To Mock, or Not To Mock: 5 Reasons you should

Categorized as: Author: Erik, Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Basketball Strategy, Mock Drafts
Posted on: August 30th, 2010

As Patrick mentioned, Yahoo! fantasy basketball is up. Auctions drafts are now a new option for the fantasy hoops population to indulge in and enjoy. As you may have read, Patrick really, really, really loves it.

Another thing that is up as well, it the mock drafting app that was launched last year. “So what?” – you may ask. Well here are five reasons to at least give one mock a shot.

Brook-Lopez-Draft

Be Prepared. Practice helps you prepare. When that all-important draft day for your league with your buddies comes around, you want to be that loser who has to buy the beer AND pay for the pizza, because you drafted the wrong Curry late in the first round. Knowledge is power. Participating in a guilt-free draft will get you settled in and primed for your real draft.
It helps you keep it in your pants. You don’t want to get carried away with excitement, or any other impulse-related emotion during draft day. You’ve been missing fantasy hoops for a whole FOUR months now – that’s like more than 100 days! Get some of that tension out of the way. Too much excitement, too heated emotions/emotionality can simply lead to a poor performance at the draft. You want to be calm and collected, not like a horny little, methed-up Yorkie humping the leg of the first person who walks through the door.
Mock drafts confirm ADP. If you have a plan or specific strategy in mind this season, there might be some key players you might prefer to target in the draft. ADPs (average draft position) are posted on sites and guides, but it’s always best to see for yourself and “feel the flow” of a draft to better plan ahead. When should you grab/reach for your guys? Mock drafting is one method to get a clearer answer to that question.
It’s a chance to validate strategies. A mock draft is practice, plain and simple. You want to draft a big-ball strategy around a late, first-round drafted Dwight Howard. Who do you pick to build around your all-star center? How do you fill in the blanks? It’s better to see the various combinations that work through a mock draft, than through the course of the actual NBA season.
It’s an opportunity to learn something new. When you participate in a mock draft you get to see how other people draft. After participating in 40+ mock drafts last season, there were so many instances, as I scanned through the various teams, where I ended up saying: “Hey, that guy in seat X drafted a mean-ass team.” “That guy’s small-ball mix looks like it has more synergy than my draft.”

I do not intend to participate in as many mock drafts this year, since I sadly did the unthinkable and signed up for a Fantasy Football League. Yes, I’m a just a fan of cruel and brutal punishment. Sadly, since I’m a fantasy football virgin, I will be the recipient of both the cruelty and brutality this season.

With that distraction (fantasy football) tucked away in one pocket, and for five reasons that I have so generously shared, I quickly participated in a 12-man mock draft in Yahoo! as soon as I could. I’m going to share the results of the said draft and added a bit of commentary and analysis on each pick.

It was a full draft, all seats occupied by people, with at most one guy autopicking for a short time. So there was very minimal A.I. (computer) drafting. I chose seat 10, a spot I felt would be challenging this season. For the privacy of those who participated in the mock draft with me, I will re-label the results as Teams A through L, except mine.

For some color commentary, I decided to go the literal route, for brevity’s sake.

Legend:

I feel the player is drafted too early at this spot.

I feel that the player is a good value pick at this spot.

I feel this a huge drop for the player and he is a steal at this spot.

Round 1

(1) Team A Kevin Durant (OKC – SF)

(2) Team B – Chris Paul (NO – PG)

(3) Team C – LeBron James (Mia – SF)

(4) Team D – Dirk Nowitzki (Dal – PF)

(5) Team E – Dwyane Wade (Mia – PG,SG)

(6) Team F – Kobe Bryant (LAL – SG)

(7) Team G – Danny Granger (Ind – SF,PF)

(8) Team H – Stephen Curry (GS – PG)

(9) Team I – Deron Williams (Uta – PG)

(10) Erik – Pau Gasol (LAL – PF,C)

(11) Team K – Carmelo Anthony (Den – SF)

(12) Team L – David Lee (GS – PF,C)

I was expecting Deron Williams to fall to me, but like a real draft, expectations are rarely met. Since the three of us at GMTR had averaged our rankings for the season and placed Pau Gasol at a solid fifth, taking him as the “best player available” at the 10th pick was an easy choice.

The moment I drafted Pau, I decided I wanted to take the opportunity to use this mock draft to validate some things I had creaking in the back of my head during this Summer.

