I’m doing a guest post on Baller Mind Frame’s fantasy section, breaking down round six of our ongoing mock draft. I’ve always considered the sixth round to be the part of the draft where things get a little bit more interesting. It’s at this point that teams begin to balance out positional needs and either start fortifying team strengths or cover up deficiencies. It’s not always about getting the best player available. Sure the drafters are still going for “quality” as far as filling their team’s specific needs are concerned, but with team cores now intact, drafters now have the leeway to do a little shaking and baking.
Here are the particulars: ROTO, 12-team league, standard nine categories (points, assists, rebounds, FG%, FT%, three-pointers, steals, blocks, turnovers), roster (PG, SG, G, SF, PF, F, C, C, Util, BN, BN, BN, BN).
Sixth Round Results:
1. Erik Ong (@FantasyHoopla) – Eric Gordon, New Orleans Hornets 9 G; 20.6 PPG; 3.4 APG; 2.8 RPG; 45.0 FG%; 75.4 FT%; 1.1 3PTMPG; 1.4 SPG; 0.4 BPG; 2.7 TOPG
Gordon is a true high risk-high reward pick. He’s injury prone and based on his track record, the risk is that he will likely NOT play a full season for your fantasy team. The reward is that he is a very talented, All-Star caliber shooting guard on a team that is looking to him to deliver big numbers every night. On a per game assessment, Eric was averaging production that had him delivering second-round value in the 2010-11 season. Again, the catch was that he only played in 56 games that year. He can offer 20+ PPG, 1.6 3PTMPG, 1.5 SPG, and 3.5 APG if he can stay healthy. If I can squeeze 60 or more games out of him this season, I should be happy that I got him in the sixth round.
2. Dennis Velasco (@BallerMindFrame) – Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings 63 G; 16.5 PPG; 4.5 APG; 4.6 RPG; 45.3 FG%; 77.9 FT%; 0.3 3PTMPG; 1.3 SPG; 0.5 BPG; 2.7 TOPG
This is a fair drop in ADP for Evans. His talent says he has the potential to be an 18/5/5 kind of player. On the other hand, his getting lost in the shuffle when Sacramento fully transitioned to being “DeMarcus Cousins’ team” didn’t help his cause. It also didn’t help that the Kings have a more focused pure-scoring SG in Marcus Thornton and a stable, straight-up PG in Isaiah Thomas (no, not the guy who almost ruined the New York Knicks). Evans’ being an effective combo-guard means less now that the offense revolves around Cousins. If Reke parts ways with the Kings, and finds a new home with another franchise, he holds some upside, otherwise he should continue to underwhelm in fantasy.
3. David Klyce (@HoopsKlyce) – Chris Bosh, Miami Heat 57 G; 18.0 PPG; 1.8 APG; 7.9 RPG; 48.7 FG%; 82.1 FT%; 0.2 3PTMPG; 0.9 SPG; 0.8 BPG; 2.1 TOPG
If you’re looking for a points-boards guy with reasonably good shooting percentages, Chris Bosh shouldn’t disappoint. His value took a drop ever since moving to Miami and settling on being third fiddle. Optimistic news has come out that Bosh has been working out, adding more bulk, in preparation for playing more time at center; which by the way was something that he’s been resisting. I guess winning an NBA title can do a bit to broaden one’s perspective. Hey, maybe he’ll even get to average a block a night! Someone break out the bubbly, quick! Seriously, we’re done seeing the drop in his value from his days as the top Raptor in Toronto. So, David is actually paying fair market price for Bosh, but has the little incentive that he’ll be able to improve on his Miami averages.
4. Brian Flood (@BrianSFlood) – O.J. Mayo, Dallas Mavericks 66 G; 12.6 PPG; 2.6 APG; 3.2 RPG; 40.8 FG%; 77.3 FT%; 1.5 3PTMPG; 1.1 SPG; 0.3 BPG; 1.9 TOPG
Many people are currently regarding Mayo as a sleeper this season. He will have both the potential and the opportunity to play a major role in Dallas. I fully expect him to improve on his reserve-role numbers from when he was languishing with the Memphis Grizzlies. He can score, he can knock down threes, and he can occasionally chip-in a steal. My concerns with Mayo moving forward are his FG% and his TOPG, which won’t necessarily get better while playing for the Mavs. Can he exceed sixth-round draft value? Likely, yes. How much? We’ll have to wait and see. He should have a ceiling of third-round value and the bust potential of just actually delivering sixth-round worthy numbers. It’s tough to project the specific amount of improvement he’s in for, the sixth round might just be the sweet spot to take him on draft day.
5. Tracy Fay (smartly, a Twitter Luddite) – Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats 66 G; 12.1 PPG; 4,4 APG; 3.5 RPG; 36.6 FG%; 78.9 FT%; 1.0 3PTMPG; 0.9 SPG; 0.3 BPG; 1.8 TOPG
Walker had a baptism by fire during his rookie season. Now that the Bobcats have rookie Michael Kidd-Gildchrist to help Kemba out with the scoring duties, things should both stabilize and even improve as far as Walker’s fantasy value is concerned. Ramon Sessions is a playing-time threat, but the starting PG job is truly Kemba’s to lose. I’m turned off by his low FG%, which I am hoping to see rise to the low 40s this season. He still needs time to mature in order for his potential to ripen and translate into solid fantasy value. In spite of the many opportunities ahead of him, I’m confident that he should be available two rounds later, especially considering the depth of the point guard position this season.
