Here are some draft evals for the 52 mil draft.  The usual caveats apply: no hurt feelings, and the comments will probably dwell more on the negative than the positive.  Grades are based on value of picks and quality of team. 

All-in-all, this was a much stronger draft than recent ones: smarter early drafting led to fewer bargains in later rounds, and relatively few good players went undrafted. 

Here’s the grading scale (reflecting the kind of grade inflation that’s so prominent in U.S. higher education):
A+= Likely 65+ wins.  In the contemporary sim, this is probably an impossible grade to get unless you start with Wilt and really nail every other pick. 
A= 57-65 wins, and strong title contender.  The range is so wide because much of a team’s win totals depends on the other teams in the division. 
A-= 54-60 wins, and strong contender for division/conference championship.
B+= 49-56 wins, and favorite to make playoffs
B=45-50 wins, and strong contender to make playoffs
B-= 38-46 wins, and could make playoffs if things go right (e.g., strong bench selections, good division, etc.)
C+ and below=probably not making the playoffs

lhtgk -  Wilt Chamberlain, Grant Hill, Jerry West, Jayson Williams, Michael Redd, Carlos Delfino, Jahidi White—Grade: B

Wilt is far and away the best player in this league, but you have to build around him well.  Hank has a mix of good and bad complements.  West was a decent pick (a few available PGs would have fit better), as was Redd.  Hill is not a good complement- he gives no outside shooting, and his free throw shooting doesn’t do much to cancel out Wilt’s main weakness.

macphisto -  Charles Barkley, Jerry Lucas, Dana Barros, Mark Landsberger, Mitch Richmond, Dale Davis, Corey Maggette—Grade: C

This would be a good team in a 42 mil draft, but not enough firepower to compete in a higher-dollar cap.  Barkley was picked too early, but Lucas was a good value.  Every other player was picked at least a round too early (and Richmond, Maggette, and Landsberger don’t really have any business being picked at all). 

tricky24 - LeBron James, Wes Unseld, Manu Ginobili, Zelmo Beaty, Maurice Cheeks, Jason Richardson, Chris Bosh—Grade: B+

James is a great building block, although taking Ginobili and Richardson cancels out much of his value (since LBJ is at a rebounding disadvantage at 3).  Unseld and Beaty are high efficient, but both are much more valuable in lower cap leagues.  Playoffs are highly possible, but this is another team that doesn’t fulfill the promise of the first pick. 

empdenied - Dennis Rodman, Mel Daniels, Steve Nash, Dan Marjerle, Walt Bellamy, Eric Murdock, Johnny Green—Grade: B

Rodman is a great building block in this league, but he has no business being selected ahead of MJ.  Bellamy has great raw numbers, but he’s not very efficient and is difficult to keep on the floor.  This will be a great rebounding team, but it’s going to be offensively challenged since two of the starters are below average scorers.

coachcroft -  Michael Jordan, Elton Brand, Tyson Chandler, Mike Lewis, Mark Price, Kevin Love, Kenny Smith—Grade: C+

Proxy snafus aside, coach had a great first two rounds.  Everything after that is subpar.  Chandler was taken way too high; Lewis is not a good prospect for a league like this; Price doesn’t provide the kind of assists or defense that’s required in a front-line point guard; Love would be a great pick if seble ever got off his a** and inputted the 09-10 seasons; Smith is inadequate as a perimeter shooter off the bench (especially since he was taken nearly a round before the other perimeter shooters off the bench).  Playoffs doubtful. 

shapandrew7 - Moses Malone, Deron Williams, Paul Pierce, Horace Grant, Reggie Miller, Pau Gasol, Terry Tyler—Grade: B
Nearly every pick was a decent value for slot, but the Miller pick derailed the momentum.  Moses was a good pick, but perhaps a little high.  Pierce and Grant were great values for their slot.  DWill was probably picked too high (but this was defensible given the run on point guards that was underway).  Gasol and Tyler are good 6^th round values.  However, the Miller pick was not only ill-advised in itself (Miller doesn’t produce enough to justify being picked in a high-cap draft), but really cuts into Pierce’s value as a SG. 

ncih -  Magic Johnson, Robert Parish, Ray Allen,  Charles Oakley, Chris Gatling, Chuck Person, Pete Cross—Grade: C+

This is on a curve to take into account glen’s (noble) decision to give up some of his picks to compensate coahcroft.  I like the basic strategy of reaching for offensive rebounds and 3’s, but some of the pieces aren’t as good as they could be.  Turnovers are going to be a real problem, too. 

banditone - Larry Bird, Walt Frazier, Spencer Haywood, Kevin Durant, Dave Cowens, Archie Clark, Chris Mulllin—Grade: B-

I really like the first two picks (in fact, I picked them both for one of my teams in the last edition of this draft).  However, next three are not good fits, and the 6^th rounders are not likely to be positive contributors.  All five starters have above average turnovers; efg is going to be rather low thanks to Haywood and the Big Cabbie, and assists/rebounds are going to be a problem if this team goes up-tempo from the outset. 

