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hacheman@therx.com
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Fantasy trade deadlines approaching

By Josh Whitling | Special to ESPN.com


With the trade deadline for most leagues looming over the heads of fantasy owners, savvy utilization of the free-agent wire is critical in fielding a competitive roster down the stretch. The trade deadline affects the waiver wire in a few ways. First, if an owner is able to pull off a blockbuster, multi-player deal in which he gives up more players than he receives, that leaves roster spots to fill through the wire. Second, once the deadline passes, the FA wire becomes the only way to address needs and improve a team, so there's often a mad dash to pick up legitimate players. And finally, owners must drop players in order to make room for newly acquired assets, adding fresh blood to the mix of available players. Any way you analyze it, scouring the wire on a daily basis is crucial over the next month as you craft the ideal team for the stretch run.
Let's take a look at some widely available players who have been performing well recently. This week I'm going to focus on highlighting more players, with fewer words devoted to each, in an attempt to assist fantasy owners with varying needs and league sizes:

George Hill, PG/SG, Pacers (14.8 percent owned): After missing 10 games because of a foot injury, Hill has played well as of late, averaging 14.0 points, 1.3 3-pointers, 1.0 steals and just 1.0 turnovers per game in 24.0 minutes per game over his past three contests. He's once again a key part of the Pacers' backcourt rotation, and with 1.0 3s and 1.1 steals in just 24.3 minutes per game this season, he's actually posting better per-minute numbers than he did last season in San Antonio. His value lies primarily in two categories -- 3-pointers and steals -- but he consistently provides them and does it without hurting you anywhere else, making his worth highest in turnover formats.
Josh Howard, SG/SF, Jazz (13.8 percent owned): Howard was playing well before snagging the starting job Monday, with double-digit scoring in nine straight games and averages of 12.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 30.0 minutes per game over his past five. His game is balanced, he provides nice boards from the guard slot, and now that he's starting over Gordon Hayward, Howard's stock is on the rise.
Gordon Hayward, SG/SF, Jazz (11.9 percent owned): On that note, Hayward's demotion to the bench hasn't completely sapped him of value, as he scored 23 points with four rebounds, five assists, two 3s and a steal in his first game as a reserve, then followed it up by playing 30 minutes Wednesday, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out four assists. He's inconsistent, but he provides in multiple categories, with averages of 9.7 points, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 3s per game this season, so if you need some across-the-board production from a player whose NBA game is still developing, don't consider Hayward an afterthought despite his recent move to the bench.
Leandro Barbosa, SG, Raptors (10.6 percent owned): Single-digit scoring efforts are rare for Barbosa; he has notched double figures in seven of his past eight games, averaging 14.1 points and 1.4 3s per game in that span. He primarily provides points and 3s with a handful of steals (0.8 per game), but consistent scoring is difficult to find on the free-agent wire, so target Barbosa if that's your primary need, as he's the only player owned in fewer than 15 percent of ESPN leagues that averages at least 12.0 points per game.
Ekpe Udoh, PF/C, Warriors (9.3 percent owned): Warriors coach Mark Jackson has indicated that the starting center job is Udoh's for the rest of the season, and despite a raw game, Udoh has become one of the most consistent sources of blocks in the league, with at least one swat in 14 consecutive contests. In his past 20 games, he's averaging 2.1 blocks per game, and his minutes have consistently increased this season, with averages of 14.3 in December, 18.8 in January, 23.9 in February and now 27.8 per game in March. His offensive game is improving as well, with double-digit scoring in three of his past eight contests, although swats are where he makes his money, and he should be among the league leaders for the rest of the season now that he has locked down regular playing time.
Byron Mullens, C, Bobcats (8.3 percent owned): Mullens started the season hot, then floundered. But with Boris Diaw out of the picture in Charlotte, he's back in the mix, playing 25 minutes in each of his past three contests. In that span, he averaged 12.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and although the boards and blocks are a bit of an aberration, Mullens is a competent scorer who should be able to provide double-digit scoring regularly now that he's the backup behind Bismack Biyombo. His game isn't well-rounded, but if you need decent scoring with nearly a block per game, he's a viable option unless the Bobcats are able to swap Diaw for another frontcourt piece.
Randy Foye, PG/SG, Clippers (6.1 percent owned): Foye hasn't dominated since stepping in for Chauncey Billups, but he has been solid, especially in the 3-point department. In 21 starts this season, he's averaging 11.3 points, 2.0 3s and 1.0 steals per game, and over his past five he's at 12.4 points and 2.4 3s per game. He hasn't blown us away, but those are competent stats, and if you need 3-pointers, Foye is a reliable source for fantasy teams.
Taj Gibson, PF, Bulls (5.4 percent owned): Gibson's career arc has been disappointing, as his playing time has diminished in each of his three seasons despite his respectable play from the power forward position. The depth in Chicago hurts his value, but he's a steady source of blocks and boards, with averages of 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 0.8 steals per game in his past 10 contests. There's always an outside chance his stats will pop, as both Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah have a history of injuries, but even as the third man in the rotation, he's worthy of a spot in deeper leagues if you're in need of consistent defensive production.
Kawhi Leonard, SG/SF/PF, Spurs (3.3 percent owned): Leonard has a bright fantasy future, as his season averages of 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks and 0.5 steals per game indicate, and the solid minutes he's seeing as a rookie bode well for his development as a player. He missed a couple games in late February because of a calf issue, but not counting those games, he's averaging 2.1 steals per game in his past 10 contests, and so far this month he's at 11.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals in 21.3 minutes per game. There's a lot going on in San Antonio, with Manu Ginobili back and Danny Green also emerging, but Leonard provides in multiple categories with excellent steals, so if you are in need of swipes with high upside and unusual positional versatility, Leonard is worth a roster spot.

Wesley Johnson, SG/SF, Timberwolves (1.5 percent owned): An utter disappointment thus far in his NBA career, Johnson continues to see regular playing time despite his inability to flex the statistical prowess he showed in college (16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.7 steals and 1.5 3s per game at Syracuse). But he has had a nice month, averaging 10.0 points, 1.0 steal, 0.8 blocks and 1.5 3s in 22.3 minutes per game, and his 0.5 blocks, 0.5 steals and 0.7 3s per game this season demonstrate the fact that there's a multi-categorical skill set hidden somewhere in there. Don't expect consistency, but I haven't completely given up on Johnson as a fantasy player, and there's still some upside there, so in deep formats, if you have a bench spot where he can sit until he potentially puts it together, Johnson's ceiling is still high enough to warrant ownership.
Beno Udrih, PG/SG, Bucks (0.8 percent owned): Udrih's season has been miserable compared to last year, when he finished 41st on the Player Rater. But he's averaging 25.0 minutes per game in March compared to 15.9 in February, and is seeing more run as Brandon Jennings' backup than Shaun Livingston as of late. Udrih has been especially helpful in assists, averaging five per game over his past seven contests, and it's well-documented that dimes are scarce on the waiver wire. There's no chance he'll replicate last season's production, when he was an unquestioned starter in all formats, but if you're in need of assists in a deep league, Udrih is a legitimate option as long as he's getting the backup point guard minutes in Milwaukee.
Roger Mason, SG, Wizards (0.1 percent owned): Mason has barely sniffed the court most of the season, but he has come out of nowhere to etch out a role for a Wizards team desperately in need of a veteran backcourt presence. He has scored in double figures in four of his past seven games, with averages of 9.7 points and 2.4 3-pointers in 15.4 minutes per game in that span. He's worth a look only for those desperate for 3s in very deep formats, but Mason has demonstrated the ability to contribute in the past, like in 2008-2009 when he averaged 2.0 3s per game while playing all 82 games for the Spurs.
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Trade Deadline Preview

The NBA’s annual trade deadline is Thursday at 3 pm ET. Anyone that thinks they know who is going where also thinks they know who killed JFK.

Still, it’s important to identify the prime trade candidates and think about what the fallout will be if a deal does go down. Some guys are worth stashing already and others could end up worthy of instant waiver adds.

Here are the names that could be on the move by Thursday afternoon, beginning with those most likely to get traded:

1. Michael Beasley, SF, Wolves
Minnesota’s offense runs better when the ball-hogging Beasley isn’t on the floor, so they’ve relegated him to a bit bench role and put him on the trading block. His scoring ability is unquestioned, however, so if he lands a starting job in a new home he’ll be a must-add. The Lakers have a hole at small forward and are reportedly interested.
Roster stash: Michael Beasley, 2. Chris Kaman, C, Hornets
Kaman was actually shut down for a couple weeks in late January while the Hornets explored a trade. It didn’t materialize, so he came back and is now getting 16.1 shots up over his last 10. If Kaman gets dealt, he’ll take a huge hit in value and Gustavo Ayon’s role will be more secure. The Pacers and Heat have reportedly shown interest.
Roster stash: Gustavo Ayon, 3. Ramon Sessions, PG, Cavs
Sessions’ wildly productive per-minute ability is well-known in fantasy circles, but he’s not getting enough burn behind Kyrie Irving. Sessions is going to opt out of his contract after this season anyway, so the Cavs might as well take what they can get right now. He’d look real nice as the Lakers’ starting point guard. In 89 career starts, Sessions has averaged 14.8 points, 7.5 assists, 4.0 rebound and 1.1 steals.
Roster stash: 4. Stephen Jackson, SF, Bucks
An ineffective Jackson grew frustrated quickly in Milwaukee and predictably clashed with coach Scott Skiles. He’s been expecting a trade ever since. Jackson’s $10 million salary next season makes things tough, but the Bucks are certainly motivated to move him.
Roster stash: 5. Dwight Howard, C, Magic
Orlando has been insistent that they are not trading Howard. In fact, they’ve let it be known that they want to add pieces in an effort to convince Dwight to stay. This is either a really strong bluff or a suicide mission by the Magic. Right now, no one knows. If Dwight does move, Hedo Turkoglu is a good bet to go with him. That would open up a lot of room on the wings.
Roster stash: Glen Davis, Jason Richardson, 6. Kirk Hinrich, G, Hawks
The Hawks desperately need size and Hinrich offers market appeal thanks to his $8 million expiring contract. The problem is that Hinrich has managed just 6.0 points and 2.6 assists in his five starts this season. There are productivity concerns here, even if he lands as a starter somewhere.
Roster stash: Kirk Hinrich, 7. Jose Calderon, PG, Raptors
The Raptors have seemingly had Calderon on the block forever, but have never been able to complete a deal. There hasn’t been much smoke here, but there is a lot of fantasy intrigue because of Jerryd Bayless’ raw offensive ability. Calderon is also currently nursing an ankle injury. In 31 career starts entering Sunday, Bayless averaged 15.5 points, 4.8 assists and 1.0 3-pointers per game.
Roster stash: 8. Boris Diaw, PF, Bobcats
The Bobcats have reached the point of no return with Diaw thanks to his chubby body and lazy demeanor on the court. The talented Frenchman either wants a buyout or a trade and the team appears ready to accommodate him. He’s as good as gone, but a motivated Diaw would regain value thanks to his roto-friendly game. Disappointing teammate Tyrus Thomas is also a trade candidate.
Roster stash: Boris Diaw, Tyrus Thomas, 9. Jamal Crawford, SG, Blazers
Portland is 20-21, making them likely to shake things up. Crawford reportedly plans to opt out of his contract after this season anyway, so teams have been in touch. The Wolves aren’t going to move Luke Ridnour thanks to Ricky Rubio’s torn ACL, but the Clippers could still be interested. Randy Foye isn’t a championship-contending shooting guard. Fellow Blazer Raymond Felton is available as well.
Roster stash: 10. Pau Gasol, PF, Lakers
An erroneous report on Friday had Gasol gone, but remember that he was traded as part of the Chris Paul veto deal a few months back. If the Lakers can get similar talent for Gasol, they’ll move him in what would shape up as a blockbuster. A point guard or small forward -- not a power forward -- would likely be coming back to the Lakers.
Roster stash: Troy Murphy, 11. Roddy Beaubois, G, Mavericks
Roddy Buckets is always bouncing back between Rick Carlisle’s doghouse and the rotation. That helps explain why the “untouchable” tag is now off. Owner Mark Cuban believes the Hornets are interested and thinking about Beaubois with free reign to fire on an awful team is mouth-watering. His career per-36 minute numbers include 17.6 points, 1.9 3-pointers and 1.7 steals.
Roster stash: Roddy Beaubois, Delonte West, 12. Andray Blatche, PF, Wizards
The Wiz are going to do all they can to unload Blatch and his $35 million contract, but the market is going to be really soft. They’ll have to take pennies on the dollar. Still, it’s hard to keep a guy getting booed so mercilessly at home that he can’t even play his game. Perhaps one NBA GM will believe in the 16.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals Blatche averaged as a starter last season.
Roster stash: Trevor Booker, 13. Antawn Jamison, PF, Cavs
It seems like the Cavs plan on holding Jamison despite his $15 million expiring contract. It makes sense when you consider they’re only 1.5 games out of the playoffs and would have to take back an awful contract anyway. But there will be rumors here as Jamison’s “stretch 4” ability is intriguing to contenders.
Roster stash: Tristan Thompson, 14. Monta Ellis, SG, Warriors
Ellis trade rumors have become an annual tradition. This year, the Warriors have been linked to a “rental” of Roster stash: Klay Thompson, 15. Rajon Rondo, PG, Celtics
Much like the Pau Gasol situation, it’s going to take a monster offer to get anything done here. If the Celtics are going to rebuild, they should be doing it around Rondo -- not dealing him away. And with the windows of the Big Three almost closed, Rondo seems likely to stay barring a total blowup.
Roster stash: None


 

hacheman@therx.com
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Say It Ain't So, Rubio

The Clippers, Suns, Jazz and Wizards all have five games in Week 12, while the Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Bucks and Sixers play just three games. Everyone else goes four times.



Clips – Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are must-starts, while Randy Foye and Mo Williams both look like strong plays with five games. I’m benching DeAndre Jordan in a points league, as his minutes and scoring have been too wishy-washy lately. Caron Butler has also fallen into a deep slump, and he should also be benched in most cases, if you have options.



Suns – I’m starting Grant Hill in a league or two, but am concerned that he’ll be held out of at least one game this week simply to rest. Steve Nash, Jared Dudley, Channing Frye and Marcin Gortat all look like must-starts.



Jazz – Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap are your must-starts, while guys like Devin Harris (who was out on Saturday with the flu), Josh Howard, Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors are all worth a look for the extra game.



Wizards – John Wall, Trevor Booker and JaVale McGee look like must-starts in weekly leagues, while owners may also want to roll the dice on Jordan Crawford and Nick Young, although you truly never know what you’re going to get with those two. Bench hit this link.



Ricky Rubio PG Timberwolves – Rubio’s season is over thanks to a torn ACL in his knee. Luke Ridnour had 14 points and 10 assists on Saturday and looks like a must-own and must-start player with four games this week. Derrick Williams has been hit or miss, but should continue to see an increase in minutes going forward and is playing well enough for consideration in all leagues.



Deron Williams PG Nets – Williams is dealing with a calf injury and missed Saturday’s game after suffering the injury on Friday. Jordan Farmar had 18 points, four boards, four assists and three 3-pointers in that game, and is a must-own, must-start player as long as Williams is out. We simply don’t know when Williams will return, but there’s obviously no need for the Nets to rush him back, and calf injuries are not to be taken lightly. Unless we get great news on Monday, I’m benching him.



Kyle Lowry PG Rockets - Lowry is set to miss “2-to-4 weeks” with a bacterial infection/groin injury combo, but it sounds like he’s going to be out for at least a month. And if he is out for an entire month, the most games he’ll appear in the rest of the way would be the Rockets’ final eight in April. I don’t have the guts to drop him just yet, but will strongly consider it if we don’t get better news in the next 10 days. Goran Dragic is now a must-own, must-start fantasy option, and had 23 points, eight dimes and four treys on Saturday, with 20 points and eight assists on Sunday.



Stephen Curry PG Warriors – Stephen Curry now has a right ankle sprain to go along with his left foot strain, and lasted just nine minutes on Sunday. Nate Robinson looks like the best guy to own in his absence, but hasn’t exactly been a model of consistency. Curry’s injury ride this year is officially into ‘ridiculous’ territory and he simply can’t be trusted for now. Keep him in your thoughts in daily leagues, but I don’t have the stomach to start him in weeklies.



Rudy Gay SF Grizzlies – Gay appeared to be dealing with concussion symptoms after Sunday’s game and is now extremely risky in a three-game week. I moved him to my benches, while a guy like O.J. Mayo, who had 22 points, five boards and eight assists on Sunday, could really see a boost in minutes if Gay misses time. Don’t forget the Grizz have those back-to-back 5-game weeks coming up near the end of the season. On a related note, I expect to see Zach Randolph at some point this week.



Jose Calderon PG Raptors – Calderon’s ankle sprain isn’t as bad as the Raptors initially feared, but I need to hear more than “hopefully he won’t be out that long” before putting him into my lineup. Jerryd Bayless looks like a must-start player for as long as JC is out, while Leandro Barbosa should also be a solid option. The Raps play Tuesday against Cleveland, and we simply don’t know Calderon’s status for that one at this time.



Tony Parker PG Spurs – Parker sounds likely to return from his thigh injury on Monday against the Wizards, but Gregg Popovich reiterated recently that his goal is to go into the playoffs healthy. That means Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are all fair game to be late scratches any time the Spurs have back-to-back games. They have three sets of back-to-backs remaining in March, including a Fri/Sat/Sun three-game run from the 23<sup>rd</sup> to the 25<sup>th</sup>, and then an incredible six back-to-backs in April, which includes another three-in-a-row April 16-18. Only three of their 16 April games aren’t part of a back-to-back stint, which is going to be a nightmare for Pop, and in turn, fantasy owners of Spurs.



Ty Lawson PG Nuggets – Lawson suffered a sprained right foot that required X-rays on Sunday, but they were negative. Unless we get more information, Lawson may have to be benched in his three-game week, which could end up being one or even zero games if his injury is at all serious. Andre Miller will pick up his slack if that’s the case.



Joakim Noah C Bulls – Noah’s been out with an illness but it does sound like he should be back on Monday against the Knicks, so I’d roll the dice on him in most cases this week.



Andrew Bynum C Lakers – Bynum fought through a bruised right knee on Sunday to finish with 20 points and 14 boards, so I’m starting him if I own him.



Tyson Chandler C Knicks – Chandler returned from his hamstring injury on Sunday for eight points, 12 boards and a block, so I’m playing him, too.



Joe Johnson G/F Hawks – Johnson made it back from a knee injury this weekend and started at SF Sunday, with Kirk Hinrich at the 2 and Marvin Williams off the bench. Hinrich is worth keeping an eye on, but I want to make sure the move sticks and that he’s productive before dropping a good player for him.



Devin Harris PG Jazz – Harris missed Saturday’s game with a flu and has been dealing with a sore knee, but with five games, I’d start him this week in most cases.



Luol Deng SF Bulls – Deng was out on Saturday and sounds doubtful on Monday as he rests his sore wrist. Kyle Korver blew up for 26 points and six treys on Saturday, but I just don’t trust him.



