Random, fun pre-season question

[Joshyjess]

Since we still have a couple of days before the season begins, I thought it might be fun to throw out a random, what-would-you-do type of question before the more serious topics begin.
So, let's say that the NBA decides to go completely off the charts, and incorporates a new system to shake things up. Basically every player in the NBA is going to be available, yet in the following way. Each team will get to pick one player per round, until all players are chosen. The choice will be a computer-generated random pick of 1 - 30. The team that gets to pick first in round 1, will pick last in round 2. Then first in round 3, and last in round 4, etc... So basically your team would get the Number 1 pick, then the Number 60th pick. The 61st pick, and the 9oth pick, and so on. That would also mean that the team that picks 15th, would pick 45th, and so on.
So, the question is, what would you prefer. A great first round pick, to get a top 5 or 10 player, but then have a second round pick way back in the 60's. Or a player in the mid-15th level range, and a second player in the mid 40's range? What do you think would be a better way to create your team?
You could also say which players you think you'd go after in such an arrangement. Also, I'm sure salary caps would probably come into play somehow, but I'll leave that to smarter heads than mine. Also, unlike the draft, no trades are available. You get your position, and are stuck with what you get.
Oh, and this is also assuming the players keep the same salaries they have now.
Again, this is just for fun to help the time go by until the real games begin.

Personally I think I'd like an early high pick, and just try to build around the main guy my team would get.

[BruttoNostra]

Top 5 for sure.
The drop from 5 to 15 is much much bigger than from 45 to 55.

[HotelVitale]

It obviously depends on who exactly you'd get but theoretically yeah you definitely want like Jokic and OG Anunoby more than Sengun and Desmond Bane.

[JujitsuFlip]

Snake draft is hard in a 12 team fantasy league, i can't a imagine in a 30 team league.

[MaxZaslofskyJr]

When does the fun start?

[chilluminati]

I do this all the time on 2K. The answer feels like at least a top 10 pick. The star player won't have any other high level all star players around them, the best they'll have is a 50th or 60th ranked player as their 2nd option. A 30 team snake draft of all players introduces the purest form of parity imo.

I just built a Giannis team earlier with the 3rd pick in a snake draft.
Holiday/schroder
Lavine/KCP
Dort/Grant
Giannis/Grant
Turner/Drummond

Things would go down much differently in real life obviously, but those are still complimentary pieces that fit and provide what he needs to win without another star around him.

Teams that pick around 25-30 will end up with cores like Amen and Sabonis, White and Jackson Jr, Chet and Jdubb etc etc. It's basically like having 2 fringe all stars or young rising stars, or a team with aging stars that have fallen to the end of the first round.

I'd still bet my money on a super star that's alone vs 2 all stars teamed up.

[BruttoNostra]

I think we mostly agree that in a classic snake draft it's better to be 1-60-61-120 than, say, 15-46-75-106.
Now, the better question would be how many rounds you're ready to choose low after a high pick.
Say, what if in the first aforementioned option you choose late in 2 or 3 rounds (instead of just one), after choosing early in the first one.
Say, 1-60-90 vs 15-46-76 vs 30-31-61?
Or maybe an additional round: 1-60-90-120(-121...) vs 15-46-76-106 vs 30, 31, 61, 91?

[MrGoat]

You'd still want the #1 pick in this scenario. The difference between 1 and even 5 on average is bigger than the difference between 31 and 60

[Yoshun]

This year I'd want the top 5. You'll get one of Jokic, Wemby, SGA, Luka, or Giannis. That's worth almost any 2 players later in the draft.