Centers (quality centers) are going to be extra difficult to come by this season, more so than previous years. While Dwight Howard was available when I picked Pau, I did not feel I necessarily wanted to be locked into punting a specific category (FT%, in Howard’s case) this early in the draft.
People say there are a gazillion point guards to choose from this season. I wonder how long I can last, and how well can I build a team without falling prey to the temptation of picking a PG (one of my favorite positions to draft) in the early rounds.

Round 2

(1) Team L – Dwight Howard (Orl – C)

(2) Team K – Amar’e Stoudemire (NY – PF,C)

(3) Erik – Brook Lopez (NJ – C)

(4) Team I – Gerald Wallace (Cha – SF,PF)

(5) Team H – Rajon Rondo (Bos – PG)

(6) Team G – Josh Smith (Atl – PF)

(7) Team F – Steve Nash (Pho – PG)

(8) Team E – Chris Bosh (Mia – PF,C)

(9) Team D – Jason Kidd (Dal – PG)

(10) Team C – Al Jefferson (Uta – PF,C)

(11) Team B – Tyreke Evans (Sac – PG,SG)

(12) Team A – Derrick Rose (Chi – PG)

Since Pau is not a “true C” and just really a C-eligible power forward, I decided to bite my tongue, pass up on Nash, Rondo, Josh Smith; and pick Brook Lopez – a “true C.” I’m high on Brook surpassing his fantasy production last year, so I don’t think he was huge reach at 15th overall.

The ‘Reke and Rose picks surprised me as well too. Two clear examples that I was drafting with alongside some befleshed managers. And with that Evans pick, I give out my first “Damn! I was hoping he would fall to me.” of 2010.

Round 3

(1) Team A – Paul Pierce (Bos – SG,SF)

(2) Team B – Joe Johnson (Atl – SG,SF)

(3) Team C – Andrea Bargnani (Tor – PF,C)

(4) Team D – Andre Iguodala (Phi – SG,SF)

(5) Team E – Brandon Roy (Por – SG,SF)

(6) Team F – Carlos Boozer (Chi – PF,C)

(7) Team G – Chauncey Billups (Den – PG)

(8) Team H – Al Horford (Atl – PF,C)

(9) Team I – Monta Ellis (GS – PG,SG)

(10) Erik – Troy Murphy (NJ – PF,C)

(11) Team K – Tim Duncan (SA – PF,C)

(12) Team L – David West (NO – PF)

With Monta and Mr. Big Shot coming off the board, I new that the PG tier fall off would be a tad steep. So I figured that there was no point in forcing the issue and reaching for a PG, and consequently passing up on value.

We have Troy currently ranked at 27.3 as a GMTR preferred draft pick. So taking him 34th seemed like a good value pick, assuming you’re drafting by the “GMTR Book.” He works with what I’ve got going on, because I now have a front court of guys who shoot roughly 80-ish percent from the charity stripe – something that will not be available in the mid to late rounds.

Round 4

(1) Team L – Zach Randolph (Mem – PF,C)

(2) Team K – Russell Westbrook (OKC – PG)

(3) Erik – Marc Gasol (Mem – C)

(4) Team I – Kevin Love (Min – PF,C)

(5) Team H – Stephen Jackson (Cha – SG,SF)

(6) Team G – Manu Ginobili (SA – SG)

(7) Team F - Darren Collison (Ind – PG)

(8) Team E – Rudy Gay (Mem – SF,PF)

(9) Team D – Danilo Gallinari (NY – SF)

(10) Team C – Nene Hilario (Den – PF,C)

(11) Team B – Antawn Jamison (Cle – SF,PF)

(12) Team A – Luis Scola (Hou – PF,C)

To be honest, Marc was a vanity pick of sorts. Assuming this was a real draft, the novelty of calling my team, “The Gasols,” or “Team Gasol” was just too fun, albeit trippy, to pass up*. Marc’s 60+ FT% does not exactly grant him membership into this little club of good free-throw shooting big men that I’ve got going on, but I’m sure big brother can get him in the door.

I probably should/could have gone for Jamison/Nene/Collison/Arenas(?) instead. We’ve got Marc currently ranked 36.3, so this isn’t really what I’d call an “apocalyptic-screw-up-your-draft, choice.”

*This “trippin’ out” on novelties is something that can be weened off one’s system in a mock draft. Consider this a bonus, sixth reason to mock draft.

In case you haven’t noticed, that’s four straight big men drafted in the first four rounds. Can I make a workable team out of this?