Chris Paul PG Clippers – CP3 is sporting a mask after suffering a nasal fracture, but it appears he’ll power through it. With five games this week, he’s about as must-start as they come.



Jason Richardson SG Magic – Richardson could easily miss his first two games this week with an ankle injury, clearing the way for J.J. Redick to keep starting. Redick is always a sneaky play when this happens, and had 18 points and three 3-pointers on Sunday. I like the idea of starting Redick this week.



Chris Wilcox PF Celtics – Wilcox has a heart issue that I believe will shut him down for the season, meaning Brandon Bass should get all the minutes he can handle as long as he can stay healthy. Give him a look.



Spencer Hawes C Sixers – Hawes could be back as soon as Wednesday from his lingering Achilles problem, but I’m not playing him until I see him in at least two or three games. And Nikola Vucevic has been too unreliable to use in Hawes’ place.



Brendan Haywood C Mavericks – Haywood’s missed a couple games with a sprained ankle, but sounds close to returning. But with three games this week, you can surely find a better option.



Jason Kidd PG Mavericks – Kidd rested on Saturday in the midst of a five-game week, but it sounds like he’s fine. If you can handle the lack of offense and the three-game schedule this week, feel free to roll him out there.



Wilson Chandler G/F Unsigned – Chandler is supposedly in Denver and could sign with the team this week – or not. Even if they do sign him, things are going to be very crowded at the wing positions in Denver, so I’m not recommending going out of your way to sit on Chandler.<!--RW-->



Who’s Hot



Evan Turner G/F Sixers – Turner has quickly turned into a beast and had 24 points and 15 rebounds on 9-of-14 shooting Sunday. He’s averaging more than 10 boards over his last three games and has played very well in his last two. I’m going all-in on him, but he’s not a must-start player with just three games this week. Weigh options carefully.



Andrea Bargnani C Raptors – Bargnani returned to the starting lineup from his calf injury on Sunday and had 11 points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes. With four games this week, I’m putting him in there if I own him.



MarShon Brooks G/F Nets – Brooks is heating up again with Brook Lopez and Deron out, and had 23 points, five boards and seven assists on Saturday. It’s time to put him back in your lineup.



Rodney Stuckey G Pistons – Stuckey had 20 points and eight assists on Saturday and looks like a very solid four-game play.



Ekpe Udoh C Warriors – Udoh had 14 points, six boards and two more blocks on Sunday and is a solid four-game option at center.



Bismack Biyombo C Bobcats – Biyombo had 11 points, 11 boards and two blocks on Friday, followed up by six points, eight boards and a block on Saturday. He’s another four-game center and I’m starting him in a few leagues, along with Udoh.



Mike Dunleavy G/F Bucks – Dunleavy is suddenly heating up off the Bucks bench, scoring 25 on Friday and 19 on Sunday, with plenty of other fantasy goodies. He’s averaging 13 points, five boards, three assists, a steal and 1.8 3-pointers in March, and is getting starter’s minutes, despite the job belonging to Tobias Harris. The Bucks only play three times this week, but it’s time to move on Dunleavy.



Alonzo Gee G/F Cavaliers – Gee is averaging 13 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and a 3-pointer in his eight starts this season, and he’s started four straight games for the Cavs. They only go three times this week, but Gee’s a guy worth owning in most leagues.



Shelden Williams F/C Nets – Williams is the new starting center for the Nets (again) and is averaging 10 points and nine rebounds over his last three games.



Dorell Wright F Warriors – Wright blew up for 20 points and four 3-pointers on Sunday, but 16 of those came in the first quarter. He’s not at all trustworthy, but could still end up getting it going at any time, despite most of this season being a full-blown disaster.



Samuel Dalembert C Rockets – Sammy D had 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks on Sunday, has hit double digits in scoring in five straight, with double-doubles in three of those. He’s back (after many of us dropped him).



Gerald Green G/F Nets – Green blew up for 26 points in 23 minutes on Saturday, hitting 10-of-15 shots, four 3-pointers and possibly the dunk of the year. I own him in my 30-team league, yet despite the four-game week, simply don’t have the guts to start him over James Johnson or Thaddeus Young. If he proves me wrong, it will likely cost me a trip to the final four in that league. I play CBS’ Jamey Eisenberg this week, H2H, 9 Categories, after barely getting by Mr. David Hoops Klyce last week.



Me: Jeremy Lin, Dwyane Wade, James Johnson, Thaddeus Young (3), Greg Monroe & Marcus Thornton.

Jamey: Roddy Beaubois (3), Jamal Crawford, LeBron James, Luis Scola, Marcin Gortat (5) & J.J. Redick.



Who’s Not



Kevin Martin SG Rockets – Martin has been awful for four straight games (again), while Chase Budinger and Chandler Parsons are heating up again. The bottom line is that I don’t trust any of these guys right now, but both Budinger and Parsons are probably worth a flier as well as they’ve played in the last few. Martin said after Sunday's disaster that he's dealing with a strained shoulder, but it doesn't sound too serious. Start him at your own risk, and keep in mind he's played less than 20 minutes per game in each of his last four.



Andray Blatche F/C Wizards – Blatche had just two points and two boards in 14 minutes on Saturday, and even a five-game week isn’t enough to bring him into the fold.



DeAndre Jordan C Clippers – Here’s another five-game week that could be a disaster, as he’s averaging just four points, seven rebounds and a block over his last five. He’s also played less than 20 minutes in three straight, making him a true risk-reward play this week.



Roy Hibbert C Pacers – Hibbert is averaging just seven points, seven boards and two blocks over his last five, but the minutes have been there and this simply looks like a slump. I’m going to play him where I own him for four games.



Caron Butler G/F Clippers – Butler’s back is bothering him and he’s been a disaster, scoring 1, 2 and 0 points in three of his last four games. This too looks like a slump, but he is truly a blind roll of the dice right now.



Danilo Gallinari F Nuggets – Gallo was back in the starting five on Sunday but missed all five of his shots and failed to score. He’s been back for four games, hitting 5-of-25 shots over that stretch. He’s bound to heat up soon but with three games, I’d probably give him another week to get it figured out.
 

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Is Turner Tremendous?

This NBA campaign has gone from “Let’s see how this whole condensed season unfolds” to “Wait a second, we’re already in the stretch run?!?!” alarmingly quickly, which I suppose is what happens when approximately one fifth of an 82-game slate gets erased by a lockout. And since I just realized that the preceding sentence contains absolutely no revelations and essentially amounts to some NBA small talk, let’s waste no more time in getting to the business at hand:

Goran Dragic is about to unleash the fury. On some level I feel like I’m stating the obvious here, but with Dragic owned in 28 percent of Yahoo leagues as of Monday morning, it appears to be worth a reminder: When given extended run, the lefty Slovenian PG is legitimately a beast. In his four starts this season, Dragic has posted 18.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 8.8 apg, 1.3 spg and 2.8 3s on 57.8 percent from the field and 90.9 percent from the line. In 12 career starts, he has averaged 14.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 7.5 apg, 1.3 spg and 1.8 treys, and I fully believe that 17 ppg and 8 apg with good steals and 3s is well within reach as long as Kyle Lowry (bacterial infection, 2-4 weeks) remains sidelined.

Some perspective on Evan Turner: I suppose you could say I’m of two minds on the whole Turner breakout. The good news is that he’s a shooting guard contributing power forward stats: 17.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.5 apg (and 0.3 treys) in his first four starts this year, including 24 points and a season-high 15 rebounds on Sunday. The bad news (“bad” being a relative term here) is that Turner is impersonating one of those power forwards who doesn’t get many steals or blocks: 0.8 spg, 0.5 bpg in his four starts. To be clear, producing something in the range of 15-plus ppg, 7-8 rpg and 3-4 apg would still make Turner quite useful, but it’s a yellow flag for his value that he’s still not a consistent outside shooter and doesn’t appear ready to contribute high-volume defensive stats either. And yes, you could probably file this under nitpicking, but I think it’s worth noting nonetheless.

Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

A few words about Isaiah Thomas, and the coach who suddenly refuses to give him big minutes: After averaging 16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.8 apg and 1.6 3s in his first eight starts this year (in an average of 34 minutes a game), Thomas has seen his playing time dip to 22 minutes per game in his last four, a stretch accompanied by 10.3 ppg, 3.0 apg, 1.8 spg and 2.0 treys per game.

What makes this frustrating is that Thomas really hasn’t done anything to warrant the sudden dip in minutes. Sure he’s undersized, and the Kings do need to develop No. 10 pick Jimmer Fredette, but Keith Smart would be wise to figure out a solution that doesn’t limit the minutes of Thomas, who looks like the team’s best distributor and can be a game-changing outside shooter. Unfortunately, there’s no telling when or if this situation will change, and though I would advise patience with Thomas, it also wouldn’t shock me to see Fredette eventually get a look as the starting PG. The bottom line: If this were only about giving the best players the most run, Thomas would easily be getting 30-plus minutes a game. But Smart is trying to play Fredette while keeping veterans like John Salmons and Francisco Garcia happy, resulting in a messy and frustrating situation.

Meanwhile, what’s going on with Jordan Crawford? Just as he was beginning to sizzle (21.8 ppg, 2.4 3s, 52.8 percent from the field in eight games between Feb. 14 and March 3), Crawford laid a total dud last week, averaging just 9.0 ppg on 26.2 percent from the field (11-of-42) in three games. From my vantage point – and I did luck into some courtside seats for Blazers-Wizards on Saturday night – Crawford looks tentative and uncertain as to when he should shoot right now, and the best thing for his confidence might be a move back to the bench so that he can enter the game as a no-conscience gunner. Either way, I’m definitely sticking with him for the Wizards’ upcoming five-game week, and remain confident in his ability to put up numbers for the woeful and disorganized Wiz down the stretch.