I don't understand the rebound commint. the front line averages 46 a game.

Posted by banditone on 7/4/2010 3:39:00 PM (view original):
I don't understand the rebound commint. the front line averages 46 a game.

It's not about averages, it's about advanced #s.  oreb% & dreb% mean everything.  RPG mean absolutely nothing in the current version of the sim.  Absolutely jack.

garyman - Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Ben Wallace, Fat Lever, Mike Miller, Patrick Ewing, Elgin Baylor, Gus Williams—Grade: B-

There are three offensive non-contributors who will get major minutes on this squad (Wallace, Lever, and Baylor).  I’m not sure that any amount of productivity among the other players (and there’s plenty—Kareem was a great value, as was Ewing) can make up for that. 

scudmissle - David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Mookie Blaylock, Kirk Hinrich, Bobby Jones, Brian Taylor, Charlie Edge—Grade: B+
A very solid squad in every important area.  Robinson and Duncan were both great values, although this squad would benefit form scud using a lower-minute/higher-efficiency season of the Big Fundamental’s.  Blaylock’s value has been enhanced in the current sim because of his high 3-point attempts; Hinrich and Taylor are good swing guards and complements, although the former was probably picked a little early. 

 

uvasooner 2 - Chris Paul, Clyde Drexler, Buck Williams, Marques Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, Dell Curry, Jeff Foster—Grade: N/A
I don’t grade my own teams, so I’m copping out here.  I’m pretty happy with the picks of Paul, Drexler, and Johnson.  I rolled the dice taking Williams in the third round (thinking that Brand would make it back to me), and I regretted that pick almost the instant I made it.  I’ve never picked Dominique or Dell Curry before in this league (and I’ve entered more teams than I care to admit!); I picked them mainly to give outside shooting and decent turnovers at their positions.  Lack of shotblocking is pretty significant, and the efg leaves a little to be desired; that said, I’m pretty satisfied with what I got. 

 

gtak -   Dwyane Wade, Bill Walton, Willis Reed, Derek Harper, Andris Biedrins, Clarence Weatherspoon, Jon Barry—Grade: A-
This might have been the strongest team in the league if not for the Weatherspoon pick.  Wade was a steal at 12 in the first (he’s a top 7 player), and the Walton/Reed/Biedrins combo will give gtak one of the best big men rotations in the league.  I also liked the Harper pick in the 4^th; he and Barry complement Dwade very well.  Weatherspoon is a puzzler, especially as a starting 3: he doesn’t shoot a high percentage or contribute from the outside (which are perhaps this team’s only weaknesses, albeit small ones), and there seemed to be better fits for this squad (especially in the 5^th round, where picking Biedrins was something of a luxury).  Still, this is a very good team, as usual for gtak.   

xxevilivexx - Dwight Howard, Swen Nater, David Lee, Peja Stojakovic, Adrian Dantley, Muggsy Bogues, Baron Davis—Grade: C+

Perhaps the best drafted frontline, but probably the worst drafted backcourt.  Dantley is a shell of the free-throw fiend he was in previous versions of the sim, and neither he nor Bogues shoots from the outside enough to be productive.  Davis can be productive, but his lack of position flexibility and efficiency are both problems. 

98average -  Kevin Garnett, Scottie Pippen, Sidney Moncrief, Shawn Kemp, Jerome Williams, Yao Ming, Andrei Kirilenko—Grade: B-

Every single pick (except maybe for Kemp) was solid, although none was spectacular (except perhaps the heists of Yao and AK47 in the 6^th).  However, the pieces don’t fit well together; the lack of a true point guard and sufficient outside shooting will be significant drawbacks. 

sappy -  Shaquille O'Neal, Dirk Nowitzki, Terry Porter, Larry Nance, Nick Anderson, Andrew Bynum, Jameer Nelson—Grade: A-

Shaq is always risky, but the next three guys that sappy drafted will complement his weaknesses.  Anderson was probably not the first choice for sg, but was a good plan B.  Bynum and Nelson are two great bench players, and both fill in important areas for the squad.  Lack of offensive rebounding will be problematic, but the best turnover and efg numbers in the league will more than make up for that.  This is a very strong contender. 

