2017 Fantasy Basketball Draft Recap Round 1

Hello all! Welcome to my first ever Draft Recap article. I will be breaking down key picks round by round to try and determine who WON the draft. That is, until some of your players go down with injuries, flame out, date a Kardashian, hit various walls (rookie, sophomore, father time) or get benched with colds so their teams can tank. Can’t Wait!

Round 1

Russell Westbrook

James Harden

Kevin Durant

Karl-Anthony Towns

Steph Curry

John Wall

Giannis Ante “whatever”

Anthony davis

LeBron James

Kawhi Leonard

Chris Paul

Devin Booker

Too High?

I was a bit surprised to see Westbrook and Harden go before Durant. They are safe picks no doubt but with the addition of superstars (Chris Paul to Houston and Paul George to OKC) they are bound to take a hit in some categories. It was not yet known Carmelo would also team up with George and Westbrook which further clouds the situation there. Typically one of the three will lose value (ala Kevin Love in Cleveland or Bosh in Miami). Im guessing its Melo who takes the biggest hit. Our league also includes both turnovers and steals/to ratio which will hurt high turnover players such as the two stylish gentlemen I mentioned above. Westbrook (5.4 per game) Harden (5.7 per game). Yikes! Be prepared to punt that category Armeen and Brent or better hope their new co-stars absorb some of those.

Steal of the Round

I think Anthony Davis could be the biggest steal of the round (health permitting) as he is solid in every category our league plays with except threes. However, is it worth the constant anxiety Brad? Every time he gets a bee sting it’s gonna feel like the whole world is falling apart. Grab some “Just For Men” so you can cover up the grey hairs you’re likely to accrue this season.

Solid Choices

-John Wall: No superstars to share with means lots and lots of stats! Or maybe he will get tired of playing with the knowledge he has no chance of even making the Finals.

-Giannis: Again, he’s all alone and can hog the stats like a fat kid who gets locked in a Safeway.

-Kawhi Leonard: Rudy Gay? Please, you know who to pass the ball too. Now be a good boy and go stand in the corner like Pop told you too. Leonard is the man here and gets a major upgrade with our league scoring categories.

Reach of the Round

Scott don’t get me wrong I LOVE Devin Booker! He practically won me the title last season with his 70-point game during championship week, but that was before we switched categories. Not only does Booker not get steals (0.6, 0.9) the last two seasons, but he also turns it over (3.1 per game). Plus he jacks up a lot of shots and well... misses them (42%). But hey I salute you for the massive pelotas you showed to take him here. And I honestly think he could be the next Kobe, so maybe I’ll be eating my words by seasons end.

Honorable Mentions

-Hey no Kyrie so why can’t LeBron average a double-double until Isaiah Thomas comes back from injury.

-Steph Curry: We dropped three-point percentage from last season so his value drops slightly, but he is as safe as they come. Plus he will give you a monopoly on the 3-point category. Add another solid 3-point shooter and it will be like having a hotel on your boardwalk property.

-Kat: It’s not sexy and it remains to be seen what the addition of Jimmy Butler means for his value. The big man usually takes the hit when you have three stars (Bosh, Love). However, I wouldn’t consider Wiggins a star yet, he needs Jimmy to teach him there are other things he can do on the court besides scoring.

Chris Paul: Normally I love this pic, but... 32 years old, injury history, new team with another ball dominant guard. I don’t really know what to expect here to be honest. My gut says no, but my gut also tells me that eating the entire tub of ice cream is a fantastic idea so… mint chip it is.

Fantasy Basketball Blurbs 11/13/2016

T.J. Warren continues to produce

The Suns small forward continues to showcase his scoring talents, scoring 20 points against the Warriors on an efficient 10/18 with four steals. Playing on a top 10 team in scoring and the number one team in possessions per game, Warren figures to maintain his averages and possibly even improve them considering his young age and ample minutes to grow. His only competition for minutes is veteran P.J Tucker, who is more of real life asset more than a fantasy one. But as the losses pile up and the Suns continue to look toward the future, there is little incentive to stunt tthe growth of Warren to play Tucker. Keep riding him into the Sunset. 

