Empty the Bench

Phew. It’s been a harried 36 hours here at Empty the Bench. The site went down unexpectedly on Monday afternoon and we’ve been doing our best to get it back up and running ever since, but it looks like we’re out of the woods for now.

ETB would like to sincerely apologize to all of our readers for the service interruption and thank you for bearing with us while we figured this out. Neither of us is the most tech savvy guy, so we were forced to consult outside help to get the matter resolved.

We’re back now though, and we’re ready to do what we do best: provide you with high-caliber insight and analysis on the National Basketball Association and National Footbal League with our usual fantasy rankings and articles mixed in for good measure. Just in time for the NBA season to kick off next Tuesday, too.

Enjoy, and hopefully it’ll be smooth sailing from here on out. Special thank you to Tyler of Meat Junkie and Whiskey & Aspirin fame for his help, consultation, and patience.

- Brian and Andrew

We’re back again with the latest volley in the ever-popular Blogger Previews. Today we tackle the Northwest Division of the Western Conference, featuring some of the youngest teams in the NBA. Last season the division was won by the old-school, new-look Jazz led by Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer doing their best John Stockton and Karl Malone impersonations. The Denver Nuggets also made the playoffs out West behind the trio of Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby and Allen Iverson in one of the strongest seasons of his career – the loss of Camby figures to make the feat tough to repeat though.

That should make room for the young guns in Portland, a roster led by Brandon Roy and “rookie” Greg Oden and as laden with young talent as any team in the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder figure to pull up the rear once again, but even these rosters feature exciting youngsters like Al Jefferson, Kevin Durant, Rany Foye, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook.

It should be another fun season to watch in the Northwest, and the bloggers below have all you need to know to prep for the season ahead.

Denver Nuggets
Jeremy: Pickaxe and Roll
Nick Sclafani: The Nugg Doctor

Minnesota Timberwolves
Derek Hanson & Staff: TWolves Blog
Andrew Thell: Empty the Bench
wyn: Canis Hoopus

Oklahoma City
xphoenix87: BallerBlogger
Zorgon: Blue Blitz
Royce: The Thunderworld  

Portland Trail Blazers
Mookie: …a stern warning
Benjamin Golliver: Blazers Edge

Coup and SJ: Rip City Project

Utah Jazz
UtesFan89: The Utah Jazz
Basketball John: SLC Dunk

More 2008-09 NBA Blogger Previews

Eastern Conference:
- Atlantic Division
- Central Division
- Southwest Division

Western Conference:
- Southwest Division
- Northwest Division
- Pacific Division

It’s only the preseason, and unfortunately dunking remains the one and only thing Dallas Mavericks swingman Gerald Green consistently does at a high level. Still–we’re suckers for his posterizations no matter when they happen, like this filthy one from Saturday night on Sacramento Kings stiff Spencer Hawes. We believe in you, Gerald. We believe in you.

Related Reading:
- The Dallas Mavericks Quietly Abscond with Former Dunk Champ Gerald Green
- In Case You Missed It: Highlights from All Star Saturday Night
- Untapped Potential: Ten NBA Players We Want to See on the Court More Often

For all the changes made by the Pacers, Bucks, and Bulls, it still looks like a two team race between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA’s Central Division crown.

The Indiana Pacers finally turned the page on Jermaine O’Neal, trading him to the Toronto Raptors for PG T.J. Ford and also adding Jarrett Jack to the backcourt mix, but don’t figure into the playoff hunt this year. The Chicago Bulls are poised to improve with first-overall pick Derrick Rose likely starting at PG, Luol Deng hoping to bounce back from an injury-plagued season, and new head coach Vinney del Negro bringing a new style of play; growing pains are likely. And the Bucks… well, they’re going to score a lot of points with Richard “Peanut” Jefferson in the fold and Charlie Vilanueva playing consistent minutes, but they’re also going to drive head coach Scott Skiles crazy with their lack of defensive acumen.

It’s still the Detroit Pistons, now under the direction of head coach Michael Curry, and the Cleveland LeBrons, however, that will in all likelihood compete for division title. But don’t take it from us–the NBA Blogger Previews series rolls on with a look at the Eastern Conference’s Central Division (including our analysis of the Pistons).

