Team Focus: Rhythm Drive

We passed over Reno's team in our draft diary so we return to shed some spotlight on this gargantuan squad. Now that we're twelve rounds into the draft, all our teams have taken shape and most of the potential starters are ready to be slotted into our lineups. The promise of earlier rounds has now turned into the reality of trying to win games. In fantasy basketball, the first three or four rounds will dictate what your needs are in the mid and lower rounds. If you drafted small early, you're likely going to need to go big later. This is especially true in rotisserie (a bit less since we are going head-to-head).

In Reno's case, he went big early with Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard, and then got even bigger with Brad Miller and Zydrunas Ilgauskas in Rounds 4-5. In-between that foursome of giants, he grabbed up-and-coming point guard Raymond Felton. This is a solid foundation for the future. Bosh and Howard are a very coveted duo and are likely the best young big men in the game. If Bosh can return to his shot blocking ways, he and Howard will combine to clean up on all the traditional big men numbers. Howard is a mini-Shaq in the sense that his FT% is horrible (Bosh's is excellent) but you take the bad with the good -- and good is 18 point and 14 rebounds.

With four big men in his first five picks, Reno's strength was obviously going to lie in REB and BLKs. However, height can be misleading. Brad Miller isn't a huge REB or BLKs guy -- he's a premier passing center. Ilgauskas isn't a top tier REB or BLKS guy either, but he is more than serviceable and has very impressive %'s all around.

So what should have happened in the crucial mid-rounds for Reno? If he's going to balance out his roster, he was going to have to invest heavily into guards, specifically, to get his AST and 3PT up. With his next few picks, he did exactly that.

Mike Miller will provide PTS and 3PT early on while Gasol is out. Steve Francis should be able to get PTS and maybe some AST, ideally returning to 75% of his "Stevie Franchise" status. Luol Deng is a useful piece but he doesn't clearly address any of Reno's needs -- still, he's a rising player in the league. Additional late mid-round picks, rookies Adam Morrison and Randy Foye, are really investments toward the future. Morrison should be a shooter in the style of Wally Szerbiak, and Foye is slotted to be an all-around star -- just maybe not this year.

The most recent two picks were used on Kenyon Martin and Grant Hill. Kenyon can provide decent production in REB and BLK assuming he stays healthy and Grant Hill is looking at a contract year and hopefully 60-70 games. It's assumed that both of these veterans will play early for Rhythm Drive, until the rookies can step up. Or until the two vets fall down, whichever happens first.

Right now, Reno is ranked second in REB, sixth in BLK, and third in FG%. The team is dead last in STL and 2nd to last in 3PT, which is to be expected by looking at the roster. In fantasy, you can either shore up a weakness, or build on a strength. In Reno's case, he's done a little bit of both, leaving him somewhat here nor there. Until Morrison and Roye step up, or Francis/Kenyon/Hill provide some positive contributions, Reno's team could struggle to find an identity.

Best pick: Dwight Howard in Rd2.
Future star: Raymond Felton in Rd3.
Steal: Steve Francis in Rd8.
Questionable: Luol Deng in Rd6, passing up some point guards such as Mike James (taken one spot later) who could have contributed immediately with 3PT and AST. But for Deng and the Rhythm Drive, it's all about upside.
NBA copycat: Orlando Magic.