Basketball Free For All

During a recent Suns-Jazz game back in January, Suns color announcer Eddie Johnson mentioned that Utah is one of the toughest places to play on the road. While this is merely one isolated example, it represents a common perception throughout the League and there are loads of anecdotes that mirror EJ’s comment. The notion of Utah as an elite home team is a perception that is worth investigating to determine whether it is actually true both historically and currently and also to examine the reasons for home court advantage in general. It is also relevant because Utah happens to be one of the two hottest teams in the League right now and is poised to make some noise in the playoffs.

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Ask any casual NBA fan (weekend warriors who get their basketball news from Gametime) to name the top three defenses in the League and you’ll usually get some combination of the Boston Celtics, the San Antonio Spurs, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. How many people mention the Charlotte Bobcats? Well, only those with their finger on the pulse of the Association, as the Bobcats have clawed their way to the the top of the defensive food chain under the guidance of hall of fame head coach Larry Brown.

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Well we’re more than a quarter through the season so it’s probably going to get more difficult finding significantly helpful players if you participate in active leagues.  Instead, now is the time to keep a close eye on injuries.  When a player goes down or is just hobbling, it usually means something positive for at least one of his teammates.  Another item to keep in mind is that December 15th is the first day players signed this past off season can be dealt.  Between now and the trade deadline (February 18th), expect teams to maneuver to either put themselves in better position for the playoffs or wave the white flag and start thinking about next year.

Week Eight Schedules

Four Games: CHA, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIN, NJN, NOH, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, POR, SAC, TOR, WAS, UTA

Three Games: ATL, BOS, CHI, GSW, MIA, MIL, PHX, SAS

Two Games: NONE

ADD LIST (players owned in 40% or less in standard Yahoo! leagues)

Erick Dampier (C – 34%) – If your team needs help with rebounds or blocks, Dampier is your man.  Despite the glitch with his arm over a few weeks ago, he’s played extremely well when he’s gotten the minutes, as evidenced by the 35 rebounds the last two games.  Without a doubt, he appears to be a contract year player so take advantage of him the rest of this season.  Just keep in mind there will be matchups that limit him in certain games like against the Suns, Warriors or Knicks.

Jarrett Jack (PG/SG – 27%) – If your team is in need of guard help, you should pounce on Jack  immediately.  There is a good chance Jose Calderon might be missing a ton of time in the coming future as his hip is giving him problems.  If he does miss significant time, the Jack-of-all-trades will be a wonderful source of points, assists, 3’s and FT% – everything you want out of a starting PG.

Joel Przybilla (C – 36%) – It’s rare to have possibly two excellent center prospects sitting on the waiver wire, but that’s what you may have this week.  With just a 36% ownership, it’s obvious a number of fantasy managers haven’t jumped all over the Vanilla Gorilla upon hearing about Greg Oden going down for the rest of the year.  When Oden has missed time in the past, Joel has stepped up and contributed excellent boards and solid blocks.  Portland will lean on him heavily the rest of the year; consequently, so should you.

Brandon Rush (SG/SF – 23%) – So far this season, Brandon has done everything in his power to try to force himself off of most rosters.  However, he continues to be a tough habit to kick.  Why?  Opportunity.  Danny Granger is in the midst of missing anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks at the least.  Meanwhile, Mike Dunleavy is going to continue to slowly be worked back into starter-like usage.  Lastly, Dahntay Jones doesn’t possess a strong perimeter game, but more importantly, took a hard fall in last night’s game hurting his shoulder.  Although he says he’s fine, he could be slowed down enough this week whereby Rush emerges as a fantastic contributor during the upcoming 4 game week.

CJ Watson (PG/SG – 15%) – I’m confused by the low ownership of Mr. Watson.  I guess we need to call into Sherlock Holmes to solve this mystery, even though it doesn’t appear too mystifying.  Since getting over the swine flu, CJ Watson has played fantastic ball.  In the last 8 games, ziguana.com has him ranked as the 33rd best player as he’s put up solid numbers in all 9 standard categories.  With the minutes he’s been getting, it’s obvious Nellie and crew have an affinity for him so go ride this guy while he’s hot!

CUT LIST

Will Bynum (PG/SG – 31%) – The last few games, “Will the Thrill” has been sidelined with a bum ankle.  More troubling, with the Pistons on the verge of getting Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon back and Rodney Stuckey finally hitting shots, Bynum’s minutes appear headed back to the low 20 range.  If you do the math, his nice run appears to be over.  Just keep him in mind the next time you hear about any injury/trade rumors regarding the Piston’s back court.

Nate Robinson (PG/SG – 36%) – If the 5 straight DNP’s haven’t helping you decide, let me tell you it’s time to move on.  The final straw appeared to be fraternizing with Dwight Howard prior to the start of a game against the Magic.  D’Antoni has recently stated he doesn’t plan on changing things either.  Why should he?  The Knicks are currently on their best winning streak since D’Antoni’s arrival in the Big Apple.  I don’t have to remind anyone that Nate should be picked up at the first signs of court time considering his fantasy explosiveness.

