Basketball Free For All

With yet another NBA trade deadline coming and going, a lot of excitement and hope was generated among the fans and media.  Some teams were looking for that final piece that makes them championship material.  Others simply were looking for a player that helps them get into the postseason.  Lastly, there were a few who look at this time of the year as the highlight of the season as their team struggles to even be competitive on a nightly basis so might as well position themselves for the upcoming lottery.  Whatever the reasons, all fans hoped their team would have made a trade or two that improved future prospects.  Question is, how often can these deadline deals really be coined successful?

Continue reading

The All Star break is always a good time to start reviewing and analyzing the current season, as we are starting to acquire large enough of a sample size to begin to make decent judgments. With the season over 60 percent complete, the Coach of the Year (COTY) race is starting to take shape, with two coaches in particular rising above the rest of the pack: Atlanta’s Mike Woodson and Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks. However, this season there are a decent number of qualified coaches so we’ll break down the other hopefuls and also examine the COTY’s recent (and in some ways dubious) history to get a full picture of this season’s race.

Vote for me!

Continue reading

As we arrive at the mid-point of the season, it becomes apparent that the early season success of a few players is more than just a fluke hot start. These players may have been decent contributors in the past but never gained mainstream attention outside of their own team’s fan base. These are the players that should be considered for the Most Improved Player Award.

Continue reading

Against all odds, it appears the Memphis Grizzlies are no longer one of the worst teams in basketball this season. Wednesday’s overtime victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers showed exactly how far this young team has progressed since last year. As evidenced by his performance against the Cavs, Zach Randolph (34 points on .526/1.00 percent shooting, 1 three on 1.00 percent shooting, 14 rebounds including 7 offensive boards, 2 assists, 4 steals, 1 blocks and 1 turnover) has emerged as one the Grizzlies’ primary weapons and leaders on the court.

Gulp.

Anyone who watches basketball knows that over the years, Randolph has accumulated quite a rap sheet from his off the court antics. Shoplifting, battery, underage drinking, fighting with teammates, driving while under the influence of marijuana, reckless driving, etc. On the court, Zandolph has also built up a solid resume of selfish play and boneheaded mistakes that has caused him to bounce around since the Jailblazers era. He is a lock for 20 and 10 almost every night but his quest to “get his” has often come at the expense of wins for his teams.

Exhibit A: Worst. Possession. Ever.

On young teams, veteran leadership is crucial to team success. At 28 years of age on one of the younges teams in the league, Randolph has to be considered a veteran leader, for better or worse. Take a look at the ages of the other starters for Memphis: Mike Conley (22), O.J. Mayo (22), Rudy Gay (23) and Marc Gasol (25). In addition, the rotation also includes two rookies in DeMarre Carroll (23) and Hasheem Thabeet (22), second-year project center Hamed Haddadi (24) and fourth year point guard Marcus Williams (24). The only other main rotation player older than Randolph is Jamaal Tinsley (31) who also comes with his own set of on and off the court baggage.

When a front office takes such a young and promising roster and makes Randolph the primary veteran leader on the floor and in the locker room, it raises more than a few eyebrows. Most people (myself included) expected an absolute train wreck from day one. In reality, just the opposite has occurred. The Grizz so far have improved their winning percentage from last season (.293 in 2008-09 compared to .429 this season). They’ve managed to win eight out of their last twelve games including wins over quality opponents such as Cleveland, Dallas and Portland.

But why should we think Randolph is a major reason for the Grizzlies’ success this season?

First, the Grizzlies have had a relatively stable roster since last season with Z-Bo being the main addition. The Grizzlies added a couple of rotation rookies via the draft this offseason, but certainly not immediate impact players, like Tyreke Evans or Brandon Jennings. The Grizzlies also dabbled in free agency, including Jamaal Tinsley and Allen Iverson (spectacular fail), and trades (Z-Bo). But Memphis’ main core was largely intact. Last season, the combination of Mayo, Gay, Gasol, Conley, Darrell Arthur and Haddadi accounted for 64 percent of Memphis’ minutes. This season, that same crew is responsible for 58 percent of the Grizz’s minutes, with the difference being Arthur’s 7 percent out of the rotation due to injury. Randolph represents the single biggest addition this season and has logged 15 percent of the team’s minutes.

