Most of the time when people write evals, they wait until the draft is concluded for obvious reasons. But what I’m suggesting is… what if they didn’t. Introducing: the Savage XXIV Live Draft Evals.

I am going to write a little bit about every pick that is made, trying to post as regularly as possible - these next two weeks are fairly good for my schedule. I will be avoiding naming or strongly alluding to any undrafted players.

1.1 - 24kpyrite - LeBron James

Obviously the #1 pick. Does everything you need, from any position, with 2800+ minutes each season. Any other pick here would be a mistake.

1.2 - dBKC - Wilt Chamberlain

I went a different direction with #2 a few seasons ago, but I've come to believe that Wilt is the correct pick. It is so very long to picks 2 and 3 given the ABB format, and he gives you so many minutes and checks off several key boxes. He feels to me like a high floor, low ceiling type of pick but with 3 crowns it's clearly a very high floor - 3 crowns is the highest of any of the top 15 by ADP.

1.3 - chewy3344 - Michael Jordan

Arguably a reach at 3, but not much of one. Plays huge minutes, and he is so much easier to build around here than in low cap leagues. A bit of a rich man's (*** insert high usage, middling efficiency guard here ***) in this format, where he is capable of driving offense but not necessarily elite efficiency, but he offers so much else that he justifies a top 4 ranking. I don't mind this at all, but I'd still rather have the next guy.

1.4 - benhoidal - Giannis

My #3 player, he gives you over 10,000 minutes so I think some of the minutes concerns are overblown. He's a triple double threat every night, with positional versatility and defense, so you can't ask for much more. I do notice lesser managers mis-deploying him and teammates around him, like happens with LeBron. But conversely good managers can find ways to stretch his minutes and his impact even further.

1.5 - dh555 - Steph Curry

An easy pick here at 5, Steph marks the end of the 2-5 tier. I think #5 is right for him, right after MJ. 0 crowns but his 8 titles are best in the top 10 - not sure what to make of that. A one man offense on an even higher level than most of the other guys around him, though he is also by far the worst rebounder in this tier, and the top several tiers of rebounders with 5 seasons will be gone by the next pick.

1.6 - gerryred - Nikola Jokic

I have Jokic at 7 or 8. He's at 6 elite quality seasons now, so depth is no concern. Has 1 crown but that came back when he went #61 so he has yet to win it all as a first rounder - but I think it's just a matter of when and not if. I have not been in this position, but would likely take him at 7, after the next guy.

I'll pick back up with my own pick, Reddit's own Rudy Gobert, later tonight. These will (hopefully) get more interesting once we get out of the chalky territory.

1.7 - raggedclaws - Rudy Gobert

The low usage king. I have been trending more usage heavy in the early rounds of Savage but I'll make an exception for Gobert after the top 5 are gone. It's team dependent for me if I use 21-22 or the higher minute but inferior 23-24, but 16-17 18-19 19-20 and 20-21 are solid gold.

I don't think he's necessarily undervalued in this spot, though like I mentioned I would have him slightly above Jokic. He doesn't contribute to every facet of the game, but he aligns with the most important ones, with usage still being crucial in Savage but relatively easier to find.

1.8 - steelers821 - David Robinson

It's getting trickier, but I have the Admiral as the top pick here. Some really quality seasons above 2500, mostly above 3000 minutes. He's a solid passer for his size, consistently 90+ on defense, blocks more and fouls less than Gobert, while having a better turnover rate. 70%+ FT shooter.

I wish the EFG and the rebounding were a little more consistent, but that's why he's available here at 8. Could easily go as high as 6. His 2 crowns are the best of anyone taken so far, outside of the top 2 picks.

1.9 - oddson - Dwight Howard

There are a lot of right answers at this point of the draft. Dwight is one of them - his TO% and FT% scare me off, but he has 5 really high quality, high minute seasons to choose from, and they all come with elite rebounding, EFG, and defense. The foul rate isn't even awful, though it's pretty bad for someone with so many minutes, hence him fouling out so often.

0 crowns in all of Savage, and only 1 title - that's the fewest titles of anyone taken so far. In fact, a team with Dwight has never finished better than 5. I definitely believe he could win it all with the right team - just like in the real world. It probably just won't be mine.

1.10 - ysw128 - Kawhi Leonard

I am sure this is the highest Kawhi has ever gone. I don't really think it's a huge mistake, or necessarily a mistake at all; he's an awesome player who is generally underrated, and has enjoyed quite a bit of Savage success. However, that success has come much later in the draft, and with some of the top managers of all time. I'd have rather taken AD or Kareem, but I'm very interested to see how this team turns out.

And you can't sleep on that new 25-26 season. Who could have seen that coming, with everything going on on- and off-court for the Clippers? Massive upgrade for Kawhi's Savage viability - makes him going 10th less of a reach and more of a matter of preference.

1.11 - kammeyer - DeAndre Jordan

This is pretty high for DJ as well. All the same issues as Gobert, while being less of a foundational piece - he doesn't defend as well, takes fewer FGs, and has a much worse FT game. He has two crowns, but those have come from being drafted 17th and 20th. I'd only start looking at him seriously after #15 or so.

1.12 - tarheel1991 - SGA

I don't have any major objection to this pick - from the moment the Admiral got picked, SGA has had three of my top four rated seasons. The gap between him and MJ is small and shrinking. If SGA keeps putting together seasons like these last 3, 12th is going to start looking like quite the steal real quick. Really amazing career he is putting together.