The Return of Rubio

Rubio managed a double double tonight with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The spanish point guard's future value is hard to foresee. With the multitude of injuries over the course of his career along with trade speculation and the young T-Wolves guards waiting in the wings, he is not a sure thing. However his defense capabilities, which coach Thibdeau LOVES, will assure him a solid share of the minutes at point guard for the time being. Ride him for now, but dealing him after he gets a few more games under his belt is probably a good idea. 

Cody Zeller's off night

Foul trouble doomed Zellers night from the start as he accrued four fouls in only 14 minutes of play time. Zeller has been starting for the Hornets and playing well averaging 11 points, five boards and over a block a game in 24 minutes a night. He was moved to the center position last year and flourished. His reward was a new four year 56 million dollar extension. A bone bruise in his knee derailed his chance to get in shape during training camp and thus he has been brought along slowly so far this season. However after putting tha behind him, one only wonders when they will take the kid gloves off and play their big money man 30+ minutes a night. There is depth in the Hornets backcourt, but cast offs Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes dont have the potential of Zeller. Expect his minutes to continue to rise as the season wears on. 

A Sports Fan's Dream Chapter 1

The End

It's early September of 2013, approximately 5pm. I am sitting in a small office around a table, looking out the window. I can see the parking lot with a few cars and trees. I remember this vividly because I think it gave me a sense of peace and comfort at the moment. I needed it. I turn to the man opposite me, tears are streaming down my face. He hands me a box of tissues. I try to fight the tears as best I can. I think, “I don’t want them to see me weak or vulnerable” But it was too hard. I don't remember much of what was said, kind of a blur. I think it was mostly the normal formalities when you get fired from a job. This was new to me as I had never been fired before. I had always left or changed jobs on my own volition. This wasn't a normal job though. Not for me. This was my DREAM job. And it came to such an abrupt end. I signed some papers and the man said, “The Sacramento Kings appreciate what you have contributed to the organization.” And that was that. I walked out of Sleep Train Arena, down the steps to the parking lot and turned to look back at the arena. I was numb. I didn't know what to feel. I had poured my blood, sweat and tears into this team for the last three years, a majority of it on my own dime. It hurt, a lot. And It would take some years for wounds to heal between me and my beloved team. But looking back It was well worth it. I will treasure those years forever. Now I want to share those years with you. How I got to live a Sports Fan’s Dream. How I became a part of something much bigger than myself and how incredibly rewarding it was.

The Beginning

Now you know how it ended, I'm gonna go back to when it all started. There once was three basketball enthusiasts, or “The Big 3” as we like to call ourselves. Freshmen year of high school I met one of them, his name is Blake Richardson. We were both on the cross country team. I remember running under the hot sun one evening on some random god forsaken street. Yes we actually chose to do this. Seeing that no one else was around and wanting to take my mind off of the fact that I was running, I ran up next to Blake and we started to chat. We instantly clicked as we were both huge sports fanatics, and we were both not enthusiastic about running in the hot sun after school everyday. I have fond memories of our attempts to get out of doing sprints and cool downs as much as possible. We were doing this to stay in decent shape, not because we actually thought we had a realistic shot at winning at the meets. A year later by chance we both ended up both taking a newspaper class together. For the same reason, we wanted to write about sports. We talked and fantasized about being sportswriters someday, co-anchors on ESPN, radio broadcasters for the NBA finals or our own radio show. However, we ended up being the only two people in the class who cared about sports whatsoever and had very little in common with our peers. Blake wrote an article about the soccer team that made the paper. Props to you Blake! I never finished my article on Coach Grush, deemed a traitor by the media, yet he was one of my favorite teachers and adamantly defended by his football players that I interviewed. A great friendship was born during those two years.

