It's never a bad strategy to go value over position, and it should be the preferred route. You could always trade later. There are only 11 players so I'm curious who you are missing unless this is it? You'll definitely need more guards if this is it. How many starters are there? Even if there's more, you'll need another guard as you only have one.

I like the first 6 rounds. Vuc is a great pick in the third after your top two. Roco and Porter well-rounded and will contribute across the board. I'm very high on Whiteside and don't mind the ft% if I can get his elite blocks and rebounding at the right price. He's among the eaders in both in 20-25 mpg, if that bumps up to 30-35 then those are numbers you'll regret not having. I like Powell as a late big man, but the seventh is way too early. It takes most of his value out.

I actually like the next picks more than him in Isaac and looney. I've talked about Isaac's defensive potential a lot and that pairs well with your team and Looney is capable of making a name for himself this year. Saric and Anderson are good picks too. Did you miss a player in between them? It would seem to make more sense and then your 13th spot at the end. You're going to have a fun team this year. Good draft.

All in all for what you sent, I like your team and the well-roundedness of it. You're going to be awesome in the defensive numbers, rebounds and have a good fg%. You'll be very competitve and hard to beat in most cats. I'd pick up another three point shooter, unless your last two players can shoot.

Thanks a lot for the detailed response Santino! This is one of my better 14-team drafts actually. Only legit hesitation was picking between RoCo and Tobias, and Mikal Bridges vs. Huerter.

Regarding Fultz, he's still actually available. You thinking he's worth the upside shot?

It's a good team. It is close, but I would have gone with Covington over Tobias also. I like defensive stats and he has more upside there. If you prefer Tobias' skillset then go that route. Huerter and Mikal are pretty close also. You went defense earlier and three-point shooter here which evens itself out. Mikal has more upside but Huerter's extreme team pace and role is more clear. Also yeah, I'd take a shot at Fultz over Beasley if you want to keep the guards. He has special upside if everything is right with him.

Yeah that was my exact thinking why I went Huerter over Mikal actually. Went with the more offense oriented guy because I got RoCo already. Got it will see if I can get Fultz. Thanks Santino!

Haha awesome! And yeah if he is ehh you drop em but all indications are that he’s ready and it’s not everyday you get a dart throw former #1 pick type of talent for free.

Hey man I’ll get to yours tomorrow. But I’d pick up Alex Len immediately with Wright a close second. Len is going to get all the run he can handle on an uptempo team. He’s in a prime position to put up a Dbl/dbl with block, and 3 per game as long as he can stay healthy. He shouldn’t be on the waiver wire. Looney is another guy on the list with talent and could be a nice grab but I’d rank him 3rd. Surprised so many guys are still out there

Hi Santino man I am excited. Just did my first draft for this season and my goal was to put myself in a position that I wouldn't be forced to trade because I feel confident in my team and I think I did that. I think this might be my year man.

So without further pause.. this is my team the only mistake I think I did but maybe not I'll let you decide. I chose fox instead of trae young, so i'm kind of stressing over that minuscule detail but when you do your analysis you can break it down for me including anything I may need to address.

16 Teamer
H2H 8-cat no turnovers.
I got the 4th pick.

Steph Curry (4th)
Fox(29)
Jaren Jackson Jr (36)
Otto Porter (61)
Kanter (68)
Gary Hariss (93)
Barnes (100)
De'Andre Hunter (125)
Javale McGee (132)
Wesley Matthews (157)
Kelly Olynyk (164)
Landry Shamet (189)
Josh Okogie (196)
Coby White (221)

Thanks santino!

You are completely right, I missed off Kevin ‘the power’ Huerter. It was late here and I was rushing as my draft got me all hyped up! He will add more 3 point shooting hopefully and keep my %’s efficient. I also forgot Derrick White! Again a scoring focused guy ok %’s and a good amount of 3’s. Hoping he’ll pick up good minutes playing pop ball and with Murray coming back from injury.

I’m glad you like the draft. I’m showing as 2nd best in the team rankings on yahoo straight out the doors and although that doesn’t count for much, it let’s me see where I’m missing in cats.

As we got to the tail end I thought I would focus on the best available and worry about positioning later. As guards tend to always be available on the waiver wire I thought bigs were ok to focus on. The commissioner in my league had a bad draft and went heavy on guards and is already up for a trade. So I’ll see how pre season goes and the early games and see if there’s someone or 2 I can shift for a solid guard who doesn’t go huge with assists and is efficient with shooting.

I had to take Powell early as he would’ve been gone by my next pick and Gary Harris and delon Wright has gone in the picks just before mine. I took him at 97 I mixed up the draft order in the post draft haze! Is that still to early? I’m hoping Kleber is inconsistent again this year and Powell cements a starting role.

I'm projected the second best team overall out of the 16 teams, I dont usually take stock in those since its just projections but my league mates are saying they really like some of my picks so who knows lmao or maybe this is just a mind game strategy of theirs haha.

