Predicted order of finish: NOP, HOU, MEM, SAS, DAL
DAL, T.A.
This team is built for the long haul around two fantasy beasts, a couple of choice prospects, and some disfigured corpses that washed up on the Hudson. While Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kristaps Porzingis won’t be enough to carry DAL by themselves, in a couple of years those two plus Cam Reddish and whatever Pop chooses to do with Keldon Johnson should provide a nice core. Got some gray hairs with here with Goran Dragic, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Iguodala, and Tyson Chandler --whom T.A. signed so Ian Mahinmi wouldn’t feel so slow. Magnum, is that you?• Budget Buster: Dragic at thirty-three years old with all kinds of young legs, Jimmy Butler chirping, and a coach who likes rotations? I’d rather have the $14.
• Value Play: $25 for Cam Reddish when Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Ja Morant were all three to four times that? Yes, please.
• Stealth MVP: Meloooooo. He’s got to get signed, right? What did he do, take a knee or something?
HOU, Brian & Joe
First pick John Collins is a little out of place on a small ball team. GMs Brian and Joe may have switched strategies midstream because they drafted perimeter players with seven of their next eight picks. Spending twenty-five percent of your budget on a guy who doesn’t play small may deter the team’s performance. But putting the other seventy-five percent to good use makes this a strong team.• Budget Buster: Elfrid “The Mitten” Payton at $33. A fantasy tease if there ever was one. And now he’s on the Knicks franchise that coined the term “WTF.”
• Value Play: $4 on Richaun Holmes. A fantasy monster when/if he gets minutes. Major trade bait when -- when -- Dewayne Dedmon falters.
• Stealth MVP: Tie between Tim Hardaway Jr. and Reggie Bullock. As they go, HOU team goes.
Josh aka Grizzle approached this draft like an old man doing crosswords in pen. Dammit, that word fits! Big $87 bet on Mitchell Robinson, but his numbers look tasty and the Knicks do a great job nurturing young talent, don't they? Don't they?!?Grizzle drafted the following player positions in order: center, center, center, a forward who weighs more than most centers, center, another forward who is center eligible, and another center. [Ed. note: That's Myles Turner, Robinson, Steven Adams, PJ Tucker, DeAndre Jordan, Paul Millsap, and Willie Cauley-Stein.] Our advanced analytics department has an outing today so we’ll have to wait on the report for how MEM plans to compete. You got the wrong Holiday, my nizzle.
• Budget Buster: DeAndre Jordan has started that long and winding road...
• Value Play: This roster? Hmmm. But Carl’s Jr $2.99 guacamole cheeseburger this week.
• Stealth MVP: WCS can take minutes from Kevon Looney and a resting Draymond Green. Like it.
NOP, Bill
Another small ball squad that started strong with D'Angelo Russell and Kawhi Leonard. $31 for Danny Green? On this squad, yes. As a last round flier, NOP tempted all fate by drafting Grayson Allen, aka Trippy McTripperson, who in a year's time will be committing Flagrant 2's in the Lithuanian league -- Flagrant 2's over there requires malicious wounding.• Budget Buster: Eric Bledsoe isn't a bad fit for this team, but $50 can buy more.
• Value Play: $5 late round bully move for Markieff Morris, who will take Blake Griffin’s off days and be the Pistons' small ball five so (-)Lake doesn’t have to play defense.
• Stealth MVP: Russell in the Warriors' motion offense should mean plenty of touches.
SAS, Aaron
Aaron feels so confident on his squad that he apparently will play this season without a bench. Out of the gate fast for talent and youth with Joel Embiid, De'Aaron Fox, and Jayson Tatum, SAS looks to be building a future core, with Summer League darling Nickeil Alexander-Walker on board as well.• Budget Buster: $104 for Embiid, who Sam Bowie said is the most nerve racking player to own.
• Value Play: Fox. Remember Kevin Johnson? Prob not. Damn kids.
• Stealth MVP: Tatum, who will get tons more touches and time on the ball with you-know-who gone...