Fast forward to junior year in the quad at lunchtime. I am sitting with my usual group of friends by the cafeteria. I don't remember why, but for whatever reason we decided to move to a different spot. We got up and joined another group that always hung out by the office. Blake was in the group, which I think was one of the reasons we went over there. And this is where I met the third member of “The Big 3,” Tyler Brandt. The memory I have is of people stealing cereal out of Tyler’s backpack and then sticking trash in it without him seeing(Sorry Tyler had to put this) Tyler and I clicked right away because of our mutual love for sports. And so “The Big 3” was born. The name “Big 3” originated from Lebron taking his talents to south beach to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. AKA “The Big 3” So whenever we played basketball together the three of us would try and get on the same team so we could assume our basketball personalities. Tyler was tall and lanky and liked to shoot, so he was Bosh. Blake is quick, sneaky and a great defender and cutter with a good shot, so Dwyane Wade. Me, I like to facilitate and get the ball moving around to set people up. Either that or take it to the hole hard or post up, ala Lebron. We were so fanatic about being, “The Big 3” that we found a sketchy company from China to make us three Sacramento Kings white jerseys. On the backs we had printed Bosh, Wade, and James with their Miami numbers. Even today this is probably the favorite jersey I own. I still hold onto the belief that at some point in his career, Lebron, who is nicknamed, "The King" will assume his rightful place on the Sacramento Kings! Not only did we enjoy playing basketball together, but we also created a fantasy basketball league together as well. A league that is currently going into its 6th year running with 14 participants. We eagerly look forward to it every year.

I will finish off this chapter with this story. The origin of “Jer” I have had a number of people ask me to explain this. But basically, if you have been around the three of us regularly you will notice we call each other, “Jer.” We rarely ever use our first names. It’s caught on and a number of our friends now call each other “Jer” as a replacement for their first names. A friend of ours, Taylor Gordon, told me that he actually got his youth group to all start calling each other Jer, and low and behold they ended up having a speaker during their week at Hume Lake coincidentally named, Jer. So it spread even more. Jer originates from the Kings telecast. Grant Napear, the play-by-play announcer calls Jerry Reynolds,the color commentator, “Jer” for short. And Jerry Reynolds if you don't know is pretty much one of the nicest people on the planet, so we absolutely love him. So calling each other “jer” reminds us of Jerry and our Kings basketball roots.

TO BE CONTINUED….

Next chapter will be about my own basketball roots in the bay area, my move to Sacramento, memories of the King's golden years, and the beginning of the Relocation saga and how we got involved in it the Fight to save the Kings!

Fantasy Basketball

FANTASY BASKETBALL NERDS UNITE

2014-2015 Season Recap with Trade Analysis +

Exclusive Interview

With League Champion Blake Richardson

Play-by-Play Announcer talking, “Stephen Curry takes the ball down the floor, gets a screen at the top of the key.  He Shoots--BANG! Another 3 pointer for Curry! He can’t be stopped! How many 3’s is that tonight? 5 so far, Wow!”

“Whoever has him on their fantasy team has to be ecstatic right now!”

Fade to a blonde, pale kid sitting on couch crying. Yep that’s me, watching my fantasy season come to a heartbreaking end at the hands of Stephen Curry. Frantically my eyes keep darting to my laptop every 10 seconds hoping for some reason Curry’s stats will just vanish off the scoreboard. Maybe the scorekeepers will take away all his points and assists; he has to be cheating to be this good… I hope. But the realization sinks in anyway. After all the hard work: the trades, the pickups, the research; the hours I could have been doing something more productive and I have come up just short.

I have lost to my arch nemesis Blake Richardson in our Fantasy Basketball Finals. My heart can’t take it! It’s too much. I search my mind for answers. Why did Zach Randolph choose to suck the week I needed him most? Why did Bojan Bogdanovic only play 9 minutes on the final day? Was Jeremy Lin really sick or faking?  Ricky Rubio, my beloved spanish point guard, Por Que? The sting of betrayal is too much.

My eyes begin to water; my tear ducts feel like damns that have been smashed open. I swim in the painful tears of a fantasy loss.

As I look back up at the TV, Stephen Curry looks directly into the camera at me as he drains another three and laughs in my face. The damage of my soul will take years to fix.

Ok just kidding. LOL. So I like to exaggerate a little bit. Honestly though who am I kidding? I love this shit. I made it all the way to the finals and it came down to the final day!! One or two things go differently and I would have won. What a great year!

I want to say thanks to everyone who participated in our 6^th annual Fantasy Basketball League, especially our newest members Broneel, Big Mike, and Giovanni. You guys played well and made the league more exciting. I look forward to playing with you again next year.

