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Dwyane Wade The end of the first round appears to be the land of boom-or-bust.  Just a pick earlier, we saw Gilbert Arenas fly off of the board.  Not long before him, Caron Butler’s entrance into the first round could make or break a few seasons.  Needless to say, getting this guy with the 12th selection this season could prove to be quite a steal, assuming he plays to even half of the level which we saw against the rest of the world during the Olympic games.

Though he ruined many of fantasy seasons last year, I have no hesitation in selecting…

Dwyane Wade, PG/SG, Miami Heat

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 12 - Dwyane Wade


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You won't be seeing this for a few months… Um…Not good.  Especially if you’re a Warriors fan or a keeper league owner with Monta Ellis on your roster.

Per ESPN’s Marc Stein:

In the latest blow during a difficult summer for Golden State, ESPN.com has learned that Ellis—just awarded one of the biggest pay raises in league history—will be sidelined at least three months, possibly four, after suffering a severe high ankle sprain in his hometown of Jackson, Miss.

Ellis was scheduled to undergo surgery on his left ankle in Alabama on Wednesday, according to team sources, after he informed the club late last week that he had injured himself working out. More specifics about how Ellis sustained the injury were not immediately available.

Now while the megadeal that the Warriors gave Ellis isn’t looking so hot.  However, picking up Marcus Williams in one of the quieter moves of the season could wind up paying huge dividends - especially early on.  Those that were hoping to add Williams as a sleeper this season will have to bump him up their draft sheets a bit as this news is bound to make said “sleeper” not so much of one any longer. 

Sources: Warriors’ Ellis out at least 3 months because of ankle injury [ESPN]


Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson will be 33-years-old at the start of the upcoming 2008-09 NBA season, but does age really affect Allen Iverson?  Well, “the answer” (sorry, bad pun intended) is an emphatic NO!  Iverson seems to be an immortal on the hardwood and will be entering his 13th season in the league.  Wow, so I feel old.  I still remember when AI crossed over Michael Jordan in Iverson’s rookie year during the 1996-97 season.  SICK!  And, guess what?  Iverson can still make it happen on the hardwood and therefore, your fantasy basketball squad.

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 10 - Allen Iverson


Caron Butler Scoring?  Check.  Hustle stats?  Check.  Year-over-year improvement since 2003?  You got it.

One of fantasy’s most underrated players over the last handful of years has finally made the jump into the first round.  Sure, his position isn’t exactly a rarity, but you can no longer turn a cheek at the production that we have seen, and continue to see from the man they call “Tough Juice.” 

Caron Butler, SF, Washington Wizards

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 9 - Caron Butler


Luis Scola Luis Scola was quite a hot commodity in the later rounds of last year’s fantasy hoops drafts.  After a roller coaster season that saw several 20-point nights followed up by single-digit disasters, Scola showed the world once and for all that Rick Adelman simply needs to run a few plays through his power forward (with center-eligibility, mind you).

In the Olympic game versus the United States, Scola lit up the scorers table with 28 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.  And while the Olympics makes players like Carlos Delfino look like All-Stars, remember that this was against an American team that featured Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh down low. 

Sure, the addition of Ron Artest will not help matters much, but if the Rockets plan on flourishing in the crowded West, the road to success may be through a guy who averaged under 25 minutes per game last season. 


Jose Calderon And you all wonder why I despise any sort of extra curricular basketball…

From the Toronto Star:

Jose Calderon will not play for Spain today in the Olympic men’s basketball semifinals.

The Raptor point guard has what’s being called a partial tear of the adductor muscle, an injury revealed after an MRI here on Thursday.

Toronto officials are following up with Spanish doctors to discover the severity of the injury, treatment options and a prognosis.

Obviously, there is plenty of time for Calderon to heal up.  But with the Raps trading away TJ Ford, this is something that the team can ill afford.  Don’t move him too far down your rankings quite yet, but Toronto’s assist machine will definitely be on the shelf for a few weeks.


Not the greatest of news for Blazer fans or Brandon Roy keeper league owners.  Per the team’s official site:

The Portland Trail Blazers announced today that guard Brandon Roy will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery on Thursday to repair a tear in the meniscus of his left knee. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) taken Tuesday revealed the tear in the meniscus.

Trail Blazers team physician Dr. Don Roberts will perform the surgery at Southwest Washington Regional Surgery Center in Vancouver, Wash.

A timetable for Roy’s return will be set following the arthroscopic surgery.

Ugh.  The “S” word is never good to hear, especially for someone as young and explosive as Roy.  Dave from Blazers Edge is telling fans not to be concerned.  Obviously, the range of rehabilitation can be very wide so until further news comes out, we should try our best to not panic.  But with that said… AHHHH!

Roy to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery [Blazers.com]


LeBron James It’s the time…
Of the season…

For the third annual DD Mock Draft.  The mock where the fellas over at this here blog will aim to bring you as many mock selections as possible before the start of the regular season.  But while other mock drafts will give you an entire round with little analysis with each selection, we here will give you one pick at a time.  With each pick, you’ll get the thoughts behind it as well as the up/down side to taking said player at each respective slot.

With that said…Let’s get into it.

Round 1, Pick 1: LeBron James, SF, CLE

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 1 - LeBron James


While I would have liked it a lot more had he gone to Golden State as once rumored, the Philadelphia 76ers have extended the tweener guard for five more seasons. 

I was pretty big on Williams as a last-round type last season, and think I may do the same this year as he had shown several flashes of brilliance.  Perhaps he steals some time from Willie Green along with backing up the always-distributing Andre Miller.  Williams averaged double figures in only 23 minutes of play per game last year, so an increase in production is not far-fetched.  Plan accordingly.


Emeka Okafor...Will continue to be produced in Charlotte.

Not to be outdone by Andris Biedrins, the Charlotte Bobcats signed offense-less big man Emeka Okafor to a six year, $72 million deal.  There were a few rumors of a sign and trade, but one look at the rest of the low post players on the Bobcats’ roster, and there was a very slim chance that this would happen.  I can’t imagine that Larry Brown has a ton of faith in Sean May staying healthy this year, and the Ryan Hollins/Nazr Mohammed combo isn’t exactly the most prolific in the game.

Click to continue reading Emeka Okafor’s Blocks and Boards…


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