6. Aaron Bruski (@AaronBruski) – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs 58 G; 15.4 PPG; 2.3 APG; 9 RPG; 49.2 FG%; 69.5 FT%; 0.0 3PTMPG; 0.7 SPG; 1.5 BPG; 1.7 TOPG
Ah, “The Big Fundamental” is now transitioning to being more “Old Faithful.” I’ve been playing fantasy long enough to remember when he was a late first-rounder, and it’s been a pleasure to see his real-life career come full-circle and how you can still appreciate class acts like Timmy D from a fantasy perspective. He’s in the twilight of his career and the Spurs are looking for new, younger players to carry the torch. Expect his playing time to drop even further this season. The biggest issue with this gracefully aging former All-Star is the tendency of his coach to sit him in several games during the tail-end of the season. Considering this mock draft is for the ROTO format, Aaron should get decent mileage from Duncan as a pick in the sixth round.
7. Patrick Madden (@PatrickAMadden) – Gerald Wallace, Brooklyn Nets 57 G; 14.0 PPG; 2.9 APG; 6.6 RPG; 45.8 FG%; 80.0 FT%; 0.8 3PTMPG; 1.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG; 1.9 TOPG
This is probably the most talent-laden team Wallace has been on. Now is it a reason for concern? No. It actually gives him more opportunity to do those intangible things on the court, and of course for our benefit, allow himself to focus on defense – his former specialty before being forced to score more on previous teams. I’d like to see him grab more boards (that’s if Kris Humphires will allow it), get more steals and blocks. He actually finished delivering fourth-round value last season based on averages. So getting him in the sixth makes him a good value pick right here.
8. Nels Wadycki (@GiveMeTheRock) – Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls 66 G; 15.0 PPG; 1.9 APG; 8.5 RPG; 53.2 FG%; 69.3 FT%; 0.0 3PTMPG; 1.0 SPG; 0.4 BPG; 1.7 TOPG
I’m loving this Boozer pick the more I think about it. Sure, he doesn’t know what a shot block is, unless it’s done to him, but he’s proven in the past that he can score and be active on the glass. Considering that Derrick Rose is projected to be gone until at least after the All-Star break, I foresee both Luol Deng and Boozer bearing the brunt of the scoring in his absence. So for at least the first half of the season, Boozer should exceed this draft pick. It’s not a fancy pick, but I’m sure it’ll get the job done.
9. Eric Mack (@EricMackFantasy) – Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls 64 G; 10.2 PPG; 2.5 APG; 9.8 RPG; 50.8 FG%; 74.8 FT%; 0.0 3PTMPG; 0.6 SPG; 1.4 BPG; 1.4TOPG
Noah was once a third-round target, as a highly sought after reliable center who could deliver solid FG%, rebounds, and blocks. Unfortunately his value took a big hit last season as his numbers dropped pretty much across the board. What’s even more concerning at this point is that it seems Noah STILL hasn’t fully recovered from his ails last season and is entering camp at less than 100% health. That to me is a red flag. Is a two to three round downgrade enough to offset said risk? I’m not sure of that myself. Either way, I’ve got Joakim earmarked as a risk-reward pick this season, whom I would personally prefer to avoid on draft day.
10. Eric Andrews (@aka_MR-FANTASY) – Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets 46 G; 10.2 PPG; 0.8 APG; 7.7 RPG; 58.6 FG%; 66.5 FT%; 0.0 3PTMPG; 0.7 SPG; 1.0 BPG; 1.2 TOPG
I have three words to describe my outlook for Faried this season. Upside, upside, and upside. Did I mention that I think he has a ton of upside this season? Just making sure. He had a solid rookie year and the team traded away his biggest competition for minutes in Nene. Frankly, I’m quite envious of this pick and was crossing my fingers he would reach me in round seven. Alas, judgements had to be made and needs had to be prioritized. Let’s put it this way, if this was a keeper draft, I would have been on Faried like wasabi on sushi. He went through a mini-camp with Hakeem Olajuwon, which should only serve to hasten his already impressive NBA development. Expect more REB, BLK, and even PTS from this youngster as he should get a lot of those put-backs, in Denver’s “run them down into submission” style this season.
11. Chris Towers (@CTowersCBS) – Raymond Felton, New York Knicks 60 G; 11.4 PPG; 6.5 APG; 2.5 RPG; 40.7 FG%; 80.6 FT%; 1.0 3PTMPG; 1.3 SPG; 0.2 BPG; 2.8 TOPG
Felton has come full circle. He had one of his best fantasy seasons as a Knick, but was packaged and shipped away to Denver (along with several other players) as New York traded for Carmelo Anthony. This season, the Knicks signed him as a free agent, and is once again projected to be the team’s starting point guard. The difference is that he’s no longer playing for a coach who employs the most point-guard friendly system the NBA has probably ever seen. As long he can dish the rock to Melo and Amar’e Stoudemire at the right times, those dimes should come easy enough, just don’t expect him to be a big-time scoring contributor. Nonetheless, he’s one of those guards who brings the trifecta of threes, assists and steals to the table, which as a rule of thumb is always good to see coming from your secondary point guard.
12. Jason Hahn (@FBasketballBlog) – Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets 43 G; 14.6 PPG; 2.7 APG; 4.7 RPG; 41.4 FG%; 87.1 FT%; 1.4 3PTMPG; 1.0 SPG; 0.5 BPG; 1.6 TOPG
Gallinari struggled with injuries last season and is one of the NBA players I foresee to be in line for a bounce-back year. He brings with him a very diverse stat line, which makes him a solid all-around contributor to any fantasy team. I see Gallo delivering close to his former third-round value from 2010-11. He’s the best three-point shooter in Denver’s starting five and should be able to up his production in that category. A fast-paced offense should be right up his alley as he moves quite well off the ball. Good value pick right here.
Don’t forget to read all of the Baller Mind Frame Mock Draft End-Of-Round Reviews!
You can contact and find me on Twitter @FantasyHoopla or e-mail me at [email protected].
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