Round 5

(1) Team A – Andrew Bynum (LAL – C)

(2) Team B – Joakim Noah (Chi – PF,C)

(3) Team C – Gilbert Arenas (Was – PG)

(4) Team D – Andrew Bogut (Mil – C)

(5) Team E – John Wall (Was – PG)

(6) Team F – Jeff Green (OKC – SF,PF)

(7) Team G – Raymond Felton (NY – PG,SG)

(8) Team H – Paul Millsap (Uta – PF)

(9) Team I – Baron Davis (LAC – PG)

(10) Erik – Aaron Brooks (Hou – PG)

(11) Team K – Mo Williams (Cle – PG)

(12) Team L – LaMarcus Aldridge (Por – PF,C)

Wall, Arenas, Davis, Felton, all get picked before my turn. Fine, never mind about Arenas and Davis, but I would have wanted Felton and his orchestration of the D’Antoni system at this spot.

So it was a toss up between Maurice and Aaron. In hindsight, I think I went with Brooks because I was high on him last season, but Mo should have been the “better pick” here on sheer upside. Yahoo!’s composite PG rankings validate this conclusion. This mock draft allowed me to shake of some residual cobwebs that hung around from 2009-2010 and basically get passed this “Doh! moment.”

doh-homer-simpson

Round 6

(1) Team L – Marcus Camby (Por – PF,C)

(2) Team K – Jason Richardson (Pho – SG,SF)

(3) Erik – Devin Harris (NJ – PG)

(4) Team I – Kevin Martin (Hou – SG)

(5) Team H – Hedo Turkoglu (Pho – SG,SF)

(6) Team G – Andray Blatche (Was – PF,C)

(7) Team F – O.J. Mayo (Mem – SG)

(8) Team E – Brandon Jennings (Mil – PG)

(9) Team D – Ray Allen (Bos – SG)

(10) Team C – Blake Griffin (LAC – PF)

(11) Team B – Anthony Randolph (NY – PF,C)

(12) Team A – Kevin Garnett (Bos – PF)

Brooks gives me around 5 APG. That’s not enough to compete in assists. So obviously, I went and grabbed the best PG available. While I feel that Brandon Jennings has the potential to average more dimes a night over Devin Harris, Jennings’ FG% would just flush my first four round investments down the drain. So Harris it was.

WTF? A THIRD Nets player? Now that was something I honestly was not keeping track of. Ding! Reason # 5 strikes again. Ok, from this draft forward, I will pay closer attention to the teams my players are playing for. Wow, I AM rusty.

Round 7

(1) Team A – Vince Carter (Orl – SG,SF)

(2) Team B – Chris Kaman (LAC – C)

(3) Team C – Eric Gordon (LAC – SG)

(4) Team D – Trevor Ariza (NO – SG,SF)

(5) Team E – Elton Brand (Phi – PF,C)

(6) Team F – Yao Ming (Hou – C)

(7) Team G – Caron Butler (Dal – SG,SF)

(8) Team H – Roy Hibbert (Ind – C)

(9) Team I – Jamal Crawford (Atl – PG,SG)

(10) Erik – John Salmons (Mil – SG,SF)

(11) Team K – Rashard Lewis (Orl – SF,PF)

(12) Team L – Jameer Nelson (Orl – PG)

I felt that I should be filling out some of the positional holes in my roster. I don’t want to fall into the mistake of ignoring a particular position so much that I end up having to draft really cruddy players in the last rounds to fill it . So filling SG and SF was the order of the day for my “Round 7″

Side Note: It was a nice feeling to see Yao get drafted and feel secure that I did not need him.

John Salmons shoots well from both the field and the line (as far as mid-round G/Fs go), so I felt he was good move to boost the treys Aaron and Troy already deliver.

Round 8

(1) Team K – Jason Terry (Dal – PG,SG)

(2) Team L – Channing Frye (Pho – PF,C)

(3) Erik – Andre Miller (Por – PG)

(4) Team I – Samuel Dalembert (Sac – C)

(5) Team H – Emeka Okafor (NO – C)

(6) Team G – Greg Oden (Por – C)

(7) Team F – DeMarcus Cousins (Sac – PF,C)

(8) Team E – Marcus Thornton (NO – SG)

(9) Team D – JaVale McGee (Was – PF,C)

(10) Team C – Mike Conley (Mem – PG)

(11) Team B – Andrei Kirilenko (Uta – SF,PF)

(12) Team A – Lamar Odom (LAL – SF,PF)

I figure a third PG who can average 5+ APG is enough for this team to compete in assists. Andre Miller shoots decently well enough from the field and doesn’t drastically hurt me anywhere. Mike Conley and Tony Parker were potentials here, but I felt Dre would be more consistent this 2010.