Second, there has been a strong correlation between how Randolph performs and whether the Grizzlies win. It seems that every team has at least one “barometer” player that they depend on to play well in order to win basketball games. For example, for the Suns it is Jason Richardson; for the Thunder it is Jeff Green. For the Grizzlies this season, it has been Zach. In the ten games in which Randolph has tallied twenty or more points, Memphis is 7-3. Clearly there is some anecdotal evidence supporting the claim that Randolph is a major reason for why the Grizzlies have improved this season.

So what does Randolph bring to the table and has his game changed this season?

Randolph brings a legitimate scoring threat from the four position, which the Grizzlies sorely lacked last season. It is also important to note that Z-Bo can create his own shot in iso situations, which again Memphis lacked from it’s big men ranks. About half of his shot attempts are jump shots and half are close (at the rim and tip-ins). His close attempts are largely a result of his excellent work on the offensive glass (ZR currently ranks first in total offensive rebounds and fourth in offensive rebound percentage). He also ranks among the league leaders in field goals (12th), field goal attempts (19th), total rebounds (8th), points (20th), rebounds per game (10th), PER (17th) and total rebound percentage (15th). Zach is clearly an asset on the offensive side of the floor, although it should be noted that he has ranked among the league’s worst outlet passers when it comes to igniting the fast break.

Zach’s liabilities are exposed on the defensive end of the floor. This season, the Grizzlies have allowed opponents to score 1.5 more points when Randolph is on the floor than when he sits. In addition, he doesn’t really do anything exceptionally on the defensive end. He doesn’t steal the ball (0.7 steals per game, career), he doesn’t block shots (0.3 blocks per game, career) and he doesn’t draw many charges (0.05 charge rate; for reference Steve Nash has a charge rate of 0.50). One of his positives on the defensive end of the floor is that Z-Bo rarely fouls (2.4 per game over his career). It is clear that Memphis did not bring Randolph in to be a defensive game-changer.

This season, there have been some noticeable changes to Randolph’s game. His usage has dropped considerably from his career average of 28.1 percent to 23.7 percent this season, which represents his lowest usage since 2002-03. Most surprisingly, he has accepted this lower usage rate gracefully which has no doubt contributed to better team chemistry on and off the court. His shot selection has also experienced minor changes; most notably he has cut down on three point attempts (down to 0.2 per game this season from 1.9 last season) with positive effects on his field goal percentage.

It is also interesting to note that his field goal percentage is over .500 on the season for the first time since 2002-03, the same season in which he saw his lowest usage percentage. This combination of lower usage and less three point attempts has allowed Randolph to score more efficiently this season, which is always a good thing. These two trends can most likely be attributed to the influence of Coach Lionel Hollins as it is doubtful that Zach would make these changes on his own. The result has been a net positive for Zach and the young Grizz squad.

But what about team success? We’ve always known Randolph could ‘get his’ but is it leading to more wins this season?

To evaluate team success, Dean Oliver provided us with a simple and powerful means of breaking down offensive and defensive efficiency numbers in his seminal book on advanced basketball statistics, Basketball on Paper. If you haven’t read Dean’s book, I highly recommend it, as he is largely responsible for kicking advanced basketball metrics into high gear. The Four Factors Oliver came up with to explain team success (or lack thereof) can loosely be thought of as shooting (eFG%), turnovers (TOV%), rebounding (ORB%) and free throws (FT/FGA). Oliver used these simple categories to analyze teams on both the offensive and defensive end of the floor.

Let’s examine Memphis’ Offensive Four Factors from last season and compare them to this season.

2008-09 Offensive Four Factors
eFG%: .486 (23rd)
TOV%: .148 (27th)
ORB%: .258 (20th)
FT/FGA: .249 (9th)

2009-10 Offensive Four Factors
eFG%: .496 (16th, better)
TOV%: .148 (26th, same)
ORB%: .319 (1st, MUCH BETTER)
FT/FGA: .245 (10th, same)

On offense, it appears that Randolph did help make the Grizzlies better. In particular his .505 effective field goal percentage (on 15.1 attempts) has helped provide modest increases in Memphis’ team effective field goal percentage. Z-Bo has had the biggest effect on the offensive glass, as we would expect from his league leading numbers in offensive rebounding. However, Memphis leaping to the number one spot in the league from 20th overall last season is what is really impressive. Obviously, Randolph is not solely responsible for the increase (Marc Gasol?) but he is no doubt a key player in these two improvements to the Grizzlies’ offensive efficiency.