1.13. - uptowngbv - James Harden

I'm not a fan of Harden here. Despite an ADP of 14, Harden has 0 crowns and 5 titles. I'm not ready to write any player off, but clearly Harden is a tricky guy to build around in Savage, and I wouldn't want to be doing it from the 13th pick. He's a one man offense, but at "just" 55% TS, 14%+ TO rate, and high fouls for a guard in his best seasons, it's not the one man I'd choose. I'd clearly rather have CP3 or KD for guards, and AD or Kareem overall.

All that said - Harden has finished 2-4 six times, so he's gotten close. His passing and rebounding from the 1 are nice, and his 3PT and FT centric game makes his teams tough to defend against. I just wonder if the league is ready to move on from Harden being a top 15 guy, he's not nearly as unique as he was back when he was putting up MVP level seasons six years ago.

1.14 - edsortails - Anthony Davis

Finally. I would have considered AD as early as 8, and have him clearly above nearly everyone who has gone since - SGA being the main possible exception.

The rebounding and minutes leave a tiny bit to be desired, but his incredibly efficient offense, and clean, significant defense more than make up for it. He gives you so much, while not locking you into any particular build the way Curry or Jokic might.

1.15 - jethroeg - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

This is a pretty good spot for Kareem. I think there's another tier drop after you get past AD, Kawhi, DJ, and SGA, and Kareem is up there with anyone in the next tier. He doesn't have an elite season up there with the very very best, but he has a ton of consistency with rock solid seasons.

Not the sexiest pick, but Kareem at 15 is the recipe for a winning team, and as long as he keeps going this late eventually someone is going to win with him.

1.16 - 20ks - Chris Paul

CP3 is an interesting one. You can't say he's overvalued here - his ADP historically is in the top 10, and everyone knows what he brings to the table. But 0 crowns is telling (though he has come second, with yours truly).

I mentioned earlier how Gobert aligns perfectly with what is valued in Savage, and CP3 is kind of the opposite. Brings passing in a league where passing is plentiful, he has a fairly high usage but not amazing efficiency - would be nice if he had gotten to the line more - and he isn't positionally versatile. For me, he is a complimentary piece - and a short one - at a part in the draft when I would still like to be building with foundational pieces, or at least bigs. That said, as he keeps sliding later and later, it will be easier to build a championship team around him.

1.17 - ncmusician_7 - Shaq

I was trying to think about if I'd rather have Kareem or Shaq, and then I looked at it again, and it's clearly Kareem. Shaq is great too though! I like him a lot here at 17. Gives you really great minutes, and blocks enough to be a solid plus on defense even when his on-ball defense is somewhat lacking.

I'd take him before DJ, Harden, or CP3 personally. 17 or so feels right to me - he went 18th last year - and it is tough to imagine him slipping to the 20s even I think you could make that case.

1.18 - jcred5 - Dr J

I really love Dr J. He was great for me last year. He has a very Savage friendly profile, with five big minute seasons, each with 100 D and solid contributions everywhere except EFG and 3s - but he's still above 51% EFG consistently. So much to like in his profile.

Taking him above KD is still wrong though, imo.

1.19 - beloud - Kevin Durant

KD always slides further than I would expect. And I've passed on him in this range before, too. But he's a stud and there are good arguments for him being as high as 11 or 12.

Compared to Dr J, for example, he's obviously a step down when it comes to minutes and defense. But the areas he clears Dr J in - high usage, efficient shooting, low TOs, great 3s - are so essential in creating a high level offense that he comes out ahead in my book.

1.20 - jjmurphy1127 - Karl Malone

Good spot for the Mailman. His quality drops off somewhat from 1-5 but I still have him nearly as good as Shaq, and would rather have him than DJ. Anyone drafting him needs to start planning for how they're going to get blocks elsewhere immediately, though. Despite the good on-ball defense, he's a Jokic-level swatter.

*side note on the 24k - ben trade. I don't really know why you would trade down from 1 to 4; Giannis has more holes in his game than LeBron, while only getting you three spots higher with your second and third picks. You can make the case that Giannis' top seasons are slightly better than LeBron's (other than 12-13) on a per minute basis, but this is pretty clearly negated by the minutes difference. Normally there aren't 'bad' trades in Savage, and Giannis is a great player, but this is clearly a win for ben and a head scratcher from 24k.

1.21 - riftonapple - Charles Barkley

Not quite at the top of my board, but in the range where he's definitely a good pick. The warts - bad defense, fairly high towels, takes and misses a ton of 3s - are well known but somewhat mitigable, and the advantages he gives you at the 3 in TS and rebounding are massive. One of the lower floor, higher ceiling guys in Savage not solely because of his player profile but also the managerial talent needed to maximize him.

1.22 - berkelon - Larry Bird

Can't argue with Larry in the 20s. I have him and Chuck as neck-and-neck. Chuck is the better shooter and rebounder but Bird is much more well rounded, though both are stronger through 4 seasons than through 5. I'm not sure I'll ever land Bird as there's usually someone I like a little better, but I'm not mad at this at all.

1.23 - midge - Kevin Garnett

This is a great spot for KG. His top 5 seasons compare pretty favorably to Barkley and Bird, but I'd still lean ranking those two above KG due to their more consistent access to SF. Mediocre eFG on high usage, but he chips in everywhere else at an elite level, and you can build around those types more easily in Savage than other leagues.

Somehow KG only has 2 titles but also 2 crowns - one with pex and one with rob.

1.24 - pbandj - Luka Doncic
2.1 - pbandj - Hassan Whiteside

This is a hell of a combo. Luka is not my very favorite Savage first rounder - sure those most recent 3 seasons are great, but it's a big drop from there - but everyone has flaws at this point. Meanwhile I will never knock anyone for taking Whiteside in the late first.

