Follow up, I grabbed Olynyk off the wire and intend to start him over Jaden McDaniels this week. Opponent is super points focused so I’m hoping to get a boost in rebounds and assists. 

@jaesjumboes Hey, are you sure you're punting FG%? Like, you're trying to punt it? Because I would recommend that you try to punt all categories if that is the case. Simons is literally the only player on this list that concerns me from a FG% perspective, and he's far from irredeemable there. I actually think you've done a good job of building a team that is, so far, strong in FG% and PTS.

I'm actually going to spare you the full writeup because I love your team so far. You're much closer to punting BLK than FG%. Your TOs are expectedly high, and your FT% isn't particularly strong with Brown, Carter, Green and Morant pulling in the opposite direction. Otherwise, I'd say you're remarkably competitive in the other categories. In order, I'd say you're presently best-to-worst in PTS, REB, AST, FG%, 3PT, STL, FT%, BLK and TO. When consciously making sacrifices in one or more categories, I hope you'll focus on the last three.

I realize you have probably added two more players in the draft since posting, but I'm honestly not too concerned with who they are. No combination of two players will be so bad, I'd imagine, as to bring you down to average in PTS, while you'd have to really ignore the other counting stats in order to give up ground there. I always advocate using the waiver wire to add FG%, FT%, STL and 3PT options because those categories are usually easier to address as the talent pool thins, so if you feel you need a boost in AST or REB then you will likely need to look at players in the standard league draft range. I hope that's the path you followed, but I'm not particularly worried even if you followed a different or wrong path (not to imply these are the same). You could stream one or two spots all year and still compete with this squad. 

I'd consider players like Aaron Gordon, Andre Drummond, Dorian Finney-Smith, Grant Williams, Jae'Sean Tate, JaVale McGee, Josh Hart, Kelly Oubre, Kendrick Nunn, Kevin Love, Marcus Morris, Markelle Fultz (if healthy), Seth Curry, Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo this season. If I'm not mistaken, they should all be available near the end of drafts or on the wire after the fact. You can afford to take risks, so be sure to stream this spot regularly. As I said before, don't hesitate to stream two roster spots if needed. You may stumble upon a roster-worthy player and end up only using one anyhow. It's worth the risk, and you can afford it. You may have heard that Jokic is the best fantasy player in the world. 

Good luck! I don't expect you'll need much.

Thoughts on my team? 12 team 9CAT but with expanded rosters, we start 5 UTILs and have 7 moves a week so I'll churn the bottom of my roster consistently.

PG: Trae Young, Tyrese Haliburton, Patrick Beverley

SG: Fred VanVleet, Buddy Hield, Josh Hart

SF: OG Anunoby, Tari Eason

PF: Franz Wagner, Cameron Johnson, Grant Williams

C: Myles Turner, Onyeka Okongwu

Streamers:

Marcus Morris, Santi Aldama

IR:

Jaren Jackson, Markelle Fultz, Jae'Sean Tate

Seems like we could use maybe one more assist guy to help Trae/Tyrese/FVV and we're a little light at C until JJJ comes back. What kind of players should I target?

@scusi24 Were your last pickups Hart, Johnson and Smith? Allow me to reassure you: I roster them wherever possible on all fantasy teams. If it was Olynyk, then I will refer you to someone else for reassurance. I won’t deny his peaks but I will remind you of his valleys. Despite this, I think you need him too.

In the interest of efficiency I am foregoing my typical writeup to respond to more teams. By all means, follow up with more questions if you need extra insight.

Right off the bat, I can tell that you have won AST by a landslide. It’s not even going to be close. I’m amazed that you could get all of those high-AST players in the early part of the draft, but I won’t question it. The fact that your league counts DD will also help, since you’ve got so many of the leading perimeter threats. 

You’re not winning REB, which actually might be a safer path to competing in DD as well. REB is a more controllable category than AST, since it’s easier to catch the ball off the backboard than to successfully create 10 or more baskets for a teammate. I don’t think you’ll be competitive in REB and that makes me doubt your chances against the teams that are. 

