July 20 - Greetings. Welcome to my brain. Pardon the clutter. Step over the dog, push aside the dirty laundry and have a seat.

Some people start preparing for their fantasy basketball drafts in September. Others wait until the night before draft day. Still others fail to prepare at all, like it's a Sociology 201 midterm.

Not here. We take our fantasy seriously.

Don't sleep on Arenas. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images) )

Lots going on these days. First, the draft. I'm not going to slick my hair back and get all Mel Kiper, Jr. on you. We all have thoughts about how the draft went, but in the end you and I really don't know Andrea Bargnani from a stick of bologna. Back in 2003 when I lived in Denver, Nuggets fans were infuriated that management was considering drafting Darko Milicic. I scoffed. My scofficous was due to the fact that we know nothing. I figured the teams knew something. And fans just want the player they know.

What do I know? Carmelo Anthony has been one of the gems of a historic class. Darko, so far, has not. But the results of that draft don't change anything. I still don't know if Bargnani will be the next Darko. Maybe he'll be Dirk...o. Maybe he'll be Paul Pressey. I'm not going to lie to you and act like I have a clue.

On the other hand, I do know a little something about the current NBA, and the recent signings and trade activity have given me plenty to think about. If you haven't already checked it out, make sure you read Adam Madison's Player Movement: Fantasy Impact. Analysis of each move, incredible stuff.

That said, I have a few thoughts on the activity. First, I am playing it cool on Ben Wallace in a Bulls uniform. He's typically a player who falls further than he should, particularly when he qualifies as a center. Huge rebound numbers, blocks, assists, and steals to boot. But, I worry about him going from an elite team like the Pistons to an unproven (but up-and-coming) squad like the Bulls. And those shooting numbers drive me crazy.

Every once and a while, you just have a hunch that may be baseless. Kind of like my Darko hunch, and that didn't turn out too well. But, I look at the Bulls roster and I see two small forwards in Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni; two other power forwards who will demand time in Malik Allen and Michael Sweetney; and PJ Brown at center. This isn't necessarily a case of losing time. Instead, I see several average players who need court time and who won't take pressure off of Wallace by putting a body up or scoring some points.

So I'll play it safe on Ben. If I see him in the fifth, I'll take him. No sooner.

I like the Vladimir Radmanovic signing by the Lakers. However, let's remember what his role is: Shoot threes. And when he's done doing that, he'll shoot more threes. So, sounds good if you need that category, and maybe mid-teens for scoring. But he will be dancing around behind the arc while Kobe Bryant is dancing between defenders. That occasional wide-open dish is what he's waiting for.

Madison was spot on regarding the Peja Stojakovic move. Nothing is better at rejuvenating a player's career than a good point guard. Particularly if your forte is shooting from the outside. Chris Paul will give Stojakovic the good looks he needs, and we know the man can hit his free throws. The points will be there, and the three year decline will end. He'll be a fourth round steal.

Finally, I see major fantasy implications regarding the Charlie Villanueva acquisition in Milwaukee. TJ Ford is a waterbug who doesn't get enough credit for his improved shot and ability to create. He was ready to take his game to the next level in the first round of the playoffs against the Pistons, and Terry Stotts simply took the ball out of his hands. In the Mike James role, he should thrive.

That said, Charlie Villanueva is exactly what the Bucks needed. He's a big body who will fill the four and allow Andrew Bogut to move to the five. He will grab rebounds and fill the basket, thereby taking pressure off of Michael Redd and the aforementioned Bogut. And Bogut will thrive in a sophomore emergence.

Chris Paul is a first round pick. His play last season made him a second, but he'll take it up a notch. And he's a point guard, which is downright critical for fantasy success.

Don't sleep on Gilbert Arenas. He had the highest FSPI (our fantasy rating system) after the All-Star break last season. Outside of his inability to block shots (which you can't hold against a guard), Arenas had no holes in his game. Yet, he's never mentioned in the same breath as LeBron and Kobe. You may be able to snatch him up in the late first. If you can, run, snatch and giggle like a little girl.

Likewise, Ray Allen always goes too late. He had a huge 05-06, and an even bigger second half. More threes than Gil, but less points, assists, and steals. I can still call him the six-figure Gil.

Mike James. I don't know. This is one of those players who will burn me in the end, but I'd be much more willing to draft him in the top five rounds if he had stayed in Toronto. I just have no idea what to expect from him in Minnesota. I know, it's a similar situation. But it's not the same, and players can be particular. Sometimes, the wrong smells in the shower can throw a guy off.

If Josh Smith is there in the second, I am planning on taking him. If Joe Smith is there, I'll nod and smile. Seriously, someone is going to take the wrong Jo. Smith here.

Anyway, the only reason I wouldn't take Josh Smith in the second is out of temptation to wait another round because everyone else is sleeping on him. The dude was an absolute monster down the stretch last season, averaging 15 points, nearly eight boards, four assists, three blocks, a steal and a three-pointer per game in the second half. You sleep, I party.

Big fan of the eight-position Boris Diaw. The man even plays small center and shooting forward. Some will not believe in his talent. Others will worry about playing time due to the return of Amare Stoudemire. I, on the other hand, trust the Frenchman. And I don't trust the health of Amare's 38-year-old knees. He looked an awful lot like an old Patrick Ewing when he came back at the end of last season. I can't get that image out of my head. The other image that stays is Diaw looking all-world in the playoffs.

I'd like to have a solid opinion about Gerald Wallace. He was absolutely incredible last season. When healthy. Many people didn't buy it, even when he was healthy. Some didn't notice, probably because he was so rarely healthy. And many will be scared off come draft day due to his lack of healthfulness. If he's there in the fifth and I have four solid players already, I'm rolling the dice.

Finally, let me say I am very excited to say that I am associated with the NBA. We have some big things primed to roll out in the coming months. Let me give you a brief overview:

1. Free Commissioner. You heard me. Keeper leagues, fully customizable rules and settings, five draft types including e-mail drafts, FAAB and every other waiver type imaginable, ability to control position eligibility, five scoring formats, trade draft picks, and so much more. My brain is flooded with information on this game right now. I can't stop thinking about it. We're aiming for an early September launch. Stay tuned.

2. The Mother of All Fantasy Contests. Think you know your stuff? Prove it. We are going to feature a 30-team head-to-head league, giving you the chance to run an NBA franchise. It's one league, so only 30 people across the globe can play. You want to play? Join the club. You will need to apply. Not up to snuff? Like a true NBA GM, you can be fired. Win? Oh, you'll see. Application process opens soon.

3. Completely revamped Fantasy Resource Center. People, it is pretty. It looks good, it feels good, it behaves nicely. She purrrrs like a kitten. More tools, the great content you expect, and now it's all free.

4. Free Draft Kit. It may be free, but it is also superior to the $20-50 kits you'll find on the market. Don't be fooled.

5. Revamped Player News, Depth Charts, and new Injury Reports. Every big fantasy story of every day. And if you fall behind, you can search by player. Everything you need, right here.

6. I will not sleep until every fantasy freak on the planet is using NBA.com as their home to all things fantasy basketball. I'm serious. Going this long without sleep is not healthy. I see monkeys wearing diapers, and they are flying out of my window. Nice monkeys. Thank you for wearing diapers.

That's all for now. I won't bore you any further. Stick around, and keep checking back. Wait too long to plan, and you'll fail that midterm.