This league is by far my favorite of all the fantasy sports leagues I participate in. We have the most competitive group of basketball enthusiasts I’ve ever played against! I enjoy that every time were together we spend our time discussing trades and talking about our team needs. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say, “This guy fits my team,” I would be a millionaire. As Tyler would always say to me, “Tim, Anthony Davis fits everyone’s team”. “Yeah well he fits my team best of all!” I would emphatically reply. Either that or were complaining about the horrible trade offers we have been sent. Again another dollar for every time I heard, “So-and-so sent me this ridiculous trade!” Millionaire to Billionaire!

Special thanks should be given to our League Commissioner Tyler Brandt, who has led us to two solid, controversy-free years. As some of you may know, our league suffered many early struggles. There were controversies, arguments, rule changes, league owner turnover and more. Friendships were tested and stretched.

Yep it’s that serious.

We want to win and we want to win BAD! That’s what makes this league so great. The competition drives us to rethink strategies, try new things, and take more risks. Money or not, it’s more about pride and proving you’re the most knowledgeable, smartest fantasy basketballer there is. Even if one of us won the league ten years in a row, we would not feel a shred of guilt. If you’re looking for a sympathy win, this Isn’t the league for you. 

Now without Further ado, the exclusive one on one interview with this year’s League Champion Blake Richardson

How does it feel to be a first time champion?

It’s a dream come true. Ever since we started this league 6 years ago, I’ve always dreamed of this day.

Based on how you drafted, how do you feel about what you accomplished?

I actually didn’t draft my team. But only 2 players from the original draft were on my final team, so I feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that I was able to win the league with good trades and pickups. Even if you draft poorly, there is still hope to turn your team around and contend for a title.

What was the best move you made during the season?

The best move I made was trading Lebron for Curry. This was a bold move for me because in years past the thought of trading away Lebron James was crazy. But ultimately Curry became my best player and was a major factor in my Championship run.

What does it take to become a champion?

I’ve always had good teams, and made the playoffs almost every season. The key to finally getting over the hump for me was making BOLD MOVES, like the Curry trade for example. It also comes down to some luck and good timing.

Do you have a mentor or anyone to thank for helping you accomplish your goal?

Someone told me a while ago that, “You’re never gonna be good enough to play professional sports so you might as well get into fantasy” Best advice I’ve ever got.

What impact does this have on you going into next year? What’s your mindset?

After coming close so many times and not winning a title, doubt about ever winning started to creep in and I believed the Fantasy Gods were against me. Now that I finally won, I have a sense of total confidence that I could win it every year. 

Who is the toughest person to trade within the league? What was the worst trade offer you received?

I did receive a lot of bad trade offers, but no one in particular stands out. I will say this though; Big Mike really wanted Lamarcus Aldridge. LOL

Who is the league curse?

In one way or another Brian will always get his man and if he doesn’t you will be sorry, get your IR slot ready.

Who did u want to beat the most this year in fantasy? Who’s your Rival?

My top threat and rival has always been you, coming down the stretch of the season I knew we were going to be the one and two seeds. So I knew if I had a chance to play you in the playoffs I would want some payback for you beating me in the finals three years ago. Revenge is sweet.

Which player scares you the most the own?

Depends on what year it is, but this year it was Lamarcus Aldridge. I knew that all it would take was one swipe to that injured and thumb and my fantasy season would be done.

Which player did you hate to own?

I’ve got a few actually. One is Spencer Hawes, I owned him for part of the year and I was happy to drop him. The other was Gerald Henderson, he is a disease. He is the ultimate fantasy slut, I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t owned him at some point during the 6 years of fantasy.

Out of all your years in fantasy which player was you’re Favorite to own?

Steve Nash, he was my favorite player in the NBA. It was joy to watch him perform on the court and on my fantasy team as well. I had him the year I made it to the finals but lost.

Which up and comer in the league could contend for a future title?

Broneel, I’m glad he was on the other side of the playoff the bracket this year because I did not want to have to face him. He definitely has the potential to win it all in the future. He did great for his first time in the league, making it all the way to the semifinals.

If the NBA gets locked out in 2017 and there’s no Fantasy Basketball what will u do?