It's not the exact 1-2 I would have gone for, I may have passed on guard entirely here, but it's in the top 3 for sure, and I have pbandj and riftonapple with the best 2 man cores so far. I don't really go for this myself, but Luka/Whiteside also screams "loading up 2-3 contenders" to me.

Somehow neither Luka - not a surprise - nor Whiteside - a surprise - have won a crown.

2.2 - midge - Dennis Rodman
Roster: KG, Rodman

Oh, Rodman. I'd wouldn't take him here in a million years personally - maybe if it was Savage with a salary cap - but he does have one crown with beloud taking him around here. He's an OK fit with KG, but not very good in my opinion - I wouldn't be passing on usage after taking KG, instead I'd be looking to add even more efficient shooting to offset KG.

2.3 - berkelon - Dwyane Wade
Roster: Bird, Wade

I like both Bird and Wade fine where they went, but they would not be my choice of partners - I'm not locked into getting a big in my first two picks, but if I'm going for a guard and a forward I want at least one of them to be a stud rebounder for their position, like Dr J and Chuck last year for me. Whiteside would have been a great fit, and I'd have rather taken Duncan as well. I guess Wade can cover for Bird in seasons where Bird doesn't defend as well.

I've never taken Wade but both beloud and pex have won with him, albeit a little later in the draft.

2.4 - riftonapple - Tim Duncan
Roster: Barkley, Duncan

This is pretty much the right spot for Tim, and he's a good complement for Barkley in most ways, other than not really being able to switch onto 3s. There are a few other names I'd have considered here as well but Tim would have definitely made my shortlist and this slow-and-steady big man centric approach sets this team up for future success. His seasons are sneaky hard to choose from, but there's plenty of good options.

The trade was strictly based on me wanting to try out Giannis. Never had in Savage, so whomever drafted him got Lebron.

Posted by 24kpyrite on 8/10/2026 1:58:00 PM (view original):
The trade was strictly based on me wanting to try out Giannis. Never had in Savage, so whomever drafted him got Lebron.

Noted. My original opinion remains unchanged.

2.5 - jjmurphy1127 - Moses Malone
Roster: K Malone, M Malone

This is a pretty good pick, but I'd have preferred Hakeem, who I think is considerably better than Moses. Moses beats Hakeem in shooting (slightly), rebounding, and fouls, which are all meaningful - but Hakeem is so much better at defense and especially blocks that I nonetheless rate Hakeem more highly. Hakeem also has a significant edge in steals and passing. Hakeem's blocks would have been an excellent fit next to the Mailman.

Moses is quite good in his own right but once you get past the 78 and 82 seasons I'm not as enthusiastic, and I don't see how this team ends up even league average in blocks at this point. Not to keep piling on, but Hakeem has 1 crown to Moses’ 0.

2.6 - beloud - Hakeem Olajuwon
Roster: KD, Olajuwon

One of the top guys left on the board, he is not without flaws as laid out above, but Hakeem has a really solid all-around game, and those 5%+ block rates are beautiful. The Dream is an excellent fit with the Slim Reaper, and this immediately becomes my top contender at this early stage.

2.7 - jcred5 - Damian Lillard
Roster: Dr J, Lillard

This is an OK spot for Dame, who has certainly has enjoyed success in Savage, but it's a little high for my taste and not the best match with Dr. J; though Erving rebounds well enough at his position to make this viable, I much prefer pairing Dame with a big man. Meanwhile, Dr J can technically cover for Dame but it isn't the smoothest fit. Lillard also drops off quite a bit after his top three seasons, one of which only plays 2107 minutes.

Not a terrible pick by any means, but I think there were better fits with Dr J on the board here.

2.8 - ncmusician_7 - Shawn Marion
Roster: Shaq, Marion

Often near the top of my list but rarely taken, Marion seems like a good pick here. Doesn't have any other seasons that come close to 05 and 06 but those two are excellent and there are other quality choices to round out the five. Wish he shot a little better from 3 but he'll give make one a game. Solid selection, good fit next to Shaq.

2.9 - 20ks - Ben Wallace
Roster: CP3, Big Ben

While I have been guilty of taking Ben Wallace in the top half of the second, I generally think it's a mistake. He helps out your team with rebounding and defense while not fouling much... and that's about it. I don't value that especially highly in Savage for Rodman, and I don't for Big Ben either. Better low cap player than Savage player.

The fit with CP3 is fine, but I would have taken a bigger swing 9 picks into the second round. Big Ben has 0 crowns and only 3 titles.

2.10 - jethroeg - Karl-Anthony Towns
Roster: Kareem, KAT

Awesome pairing. I love it. No notes. Two great picks. KAT is fantastic and I wish I had won with him.

2.11 - edsortails - Clint Capela
Roster: AD, Capela

Great pairing as well. Capela is one of, if not the best, all-around rebounders still available and he plugs AD's mild deficiencies in that area. Good spot for Capela to go. Embiid would have been fun too.

2.12 - uptowngbv - Artis Gilmore
Roster: Harden, Gilmore

This is pretty solid. I would rather have Embiid than Gilmore, but Artis is one of the best big men left. Weird mix of seasons, and there's better per minute guys left, but he's really good and plays so many minutes. I like it next to Harden. Turnovers are already trending awfully high, though.

2.13 - tarheel1991 - Joel Embiid
Roster: SGA, Embiid

Amazing pairing. Quite low minutes, but I have both of these as the BPA when they got taken. Embiid is perennially underrated; the minutes are low, but he does so so much when he's on the floor and has put together a decent five season package. FTs and TOs are going to be incredible.

