9/15/2004 02:35:47 PM|||Shep|||As exciting as it would be to report on the possiblity of a trade between the Blazers and the Nets (Kidd for Shareef, in case you were wondering), I'm going to bust out some tangible number-type analysis. Starting with the top of the heap, I'm going to go through the GRBE numbers on a team-by-team basis to better prepare you for the upcoming draft.

I shall start with the "Power Rankings" according to an ESPN article from July 30th. I'll adjust my analysis for any transactions that have occurred since then, but I'm not going to try to redo the Power Rankings (cause that doesn't really have anything to do with Fantasy Basketball anyway).

So, first up is the Detroit Pistons!












PlayerGRBE
Ben Wallace498.37
Chauncey Billups491.81
Richard Hamilton452.36
Rasheed Wallace441.95
Tayshaun Prince349.32
Antonio McDyess237.60
Elden Campell182.94
Lindsey Hunter151.45
Darvin Ham 86.70
Darko Milicic78.50


There you have the Pistons in a nutshell. Any of the 400-level guys are draftable, but probably only Ben Wallace should be picked as high as round 2. Right now, with only a partial list of players I've got 24 who break the 500 barrier. Of course, #24 if Zydrunas Ilgauskas. And while he is the Illest Gauskas there is, I'd probably be inclined to take Wallace before him. Chaun-C is a pretty good pick in the early-middle rounds if you need to get a PG at that point. Dollar-Billups will give you 3-pointers, while the American Werewolf (aka Big Ben) guarantees blocks. And if you end up taking both of them, the FT% will probably average out in your favor.

The Other Wallace will probably remain in the same role he played last season, so I would expect similar numbers from him. Tayshaun Prince is still maturing, so he could get better, but the team is pretty well stacked as it is. Look to him if you need someone to play SF, because he'll give you a little bit of everything (not much, mind you, just a little).

Darko is not a bad candidate as a sleeper, but with the team the way it is (and the addition of McDyess), I wouldn't expect him to be a fantasy factor this season. But, he is the only Polish player in the NBA and he was my good luck charm last year.

That's all for now. I'll be back fairly soon with the San Antonio Spurs.

Count it.|||109527402210420721|||Team-by-Team breakdown starting with the reigning NBA champion Detroit Pistons