Empty the Bench

A little over a month ago I swung a two-for-one trade in my fantasy league, with one of my main motives being to free up a roster spot and add free-agent Nate Robinson, a move which I’d say has since worked out pretty well.

In that deal I traded Louis Williams and Tyrus Thomas for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s rising star, Russell Westbrook, who at that time in late-January was a few weeks removed from being named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month. In December, he was one of just seven NBA players to average at least 15 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists, and broke out in a big way on the 6th in Miami when he went 10-18 from the field in racking up 30 points, 7 boards, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

The fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft had just turned 20 years old on November and was already filling up the stat sheet, a fact which bodes well for the Thunder and their young, talented core that’s rounded out by pretty good players in their own right named Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. (By the way, we’re big fans of the Thunder’s trade-deadline acquisition of Thabo Sefolosha, too.)

The young man has continued to thrive as the starting point guard, and will be leaned on even further with Durant in street clothes due to a sprained ankle. As far as Westbrook’s fantasy contributions go, that’s proving to be both a good thing and a bad thing–it all depends on which categories your team excels in.

Westbrook’s past four games have been rather monstrous by most accounts as he’s posted per-game averages of 22.2 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. He’s also been killing it from the charity stripe, shooting about 94% on just under 9 attempts per. That includes his first career triple-double (17, 10, and 10) in Monday night’s 96-87 upset win over the Dallas Mavericks… which came on the same day he was again named the West’s Rookie of the Month.

Obviously, those lofty fantasy numbers have to make his owners exceedingly pleased. And don’t mistake this as a complaint (especially since I also picked up Nate “Fantasy Stud” Robinson as part of this deal), but for all the good Westbrook has done for my team, he’s absolutely killing my field-goal percentage and turnovers, two categories I’m gunning for.

During this four-game stretch, Westbrook has shot just 34% from the field, which is bad enough as it is but especially painful considering his volume of attempts at 20 per game. 20! That includes 32 (32!) on February 27 at Dallas. Turnovers have been on the rise, too, at nearly 5 per.

All of the above are trends that figure to continue for the rest of the season, and certainly while Durant’s out; along with the good will come the bad, it seems. So if you’re hurting for a multi-category contributor at the guard position and throwing out FG and TO, get your trade offers in now–the deadline in most Yahoo! leagues is this Thursday. And, on the flipside, now’s a perfect time to sell high if you simply can’t stomach this thrilling rookie’s fantasy shortcomings. Me, I think I’m going to ride it out.

Related Reading:
- Where’s the Love – Which Rooks Made the Rookie Challenge and Which Should Have
- This Dunk Contest is Going to Suck
- Counting Down the Five Worst Teams in the Western Conference – OKC Thunder

Russell Westbrook Photo Credit: Icon SMI

On the heels of naming 10 of the most pounding fantasy hoops headaches thus far in the 2008-09 season, we now cast a light on 10 players who’ve exceeded low draft-day expectations and established much greater fantasy relevance. All current rankings are based on ETB’s league scoring format (which is a flawless and fair one, to be sure); that also determines the order in which the following players are listed.

Nene Hilario, Denver Nuggets

Average Yahoo! Draft Position: 103 (Early 9th Round)
Current Yahoo! Rank: 13th Overall
Why He’s Been Such a Surprise: High efficiency and consistent production have been the hallmarks of Nene’s breakout fantasy season, one which few obviously saw coming. It’s never been a lack of talent or passion for the game that’s held him back, but rather a series of unfortunate injuries which, in fantasy hoops, most owners have little to no patience for. So far so good on that front, however, and the addition of true PG Chauncey Billups has helped his cause too. Nene has played in all but one of the Nuggets’ first 37 games, averaging career-bests of 14.8 points, 7.8 boards, 62% FG, 74% FT, and 1.5 blocks; his 1.3 steals are the most since ‘03. We sort of saw this coming with Camby out of the mix, but not to this degree.

Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

Average Yahoo! Draft Position: 92.5 (Early 8th Round)
Current Yahoo! Rank: 37th Overall
Why He’s Been Such a Surprise: There’s nothing not to like about what Rondo has done so far both for the Celtics and his fantasy owners. He’s posted incremental to solid increases in every category compared to last season, the most valuable being the 7.5 assists (up from 5.1) and 2.2 steals (up from 1.7); his 51% FG is rather helpful as well. I was fortunate enough to snag Rondo in the middle of the 10th round, after guys like Gilbert Arenas (anybody still counting on much from him this year? Maybe ever?), Kevin Love, and Francisco Garcia had recently come off the board. I’d be thrilled to see him take (and make) more than 3.4 free throws per and up his points from 10.9 to, say, 14, but that’d just be greedy.

Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz

Average Yahoo! Draft Position: 135.6 (Late 11th Round)
Current Yahoo! Rank: 38th Overall
Why He’s Been Such a Surprise: The former second-round pick came into his third NBA season with comparable fantasy value to that of the Detroit Pistons’ Jason Maxiell. Like Maxiell behind Wallace and McDyess, Millsap was mostly a draft-day afterthought–think UTIL depth–because he looked to again be in line for only 20 minutes or so/per playing behind All-Stars Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. Once Boozer went down, however, Millsap stepped up in a huge way and has easily proven to be the biggest bargain of the 2008-09 fantasy season. He currently has a streak of 19 straight double-doubles going, as a starter averaging 18.5 points, 11.7 boards, 57% FG, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks. SICK. In the real world, don’t be surprised if Utah inks the unrestricted free-agent Millsap to a long-term contract extension this summer, and lets Boozer walk.

Seven more fantasy hoops surprises after the jump…

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All current Yahoo! rankings are based on ETB’s highly scientific fantasy hoops scoring format; players are ordered in the average order in which they were drafted in all Yahoo! leagues. Be sure to also check out Ten of the Most Pleasant Fantasy Hoops Surprises So Far This Season.

Elton Brand, Philadelphia 76ers

Average Yahoo! Draft Position: 7.5 (Mid-First Round)
Current Yahoo! Rank: 184th Overall
Why He’s Been a Headache: The dislocated shoulder he suffered on December 17 was but icing on the foul fruitcake that Brand’s season had already turned into prior to the injury, which will keep him sidelined for a month or more. Those banking on a continuation, or even elevation, of his post-injury dominance with the Clippers last season have thus far been rewarded with a sometimes decent, never spectacular effort from the 76ers’ big free-agent acquisition. Through 23 games played, Brand has posted career-low per-game averages of 15.9 points, 44.7% FG, 68.3% FT, 1.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks; the 9.8 boards are his third-least. Worse yet, there’s a significant chance Brand could re-injure that shoulder once he returns in a few weeks, which could derail his entire season before it really even started.

Shawn Marion, Miami Heat

Average Yahoo! Draft Position: 9.2 (Mid-First Round)
Current Yahoo! Rank: 56th Overall*
Why He’s Been a Headache: “The Matrix” was behind only LeBron James in terms of small forwards to come off the draft board, but now finds himself ranked 20th amongst players with SF-eligibility. Currently out with back spasms, Marion’s days of being an elite across-the-categories contributor seem farther and farther behind him with each passing game. His 11.5 points, 9.2 boards, 1.4 steals, and 0.2 triples per are all the lowest since his 99-00 rookie season, and unfortunately we just don’t get the sense he’s going to suddenly break out this season either; a lingering injury that keeps him out for extended stretches seems more in the cards, which could sink the title hopes of those who gambled on him one more time with a first-round pick.

Allen Iverson, Detroit Pistons

Average Yahoo! Draft Position: 14.8 (Late First Round)
Current Yahoo! Rank: 75th Overall
Why He’s Been a Headache: A lot of owners drafting around 14th or 15th overall felt compelled to choose between either A.I. or Baron Davis, but are likely now wishing they’d “reached” for a Deron Williams, Chauncey Billups, or even Rashard Lewis. Since the early-season trade to Detroit, on a strict fantasy-level Iverson has been anything but dynamic. For the most part, he’s done his best (and done it fairly well to this point) to subscribe to the Pistons’ team-first approach, one which rarely allows for any one player to post monster fantasy stats. That’s all well and good for his real team’s long-term outlook this season, but his fantasy teams who spent a first-round pick on The Answer are likely searching for a new one every day.