2.14 - kammeyer - Scottie Pippen
Roster: DJ, Pippen

It's a logical pairing; I'm just not that high on either Pippen or DJ. For whatever reason I've never liked Pippen quite as much as his mediocre-shooting, but all-around-contributors at guard. Pippen has a solid track record though, I think some of it is just personal preference on my part. Rebounding is looking really nice, so is defense.

2.15 - ysw128 - Oscar Robertson
Roster: Kawhi, Oscar

Two great players, but I'm not totally sold on the partnership. They're both good rebounders for guards, but not so above average that you're totally set. That said, I think they both got taken around where they should, and you still have plenty of flexibility going forward.

2.16 - oddson - Kevin McHale
Roster: Dwight, McHale

I think this is pretty good. My first instinct would be leaning guard with Dwight, but McHale is talented and clean and complements Dwight in many of the right ways. McHale isn't the sexiest pick out there but he has a really nice 5 season mix. Rebounding, defense, and eFG are projecting great.

2.17 - steelers821 - Tyrese Haliburton
Roster: Admiral, Haliburton

Nice pick - this is the right range for Hali, and the fit is so smooth with David Robinson. Great start, I really like it.

2.18 - raggedclaws - Jimmy Butler
Roster: Gobert, Butler

I had been holding out hope for Oscar, and definitely considered a few guys alongside Butler, but this felt right. One of the winningest Savage players of all time (though he used to go lower). A positive contributor in so many areas, great combination of boards and passing, along with one of the cleanest games you'll see in terms of towels and FTs.

Obviously you wish the eFG and 3s were a little better, that he was a more dependable shooter and defender, but if it weren't for that he'd keep rising even higher. Sad that we probably won't get another Savage-worthy season out of him, but he's more interesting this way.

2.19 - gerryred - Tyson Chandler
Roster: Jokic, Tyson

Maybe it's just my memory but Tyson used to go a little higher, but has settled into a better spot here near the end of the second. His usage is so low that you don't get much value from his shooting, and he doesn't block all that many shots - but the rebounding is pretty good and he doesn't kill you with the fouls. You also don't feel the TOs as much as you would with a higher usage player. I still probably have him slightly below here, but not by too much.

He's a pretty good but not perfect fit next to Jokic. I'd have certainly rather had Kemp, who is a messier player but also contributes more offensively AND defensively, most notably with his usage and his blocks.

2.20 - dh555 - Shawn Kemp
Roster: Curry, Kemp

Speaking of Kemp, I'm a big fan of this pairing. Kemp covers most of the areas Curry doesn't. Really good start. Nice to see Kemp getting his due.

2.21 - 24kpyrite - Kobe Bryant
Roster: Giannis, Kobe

I am not sure how to feel about this pairing. Kobe obviously has value in Savage, and this is around where he goes now... but it is a little high for my taste, I prefer him as a third guy rather than a second guy. Wanting big minutes with how long it'll be until pick 3 makes sense, and I don't hate it, but I'd have rather gone with Nance in this spot. Kobe has 1 crown, but that came back when rob got him at 84, which is a huge difference.

2.22 - chewy3344 - Andre Drummond
Roster: MJ, Drummond

Drummond is another guy who is overvalued to me - he rebounds well (understatement), has solid stocks, shoots OK some of the time - but his FT shooting and relatively high foul rate sap a lot of his value. 0 crowns OR titles all time. That 12-13 season always shows up high on my list, then I remember he only plays 15 minutes. Not the worst strike partner with MJ, that's a decent pairing, but there were a number of other guys I'd have preferred. OTOH, Drummond is a late third rounder or early fourth to me.

2.23 - dbkc - Victor Wembanyama
Roster: Wilt, Wemby

Now this is spicy. Wemby of course is light on minutes and you normally wouldn't want that with 24 picks until you go again, but Wilt is the perfect counterweight in that regard. This is another jump for Wemby, from last season where he went 61, but I'm not sure it's wrong. His value is going to be super dependent on who he has around him - and this is an ideal fit.

If Wemby in the second is going to work, this is how it's going to happen.

2.24 - benhoidal - Larry Nance
Roster: LeBron, Nance

Nance is a great pick here, a high quality minutes eater who I considered at my last pick. Nance has yet to win a crown but it's just a matter of time - rob, jkaye, and I have all gotten him to second.

I kind of lump Nance, Brand, and Bobby Jones together, and Nance is obviously the best of the three, with either Brand or Bobby coming second depending on what the team needs. Really happy to have any of them at SF. Nance has the best SF eligibility, as well.

3.1 - pbandj - Kyrie Irving
Roster: Luka, Whiteside, Irving

Interesting to take Irving with Luka already on board - this about the right spot for Kyrie, and Luka isn't exactly giving you a full 48 minutes on each squad, so I get it. I probably would have looked for a different position, or at least archetype though. Still, this is a very dangerous trio. Whiteside will help to cover for some point of attack weaknesses, but he also can't guard a guard.

I often find Kyrie on my shortlist, but haven't pulled the trigger. At six titles and one crown, his Savage credentials are impressive. Basically a mini-Dame who also defends better. Maybe I'll try him out eventually.

3.2 - midge - Bam Adebayo
Roster: KG, Rodman, Bam

I have always kind of scoffed at Bam going this high, but he has crowns from 48, 49, and 52 so clearly I'm the one in the wrong. When I look at him I see a soft rebounder for his position, an inconsistent shooter, a good but not amazing defender (and poor blocker for what he is), and decide I'd rather go with a more traditional big man.

Clearly I am underrating his strong passing for a big, fairly good FT shooting, and low fouls. I don't especially love this trio, but Midge won with Bam pretty recently, and this may just be a blind spot for me. You do you, Midge!