Go to the top of a 30 story building and jump off to spare everyone from my misery for missing out on Fantasy basketball

What are the keys to your Success?

Every day before looking at my Fantasy Roster I go and STRETCH, stretching is the most important key to fantasy success. It also pays to have good hip flexors and rock solid calves. If you thought about drafting Kobe Bryant in the 1^st round this year and you think that’s a risk, try not stretching for a day.

Will your favorite NBA team, the Sacramento Kings ever be good?

The year all of our fantasy trades go through without any complaints is the year the Sacramento Kings will win the Championship.

2014-2015 Trade Analysis

            Making trades is one of the most fun and exciting aspects of Fantasy Basketball. However, trades can also cause the most controversy and disputes. They can tear leagues apart and alienate owners. Everyone has his or her opinion when a trade goes down.

“Why did Guy A give away that star player? What is Guy B up too? What was he thinking?”

We pose these questions to ourselves whenever a trade is accepted. We introspect and sort through our own trading experiences, our biases towards certain owners based on their past histories, and our biases towards the NBA players themselves. To Guy A the player is overrated; to Guy B he is a star. To Guy A that player isn’t good enough to be owned; to Guy B he is a must-own.

So who is right?

No one really knows for sure until the season plays out and even then it’s not always clear who “won the trade.” All we can do at the time the trade is accepted is to use all the information we have available to us at the time try and look at each trade logically, without bias and decide if it’s fair. I believe a strong veto system with equally strong and knowledgeable owners are needed for trading to go smoothly. Which I believe we have.

 So here is the fun part: Who won?

I’ll give you my opinions. You may not agree and that’s ok. What fun would it be if we agreed on everything?

Brian trades: Nicolas Batum, Omer Asik

Big Mike trades: Marc Gasol, Thad Young.

Analysis: Brian gets the win. Marc Gasol finished as the #1 fantasy center and stayed healthy all year long. The same can’t be said of Batum or Asik who both were bothered with injuries for most of the year. Big Mike was definitely Asik-ing for it

Tim trades: Gordon Hayward, Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver

Brian trades: Chris Paul, JJ Barea

Analysis: I think I probably gave up more than I should so you could say just looking at the players and nothing else Brian won. But I think this was a pretty even trade overall. I got a top five player and room to make pickups. Brian got three very solid pieces which gave his team a lot of depth. Teague and Hayward had career years, Korver was solid as always. Chris Paul, well, he was Chris Paul.

Blake trades: Kevin Love

Troy trades: Lamarcus Aldridge, Jose Calderon

Analysis: Blake wins. Kevin Love did not live up to expectations, his shooting, rebounding and scoring all down from years previous. Maybe he is not getting the necessary Love there in Cleveland. Playing with other stars will do that too you. Lamarcus, aside from a thumb injury scare, was his usual, solid self and surprisingly efficient, too, with only 1.7 TO’s a game.

Troy trades: Marcin Gortat, Jimmy Butler, Darren Collison, Ben Maclemore

Big Mikes trades: Stephen Curry, Goran Dragic

Analysis: Troy wins here. Collison got hurt; Bmac was relegated to the waiver wire and too delivering pizzas. Stephen Curry had his best year ever; Dragic got his wish and was traded to a full time PG role on the Heat. However, Big Mike did get the depth he needed at the time, as well as soon-to-be Most Improved Player of the Year and studly efficient Jimmy Butler.

Tyler trades: Brandon Jennings

Big Mike trades: Trevor Ariza, Joe Johnson

Analysis: Tyler wins here but mainly cause of the season ending injury to Jennings. If Jennings stays healthy all year I would give the win to Big Mike. Jennings was just starting to round into form when he went down. Trevor Ariza and Joe had down seasons compared to previous years. Don’t let Ariza Teaz Ya.

Big Mikes trades: Omer Asik, Nicolas Batum

Troy trades: Derrick Rose

Analysis: By default I guess I give it to Troy. Although it’s hard to judge this one fully if we take into consideration what happened after. Big Mike took a risk with Rose, banking on Rose’s amazing durability, not. He was able to trade him away just in the nick of time to Brian. Ill award Rose the “Hot Potato Player of The Year” You pass him around and hope the music doesn’t stop when he is on your team. So whoever was stuck with Rose at the end needs to treat the burns on their hands. Batum Goes the Dynamite.