Seven more fantasy hoops headaches after the jump…

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Breaking news out of Detroit and Denver this morning:

The Detroit Pistons have reached a tentative agreement to trade Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson. Neither player was at this morning’s shoot-around. Team officials said that more information would be forthcoming later today.

UPDATE: Our man Wojnarowski is saying the deal will be completed within the hour.

UPDATE 2: According to Detroit Bad Boys, Cheikh Samb is being included and “AI and Billups are both telling friends they expect the deal to go down today.”

My esteemed ETB colleague and Detroit native Brian Spencer will have a more thorough breakdown of the trade in the next day or so, but a few immediate reactions to the colossal swap. First, wow! What happened between this summer and now that allowed Joe Dumars to finally pull the trigger on this deal? Detroit started the season with nice home wins versus the Pacers and Wizards, so I wonder where the urgency is coming from. An in-season trade isn’t ideal, and it would have been better for both teams if they could have gotten this deal done before camp and preseason action.

Still, Pistons fans have to be pumped right now. Iverson is a legit superstar and Chauncey was looking increasingly creaky. AI is coming off one of the finest seasons of his career in Denver and despite being a 33-year-old has plenty left in the tank. Billups is a year younger, but broke down last season and it’s been a few years since he’s shown Mr. Big Shot form in the postseason.

McDyess’ steady play and veteran leadership will be missed up front in Detroit, but the Pistons have two young bigs chomping at the bit in Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell. Both of them, along with free-agent acquisition Kwame Brown, will now be leaned on heavily for the remainder of the season. If either J-Maxx or Amir is available in your fantasy leagues, scoop them up ASAP. Although Denver may buy out McDyess – allowing him to re-sign with Detroit.

Out in Denver you have to wonder just what the game plan is. After giving up starting center Marcus Camby in the offseason they’ve now unloaded the second member of their Big Three from last season. Billups has over $36 million remaining on a contract that will take him through the 2010-11 season, so it doesn’t look like a move toward full rebuilding. What direction, exactly, is this franchise heading in? Then again, perhaps a pure point is needed to get the most out of J.R. Smith, Nene, Carlemo and Kenyon.

Iverson should assume point-guard duties for the Pistons. He’s never been a natural point, but he’s more than capable of filling the role. AI will also have help from stud-in-waiting Rodney Stuckey, who could see more minutes running the show – though his overall minutes may not increase significantly just yet. If Iverson bolts next summer it does clear the way nicely for Stuckey as the team’s PG of the future. Out in Denver expect J.R. Smith to continue lighting it up from all over the floor while Anthony Carter is much more likely to lose minutes to Billups.

Meanwhile, Allen Iverson will make nearly $22 million this season, the final of his contract, which will create massive cap space for the Pistons next summer. Rasheed Wallace’s $13.7 million also comes off the books after this season. Rip Hamilton has two years and nearly $22 million left on his contract. It looks like they’re making one more run for a title this season before taking apart the team. It should be a wild ride, enjoy it Pistons fans.

UPDATE 3: And with regard to salary cap relief, Nathaniel Friedman asks, could this legitimately put the Pistons in the LeBron sweepstakes?

Chauncey Billups Photo Credit: Icon SMI

How cool would it be if every game started with the players hatching out of freaky pulsating eggs? The answer is very cool. Anyways…

The NBA officially tipped off on Tuesday, but with just three games last night it wasn’t in full swing. With a full docket tonight is when the real season started. I know because the sheer volume of games on NBA League Pass and constant refreshing of box scores literally stressed me out trying to keep up for my entire evening. It started the moment I got back to the apartment with Philly kicking off their playoff run and didn’t finish till after 1:00 AM. My initial thoughts on the games I watched big chunks of before I turn in:

Toronto 95, Philly 84
Despite the loss, the Sixers looked promising. Give them time. Thad got into foul trouble early and the bigs need time to get their legs under them. Philly fans saw some good signs, like excellent rebounding on the offensive end and fast hands on defense. On the other side, I don’t see how Chris Bosh doesn’t have a monster season. I’m not a Jermaine O’Neal fan, but he’ll take a lot of pressure off on both ends.

