Having been an armchair GM (that’s code for fake GM) for most of my life, I enjoy predicting player performance, specifically in the draft. I also enjoy seeing who’s successful at it. I watch GMs and track their trades, free-agent signings, and draft picks, all the while thinking, “I could do a better job than most of these guys!”
I’m particularly happy/proud when I’m on the same page as some GM that I respect, or on the opposite page of some GM who really doesn’t have a clue. And when I’m wrong, I usually try to find some “compelling reason” for why I could have been right. ... Never mind the fact that there’s probably a good reason that I’m writing about drafting instead of actually calling the shots in the war room.
To wit, I’ve enjoyed playing fantasy sports, mainly because of the draft. One of my better fantasy football late-round-picks ever made was then-rookie running back Julius Jones. The year was 2004 and all I needed was a second backup to starter Deuce McAllister. Not liking any of the other backups available, I went with the untested rookie—not because I remembered him so fondly in college, but because legendary coach Bill Parcells liked him enough to draft him.
That was the sole reason I chose him, and for one-half of a season it worked. Jones was injured at the start of the season and didn’t actually play until November, but made an instant impact with 819 yards in eight games (seven starts) including 150 against Chicago on Thanksgiving Day, followed up by 198 against Seattle 10 days later on “Monday Night Football.”
I won the league that year, largely due to Peyton Manning’s then-record 49 TD passes, but Jones’s performance gave me just enough breathing room to survive Peyton’s annual DNP in the final week.
Fast-forward to Thursday night’s NBA draft. The Nets, needing help in just about every facet, actually took my draft-day-column’s advice (well, I guess there’s no actual proof) and traded up for Providence’s SG Marshon Brooks, who I think the world of. Tuning in late Thursday night, I was ecstatic to see that they had traded up to take him, until I saw who they traded with to get him—Boston’s own brilliant, GM Danny Ainge.
Ainge had found multiple diamonds in the latter part of the first round—players like Kendrick Perkins (2003—27th overall), Al Jefferson (2004—15th), and Rajon Rondo (2006—21st) that he’s deftly used to transform his team back into a title contender.
So, when Ainge actually chose Brooks and traded him away immediately, (undoubtedly he was picking for the Nets) I was a little stunned. It was like I was wrong because Ainge didn’t agree with me. After all, this was a guy (Brooks) in the Celtics own backyard. How could he miss? Could I actually be wrong about him?
Maybe, they didn’t need another SG (shooting guard), which is why they got a power forward from the Nets (Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson) in return. Or maybe Ainge is continuing his bad year (Perkins for Green, swap anyone?). Or maybe, just maybe, he still knows what he’s doing and in five years I'll add PF JuJuan Johnson (27th overall) to his list of draft steals.
I’m particularly happy/proud when I’m on the same page as some GM that I respect, or on the opposite page of some GM who really doesn’t have a clue. And when I’m wrong, I usually try to find some “compelling reason” for why I could have been right. ... Never mind the fact that there’s probably a good reason that I’m writing about drafting instead of actually calling the shots in the war room.
To wit, I’ve enjoyed playing fantasy sports, mainly because of the draft. One of my better fantasy football late-round-picks ever made was then-rookie running back Julius Jones. The year was 2004 and all I needed was a second backup to starter Deuce McAllister. Not liking any of the other backups available, I went with the untested rookie—not because I remembered him so fondly in college, but because legendary coach Bill Parcells liked him enough to draft him.
That was the sole reason I chose him, and for one-half of a season it worked. Jones was injured at the start of the season and didn’t actually play until November, but made an instant impact with 819 yards in eight games (seven starts) including 150 against Chicago on Thanksgiving Day, followed up by 198 against Seattle 10 days later on “Monday Night Football.”
I won the league that year, largely due to Peyton Manning’s then-record 49 TD passes, but Jones’s performance gave me just enough breathing room to survive Peyton’s annual DNP in the final week.
Fast-forward to Thursday night’s NBA draft. The Nets, needing help in just about every facet, actually took my draft-day-column’s advice (well, I guess there’s no actual proof) and traded up for Providence’s SG Marshon Brooks, who I think the world of. Tuning in late Thursday night, I was ecstatic to see that they had traded up to take him, until I saw who they traded with to get him—Boston’s own brilliant, GM Danny Ainge.
Ainge had found multiple diamonds in the latter part of the first round—players like Kendrick Perkins (2003—27th overall), Al Jefferson (2004—15th), and Rajon Rondo (2006—21st) that he’s deftly used to transform his team back into a title contender.
So, when Ainge actually chose Brooks and traded him away immediately, (undoubtedly he was picking for the Nets) I was a little stunned. It was like I was wrong because Ainge didn’t agree with me. After all, this was a guy (Brooks) in the Celtics own backyard. How could he miss? Could I actually be wrong about him?
Maybe, they didn’t need another SG (shooting guard), which is why they got a power forward from the Nets (Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson) in return. Or maybe Ainge is continuing his bad year (Perkins for Green, swap anyone?). Or maybe, just maybe, he still knows what he’s doing and in five years I'll add PF JuJuan Johnson (27th overall) to his list of draft steals.