Chicago Bulls
Nels: Give Me The Rock
Matt: Blog-a-Bull

Cleveland Cavaliers
Rock: Waiting For Next Year
FTS: Fear The Sword
David Friedman: 20 Second Timeout

Detroit Pistons
Brian Spencer: Empty the Bench
Natalie Sitto: Need4Sheed.com
Matt Watson: Detroit Bad Boys

Indiana Pacers
Tom: Indy Cornrows

Milwaukee Bucks
Jeramey Jannene: The Bratwurst
Frank Madden: BrewHoop

More 2008-09 NBA Blogger Previews

Eastern Conference:
- Atlantic Division
- Central Division
- Southwest Division

Western Conference:
- Southwest Division
- Northwest Division
- Pacific Division

2007-08 Season Record: 22-60
Personnel Losses: Marko Jaric (Trade), Antoine Walker (Trade), O.J. Mayo (Draft-rights trade… sorry, I had to bring it up)
Personnel Additions: Kevin Love (Draft-rights trade), Mike Miller (Trade), Rodney Carney (Trade), Jason Collins (Trade), Brian Cardinal (Trade), Calvin Booth (Trade)

Being a Minnesota Timberwolves fan isn’t fun. I know. The NBA season just happens to coincide with the most dismal, dreary months of the Minnesota calendar. The climate becomes so inhospitable that it can literally burn your skin with frostbite from mere minutes of exposure. The sun goes down before you get home from work. For five months you live like some kind of troglodyte, avoiding the out of doors at all costs.

And so you turn up the heat, you don your flannel pajamas at 7:00 PM, you sit down on the couch and you watch television.

Since 1989, that means you watch a lot of Timberwolves games. You watch through the lean years of a bungling expansion franchise, waiting for your turn. You watch as they set an NBA record by losing at least 60 games for four consecutive seasons, but you stick with it.

When a player finally shines like a ray of hope, you latch onto him. You lionize him. You internalize his struggle and map it onto your own. His pitfalls and his triumphs somehow mean more than basketball. You fall in love with Kevin Garnett. And Kevin Garnett falls in love with Minnesota and the people who worship him. The people agree to pay him $126 million to stay for six years and then extend him for more than $20 million a year after that.

It’s not about the money though, it’s about finally having a hero, a winner. A guy you can be proud of. You stick with him through thick and thin, even after another troubling NBA record is set: seven consecutive defeats in the first round of the playoffs. Then in 2004 a couple of wily veterans come into town, things click, and you have the best record in the Western Conference. Kevin Garnett is named the NBA MVP. Things are looking up… until a gut-wrenching loss to the former Minneapolis Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

Then things start to come unraveled again. The Wolves miss the playoffs the next three seasons after participating in every postseason since 1996. It becomes increasingly clear that the relationship with Kevin Garnett isn’t the match made in heaven you thought it was. He’s outgrown you, he needs something you can’t give and you’re holding him down. Finances start to get in the way more than they ever did before. He says he’s still committed and he works hard at it because he feels obligated, but it’s clear he deserves another shot with a city that can give him what he needs.

You need to move on.

So you send Kevin packing and you start over with a new young kid named Al, who shows all kinds of promise. It’s not an easy thing to do, but it needs to be done. You both deserve it. Kevin lands on his feet and a year later he’s wearing a ring with another team – and you’re genuinely happy for him. Really. I am.

But what does Minnesota do now? You draft Kevin Love and you try to keep moving on.

Answering the tough questions for Minnesota after the jump…

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There are thousands of fantasy owners out there beating themselves over the head for passing on Reggie Bush this year.

Last season the Saints’ head honcho out of the backfield barely finished in the top 20 amongst fantasy backs in ETB’s scoring format, coming in behind guys like Kenny Watson, Willis McGahee, and Jamal Lewis. He racked up just 133 fantasy points on the season in totaling under 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards and 6 TDs. That effort didn’t do much for his fantasy stock in ‘08, and it showed on draft day.