Middleton and Johnson are remarkably efficienct, so I tend to view them as more-or-less universal players. Roster them anywhere and I doubt you’ll regret it much. Both of them will help to make you competitive in 3PT and, to a lesser extent, PTS, without really hurting your TO. I think you’re already pretty far gone in that category, but anything helps. For the record, I disagree that you are or should be punting PTS.

You are definitely closer to a punt on BLK and FG%, while I also think REB should be considered as a weakness way before PTS ever is for this squad. With that in mind: why Zubac? He’s good at BLK, FG% and REB, and that’s basically it. That’s a very tradeable player. You’re also short on centers, so that’s a difficult situation to be in. Find the managers that have players like Brook Lopez, Jalen Smith, Lauri Markkanen, Mo Bamba, PJ Washington and other bigs that fit that mold who may be top-100 level as the season progresses. Try to flip Zubac for any of them, and be sure to rush to the waiver wire to grab any of those players that are unrostered. I think you should have at least four centers rostered if you have two starting spots, so I’d also consider players like Chris Boucher, JaMychal Green, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington and PJ Tucker as supporting pieces that can either be short or long-term solutions if required. You should definitely address the awkward fit of Zubac at center and generally just fill out in that area. 

The only player(s) I could even think of as a waiver wire candidate is Olynyk or potentially Hart in a pinch, but the truth is that you have a roster that is 50% point guard. Something has to change there so you’re not wasting space in your starting lineup every night. Positional eligibility matters and I think it could use some extra attention here. Smart is the least exciting name here, so I would consider floating his name in a separate trade or in addition to the previously-recommended Zubac deal. I’d be looking for another forward-center. 

I expect you to be strong in FT% and 3PT to go with AST, and you already know where I think you’re weak. In case you weren’t keeping score, that’s three strong categories (AST, FT% and 3PT) against four weak ones (BLK, FG%, REB and TO). This reinforces what I was saying before about PTS - not only are you not punting it; you can’t afford to. PTS and STL are going to be difference-makers for you this year, so I’d be trying to address them where possible. You have a strong enough base in both to be competitive, so be sure to aim for players in future roster moves that are around or above 15 PPG and 1 SPG, where possible. You can convert as many as five categories to reliable strengths, but I regret to inform you that your emphasis on AST has hamstrung you in several other areas. Five is all it takes to win, so I say double down and take this roster to the bank.

@true_north_hooper Please scold all the managers in your league on my behalf. Chris Paul is not a fifth round pick. How dare they sleep on him for multiple rounds?

I’m skipping my usual format to reply quickly to more teams, so I’m inviting everyone to follow up as many times as needed for extra clarification. 

Your first two picks were clearly made with a FT% punt in mind, but picks 3-5 were moving in the opposite direction, and then you mostly alternated between bad and great shooters from there. I don’t disagree with a single pick based on draft range, but I worry that some players are pulling in opposite directions, with one’s strength being negated by the other’s weakness, or vice-versa, since you intended to sacrifice this category. In keeping with this trend, I assume you probably picked Antetokounmpo and Gobert to make a push for strong FG%, so that begs the question: why the picks of Cunningham, Vassell, Markkanen, Porter, Duarte and Hardaway? As I said, they’re all perfectly fine picks where you got them, but they’re not accomplishing what I assume to be the primary goals of your opening picks. I opened one of my leagues with the same two picks and in the interest of full disclosure, I did actually take Vassell eventually, but that pick in the eighth round was my first shift away from what I considered to be my “core” stats of BLK, FG%, REB, STL and TO in a build of that nature. 

First thing’s first: go back to the basics. Whether by trade or release, you should consider moving Duarte and Hardaway so you can improve Antetokounmpo and Gobert’s elite categories. Getting a slight boost in PTS isn’t worth the sacrifices elsewhere. I would test the market on Cunningham, Porter and Vassell. There isn’t a manager in the world that won’t have a conversation with you about either player. I wouldn’t sell either one at a loss, but remember that they’re hurting the real stars of your team. You know who else was available around when you picked each player, so players in those ranges are good places to start for trade candidates if they help you focus your build. I understand the impulse to keep them, so this is ultimately up to you. They could always beat their ADP and what I said would likely still be true, but the gains may outweigh the losses at that point. 