3.3 - berkelon - Dikembe Mutombo
Roster: Bird, Wade, Mutombo

Love it. I had some issues with the Bird/Wade combo but Mutombo is a great third piece. I think Mutombo is a little underrated in Savage, though I wouldn't want him in the second - he has not historically done well when taken so high either - so this is just right.

3.4 - riftonapple - Jrue Holiday
Roster: Barkley, Duncan, Holiday

I like adding a clean guard who shoots 3s after taking Barkley and Duncan. I would have liked Kyrie a lot better, but you didn't have that option. Holiday vs the Glove is an interesting debate, both have 1 crown. I could have gone either way, but I think Jrue makes sense with his ability to actually make 3s at a decent rate.

3.5 - jjmurphy1127 - Andrei Kirilenko
Roster: K Malone, M Malone, AK47

This is a very nice spot for AK, and his blocks are going to be big for this team. Tough to say how he fits in with other guards/forwards when there aren't any other guards yet, but I think this is an awesome pick. Would have been OK with the Glove here as well, but AK is a better fit for your needs.

3.6 - beloud - Gary Payton
Roster: Durant, Hakeem, GP

I mentioned GP Sr a few times, and this is a good landing spot for him. Beloud has won a crown with him before, so he is presumably very familiar with his game. I've always found the Glove's profile to be slightly underwhelming, with his usage but only OK shooting, but there aren't any 5 season guards without flaws at this point, and he has enough strengths to compensate.

3.7 - jcred5 - Jarrett Allen
Roster: Dr J, Dame, J Allen

Well there's your rebounding! Still only 1/3 with good defenders, but I like the pick. Allen is a stud who has put together a really nice five season portfolio - though one more usable season above 2000 minutes would not be unwelcome. 0 crowns, but 8 titles. I took him in the second round a few drafts ago (should have taken Kemp) and finished fourth. This roster is shaping up nicely.

3.8 - ncmusician_7 - John Stockton
Roster: Shaq, Marion, Stockton

Mehh. There's a case to be made for Stockton on paper, but whether he's going in the top 10 or in the 60s, he's never secured a crown. My numbers don't like him, either. We've seen, time and again, that even without a cap he gives away in turnovers and rebounding and moderately high fouls most of the value his passing, defense, and shooting generate. He seems like he'd be a high floor player, but his teams have averaged in the bottom half of Savage (13.95). Maybe some of his poor performance is the best managers ignoring him, but I'll believe he's capable of a championship run when I see it. At least he's going lower here than he has in recent drafts.

With that out of the way, this trio has some logic behind it and is balanced decently well and I wouldn't be shocked to see it perform OK. Still, I'd have rather had Magic, Manu, Tatum, Spida, or Billups above Stockton.

3.9 - 20ks - Patrick Ewing
Roster: CP3, Big Ben, Ewing

I like this pick a lot. I complained about Big Ben being a limited player, but he and Ewing go together really well - though Ewing can guard well enough that a more offensive minded partner than Big Ben would have worked as well, as long as they rebounded. Like KAT.

This is the same first 3 as luke took last season, but with Big Ben in the place of Capela. I prefer Capela in that spot, but this is still a very flexible start which could turn out nicely.

3.10 - jethroeg - Magic Johnson
Roster: Kareem, KAT, Magic

Jethro continues to crush this draft. With KAT launching 3s, Magic's deficiencies there are much less noticeable. Magic has 0 crowns but has historically been taken in the second, and has finished second twice, so I think he has a much better chance of breaking through from here in the third.

I had the same first three a few years ago, with AD in the first instead of Kareem - I won a title and came in second. While I slightly prefer AD in that spot, this is a great trio as well.

3.11 - edsortails - Paul George
Roster: AD, Capela, PG13

I dunno, it's fine. It's tough for me to get excited about Paul George in Savage. He has a similar profile to some other players who go several rounds later, one guy still on the board in particular, though his 18-19 season is a difference maker. Wish he shot a little better, but he's great all-around and as long as he's sinking 3s he's going to help your team out. One of the BPA yet I wonder if a more traditional PG (point guard) would have been a better fit.

Did you know that 7 of the 8 times PG has been drafted prior to this he's gone either 53 or 54? Beloud won with that formula, but most of his other drafters have fared far worse.

3.12 - uptowngbv - Bill Russell
Roster: Harden, Gilmore, Bill Russell

There's definitely some logic to pairing Russell with Harden - dBKC did it a few drafts ago, and I assume it's happened more times in the past as well. It makes all the sense in the world, let Harden (and Gilmore) take the shots, and Russell will do the hard stuff. Sure, Russell is bad at shooting, TOs, and FTs, but that doesn't matter if he doesn't have the ball. But will it actually work?

I'm not sure. Russell - like Stockton - makes some sense on paper. But in 22 appearances he has 0 crowns and 0 titles. The evidence just isn't there. I took him the latest he's ever gone - 58 - and dragged him to 3rd place, but even then 0 titles. This is even later, and maybe it'll happen this time. But if dBKC couldn't make it work with Harden/Embiid/Russell, well, I'm skeptical about this time too.

3.13 - tarheel1991 - Manu Ginobili
Roster: SGA, Embiid, Manu

Manu is awesome, no issues with the draft slot. If he had made it to me I might have been kicking myself for taking Butler instead of waiting for him. But was he really what you needed after taking two guys who want the ball in their hands? I assume he is backing up SGA, but this feels iffy to me. Still, it's three great players, and I'm not going to complain about that.

I was surprised to see that Manu had never won it all, despite being taken by quite a few pedigreed managers.