Al Thornton (SF/PF – 58%) – This drop is more in line with the thinking that owners should be preparing to cut ties with Al in the coming weeks.  Although Blake Griffin’s return has recently been delayed, Coach Dunleavy has expressed he might be the teams new starting forward.  If Camby doesn’t get traded, that should spell the end for Thornton’s significance in standard leagues.

WATCH LIST

Omri Casspi (SF/PF – 5%) – It’s a shame the Israeli sensation can’t get off the watch list, but the depth of the Sacramento Kings is to blame.  Regardless, he should continue to be an asset for points, 3’s, FG% and rebounds.  Lately his defensive numbers have vanished, but I expect him to start contributing in these areas again considering his length and style of play.  The big question mark is the inevitable return of Kevin Martin, but worry about that when the time comes.

Tyler Hansbrough (SF/PF – 9%) – “Pyscho T”  appears to have carved a consistent role off the Pacers bench.  The last 3 games, he’s averaged over 17 points, 7 boards and 1.6 steals.  Think DeJuan Blair here because low minutes (low 20s) won’t kill his value.  This guy gets it done and he could help you if you’re pressed for forward production.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (SF/PF – 4%) – Usually when you’re one of the coaches favorites and get over 30 minutes a game, you’re worth owning in standard leagues.  However, this Prince isn’t the case.  He is the Bucks no glory guy where he’ll play tough defense and bring fantastic intensity – too bad that rarely translates well for fantasy purposes.  However, despite this, he’s bound to fall into some numbers.  Deep leaguers should definitely considering owning him, but standard leagues should probably just pay attention to whether he can get into any kind of groove regarding any type of production in coming games.

Luke Ridnour (PG – 39%) – There is no other explanation other than Luke has found the force.  Through more than the quarter of this season, he just can’t miss as evidenced by the 51.8 FG%.  His previous season high?  43.3%.  The reason he’s on the watch list though is playing time.  As the Bucks have gotten healthier, his minutes have dropped measurably (under 18 the last 4 games).  Most players can’t do a whole lot with limited time so expect Luke to follow suit shortly.

Martell Webster (SG/SF – 10%) – I’m kind of getting tired about writing about this guy, but due to the rash of Portland injuries, he’s borderline worth owning in standard leagues.  He’s semi-capable of doing a lot of things:  scoring, 3’s, rebounds and defensive stats, but, for whatever reason, he can’t do any of them consistently.  Perhaps someone/something will get through to him where that’ll change, however, don’t hold your breath as I expect his maddening play to continue.

STAY THE COURSE

Mario Chalmers (PG – 65%) – Admittedly Mario hasn’t found his groove for much of the entire first quarter of the season, but don’t give up hope.  I expect Coach Spo’ to attempt to get him going as the season progresses plus Rio will probably stop getting into so much foul trouble early on in games.  His outside jumper is much more efficient this season and with no real challengers to his skill set, Chalmers will continue to be given significant time.

Boris Diaw (SF/PF – 77%) – The arrival of Stephen Jackson has perhaps put Diaw into a noticeable funk, as evidenced by a drop in his numbers across the board.  It’s not too surprising that his usage would suffer, but don’t make too much out of this in such a small sample size.  First and foremost, realize that he’s currently in the midst of a significant slump as his shot hasn’t been falling.  Considering the Bobcats have no other decent options at PF his minutes will continue to be strong so just ride this out.

COMING BACK FROM INJURY

Plonden’s mentions of Yi Jianlian (PF – 1%) and Tyrus Thomas (SF/PF – 40%) still apply.  Also, now is the time to probably grab Jameer Nelson (PG – 66%) if he happens to be available.

DEEP LEAGUE SPECIALS

Jose Juan Barea (PG – 5%) – Recently, Mr. Barea has supplanted Rodrigue Beaubois in the Maverick’s starting lineup.  Prior to that, he had a 3 game stretch of non-existent play so it’s conceivable another owner let him go.  Considering Howard’s still coming back from injury and the Coach’s penchant for Jose, he could be useful in the short term for some points, 3’s, assists and steals.

Marcus Thornton (PG/SG – 4%) – Really wanted to put “Buckets” on the watch list, but considering that many deep leaguers probably have recently let him go, I wanted him in this section of the article.  Thornton has a 4 game week coming up and his shot has recently returned.  I expect at least solid points and 3’s out of him, but look for more.  Chris Paul has been enamoured with this kid since he was drafted and is recently trying to get him to do more – rebound, drive to the basket, etc.  Hopefully this translates into better boards, steals and a more meaningful FT% in the near future.

Damien Wilkins (SG/SF – 1%) – If Ryan Gomes‘ ankle/knee injury last night forces him to miss any time, Damien looks to be the beneficiary.  He’ll give a little bit of everything, but most likely it’ll be short lived as Gomes’ injury didn’t appear to be serious.

Dorell Wright (SG/SF – 1%) – Almost forgot to add this guy – thanks for the reminder Andrew!  Recently, Wright has gotten solid run for a few reasons.  One, Quentin Richardson continues to miss time due to injury.  Two, Wright seems to have improved his play including an improved jumper and better decision making.  He may be indeed be worth a speculative add if you have the roster space.