Troy trades: Stephen Curry, Goran Dragic

Armeen trades: Rajon Rondo, Serge Ibaka

Analysis: Armeen wins this one. Like I mentioned above, Curry=STUD, Dragic gets to run the show in Miami. Rondo gets traded to the Mavs and doesn't fit well. Dealing with Rondo, Is like that moment when you’re doing a puzzle and there is a piece that got in there from another box and you’re wondering where the heck you’re supposed to put it before realizing its from the wrong puzzle. His stats in “Fantasy” as well as in “Real Life” suffer greatly. Not to mention the negative affect he has had on the Mavericks; Troy was glad team chemistry rating was not included in fantasy scoring. Serge was doing well but an injury cut his season short. The Curry Carousel continues as well here.

Tony trades: Carmelo Anthony, Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal

Brian trades: Gordon Hayward, Aaron Afflalo, Thaddeus Young

Analysis: This probably is the most controversial trade we had during the year. Aaron Afflalo was a coming off the bench until an injury to Wes Matthews promoted him to a starter. Thadd was getting mad and was playing inconsistent minutes, but was later traded to Brooklyn and played well. My sleeper, Hayward had a solid year. I was born in Hayward, just thought you should know. The trade was close to being vetoed at the time, but due to the risk Brian was taking by trading for Anthony after injury concerns, made it fair enough in the commissioner’s opinion to put it through. Unfortunately for trade tycoon Brian, the rumors turned into reality soon after the trade was processed and Anthony went out for the year. My opinion; Tony wins this trade with a lot of luck. 

Armeen trades: Joakim Noah

Tyler trades: Greg Monroe

Analysis: Armeen wins. Joakim got banged up soon after the trade and there was too much depth in Chicago with Pau and my boy Mirotic playing so well. The playing time wasn’t there. Monroe averaged a double double.

Tyler trades: Joe Johnson

Brian trades: Tony Wroten

Analysis: Another one of those freak after trade injuries. Had quite a number of those this year, makes you wonder if voodoo dolls and witchcraft might be involved.  Wroten went out for the year right after the trade. So Brian is the obvious winner here. But the real question is, where does Brian keep the dolls?

Tim trades: Dirk Nowitzki

Brian trades: Zach Randolph

Analysis: I’ll give myself the win here. I was reluctant to give up Dirk because I valued his efficiency highly, but Randolph was too much to pass up. It took weeks for me to finally give up my German Bomber. Lucky for me Dirk started a career worst slump a week or two after the trade and Randolph went into beast mode. Except for finals week…sigh.

Blake trades: Isaiah Thomas, Tim Duncan, Mike Conley

Tyler trades: Lebron James, Mo Williams

Analysis: I’d say an even trade here. Tyler got what he needed--depth and efficiency--which helped him secure a playoff spot. Blake got a star that he could use as a bargaining chip, and a rejuvenated Mo Williams.  From a pure player talent standpoint Blake would probably get the win, because he got the best player in the deal. But it’s one of those trades that where there is more to it that meets the eye. The players Tyler received did let him down as Conley struggled a bit down the stretch and the husilin husky was hurt in the playoffs. The most amazing thing though is that Tim Duncan continues to defy old age and be a fantasy asset. He must bathe in a Lazarus pit at home

Armeen trades: Stephen Curry

Blake trades: Lebron James

Analysis: Stud for a stud. Blake’s BOLD move. Both are winners, maybe Blake a bit more because Curry’s monster year gave him the edge he needed against me in the Finals. Curry finally found a home. He will most likely be a top five pick next year. No wonder Curry always upsets my stomach.

Tyler trades: Trevor Ariza, Josh Smith, Andre Drummond

Armeen trades: Kevin Durant, Louis Williams, Goran Dragic

Analysis: No clear winner here for me. Tyler took a chance that Durant would come back for the playoffs and lead him to fantasy glory, but it didn’t pay off. He did however; get Goran while he was still standing in the corner for the Suns. So when Goran traded dry heat for moist heat, Tyler benefited.  Armeen got some inefficient players and was already out of the playoffs at this point anyway.