3.14 - kammeyer - Jayson Tatum
Roster: DJ, Pippen, Tatum

Tatum has always been an interesting case to me. He has an analytics-friendly game, with all the 3PA and rebounds from the guard position. However, I've always been a little cold on him. Maybe it's the poor defense (though he switches) or the eFG and 3pt%, which can be decent but also fluctuate.

But I like this spot for him. He and Pippen have usage overlap and complement each other defensively. Even though he has 0 crowns he has delivered above average results on average.

3.15 - ysw128 - Evan Mobley
Roster: Kawhi, Oscar, Mobley

Typically I like Mobley much, much better in single season leagues. BUT I wonder if things have fully shaken out since he got his new season, which improves his profile considerably.

I think I'd be scared to still have 0 big men after 3, but there's plenty of draft left.

3.16 - oddson - Donovan Mitchell
Roster: Dwight, McHale, Spida

For a while I was generally of the opinion that Donovan Mitchell was being overdrafted. But much like Mobley, he has a new season that is good enough that I am willing to reevaluate. Really nice trio.

3.17 - steelers821 - Sidney Moncrief
Roster: Admiral, Haliburton, Moncrief

We chatted about Moncrief a bit in the Discord - I have Moncrief as more of a 4th/5th rounder, but his ADP recently does not agree, and he's performed at this draft slot. Some really good managers have guided him to good results, I am guessing by using his defensive flexibility to the fullest.

3.18 - raggedclaws - Bobby Jones
Roster: Gobert, Butler, Bobby Jones

While I didn't totally lock into SF, I was pretty sure I was going to grab a 3 after Gobert and Butler. Bobby Jones and Elton Brand were naturally the top options, and I thought about Gafford (and Clyde) as well. Ultimately, Bobby's superior eFG felt better with Butler on board, and I appreciate the flexibility his extra bit of passing affords me.

3.19 - gerryred - Alonzo Mourning
Roster: Jokic, Chandler, Zo

The opposite of ysw's team. Mourning has never won it all, though he has come close a few times. It's a fascinating big man rotation - in Zo's highest usage years he and Jokic can easily create a usage package, but curious if you will use his 17-19 usage seasons or not. The blocks and defense are welcome, however turnovers are looking high from these three guys alone.

3.20 - dh555 - Daniel Gafford
Roster: Steph, Kemp, Gafford

His ADP has been bouncing around lately but I feel that this is about the right range. I like guys with his profile in the fourth a lot better than the third, though at 20 this practically is the fourth. It's a good fit - his skills are a little 'redundant' with Kemp but those are mostly skills you want to stockpile, and this is a nice cohort forming up around Curry.

3.21 - 24kpyrite - Ivica Zubac
Roster: Giannis, Kobe, Zubac

One of the biggest risers in Savage recently, after having been a late round winner, Zubac only has one crown when drafted between 59-124, but four crowns when taken from 125 onward. I think this is too high for him, personally - yes, the 24-25 season is very nice, but from there on he more closely resembles guys who go much later. Nonetheless, with the top end season and good season depth behind it, it's defensible.

3.22 - chewy3344 - Marcus Camby
Roster: MJ, Drummond, Camby

Camby suffers from many of the same issues as Ben Wallace, but at least he goes in the 70s instead of the 30s, which is far more palatable. Late third seems like a good spot for him; he was drafted in the second or early third for a while but I think people have generally caught on that he is not the most valuable in a no cap setting. 0 crowns, and only 2 titles.

I'm not crazy about the fit here - I think the most successful MJ teams, especially in Savage, supplement him with strong usage instead of counting him to have the ball in his hands every time. But it's only the third, I recognize this isn't a finished squad. I'm somewhat lower on this than your typical Chewy squad but there's a lot of positives here too, like rebounding.

3.23 - dbkc - Walker Kessler
Roster: Wilt, Wemby, Kessler

This is now dB's sixth time with Kessler, which is pretty remarkable for a guy who has only been drafted 13 times. Kessler is awesome, and the fit should be really fun. Personally, I don't value guys with this few minutes so highly - you need to draft big minutes eaters at some point to fill out five competent teams (unless five isn't your goal, fair) and I'd rather get it out of the way early than be relying on late round guys too too much. I really, really value guys who have five Usable Seasons. Savage has just gotten too good, and there aren't as many gems late as in years past.

Still, if history is any guide, Kessler is probably going to be good for one title and a top 5 finish. And there's nothing wrong with that, at all. But personally, I know I'd rather have a guy like Mitch Rob who is going to contribute on 5 teams.

3.24 - benhoidal - Mitchell Robinson
4.1 - benhoidal - Bill Walton
Roster: LeBron, Nance, Mitch Rob, Walton

This is a really nice start. I appreciate Walton's talent but generally avoid him for the same reasons I avoid Kessler this early - but those top two seasons are excellent. Great rebounding, great defense, great eFG.

4.2 - dbkc - Elton Brand
Roster: Wilt, Wemby, Kessler, Brand

Awesome foursome. As was noted in the Discord, Brand and Wilt provide enough minutes to allow for Wemby and Kessler. Brand is a steal this late, should absolutely be a third rounder. His eFG/usage combo in some of his lesser seasons isn't going to make any headlines, but he's good enough at everything else to still be useful and valuable. Can't wait to see how this one turns out.

4.3 - chewy3344 - Horace Grant
Roster: MJ, Drummond, Camby, Ho Grant

As I believe I've shared before, I'm only so-so on Horace. 0 crowns, though ash came close. 91 and 93 are pretty good. I'm just not sure what he's supposed to be great at. Maybe I am just underrating his well rounded game, but I believe I will continue to pass on him.