In Yahoo! leagues this season, Bush was drafted on average with the 60th overall pick with more “sure bets” at RB like Ryan Grant, Laurence Maroney, McGahee, and even rookie Darren McFadden coming off the board before Bush. Heading into Week 7, however, Bush is Yahoo!’s top-rated fantasy RB and is the first to eclipse 100 points in our format. Those four guys mentioned above? Thus far they’ve combined for about 81 points. Ouch.

Bush still has trouble running between the tackles (and maybe always will), but galdarnit if he isn’t a boon for fantasy owners in PPR leagues. He already has 41 catches for 361 yards and 3 TDs, and is second in receptions to only Brandon Marshall (43). It’s not out of the question to think that Bush could finish the regular season as the league-leader in that category. Crazy.

Let’s get to ETB’s revered fantasy ranks for Week 7 now, shall we?

Fantasy Week 7 – Top 20 Quarterbacks

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints @ CAR
2. Brett Favre, New York Jets @ OAK
3. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers @ BUF
4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers vs. IND
5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts @ GB
6. Eli Manning, New York Giants vs. SF
7. Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos @ NE
8. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers @ CIN
9. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys @ STL (Check Status)
10. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans vs. DET
11. Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears vs. MIN
12. Jake Delhomme, Carolina Panthers vs. NO
13. Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins vs. CLE
14. Derek Anderson, Cleveland Browns @ WSH
15. Gus Frerotte, Minnesota Vikings @ CHI
16. Jeff Garcia, Tampa Bay Bucs vs. SEA
17. JT O’Sullivan, San Francisco 49ers @ NYG
18. Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills vs. SD
19. JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders vs. NYJ
20. Dan Orlovsky, Detroit Lions @ HOU

Rest of the Week 7 fantasy football ranks after the break…

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Greg Oden Photo Credit: Icon SMI

See Also:
Vol. 1, Issue 1: Hoopsters 1-20
Vol. 1, Issue 2: Hoopsters 21-40
Vol. 1, Issue 3: Hoopsters 41-60
Vol. 1, Issue 4: Hoopsters 61-80

81 Al Thornton, LAC, F: This may be a reach in most drafts, but Thornton is one of the elite breakout candidates in the NBA this season. The guy is going to be a beast, and he’ll be given every opportunity to produce on an offensively challenged Clippers team. He started coming alive after the All Star break last season to the tune of 16 points and 6 boards with nearly a three, block and steal per game. Expect something in the neighborhood of 19 points, 7 boards and 3 assists with contributions in steals, blocks and threes.

82 O.J. Mayo, Mem, G: Everybody in Memphis is impressed with the kid, and why not? He just oozes “star.” On a rebuilding team Mayo should be given heavy minutes and be a focal point of the offense. The FG% may not be ideal and there will be some turnovers, but he’ll produce across the board. Just look at Monday’s box score: 26 points, 6 three-pointers, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals in 30 minutes.

83 Marvin Williams, Atl, G/F: If Marvin Williams is ever going to break out and earn that second-overall pick, this is the season. He’s 22 years old and will be given plenty of tick with Childress out of the picture. The baseline here is 17 points, 7 boards and 1 steal per game with room to be much better.

84 Brad Miller, Sac, C: 2007-08 was a nice comeback year for Miller, formerly an elite fantasy center because of his shooting skills and passing ability. Last season he returned to his 1-block, 1-steal form and grabbed nearly 10 boards a game. Add in nearly 4 assists a game and you have a center with a rare combination of tools.

85 Beno Udrih, Sac, PG: Beno was a bit of a revelation last year filling in for the injured Mike Bibby. As a starter he put up over 14 points a game with 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 three on stellar shooting: 47.5% FGs and 86.1% FTs. There’s no reason Udrih can’t keep that up for a full season.

86 Greg Oden, Por, C: Oden is likely to be drafted a little early in all draft just because he’s a name brand. Don’t bite, because this season his contributions in real basketball will outpace his fantasy relevancy. The defensive numbers will be there, but the scoring will be modest. Something like 11 points, 8 boards and 2 blocks sounds about right.

87 Richard Jefferson, NJ, SF: Jefferson has turned into a solid scorer with average assists and not much of anything else. He can get to the line, but the FT% isn’t stellar. Peanut should be the main man for Milwaukee on offense though.