Round 9

(1) Team A – Tyson Chandler (Dal – C)

(2) Team B – Tony Parker (SA – PG)

(3) Team C – Robin Lopez (Pho – PF,C)

(4) Team D – Al Harrington (Den – PF,C)

(5) Team E – Carl Landry (Sac – SF,PF)

(6) Team F – Tyrus Thomas (Cha – PF)

(7) Team G – Jrue Holiday (Phi – PG)

(8) Team H – Brendan Haywood (Dal – C)

(9) Team I – Luol Deng (Chi – SF)

(10) Erik – Anthony Morrow (NJ – SG,SF)

(11) Team K – Mehmet Okur (Uta – C)

(12) Team L – Evan Turner (Phi – SG,SF)

I did mention I wasn’t really paying to teams, didn’t I?

Man, I ended up drafting every single 12-man-league, draft-viable, Nets player. I don’t even like the Nets this much. I was looking at Morrow as a sleeper/good value pick at this spot. Hey maybe it would get me free tickets to the next Jay-Z shindig. Or not.

jay-z-nets-brooklyn

Good news is that IF this fantasy team makes a mock playoff, the Nets are on something like a four or five week, four-game binge. That rates them at an “A” on our head to head grid.

Round 10

(1) Team L – Wilson Chandler (NY – SF,PF)

(2) Team K – Corey Maggette (Mil – SF,PF)

(3) Erik – Leandro Barbosa (Tor – PG,SG)

(4) Team I – Andris Biedrins (GS – C)

(5) Team H – Mike Miller (Mia – SG,SF)

(6) Team G – J.J. Hickson (Cle – PF,C)

(7) Team F – Terrence Williams (NJ – SG,SF)

(8) Team E – Anderson Varejao (Cle – PF,C)

(9) Team D – Rodney Stuckey (Det – PG,SG)

(10) Team C – Beno Udrih (Sac – PG)

(11) Team B – Shawn Marion (Dal – SF,PF)

(12) Team A – Nicolas Batum (Por – SG,SF)

In 20-20 hindsight, this Barbosa pick shuffles between being a “Ho-hum” pick to a mistake. All I can remember from my thought processes at the time was that I was feeling “high” on Barbosa making a suitably strong return in 2010. Seeing the alternatives, now, and in black and white; I probably should have gone for Udrih/Marion/Jarrett Jack.

At this point where I am writing this piece, I am really appreciating my participation in the mock more and more.

Round 11

(1) Team A – J.R. Smith (Den – SG,SF)

(2) Team B – Ron Artest (LAL – SG,SF)

(3) Team C – Jose Calderon (Tor – PG)

(4) Team D – Michael Beasley (Min – PF)

(5) Team E – George Hill (SA – PG,SG)

(6) Team F – Josh Childress (Pho – SG,SF)

(7) Team G – Boris Diaw (Cha – SF,PF)

(8) Team H – Drew Gooden (Mil – PF,C)

(9) Team I – Jarrett Jack (Tor – PG,SG)

(10) Erik – Reggie Williams (GS – SG,SF)

(11) Team K – Charlie Villanueva (Det – PF)

(12) Team L – Mario Chalmers (Mia – PG)

Salmons and Morrow are only guard-forwards at this point. I figured that grabbing a back up for them was the way to go.

This pick is the result of Nels’ influence. Nels personally ranked him at 76th, while Patrick and I pegged him at 123rd and 121st, respectively. So while the 24 games he played for GSW is obviously not a large enough sample to make a concrete projection, I am at the very least, quite intrigued with his potential.

Let’s call this one my “experimental, risk pick” for the draft. It is the 11th round after all.