Luke Ridnour is suddenly in a great situation, but we need to keep expectations in check. In his career, the 31-year-old has never averaged better than 11.8 ppg and has only topped 6.0 apg once (7.0 apg in 2005-06 with Seattle). So while he’s basically a must-own player now that Ricky Rubio (torn ACL) is done, it’s worth keeping in mind that Ridnour’s 14-point, 10-assist, 43-minute performance on Saturday isn’t all that close to a realistic expectation. And with J.J. Barea (ankle) nearing a return, I would forecast Ridnour somewhere around 12 ppg and 6-7 apg the rest of the way. In other words, if you’re choosing between the aforementioned Goran Dragic and Ridnour, I personally would aim for Dragic, who will lose his job if/when Kyle Lowry makes it back, but has significanly more upside than the safe but not especially explosive Ridnour.

Raymond Felton might be finding his stride, but I’m not convinced anything all that great is ahead. I watched all of Felton’s 21-point, five-assist, zero-turnover effort against the Wizards in person on Saturday night, and I don’t know how to put this other than to say that there was really nothing inspiring about it. In fairness, Felton has averaged a solid 15.8 ppg, 7.0 apg, 1.3 spg and 1.0 3s in his last four games, which suggests that he could finally be in sync after beginning the season out of shape. However, he still doesn’t look all that quick or explosive, his jump shot remains unsightly and I don’t think this recent scoring surge is sustainable. On the whole it’s a good sign that he’s playing better, but I’m still expecting big scoring nights from Felton to be the exception rather than the rule.

Other Thoughts: Danilo Gallinari was awful in his first four games back last week (4.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.3 apg), but patience is in order even if you have to bench him this week … Mike Dunleavy’s last four games: 15.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.5 apg, 0.8 spg and 1.8 treys in 36 minutes per game … I don’t really trust him to score consistently, but it’s worth noting that Chandler Parsons has posted 14.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.8 bpg and 0.5 3s in his last four games … Gerald Green broke out for 26 points and one insane dunk on Saturday, and even though it was probably just a random outburst, I’ll be checking in to see what he does Monday night … Deeper league heads-up: Klay Thompson has posted 14.5 ppg and 2.5 3s in his last four.
 

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Weekly Dish: Late-season help

By Brian McKitish | Special to ESPN.com

With just a little more than a month left in the season, it's time for owners to start preparing themselves for the stretch run. For some of you, that might mean you'll have to take more risks than you're used to. If you are still hovering in the middle of the pack or lower this late in the season, you will have to make some drastic moves to get back into the race.


The Top 130


Note: Brian McKitish's top 130 players are ranked for their fantasy value from this point forward in the 2011-12 NBA season. Previous rank is indicated in parentheses.1. LeBron James, SF, MIA (1)
2. Kevin Durant, SF, OKC (2)
3. Chris Paul, PG, LAC (3)
4. Kevin Love, PF, MIN (4)
5. Dwyane Wade, SG, MIA (5)
6. Russell Westbrook, PG, OKC (6)
7. Dwight Howard, C, ORL (7)
8. Kobe Bryant, SG, LAL (8)
9. Deron Williams, PG, NJ (9)
10. Derrick Rose, PG, CHI (10)
11. Josh Smith, PF/SF, ATL (11)
12. Al Jefferson, C/PF, UTAH (12)
13. Pau Gasol, PF/C, LAL (13)
14. LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C, POR (14)
15. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, DAL (15)
16. Monta Ellis, PG/SG, GS (16)
17. Kyle Lowry, PG, HOU (17)
18. Andrew Bynum, C, LAL (19)
19. Marc Gasol, C, MEM (20)
20. John Wall, PG, WSH (21)
21. Stephen Curry, PG/SG, GS (18)
22. Blake Griffin, PF, LAC (22)
23. Ty Lawson, PG/SG, DEN (27)
24. Rudy Gay, SF, MEM (23)
25. Marcin Gortat, C, PHO (24)
26. Greg Monroe, PF/C, DET (25)
27. DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, SAC (26)
28. Steve Nash, PG, PHO (28)
29. Paul Millsap, PF, UTAH (29)
30. Paul Pierce, SF/SG, BOS (30)
31. Rajon Rondo, PG, BOS (31)
32. James Harden, SG, OKC (33)
33. Marcus Thornton, SG, SAC (34)
34. Carmelo Anthony, SF, NY (32)
35. David Lee, PF/C, GS (36)
36. Ryan Anderson, PF, ORL (37)
37. Kyrie Irving, PG, CLE (41)
38. Danny Granger, SF, IND (39)
39. Brandon Jennings, PG, MIL (43)
40. Jeremy Lin, PG, NY (40)
41. Serge Ibaka, C/PF, OKC (46)
42. Tony Parker, PG, SA (48)
43. Nicolas Batum, SF/SG, POR (42)
44. Andre Iguodala, SF/SG, PHI (44)
45. JaVale McGee, C, WSH (45)
46. Roy Hibbert, C, IND (38)
47. Tyreke Evans, PG/SG/SF, SAC (47)
48. Mike Conley, PG, MEM (49)
49. Joakim Noah, C/PF, CHI (52)
50. Joe Johnson, SG/SF, ATL (54)
51. Kris Humphries, PF, NJ (56)
52. Kevin Garnett, PF/C, BOS (55)
53. Chris Bosh, PF/C, MIA (51)
54. Manu Ginobili, SG, SA (68)
55. Gerald Wallace, SF/PF, POR (53)
56. Luol Deng, SF, CHI (50)
57. Carlos Boozer, PF, CHI (57)
58. Kevin Martin, SG, HOU (58)
59. Tyson Chandler, C, NY (59)
60. Amare Stoudemire, C/PF, NY (60)
61. Nikola Pekovic, C, MIN (62)
62. Paul George, SF/SG, IND (65)
63. Andrea Bargnani, C/PF, TOR (104)
64. Antawn Jamison, PF, CLE (70)
65. Drew Gooden, PF, MIL (76)
66. Danilo Gallinari, SF/PF, DEN (61)
67. Jason Terry, SG, DAL (71)
68. Ray Allen, SG, BOS (72)
69. Nene Hilario, C/PF, DEN (73)
70. Ersan Ilyasova, SF/PF, MIL (86)
71. Evan Turner, SG, PHI (NR)
72. Zach Randolph, PF, MEM (93)
73. DeAndre Jordan, C, LAC (67)
74. Jarrett Jack, PG/SG, NO (75)
75. Jrue Holiday, PG, PHI (64)
76. Jose Calderon, PG, TOR (63)
77. Tim Duncan, PF/C, SA (78)
78. Lou Williams, PG/SG, PHI (79)
79. Jared Dudley, SF/SG, PHO (82)
80. Luis Scola, PF, HOU (80)
81. Al Harrington, PF, DEN (77)
82. Luke Ridnour, PG, MIN (127)
83. MarShon Brooks, SG, NJ (81)
84. Jeff Teague, PG, ATL (74)
85. Channing Frye, PF/C, PHO (83)
86. David West, PF, IND (85)
87. Chris Kaman, C, NO (92)
88. Arron Afflalo, SG, DEN (97)
89. Mo Williams, PG, LAC (95)
90. Rodney Stuckey, PG/SG, DET (100)
91. Raymond Felton, PG, POR (128)
92. Brandon Knight, PG/SG, DET (90)
93. DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF, TOR (91)
94. Jamal Crawford, SG/PG, POR (66)
95. Isaiah Thomas, PG, SAC (84)
96. Jordan Crawford, SG, WSH (87)
97. Caron Butler, SF, LAC (94)
98. D.J. Augustin, PG, CHA (98)
99. Andre Miller, PG, DEN (101)
100. Corey Maggette, SF, CHA (NR)
101. Jason Richardson, SG, ORL (102)
102. Elton Brand, PF, PHI (107)
103. Wilson Chandler, SF/SG, RFA (99)
104. Mario Chalmers, PG, MIA (105)
105. Nick Young, SG, WSH (125)
106. Jameer Nelson, PG, ORL (109)
107. Thaddeus Young, SF/PF, PHI (117)
108. Samuel Dalembert, C, HOU (114)
109. Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, CHA (130)
110. Gerald Henderson, SG, CHA (103)
111. Devin Harris, PG, UTAH (106)
112. Darren Collison, PG, IND (89)
113. Jason Kidd, PG, DAL (111)
114. Hedo Turkoglu, SF, ORL (112)
115. Trevor Ariza, SF/SG, NO (110)
116. Randy Foye, SG/PG, LAC (118)
117. Anderson Varejao, PF/C, CLE (120)
118. Kemba Walker, PG, CHA (113)
119. Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, POR (96)
120. James Johnson, SF/PF, TOR (119)
121. Kenneth Faried, PF, DEN (121)
122. Shawn Marion, SF/PF, DAL (122)
123. Ekpe Udoh, C/PF, GS (NR)
124. Andray Blatche, PF, WSH (108)
125. Tayshaun Prince, SF, DET (126)
126. Derrick Williams, PF, MIN (NR)
127. Iman Shumpert, PG/SG, NY (124)
128. Gordon Hayward, SG/SF, UTAH (NR)
129. Tony Allen, SG, MEM (129)
130. Carlos Delfino, SF/SG, MIL (123)




That may include dropping players who aren't getting the job done, even if you've relied on them all season. I don't know about you, but if I'm within striking distance of the leaders and still have some ground to make up, I'm not going to be waiting around for players who aren't getting it done when there are plenty of viable options waiting on the waiver wire; I'm talking to you, Dorell Wright, Wesley Matthews, Darren Collison, Boris Diaw and whoever else is slumping at the moment.
Unfortunately, the trade deadline has already passed in most fantasy leagues, so the only way you can improve your squad is through the waiver wire. With that in mind, let's take a look at some young players whose playing time should increase down the stretch, along with some injured stars who are set to return to the lineup.