Thus, the argument that Randolph has helped the Grizzlies on the offensive end appears to be backed up by the offensive efficiency numbers. Now take a look at the Defensive Four Factors for Memphis.

2008-09 Defensive Four Factors
eFG%: .515 (26th)
TOV%: .141 (7th)
ORB%: .265 (16th)
FT/FGA: .247 (19th)

2009-10 Defensive Four Factors
eFG%: .531 (29th, same)
TOV%: .129 (24th, MUCH WORSE)
ORB%: .267 (13th, same)
FT/FGA: .201 (5th, MUCH BETTER)

On the defensive end, it is more of a mixed bag for the Grizz. On the positive side, Memphis has been better about not fouling on defense. As mentioned earlier, Randolph does not foul very much, which has had a positive effect on the team as a whole. He is most likely only partly responsible for this improvement but you can probably also credit the progression of the young Grizzlies players in general. Learning how to play defense in the NBA without fouling takes experience; simple as that. They area in which the Grizzlies regressed defensively this season is in forcing turnovers, something which Randolph does not do very well at all. Randolph is most likely partly culpable as he doesn’t steal the ball, take charges or force defenders into making bad passes.

Some concluding thoughts.

It appears that this season, Z-Bo’s personal success is finally starting to translate into more team wins. Randolph’s skills fill a need for the Grizz; they needed a guy that can create his own shot and clean up the offensive glass. In the end, it appears that the gains on the offensive ends have outweighed the losses on the defensive end. With Gasol and Randolph beasting it for the young Grizzlies squad, maybe Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace might be a bit savvier than most people have given him credit for?

Each year, there is always a group of players that start off hotter than the devil’s underwear.  Amongst them, there are several guys that really do come out of nowhere.  If you’re lucky, you’ve got at least one of them on your roster.  Or, perhaps, you’re being offered one of them by an owner looking to sell high.  Either way, now is a good time to contemplate what you can expect from them in the future. Playing your cards right can go a long way in determining the rest of your season so we’ll hopefully help breakdown 5 of the largest surprises this early NBA season.

* The following rankings are based on Ziguana 9-cat rankings.

1.  Larry Hughes – currently 12th

Who hasn’t owned “Smooth” (yeah that’s his nickname) at one time or another?  In his best year (2004-05), he averaged 22 points (on 43 FG% and 77 FT%), 1 3ptm, 6.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.9 steals.  Very nice!  Too bad that season has turned out to be an aberration as he’s failed to come close to duplicating those numbers again.  No matter though as Larry is once again tempting fantasy owners with a line thus far of 14 points (on 50 FG% and 70 FT%), 1.3 3ptm, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals.  The million dollar question is, can he keep it up?

One thing in Hughes favor though is the pocketbook argument.  It has been published by authors like Kevin Stiroh that NBA players performance do spike in contract years.  Well, at age 31, Larry is playing for the future so he might be putting up a one last hoorah.

However, I’m definitely on the other side of the fence as he’s got several factors working against him.  First, he is a career 41% FG shooter who is known for being as streaky as a Leonid Meteor Shower.  He’ll string along a few nice games, then promptly kick your team’s efficiency in the groin.  Second, his penchant for injury isn’t a secret to anyone – from ankles to shoulders to wrists.  Third, he is playing for the hapless Knicks.  D’Antoni will probably continue to experiment with lineups as to maximize wins and playing time for the youngsters.

Conclusion:  he’s a perfect sell high candidate so don’t wait too long to attempt to move him before he reverts back to ‘expected form.’

2.  Marc Gasol – currently 13th

I’d be willing to wager that “La Tanqueta” was the last picked starting Memphis Grizzly in every fantasy league this year.  Whoops!  He’s made a fool of all of us by putting up averages of 15.2 points (on 61.1 FG% and 74.7 FT%), 11.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks.  He’s easily been the better Gasol in the family in the earlygoings, but the important question is will it continue?

