Your fantasy draft - and you've got pick #3

Here's the part of the draft where things get muy interesante, muchachos y muchachas. You've got pick number 3 (corresponding Brady Bunch episode emotion - Greg meets Don Drysdale; very cool moment, but don't get all uppity and start thinking your shizznit don't stink). Right now, you can pick someone and think to yourself, did I make the right pick? Do I take Kobe and his 28 points per game and high percentage and volume free throws, even though he's going to take 20 shots and turn it over a bunch? (In your non-turnover leagues, I'm seriously thinking about taking Kobe at #3.) Do I take LeBron and his 30 ppg and chance for a triple-double every night but take hits with turnovers and free throws? (I would be looking at LeBron if I'm picking in the middle of the draft - say picks 5 or 6 in the first round, because you will definitely need the right guys to counteract his deficiencies and you don't want to be 18 picks between players and watch all the right guys fall off the board.) You could make a case for Dirk, too (who will be an excellent pick in the latter half of the first round). Or you could go with the guy who has been at the top of the draft for years and may have his first ring by this time now:

Kevin Garnett

PPG - 18.8
3PG - 0.0
RPG - 9.2
APG - 3.4
SPG - 1.4
BPG - 1.3
TOPG - 1.9
FGAPG - 13.9
FG% - 53.9%
FTAPG - 4.7
FT% - 80.1%

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year, now NBA champeen. The guy you wanted at #1 for years. Now you've got him at three and you will also get one of the top #18 fantasy players in the league (perhaps higher if you've got a couple of idiots in your league). He's getting up there in age, but still not too bad. You have to watch out for injuries because he plays so balls to the wall. And if you've had him any of the last few years, you have to worry about him come (fantasy) playoff time - with the T'wolves, it was season ending "injuries". With the Celtics, it is clinching a high seed then rest in late March/early April.

Okay, you've got KG, what's next for picks 18 and 22? Well, looking at KG's numbers, you can see that he is no longer a 20 and 10 guy. With his age and the way the Celtics are set up, you can see him getting 20 and 10 in some games (say a Game 6 of an NBA Finals), but not averaging a 20 and 10. I think he would be great to pair up with someone who can do that, like a Carlos Boozer or an Al Jefferson or a David West. Then, you're left taking the best guard available at 22.

With KG's shooting percentages so high, I think you can make a gamble with a scoring guard/SF who may not have the highest FG%. That puts AI, Boom-Dizzle, and Rashard Lewis into the mix. 18 is too high for Vince Carter; I don't want Paul Pierce - here is a case where 2 top teammates can hurt you, too much volatility, and you'll be pissed the night it is Ray Allen or Rajon Rondo's turn. I'm on a wait and see with Gilber Arenas. If he's ready to go November 1, he could be your man. I think Manu Ginobli is interesting here if completely healthy - the Spurs may be falling back to the pack soon, but I think they will be raging against the dying of the light and Manu and Duncan will be pressing to stay relevant. So if Duncan falls to 18, you've got to grab him.

Anyway, may suggestion if you get KG at #3 your picks in rounds 2 and 3 - one of the top big men left: Duncan, Boozer, Jefferson, or West; then a scoring PG/SG/SF. I think you'll need 2 scorers out of these picks; you don't want to have to pick up Ben Gordon later. Of course, if you really wanted a scorer, you could pick the guy I have at #4 .....