88 Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cle, C: Every year it pains me to draft Big Z, but every year he continues to produce a valuable fantasy line. He just looks like he could fall apart on any given night, but the health has been there for about six years now. You know what to expect: Good shooting percentages and decent points and rebounds with some blocks sprinkled in.

89 John Salmons, Sac, G/F: We’re quite high on Salmons this season, he should get plenty of run with Ron Artest out of the picture and he always seems to produce. As a starter last season: 17.5 points, 5.4 boards, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals and nearly 1 three on 50% FGs and 81% FTs.

90 Ben Gordon, Chi, SG: It’s hard to figure Gordon, who looks like an elite scorer for stretches and then falls into a K hole and becomes worthless for weeks at a time. This season he’s playing for a contract, so you better believe he’ll come out firing. The scoring will be there, but what else does he do?

Hoopsters 91-100 after the jump…

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Andrei Kirilenko and Kobe Bryant Photo Credit: Icon SMI

See Also:
Vol. 1, Issue 1: Hoopsters 1-20
Vol. 1, Issue 2: Hoopsters 21-40
Vol. 1, Issue 3: Hoopsters 41-60
Vol. 1, Issue 5: Hoopsters 81-100

61 Andrei Kirilenko, Utah, F: The potential for fantasy dominance is obvious. Unfortunately, Kirilenko has had trouble playing to his own strengths and staying in Coach Sloan’s good graces over the last two seasons so it’s easy to forget he was a first-round pick not long ago. Andrei still managed to finish among the top 50 in fantasy last season, and you won’t find anybody in the league who can match his five-cat contributions when AK-47 is on his game. I’m willing to gamble here.

62 Andrew Bogut, Mil, C: Bogut came into his own as a center in 2007-08, improving markedly in points, rebounds and blocks. The 1.7 blocks a game were more than triple what he put up in 2006-07, and at 23 years of age there’s still plenty of room for improvement. If you miss out on the big guns, Bogut is a capable top center.

63 T.J. Ford, Ind, PG: You have to gameplan for TJ’s deficiencies, but he’s one of the last players on the board with a legitimate chance at double-digit assists. There’s no reason Ford can’t log heavy minutes and dominate the ball in Indiana, and they have some scorers who can finish. Turnovers are still an issue, but the FG% made a huge leap last season.

64 Peja Stojakovic, NO, SF: Peja is a major gamble given the ongoing health problems, but the guy can fill it up when he’s on. He won’t do much for you in the steals, blocks or assists categories but the three-pointers are elite and the man averaged less than 1 turnover a game last season.

65 Chris Kaman, LAC, C: With Elton Brand out of town there’s no reason to think Kaman won’t get plenty of chances on offense. After a blazing start to last season he really fell off after the All Star break last season though, and it remains to be seen how he will play with Camby – they’ll be competing for blocks and boards every night.

66 Tracy McGrady, Hou, G/F: I felt compelled to rank T-Mac in the top 70, but there’s absolutely no way I’m touching him this season. He’s already got a laundry list of ailments. It’s jut not worth it, let his ongoing injury melodrama be somebody else’s problem to deal with all season.

67 Tyson Chandler, NO, C: The 1.5 blocks were OK, but I’d like to see a few more from such an offensively challenged player. That said, he has a good shot at being among the league leaders in rebounds and FG% once again. The Paul-to-Chandley oop is one of the prettiest plays in basketball.

68 Samuel Dalembert, Phi, C: Count me among Bert’s supporters. A late comer to the basketball scene, his fundamentals and footwork get better every year. With Brand drawing doubles Dalembert should be open often, but he may lose some rebounds to Brand as well.

69 Jason Terry, Dal, G: I don’t see how Jason Terry comes off the bench all season, he’s just too good. Even if he does, the all-around efficiency is a thing of beauty to fantasy owners. We’d like to see the points, assists and minutes return to 2006-07 form, but only 1.1 turnover a game and 85.7% FTs helped balance that out.

70 Charlie Villanueva, Mil, F: This is an aggressive ranking for a 26-year-old who didn’t finish in the top 150 last season, but we expect a breakout year from Charlie V this season. He’s going to be given plenty of minutes, and the man produces fantasy lines when given the opportunity. Decent points and boards with a few blocks, a few threes, a few steals and low turnovers – call him Sheed Light.

