Summer 2021 Fantasy Draft: Draft Thread

[RJ87]

With the 8th pick of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Joel Embiid!

Excellent pick.  I'd have Embiid top 3 or 4 in this draft.

I couldn't resist the match-up nightmare he provides. Too big and strong

Curious to see how you take in 2nd round as his sidekick.

[RPGenerate]

With the 9th pick, the Toronto Raptors selected the beard-o himself...



James Harden!!!

[gouki88]

With the 8th pick of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Joel Embiid!

Excellent pick.  I'd have Embiid top 3 or 4 in this draft.

I couldn't resist the match-up nightmare he provides. Too big and strong

Curious to see how you take in 2nd round as his sidekick.

Me too. I'm unsure because it's entirely dependent on who is available, but there's a couple of guys I'd love.

[gouki88]

With the 9th pick, the Toronto Raptors selected the beard-o himself...



James Harden!!!

Nice. Can obviously score, and puts lots of pressure on teams with his ability to draw fouls, but his playmaking while in Brooklyn makes him a real weapon in this format.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

The Brooklyn Nets are going to be taking on a much different persona this year.

With the seventh pick, BKN selects Kawhi Leonard.

Risky.....

Yeah, Kawhi is out until at least February.

That would put him 7 months out since surgery? Maybe, I think March is more realistic with a ton of load management to save him for a playoff run.

Good thing there wasn't a consensus on injuries! I think he's going to make an impact.

[Who]

With the 8th pick of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Joel Embiid!

I was surprised Embiid fell to 8. I guess someone had to. I had him in the 3-5 range.

I was torn between Embiid and Luka for quite some time. I was leaning to Embiid over Jokic for team defense over team offense thinking the defense could be a valuable separation point in the top 2-8 stars. Embiid is the only real difference maker defensively among them (aside from Kawhi who has injury issues). Plus he is an unstoppable one-on-one scorer who draws fouls at a massive rate. All interesting advantages over the rest of the pack.

[gouki88]

Somebody sent me a list, but I'll give him a bit to wake up in case he wants to make the pick himself.

[gouki88]

With the 8th pick of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Joel Embiid!

I was surprised Embiid fell to 8. I guess someone had to. I had him in the 3-5 range.

I was torn between Embiid and Luka for quite some time. I was leaning to Embiid over Jokic for team defense over team offense thinking the defense could be a valuable separation point in the top 2-8 stars. Embiid is the only real difference maker defensively among them (aside from Kawhi who has injury issues). Plus he is an unstoppable one-on-one scorer who draws fouls at a massive rate. All interesting advantages over the rest of the pack.

This is basically what it came down to for me. The ability to really smash teams inside in a shooting league, and the ability to anchor a defence. He's a 7'2 280lbs beast with a 7'6 wingspan, and he has a genuine ability to put the ball on the floor against defenders. Fun times.

[Who]

With the 9th pick, the Toronto Raptors selected the beard-o himself...

James Harden!!!

Nice. Can obviously score, and puts lots of pressure on teams with his ability to draw fouls, but his playmaking while in Brooklyn makes him a real weapon in this format.

I was super impressed by Harden this season and how well he played in Brooklyn in a different offensive system. He was able to adapt and share better than I had expected after watching him under D'Antoni in Houston.

I thought Harden played great. I see him on the same level as Luka and LeBron as the best big playmakers in the draft.

[tazzmaniac]

With the 8th pick of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Joel Embiid!

I was surprised Embiid fell to 8. I guess someone had to. I had him in the 3-5 range.

I was torn between Embiid and Luka for quite some time. I was leaning to Embiid over Jokic for team defense over team offense thinking the defense could be a valuable separation point in the top 2-8 stars. Embiid is the only real difference maker defensively among them (aside from Kawhi who has injury issues). Plus he is an unstoppable one-on-one scorer who draws fouls at a massive rate. All interesting advantages over the rest of the pack.

This is basically what it came down to for me. The ability to really smash teams inside in a shooting league, and the ability to anchor a defence. He's a 7'2 280lbs beast with a 7'6 wingspan, and he has a genuine ability to put the ball on the floor against defenders. Fun times.

Embiid's defence will be even better cause he won't have to be carrying a team's offence with 35% usage. 

[Who]

I see some separation for the top 2 and then mostly parity between the rest of the guys taken. More about preference for style / skill-set than superiority.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

With the 8th pick of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Joel Embiid!

I was surprised Embiid fell to 8. I guess someone had to. I had him in the 3-5 range.

I was torn between Embiid and Luka for quite some time. I was leaning to Embiid over Jokic for team defense over team offense thinking the defense could be a valuable separation point in the top 2-8 stars. Embiid is the only real difference maker defensively among them (aside from Kawhi who has injury issues). Plus he is an unstoppable one-on-one scorer who draws fouls at a massive rate. All interesting advantages over the rest of the pack.

I love Embiid… when healthy, and that’s why I didn’t take him over Jokic. I just don’t trust that Embiid can hold up over a full season and playoffs.

[gouki88]

With the 8th pick of the draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Joel Embiid!

I was surprised Embiid fell to 8. I guess someone had to. I had him in the 3-5 range.

I was torn between Embiid and Luka for quite some time. I was leaning to Embiid over Jokic for team defense over team offense thinking the defense could be a valuable separation point in the top 2-8 stars. Embiid is the only real difference maker defensively among them (aside from Kawhi who has injury issues). Plus he is an unstoppable one-on-one scorer who draws fouls at a massive rate. All interesting advantages over the rest of the pack.

I love Embiid… when healthy, and that’s why I didn’t take him over Jokic. I just don’t trust that Embiid can hold up over a full season and playoffs.

Yeah, that is the thing with Embiid, and it's what stops him from being a consensus All-First team guy annually. I think he'd hold up better in this format with a better supporting cast around him, but there are question marks over him.

[gouki88]

With the 10th pick in the draft, the OKC Thunder select... Anthony Davis!

[nickagneta]

Never expected to land Lebron. Had him at 3 or 4. But now that I have him and look at my board, it really makes my 2nd and 3rd round picks exciting as I had a different plan in place than the one I will be using now.