RealGM

So, I've been involved in this super competitive keeper league since 2006-2007. I was one of the newer managers and I had to take over a defunct team. As my keepers in 06-07, I had Dwyane Wade and Brad Miller. Quickly, I traded Wade along with my 1st rounder (G. Wallace) for Lebron James and Andrew Bogut. And, then I moved Brad Miller for Carmelo Anthony.

This lead me to a 6th place finish in that season and losing in the first round of the playoffs. Soon after in 07-08, in a mega trade, I packaged Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony (suspended for 15 games at the time), Andrew Bogut and Jameer Nelson for Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Mehmet Okur and Raja Bell. I must point out that this is a super deep league (18 teams) that over values positions. Each team can only start five starters and two utility players. So, starting two small forwards in LeBron and Carmelo posed a huge problem for me, because I wasn't getting high-end production from PG and C.

After the blockbuster trade, I finished out of the playoffs in 7th position. In 08-09, my first round pick turned out to be Kevin Durant. You would think that I'm a genius, but two months into the season I traded Kevin Durant for a package - TJ Ford and Michael Redd. In my defense, this is before OKC fired Carlesimo and turned KD into the SF he should've been. At that time, I was lacking PG production from anyone besides C. Paul. I was losing PG categories even though Paul was giving me elite numbers week by week.

This trade made me look even worse when Redd blew out his knee in January. However, the silver lining there was I picked up Sessions. He played amazingly well down the stretch and helped me secure my first championship in this league. The team I beat for the title had Wade and Durant (obtained in other trades), how's that for irony?

Here are my top contributing players from last year...

C. Paul
D. Howard
L. Aldridge
W. Chandler
L. Williams
R. Sessions
T.J. Ford
R. Brewer
T. Prince
M. Barnes

My two keepers in 09-10 will be Paul and Howard.

Assuming all top 40 players are gone as keepers, who would you take as my first pick?

I think someone who hits tons 3's and has stellar ft% with tons of attempts would make sense. Murphy,Nelson,PP,Kevin Martin if he is there,Lewis are all great fits for your team.

I think you should ditch FT%, 3's and To's and draft high scoring guards who can steal and dish the ball a ton as well as some complimentary bigs for Howard. Around pick 40 or so some nice bigs would be Brook Lopez if he's there, Nene, Bynum, would also be nice. Some guards to fit that mold are gonna be Tony Parker, Rondo, Monta Ellis, Derrick Rose. Having said that I feel you gotta take BPA in the early rounds. If you can Rashard there, do it.

Depending on who's there around 40-45,

I would be ecstatic if I could add either Rashard Lewis, Monta Ellis, Andre Iguodala or Lamarcus Aldridge with my first pick.

Bargnani, Mayo and Rondo as well. It all depends on who gets kept in this league and the position I'm picking.