Atlanta 99, Orlando 85
It’s only the first game of the season, but a big win for the Hawks on the road. That was an area they needed to improve on this season and they closed out the game well. In the latest proof of the preseason’s irrelevancy, my man J-Smoove busted out with a sick line of 17 points, 10 boards, 4 steals and 5 blocks. Guy is in for a big year. Not to be outdone, Superman responded with a 4×5 in the losing effort with 22 points, 15 boards, 5 steals and 5 blocks. Massive line, but the 6-13 free-throw shooting is more of the same.

Minnesota 98, Sacramento 96
Hey, maybe the Wolves have finally figured out how to close out games. It was a little tighter than I would like to see given the 7-point lead with about two minutes remaining, but they pulled it out. ETB favorite Big Al Jefferson looked smooth and motivated. With his attitude, footwork and natural tools, the sky is the limit. And a headbanded Corey Brewer actually looked like a player, making an impact on D and gliding up and down the floor. Kudos to Kevin Love on a nice debut, I never doubted you Kev. Love finished with a game-high +20 in the +/- column and nearly chipped in a double-double with 12 points and 9 boards.

Pencil in John Salmons for early-season MIP. Dude is going to put up some big numbers sans Ron Ron.

Phoenix 103, San Antonio 98
Boo hoo and ho hum.

Los Angeles Lakers 117, Los Angeles Clippers 79
Sorry Baron, all the heart in the world won’t make this team a contender. I still think Al Thornton is in line for a breakout season.

On the other side, the Lakers are even better than they were last season, and that’s scary. With Lamar Odom coming off the bench the NBA’s second unit just got better, even if my favorite spark plug Ronny Turiaf is gone. Trevor Ariza is going to be a major asset for this club with his athleticism and defense, and with that improved outside stroke I see a starting role for him before the season is out. Andrew Bynum is Andrew Bynum.

New Orleans 108, Golden State 103
What was that Chris Paul benching all about? No matter, he still had plenty of time to drop 21 points, 11 assists, 5 boards and 3 steals on the Warriors’ heads. The James Posey signing already looks good. Having Posey on the floor at the same time as Peja gave the Warriors fits as they were just unable to close out on the shooters when New Orleans swung the ball around the perimeter.

In the Bay Area, Corey Maggette looks like a fantastic acquisition. The man is going to live at the free-throw line in Don Nelson’s up-tempo offense. The career 82% free-throw shooter is A-OK with that. He can take it to the hole like few others, starting things off with a 9-10 performance from the line with a game-high 27 points. Maggette is going to score a ton of points this year and his ability to nail free throw after free throw in tight games will be a major asset.

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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We all use the term, but everybody’s definition of a “glue player” is different, so I was forced to come up with a few of the rules when generating this list. First, players who are among their team’s top two scorers were not considered. Those are the team’s stars. Second, the glue player must be solid defensively, so no three-point specialists or instant offense guys have been included. Third, this award is about generally unsung heroes whose play leads to team success, so only the guys on playoff-caliber teams are included (Devin Harris got the shaft).

While these qualifications eliminate a multitude of great players who are integral to their team’s cohesion, this article isn’t about the Steve Nashs, Ray Allens or David Lees. It’s about the guys who don’t take all the shots, don’t get hyped as one of their team’s best players and often aren’t even considered for the All Star team — and yet they manage to be pivotal in a good team’s performance each night with hustle, defense, leadership, selfless play, grit and all-around games that complement the big scorers and big names on their squad.

There are going to be some potentially deserving players who didn’t make the cut. I know there were plenty more I wanted to add but didn’t have the space for. As always, we encourage you to suggest them in the comments and we’ll put them at the bottom of the article in the Reader Recommendations section.

Without further ado and in alphabetical order, eleven of the NBA’s best glue players:

Shane Battier, F, Houston Rockets:

2007-08 Salary: $5.883 Million

Shane Battier is the best “glue” player in the NBA. He wasn’t much of a secret among serious NBA fans, but any anonymity Battier may have had went out the window on March 16th in that nationally televised win over the Lakers. Battier’s stellar defense of Kobe Bryant held the MVP candidate to 11-of-33 shooting and helped keep Houston’s historic winning streak alive. Battier’s modest line of 14 points, 3 boards and 2 assists was overshadowed by Rafer Alston’s flashy 31-point outburst, but he was the MVP of the game. Shane had a hand in Kobe’s face on every field goal attempt and played effective, intelligent two-way basketball — and that’s modus operandi.

