At the risk of blasphemy, I don't take LeBron James.

If I have the No. 1 pick and can somehow trade it while still getting Carmelo Anthony, that's what I do. I trade the rights to James to a team desperate enough to give me value for all the overinflated hype James brings with him, and the seats it will fill, and drop to No. 2 or 3. And then I make my team better more immediately with Anthony than I do with James.

You can have your season-ticket sales and your magazine covers. I'll take the guy who makes my team better on the court and in the standings right away. I'll take the guy I've already seen dominate men, as opposed to James, who has been dunking on boys.