Secure creation early

A lead guard or passing hub keeps the offense from collapsing. If your first star is a scorer, leave room for a second player who can organize possessions.

Draft defense by function

Perimeter pressure and rim protection solve different problems. A great center cannot cover every guard, and five switchable wings may still give up rebounds.

Use the cap as a portfolio

In cap mode, reserve enough budget for every remaining position. Mid-priced two-way players often create more total value than a third max-contract scorer.

Replay one variable

Keep four selections and change the weakest role in your thinking. Comparing controlled runs teaches more than restarting at random.