Youth Movement



Evan Turner, SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers: Since joining the Sixers' starting lineup last week, the No. 2 pick in the 2010 NBA draft has averaged a magnificent 17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 0.8 steals in his past four games. After struggling to adjust to the pace of the NBA in his rookie season, Turner had shown glimpses of brilliance in 20-25 minutes off the bench earlier this season. Averaging 8.2 points, 5.6 boards and 0.5 steals in 23.8 minutes before the All-Star break, Turner's per-minute numbers suggested a breakout once he got an opportunity for increased minutes, particularly as a scorer and rebounder from the guard position. The opportunity is now, and Turner is taking full advantage. Fantasy owners should be running to the wire to grab Turner now that he's locked in as a full-time starter.


Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, Charlotte Bobcats: Biyombo still has a ton of work to do before he's able to offer much on the offensive end, but he's already a top-5 shot blocker as a 19-year-old rookie. He has 4.72 blocks per 48 minutes (second behind only Serge Ibaka) and is swatting 3.4 shots per game in 27.5 minutes over his past 10 contests. There is no doubt that Biyombo will continue to see 27-32 minutes per game for the Bobcats, who have the league's worst record at 5-34. Anything less than 8-10 boards and 2.5 blocks per game the rest of the way would be a major disappointment.


Ekpe Udoh, C/PF, Golden State Warriors: The Warriors are on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff race, so it should come as no surprise that coach Mark Jackson has named Udoh as their starting center for the remainder of the season. Though he is slightly more refined than Biyombo, Udoh is an incredibly raw prospect who should improve with experience. Averaging 13.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in four starts this season, Udoh offers plenty of value and upside for anyone in need of shot-blocking help this late in the season.


Derrick Williams, PF, Minnesota Timberwolves: Typically, when we see teams giving young players additional minutes it's not because it makes their lineup stronger, but like Evan Turner, Williams is the second player on this list who is playing for a playoff contender. Williams has really stepped up his game in recent action, showing his athleticism down on the blocks and his versatility on the perimeter. Averaging 13.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.0 3-pointers over his past five games, Williams should continue to earn quality minutes off the bench as a leader of the Wolves' second unit.


Help is on the way



Andrea Bargnani, C/PF, Toronto Raptors: The Raptors must not be too worried about Bargnani's calf injury; otherwise, they probably wouldn't allow him back on the court given their 13-27 record. Bargnani suited up for just 19 minutes in his first game back since Jan. 25, but he should start to see more action as he gets back into game shape. Remember, Bargnani posted 22.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 1.3 3-pointers with terrific percentages in 14 games prior to the injury, and he should pick up right where he left off once his minutes increase.


Zach Randolph, PF, Memphis Grizzlies: Those who have been patient with Z-Bo have to be happy about the positive reports coming out of Memphis regarding Randolph's potential return next week. That said, his owners might want to temper their expectations at first as the Grizzlies may take it slow with Randolph to ensure that he's healthy for their playoff run. At 23-16, the Grizzlies have been plenty successful without Z-Bo, so do not be surprised if they limit his minutes to 20-25 for the first two or three weeks after his return.


Manu Ginobili, SG, San Antonio Spurs: If his past three games are any indication, Ginobili is fully recovered from his oblique injury and ready to be a fantasy force down the stretch. With 15.7 points, 5.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 3.0 3-pointers in 26.0 minutes per game since his return, Ginobili only needs to stay healthy to justify his ranking at 54 in the Top 130 this week.


Danilo Gallinari, SF/PF, Denver Nuggets: Gallinari has already returned from an ankle injury that caused him to miss 13 games, but the Nuggets have been cautious, giving him just 21.3 minutes per game since his return. I'm not terribly worried about his minutes, as they will increase once he gets his game legs back, but with Aaron Afflalo and Al Harrington playing so well, I don't think Gallinari is going to be as productive as he was earlier in the season. A potential Wilson Chandler return makes things even more complicated, so while I still like Gallinari down the stretch, I don't think he'll be the top-50 player he was in the first half of the season.


Raymond Felton, PG, Portland Trail Blazers: Felton wasn't injured like the rest of the players on this list, but he was abandoned by many fantasy owners after his demotion a few weeks back. Perhaps motivated by his stint on the bench, Felton returned to the starting lineup to post 13.0 points, 6.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 3-pointers over his past five games. That's much closer to what we expected out of Felton this season, and he should be picked up again if he was dropped in your league.
 

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Big Al: Please Don't Go

Monday, as usual, brought plenty of injury news, as well as some big performances on a relatively quiet seven-game night. Let’s dive in.



Injury Report



Al Jefferson F/C Jazz – Jefferson played Monday despite the recent death of his grandmother and went off for 33 points, 12 boards and two blocks on 14-of-18 shooting. He’s got a five-game week, but the bad news is that he’s now pretty iffy for Saturday and Sunday’s games, with the funeral set for Friday. Hopefully he continues to play well and makes it through at least four games this week. If he’s out over the weekend, Derrick Favors becomes a nice pick-and-play.



Deron Williams PG Nets – Williams was out again on Monday and is iffy for the rest of the week with a calf injury. Jordan Farmar is a must-own player until further notice, and had 17 points, seven assists and two 3-pointers on Monday. The shutdown alert is officially on for Williams, but for now, just keep him on your bench until you see he’s going to return from his injury.



Rudy Gay SF Grizzlies – Gay has a concussion, leaving his status for this week in doubt. He’ll have to pass a series of tests to be cleared to play and the Grizzlies only have three games this week. Owners have to hope he’s cleared to play this week, but I benched him in mine, and feel good about it. He should really pay off when the Grizzlies play five times in Weeks 15 and 16.



Jose Calderon PG Raptors – The Raptors are hopeful that Calderon will return from his ankle injury at some point on the team’s upcoming five-game road trip, and I benched him in some leagues, and cut him in another. I’m in a must-win situation in order to make the playoffs, and went with Gordon Hayward for five games instead of a bunch of possible zeros from Calderon this week. Jerryd Bayless is the guy to add if you can, while Leandro Barbosa should also do well if JC is out all week.



Stephen Curry PG Warriors – The Warriors are saying that Curry’s injury problems are a bunch of unrelated freak accidents, and plan on running him out there until further notice. If you own him, this is good news, but he’s simply a mess. Keep plugging him in there (and praying) when it sounds like he’ll play, but it’s become obvious that he is going to be a fantasy bust this season thanks to injuries. Maybe he’ll get hot and help owners win a championship, but given how this season has gone, those same owners might have a tough time making it to the fantasy postseason. Consider him a game-time decision for Tuesday with another sprained ankle.



Kevin Martin SG Rockets – Martin is a game-time decision for Tuesday with a shoulder injury, and hasn’t scored more than seven points in his last three games, so don’t hold your breath for an explosion if he does go on Tuesday.



Manu Ginobili SG Spurs - Ginobili appeared to see his leg tighten up late in Monday's game and Gregg Popovich said that's exactly what happened. Expect some DNP's from Manu going forward, as the Spurs have a whopping 20 back-to-back games on the schedule between now and the end of the season, when they play a total of 26 games. And owners of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker should also be concerned about being blindsided by mystery DNP's going forward.



Corey Maggette G/F Bobcats – Maggette, who was one of the hottest scorers in the league coming into Monday, lasted just eight minutes before leaving with back spasms. Hopefully they subside on Tuesday, but consider him iffy at Houston on Wednesday. I’m going to hold him until then, and might be forced to move on if it appears he’ll miss several games.



Luol Deng SF Bulls – Deng was out again on Monday and is iffy for Wednesday with his sore wrist. Kyle Korver had nine points, seven boards, three assists and two 3-pointers last night in another start, but should become useless when Deng returns.



Hedo Turkoglu G/F Magic – Turkoglu’s one-game suspension is over and he will likely start on Tuesday against the Heat.



Michael Beasley F Timberwolves – Beasley hit 6-of-7 shots for 15 points and two 3-pointers in 16 minutes before leaving Monday’s game with a toe injury. Consider him iffy for his next game, and continue to look at Derrick Williams, who hit 7-of-10 shots and two more 3-pointers on his way to 19 points, eight boards, two steals and two blocks on Monday. While it doesn’t make sense as to why a point-guard injury would benefit a power forward, Williams looks like a must-own player over the rest of the season.



Chris Kaman C Hornets – Kaman tweaked his hip and hit just 6-of-19 shots, but still finished with 12 points, 16 boards and three blocks in a loss to the Bobcats Monday. With Emeka Okafor not seeming close to a return, and all this trade deadline talk possibly heading nowhere, Kaman remains a must-start fantasy player for now.



Ray Allen SG Celtics – Ray Allen tweaked his right ankle on Monday but appears to be fine. He finished with 15 points and two 3-pointers, and should be OK going forward.



Carl Landry PF Hornets – Landry is expected back from his knee injury sometime this week, which will hurt Gustavo Ayon. Ayon hit just 1-of-6 shots last night, but did have two points, four rebounds, four steals and a block in a loss to the Bobcats. Once Landry is back, Ayon can probably be dropped if there’s a hot free agent you have your eye on.



Emeka Okafor C Hornets – There’s still no timetable on the return of Okafor from a knee injury, so keep rolling with Kaman.



Jose Juan Barea G Timberwolves – JJB returned from an ankle injury on Monday, but had just three points in 15 minutes. He should see a boost in minutes with Ricky Rubio’s season over, but will have to prove he can stay healthy himself before it’s going to happen.