Hoopsters 71-80 after the jump…

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Michael Beasley and Kevin Durant Photo Credit: Icon SMI

See Also:
Vol. 1, Issue 1: Hoopsters 1-20
Vol. 1, Issue 2: Hoopsters 21-40
Vol. 1, Issue 4: Hoopsters 61-80
Vol. 1, Issue 5: Hoopsters 81-100

41 Kevin Durant, OKC, G/F: Once Durant learns to play within himself, improves his shot selection, and adapts to the physicality of NBA defense he’ll be a perennial first- or second-round pick. He’s not there yet, so you’ll have to deal with the turnovers and a low FG% on a high volume of shots. On the plus side, Durant is showing some intriguing versatility in the preseason thus far and should be good for some monster performances.

42 LaMarcus Aldridge, Por, PF/C: I’m as big a LaMarcus Aldridge fan as anybody but I’d like to see some more boards, assists, and blocks. I expect an improvement in his offensive stats this season now that he’ll be playing next to a potentially dominant defensive center.

43 Michael Redd, Mil, SG: Redd was underrated a few years ago, but it’s come full circle and he’s going a bit too high in drafts this year for a guy with such low steals, high turnovers, and mediocre FG%. His scoring was also down last year and he’s missed 39 games over the last two season. He’s still a solid source of points, threes, and FT% though.

44 Hedo Turkoglu, Orl, G/F: Count me among those who think Turkoglu will have a hard time repeating his breakout season from 2007-08 at the age of 29. He won’t be a 20-5-5 guy again, but should be a good source of core stats with strong threes.

45 Gerald Wallace, Cha, F: Wallace is the ultimate boom or bust pick with his extensive injury history and reckless style of play. The steals, boards, and points are great, especially with 1-2 blocks mixed in, but don’t discount the damage that FT% can do for a guy who gets to the line as often as Wallace does. His turnovers are also less than desirable.

46 Michael Beasley, Mia, F: It’s hard to peg Beasley at this point, but I would be surprised to see anything less than 17 points and 9 rebounds with some blocks and steals mixed in. The biggest question is how his shooting percentages and turnover totals will stack up in the NBA game.

47 Mike Dunleavy, Ind, F: Dunleavy was a top-25 fantasy player last season out of virtually nowhere. He should get just as much run and have just as many looks this season, perhaps even more with a playmaker like TJ Ford on board and Jermaine O’Neal out of the picture – it’s just hard to expect a repeat performance after five seasons of mediocrity.

48 Rasheed Wallace, Det, PF/C: We love Sheed here at ETB, but he’s clearly at the tail end of his career. A jack of all trades and a master of none, Sheed’s good-not-great contributions in every category play better in rotisserie than head-to-head. You should also expect to see his minutes decrease after he wore down in the postseason last year and with the emergence of Amir Johnson and J-Maxx.

49 Mike Miller, Min, G/F: Miller is a fantastic shooter who is more than capable of filling it up for an offensively challenged team. He will be relied on heavily to take pressure off of Al Jefferson, but Minnesota will also be running combinations of McCants, Foye, Brewer, and Gomes in the SG and SF spots.

50 Andre Miller, Phi, PG: Andre Miller really turned it on in the second half last season and should have even more opportunities for assists with Elton Brand inside and Thad Young emerging as a swing man. Expectations for the 76ers are high and Andre is also playing for a contract, so the motivation will be there.

Hoopsters 51-60 after the jump…

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See Also:
Vol. 1, Issue 1: Hoopsters 1-20
Vol. 1, Issue 3: Hoopsters 41-60
Vol. 1, Issue 4: Hoopsters 61-80
Vol. 1, Issue 5: Hoopsters 81-100

21 Carlos Boozer, Utah, PF/C: It’s steady as she goes for Boozer, who you can pencil in for another 20-10 season with an excellent FG% and decent assists. The FT% hurts though, and you want more blocks from your top center.

22 Yao Ming, Hou, C: I’ll be tempted to take him a tad sooner, but I can’t in good conscience recommend any of you take that risk. A healthy Yao Ming is the best center in fantasy basketball and absolutely dominates in both percentages with high-volume, efficient scoring.