At present, you’re likely to be strong in PTS along with your primary strengths of BLK and STL. Whether or not you swap out one or more players as recommended above will determine if you stay that way. I’m probably pushing you in the opposite direction, but I’d prefer to see you get boosts in FG% and TO back while also replacing those inefficient scorers with producers of better counting stats. If you move on from some of the players I named, you might also slide back in AST and 3PT, so I’d prioritize REB in that instance. I find 3PT to be one of the easiest stats to replace, but I’m also not sure that a team with Antetokounmpo and Gobert is meant to compete in that category anyway. It’s not a deal-breaker for me, but I think it’s generally easier to win 3PT than AST. Stepping away from AST comes with the added bonus of increasing the likelihood of competing in TO. 

Early targets on the wire should include names like Ayo Dosunmu, Bruce Brown, Caleb Martin, Cody Martin, Gary Payton II, Grant Williams, Javonte Green, Jose Alvarado, Kendrick Nunn and Steven Adams. Trade targets are wide open and totally up to you, but I’d sell my soul for Jarrett Allen, Dejounte Murray or Myles Turner in this build. My roster with a similar draft start also features Kristaps Porzingis, OG Anunoby, Brandon Clarke, De’Anthony Melton, Jalen Smith and Cam Johnson, so hopefully that gives you an idea of player archetypes to target. If I’m steering your team, my priorities, in order, are: FG%, REB, BLK, STL, 3PT, TO, PTS, AST and FT%. 

I hope this helps!

@tom-ronen One small forward is most certainly not enough! 

The usual format is out the window for now so I can respond to more teams. Don’t hesitate to reach out with more questions if you want.

You had a really solid draft, so this should be pretty quick and easy. Williams is a fun upside play but not more important than maximizing your positional eligibility. Ship him out for the best small forward you can find. You’re going to be pretty strong in all the shooting categories (FG%, FT%, 3PT), so I’d recommend that you focus on players that will help or, at the very least, not hurt you there. I’d be all over players like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jaden McDaniels, Jae’Sean Tate and Norman Powell if they were available. Based on your draft, I trust your judgment in finding a small forward with top-125 potential on the market outside of these names. 

It probably won’t surprise you to hear that I expect a competitive season in AST, FT%, PTS and 3PT. I think you’ll be about average in FG%, but beware that you’re at risk with Ball, Beal, Green and Lowry all capable of swaying it in the wrong direction. I’m not convinced about BLK, REB or STL as a strength, but there’s certainly enough here to compete with. I’m not really sure if I could name a weakness on this squad if you can make sure you have a couple players to fill each position in your starting lineup. You do have a surplus of bigs, so if you feel that you’re lacking a bit in AST, FT%, PTS or 3PT as the season goes on, you can start to consider which of Claxton or Hartenstein you can afford to move on from. 

Stream the small forward spot until you find someone you like. It’s generally advisable to stream one position on your roster anyway, so I don’t see any reason for it not to be the position I’m fairly certain you’re turning over soon anyway. Maximize your games played every week and try to pick up players that are good at whatever categories your opponent lost last week. I’m pretty confident in this team, so definitely take some risks early on and rely on the strength of your early-to-mid round picks.

Good luck!

Here's my team. Please rate:

PG: Tyrese Maxey

SG: Anthony Edwards:

PG: Fred Van Vleet

SF: Saddiq Bey

PF: Giannis

F: PJ Washington

C: Jarrett Allen

C: Jakob Poeltl

Util: D'Angelo Russel

Util: Monte Morris

BN: Mike Conley

BN: Tari Eason

BN: Isaiah Stewart

BN: Caleb Martin

BN: Jordan Clarkson

@bigdog02 Leonard in a games cap situation is really interesting to me. That's a good way to mitigate the risk of players like him, Beverley or Lowry who can have inconsistent availability.

This team seems well-equipped to be competitive in FG%, which gives me doubt about the value of Caruso on this squad. He is awful in that category and his value is almost entirely carried by his STL potential at this point, since Dosunmu is going to be starting in Ball's place. I would consider moving on and relying on your already-strong contributions in that category from the other point guards on your roster. Your forward core is arguably above-average in STL production between Antetokounmpo, Banchero, Leonard and Vanderbilt, so I don't think you really need to have a specialist occupying the PG-5 spot on this squad.

