Mock NBA Roto draft - BBM Roto Mock 2017
The NBA season is right around the corner, which means that it’s fantasy draft season. I’ve been participating in experts mock drafts, and will continue to do so in addition to drafting my own leagues. The following is my team from the BBM Roto Mock Draft 2017. This was a 12-team, 8-category draft. I had the fifth pick in the snake draft. Here is my team, and some of my thoughts as I was making my picks…
Round 1: Stephen Curry
I was picking fifth, so I was surprised that both Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry were still available to be picked. James Harden, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Karl-Anthony Towns had already gone, so I came on the clock with the two point guards in my sites. Westbrook is coming off the monster triple-double MVP season, but at the time of the draft Paul George had joined the Thunder, and since the draft Carmelo Anthony has joined them. While many sites still have Westbrook at the top of the rankings, I have some questions about that. Plus, in a roto league, I would seriously consider taking Curry number one overall. As such, I passed on the reigning MVP to take the two-time MVP from the two years before.
Round 2: Draymond Green
Curry and Draymond Green measure out in plus-minus studies as one of the most impactful two-man combos of all-time, in real basketball. They mesh just about as well in roto, with Curry dominating the perimeter/shooter/scorer categories but Green contributing the defensive stats with abnormal assists and solid rebounding/3-point shooting numbers. I took Green ahead of Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle Lowry, Kemba Walker and Hassan Whiteside (the next four picks).
Round 3: Klay Thompson
I hadn’t planned it in advance, but I stayed with the Warriors theme in Round 3. Klay gives me a second dominant 3-point shooter/scorer at excellent efficiency, forming out the foundation of my team. The next four picks after Thompson were all bigs, with Joel Embiid as the most intriguing because if he stays healthy he’d be almost a sure-fire first round talent. But he’s a risk. Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap and Nikola Vucevic are more known entities, even with Millsap in a new place.
Round 4: Serge Ibaka
I’m not sure I love this pick, to be honest. At the time, my thought process was that Ibaka was a quality big man, relatively strong in both blocks and treys, and that he would be a valuable complement to my more perimeter-based squad. However, Khris Middleton went with the very next pick, and I had strongly considered him as well.
Round 5: Carmelo Anthony
When I did this draft, Anthony was still with the Knicks. But I knew there was a reasonable chance he’d be moved, and I thought it might be to the Rockets. Instead, he’s now a Thunder, and the jury is still out as to whether he’ll remain a roto star or slide to more of a role player. I’m hoping that he becomes more of a spot-up shooter and floor stretcher, which could be good for his percentages and 3-point shot even if his volume diminishes. In a juxtaposition to the controversial preseason player rankings, in this draft I took Anthony just BEFORE Lonzo Ball.
Round 6: Ben Simmons
At the time of this draft, Simmons was probably considered my “risk” pick, but he’s had a great preseason since then and has moved up in a lot of drafts that I’ve seen. I’m not sure I could get him this late, in a draft today. In this draft, I took him right before Malcolm Brogdon, George Hill and Willie Cauley-Stein.
Round 7: Andrew Wiggins
This is the last pick that I’ll address individually. Wiggins is interesting, because he’s made his career as a volume scorer that doesn’t contribute all that much else. However, with Karl-Anthony Towns zooming into his own and Jimmy Butler there to be the anchor offensive threat on the wing, I have questions about what Wiggins might do this season. In a perfect world, he’d round out his game and start filling in some of the other categories to make up for a bit less scoring. Perhaps focus his tremendous athleticism more on defense, and/or take more spot-up treys.
Round 8: Dario Saric
Round 9: Reggie Jackson
Round 10: Robin Lopez
Round 11: De’Aaron Fox
Round 12: Dion Waiters
Round 13: Lauri Markkanen
In the last six rounds, I most like my Jackson, Fox and Waiters picks. Jackson had a horrible season last year as he battled injury, but the previous year had gone much better so perhaps he can bounce-back. Fox is an exciting rookie with upside well beyond this draft placement. And Waiters was looking excellent last season when healthy, so he also could be a roto starter drafted during bench-filling times.
All told, this team is pretty balanced with excellent perimeter potential that should allow it to challenge in most leagues.