23 Rudy Gay, Mem, G/F/PF: Gay has the tools to be a fantasy force of nature and can contribute literally everywhere. If the 22-year-old takes another big step forward in his third season Rudy will be a borderline first-rounder next year.

24 Andre Iguodala, Phi, G/F: With Elton Brand anchored down low look for Iguodala’s FG% to rise sharply. That combined with his all-world combination of steals, assists, points and boards could make young Iggy a fixture in the top 20 in the fantasy rankings.

25 Rashard Lewis, Orl, SF: Rashard’s season rankings are always a slightly more impressive than his actual contributions and his scoring declined in Orlando, but you can’t argue with the great threes, low TOs and decent steals totals.

26 Joe Johnson, Atl, SG: After one and a half disappointing seasons Johnson came on strong down the stretch last year as addition of Mike Bibby helped take some pressure off of Big Joe. The absence of Childress could mean more shots will be there, but ATL’s youngsters are growing up and will need to be fed the ball.

27 Tim Duncan, SA, PF/C: I like to go with guys who have big upside at this point in the draft, but every team needs a center they can rely on and Duncan is as steady as they come. You know you’re going to get 20/10/3 with 2 blocks, good FG% and bad FT% – unless this the year the inevitable physical decline sets in.

28 Paul Pierce, Bos, G/F: The strong points, boards and assists are nice, but as a member of the Big Three Pierce’s numbers look more like a very good fantasy swingman than an elite option.

29 Kevin Martin, Sac, SG: You have to love the efficiency of K-Mart, perhaps the most underrated player in the NBA today. The guy is a natural scorer who keeps getting better in the volume cats while keeping his TOs low and percentages high.

30 Pau Gasol, LAL, PF/C: Gasol became a roto stud in LA last season, especially in the FG% department with 59% shooting from the field. It remains to be see how he’ll perform alongside Andrew Bynum, but his looks will likely decrease and his block totals declined last season.

Hoopsters 31-40 after the jump…

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See Also:
Vol. 1, Issue 2: Hoopsters 21-40
Vol. 1, Issue 3: Hoopsters 41-60
Vol. 1, Issue 4: Hoopsters 61-80
Vol. 1, Issue 5: Hoopsters 81-100

1 Chris Paul, NO, PG: After a breakout campaign last season Paul enters 2008-09 as the unquestioned top pick, likely to lead the league in assists and steals again with no noticeable holes in his fantasy game and experience to build on.

2 LeBron James, Cle, SF: LeBron is the ultimate consolation prize and his massive totals could even have more value than Paul’s on a H2H team that’s punting FT%. New PG Mo Williams looks good and should take some pressure off of Bron Bron.

3 Kobe Bean Bryant, LAL, SG/SF?: Kobe’s minutes are supposed to be “limited” this season. I don’t see it having much of an impact, and with these weapons Black Mamba should be able to contribute across the board – but may be asked to do less offensively.

4 Amare Stoudemire, Pho, PF/C: Nobody boosts your FG% like Amare, and few centers can actually buoy your FT% in the process. More defensive stats would be nice, but a healthy Stoudemire is a roto stud.

5 Elton Brand, Phi, PF/C: Bold, I know, but we believe in the guy. This will be the best supporting cast of Brand’s career and he came out strong in his first preseason game. Look for big contributions in points, boards, blocks and FG% with nice assist totals mixed in.

6 Dirk Nowitzki, Dal, PF: After a slow start to the season Dirk came on strong with Jason Kidd in tow and he has something to prove this season. He’s no longer the 3-point asset he was, but the assists have come on the last two seasons.

7 Kevin Garnett, Bos, PF: You gotta love a guy who contributes in every category (outside of threes) like KG does, but look for his minutes and attempts to take another hit. We’re also not convinced he can stay healthy all season with nearly 38,000 NBA minutes on his tires.

8 Caron Butler, Was, SF: Perhaps the most underrated fantasy player in the game, Caron is a stud in points, boards, assists, steals and especially FT% with no glaring weaknesses outside of the injury history. Look for him to hover in the top 5 while Arenas is sidelined.