Don't hate him on this team, which needed a 3, but I'd have rather taken Harrell, Faried, or Ibaka, to name just a few. Chewy is probably thinking I'm picking on him now, but this is just a lot of Not My Guys. This team still has a lot of potential.
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4.4 - 24kpyrite - Chauncey Billups
Roster: Giannis, Kobe, Zubac, Billups

Big Billups fan, as evidenced by my last season and increasingly other leagues I'm in as well. The fit is... not bad, as he gives you a sniper from the outside, though the passing and guard defense aren't exactly needed at this point. Not a bad pick, but I probably would have followed need and gone a different direction.
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4.5 - dh555 - Ben Simmons
Roster: Steph, Kemp, Gafford, B Simmons

Here comes Mr. No Dunks. Simmons has had some success in Savage, having come twice a few times and won two titles. I definitely like him better here in the fourth instead of the third, and I guess the fit with Curry is pretty good.

I still don't like Ben Simmons, either personally or in the Sim, and when he and Curry share the court the defensive switching won't be perfect. He can't make a 3 or a FT to save his life, fouls too much for a guard, and turns it over like crazy - this is not looking like a super clean team - but I will begrudgingly accept his fit at this draft slot and with this team, as OK. Still not my top choice of the available guys, though. I wonder how dh feels about having him on his team.
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4.6 - gerryred - Serge Ibaka
Roster: Jokic, Chandler, Zo, Ibaka

Another player who has been spurned by the cognoscenti, and has fallen as a result. If Gerry is resolved to not take a guard, then Ibaka is a decent pick. I'd rather have Favors, or Clyde, but this is not too bad at all. Ibaka has a very respectable 7 titles but 0 crowns - maybe he'll be able to break through from the early fourth, or maybe he has a little farther to fall.

Obviously the appeal is the shooting, the rebounding, and the blocks, but he doesn't shoot enough to really make it count, and there's plenty of guys with 25%+ CREB at the 3, so you're really looking at a defense first guy who does not pass or steal, at all, and that just isn't that impressive. That said, this is a ton of defense around Jokic and that may just be enough to work.
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4.7 - raggedclaws - Jonas Valanciunas
Roster: Gobert, Butler, Bobby Jones, Valanciunas

I've never taken Jonas before but I started casting about for a good offensive hub after not landing one in the top 3. Jonas might not play enough minutes to truly be centralizing, but he's gonna be awesome when he does play, and Bobby and Rudy should be able to cover for him quite nicely. It's a bit of an eclectic mix, but I'm happy with the start so far. I guess I usually am.

Jonas does have one crown, courtesy of Midge, but has been slightly below average historically, with an average position of 13.5.
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4.8 - steelers821 - Derrick Favors
Roster: Admiral, Haliburton, Moncrief, Favors

Favors is always a solid pick in this vicinity, and this is no exception. Great pick, solid fit, 8 titles and 1 crown, moving on.
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4.9 - oddson - Walt Frazier
Roster: Dwight, McHale, Spida, Walt

Walt is a tricky one for me to value. At times a third rounder, the fourth feels like a better spot for him. I think he's a pretty limited guy who is best viewed as a five season stopper who can contribute in a few other areas without hurting you too much, which is not easy to find in the fourth. But I usually find myself more attracted to more exciting guys. Part of that is eye test vs Excel I think - his player page looks solid but the formula knows how few areas he contributes to. Solid pick, you weren't exactly swimming in guard minutes even with Spida, but I'd have rather taken Clyde or maybe even Ant.

Also I won't harp on it too much but I think Kidd is better than basically every guard taken in this eval post, Billups possibly excepted.
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4.10 - ysw128 - Christian Wood
Roster: Kawhi, Oscar, Mobley, Wood

The single season king who runs surprisingly deep, I've always liked Wood in Savage. No crowns but has come second. It's always interesting to figure out just how small you can get away with playing him. I really like him and like the fit, though ysw still has yet to add a true big. You do you, ysw.
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4.11 - kammeyer - Domantas Sabonis
Roster: DJ, Pippen, Tatum, D Sabonis

Another controversial guy who now goes later than he used to, Sabonis has never won a crown and has in fact never finished higher than 12 when taken in the top 130. That sounds right to me. He helps you in eFG (though he doesn't shoot all that much), passing (though he still has a mediocre A/T due to his atrocious turnovers), and rebounding, while killing you in every other category. Maybe there's a place for that later in the draft, but I don't like it in the fourth.

On paper he's a fit with DJ, but I dislike Sabonis and his game enough that I still think this is a bad pick.
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4.12 - tarheel1991 - Clyde Drexler
Roster: SGA, Embiid, Manu, Clyde

Clyde the Glide. One of those guys rob has taken so many times you don't know if he's actually good, or if he's successful by association. I thought long and hard about him at my pick as a nice partner to Butler (another rob favorite), but ended up going with Jonas. He has generally been bad when taken in the third, but he has three titles and two crowns when taken in the fourth or later.

His eFG isn't amazing and the fouls could be better, but chips in everywhere else, and can generally switch 1-3. That's really powerful on the right roster, and part of the reason I gave him so much consideration.
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4.13 - uptowngbv - Anthony Edwards
Roster: Harden, Gilmore, Bill Russell, Ant

Meanwhile Ant is about the polar opposite to Clyde - he shoots the lights out (at least in recent seasons) and doesn't foul much, but struggles to make an impact on the rest of the game. He'll be an interesting one to track, as I think most people expect him to continue to put up seasons in line with 24 and 25. Due to his lack of depth, I think this is too high for Ant, but there's no denying his top end seasons. 0 crowns or titles, but I expect him to pick up at least a title before too long.