“I try to prepare for my opponent as thoroughly as possible. I want to know every angle on the man I am guarding to give me an edge. I read many, many pages and go over strengths and weaknesses many times before a game. Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. That is a motto I like.” – Shane Battier

Battier has been the most important Rocket after Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady for a few years now. He keeps possessions alive with his hustle, ignites the break with his outlet passes, and prevents opponents fast breaks by getting back on D. Battier has the size and discipline to guard anybody from shooting guards to power forwards, and usually draws the opponent’s best swingman. He’s also a capable outside shooter (126 treys on the season) who can run on offense and is one of the best in the league at drawing offensive fouls. He plays an infectious brand of egoless, team-oriented basketball that is exactly what you look for in a glue player.

Raja Bell, G, Phoenix Suns:

2007-08 Salary: $4.750 Million

Love him or hate him, Raja Bell is a key cog in the Suns basketball machine, a machine that has been extremely competitive for a few years now. Since making a name for himself in the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals, Raja has earned more and more playing time by playing cagey defense and markedly improving his outside shooting. He’s known for his tenacious man defense against the NBA’s more explosive shooting guards, but last season Bell managed to lead the league in three-pointers as well, finishing with with 205.

Raja is also one of the premier flop artists in the game, something I frown upon but the value of which cannot be denied. He lives to get up in the grill of Kobe Bryant, making their Pacific Division battles in the regular season and playoffs some of the most entertaining in the NBA. Bell is also very careful with the basketball, never forcing it, and thus has averaged 1.1 turnovers or less per game since joining Phoenix for the 2005-06 season.

Nine more quiet contributors after the jump…

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We’re through the doldrums of the fantasy season and into the all-important playoffs. It’s go time (whatever that means). On Tuesday I discussed the all-important tactic of streaming players in and out of your roster to maximize games played. Another wrinkle to this time of year is keeping track of all the tanking and injuries major and minor that will have youngsters across the league earning more playing time. These are some of the beneficiaries so far, and all of them make for solid streaming options or outright adds:

Kirk Snyder, G, Minnesota Timbrwolves: Nobody made much of the Kirk Snyder acquisition before the trade deadline, and rightfully so. He’s never been much of an impact player in the NBA and his natural skill and defense are the only things that kept him on a roster. Over the last month Snyder has actually been playing some pretty good basketball though, potentially fantasy-roster worthy basketball, and now it’s time to take note. Snyder has been in double-digit scoring for four of the last five games. He’s been in the starting lineup for 12 games and managed a line of 10 points, 4.6 boards, 2.3 assists, .6 steals and .6 blocks with percentages of 52.5% FGs and 80% FTs that make him especially streamable.

Martell Webster, G/F, Portland Traailblazers: Whenever Brandon Roy misses time Martell Webster steps up his offensive game, and that’s the case again. Initial reports on Roy’s injury don’t look good, and there’s a lot of speculation that he could miss the rest of the season. To be honest I’m surprised Roy lasted this long and that it’s his groin, not his foot, that is keeping him out — I projected Roy to go down a lot sooner. Webster’s percentages aren’t great, but he’s a tremendous source of threes and points — he’s dropped 45 points and 9 threes in the last two games.

Wilson Chandler, F, New York Knickerbockers: Isiah Thomas is determined to get the youngster involved as the season, and the Knicks roster, wears down. Chandler has been starting for ten games and he recorded his first career double-double last night. That marks five straight games of double-digit scoring for him and over the last week he’s put up 13.0 points, 5.3 boards and just 1.0 TOs on 54.8% FGs.

Chris Quinn, G, Miami Heat: It’s looking more and more like Jason Williams, along with the Miami Heat as a team, will be packing it in and calling it a season. That means the recently maligned Quinn should get ample opportunity to produce at least serviceable fantasy stats. He’s not great, but as a starter this season he’s averaging 9.3 points, 3.4 dimes, 1.4 steals and 1.1 threes on 46.5% FGs and 83.3% FTs. That can help a lot of teams, and he’s worth a spot-start for the others.

Six more players to check out after the jump…

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