The 1st Annual NBA Fantasy Value Draft: Rounds 3 & 4

Round 3

With the 11^th overall pick, Team O’Toole selects: Ricky Rubio

Sean: A solid young pass-first point guard who would have been the only player last year to give Kyrie Irving a challenge for ROY had he not been injured. With elite scorers around him he will be an assist machine.

My take: Well whaddya know? Somebody took my advice (or I knew his pick before I made said advice). While I could point out more well-rounded point guards available, I think Rubio is actually an excellent pick considering the talent surrounding him. Rubio’s shooting deficiencies will be balanced out by Durant and Gordon. He does need to work on man-to-man defense, but he has the height and lateral quickness to do so. Also of note is Rubio’s contract, which at $3.7 million next year technically qualifies as stealing.

With the 12^th overall pick, Team Oetinger selects: Kyrie Irving

My take: Remember the more balanced point guard I just mentioned? Kyrie does it all. He has great court-vision, speed, and outside shooting. He’s also only 20 years old, and will be playing under his rookie contract for a while. Like Rubio, he needs to work on his man-to-man defense, but he has all of the requisite skills to do so. At this point, I’m really feeling good about my team’s potential.

With the 13^th overall pick, Team Lamonica selects: Carmelo Anthony

Adam: No doubt this is a risky pick. Melo’s leadership ability has been in question for years, and he has made it obvious that he likes to be at center stage.  Pairing him with D-Rose could be dangerous, but his overall ability to play every aspect of the game when motivated is hard to overlook. He can take over games, drive, make big shots, post up, and stuff the stat sheet. He has performed well on a winning Denver team with a scoring PG in Billups, so I believe he can coexist with Rose.

My take: I’m definitely torn about this pick. I do respect Melo’s game, and his toughness and rebounding is often overlooked. But he is an absolute ball stopper on offense. With D-Rose already running the point, Melo will have to settle for spot-up jumpers, which has never been his specialty. He’s one of the best crunch-time scorers in the league; someone who you can put the ball in his hands and feel confident he can score at will. But so is Rose. I’m also concerned with Melo’s unwillingness to run on the fast break. But still, the talent is there. You just need to find a way to make it work. 

With the 14^th overall pick, Team Arena selects: Serge Ibaka

CJ: He gets insane amounts of blocks and is invaluable on defense. And at 22 he adds some youth to the team.

My take: Any team is gonna have a hell of a time trying to score in the paint against you, with Ibaka and Howard down there. Serge is also an underrated mid-range shooter, who I think will fit in very well offensively with Dwight. I can see Nash turning him into a poor man’s Amar’e in the pick and roll offense. Great pick.

With the 15^th overall pick, Team Fisher selects: James Harden

Joe: The 6th man of the year last year, Harden can start on any team at SG and carries a favorable contract.

My take: Son of a bitch. I was eyeing Harden for my next pick. Good player whose only getting better. Offensively he fits very well with your team, as he can score both coming off screens and in isolation plays. He’s also a very underrated passer. His on-ball defense is good not great, but he can put up points in a hurry. The wing-scorer you needed next to Rondo and Love.

Round 4

With the 16^th overall pick, Team Fisher selects: DeMarcus Cousins

Joe: Big, physical, and mean! Great rebounder and intimidating player in general.

My take: In a league where big men are overpaid every year, I don’t know if there’s a better value at the Center position than Cousins. Great rebounder, and one of the best low-post scorers in the game already. He’s only 21 and is playing on his rookie contract. The one concern with him is his attitude. He has had problems with authority in high school, college, and the pros. His work ethic has also been in question, which worries me for his future. But if he can put it all together, he’ll be a top three center in the NBA.

With the 17^th overall pick, Team Arena selects: Nicolas Batum

CJ: A solid young small forward who has been improving every year. He has stepped up his defensive game, and he doesn't cost much either.

My take: Potential. Serious potential. A solid defender with a long wingspan and 3-point range. Exactly the type of player you could use on your team. A frontcourt of Batum, Ibaka, and Howard is going to be a nightmare on defense, for opposing teams that is. He has room to grow on the offensive end, but he still has plenty of time to do so. I was expecting a bit more from him last year, as he seemed to plateau a bit in his development, but the ability is definitely there.

With the 18^th overall pick, Team Lamonica selects: Stephen Curry

Adam: I spent big early, but Steph has one of the most consistent shots in the NBA and at $4 mil, he is affordable as a spot up shooter to pair with Rose and Blake on the fast break. Rose penetrates, Griffin gets down low, and if the paint gets covered on the break, Curry can make that outside shot. I believe he will really fit in well at the 2 around Rose, Blake, and Melo.

My take: Curry is a great young player who puts up eye-popping numbers when he plays. The problem in that sentence is the ‘when’. He’s had surgery on his right ankle twice, and seemingly sprains it every other week. At a certain point, I worry that he’ll end up like Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway: great talents who never reached their potentials because of recurring injuries. To avoid rolling his ankles, he has to limit his lateral movement, which makes him even more of a liability on defense. But he is a winner and a smart basketball player who will bring a lot to your team, if he can stay healthy.

With the 19^th overall pick, Team Oetinger selects: Danny Granger

My take: Granger has been shoehorned into the role as the alpha-dog on the Pacers for the past few years. While he has done admirably, this is not the best situation for him. Granger would thrive as the #2 guy, a Pippen-like contributor on a championship contender. He’s an all-around player who can shoot the three, defend multiple positions, and rebound. His outside shooting will open up the lanes for LeBron and Kyrie. He also adds some tenacity to my team, as was apparent in his battles with LeBron in the Playoffs last year. I’m confident that they could put their past encounters behind them, as they are both high-character guys who would benefit from each other on the court.

With the 20^th overall pick, Team O’Toole selects: Josh Smith

Sean: A 26 year-old power forward who, regardless of being slightly undersized to play the 4, has averaged 2.2 blocks per game in his career. An outstanding athlete, and a player who doesn't have to score in bunches with the shooters already on my team. He will help on the glass too, as he averaged a career high 9.6 rebounds last year.

My take: It’s hard to believe J-Smoove is only 26, since he’s been in the league for so long. One of the last players to jump from high school to the pros, Smith is sometimes viewed as more of an athlete than a player, but his all-around game is too often overlooked. He plays great help side D, and is a terrific rebounder for his size. But he needs to realize that he’s not an outside shooter, as his percentages don’t speak too kindly. Even so, he adds great interior defense  and athleticism to your team.