9 Dwyane Wade, Mia, G: If you watched the Olympics you know D-Wade is back in a major way. Now on a team that needs his scoring and can run with him, look for a return to fantasy form. The TOs will still hurt though.

10 Josh Smith, Atl, G/F: Nobody has as much fantasy upside and nobody is as capable of going out and winning categories as J-Smoove. The departure of Childress should open even more minutes. Now let’s see some better shooting, especially behind the arc and behind the line.

Hoopsters 11-20 after the jump…

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I swear the following statements are written without a hint of sarcasm, irony, or humor: the Detroit Lions have made three absolutely excellent personnel moves in the past month. They have shown wisdom and foresight, been proactive, and made steps in the right direction towards turning their loser of a franchise into one that can actually succeed sometime during our lifetimes. At a minimum, the Lions can have real hope, optimism, and a belief that things actually can get better sometime after this season comes to its merciful conclusion.

All it took was firing their GM, permanently benching their starting quarterback, and trading away one of their star wide receivers for a bounty of draft picks. Before we get to the shocking trade today that sent WR Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys, here’s yet another indictment of the Millen Era in Motown: Williams’ departure now means that all of Detroit’s first-round draft picks from 2002 – 2005 are gone, vamoose, donezo… and in the case of Charles Rogers, trying in vein to scrape up $8.5 million.

First, the news of the day: interim GM Martin Mayhew made his case to have the “interim” removed from his title by completely hoodwinking the Cowboys in this Williams deal. In return for Roy Williams and a 7th-round pick, the Lions receive Dallas’ first-, third- and sixth-round picks in next April’s draft.

You have got to be f’ing kidding me. It’s nearly the Herschel Walker deal in reverse for Dallas.

Now, Roy Boy is (somewhat of) a brand-name player, or at least as much as one can be having donned a Lions uniform for the entirety of his career. Drafted 7th overall out of Texas in the ‘04 draft, Williams–who’ll turn 27 years old in December–enjoyed his finest season in 2006, racking up 82 catches for 1,310 yards and 7 TDs. Take that season out, however, and what you’re left with is an extremely talented receiver who makes the difficult catches, often drops the really easy ones, and who failed to top 836 yards receiving in three other full seasons.

He has a big mouth, is inconsistent, can be flashy on the field, and is equally capable of making both big and boneheaded plays; in other words, he’s a perfect fit for these Dallas Cowboys.

I won’t spend much time here analyzing what Williams adds to the ‘Boys, but I do wonder how much better this team actually got by adding Williams to the fold… especially with Tony Romo out for 4-6 weeks and 40-year-old Brad Johnson behind center in the meantime. There are only so many footballs to go around between Williams, Terrell Owens, Marion Barber, Jason Witten, et al, and last time I checked the Cowboys offense wasn’t the problem–it was that inconsistent defense spearheaded by a secondary that’s in shambles.

And in case you missed it, our buddy Pacman “We Won’t Call You Adam” Jones was suspended indefinitely today for his role in a hotel fracus last week, so perhaps Jerry Jones should have been targeting a cornerback at today’s trade deadline, not a WR? Then again, stockpiling wide receivers is a proven path to glory… right, Matt Millen?

Speaking of Millen, one of the best things about this trade for Detroit isn’t just that they’ve scored a gaggle of valuable draft picks–it’s that Millen won’t be around to fuck them up next spring. And really, despite Roy Boy’s brand-name identity, this was much too high of a price for the Cowboys to pay. Yes, they deserve credit for immediately inking Williams to a five-year contract extension, ensuring he’ll play out the prime of his career in Dallas, but we’ve seen over the past few years that given proper scouting, talented, productive, Pro-Bowl caliber receivers can be had in just about any round of the draft. But whatever.

This piece isn’t about the Cowboys. It’s about the Lions turning another page, attempting to shore up their massive roster holes, and moving forward in a more positive direction with yet another of Millen’s picks jettisoned elsewhere. The sooner his legacy as Lions GM is wiped clean, the better it’ll be for one of the longest-suffering franchises in all professional sports.

More on the Detroit Lions and the possible dawn of a new day after the break…

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