Players earn their fantasy value in different ways. Some players provide well-rounded stat lines that are more or less without weakness. Other players’ fantasy value is derived from strengths in a few categories or even just one category. The flip side is that some players can hurt a fantasy team with large negative values in one or more categories. These large negative values often occur in the efficiency categories (shooting percentages and turnovers).

Over the past few years, no other player has embodied the spirit of the Cat Carrier and the Cat Killer than Orlando’s own superhero, Dwight Howard. D12 is a Cat Carrier for three categories; rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage. At the same time, Howard is also a Cat Killer in two categories; free throw percentage and turnovers.

When constructing a winning Roto or Head-to-Head team, it is important to build a cohesive team while finding value throughout the draft. In H2H it is much easier to overcome weaknesses than it is in a Roto league, thus allowing for managers to take on Cat Killers without completely destroying their team’s chance of success. In Roto leagues, the Cat Killers are much harder to handle.

But in determining which Cat Carriers to draft or which Cat Killers to avoid, it is important to have a method of comparing Carriers or Killers in different categories to each other. Enter player valuation systems such as Basketball Monster or Ziguana.

Player valuation systems commonly rely on Z-Scores to allow us to compare apples (counting statistics, such as blocks) to oranges (efficiency statistics, such as field goal percentage). Since all counting statistics are on different scales, they also allow us to compare one type of apple (rebounds) to another type of apple (threes). Z-Scores do this generally by using standard deviations to rank all players against the average of a particular category. These individual Z-Scores are aggregated to assign an overall value for each player.

In trying to predict future fantasy production, past production is one of the biggest factors that comes in to play. As with most statistics, the more data you have the more reliable your conclusions. Thus, by using multiple years of data, you can better control for suspensions, injuries, down seasons and other outliers.

What follows is a list of the largest Cat Carriers and Cat Killers based on cumulative values over the past three seasons based on Basketball Monster’s Player Rankings in the nine standard categories. To eliminate any fringe players, a minimum of fifty games played was enacted. I relied on BBM’s valuations over Ziguana’s because BBM has a simple filter to limit the data to the past three seasons. Three seasons of data was used to help control for anomalies while also allowing some of the younger players to make the list.

And now, the rankings.

*Table is sortable. Click on column headers to sort data.

Over the course of the last three seasons, the single largest positive contributor to any one category has been Marcus Camby in blocks (averaged 3.1 blocks over the past three seasons). The next three top dogs were a trio of elite point guards in Steve Nash (10.8 assists), Chris Paul (10.2 assists) and Deron Williams (10.1 assists). Rounding out the top five is Amare Stoudemire with his highly efficient scoring from the field (.572 percent shooting on 14.1 attempts per game) due in part to Nash’s aforementioned dimes.

In simply perusing the top five players on this list, it becomes apparent why punting assists is so popular in H2H leagues. If you miss a top shelf point guard in the draft, you will have trouble competing against the managers that get one of the assist Cat Carriers. If you broaden the scope to the top ten players, Jason Kidd makes an appearance at seventh overall for assists as well (9.3 assists).

If you re-sort the data to put the values in ascending order, Dwight Howard takes the top spot, also know as the best of the worst. Howard’s free throw percentage (.590 percent on 9.9 attempts per game) is the single biggest category contributor in fantasy basketball over the past three seasons, period. Unfortunately for Howard and his Roto owners, this contribution is negative. In a close second is Shaquille O’Neal’s free throw percentage impact (.524 percent shooting on 6.5 attempts per game).

To reiterate, these two values are by far the biggest single category contributions in fantasy basketball, whether positive or negative. Either of these two negative free throw percentage contributions dwarfs Camby’s positive value in blocks in comparison. For rookie managers, the lesson should now be crystal clear. When dealing with percentages, attempts matter. A lot. That is why Andris Biedrins‘ free throw percentage (.565 percent shooting on only 2.6 attempts per game) is not nearly as damaging as Howard’s or Shaq’s. It still hurts a team, but is much more managebale than Howard’s.

Another lesson that managers of all experience levels can learn from examining Cat Carriers and Cat Killers is that Cat Carriers that are not also Cat Killers are always in high demand. These players are much easier to move than Cat Carriers that are also Cat Killers. For Roto leagues, and to a lesser degree H2H teams, Cat Killers are difficult to incorporate into a team after the draft because teams need to have a specific means of moderating the impact of a Cat Killer. Thus, targeting Cat Carriers can give you lots of trade value because these players can almost singlehandedly make a team competitive in a certain category. Oftentimes, managers are looking to trade for players that help deficiencies and not players that provide solid across the board value.

By looking at these values and comparing them against each other, it is apparent why winning a Roto league with Dwight Howard is such a difficult task that few have accomplished in competitive fantasy leagues. Moreso than any other player in the league, Howard was built for H2H play and should only be drafted in Roto leagues by managers who have a clear-cut plan in place of reducing the harm caused by Superman’s free throw shooting and the chutzpah to take the plunge.

