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Rasheed Wallace To say that this team is stacked with scoring and solid percentages is a complete understatement.  Obviously, few teams will be able to nab Deron Williams in the third round with his recent ascent up draft boards, but regardless.  With three solid additions throughout the beginning of the draft, round four is now a time where we have to add a big man.  I would hate to add one that would drag down the solid percentages that we already have; and if I could do so while adding some big-ball stats, even better.

The tenth pick in the fourth round is a great place to take a player who can do just that.

Rasheed Wallace, PF/C, Detroit Pistons

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 10 - Rasheed Wallace


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Mo Williams, CavaliersWith two forwards and a center already supporting this roster, it was time to address the guard position.  The good part about the current make-up of this team is that Rashard Lewis and Antawn Jamison can rack up small-ball statistics, so you are not limited in where you can go with the fourth round pick. 

With that said, the tier of Chauncey Billups and Jose Calderon are off of the board.  With there being a slew of other options that may be a bit to risky to take at this slot, I have no problems “settling” for…

Mo Williams, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft - Round 4, Pick 9: Mo Williams


Yao Ming
Ladies and gentlemen, here is the make-or-break pick of the year. Once worthy of a first round pick, he has crushed fantasy GMs across the land. Or rather, the injury bugs that keep biting him have led to many crying themselves to sleep over a lost fantasy season.

Yahoo still has him ranked in the top 25 and he is getting drafted pretty early. Can you really risk Yao Ming breaking your heart again?

Round 4, Pick 8: Yao Ming, C, Houston Rockets

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 8 - Yao Ming


Corey Maggette

Corey Maggette now plays for the Golden State Warriors. Baron Davis left the Warriors for the Los Angeles Clippers, where Maggette used to play. Elton Brand left the Clippers to play for the Sixers. It made for a fun off-season and perhaps this picture shows us that Maggette enjoyed himself during the process. Okay, not really. But after considering lesser offers to play for the Celtics or the Spurs, Maggette signed on with a team where he can certainly thrive statistically.

Admittedly, picking Maggette here is earlier than in most drafts. However, after drafting guys in the first three rounds who are no lock to clear 17 ppg, shoring up the points is needed. Every other team in the league is bound to employ at least one 20 ppg scorer and although the point category is not as sexy as steals or blocks, it certainly should not be a category you punt.

Round 4, Pick 7: Corey Maggette, SG/SF, Golden State Warriors

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 7 - Corey Maggette


Chris Kaman and Dirk Nowitzki

This team needs a center. Dirk Nowitzki remains a very safe and reliable first round pick, but he lost his center eligibility years ago, his defensive stats have been in decline. Plus, although he picked it up at the end of the year, overall his three-point shooting is not enough of an impact to negate the lack of blocks and relative lack of rebounds. Baron Davis and Paul Pierce represent an exciting and formidable fantasy back-court. That next level tier of guards comes up in the fifth and sixth rounds, so it is a green light to go big here.

Currently this guy has an average draft position of 49.0 on Yahoo, so we tab him a bit earlier than that here at 42nd overall.

Round 4, Pick 6: Chris Kaman, C, Los Angeles Clippers

The Fig Cap: Hey Dirk, we get to roll together on this team just like Team Germany!

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 6 - Chris Kaman


Michael Redd vs Dirk Nowitzki
The talent pool must not have gone shallow yet if 20 point-per-game Olympians remain available in the fourth round. Adding this player to a team that has Dirk Nowitzki would have made for very sound strategy, but Dirk’s team picks next. On this particular team, he fills a glaring need.

Round 4, Pick 5: Michael Redd, SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 5 - Michael Redd


Brandon Roy and Anthony Parker

I think that Bryan Colangelo has done an excellent job in reshaping the Raptors and bringing back respectability to the organization. Colangelo was fortunate in his first year as Raptors’ GM to land the first overall pick in the 2006 draft. We know that Andrea Bargnani was selected by the Raptors. In the same draft, Brandon Roy was originally selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves and traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Randy Foye. Bargnani’s NBA career has had its up and downs and still continues to evolve. I know hindsight is twenty-twenty but what if Roy had been selected by the Raptors instead of Bargnani? It would be Roy patrolling the two spot instead of Anthony Parker. Brandon Roy and Chris Bosh would have been an excellent tandem. Oh well, it’s nice to dream.

Brandon Roy is the face of the new Portland Trail Blazers as they emerge out of the “Jail Blazers” era. Roy is the centerpiece of a young nucleus which includes LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden in Portland. Fantasy owners loved the steady production of Brandon “The Natural” Roy over his two years in the pros. Could the third year be the charm?

Round 4, Pick 4 – Brandon Roy PG/SG, Portland Trailblazers

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 4 - Brandon Roy


Brendan Haywood The first preseason game for the Washington Wizards did not go as planned.  Not only is Gilbert Arenas slated to miss some crucial time, but injuries to forward Antawn Jamison and center Brendan Haywood added a little salt in the wound.  News today says that Jamison only has a bruised knee and should be good to go.  Haywood, however, is looking to miss the next four-to-six months with wrist surgery. 

“He’s really big for us back there in terms of communicating to the other guys about what is going on and where we need to be, so that’s going to be missed,” Jamison said. “We’re going to have to find a way for other guys to fill that role.”

 

Click to continue reading Jamison’s Okay.  Haywood, Not So Much.


Jason Kidd tugging on shorts
Everyone who has ever played ball, at any level, knows the universal tell for being gassed is a guy bent over, tugging on his shorts. The vultures circle Jason Kidd this year, after he did not lead the Dallas Mavericks to any success in the playoffs, and while he played as the starter on the United States basketball team, from what I saw and heard, both Chris Paul and Deron Williams outplayed him and were used more down the stretch in games. Should Jason Kidd prepare to ride into the sunset on a hall-of-fame career?

Once a surefire first-rounder, the strengths and weaknesses in his game have established themselves for many years now. The question remains, has he slipped far enough in drafts that he now becomes very good value?

Round 4, Pick 3: Jason Kidd, PG, Dallas Mavericks

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 3 - Jason Kidd


Ron Artest King
I know he will play for the Houston Rockets this year, but I had not come across this picture before prepping for this article and just had to use it. It was a long time ago, but my hometown Raptors passed on you twice in the draft for two dudes named Jonathan Bender (used in a trade for Antonio Davis) and some guy named Alek Redojevic (?spelling). Chicago drafted Artest with the 16th pick in the draft in 1999.

The Houston Rockets need to rid themselves of the monkey on their back that is exiting the first round of the playoffs. If, and it’s a big if, the team can stay healthy enough to become a cohesive unit, they can certainly earn a high seed in the West. This guy would stand to be the difference maker.

Round 4, Pick 2: Ron Artest, SF/PF, Houston Rockets

Click to continue reading Dropping Dimes Mock Draft: Round 4, Pick 2 - Ron Artest


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