Armeen trades: Greg Monroe, Nikola Pekovic, MCW

Big Mike trades: Marcin Gortat, Jimmy Butler, Darren Collison

Analysis: Armeen wins. He got the best player in the deal, Jimmy Butler. Pek and Collison got hurt. Monroe was better than naughty Gortaty, but not by much. I think this was Mikes last-ditch effort to make a run at the 6 seed--it was worth a shot!

Big Mike trades: Eric Gordon, Derrick Rose, Nikola Pekovic, MCW

Brian trades: Jeff Teague, Marc Gasol, Deron Williams

Analysis: Big mike wins in a landslide. Moments after the trade went through D-Rose went down for the year and Pekovic got hurt…again. MCW was average and no longer apart of the stat generous Philly train wreck. Gordon well, his first name is Eric, so that has to mean something right? I don’t blame either of these guys for making this move; they both had to make some moves if they wanted to get in the playoffs. You take the risk here. Nothing to lose. But again the real question here is, if Brian’s players are getting hurt then who really is using the voodoo dolls? And why couldn’t that person have made a Curry doll for the fantasy playoffs? Guess we will never know.

           

 Thanks for reading ladies and gents! Pat yourselves on the back! Seriously! I think most of our generation probably wont have the attention span to make it all the way down here, so if you here than you must still value reading, either that or you're just really bored. Comment below if you agree or disagree with my analysis and what you think. Or if you want then just want to send me some hate, I'm always in the mood for a good laugh. 

DYNASTY!!

I did it! Another year, another title. That makes 3 in a row. 3 years ago my good friends and I started a fantasy basketball league. For 3 years I have come out on top. My excellent blend of insight on trades and pickups have assured my dominance. I am not hear to brag however (well sort of) But more importantly I just want to be able to reminisce on a great year and explain my thoughts and actions. To explain how I ended up with only three of my original players drafted at the end of the year. To explain my completed and failed trades and my creative fantasy team names. Take notes people. Enjoy the pictures as well.

Here was my original draft ( I had the 8^th pick)

1.     Russell Westbrook 23 PPG 5 AST- I really didn’t even want him in the first place, but had no choice because none of the players I targeted slipped to number 8. I ended up trading him after a week. He just doesn’t assist like a fantasy PG should.

2.     Blake Griffin 20 PPG 10.8 REB- One of the two players I kept on my team all year. Free Throw % was tough, but he was consistent and healthy all year long. In this injury crazed lockout season I couldn’t have asked for more.

3.     Andre Iguodola 5.5 AST 1.7 STL- I ended up trading him due to deficiencies in scoring and %'s but he did well for him while I had him.

         Voted the 3 Worst Fantasy Basketball Owners 2012, Look Familiar?

4.     Kyle Lowry 17 PPG 7 AST 2 STL (Pre-Injury)- I was SUPER excited about landing Lowry. I had him the previous year and knew he was due for a breakout season. Unfortunately a groin injury and then a infection ended his season prematurely.

5.     Andrew Bynum 18 PPG 11.8 REB- Bynum slipped in the draft do to durability issues. I took a huge RISK drafting him, but it paid HUGE dividends as he had an outstanding year. I still hate him though.

6.     Wesley Matthews 13 PPG 1.7 STL- Kind of a disappointment, he didn’t build of the success he had last year until it was too late in the year and I had already dropped him.

7.     Elton Brand 11 PPG 7 REB- Felt forced into picking him, as I needed a big man at the point in the draft, I ended up thankfully trading him.

8.     Jarret Jack 15 PPG 6 APG- I made a great pick with Jack as he took over as a starting PG for the departed Chris Paul. Luckily I traded him at the right time, before a knee injury took him out for most of the year.

9.     JJ Hickson 17 PPG 10.5 RPG(Last 9 games of the year)- I expected big things from Hickson in Sacramento! FAIL! I was able to pick him back up during his run with the Blazers though.

10.  Ricky Rubio 10 PPG 8 APG 2 STL- STUD!! Except for FG % So exciting to watch him play, unfortunately he joined Lowry in the injury department.