At this point, everyone in the know knows Brook Lopez and the unique set of skills he brings to both his team, the New Jersey Nets, and the lucky fantasy owners who draft him. There is also another less-known member of the Lopez family who may also be relevant this coming season. Robin Lopez is his name and until recently, sitting on the bench has been his game.

RoLo became a member of the Association last season after being selected 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns. He spent most of the 2008-09 season buried deep on the Suns’ bench. His PT was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of the Shaquille O’Neal experiment in Phoenix. Plus, the fact that he couldn’t stay on the floor without fouling (5.7 fouls per 36-minutes) didn’t help his cause either.

Now that the Shaqtus is in Cleveland and Terry Porter is well, wherever he currently is, Lopez finds himself in position to at least earn some decent minutes this season (at least improve upon the meager 10.2 minutes per game he averaged in his rookie campaign). With no “true centers” on the Suns roster other than Lopez, Robin should see decent runs based upon matchups.

Who is Lopez competing against for minutes?

First, there’s the slightly undersized-for-the-position Amare Stoudemire. As the alpha male of the Suns big men, it goes without saying that Amare will be on the floor when the game starts (and ends for that matter) at either the four or the five. If Amare ends up manning the four, Lopez has a much better shot of earning enough PT to be fantasy relevant. Lopez has the possibility of either starting or coming off the bench as the first big man.

While the Suns roster is by no means set in stone at this point in the offseason, we can already predict that Lopez will see a much bigger role this season. The loss of Shaq alone should guarantee that. However, the situation is further complicated by the addition of mobile big man Channing Frye to the roster as well as the continued development of Jared Dudley and Lou Amundson. How these three play will play a big factor in determining the extent of Lopez’s fantasy value this coming season.

As of now, the Suns depth chart is poised to look something like this:

PG: Steve Nash, Goran Dragic
SG: Jason Richardson, Leandro Barbosa, Alando Tucker
SF: Grant Hill, Earl Clark, Sasha Pavlovic
PF: Amar’e Stoudemire, Jared Dudley, Louis Amundson
C: Robin Lopez, Channing Frye

As mentioned earlier, Amare could be moved back to his unnatural position of center. If this is the case, then expect Lopez to be the first big off the bench to spell Amare, with Frye most likely starting at the four. In this scenario, Stoudemire and Frye could play the four and five interchangebly with both players preferring to shoot (and attack the rim in Amare’s case) instead of playing with their back to the basket.

However, what if the Suns decide to keep Amare in his Shaq-era position of power forward would open up the opportunity to have a true center (term used loosely here) in Lopez starting at the five. The other possibility to consider is that Lopez and Frye could both end up starting a decent number of games based upon matchups.

So let’s assume Lopez does indeed get more minutes. What kind of production could we expect?

Lopez’s per-36 minute numbers from last season were 11.1 points on .518/.691 percent shooting, 6.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.6 steals, 2.4 blocks, and 1.6 turnovers. So going into his second year where he could actually improve (at least a little bit) with increased playing time and confidence, Lopez becomes a potential third or fourth center for a fantasy team. His value lies with his rebounding to a certain degree and shot blocking ability to a large degree; his offensive game just isn’t there yet.

After watching Lopez battle in Las Vegas Summer League, he looks poised to make a definite impact on the defensive end (insert disclaimer about basing opinions on summer league play here). He was trying to reject every shot he could and did a solid job of making his presence known on the boards (even had a beastly 24 point, 16 rebound, 2 block game). On a side note, his summer league averages were remarkably similar to his per-36 minute stats from his rookie season. Remarkably similar.

If he is given starter status, and more importantly, minutes, expect Lopez to provide for those in need of a boost in rebounds and blocks with a respectable field goal percentage.

The Suns brought in Channing Frye as their lone unrestricted free agent prize this off-season (Grant Hill and Steve Nash also were re-signed as restricted free agents). Frye brings a well-rounded set of skills to the team as well as a high basketball IQ. He is a great mid-range shooter, capable defender against quicker big men and an underrated passer. He is quick on his feet and comfortable with the run-and-gun system the Suns will be getting back to this season under Alvin Gentry.

Frye can play either the four or the five but is much better suited to play the four. He will most likely have a career year with the Suns next season, earning ample playing time, somewhere in the 25-27 minute per game range. He will earn his keep off Nash pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop opportunities, just like Amare has done in years past. Amare and Frye are similar style players and could be a potent force together on the floor.

It will be up to Gentry to decide if he wants to emphasize defense early on and start Lopez or to go with the option of putting the most offensive firepower possible on the floor early on by starting both Frye and Stoudemire. It could change night-to-night with Lopez starting when the Suns play against bigger centers like Dwight Howard, Shaq or Kendrick Perkins.

As with Lopez, Frye’s playing time could hinge on the production of Jared The Junkyard Dog Dudley and Lou Sweet N’Lou Amundson. Yeah, those are both real nicknames. Both are pure hustle players who work hard on both ends of the floor on every possession. Dudley is more of a complete package who does all of the little things that role players should do. He has the shooting touch to go along with the defensive heart and ability.

