, G, Dal
I’ve read reports that suggest he’ll open the season as the Mavs starting PG, ahead of Devin Harris. Whether this is true, and whether this persists are all subject to conjecture. But for a 15th rounder, I might as well nab a nominal starting PG. Last year, I took Smush Parker in the 15th round on similar reasoning, and it worked out quite well, as evidenced by Smush’s 10th round selection in this year’s draft.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:22

for Coldwater Coyotes

15.09 Luther Head G HOU
A crap shoot at this point in the draft. Do I go with a sleeper like Travis Outlaw or a more reliable fantasy source? Luther Head would be very valuable if either Alston doesn't make it or if McGrady gets injured. Worst case, coming off the bench, he is good for at least a steal and a 3pt per game with 12 points.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:23

for Florian

15.10 Tim Thomas PF LAC

I picked up Thomas because he as a chance to be the starting SF for the Clippers and if he manages to do that should put up reasonable points, 3PTM, and rebounds.

Guru
ID: 330592710
Thu, Oct 26, 2006, 10:24

for lionprideguy

15.11 Darius Miles, F, POR

Miles, Kwame, Francis, Swift, I don't know if I've ever drafted this many high-risk guys in any previous draft. That certainly wasn't the plan going in, but only 1 of the 4 needs to pan out to make my 12-man roster anyway.

Selecting Miles here was mostly an effect of the IR rules, much like Mihm for MikeV. There are 2-3 other guys I'd rather have on my team, but luckily none were Ruben Patterson so I'm going to be able to put Miles on IR and still get someone else in his place to start the season, so there's little risk involved. The prognosis for Miles sounds terrible right now too - 30 pounds overweight, still a bad knee, maybe having to go back for another surgery, and of course a bad attitude to top it off. When he played last year he averaged 14 points with over a block and a steal per game, even up to 18.8/1.4/1.6 in November of last year. I'll let him figure things out on the IR and he'll be the first to go to make room if I get another injury. Meanwhile I can hit the waiver wire for his replacement, and consider it a bonus if Miles contributes anything this season.

Footwedge
ID: 544546
Sun, Oct 29, 2006, 00:44

15.12 Ruben Patterson , F , MIL

With Simmons and Bogut out I'm hoping Ruben can show a little consistency and earn decent minutes even after they return. Until then he should put up decent numbers.

Forum: hoopPage 12100Subject: RIHC 2006-07: Draft Rationales (Rds 9-15)

Forum: hoop
Page 12100
Subject: RIHC 2006-07: Draft Rationales (Rds 9-15)