From my perspective, I don’t see any reason why he won’t.  First, have you seen him lately?  He lost half a Spaniard – well, not really, but 30 pounds is nothing to scoff at!  It is apparent he is moving MUCH better on the court and that added quickness is translating to a solid increase in most statistical categories.  Second, playing alongside potent names like OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph has taken all the focus away from him; consequently, he’s been free to roam in the paint and clean up on the glass.

Conclusion:  Marc Gasol owner’s should hang onto him unless they receive a very good offer.

3.  Brandon Jennings – currently 21st

“Young money” has started off the season with a bang and simultaneously has many Knick fans headed for the Brooklyn Bridge.  This spectacular lefty has posted averages of 25.3 points (on 47.9 FG% and 77.2 FT%), 2.6 3ptm, 4.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.0 steals.  His unexpected goodness has made the Milwaukee region relevant again as fans all over the country are tuning in to see what he’ll do next.  Unless you were on an expedition to the South Pole, I’m sure you heard about his recent 55 point performance.  So amongst all the hoopla, should there be any cause for concern?

Simply put, yes, as his feet have to touch the ground at some point.  Coming into the season, he gave every indication his shot was going to work:  43 games in Euope last year – approximately 38 FG%/22 3PT%,  NBA summer league – 37.9 FG%/42.9 3PT% and in the NBA preseason – 33 FG%/25 3pt%.  Currently, he’s at 47.9 FG%/49.1 3PT% with an eFG% on jumpshots of 55.9%.  I’m sorry, but that’s an unsustainable level.  Steve Nash’s eFG% is currently at 55.2% and last year it was 54.7%.  I refuse to believe he’s anywhere as adept as the 2 time NBA MVP.

Conclusion:  Sell high (in non-keeper leagues).  Although I expect him to still put up solid lines, they won’t be at current levels.  He will cool off and hit quite a few slumps as the law of averages tend to be cruel.  In addition, opposing teams now know who he is so they’ll key on him defensively.

4.  Channing Frye – currently 22nd

Channing should be nicknamed “rollercoaster” – from promising rookie to bench fodder to a fantasy owner’s dream.  This Phoenix Suns starting center is averaging 12.9 points (on 44.4 FG% and 79 FT%), 2.7 3ptm, 5.7 rebounds and close to 1 block/steal per game.  Simply marvelous when you consider he probably wasn’t even drafted in your league, but is he someone you keep for the long haul?

Yes.  While Channing does possess solid NBA talent, it’s the fact that he’ll continue to see big minutes in the Valley of the Suns.  The Frye guy was born to play center when Steve Nash is at the helm as he’s very proficient at shooting the perimeter shot and quicker than 90% of the opposition.  He’ll never wow you with the rebounds nor blocked shots, but if your team is small ball orientated he’ll fit like a glove.

Conclusion:  Jumpshooters are streaky so sell while the going is good; otherwise, hang onto him for what looks like will be a rewarding ride.

5.  Dahntay Jones -  currently 95th

Who says the NBA isn’t one big family?  Dahntay, a cousin of Al Harrington, is enjoying his finest NBA season to date.  He is currently averaging 17.6 points (on 48.2 FG% and 78.1 FT%), 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks.  Thought he was only a defensive stopper?  Welcome to the club.  However, if one looked closely enough, you’d have discovered he does know how to put the ball in the hoop.  In 10 games in the NBDL 2 years ago, Dahntay averaged 24.4 points with close to 1 steal/block per game and his senior year at Duke 17.7 points.  So can he keep it going?

This prediction isn’t as clear cut as the others as he’s got what seems to be a similar number of pro’s and con’s.  Regarding the pro’s, he plays for the 2nd best team in terms of pace.  Both Larry Bird and Coach O’brien are high on this kid as he’s got a bulldog defensive mentality.  Lastly, he has demonstrated he possesses an aggressive yet pretty efficient offensive approach (6.6 FTA a game).

As far as the con’s, it would seem he’s been playing on borrowed time.  Both Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy have missed most of the games played this season.  Once they’re both back and healthy, it would dictate a few players will get squeezed for minutes in a fair amount of games.