You posted this before the season began, so I'll assume that you have filled in the blanks and realized that Aldama, Beverley and Kessler have returned high enough value to retain for the foreseeable future. I would hold all three for now, but they're droppable if the current trend reverses. For what it's worth, I would take Beverley over Caruso every time, since Beverley can get me a wider range of stats and is more established as a veteran contributor.

This team isn't well-equipped for the DD points bonus, since Antetokounmpo and Ayton are likely to be the only regular contributors there. That list may grow to include a few others at times, but I'd argue that this is as likely to happen for your opponents as for you. However, I do think you have a solid blend of AST and REB on this team, which you could consider strengths. No individual on this roster is going to run away with either category, but I counted as many as nine players on this roster that will likely get around 5 APG, which should be sufficient, and probably as many (or more) players who can push past 5 RPG. I do believe that Antetokounmpo and Ayton will function effectively as anchors here while your bench bigs carry the slack. It's not worth pursuing the DD or TD bonus if you don't already have it, so I'd treat those categories as icing on the cake, if and when they come into play.

BLK could be stronger than I might have initially expected, based on early results from Aldama and Kessler. It won't take much to be competitive in that area this season, so adding those two to your average-or-better production from Antetokounmpo, Ayton, Beverley, Horford and Vanderbilt should be enough to help you win over the teams that didn't consciously focus on making this category a strength. Please note that Beverley is within 0.5 SPG of Caruso's averages last year and 0.5 BPG ahead of Caruso in that category, so I believe Beverley's superior AST, PTS, REB and 3PT from last season should be a tiebreaker here. BLK is much harder to replace than STL, so that's worth considering too.

Future moves should be focused on bringing your FG% up at the expense of your FT% and 3PT. I don't hate your competitiveness in either area, but I think that a team built around Antetokounmpo and Ayton should lean into that identity. I really focused three point guards when I went over this roster, and I can make an argument for the counting stats of Anthony and Lowry outweighing their negative impact on what I feel should be a stronger category for you (FG%). This is why I'm circling back around to the Beverley-Caruso issue again. They're positionally redundant and going to harm your FG% in a way that is less worthwhile, given their reduced counting stat production. At least Beverley is a starter with a wider range of contributions.

You've got a pretty good spread for positional coverage, so your initial waiver wire moves should be aimed at finding the best player available with the most upcoming games on the schedule (preferably on weak schedule days). Given that you can probably allow yourself to backslide in FT% and 3PT, I would recommend that you focus on addressing the other categories that will probably be easiest to boost using end-of-bench talent: FG%, REB and STL. Aside from the fact that un-rostered scorers will likely be inefficient, I'm also not convinced that it's worth it for you to pursue PTS with this roster as currently constructed. If a player is out there that can get you 10-15+ PPG without dragging you in 2-of-3 other potential strength categories (FG%, REB, STL), then by all means, pick up that player. To give some examples, I'd be looking at players like Aaron Gordon, Ayo Dosunmu, Bruce Brown, Caleb Martin, Cody Martin, Grant Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, Isaiah Jackson, Isaiah Stewart ("enough of the Isaiah's," the crowd roars), Josh Hart, Kevin Huerter, Kyle Anderson, Onyeka Okongwu and Royce O'Neale.

With limits on your games played, I really like the idea of exploring 2-for-1 trades. You're always going to have three players benched, and you won't be able to play as many players as would otherwise be possible, so why not consolidate your assets and try to build a top-heavy team? In a slow week and with a the same roster size, my team has 38 games scheduled, so I'm 100% sure that the value of players outside the top-100 won't be felt as strongly as it could be. Perhaps you could find another manager that isn't as aware of this and offer them some of your high-upside players with ADP around or outside the top-100 on the premise that they have been treated as "sleepers" by lots of fantasy analysts during the offseason. You can still take advantage of people's minds being stuck in "draft mode", and I think you could start with a combination of Aldama, Anthony, Beverley, Caruso, Kessler, Lowry or Vanderbilt. The key is that you are flipping whichever combination of them for a player who you know will boost you in areas that fit with the Antetokounmpo-Ayton build: BLK, FG%, REB, TO. This league format should allow you to effectively stream a surplus roster spot to occassionally fill holes in your starting lineup, which shouldn't be hard with a reduced demand for games played.