George Hill G Pacers – Hill is hoping to return from a shoulder injury on Tuesday, but it’s anyone’s guess if it will happen. You have to be in a deep league to be reliant on Hill’s availability right now.



Brendan Haywood C Mavericks – Haywood is hoping to return from his sprained ankle on Tuesday.



Anderson Varejao C Cavaliers – Varejao will be re-evaluated next week and doesn’t appear to be close to a return from his wrist injury. The Cavs play four or five games per week from here on out, but whether you can wait on him is the real question.



Eric Gordon SG Hornets – The Hornets are hoping to have Gordon back by the end of the month from his knee injury, but I’m not holding my breath. Nor am I holding Gordon.



Thabo Sefolosha SG Thunder - Sefolosha appears to be nearing a return from a foot injury, but unless you’re in a 30-team league, it doesn’t matter (thank you, James Harden).



Rashard Lewis F Wizards – Lewis was out again on Monday with a knee injury and there’s no timetable on his return. Ignore him for now.



Mike Miller G/F Heat – Miller is likely to miss at least a week with a sprained ankle, but didn’t really offer fantasy value when healthy. James Jones could see a boost in his absence, along with Shane Battier.<!--RW-->



Game News



Bucks Down Nets - Mike Dunleavy had 15 points, four boards, six dimes, two steals and a 3-pointer last night, and remains a nice add in all formats, despite coming off the bench “behind” Tobias Harris. Ersan Ilyasova finally cooled off on Monday, finishing with four points on 2-of-6 shooting in 24 foul-plagued minutes, but will bounce back. Brandon Jennings went bonkers with 34 points, six 3-pointers, seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks, as trade rumors appear to have gotten him fired up. Drew Gooden was also solid again with 23 points, eight boards, seven assists, a steal and a 3-pointer, and if you played them over a 4-gamer with just three games this week, so far, so good.



Kris Humphries went nuts with a career-high 31 points and 18 rebounds on 11-of-15 shooting, and also had two steals and three blocks in the loss. Anthony Morrow got hot for 17 points and a 3-pointer on 8-of-11 shooting, but you can’t expect him to shoot it like this on most nights. Gerald Green had 11 points and six boards in 30 minutes, and remains a player to keep a very close eye on going forward, despite being on his second 10-day contract.



Bobcats Take Hornets – Bismack Biyombo hit 6-of-7 shots for a career-high 12 points to go along with seven rebounds, a steal and four blocks, including the game-saver against Trevor Ariza. Make sure BB is not available in your league. Gerald Henderson played very well with 15 points, six boards, three assists, a steal and a block, but didn’t hit a 3-pointer, despite being a shooting guard.



The Hornets got 15 points, four boards, nine assists, a block and a 3-pointer from Jarrett Jack, while most of his teammates were solid, but not spectacular. Trevor Ariza had 12 points and a full stat line, and should be starting in most leagues.



Knicks Lose Again – J.R. Smith played just nine minutes and had five points, as his up and down season continues. Like many of his teammates, he’s simply too inconsistent to be relied upon. Carmelo Anthony hit just 8-of-21 shots for 21 points, eight rebounds and a 3-pointer, Jeremy Lin had 15 points, eight assists, three steals, three blocks and a 3-pointer, and committed just three turnovers in the loss. Amare Stoudemire added 20 points, but had just three rebounds and a block as the Knicks lost for the sixth straight time, and have only won two games since Melo returned from a groin injury. Blame Melo and his negative body language all you want, but three boards from Amare is simply unacceptable. One person we can’t blame for New York’s problems is Lin, and I doubt any of his owners are complaining about the eight dimes, three steals and three blocks.



For the Bulls, Taj Gibson quietly had 15 points and 13 boards off the bench, Derrick Rose had 32-6-7, and Joakim Noah returned from an illness with 12 points, 10 boards, five dimes, two steals and three blocks. Deng should be back soon, which will hurt Kyle Korver (nine points, two 3-pointers in the start).



Spurs Handle McGee, Wizards – The Spurs welcomed back Tony Parker from a thigh injury with 31 points, seven assists and lights-out shooting (13-of-18), but just beware that Gregg Popovich could choose to sit him at any time, as the Spurs still have nine sets of back-to-back games this season (and even more if you count back-to-back-to-backs). Tiago Splitter had 17 points, seven boards and a steal on 7-of-9 shooting in 20 minutes, while DeJuan Blair added 11 points and 12 boards in 26 minutes, making them both worth a look in fantasy leagues going forward.



JaVale McGee went off for 21 points, 15 rebounds, a steal and a block on 9-of-13 shooting, and is off to a great start in his five-game week. Trevor Booker had just 11 points and three rebounds, while Andray Blatche added nine points and four boards in 17 minutes off the bench. This looks to be heading toward a timeshare in the near future, but I’m still not feeling Blatche in fantasy. And speaking of timeshares, Jordan Crawford started and hit 7-of-18 shots and three 3-pointers for 19 points, four rebounds and five assists, while Nick Young had 18 points and four 3-pointers on 7-of-10 shooting off the bench. If you started one of these two guys, the week got off to a great start.



Utah Downs Detroit – The Jazz got a big game from Al Jefferson (see above), while Devin Harris returned from an illness for 19 points, eight assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in 30 minutes. Gordon Hayward (8 points) and Josh Howard (9 points) weren’t great, but still have four more games this week to prove their worth.



The Pistons got 29 points, four boards, seven assists and two steals on 10-of-17 shooting from Rodney Stuckey, who came in hot and should have been in all starting lineups this week. Greg Monroe had 14 points, five boards, five assists, two steals and a block, but the rest of the Pistons were fairly underwhelming. Jason Maxiell did add eight points, four boards and three blocks in another start, and still looks like a nice add in many leagues right now.



Wolves Win Over Suns – Luke Ridnour wasn’t great last night, but still had 10 points, four rebounds, nine assists and a block in the absence of Ricky Rubio, and remains a must-own player. Nikola Pekovic, who destroyed owners last week when he missed a couple games, remained hot, going for 24 points, eight boards and two steals. He’s averaging nearly 23 points, 11 boards and a steal over his last three games. Kevin Love was at it again with 30 points, seven boards and five more 3-pointers, as his dream season continues. If you’re looking for a Derrick Williams or Michael Beasley update, please see the injury report at the start of this column.



For the Suns, those of you who grabbed and started Jared Dudley for his five-game week couldn’t be happier right now. He went off for a season-high 28 points to go along with nine boards, a steal, a block and two 3-pointers on 10-of-15 shooting in the loss. I had him on my roster in League Freak, but cut him briefly a while back and allowed Rick Kamla to pick him up. Now Kamla is torturing me with him this week, which isn’t fun. Steve Nash had 25 points, 10 assists and two 3-pointers, Channing Frye went off for 18 points, five boards, four dimes, two steals, a block and four 3-pointers on 7-of-11 shooting, Grant Hill had 10 points, four assists and a steal in 32 minutes, while Shannon Brown added 11 points, five boards and three assists on 4-of-13 shooting in 28 minutes. When Grant Hill gets a random day off in the midst of this “old-man’s nightmare,” Brown could have a big game. Marcin Gortat was the lone disappointment, with just eight points, four rebounds and zero blocks, but he still has four games this week to make up for it.



Boston Clips Clippers – Rajon Rondo had 12 points, 10 assists, three steals and six turnovers in Monday’s win, Ray Allen scored 15 (and avoided a major injury – see above), Paul Pierce had 25 points, seven rebounds and three 3-pointers, and Kevin Garnett added 21 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in another start at center. If KG doesn’t qualify at center in your league yet, I’m not sure he will. Brandon Bass, who looks like a smart pickup with news that Chris Wilcox is likely done for the season with a heart problem, added 10 points and nine boards in the win.



For the Clippers and their five-game week, Randy Foye and Caron Butler laid eggs. Foye was 1-of-4 with three points in 20 minutes, while Butler was 3-of-13 for seven points, but at least had nine rebounds. I thought Foye was good to go, but Mo Williams was too hot tonight. Mo-Will had 21 points, four steals and a 3-pointer, Blake Griffin added 24 points, nine boards and a block, hitting 9-of-15 shots and 6-of-8 free throws, and DeAndre Jordan had six points, 13 rebounds, a steal and a block. If you started any of these guys not named Foye or Butler, things seem to be off to a good start. Chris Paul was shaky early in this one, but looked great in the fourth quarter, and still has four games this week to make up for last night’s 14-point effort on 3-of-12 shooting.
 

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Dunleavy Dancing

Who will get the minutes? It’s a simple question that rarely has a simple answer.

Coaches are constantly tinkering and toying with their rotations. Sometimes it has to with injuries and in other instances, it’s a result of ineffective play from a certain player. The impact this has on minutes played and thus statistical production is where we come in.

Every Tuesday for the rest of the season, I’ll explore a certain aspect of half the league’s rotations while attempting to get inside coaches’ heads. The idea isn’t to tell you what Kevin Love and LeBron James are going to do -- it’s to decipher how much burn fringe players are going to get.

Here’s last week’s Position: Shooting guard/small forward
For some unknown reason, coach Scott Skiles has undying faith in Carlos Delfino. Over the last 10 games, Delfino is shooting 28.1 percent yet playing 32.4 minutes. Yes, you read that right: 28.1 percent. Delfino has also started 38 of the 39 games he’s appeared in this year. We know he’ll have his chance to shoot his way out of this slump.

Meanwhile, Delfino's consistent minutes haven't affected Mike Dunleavy, who has quietly turned into one of the more valuable bench options in the league. With Tobias Harris filling the ceremonial “starter” role and Stephen Jackson banished to the trading block, Dunleavy is averaging 34.6 minutes over his last six games. Skiles said he isn’t planning on promoting Dunleavy to the starting five because he likes the fit off the bench, but that shouldn’t stop us.