captainzen - Bill Russell, Julius Erving, Kevin Johnson, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Milsap, Doug Christie, Michael Cooper—Grade: C+
Russell was probably picked too high (which is kind of difficult to stomach), but Dr. J. was a first-round worthy pick.  KJ, Amare, and Millsap were all solid choices, although the high foul totals of the last two might be somewhat problematic.  So why the low grade?  Christie and Cooper are absolutely not ready for prime time, and their lack of passing and outside shooting efficiency (coupled with the high team pf totals) will drag down an otherwise solid squad. 

dh555 - Artis Gilmore, Chauncey Billups, Anfernee Hardaway, Danny Granger, Eric Dampier, Roy Tarpley, Lamar Odom—Grade: A

This team has it all: good outside shooting, offensive rebounding, and scoring efficiency; manageable turnover and foul numbers; good assist totals and enough scoring/usage to be dangerous in an up-tempo offense.  Every selection was a good value, and multiple position eligibility will help shore up what might have been a team rebounding deficiency from taking Granger in the 4^th.  The only small quibble is that it might have been possible to get something like Tarpley’s rebounding prowess and scoring competency without taking on his high foul and turnover totals.  I’d wager that this team is the favorite. 

eleibowitz - Tracy McGrady, Bob McAdoo, Tom Boerwinkle, Donyell Marshall, Charlie Ward, Drew Gooden, Cedric Ceballos— Grade: A-
A very strong squad, but small misfires in the 5^th and 6^th rounds will stand in the way of it being the best in the league.  McGrady was probably not worth a first-round selection, but (a) he was certainly a high second-rounder; (b) McAdoo certainly was worth a first-rounder; and (c) the key to success in this league is strong picks in the 3^rd and 4^th rounds.  (For my money, Boerwinkle and Marshall was the best duo of selections in these rounds of any team.)  Ward was not a good bargain and doesn’t produce enough to warrant starting, and Gooden is inferior to a number of guys who were available (and several who went undrafted).  Aside from that, this team is strong in every single area. 

vancem - Oscar Robertson, Carlos Boozer, Brent Barry, Arvydas Sabonis, Joel Pryzbilla, Dan Gadzuric, Rudy Tomjanovich— Grade: B

Oscar and Boozer are great building blocks, Barry and Sabonis are great complimentary players, and Pryzbilla and Gadzuric ensure that this will be among the best offensive-rebounding teams in the league.  Rudy T was a great value pickup in the 6^th round, a 4^th-round caliber producer who has (inexplicably) fallen off of most owners’ radars.  The lack of assists and outside shooting (not to mention high fouls) stand in the way of a higher grade for this team. 

uvasooner (1) - John Stockton, Kevin McHale, Kevin Willis, Bob Lanier, Eddie Jones, Eddie House, Charlie Villanueva- Grade: N/A

I’m a little worried about this team’s lack of offensive rebounding and high turnovers, but I’m betting that their high efg and three-point shooting will make up for most of that. 

katernberg- Karl Malone, Troy Murphy, Marcus Camby, Emeka Okafor, Brandon Roy, JR Smith, Jose Calderon— Grade: B

Katernberg rolled the dice on going frontcourt-heavy.  He was very lucky not to get burned when Roy and Calderon fell to him; both were probably 30 spots more valuable than where katernberg selected them.  That said, I’m not sure that the gamble was worth it—Camby and Okafor are not the offensive-board monsters that would have better complemented the Murphy/Mailman selections, and both probably could have been taken at least a round later.  I think this team’s lack of offensive rebounding is a significant weakness, but there are a lot of strengths (including good outside shooting, low turnovers, and great efficiency) to make up for it. 

 
ashamael - Jason Kidd, Hakeem Olajuwon , Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Clifford Ray, Reggie Evans, Leon Powe—Grade: B

Ash was pretty vocal about disliking his team.  This verdict seems a little harsh, since the Dream and Lebron’s Nightmare (my new nickname for Jamison) were perhaps the biggest steals of the 2^nd and 4^th rounds, respectively.  Kidd and Carter provide a strong backcourt, even if they aren’t very efficient.  For my money, this team goes off the rails in the 5^th and 6^th rounds: Ray and Evans are great on the offensive boards, but their lack of scoring efficiency and high fouls create serious problems.  Taking Powe was a luxury, especially since he is also a fouling machine.  A more efficient/gentler big man combo would have made this a strong playoff contender; as it is, the team might not perform as well as its great three-point shooting and offensive firepower would have allowed. 

felonius - Dikembe Mutombo, Kobe Bryant, Cedric Maxwell, Terrell Brandon, Billy Paultz, Al Jefferson, Rod Strickland— Grade: B