I skipped my normal format of reply, so please don't hesitate to reach out if you want more details or have extra questions.

@asr07005 Hey! Sorry for the late reply. Lots of teams here. Thankfully, you had a pretty solid draft. You could have done nothing since posting this and I believe you would be fine. If any players turn out to be expendable, I believe it's most likely to be Anthony, Clarke and Kessler. If that's the case, you could do worse.

I don't see this as a competitive BLK team, so that's why I highlighted Clarke and Kessler. You will be similarly lacking in REB, but to a lesser extent. Think of the modern stretchy bigs if or when you shop for other options in the post. I like guys like Brook Lopez, Chris Boucher, Isaiah Hartenstein, Isaiah Stewart, Jarred Vanderbilt, Marcus Morris, PJ Washington, Robert Covington and Santi Aldama. Depending on how the rotation shakes out, I would consider whichever of Bol Bol or Mo Bamba ends up getting backup minutes for the Magic too. The key with each of these players is that they can support your guards. It's why Portis and Smith are better fits for this team. Outside of the post players, I also think Cam Johnson and Herb Jones are worth rostering in any league and build.

As with any team that features him, your team is built in Curry's image. You're all about the guard stats, so it doesn't really feel worthwhile to invest much effort in winning the traditional big man stats like BLK, FG% and REB. You can really focus your efforts on the other five areas, but beware that it will be very difficult to compete in TO with a high-usage team like this. If the category is counted in your league, I won't advise to punt it, but efficiency should be a goal with future roster moves.

Invest all your effort into convert AST, FT%, PTS, STL and 3PT this year, or prepare to make a deal for a major BLK contributor to round out that category. Beware that in this case, you're more likely to need Clarke and Kessler. If possible, I'd still stick with the perimeter-oriented center archetype, and hope that Myles Turner is available. If Turner plays, there are very few players that will put up better value, so I'd consider trading any player you picked after the first three or four rounds for him. Julius Randle, Lauri Markkanen and Nikola Vucevic are all worthwhile trade targets for this team if you prefer to push for REB as a potential asset.

As constructed, this team is definitely strong in five categories (AST, FT%, PTS, STL, 3PT), but you could potentially top up your BLK or REB (likely by trade) in order to make that a strength. I think you can be competitive. You may need to be patient with a few of these players, but I have faith in this roster.

@shaq Nice of you to join us, big fella. You were unstoppable in your prime. Say hi to the TNT crew for me.

I don't think you need much advise from me, to be honest. I'd slide Williams down to the streamer spot just to give yourself another option if Aldama sustains his value. While I am also typically a fan and have recommended him several times already this week, I don't think you need Morris at all. Ditto for Jae'Sean Tate, who isn't likely to be better than any player you currently have rostered, barring some of the streamers.

You've got my top-two picks for league leader in APG by year-end, so I'm not sure that you necessarily need another helper there. I think VanVleet and Wagner should be sufficient, but you could also consider Ayo Dosunmu, Caris LeVert, Derrick White, John Wall, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Malcolm Brogdon, Monte Morris, Spencer Dinwiddie and Will Barton. Depending on how their seasons play out, I will also be watching players like Coby White, Deni Avdija, Immanuel Quickley Kevin Huerter and Victor Oladipo on this front. Aim for 3.5 APG and up wherever possible, and I expect you'll be fine.

Aside from AST, you should be building towards a 3-and-D archetype. You won't be competitive in FG% or REB, but BLK is certainly on the table. Once JJJ is back, you're going to have two, if not three (pressure's on, Okongwu) of the best rim protectors. STL is solid on this squad and it's pretty easy to boost through free agency. You can get really funky with lineups in this build, since you're so-so in PTS and can take it or leave it as needed with weekly matchups. Despite rostering players who are normally death sentences for a team's chances in TO, I actually think you're doing surprisingly well in that category.  Efficiency should be a goal in all future moves in order to preserve your competitiveness there and, while I think you're already secure in FT%, there's no sense in unnecessarily giving up ground there.