“I have a nice comfort level with Mike, to know you can go down there and he can come in, he's so versatile. He can get hot and make 3s and make shots. Even if he's not, he's handling the ball and passing the ball. He's running the wing. He's doing a lot of things that help us."

Dunleavy is averaging 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 3-pointers and 1.3 steals over his last eight games. Yes he’s an injury risk and yes, Shaun Livingston (ankle) and Position: Small forward
We talked two weeks ago in this space about how the Bobcats’ talent level really isn’t that bad and how their rotation is actually deep everywhere but center. That’s killed Kemba Walker and Reggie Williams, but there is plenty of light at the end of the tunnel here.

Boris Diaw has been banished to the trade/buyout block, Corey Maggette (back) is hurt again and D.J. Augustin’s name is popping up in realistic trade rumors. Although Walker is getting just 23.7 minutes over his last 10 games, he’s a strong hold through Thursday. Williams started the second half in place of Maggette on Monday night and is also worth holding. Remember that in nine starts earlier this year, Williams averaged 12.0 points and 1.6 3-pointers while playing 31.0 minutes per night.

Bonus thought on Tyrus Thomas: This guy really needs a change of scenery. He’s started three straight games thanks to Boris Diaw’s situation, but is averaging 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while playing just 19.1 minutes. In 21 starts this year, the 6’10/225 Thomas is somehow shooting 34.2 percent. The light isn’t going to go on for him while playing for Paul Silas in Charlotte.

BULLS
Position: Shooting guard/small forward
The rotation here is so clean that we even know exactly what the backups are going to do. When Richard Hamilton (shoulder, week-to-week) is out, Ronnie Brewer will start. Brewer will play 27-33 minutes, but isn’t much more than a steals specialist.

When Luol Deng (day-to-day, wrist) is out, Kyle Korver will start. In six starts this year, Korver has averaged 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 3-pointers while playing 38.0 minutes per night. Much like teammate Position: Small forward
If the Cavs are going to trade Ramon Sessions and/or Antawn Jamison, they’ll primarily be looking for draft picks and cap space. Therefore, the status of Alonzo Gee should not be affected.

Gee has quietly settled in nicely over the last few weeks and has now started five straight games ahead of Omri Casspi. In eight starts this year, Gee is averaging 12.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.1 3-pointers while playing a hefty 34.5 minutes per night. Deep-leaguers shouldn’t be asleep at the wheel.

CELTICS
Position: Power forward
Over his last 10 games, Brandon Bass is averaging 11.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while playing 31.8 minutes. That’s the bottom of his range going forward.

With Chris Wilcox (heart) and Jermaine O’Neal (wrist) both in serious doubt, Bass is going to continue to gobble up plenty of burn. 35-year-old center Kevin Garnett is going to need to back off his current usage rate to sustain health and the 26-year-old Bass actually gives the Celtics some much-needed bounce, leaving him plenty of upside.

HAWKS
Position: Shooting guard
No, Kirk Hinrich has not taken over for Marvin Williams as the starter. Coach Larry Drew went with the three-guard lineup on Sunday to counter the Kings’ Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans starting unit. And yes, Hinrich remains one of the prime candidates to be traded.

Two points here. First, Hinrich’s lack of production in six starts this season (7.0 points, 2.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 27.3 minutes) is concerning. Even if he ends up with consistent big minutes somewhere, the ceiling won’t be high.

Second, we’ve talked plenty in this space about how Jeff Teague’s minutes/production have been capped by Hinrich’s presence. In the first 18 games of the year, Teague averaged 35.0 minutes per game. But in 13 February games, that number sunk to 28.7 minutes. Teague has gotten 34.2 minutes in six March games, but that’s mostly due to all the injuries at the two-guard spot in Atlanta. A Hinrich trade would be big.

KNICKS
Position: Point guard
The mess at shooting guard is pretty clear-cut. Coach Mike D’Antoni is going to roll with a “hot-hand” kind of system between Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert, Steve Novak and J.R. Smith. Despite Fields’ run of 27.9 minutes over the last five games, the smarter play is just to ignore this spot. Random blowups are going to happen.

The more interesting, situation, as usual, revolves around Jeremy Lin. Since Baron Davis returned 10 games ago, Lin is averaging 34.1 minutes per game. In Lin’s first eight games as the Knicks’ starter (without Davis active), he averaged 39.1. That decline in minutes combined with a natural regression in Lin’s shot has him slipping back toward the reasonable levels.

<!--RW-->

MAGIC
Position: Shooting guard
It’s a waste of breath to talk about Orlando’s rotation with so much up in the air ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. What we can prepare for is the possibility that the swingmen are going to get shook up in one form or another. Either the Magic are going to deal Howard and likely send Hedo Turkoglu with him, or they’ll move assets such as Ryan Anderson and J.J. Redick to acquire another front-line player.

All we can do is stash talent and wait. In this case, Redick and Jason Richardson stand to benefit the most if Turkoglu and Howard move on. For more stash candidates, check out my Position: Shooting guard/Small forward
Brook Lopez played in five games this year. In those games, MarShon Brooks logged 33.3 minutes, but got just 8.8 shots up per night. In his 19 other starts, Brooks is averaging 13.4 field-goal attempts per game. With Lopez (ankle) week-to-week and possibly done for the year, Brooks is back as a strong hold.

Meanwhile, D-League callup Gerald Green is making some serious noise. It’s worth noting that even though Green was a first-round pick way back in 2005, he’s still only 26 years old. Over the last seven games, he’s averaging 21.2 minutes while fellow bench scorer Anthony Morrow is at 21.4.

But before we go overboard on Green’s last two games (18.5 points, 26.8 minutes), realize that Deron Williams (calf) played in neither. That made usual third guard Jordan Farmar the starting point guard, thus opening up room for Green. Barring further injuries, Green is unlikely to garner more than 18-22 minutes going forward.

PACERS
Position: Point guard
Darren Collison is a mediocre NBA point guard, so there’s always going to be chatter that his starting gig is in jeopardy. Don’t buy it.

Coach Frank Vogel is on the record saying he prefers George Hill (shoulder, day-to-day) at shooting guard anyway. The Pacers are 23-16 with Collison starting every single game and playing 33.1 minutes per night. Yes, they’ve lost four straight games -- but three of those came at Chicago, at Miami and at Orlando. The roles here are clear -- Collison is the starter and will hover around 31-34 minutes, Position: Power forward
Now that Andrea Bargnani (calf) is finally back, this rotation has settled down. Bargnani is going to ramp up to 31-34 minutes nightly, Jerryd Bayless will beast whenever Jose Calderon (ankle, day-to-day) is injured/traded and the ugly three-headed monster at center can be ignored.

James Johnson has started 27 straight games and his recent dip in production can be written off as a blip. As mentioned two weeks ago, Dwane Casey needs Johnson’s defensive-minded skills out there.

SIXERS
Position: Shooting guard
I talked about Turner in last Friday’s Dose and Matt Stroup hit on him in Roundball Stew. He’s a controversial player because he does everything at a plus-level except shoot the ball. I’m not sold on his offensive abilities after three explosive games.

We won’t debate that point in this space though. We’re here to talk about minutes, and you can be sure Turner is going to get plenty of them the rest of the way.

Why did Jodie Meeks start the first 38 games of the season at shooting guard? Because the Sixers began the season 20-9 and Doug Collins wasn’t about to mess with that. He says it’s truly that simple and I believe him. Now that Collins has made the move to Turner, committed to him for the rest of the year and seen him go off for 17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in four starts, there’s no turning back. Think 32-36 minutes the rest of the way, even after the jumper goes back in the tank.

Those deep-leaguers holding onto Jodie Meeks can probably do better. In his four games off the bench, Meeks is getting just 13.6 minutes per game. He doesn’t fit as a scorer on the second unit because that’s the role of Lou Williams and Position: Power forward
Interim coach Randy Wittman is wisely making Andray Blatche earn his minutes. So far, Blatche hasn’t been able to that.

In five games since returning from his calf injury, Blatche has started zero times and is averaging a mere 15.2 minutes per night. He’s been booed mercilessly by his home fans and has admitted that has affected him on the court. Meanwhile, Trevor Booker has held steady at 31.7 minutes over the last five.

Perhaps Blatche is still feeling the calf, perhaps he’s not in game shape and perhaps those boos are too much to overcome. But we haven’t seen a shell of the guy that averaged 16.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals as a starter last year. Or the guy that posted 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 36 2009-10 starts. And there’s no signs that we will see that guy anytime soon, making Booker safe and Blatche waiver-wire fodder.
 

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Big Al: Please Don't Go

Monday, as usual, brought plenty of injury news, as well as some big performances on a relatively quiet seven-game night. Let’s dive in.



Injury Report



Al Jefferson F/C Jazz – Jefferson played Monday despite the recent death of his grandmother and went off for 33 points, 12 boards and two blocks on 14-of-18 shooting. He’s got a five-game week, but the bad news is that he’s now pretty iffy for Saturday and Sunday’s games, with the funeral set for Friday. Hopefully he continues to play well and makes it through at least four games this week. If he’s out over the weekend, Derrick Favors becomes a nice pick-and-play.



Deron Williams PG Nets – Williams was out again on Monday and is iffy for the rest of the week with a calf injury. Jordan Farmar is a must-own player until further notice, and had 17 points, seven assists and two 3-pointers on Monday. The shutdown alert is officially on for Williams, but for now, just keep him on your bench until you see he’s going to return from his injury.