11.   Jared Dudley- Should have hung onto him longer. He got off to a slow start, but turned into a nice player for the Suns.

12.  Darko Milicic- Don’t ask

13.  Brendan Haywood-  No Comment

This was the Team that I ended with. It was quite different that the team I started with: Klay Thompson, Ty Lawson, Mo Williams, Blake Griffin, Danillo Gallinari, Marc Gasol, JJ Barea, JJ Hickson, Andrew Bynum, Luol Deng, Marcus Camby, Patrick Mills

                 2012 Fantasy Basketball Championship Team

Trades: 

I was able to complete two trades during the course of the season, both early on.

#1 Russell Westbrook, Elton Brand for Ty Lawson 16 PPG 6 APG and Luol Deng 15 PPG 6 RPG

-I wanted to get younger, Brand was too much of an injury risk for me. I also thought Russell Westbrook was overrated especially in our league where we count A/TO and TO’s as a category. I knew Lawson had a lot of potential to get better and liked Luol Deng because he was solid in most categories.

#2 Andre Igoudola, Jarret Jack, OJ Mayo for Marc Gasol 9 RPG 2 BPG

-Most people thought I gave up too much in this trade, which was true. I knew I was giving up too much, but it was worth it to me because I knew that I was capable of making good pickups the rest of the way. Also Gasol contributes in multiple categories across the board. Even in categories that most centers don’t contribute in.

                                                            Get to keep the ring for another year

#3 Didn’t Go Through   Wes Matthews and Jameer Nelson for James Harden

-I was heavily scrutinized for this trade. However I stand buy it. Brian was in desperate need of a PG and Jameer was improving the 2^nd half of the season. Wes also played much better the latter half of the season. Harden’s production was capped by his “6^th man” status where as I knew that Wes and Jameer had a would only improve. I ended up vetoing it myself because I didn’t want any sort of controversy if I were to win the League.

The Season

            It was obvious from the get go that Blake and I would eventually meet in the Finals. Our Week 1 match up went down to the wire tying 5-5-1. We might have met in the finals last year had not for some unfortunate late injuries for Blake. I got off to a great start and was #1 or #2 seed throughout the year. I started to tail off toward the end of the year as I was hit with a string of injuries including: Kyle Lowry, Ricky Rubio, Jeremy Lin, and Gallanari. However I recovered and got hot when I needed to thanks to some key pickups: Klay Thompson, JJ Barea and JJ Hickson, and Marcus Camby.

 My lowest point of the year was when I had just lost 7-4. On top of that I learned that Kyle Lowry would not return and I was unable to pick up Goran Dragic 18 PPG 8 APG 2 STL(As a starter) because I had used up all my pickups for the week.

However I didn’t give up. In fact I think my final match up vs Blake was my finest hour. I knew that a lot of teams would rest key players down the stretch so I kept my eye on the NBA standings and made sure I got in as many starts as I could early in the match up so I could maximize all 63 starts. I used all 63 and even had to bench 5 players on the last day to avoid going over. Also some choices I made earlier in the year were rewarded. For example I had the opportunity to pick up Anderson Varejao and Eric Gordon earlier in the year and with my lead in standings I could have afforded to do so, but I chose not to. My instinct told me that even if these players were able to return they would be severally limited or even benched all together with the slightest injury. This allowed me more roster sports for later pick-ups. Varejao ended up not coming back and Gordon only for a few games. So my instinct was correct.

                                Fantasy Basketball League Owners 2012

Overall another fun year of Fantasy Basketball with some of the most competitive basketball enthusiasts I know. We always have several quarrels during the year about trades or pick ups or what not, but in the end I had a lot of fun. Just want to say thanks to everybody in the league who participated and got really into it because the more competitive the better. And thanks for nothing Matt Wild(ABSOLUTE BUST)

Last but not least here are the fantasy team names I used throughout the year that I can remember

1.     Gasoft Gets GaSlammed

2.     Klay Dough

3.     Going for a 3-peat

4.     Micheal Kidd Gildick

5.     Kia’s revenge on Griffin

6.     Linderella Story

Special Thanks to our Commissioner Blake Richardson