Basketball Free For All

In deep keeper leagues and dynasty formats, the players that come out on top year after year are those that relentlessly search for any advantage and leverage it fully. In that spirit, it is always nice to get the early word on a promising prospect to put on your watch list for the next couple of years. Look no further than rookie point guard, Rodrigue Beaubois.

The 6′2″, 182 pound playground phenom was discovered by Mikael Pietrus in in their native Guadeloupe, France. Air France took quick notice of Roddy and his impressive physical skills on the court. The first time you have the opportunity to see Beaubois run the floor, you get to see just how damn fast this kid is. We are talking Leandro Barbosa or Devin Harris quickness here. Anytime you see someone with that kind of explosiveness, you immediately think of the high potential for steals (fantasy gold).

As most NBA fans have never seen this kid play, what is the scouting report on Beaubois?

Unsatisfied with just Jose Juan Barea as a lightning-quick foreign point guard, the Mavericks used their first-round pick on 21-year-old Frenchman Rodrigue Beaubois. Beaubois has a fascinating set of physical tools at his disposal; at the pre-draft combine, his wingspan was measured at 6′ 9 3/4″ and he posted a 39-inch vertical leap. Where Beaubois is still apparently a work in progress us in terms of running an offense and creating for teammates. Still, he impressed at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, putting up a 34-point game and averaging 17.0 ppg and 3.8 apg with solid shooting numbers. If Beaubois plays well in camp, he’s got the chance to push Barea for backup minutes at the point. If not, he’s got time to learn as the heir apparent to Jason Kidd.

Source: 2009-10 Pro Basketball Prospectus

Beaubois’ amazing physical gifts will allow Roddy to be a big time scorer in the League one day. The only reservations are whether he can learn to distribute the ball and initiate an offense effectively. If he can learn to balance the two duties, in the Tony Parker or Devin Harris mold perhaps (although hopefully not as injury-prone), he will have a long career in the NBA.

Take a look at a recent preseason game against the Bullets. In just over 20 minutes Roddy tallied 14 points on .500/.667 percent shooting, 2 threes, 0 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks and 1 turnover. From observing the damage Beaubois did in limited minutes against Washington, Roddy’s potential becomes apparent. Again, notice the penchant for steals, even in only 20 minutes.

So why isn’t Roddy a legitimate fantasy pick right now if he is so talented?

Two words: Jason Kidd.

At the young age of 35 last season, Kidd played a very respectable 35 minutes per game while appearing in 81 games. Beaubois is strictly limited to playing point, as he is certainly too frail and short to play the two guard. Thus, Roddy should not regularly see over twenty minutes again next season. Instead, he should see extended time in garbage time.

But the silver lining is that through all of this, Roddy gets to learn and practice against the best point guard of past ten years, Jason Kidd. As a rookie point guard in the NBA, backing up Kidd is akin to being chosen to be a Rhodes Scholar; you get to learn from the best.

Barring an injury to Kidd, Roddy should not see enough minutes to post solid fantasy value next season. Kidd, Barea and the criminally underrated Jason Terry will all also be logging minutes at the point for Dallas next season. In fact Beaubois will more than likely serve some time in the NBA equivalent of detention; the D-League.

For managers in dynasty or deep keeper formats looking for that extra edge, put Beaubois on your real life watch list and pay special attention to the Mavericks’ garbage time. As Beaubois develops and adjusts to the Association (and hopefully bulks up a bit too), he should be a fantasy asset for the managers wise enought to spot the proverbial diamond in the rough.