Amundson is more of a defensive role player and rebounding specialist. He’s a lunch pail guy that every team needs. Plus, he is an absolute fan favorite in the Valley of the Suns. Both of these young players could end up earning minutes and cutting into both Lopez’s and Frye’s playing time. The extent to which this occurs is not known at least until training camp begins and we start to get a clearer picture of the new pecking order. Neither will be fantasy commodities except for in the deep leagues.

The Suns front court position battle is certainly one to keep an eye on this fall in training camp.

No matter how the rotation shakes out in the next few weeks, the Suns will have new-found depth in the front court. No matter what shakes out, one thing’s for certain: this team will be very different from the Seven Seconds or Shaq model of last year.

In competitive fantasy leagues, it’s never too early to start to identify potential sleepers for next season. Even though almost anything can change over the next few months, some players are already emerging as potential studs or breakout candidates for 2009-10.

The recipe for a potential sleeper is never the same. Sometimes it is true progression as a player, other times a trade or injury opens up minutes for a player. It can even be a truly unexplainable phenomenon. Whatever the reason, breakout players are essential to securing the ever-elusive hardware when playing against other knowledgeable managers.

Let’s break the potential sleepers into three groups: the guards, the forwards and the centers. We’ve already seen some of the guards.

Now, let’s take a look at the forwards.

Anthony Randolph – This summer’s worst kept secret, unfortunately. If you play in even a mildly competitive league, you’ve no doubt already heard all about Randolph.

So, is he all hype or is Randolph for real?

AR is legit. There is nothing not to like about this kid. He is a must have in most keeper and all dynasty formats. First, he has the numbers. From last season, his rookie season, his per-36 minute statistics were 15.9 points on .462/.716 percent shooting, 11.6 rebounds (4.1 offensive), 0.0 threes, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.4 blocks with 2.4 turnovers.

Assuming no progression as a player and simply an increase in minutes (played only 17.9 minutes per game last season), Randolph becomes fantasy relevant. The defensive production to go with everything else is what really clues you in to Randolph’s potential fantasy value. And if you assume production gains as he develops as a player, Anthony becomes even more intriguing of an option.

Oh, and did I mention he was the youngest player in the league last season too?

When I try and decipher how rookies will develop in the future, I examine two major factors. First is skill, which covers both basketball skills and physical gifts. Randolph has both in spades and will continue to develop both aspects as he acclimates to the NBA and continues to fill out his ridiculous frame (7′3″ wingspan).

The second major factor that shapes how young players develop is work ethic. This is what really separates Randolph from other potential sleepers. Randolph had been working diligently to improve his game and get stronger this offseason. He has the drive of a winner that really sets him apart from the average player.

With all that being said, Randolph is a slam dunk, right?

Well, not exactly. Anthony plays for the NBA’s most eccentric coach, Don Nelson. Also know to fantasy managers as that son of a bitch. With Nellie being notoriously fickle, most managers have learned to never rule anything out when it comes to Coach Nelson, no matter how inane it sounds.

Corey Maggette at power forward or center? Sure, why not?

Some people are not buying the “hype” with Randolph but in the end the ingredients necessary for the recipe for success are all there. With Coach Nelson’s contract up after next season, Randolph will be freed soon enough (if not next season). Soon, everyone will be on the bandwagon. But for next season, if you want Randolph, you must reach for him. Chances are that someone else is buying what Randolph is selling and will be aggressively pursuing him next season.

For keeper formats of more than four keepers, Randolph will not slip out of the first round. In competitive redraft leagues, his average draft position so far this season is 68th overall (Buser Sports) so to lock him up he should be targeted in the 6th-7th rounds.

Don’t Sleep on Anthony Randolph.

Michael Beasley — Oh, how the mighty have fallen. After Beasley seemed to be pulling everything together at the end of last season, he quickly is challenging Crazy Pills Ron Artest as the Association’s biggest headcase (Stephon Marbury doesn’t count as he, as he himself recently pointed out, is not under contract by any team and therefor not technically in the league anymore). His recent Twitter/weed/depression episode has certainly called his focus into question (and for good reason).

But why were people calling Beasley a potential sleeper anyway? Dude was only good for 176th in per game value and 141st in cumulative value.

His post-All Star break splits were nice, if only for the increased efficiency; his actual production was more or less static. He went from shooting .455/.382/.768 before the All-Star Game to shooting .501/.462/.779 after the break (not to mention a dip in turnovers per game as well). The efficiency gains were what piqued the interest of fantasy managers and led many to begin calling Beasley a potential sleeper for next season.

Then weedgate hit. And the rest, like talk of Beasley being a potential sleeper should be, is history.

There are two main ways players respond to adversity in their lives. One, is by focusing all their emotions from the difficult situation into basketball, which actually enhances their play. This requires maturity and focus, both of which Beasley lacks. This is how the true legends of the game deal with diversity. It is the much ballyhooed “heart of a champion.”