Conclusion:  Sell high if you can, but don’t despair.  The likelihood that Brandon Rush takes his game to another level and Dunleavy/Murphy (and even Danny Granger) remain healthy here on out seem very remote.  There may be a few periods where his production wanes, but don’t fear, he’ll get back on the court one way or another.

I must admit, originally this post was intended to analyze Allen Iverson playing in Memphis and whether this was a good or bad thing (take your pick), in both real life and in fantasy basketball. But things often change quickly in the basketball world (if you want proof just ask Byron Scott)  and the Answer has left us with nothing but questions.

Take a look at the Grizzlies’ recent track record.

The Memphis Grizzlies haven’t been to the playoffs in two years – not even close – and in fact, how their last winning season (2006) coincidentally was the last time they made the NBA’s second season. There is also the fact that the Grizzlies have turned over every single player from that last playoff roster (although I’m sure they managed to save a little money by recycling those items with the last name “Gasol” on them).

So with a group of fresh new faces and young talent, the Memphis Grizzlies, along with countless fantasy managers, looked forward to a bright future in a new season. This year was the year they would showcase up-and-coming talent such as Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, and O.J. Mayo. This year was going to be the year they would make a run at the playoffs.

But a funny thing happened to Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley at the end of last season – he made a stop by his accountant’s office and saw the books. And he wasn’t happy.

The Grizzlies weren’t making money. And how does an NBA franchise go about making money in this day and age? It sells tickets. But the Grizzlies finished 29th out of 30 teams in league attendance for the 2008-09 season, both in averages and totals. No tickets – no money. Simple formula. And Heisley knew it all too well.

So, he immediately decided to become one of a dozen NBA owners who are currently tapped into a $200 million dollar line of credit offered up by the NBA (yes…that’s 200, followed by six zeros). His franchise would receive anywhere between $13 to $20 million dollars to use in any way he saw fit – no limitations, no special clauses. However he wanted.

Now he had the cash and the desire to go looking for a player – someone to help bolster this roster, to push it over the top. Heisley goes out and signs Zach Randolph, a high usage guy (28.2 percent, which is good for ninth overall among active players), but a high caliber player nonetheless.

“Ah,” thought the masses, “now he’s done. He’s found the combination he was looking for – a high quality player, with a young, up-and-coming supporting cast. Now he’s primed to make a run back into the playoffs.”

But Heisley had something else in mind. Heisley still had that account ledger burned into his memory. Heisley still felt he needed to sell tickets. And no matter how you spin it, Zach Randolph is not a high marketable ticket-selling commodity. “Z-Bo” doesn’t put warm bodies in the seats with his charm and debonair.

Enter AI.

Remember, Iverson himself said in a recent interview with ESPN, that he wasn’t happy coming off the bench in Detroit. In fact, he was very specific about it:

Allen Iverson calls his one season in Detroit the “worst year of my career” and claims team officials and coach Michael Curry “lied” to him about coming off the bench instead of starting.

“They told me, straight up, ‘Allen, we would never disrespect you or your career like that,’ by making me come off the bench,” Iverson said in an interview with ESPN.com Page 2 columnist Scoop Jackson. “That’s what they told me to my face. And after that, I never thought about it again. I just went back to playing. Then, they came to me saying that they felt it would be in the ‘best interest of the team’ if I came off of the bench behind Rip [Richard Hamilton].

“… After that, they told me that if I didn’t come off the bench, the team was going to lie down on [not play with] me. … When he told me that, that’s when I felt that this was the worst career move I’d ever made and it was the worst year of my career.”

Source: ESPN

Flash forward to November 7th of this year:

A frustrated Allen Iverson has left the Memphis Grizzlies and is not expected to return anytime soon, if at all, a source close to the situation told Yahoo! Sports on Saturday.

The Grizzlies granted Iverson a leave of absence to allow him to return to his offseason home in Atlanta. The source said Iverson wants to clear his head and is extremely unhappy about the lack of communication with Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins over his playing time and role with the team.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Sound familiar? Like, maybe the Grizzlies “lied” to Allen Iverson about potentially starting him in Memphis?

Think about it – Iverson himself has never changed his story. He’s never changed the perception he has of himself as a starter. Compare what he said in his ESPN interview to what he said later in the Yahoo! Sports article:

“I’m not a reserve basketball player,” Iverson said. “I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve.”

