Busy Offseason

NBA Ultimate Resources
Busy Offseason
by KFL Writer Min Lee

This NBA offseason has been surprisingly eventful and intriguing. We all anticipated the Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley hype (the latter of whom was rushed to the hospital after suffering a chest bruise at his first practice with the Heat), but the draft didn’t shake out the way most people expected. Some teams made very important acquisitions that have immediate playoff implications. And how about the Supersonics finding a new home in Oklahoma City? Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp don’t look too happy from here. But what really caught me off guard was the Clippers signing Baron Davis. Something tells me Donald Sterling is just as surprised as I am. So now here is my pick for the top five biggest offseason moves so far.

1. Clippers sign Baron Davis.

It’s safe to assume that Lakers will still hold the edge in the cross-town rivalry next season, but the arrival of a prominent superstar like Baron Davis will bring new excitement to the forgettable Clippers. Davis’s abilities as a playmaker and scorer will give Brand, Kaman, and Thornton better looks on offense, and he also takes some pressure off Shaun Livingston to fully recover from the knee injury. And it should come as no surprise that this move will increase the likelihood of Brand staying with the Clippers.

2. Minnesota trades O.J. Mayo, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner, and Marko Jaric to Memphis for Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins

The way I see it is, Minnesota traded O.J. Mayo for Kevin Love and Mike Miller. The trade makes a lot of sense for the Timberwolves. They get a big man with outside touch and passing ability in Love to back up Al Jefferson, and Mike Miller is a proven shooter who can create for other teammates as well. If all goes as expected, the Timberwolves will have Foye, Miller, Love, and Jefferson on the court at the same time. That’s not bad for a team that won 22 games last season. And the Memphis Grizzlies? They took a gamble on O.J. Mayo. A huge gamble. There is no doubt Mayo will develop into an explosive scorer, but the Grizzlies will be sorely missing veteran leadership for years to come.

3. New Jersey Nets trade Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons

Considering this trade at face value, Milwaukee got the better end of the deal. At 28 years old, Richard Jefferson still has at least four solid years ahead of him. He averaged a career best 22.6 points last year, shooting 46.6% from the floor. Along with Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, and Ramon Sessions, Jefferson brings the Bucks into East’s playoff picture. The Nets acquired Yi partly to draw more ticket sales, and Bobby Simmons is not a bad player either, but the biggest catch of all is that the Nets are officially in the bidding for LeBron James come his free-agency period. LeBron apparently doesn’t mind because he recently told the reporters Brooklyn is his favorite city.

4. Indiana trades Jermaine O’Neal to Toronto for T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, and Roy Hibbert

In my opinion, the trade benefits both teams. Indiana is tired of the Jamaal Tinsley experiment and gets a solid point guard in T.J. Ford. Ford’s quickness causes problems for the defense, and his penetration and dish is going to allow Dunleavy and Granger more freedom on their half-court set. Jermaine O’Neal has a history of injuries to date, but a change of environment could be good for him. Teamed up with Chris Bosh, he gives the Raptors one of the best frontcourts in the East.

5. Arenas re-signs with the Wizards

For a moment, it seemed that the Warriors, after losing Davis, had a legitimate shot at luring Gilbert Arenas. After all, Arenas is a competitor, and the Warriors are not too far from making a splash in the post-season. But today Arenas confirmed he had signed a $111M, 6-yr deal to stay with the Wizards. The trio of Arenas, Jamison, and Butler will be back once again to give the team a chance to advance to the playoffs.

The Staff: Weekly Waiver Wire

NBA Ultimate Resources
Weekly Waiver Wire
by KFL Writer Min Lee

Most fantasy NBA leagues are now in the first round of
the playoffs. Unless you are playing rotisserie,
adds/drops will be a critical factor in your team's
postseason success. Here's a list of players to look
for as the week winds down:

Steve Blake (PG) Trail-Blazers: He may not score in
double-digits but he's gotten starter's minutes in
three of last four games and averaged 7.4 assists in
the last seven. He also has at least one trey in the
last five games.

Chris Quinn (PG) Heat: With Jason Williams sidelined
with a jammed thumb, Quinn delivered against the Bucks
on Monday, putting up 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4
assists, and 4 steals. The Heat have four games in the
next six days so Quinn should be a quality pick-up.

Joel Przybilla (C) Trail-Blazers: When he manages to
stay out of foul trouble, he can get you double-digit
rebounds and a couple blocks. Averaging 18.7 rebounds
and 2 blocks over last three, including a 26-rebound
performance against Clippers.

Tim Thomas (F) Clippers: Who's going to score for the
Clippers? With Kaman battling injuries and Brand
unlikely to return for a while, Thomas should play a
major role in Clippers offense. He is averaging 15.7
points, 5 rebounds, and 1.6 treys over last seven.