The second response is to give up and wallow in the face of adversity. This is Beasley’s most likely response, if his short history in the league is any indicator. Next season is looking more and more likely to be a lost season for Beasley, as his personal issues look to affect his basketball production. Do yourself a favor and let someone else deal with the headache of owning Bongsley Beasley next season.

Kevin Love – To be perfectly honest, Love is not going to be the next Dwight Howard. But, he has been more or less underrated (or just plain overlooked in basketball Purgatory, aka Minnesota). What many people fail to realize is that Love is an excellent rebounder. Therein lies his true value and potential as a sleeper.

WARNING: a comparison between two players’ career statistics is going to be made but by no means is it endorsing the idea that these two players will have similar career paths. The comparison is to illustrate exactly how good of a rebounder Love is and will be in the future.

Look at Dwight Howard’s career statistics compared to Kevin Love’s career statistics (and by career I mean his rookie season).  Their career per-36 minute rebounding statistics are remarkably similar, with Love having the advantage on the offensive boards (4.8 to 3.6)! Not surprisingly, their rebounding rates are similar, which measures the percentage of total boards a player grabs while on the floor.

Howard is a player that everyone can agree is an excellent rebounder. The fact that Love’s rebounding statistics compare favorably to Superman’s rebounding statistics in his rookie season certainly bodes well for Love’s future both immediate and long-term.

As far as next season, an increase in minutes should be in order as the Timberwolves continue their rebuilding effort without having added significant pieces to their frontcourt. Love and fellow rebounding machine Al Jefferson are the foundations of Minnesota’s frountcourt next season and for the future.

Next season, Love should build upon his rookie season’s success and increase his fantasy value. As far as possible projections for his production, averaging 15.0 points on .466/.792 percent shooting, 10.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.7 blocks with 1.8 turnovers is within the realm of possibility.

The closer Love can get his field goal percentage to fifty percent, the more likely he is to really solidify his fantasy value. After all, Love will probably never be prone to producing big time numbers in the defensive categories. But, he will give you about a double-double (think David Lee with better rebounding and worse field goal percentage) and hopefully over a block a game and just under a steal a game.

What’s not to well, uhh, love about Love next season.

Wilson Chandler – One of 2008’s hottest sleepers is back, with a vengence. Although Chandler had stretches of solid fantasy production last season, he never really pulled it all together as many prescient managers expected.

For those who don’t know, Wilson Chandler was drafted by the Knicks with the 23rd pick in the 2007 draft out of DePaul University. Chandler played most of his mintutes at the small forward position last season but also played significant minutes at the four for Coach Mike D’Antoni (he even logged minutes at the shooting guard and center positions!). At 6′8″ and 220 pounds, Chandler is undersized at the four, although D’Antoni has never been shy to play guys out of position.

If anyone on the Knicks’ roster is untouchable, it might be Chandler. He is the type of player that thrives in D’Antoni’s uptempo offensive system. He will also be entering his third season in the league, which has traditionally been a year where players take great strides in their production. And since he is still on his rookie contract, his salary situation is nice and does not impinge on the Knicks’ 2010 hopes.

What fantasy production does Chandler have to offer?

Take a look at his per-36 minute statistics from Chandler’s 2008-09 season. He averaged 15.6 points on .431/.328/.795 percent shooting, 1.4 threes, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.0 blocks and 1.8 turnovers. He has some serious steal-block-three per game club potential and is an across the board contributor. The only strike against him could be his sub-par field goal percentage, which he will hopefully improve upon as he develops further.

Source: Basketball Free For All

Entering the much discussed third season in the NBA, with the Knicks’ roster substantially unchanged at this point, expect Chandler to be a vital player for Mike D’Antoni next season. He should live up to the potential that has drawn the attention of diligent fantasy managers since his rookie season.

Gerald Wallace — As always, I try and disclose my biases when relevant. Basketball Free For All maintains a strict policy of full disclosure. To that end, it should be said that I am a full-blown Gerald Wallace fan. I love his game, his hustle and his heart. I love just about everything about him. Keep that in mind.

Not a sleeper in the traditional sense, Wallace still should be able to outproduce his draft position (early ADP of 29th overall, again according to Buser Sports). Last season, Wallace’s line was good for 14th in per game and 21st in cumulative value.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane. Last season was the year that saw Wallace missed seven games after suffering a collapsed lung courtesy of Lakers’ center Andrew Bynum. Think about that for a second. The man had his lung punctured, which resulted in it collapsing, and he only missed seven games. This dude is a warrior in the truest of senses.

Make no mistake, you don’t get the nickname  “Crash” for nothing. But being downgraded beyond the mid-third round is ludicrous. When healthy, Wallace has proven early-second round production and is entering his prime (will be only 27 years old next season). If he can put together a fully healthy season along with efficient shooting, Wallace could sneak his way into the first round in terms of per game and cumulative production.

One thing is for sure, though. Owning Wallace is not for the faint of heart. His reckless abandon on the basketball court is why he produces at the level he does. It is also the reason he frequently ends up in the hospital.If you are the type of manager who invests themselves heavily in their fantasy players, it is probably wise for your well-being to avoid watching the Bobcats play next season if you end up snagging G-Wall.