This one wound up slipping through the cracks. My favorite stats to have are defensive stats, so I personally wouldn’t go that route. You can get away with it sure, and grab shooters who get steals and make your team up that way. I would rather have blocks and more balance but it’s a doable strategy.

I most certainly responded to this, idk where it went, but I'll keep this one shorter. It depends who is still on the board and size of the league, but if you have an IL spot, he should be drafted in leagues. If you can get him as a bench pick, then that's very comfortable. If you have to take him as a borderline starter, that's okay as well. Anything earlier and it gets harder to take since he's expected to return after the ASB. Even with the injury, his name still carries more trade value than most in the 100 range. No IL spot standard league, I'd let someone else take him and try to pry him away in a month or two so I don't take the full brunt of an empty spot the whole time.

Haha ok I knew it looked weird both Powell that early and the missing spots. Huerter and White will help with the lack of shooting that was previously there. That’s one of your swing cats that if you can win consistently, you’ll be very tough to beat. Yeah, Powell is much better in that range as a borderline starter. All indications are that he’s going to start next to the Unicorn. If you could get a guard from him for cheap it’s worth a look as your weak there, but your collection of bigs are a great pair.

Hi Santino,

In the middle of a 9-cat H2H slow draft, where I'm picking from the turn. I came into the draft determined not to punt. I snagged Drummond and leveled off his horrible FT with Kyrie, but when Capela fell to me in the third, I decided to lean into the FT-punt build. It's a competitive league and I thought I had to create my own edge being at the turn.

12. Kyrie
13. Drummond
36. Capela
37. Chris Paul
60. Brook Lopez
61. Steven Adams
84. Joe Ingles
85. Jeff Teague

With this foundation my question is now that we're about to step ashore no man's land, how do I most productively fill out the rest of the roster? Do I bank even more on 5-ish categories from other big men or big men types? Do I keep building up categories that are in ok shape like assists and TOs? Or do I try to make up ground in 3's and points, which are lacking?

Any thoughts on the foundation and advice on targets in no man's land are really appreciated. FYI, one other team in the draft is also punting FT.

Again, 10 teamers are much more visually appeasing, but this is a really exciting team. You have both awesome guards and bigs that I am very high on. If you pick up Len, it’ll get them even better. You have a team that will make the playoffs (assuming health and fortune) that will compete for a ship. Harden Irving Conley as your guards is awesome. Throw in LaVine and that 4 is going to be hard to top. Oh, and Dipo waiting in the wings also. Drummond and Mitch compliment one another so well. I love Drummonds fantasy game and Mitch, even with a step back, certainly can block shots. Bam’s getting a lot of breakout hype, and he’s ready to show off why that is. McGee is a solid fourth big off the bench to have.
Your forwards are solid but don’t match up to the rest of your squad. I am a fan of Hayward and expect a bounce back towards his pre-injury levels now that he is another year removed from that gruesome injury. JRich will still be productive but now that he’s no longer the best player on his team, and instead the 4th option at best, his numbers will take a hit. I’m not worried about him though as where you got him is still very good value. The player I just don’t like is Barnes. Nothing about him excites me in the least bit. He upped his threes to a career high with Sacto and shoots well from the line on a handful of attempts, but that’s about it and now contending for time with Ariza.
Overall though, this team is has a lot of firepower, and as I mentioned above, is well positioned to go all the way.

Fun deep league, I am on board with it. I think you did well overall. JJJ’s upside is tantalizing. Him and Curry round out every category for you with elite potential. Fox has elite athleticism and with the expected pace that Luke Walton is bringing to the team, he’s ready to bust out big time. You don’t need to second-guess that pick. It’s close, but I personally would have taken Traening Day, partly because I’m a fanboy and partly because he’s awesome and in an uptempo offense. Porter is a good all-around contributor who gels with the other three guys.

Kanter is in a good spot as the primary big, but he’s never had more than .5 blocks or .5 steals in his career and doesn’t shoot threes. An empty double double a target I’d make for my 5th best player. I mentioned in the post above how I’m not a fan of Barnes either. I’d let someone else take him. Harris and Hunter are intriguing tho, as is Mcgee playing next to AD. Those were good picks. I like the last 5 you went with. Wes is a solid vet on a great team in a starting role. Olynyk has value, Shamet can shoot and with KL and George drawing the defense in, he’ll get open shots. Okogie is an intriguing talent who is going to get a lot of minutes on a team that pushed the pace under their new oach last season when he took over.

You’ll be elite in threes and towards and above average in steals. Since it’s a deeper league not everything will be pretty, and that’s the case for blocks. Having JJJ could be great, but outside of McGee and a little Porter no one else gives you anything there. With low big man depth, rebounding will be tough as well. You’ll need to add another. In a 16 all teams will have their weaknesses so it's understandable. The team is okay for a deep league and could should be competitive, but a few of those picks in the mid-rounds weren’t ideal.