Round 12

(1) Team L – D.J. Augustin (Cha – PG)

(2) Team K – Richard Hamilton (Det – SG,SF)

(3) Erik – Ramon Sessions (Cle – PG,SG)

(4) Team I – Jonny Flynn (Min – PG)

(5) Team H – Thaddeus Young (Phi – SF,PF)

(6) Team G – Wesley Johnson (Min – SF)

(7) Team F – Greg Monroe (Det – PF,C)

(8) Team E – Serge Ibaka (OKC – C)

(9) Team D – Spencer Hawes (Phi – C)

(10) Team C – Josh Howard (Was – SG,SF)

(11) Team B – Jason Thompson (Sac – PF,C)

(12) Team A – DeMar DeRozan (Tor – SG,SF)

I like Sessions moving to the Cavaliers. It sort of makes up for my picking Aaron Brooks over Mo Williams. Well fine, it doesn’t. But still, Ramon’s got some decent upside and I saw him as good value grab this late into the draft.

Round 13

(1) Team A – Amir Johnson (Tor – PF)

(2) Team B – Ben Gordon (Det – SG)

(3) Team C – Corey Brewer (Min – SG,SF)

(4) Team D – Linas Kleiza (Tor – SG,SF)

(5) Team E – Ty Lawson (Den – PG)

(6) Team F – Omri Casspi (Sac – SG,SF)

(7) Team G – Luke Ridnour (Min – PG)

(8) Team H – Kelenna Azubuike (NY – SG,SF)

(9) Team I – Raja Bell (Uta – SG)

(10) Erik – Mike Bibby (Atl – PG)

(11) Team K – Louis Williams (Phi – PG,SG)

(12) Team L – Dorell Wright (GS – SG,SF)

This was an example of me simulating a draft happening in the here and now. As of this date, Jamal Crawford has yet to settle his future with the Atlanta Hawks. The optimistic/naive side of me thinks that Bibby can still make a comeback in the event that Crawford is shipped elsewhere.

***

Here’s the team I drafted as it would look in roster format:

PG – Aaron Brooks

SG – John Salmons

G – Devin Harris

SF – Anthony Morrow

F – Troy Murphy

PF – Pau Gasol

C – Brook Lopez

C – Marc Gasol

Util – Andre Miller

Util – Leandro Barbosa

BN – Reggie Williams

BN – Ramon Sessions

BN – Mike Bibby

***

Wait! There’s more!

Since I wanted another sampling of this “experiment,” well that and I’m a mock draft addict, I joined 14-man mock (13th draft position) and proceeded to draft along the same route as I did in the previous one, when Pau landed to me at 13.

My conclusion is that the four big men in the first four rounds is viable up to a 14-man league, but I leave you to form your own impressions on how good (or bad) the draft went.

Here’s the draft result of the said 14-man draft:

1. Pau Gasol (LAL – PF,C)

2. Brook Lopez (NJ – C)

3. Nene Hilario (Den – PF,C)

4. Marc Gasol (Mem – C)

5. Ray Allen (Bos – SG)

6. Andre Miller (Por – PG)

7. Tony Parker (SA – PG)

8. Anthony Morrow (NJ – SG,SF)

9. Wilson Chandler (NY – SF,PF)

10. Jarrett Jack (Tor – PG,SG)

11. Reggie Williams (GS – SG,SF)

12. Tayshaun Prince (Det – SF,PF)

13. Tyson Chandler (Dal – C)

In a way, this 14-man mock comes out better than the first one because… well it doesn’t have too many Nets!

And that’s the whole point of Reason # 5. Learn from your mistakes so that you can correct them.

***

There you have it. One and a half mock drafts with some analysis and commentary. I hope you learned something from my mock drafting experience. I sure did. Why not participate in one now?

Other Stuff Like This:

Tags: Aaron Brooks, Andre Miller, Brook Lopez, Devin Harris, John Salmons, Leandro Barbosa, Marc Gasol, Mike Bibby, Mo Williams, Mock Draft Analysis, Pau Gasol, Ramon Sessions, Reggie Williams, Troy Murphy

Tangdaman

WTF, you passed on your man-crush Rondo!?!:) Derrick rose in the 2nd round is a reach in my book, Westbrook on the 4th though sounds about right. Hell, ill probably take him late in the 3rd.
http://givemetherock.com/ Erik

Weirdly enough, it seems I’ve been slow on the up tick when it comes to Russell. It’s nothing personal, but I will probably catch up and get to hitch a ride on his bandwagon NEXT season.

People just love D-Rose and his real-life game. To the point that there’s this illusion that he’s a fantasy stud.

Like I said, I had to pass on Rajon for experiment’s sake. Don’t tell him though, he might unfriend me on Facebook.
basketballtips

Yeah i love D-Rose and his real-life game. Thanks for sharing
http://basketballperformance.com/

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