With the guards and forwards down, only the centers remain.

He has many nicknames: The Warlock, the Polish Prince, the Polish Dr. J, the Polish Machine and most famously, the Polish Hammer. Heading into restricted free agency on Wednesday, there is reason to believe that the Pride of Poland, Marcin Gortat, is due for a considerable raise next season. And the team that wins the Gortat sweepstakes will be adding an important yet relatively unknown piece to their team.

Without Gortat, one can make the argument that the Magic would not have made it to the NBA Finals. With Dwight Howard suspended for game six against the 76′ers, the Magic needed a big night from Gortant. Marcin (MAR-chean) answered the call that night with 11 points on 62.5/50 percent shooting, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 3 turnovers. Most importantly, the Magic secured a win that night. During the playoffs, the Magic were 4-2 when Gortat played over fifteen minutes in a game (usually when Howard was in foul trouble).

Talk about flying under the radar. Gortat’s stats are really impressive and show why the Polish Hammer should actually be re-nicknamed as the Polish Sledge Hammer. His per-36 minute averages from his second season in the NBA are very promising indeed, tallying 10.9 points on 57.2/57.8 percent shooting, 13.0 rebounds (4.4 offensive), 0.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.4 blocks and 1.1 turnovers. Being only 24 years old, Gortat has his best years ahead of him and should improve over the next few years.

Let’s look at his offensive and defensive efficiency, exemplified by his offensive and defensive ratings. Last season, Gortat had an O-Rating of 121 and a D-Rating of 97. This is a +24 differential, which is extremely good (based on Basketball Reference’s statistics). In terms of PER, Gortat’s numbers were also impressive. When playing the center position, Gortat had a +5.8 PER differential versus the opposing team’s center  (via 82games’ stats by postion). So it is clear that Gortat has the skill to play big minutes in the NBA.

But what Marcin needs more than anything are minutes. Starter’s minutes. And it looks like Gortat may get his wish. With the Magic already in luxury tax territory (even without Hedo Turkoglu’s salary), they may not be able or willing to match a big offer sheet from another team. Last season, Gortat earned a paltry $711,517. For a legitimate seven foot big man who plays the center position and has proven that he can play at the NBA level, the sky is the limit (despite it being tough economic times and all). Gortat’s contract could vary from the mid level exception (which was around $5.5 million in 2008-09) up to around $8-9 million dollars per year.

If a team presents an offer sheet that the Magic cannot match, Gortat’s fantasy value has the potential to skyrocket. At some point in his career, Marcin will get out from behind Superman’s shadow. If Gortat ends up as a starter on an NBA team next season, Gortat would instantly become a viable first center for a fantasy squad. He does exactly what you expect from a center: he shoots from the field at a high percentage, rebounds and blocks shots. Granted his free throw percentage is awul but unlike his teammate on the Magic, he rarely gets to the line, which mitigates its impact to a certain extent.

At least now Gortat no longer has to be referred to as the big white dude that spells Howard off the bench. Or, as that scrub who got sponsored by Reebook even though he has a Jumpman tattoo on his calf. Or, for his “dunk” attempt in the 2004 German professional basketball league’s All-Star game’s dunk contest (see below).

Sorry for pulling that one out of the archives, Marcin. I still think you’re the man.

This past Saturday, the ever-present NBA trade rumors began to swirl again. This time talks were centered around one of the NBA’s biggest stars (literally), Shaquille O’Neal of the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers are rumored to be engaged in preliminary trade talks that would send O’Neal to the Cavs for the expiring contracts of Ben Wallace ($14 million) and Sasha Pavlovic ($4.95 million with $1.5 million guaranteed). This is strictly a cost cutting move as far as the Suns are concerned.

The team does not want to go deep into luxury tax territory, especially considering that this is a team that failed to even reach the playoffs in 2009. Bloated with the league’s sixth largest payroll last season and an aging core of superstars, the Shaq trade could really help free up some money for Phoenix as well as allow them to return to their run and gun offense.

Here is the breakdown:

With O’Neal’s $20 million salary (but a $21 million salary-cap number due to a trade kicker), the trade could save the Suns $9.9 million or even more if Wallace wants a buyout. The trade would save the Suns $3.1 million in payroll and projected luxury tax. Cutting Pavlovic, who has $1.5 million guaranteed in his final contract year’s $4.95 million salary, could save another $6.8 million in payroll and tax.

From a straight basketball perspective this is a home run for the Cavaliers. The Cavs made it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals this year but ultimately fell short of their goal of winning a championship. The Cavs were exposed for their lack of a true interior presence. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (whose foot is full of metal plates and screws from multiple surgeries) was nowhere near up to the task of providing a defensive answer to the man-child that is Dwight Howard in the paint.

Adding Shaq to the mix allows Cleveland to match-up with the Howards, the Elton Brands and the KGs of the Eastern Conference. They would immediately have a post presence to go to late in games when Mo Williams‘ and Delonte West’s jump shots aren’t falling.