Source: Yahoo! Sports

As high and mighty as we may all want to be when talking about Allen Iverson, the fact of the matter is he’s never passed himself off as something he’s not – a role player, a “sixth man”, a “glue guy”. He’s never flip-flopped, saying one thing and doing another. And as conceited as he sounds, he has never once indicated that he didn’t mind not starting.

And now, he’s extremely frustrated that he’s not getting what he wants.

Spoiled? Yes. Conceited? Quite possibly.But you know what? He may be right.

There’s that signpost up ahead – yes, we’re crossing into The Twilight Zone.

It wasn’t Iverson who went to the Grizzlies looking desperately for a job. It wasn’t Iverson who felt he needed to be in Memphis to resurrect his career. It wasn’t Iverson looking for one last opportunity to get into the playoffs, when even the snowball had a better chance in hell. It wasn’t Iverson who felt he needed to sell tickets.

No tickets – no money. Simple formula.

This recent chain of events in Allen Iverson’s “saga” should surprise no one. It certainly doesn’t surprise him. He feels written off by most of the media anyway. Posts and news flashes had him contemplating retirement and walking away from the game for good the day he left the Grizzlies for Atlanta!

But who wouldn’t walk away? After being “lied” to, what now seems to be a second time? After being used as a gimmick to simply boost ticket sales for a team that has been losing money since 2001? A team who might break even this year?

I dare say that Allen Iverson may actually be doing the right thing in walking away from the Grizzlies, and possibly the NBA. He’s standing up for something. He’s making a statement.

But it’s not a statement for egotistical, self-centered, spoiled brats to say they’re right, and we’re all wrong. It’s not a message that being conceited is good, while showing humbleness is not.

It’s a statement about the truth. And it’s a truth that has been laid out there since day one – since the first time Allen Iverson stepped onto that floor in Philadelphia – since his roller coaster days in Denver – since “the worst time of his career” in Detroit. And now, during his short stint with the Grizzlies.

“I’m not a reserve basketball player,” Iverson said. “I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve.”

We can sit here all day and debate Allen Iverson’s character with regards to that statement. But the fact is, it’s the truth! And it’s a truth that nobody seems interested in reporting – Not Yahoo! Sports, not ESPN, and certainly not Heisley and the Memphis Grizzlies.

So dear reader, since you now know the entire set of circumstances that caused events to play out the way they did, does it change your perception of the situation? It shouldn’t change your perception of Allen Iverson the person – even I have a few choice, colorful metaphors with regards to AI, which could easily get me in trouble with my editor while testing the boundaries of free speech.

But who is to blame here? Who is really to blame? Allen Iverson? A man who has worn his ego like a badge his entire career, never once trying to hide the fact – or Heisley and the Memphis Grizzlies, for trying to be something they just aren’t – a suitable fit for a player the likes of Allen Iverson.

And while you read, and re-read, and fact check, and do your own research and digging in order to come to your own conclusion, the question will remain: is this the end for Allen Iverson?

At this point, only he knows. He is, after all, The Answer.

With Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball up and running early this season, there is plenty of time to examine the data and prepare for drafts and the upcoming season. One important aspect to consider before drafting and assembling the perfect fantasy squad is position eligibility.

Each season is different and each season certain guys gain extra eligibility at a position you normally wouldn’t expect. Likewise, there are players that for some reason or another are missing a position eligibility they had last season or that they should have. Each fantasy sports provider has its own quirks and nuances and uses different criteria to make their position eligibility judgments. Make sure and examine your own provides list carefully.

Or, if you use Yahoo!, just continue reading. Your welcome.

Before getting into the nuts and bolts, take a step back and do some cursory research. Find out what the criteria are used to determine and assign position eligibility for your specific provider. The criteria will be laid out somewhere on their website. Or again, just continue reading.

Initial position eligibility for each player was determined based on past participation and information supplied by NBA teams during the off-season.

Players are eligible at one or more positions during the current Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Basketball season depending upon their real-life participation.

All position eligibility requests are reviewed by Yahoo! Sports and confirmed with our NBA sources. Due to the nature of the review process, we’re unable to comment on each individual player request.

Source: Yahoo!