This newcomer’s squad looks promising (and has some great value picks), but a few missteps will prevent it from going far in the playoffs.  Mutombo was a reach, and not really a defensible one.  Several players taken much later can generate 90% of what he generates; to me, that’s a pretty good definition of a reach.  Kobe, Brandon, and Strickland form a great backcourt.  However, Maxwell doesn’t contribute what this team needs from the outside (three-point shooting), from the inside (offensive rebounding), or in terms of efficiency (low fouls/to’s) to warrant a third-round selection.  Starting Paultz over Jefferson could be another serious mistake.  Jefferson’s higher-minute season seems like a much better fit for this squad, since it not only gives good offense but monk-like austerity in the avoidance of turnovers. 

jweb1510 - Shawn Marion, Gary Payton, Anthony Mason, Nate Thurmond, Alvin Robertson, Red Robbins, Fred Hoiberg— Grade: C

Difficult to say who is rustier after his layoff: jweb or Lance Armstrong.  The first two picks were great, but the next four were either reaches (Mason, Hoiberg), less valuable than available alternatives (Robbins), or players who can’t really hack it in a high-cap league because of one glaring deficiency (Robertson, who lacks outside shooting; Thurmond, who shoots as well as an Imperial Storm Trooper).  It’s still good to see jweb return to our game/mutual sickness, and I hope it’s for good. 

Dantley is ultimately my make or break I feel. My season hinders on him to put up 24+ all season long

Agree with uvasooner but my 5th and 6th  (Ward and Gooden) could of been stronger.  But picked them within the concept of my team and what I thought was need that spot, made up for other weaknesses.  Rather than take the most productive player. We will see, hope my picks bear out but uvasooner is the master.....

I have never drafted a team with as many PFs as I have this time.  I detest Clifford Ray, but he was the guy I felt I needed with my rebounding issues.  I think I'll compete, but I might be competing for the right to say that I just missed the playoffs.  We'll see how it works, though.  I'm excited to use the Dream, even if I do think he's a second tier big man in the sim.  I also feel sour on this team because I spent about a tenth the amount of time on this draft as I normally spend on one.  Too much going on that kept me from really doing some work on it.

thanks for the reviews uva

a couple quibbles:

1) in what way would Jefferson's 28% usg 50.0 efg 10/24 creb 2.7 TOp48 2900 min season be better for my team than his 23 usg 52% efg 12/27 creb 2.8TOp48 2300 campaign? I dont need the minutes and even without the 5 usg points my team will still almost always field around 110% usg on the floor so my thinking is that I'll take the more potent everything else in slightly distilled form

2) in discussing Conrbread's lack of efficiency I assume you're not talking about his 61% efg with 700+ ftas and in calling out his lack of offensive rebounding are there really more than 3 or 4 SF eligibles available that  do better than 9%? and were any of them still there when I took him at the end of the 3rd? as for his inside contributions he's 70% paint scorer at the aformentioned 61% efg (although he does also take 130 3pas at 34%)

this is what you get when you search SF=100%, efg=50%+, min=2700+, 3pa=100+ and sort by Orbd%

Barkley > all as a guy that didn't play SF but is 100% at SF (in this sim)

Felonious-
You are right about Maxwell's efficiency; I meant that he had high turnovers.  I also went from memory on the offensive rebound numbers, as my internet access was down (and I didn't run the numbers on Maxwell in a spreadsheet, like I should have).  When you've been playing this sim for as long as we.... er, I mean, I have, you sometimes make mistakes!

the connotation of efficiency differs from person to person I think.  Scoring efficiency, to me, means more about shooting a good fg% (or efg%) than turning the ball over or having good ft%.  Guys that get it all done for ya (boards, good efg%, lot of ftas) are usually going to have a weakness (turnovers, fouls or poor ft%)... What do you care about more?  I care more way more about boards and efg% than anything else in the sim, as right now, that's the key.  You can easily win leagues averaging 20 topg.  If your tov differential is 2 a game on the negative, yet your rebound differential is 10 or 15 a game... you win way more than you lose (assuming you don't have a bunch of sh*tty shooters).  Fouls I care a lot about (probably more than most)  Back on topic - when I think of Cornbread Maxwell, I think of efficiency.  I'll take 60% efg%.  

I still want to do a team with Barkley & Cornbread... just kind of low boards if I'm using both of them at the same time.  Have to use Kidd, Fat or maybe Magic at the point to balance that out (and when you talk about adding Magic, now I am getting scared of turnovers!  Barkley + Magic = eeek! by themselves).  Kidd has really high tov% even though total turnovers are kind of low (depending on season).  I think I might try that in an OL if they don't release the 09-10 players soon.  Kidd/Cornbread/Barkley.  I could do a high board/mid-minute platoon at center... and an efficient (both high efg% and low tov%) guy at SG that gets to the line a lot... hmmmmm....

ps - lol @ your final comment uva!  That's golden!