There is no positional need on this team, so I wouldn't worry too much about filling spots. The best player available should be your target, but remember that you're most interested in AST, FT%, STL and 3PT. Take BLK or PTS if you can get it, but no at the expense of your FT% or TO. I'd be amazed if your best categories were found in a center on the waiver wire, so I think you should look for other positions.

Stream away! Stay focused on your strengths and I am very confident in your team's chances.

@dballbball thanks for the great feedback! Would trading Cunningham for Zion be a good idea?

Here's my team, please rate!! 

PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Cade Cunningham
SF: Franz Wagner
PF: J. Smith Jr
C: PJ Washington
G: Chris Paul
F: I. Hartenstein
UTL1: Desmond Bane
UTL2: Jakob Poeltl
UTL3: Joel Embiid
Ben1: Khris Middleton
Ben2: Santi Aldama
Ben3: Jarred Vanderbilt

Additionally, who should I drop for Devin Vassell?

@momoney There isn't a pick I disagree with on the whole roster. Leonard's availability is always a concern, but as a Raptors fan, I am intimately familiar with what he can do on the floor. For what it's worth, I also drafted him in the second round this year. The Durant-Leonard pairing could be unmatched if they both clear 60 games.

Paul is a classic candidate to outperform his draft position. Along with Durant and Leonard, you'll have a strong base in FG% from perimeter players that should carry the naturally-higher value of your bigs' contributions. I expect your picks of Allen, Bridges, Harris and Horford will also outproduce their ADP, so you've got a really strong base to build on. I believe that drafts are won in the middle rounds, and I think you've given yourself an advantage for the rest of the season. That's a good mix of everything provided by reliable veterans, so it's easy to have confidence in those picks. 

I am concerned about Clarkson and Melton on this squad - mostly due to their potential to drag your FG%. While both have notable potential in other areas and I have also drafted them in at least one league each, I am going to be carefully weighing how much they drag me in one of the categories I always like to compete in. If they are your biggest concerns, then I think you are set up for success. Melton, in particular, has very high potential that I am hopeful he can start to realize this season. Clarkson is a player I am going to float in trade talks after every big game in the early season, since I don't expect him to finish as strong as he starts. 

I don't see this team as being particularly weak in any given category, so I don't expect that you'll need to be looking for upgrades unless convenient opportunities arise. Your stars are all remarkably efficient scorers, so I'd pursue players like Ayo Dosunmu, Bojan Bogdanovic, Bruce Brown, Cam Johnson, Grant Williams, John Konchar, Kevin Huerter, Norman Powell and Trey Murphy. I understand the temptation to shore up your BLK with another post player, but I think you've got some solid out-of-position production that should help carry that category for you. If you are nervous about the injury risks of Durant, Leonard and Paul, I see no problem with you investing in handcuffs for each of them. The Nets have Joe Harris and TJ Warren returning to action, while I have already named teammates of Leonard (Powell) and Paul (Johnson) who would surely gain value if your worst fears come true. 

Just focus on efficiency with your future moves and you should be fine. If your PTS suffer due to the absence of one or more stars, then I think you have enough strengths in other areas to allow that weakness to endure until your star scorers are healthy again. Most managers forget about FG%, FT% and TO, which are categories that your team should maintain its competitiveness in at all times.

@tugd I'd grab another center for insurance. In fact, I would consider the trade potential of Williams, since he's the only one who could make you remotely competitive in BLK. Eason's value is similarly reduced on this team.

This team should be strong in PTS, STL and 3PT, primarily, while I think you'll also be above-average in AST, FG%, FT% and TO. I'm less confident in your ability to get any value out of this roster in REB and BLK. Act accordingly with future roster moves. Any bigs that can keep you afloat in FT% or 3PT should move to the front of the line. I'd start by shopping for players like Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk, Kevin Love, Marcus Morris, PJ Tucker and PJ Washington.