So the eligibility is somewhat based upon real life and is subject to Yahoo!’s discretion. The Yahoo! Help page also lays out how position eligibility can be added throughout the regular season. This is also important to note because the eligibility is supposed to mirror real life to a certain degree. So when you see position changes in real life, Yahoo! is supposed to mimic that change as well.

Updates are made during the regular season based on changes to the lineups and official team rosters. Players don’t lose position eligibility when moving from one real-life position to another. So, if a forward starts to play regular shifts as a center, he’s eligible for the remainder of the season as a forward and a center.

New positions are added when it’s confirmed that a player’s primary position has changed and that the change is not expected to be a temporary one.

When a player has earned eligibility at a new position, it will be displayed wherever player positions are shown.

The key to Yahoo!’s in-season updates is that new position eligibility is to be assigned based upon permanent changes to a player’s primary position. With that in mind, don’t get too bogged down in the details. Just something to keep in  my mind as you review the position eligibility list. I definitely recommend perusing the list for yourself as different changes will stand out to different managers.

I reviewed the top 250 players (according to Yahoo!’s O-Rank) examining only their position eligibility. I compared their assigned eligibility to a combination of last season’s eligibility and my expected position eligibility for each player. Not exactly hard science. Then, each player was classified into groups.

Here are the results.

The Rookies

This season’s first pick overall, Blake Griffin (SF/PF), also provided the first eligibility surprise for rookies: small forward status. Griffin seemed a lock to gain power forward status but also could have been though of as a longshot for center eligibility if the Clippers decided to play small ball.  Small forward status is just icing on the cake as he is not pigeon-holed into the “PF only” category.

The next group of rookies contains players that obtained eligibility at both guard positions. This group includes Johnny Flynn (PG/SG); Stephen Curry (PG/SG); Tyreke Evans (PG/SG); and James Harden (PG/SG). Some of these are more surprising than others. In particular Flynn and Harden are both surprising but for different reasons; Flynn surprisingly gained shooting guard eligibility and Harden gained point guard eligibility.

The next two players’ eligibility was very surprising indeed. Both DeMar DeRozan (SG/SF/PF) and Terrence Williams (SG/SF/PF) were given eligibility at shooting guard and both forward positions. This means these two guys can be played at shooting guard, guard, small forward, power forward, forward or utility. Now that is versatility.

Other notables: Jordan Hill (SF/PF) and David Andersen (SF/PF).

Single Position Only

Of all the fantasy stars out there, no one gets overlooked and undervalued more often than Dirk Nowitzki (PF). That is scientific fact although no scientific studies were actually undertaken. Normally, it wouldn’t be surprising that Dirk only obtained power forward eligibility with his well-known preference to play the four and not the five. However, with Shawn Marion (SF/PF) on board, there is widespread speculation that Marion might spend some quality time at the four with Dirk at the five. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for added center eligibility for Nowitzki.

In an about face, the next guy is one guy people can’t stop talking about and overvaluing. As of now, Gilbert Arenas (PG) is slated to be have point guard eligibility only. While not entirely unexpected, it is important to note that and not rely on Agent Zero having dual guard eligibility.  In fact, it is probably a good idea not to rely on Arenas for anything.

Everyone’s hottest sleeper of the summer, Anthony Randolph (PF), has been given only eligibility at the four. This is surprising because of Randolph’s real life versatility. It is compounded by the fact that Anthony plays for Coach Don Nelson, who is known for his unconventional lineups and could potentially play three (or more) positions. For a system, that is supposed to mimic real life, Randolph having power forward eligibility only is certainly an airball on Yahoo!’s part.

Other notables: Kevin Garnett (PF); O.J. Mayo (SG); Trevor Ariza (SF); Shane Battier (SF) Kenyon Martin (PF); Yi Jianlian (PF); Keyon Dooling (PG); and Jose Juan Barea (PG).

Bonus Time!

Every season, there are a certain number of players that maintain eligibility for a certain position when the probably shouldn’t (bonus!). That is a great thing, because the more flexible your squad is the greater your chances of building a championship caliber squad are. This season, Kevin Durant (SG/SF) has maintained his shooting guard eligibility even though he has played almost totally at the three since Coach P.J. Carlesimo was fired early last season after a rocky start. The switch also coincides with the Durantula’s ascent to fantasy god status.