Lebron James can’t possibly be expected to carry the offensive load every single night can he? Putting Shaq in the middle clogs the lane and gives you a legitimate defensive stopper as well as a more than capable offensive option (60% field goal percentage last season).

As evidenced by his time in Phoenix, Shaq’s biggest defensive flaw might be defending the pick-and-roll. However, he would still command double teams in the post freeing up the rest of the Cav’s shooters. Cleveland, with Shaq and a couple other key additions, would be in great position for a title run next season.

One thing is for sure though. Shaq still has a little diesel left in that huge tank of his.

To be reminded that basketball really is the red-headed stepchild of the three most popular American sports, just peruse the basketball coverage that major newspapers run on a daily basis. Take a look at this excerpt from an article in The Wall Street Journal:

But despite the absence of marquee superstars on the Magic, the ratings for the first two games of the finals have been surprisingly good, and early indications are that fans are finding a working-class hero in Orlando’s coach.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, “The Magic’s Coach Just Looks Ordinary”, June 9, 2009 (no link; WSJ articles cost money)

In the words of Mark Jackson: Are you kidding me?

Let’s look at some of the evidence that supports Dwight Howard’s claim to being a legitimate superstar.

2009-09 averages: 20.7 points on 57.2/59.4, 13.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.9 blocks and 3.1 turnovers.

Seems pretty good so far.

Led the NBA in blocks this past season?

Check.

Led the NBA in rebounds this past season?

Check

Led his team to it’s first NBA Finals in 15 years?

Check.

First team All-NBA?

Check.

Defensive player of the year?

Check.

All Star?

Check.

Oh and speaking of being an All Star…

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, this year’s leading vote-getter in the NBA All-Star Balloting program presented by T-Mobile with 3,150,181 votes, became the first player in balloting history to crack the 3 million-vote ceiling.

Source: NBA.com

Not only did he start in this season’s All-Star game, but he actually set a record for the most number of votes ever received. And that is even more impressive considering Yao Ming has a built-in fanbase of 1.3 billion people.

In five seasons, he has missed only three games (407/410 regular season games).

Oh, and he’s only 23.

I rest my case.

There is ample reason to celebrate in Orlando tonight with the Magic making their first NBA Finals appearance since 1995 when they had a young center named Shaquille O’Neal. Nowadays, the Magic have another young center roaming the paint but may have just been given another reason to celebrate. Rumors now have point guard Jameer Nelson possibly making a Finals appearance as he has made great strides since he dislocated his shoulder in February.

They are encouraged by Nelson’s rehabilitation so much that they will evaluate the possibility of the all-star playing if the club reaches the NBA Finals against the Lakers, the Sentinel has learned.

Vander Weide said the team is exploring whether Nelson can return after undergoing shoulder surgery Feb. 19. He hasn’t played since he was injured Feb. 3 against the Dallas Mavericks.

Although Nelson wouldn’t be in prime condition, Vander Weide said, “the chance to get an all-star point guard on the floor for 15 minutes a game…you’d have to look at that.”

Source: Orlando Sentinal

With the Magic playing incredible basketball right now, the question arises of whether the Magic even try and play Nelson at all? After all, if it ain’t broke then don’t break it. Both starting point guard Rafer Alston and backup veteran point guard Anthony Johnson have played well throughout the postseason. Is it worth messing with the successful tandem that has anchored the Orlando backcourt to bring Nelson back into the mix?

This past season Jameer was putting up really nice numbers, averaging16.7 points on 50.3/45.3/88.7 percent shooting, 3.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.1 blocks and 2.0 turnovers per game.  He scored efficiently from the field and was especially deadly from behind the arc. Most impressively, however, was Nelson’s defensive presence on the floor (compare Nelson with his counterpart’s per-48 minute production).

There is a serious risk in bringing Nelson in at this stage in the game. He is obviously going to be very rusty and will most definitely not be in game shape. With over four months of rest, Nelson may not be mentally prepared to step into the pressure of the Finals without having a few full contact practices under his belt. Also, trying to rotate three players for one position (see the Lakers with Derek Fisher, Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar; they can really only expect solid production from one of the three on any given night). When players do not know how many minutes there are going to play on any given night, it can have a negative effect on their play.

Another Lakers parallel seems relevant here. The 2007-08 Lakers trying to work Andrew Bynum back into the rotation during the playoffs had mixed success. There are mentle hurdles that players must overcome in order to truly play at full strength on a recently injured body part (for example a player can favor the healthy leg and actually damage their healthy leg in the process). Although the doctors may have cleared Nelson’s body to play basketball, there is no telling whether he is mentally prepared to play at full strength effectively.

Both Alston and Johnson have been effective enough to believe that the Magic can legitimately challenge the Lakers in this year’s NBA Finals with or without Jameer Nelson. Although Nelson would probably be the best suited to defend Derek Fisher, the Lakers’ point guards do not play as integral of a role in the Lakers offense than other point guards in the league. However it would probably be wise to get Nelson into the best shape possible to insure against an injury to either of the Magic’s other point guards. It’s hard to fault a team for having too much depth at the point.