You should prepare to stream at least one roster spot weekly if this is a H2H league. You have some solid top-end talent, but you are focused on winning volatile categories that players on the waiver wire can easily top up. In particular, I'd be looking at rotating both Eason and Poku out for players who can fill that 3-and-D archetype more effectively. While both players intrigue as prospects, I don't think their potential production outweighs their potential negative impacts in efficiency categories. Based on early results, I think players like Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Jaden McDaniels, Jalen McDaniels, Jaylen Nowell, John Konchar, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Royce O'Neale are all better-suited to your team.

Congrats on drafting Ivey and Mathurin. They seem like they could out to be steals and outproduce their draft range. I am similarly optimistic for Murray, but he is still unproven. Generally, I would advise against rostering so many rookies, so I don't think it's unrealistic to consider trading any of them if someone wants to pay top dollar. This also underscores the importance of moving on from other potentially-inefficient prospects like Eason and Poku. The rookie wall typically hits in January. If it hits even half of these players, your team is in trouble, and yes, Poku is still a rookie in my mind. He's 20 and on the least competitive franchise in basketball.

Unfortunately, I don't think you left yourself much choice but to punt your weak categories. You have as many as seven categories to win on any given week, but I think you'll probably have some tough matches against teams that can challenge you in STL and 3PT. 

@tgallucci95 Your best was pretty good! I'm amazed to see Durant and Harden on the same team, although that's likely more luck than skill. Cunningham, Murray and VanVleet give you a core of players that could all finish in the top-25. It's an added bonus that they have complimentary skills. 

Aside from the obvious concern with Gilgeous-Alexander (injury/rest), the only player I don't like on this squad is RJ Barrett. Ironically, as a Canadian, I tend to go against my compatriots in fantasy basketball. In this case, it's because Barrett is historically a major negative in FG% and FT%. With your team, I'm only worried about him hurting your FG%. You have too many perimeter scorers to realistically compete in FG%, but Barrett is a significant drag on what would otherwise be a major strength for this team. He's too good to drop, but his AST and REB are very replaceable and his PTS aren't as necessary on a stacked team like yours, so I'd be shopping him to other teams.

You need another post player, so I'd be aiming for stretchy bigs like Bobby Portis, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Smith, Kelly Olynyk, Kevin Love, Marcus Morris, PJ Tucker, PJ Washington and Santi Aldama, whether by trade or free agency. This is far from an all-inclusive list and some players are more valuable than others, but I hope this gives you a good idea of an archetype to aim for.

This team is probably not going to be competitive in BLK, FG%, REB or TO which allows you to ignore those categories when looking for players. In this punt strategy, you would likely see increased valuations from players like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Bojan Bogdanovic, Cole Anthony, Jordan Clarkson, Kevin Huerter, Mike Conley, Patrick Beverley, Royce O'Neale, Saddiq Bey and Trey Murphy. In terms of categorical strengths, most of them would seem to be better fits for your squad than Barrett, but his ceiling is probably higher than everyone. I could make an argument for Anthony, Murphy or Bey, but I'm feeling that bold right now. Just remember those names in case a roster spot opens up on your squad.

Outside of a massive hole at center, I have no real problems with this squad. I expect you to be quite a nuisance in five categories, which is all it takes to win. It will be hard to address the holes in your squad and I'm not sure it's worth it to try, since you are so strong in AST, FT%, PTS, STL and 3PT. You need to fill that hole at center as soon as possible. You want to maximize your games played wherever possible (within reason), and having only one active center is insufficient in any league format. Even if you pick a new center off the waiver wire every week, you will need to have at least one other option, if not two, in order to be most effective. Considering that you only have five starting spots, you might actually find that you don't have many opportunities to play your fifth-string point guard (Gilgeous-Alexander) or your sixth-string shooting guard (Vassell) this season. They are tradeable if it allows you to address your hole in the middle. Were I in your position, I would be trying to swap Gilgeous-Alexander for John Collins and Vassell for Al Horford. I have no idea what the market for Barrett will be, but there's sure to be a manager that's a Knicks fan and/or in need of scoring. Seek them out and see if you can find a player who can offer some combination of AST, FT%, STL and 3PT in exchange.

Good luck!