Welcome back! To.... the CelticsBlog Fantasy Draft Recap!
TOM: Day 3 is now on the books, and we're still seeing tons of trades flying left and right. Steve, why don't you tell us what you think about today's action?
STEVE: We're still seeing a lot of impact players getting drafted, Tom, although many of them have real question marks. You've got some great players who are a little too old, like Ray Allen and Rip Hamilton. You've got some who are solid but maybe a little too young to lead their teams just yet, like Kevin Love and Jeff Green. There are guys like Tracy McGrady, a top-tier talent who just can't seem to stay healthy, and then there are guys like Baron Davis, a top-tier talent who may as well have put a postage stamp on most of his games last season. Overall, these are some great players to have on your team, but you don't want any of them to be your top guy at this point in their careers. Unless your name is Isiah Thomas.
TOM: Who did you like in the third round?
STEVE: I love what the Celtics did this round - getting Lamar Odom and Nene gives them some phenomenal pieces to put around Wade, and makes them a really strong contender, both now and in the future. Detroit got great value at their spots, getting Rip Hamilton and Mo Williams. I also really like what the Nuggets and Flamingos did, each grabbing a pair of young players who are already very good and are only going to get better in the next few years.
TOM: ...So, basically, the teams that had multiple picks did better than the teams with just one?
STEVE: Shut up. It wasn't just the quantity - these were real quality picks. These are impact players, and as long as none of these guys are your #1 option, you're in really good shape.
TOM: We saw another run on big men in the latter part of this round. Any thoughts on that?
STEVE: These were definitely the second-tier guys, but there was an awful lot of talent to be had. Most are either too young or too old, but I really think you need a solid center to be successful in this league. I really liked the Shaq pick; even though he's a shadow of his former self, that still gives you a very good player. You just have to wonder how long he can keep it up.
TOM: So, you like this pick even though Rondo is Miami's only other player right now?
STEVE: Definitely. A lot of talented guards have blossomed into full-fledged superstars during their time with Shaq: Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade. While the Heat doesn't look like one of the best teams right now, there's still a lot of drafting to be done, and a couple of solid trades could change everything.
TOM: And if anyone was willing to trade them a first round player for a sixth round pick, that might actually be true. Any final thoughts on Round 3?
STEVE: We've seen a lot of impact players come off the board at this point, but I still think there is a lot of great value still out there among the lesser-known names. The next couple of rounds will be make-or-break for a lot of teams, as depth is often what seperates a playoff team from a full-fledged champion.
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Note: Now that there are fewer and fewer big-name guys on the board, I'm not sure there's a real need for a recap after every round. I think I'm gonna skip Round 4 tomorrow and recap both 4 and 5 together, since most everyone's starting five should be set by then. Thanks for all the feedback, and good luck with your next couple rounds!
Topic: 2009 Celticsblog Draft: Draft Thread (Read 1262095 times)