Fits well with the theme of keeping the ball out of Bill's hands, and he's a great backup to Harden. Let's call it a B+.

I want to do a brief thought experiment, to help show why some of y’all are still underrating the importance of TO%, having slagged on some of those guys in my last post. Let’s say there are two players, both have 20% usage and shoot 55% from the floor. No 3s, no fouls, every possession ends in a shot or a turnover. One player turns it over 10% of the time and one turns it over 20% of the time.

Over 100 possessions, the guy with a 10% turnover rate will have 10 turnovers and shoot it 90 times, so he scores 99 points. The other guy turns it over 20 times, and ends up with 88 points on 80 shots. In order to score the same amount of points, he would have to shoot 62% instead of 55%.

So it’s a bit of simplistic view, but you can see how a high eFG but high TO player can have a ton of their value be negated. And now, back to the evals.

4.14 - edsortails - Derrick White
Roster: AD, Capela, PG13, D White

I think people overrate White a little in general (0 crowns, 1 title, below average results) and this is still slightly high for my taste but about the right range. He fits well with the current roster. 23 and 24 are great seasons, but it would have been really nice if his shot didn't abandon him last year, and you wonder if he's solidly out his prime at this point.

4.15 - jethroeg - Klay Thompson
Roster: Kareem, KAT, Magic, Klay

Muscle memory wants me to hate this pick... but this is a decent spot for Klay. Not totally sure you needed the investment in 3s with KAT already on board, and Klay doesn't do a ton else. I'm not a fan but I get it.

4.16 - 20ks - Brandon Clarke
Roster: CP3, Big Ben, Ewing, Clarke

Clarke is rock solid - I'd prefer him in the fifth than the fourth but there's nothing wrong with this. Nice fit with the pieces around him. RIP.

4.17 - ncmusician_7 - Chris Boucher
Roster: Shaq, Marion, Stockton, Boucher

Nice landing spot for Boucher. He's always on my shortlist but his game is not quite good enough for me to take him in the fourth ahead of some of the other options. He has one crown but it came from the 6th-7th range. I fear he's past contributing usable seasons, but if he could put together 1000 minutes one more time it'd be a game changer.

4.18 - jcred5 - Robert Williams
Roster: Dr J, Dame, J Allen, Timelord

Timelord is steal here, in my opinion. Gafford is the pick de rigueur these days but I have Timelord ranked just as highly. He fits on almost any squad and this one is no exception. Can he put together another usable season? Only 28 years old.

4.19. beloud - Jalen Duren
Roster: Durant, Hakeem, GP, Duren

I'm a little surprised Duren hasn't risen even higher, honestly. He has the classic profile to be overdrafted in Savage. But this is about the right spot. With one more good season I think he can overtake Drummond, but he's not there yet. Unlike the last few players, though, I expect him to put up another usable season. Probably a bunch! Good thing this game isn't based off of the playoffs.

4.20. jjmurphy1127 - Zion Williamson
Roster: K Malone, M Malone, AK47, Zion

I like this Zion fit pretty well. I would have liked it more in the fifth, though (yes, I know it's basically the fifth) or even the sixth. Zion does not have a great track record in Savage - his best finish is 6th. I just don't think he's a great Savage guy. The 20 and 22 seasons are incredible but only total 40 minutes, and his other seasons are usable but far less impressive. Still, I like the fit decently well, and certainly wouldn't be writing this team off.

4.21 - riftonapple - Buck Williams
Roster: Barkley, Duncan, Holiday, Buck

Buck is another massively overrated guy to me. On paper you could argue he belongs in the conversation with B Jones, Brand, Nance - and there have been times he's been drafted like that - but in reality he's substantially below that tier. I'm sure I sound like a broken record at this point, but the eFG, rebounding, and on ball defense just don't make up for his glaring deficiencies elsewhere. I have him as more like a sixth rounder. Never finished better than fourth, though as he slides he may start performing better. I guess he's part of a defensive rotation with Barkley, but to me he exacerbates too many of Chuck's weaknesses. At least he plays a ton of minutes.

4.22 - berkelon - Nic Claxton
Roster: Bird, Wade, Mutombo, Claxton

Not a big fan of Claxton this early, but like I mentioned before I gravitate away from guys with fewer than 5 seasons, others have had plenty of success with different approaches. The one season is great, and he has two more pretty good ones, though not a ton of minutes. All of your other picks play a ton of minutes so I can get behind it.

4.23 - midge - Chet Holmgren
Roster: KG, Rodman, Bam, Chet

Huge lineup so far, you and Gerry have the tallest rosters so far I'd wager. Chet is a really nice big man fit with the existing pieces. He's had some fantastic early results in Savage and I expect that to continue. I'll write more about this roster after the next pick.

4.24 - pbandj - Jerry Lucas
5.1 - pbandj - Amen Thompson
Roster: Luka, Whiteside, Irving, J Lucas, Amen

Interesting collection of players. Amen being able to switch onto 1s is clutch for this team, though he only has 28 minutes where he's above 75 defense. I'm not as high on Amen as some other owners though, and only 6500 minutes is not horrible, but could be better, especially since 24-25 is the standout gem.

Jerry Lucas has historically been a pretty poor Savage player, though in his 22 seasons he's managed to come 2nd twice. Lots of minutes but he has an odd profile and no headliner season, just a bunch of pretty good ones. Definitely the second best Savage Jerry. I wouldn't want him in the early fifth, though I understand the need to add more big minutes alongside Whiteside. That said, I'm not sure how high the ceiling on this team is, but it's coming together pretty well, and you can't count out pbandj