Nenad Krstic (F-C) Nets: We all know what numbers
Krstic is capable of putting up when he's healthy.
He's played over 30 minutes in last two contests,
scoring 14 and 22 points respectively.
Jeff Green (F): Green is getting plenty of playing
time, and the numbers should follow. Sonics may give
Green more freedom to roam on offense, which should
help his game.

Erick Dampier (C) Mavs: In the absence of Dirk
Nowitzki, the Mavs will count on Dampier to clean up
the boards. In the first game without Dirk, Dampier
put up 19 points, 17 rebounds, and 1 block. 

The Staff: Weekly Update

NBA Ultimate Resources
Weekly Update
by KFL Writer Min Lee

Watching the San Antonio Spurs climb back in the third quarter against Dallas Mavericks, I was reminded of the Pistons’ championship series against the Lakers in 2004. The Pistons stifled the star-studded Laker lineup on the defensive end, rotating beautifully on pick-and-rolls and swarming the guy with the ball even when Lakers made extra passes. The Spurs showed the same tenacity on Sunday when they went on a 19-0 run in the third quarter and gutted out the 88-81 victory. For the game, they shot a dismal 33% from the field (Parker 4-21, Duncan 7-21) but also had only five turnovers. Never count out the Spurs for the championship…

Pick-ups of the Week:

Mickael Pietrus: Anyone on the Warriors’ starting line-up is a viable fantasy option, and Pietrus is now one of them. He gives you rebounds, 3’s, steals, and often blocks.

Jason Williams: Some fantasy owners dropped Williams after he came down with a jammed thumb against the Raptors, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him that much. He played 41 minutes last game against the Bobcats and had 19 points, 8 assists, and 3 treys.

Ryan Gomes: I’ve always been hesitant to add Gomes because he’s only known for getting points and rebounds. Lately he’s been getting starting minutes, however, and his production has soared. Over the last nine games, Gomes is averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He’s also shooting 90% from the charity stripe.

Juan Carlos Navarro: It’s uncertain whether Navarro will get starter minutes in the near future, but he has three 20-point games out of the last five and is averaging 3.5 treys in the last six.

J.R. Smith: His minutes have been down lately (averaging 16.3 minutes over last six), but it helps that he fits into the high-powered, run-and-gun Nuggets offense. He’s deadly from the three-point line (13 treys over last six) and gets a fair share of steals. And you never know when he’ll explode offensively as he often does.

The Staff: Top 10 Teams in NBA

NBA Ultimate Resources
Top 10 Teams in NBA
by KFL Writer Min Lee

Just when the Phoenix Suns appeared to have squandered their chances at a long playoff run by trading away Shawn Marion, they got 34 strong minutes from Shaquille O'Neal en route to beating the second-place San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. O'Neal had 14 points and 16 rebounds but more importantly altered a lot of shots in the paint. It remains to be seen if Shaq can stay out of foul trouble and keep up with the high-powered offense of the Western Conference teams. There was another interesting development from the game on Sunday- near the end of the second quarter, Duncan was called for a foul on Shaq who ended up on the floor. When Duncan went over and reached out to help Shaq up, the "Superman" didn't take the hand and instead waited for his teammates to help him up. I believe that violated the Big Man Packing Code 2121...

Anyway many teams in the league are about to embark on a final soul-searching journey to prove their playoff eligibility so it seems like the right time to look at the top 10 teams in the NBA right now:

1. Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers lost only for the second time in the last fifteen games as Sacramento Kings pulled off the one-point victory Sunday night. Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar, the centerpieces of the stellar Laker bench, have been inconsistent lately as has Luke Walton. Still, you have to like the Lakers' chances when they get Bynum and Ariza back. Oh, and Phil Jackson is coaching.

2. San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are the defending NBA champions, and they have the experience to do it again. Aside from Duncan and Ginobili, the Spurs don't score a whole lot but their defense makes it tough on anybody. Don't let the two-game losing streak throw you off.

3. Boston Celtics. What has been most impressive about the Celtics is not the output of Pierce, Garnett, and Allen but the defensive committment of the entire team. Rondo has come on strong as the starting point guard as well. The Celtics have yet to show, though, that they can consistently outperform the top-tier teams in the West.

4. Houston Rockets. Who would've thought? Yao-less Rockets win twenty games in a row, and they are winning BIG. T-Mac could do something special this year.

5. New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets have been up and down, but they can score as well as anybody in the league. When healthy, West and Stojakovic are nightmares for the defense. They also seem to match up well against the Suns.

6. Detroit Pistons. Yeah they've clinched a playoff spot, but they are struggling against mediocre teams (100-97 win over Sonics, 101-97 win over Knicks, 82-83 loss to 76ers).

7. Utah Jazz. The Jazz are almost unbeatable at home (28-3) and have Andrei Kirilenko back. They've beaten the Mavericks, Suns, and Nuggets in March.