Similarly, Memphis’ Rudy Gay (SF/PF) plays almost exclusively at the three so the power forward eligibility can be viewed as an added bonus. With new addition and black hole Zach Randolph around, Gay will most likely spend even less time at the four next season (Darrell Arthur should also be picking up scrap minutes behind Z-Bo).

Other notables: Emeka Okafor (PF/C); Udonis Haslem (PF/C); and Darrell Arthur (PF/C).

Big Men with Small Forward Eligibility

This season, there is a group of big men that received small forward eligibility. For some, like Utah’s Paul Millsap (SF/PF), it comes as a surprise. If anything, Millsap should have eligibility at power forward and center, not small forward. But you can only hope that Yahoo! fixes that during the season, which would make Millsap extremely versatile with SF/PF/C eligibility.

Other notables: Tyrus Thomas (SF/PF); Jason Thompson (SF/PF) and Brandon Bass (SF/PF).

Point Guards with Shooting Guard Eligibility

The final group of players is guys who have eligibility at both guard positions. Most of these guys should come as now surprise, including the newest Timberwolf, Ramon Sessions (PG/SG). He should see some run at the two guard alongside rookie lotter selection Johnny Flynn. The real mystery is how Flynn walked away with eligibility at both guard positions but it’s usually a good idea to never question a good thing.

Other notables: Allen Iverson (PG/SG); Rodney Stuckey (PG/SG); Lou Williams (PG/SG); D.J. Augustin (PG/SG); and Rudy Fernandez (PG/SG).

A roundup like this is a useful reference but cannot subsitute for actually sitting down and reviewing the position eligibility list yourself. Take careful note of where eligibility assignments differ from your own opinion of position eligibility and keep these issues in mind when drafting.

The next step in breaking down the pre-draft data is scouring the Yahoo! O-Ranks and average draft position lists to see which players are being overvalued, undervalued and slept on.

The Los Angeles Clippers Memphis Grizzlies win the 2009 NBA Draft Lottery!

1. Los Angeles (17.7%)
2. Memphis (8.3%)
3. Oklahoma City (13.2%)
4. Sacramento (17.7%)
5. Washington (13.7%)
6. Minnesota (38.5%)
7. Golden State (60.0%)
8. New York (72.5%)
9. Toronto (81.3%)
10. Milwaukee (87.0%)
11. New Jersey (90.4%)
12. Charlotte (93.5%)
13. Indiana (96.0%)
14. Phoenix (98.2%)

Although the Clippers won the Blake Griffin Sweepstakes, the Memphis Grizzlies are the ones that really defied that odds and upgraded the most in the lottery. With only an 8.3 percent chance of landing the second pick in this year’s draft, Memphis overcame the biggest odds to secure its lottery pick. With the second pick, the player with the biggest upside is Spanish guard Ricky Rubio. However, the Grizzlies recently traded Kyle Lowry to Houston in a move that was widely interpreted as a sign of support for their young starting point guard out of Ohio State, Mike Conley.

A few months later, how would it look if Memphis turns around and drafts another point guard in this season’s draft? To look at it from another perspective, does it really matter what Conley thinks about the move at all? Well, yes and no. From management’s perspective, the team should take the best player available with the second pick of the draft (no). From a coach’s perspective, it is important to show public support for your point guard because he is the filter between the coaching staff and the players. He makes the entire offense and defense function (yes).

Positional needs can always be addressed during the offseason and even up until the trade deadline. However, a second pick overall allows you the opportunity to get premier talent on the cheap. If you draft by position instead of by talent and ceiling with the second pick in the draft, you end up with Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan. Although Memphis does lack size, passing on Rubio could end up being a “Bowie” moment for the Grizzlies franchise as Rubio has the potential to be a very special player.

Regarding the “real” winner of the draft lottery, the Clippers have an opportunity that they can’t screw up. They can’t screw this up, can they? The first step to success for L.A.’s other team is to draft Blake Griffin. No need to spend money on costly workouts or interviews this year. Second, get rid of Zach Randolph. Worst. Possession. Ever. If I am Clippers owner Donald Sterling (which, thankfully, I am not), I have already called, texted or twittered every other owner in the league to personally let them know that Z-Bo is available. That is addition by subtraction (Randolph) and just plain old addition (Griffin). Success!