8. Dalls Mavericks. After two straight losses to the Jazz and the Rockets, Mavs have beaten the last three opponents by an average of 24 points. They are really counting on Josh Howard to emerge as a dynamic scorer.

9. Phoenix Suns. Shaq provides the rebounding and defensive presence the Suns need, but what about his foul situation and free throws?

10. Orlando Magic. Turkoglu and Howard are having an astounding season and may end up going to the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Magic are still far from reaching the level of the top Western Conference teams. That's scary.

The Staff: Analysis of Cleveland-Chicago-Seattle Trade

NBA Ultimate Resources
Analysis of Cleveland-Chicago-Seattle Trade
by KFL Writer Min Lee

Just when it seemed that teams were done dealing and wheeling before the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled a trigger on yet another deal with playoff implications. The trade ultimately benefits the Cavaliers, bringing in a solid defensive presence and a sharpshooter that can take the load off James’s back. Let’s look at the key pieces of this deal:

Larry Hughes (traded from Cavaliers to Bulls): Hughes seemed to be getting back on track in Cleveland before being traded. He averaged 25.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in his last four games as a Cavalier, including a 40-point performance against Orlando. Trade to the Bulls, however, will most likely force him to share playing time with Ben Gordon, hurting both players’ values. Unless Hughes can become the distributor he used to be earlier in his career, his fantasy value will be limited. Bulls have enough shooters.

Drew Gooden (traded from Cavaliers to Bulls): Gooden is currently penciled in as the starter at power forward so his fantasy value should not change much. The Bulls have more offensive threats than the Cavaliers and may be able to open things up for Gooden inside. Tyrus Thomas, however, is a more athletic and talented forward and should get more minutes with the departure of Ben Wallace and Joe Smith. Look for Thomas to steal starter’s minutes from Gooden.

Ben Wallace (traded from Bulls to Cavaliers): His injuries aside, Ben Wallace has been a fantasy enigma this season. He has been getting starter’s minutes and yet he is averaging only 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. One reason for his struggles may be his lack of motivation. If so, playoff-bound Cleveland should be a nice change of atmosphere for Wallace. I expect him to at least match last season’s numbers of 10.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He will also show the same energy that Shaq has been showing after being traded to the Suns.

Joe Smith (traded from Bulls to Cavaliers): Smith had some nice games for the Bulls, but Cleveland simply has too many big men to give Smith enough playing time. Wallace and Ilgauskas will start at frontcourt, and the Cavaliers paid too much for Varejao to let him dawdle on the bench. Smith has minimal fantasy value at this point.

Wally Szczerbiak (traded from Sonics to Cavaliers): Szczerbiak has had a disappointing season in Seattle, averaging only 13.1 points and 2.7 rebounds. Playing alongside LeBron James in Cleveland should definitely improve his numbers across the board. James has been thirsting for consistent perimeter shooters who can convert when he sets them up for open shots. Szczerbiak has shot a decent 46% from the field and is still averaging 1.4 treys per game. His stats should hover around 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.8 treys.

Delonte West (traded from Sonics to Cavaliers): Here is the piece in the deal that makes no sense to me. The Sonics agreed to this trade because they wanted to rebuild around young, promising players like Kevin Durant. So why did they offer a 24-year old who had two stellar seasons in Boston instead of the older Earl Watson or the softer Luke Ridnour? And why did they not ask for a young player in return? As it stands, West will start for the Cavaliers because of Daniel Gibson’s ankle injury Wednesday night. I like West’s playmaking ability and expect him to put up 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists daily as long as he’s starting.

The Staff: Waiver Wire Pick Ups

NBA Ultimate Resources
Waiver Wire Pick Ups
by KFL Writer Min Lee

The NBA All-Star festivities are here, and that means it's time for fantasy owners to take a good look at their roster and survey any cuts and bruises in their roto game. If you are in close contention for a playoff spot in a head-to-head league, strong performance in waiver wire will be crucial. Rotisserie owners, meanwhile, should make up their minds about categories to pursue or abandon and look to pull a blockbuster trade.

Speaking of trades, what would have sent All-Star New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd to the suddenly frantic Dallas Mavericks in exchange for a package with Devin Harris and Jerry Stackhouse met a roadblock in the form of Devean George's contract rights. Even if George can be coaxed and the trade does fall through, the fantasy impact of players involved should not change drastically. Kidd will rack up just as many assists playing alongside Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard. The Mavericks may be counting on Kidd to help out on the scoring end, but he is beyond the days of creating his own shot. Devin Harris's quickness meshes well with the athleticism of Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. If big men Sean Williams and Josh Boone can develop their post-up game, Harris may become more of a playmaker than a scorer. Stackhouse will resume his sixth man duty and put up similar numbers.

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