Rudy Gay SF Grizzlies – Gay has a concussion, leaving his status for this week in doubt. He’ll have to pass a series of tests to be cleared to play and the Grizzlies only have three games this week. Owners have to hope he’s cleared to play this week, but I benched him in mine, and feel good about it. He should really pay off when the Grizzlies play five times in Weeks 15 and 16.



Jose Calderon PG Raptors – The Raptors are hopeful that Calderon will return from his ankle injury at some point on the team’s upcoming five-game road trip, and I benched him in some leagues, and cut him in another. I’m in a must-win situation in order to make the playoffs, and went with Gordon Hayward for five games instead of a bunch of possible zeros from Calderon this week. Jerryd Bayless is the guy to add if you can, while Leandro Barbosa should also do well if JC is out all week.



Stephen Curry PG Warriors – The Warriors are saying that Curry’s injury problems are a bunch of unrelated freak accidents, and plan on running him out there until further notice. If you own him, this is good news, but he’s simply a mess. Keep plugging him in there (and praying) when it sounds like he’ll play, but it’s become obvious that he is going to be a fantasy bust this season thanks to injuries. Maybe he’ll get hot and help owners win a championship, but given how this season has gone, those same owners might have a tough time making it to the fantasy postseason. Consider him a game-time decision for Tuesday with another sprained ankle.



Kevin Martin SG Rockets – Martin is a game-time decision for Tuesday with a shoulder injury, and hasn’t scored more than seven points in his last three games, so don’t hold your breath for an explosion if he does go on Tuesday.



Manu Ginobili SG Spurs - Ginobili appeared to see his leg tighten up late in Monday's game and Gregg Popovich said that's exactly what happened. Expect some DNP's from Manu going forward, as the Spurs have a whopping 20 back-to-back games on the schedule between now and the end of the season, when they play a total of 26 games. And owners of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker should also be concerned about being blindsided by mystery DNP's going forward.



Corey Maggette G/F Bobcats – Maggette, who was one of the hottest scorers in the league coming into Monday, lasted just eight minutes before leaving with back spasms. Hopefully they subside on Tuesday, but consider him iffy at Houston on Wednesday. I’m going to hold him until then, and might be forced to move on if it appears he’ll miss several games.



Luol Deng SF Bulls – Deng was out again on Monday and is iffy for Wednesday with his sore wrist. Kyle Korver had nine points, seven boards, three assists and two 3-pointers last night in another start, but should become useless when Deng returns.



Hedo Turkoglu G/F Magic – Turkoglu’s one-game suspension is over and he will likely start on Tuesday against the Heat.



Michael Beasley F Timberwolves – Beasley hit 6-of-7 shots for 15 points and two 3-pointers in 16 minutes before leaving Monday’s game with a toe injury. Consider him iffy for his next game, and continue to look at Derrick Williams, who hit 7-of-10 shots and two more 3-pointers on his way to 19 points, eight boards, two steals and two blocks on Monday. While it doesn’t make sense as to why a point-guard injury would benefit a power forward, Williams looks like a must-own player over the rest of the season.



Chris Kaman C Hornets – Kaman tweaked his hip and hit just 6-of-19 shots, but still finished with 12 points, 16 boards and three blocks in a loss to the Bobcats Monday. With Emeka Okafor not seeming close to a return, and all this trade deadline talk possibly heading nowhere, Kaman remains a must-start fantasy player for now.



Ray Allen SG Celtics – Ray Allen tweaked his right ankle on Monday but appears to be fine. He finished with 15 points and two 3-pointers, and should be OK going forward.



Carl Landry PF Hornets – Landry is expected back from his knee injury sometime this week, which will hurt Gustavo Ayon. Ayon hit just 1-of-6 shots last night, but did have two points, four rebounds, four steals and a block in a loss to the Bobcats. Once Landry is back, Ayon can probably be dropped if there’s a hot free agent you have your eye on.



Emeka Okafor C Hornets – There’s still no timetable on the return of Okafor from a knee injury, so keep rolling with Kaman.



Jose Juan Barea G Timberwolves – JJB returned from an ankle injury on Monday, but had just three points in 15 minutes. He should see a boost in minutes with Ricky Rubio’s season over, but will have to prove he can stay healthy himself before it’s going to happen.



George Hill G Pacers – Hill is hoping to return from a shoulder injury on Tuesday, but it’s anyone’s guess if it will happen. You have to be in a deep league to be reliant on Hill’s availability right now.



Brendan Haywood C Mavericks – Haywood is hoping to return from his sprained ankle on Tuesday.



Anderson Varejao C Cavaliers – Varejao will be re-evaluated next week and doesn’t appear to be close to a return from his wrist injury. The Cavs play four or five games per week from here on out, but whether you can wait on him is the real question.



Eric Gordon SG Hornets – The Hornets are hoping to have Gordon back by the end of the month from his knee injury, but I’m not holding my breath. Nor am I holding Gordon.



Thabo Sefolosha SG Thunder - Sefolosha appears to be nearing a return from a foot injury, but unless you’re in a 30-team league, it doesn’t matter (thank you, James Harden).



Rashard Lewis F Wizards – Lewis was out again on Monday with a knee injury and there’s no timetable on his return. Ignore him for now.



Mike Miller G/F Heat – Miller is likely to miss at least a week with a sprained ankle, but didn’t really offer fantasy value when healthy. James Jones could see a boost in his absence, along with Shane Battier.<!--RW-->



Game News



Bucks Down Nets - Mike Dunleavy had 15 points, four boards, six dimes, two steals and a 3-pointer last night, and remains a nice add in all formats, despite coming off the bench “behind” Tobias Harris. Ersan Ilyasova finally cooled off on Monday, finishing with four points on 2-of-6 shooting in 24 foul-plagued minutes, but will bounce back. Brandon Jennings went bonkers with 34 points, six 3-pointers, seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks, as trade rumors appear to have gotten him fired up. Drew Gooden was also solid again with 23 points, eight boards, seven assists, a steal and a 3-pointer, and if you played them over a 4-gamer with just three games this week, so far, so good.



Kris Humphries went nuts with a career-high 31 points and 18 rebounds on 11-of-15 shooting, and also had two steals and three blocks in the loss. Anthony Morrow got hot for 17 points and a 3-pointer on 8-of-11 shooting, but you can’t expect him to shoot it like this on most nights. Gerald Green had 11 points and six boards in 30 minutes, and remains a player to keep a very close eye on going forward, despite being on his second 10-day contract.



Bobcats Take Hornets – Bismack Biyombo hit 6-of-7 shots for a career-high 12 points to go along with seven rebounds, a steal and four blocks, including the game-saver against Trevor Ariza. Make sure BB is not available in your league. Gerald Henderson played very well with 15 points, six boards, three assists, a steal and a block, but didn’t hit a 3-pointer, despite being a shooting guard.



The Hornets got 15 points, four boards, nine assists, a block and a 3-pointer from Jarrett Jack, while most of his teammates were solid, but not spectacular. Trevor Ariza had 12 points and a full stat line, and should be starting in most leagues.



Knicks Lose Again – J.R. Smith played just nine minutes and had five points, as his up and down season continues. Like many of his teammates, he’s simply too inconsistent to be relied upon. Carmelo Anthony hit just 8-of-21 shots for 21 points, eight rebounds and a 3-pointer, Jeremy Lin had 15 points, eight assists, three steals, three blocks and a 3-pointer, and committed just three turnovers in the loss. Amare Stoudemire added 20 points, but had just three rebounds and a block as the Knicks lost for the sixth straight time, and have only won two games since Melo returned from a groin injury. Blame Melo and his negative body language all you want, but three boards from Amare is simply unacceptable. One person we can’t blame for New York’s problems is Lin, and I doubt any of his owners are complaining about the eight dimes, three steals and three blocks.



For the Bulls, Taj Gibson quietly had 15 points and 13 boards off the bench, Derrick Rose had 32-6-7, and Joakim Noah returned from an illness with 12 points, 10 boards, five dimes, two steals and three blocks. Deng should be back soon, which will hurt Kyle Korver (nine points, two 3-pointers in the start).



Spurs Handle McGee, Wizards – The Spurs welcomed back Tony Parker from a thigh injury with 31 points, seven assists and lights-out shooting (13-of-18), but just beware that Gregg Popovich could choose to sit him at any time, as the Spurs still have nine sets of back-to-back games this season (and even more if you count back-to-back-to-backs). Tiago Splitter had 17 points, seven boards and a steal on 7-of-9 shooting in 20 minutes, while DeJuan Blair added 11 points and 12 boards in 26 minutes, making them both worth a look in fantasy leagues going forward.



JaVale McGee went off for 21 points, 15 rebounds, a steal and a block on 9-of-13 shooting, and is off to a great start in his five-game week. Trevor Booker had just 11 points and three rebounds, while Andray Blatche added nine points and four boards in 17 minutes off the bench. This looks to be heading toward a timeshare in the near future, but I’m still not feeling Blatche in fantasy. And speaking of timeshares, Jordan Crawford started and hit 7-of-18 shots and three 3-pointers for 19 points, four rebounds and five assists, while Nick Young had 18 points and four 3-pointers on 7-of-10 shooting off the bench. If you started one of these two guys, the week got off to a great start.



Utah Downs Detroit – The Jazz got a big game from Al Jefferson (see above), while Devin Harris returned from an illness for 19 points, eight assists, two steals and two 3-pointers in 30 minutes. Gordon Hayward (8 points) and Josh Howard (9 points) weren’t great, but still have four more games this week to prove their worth.



The Pistons got 29 points, four boards, seven assists and two steals on 10-of-17 shooting from Rodney Stuckey, who came in hot and should have been in all starting lineups this week. Greg Monroe had 14 points, five boards, five assists, two steals and a block, but the rest of the Pistons were fairly underwhelming. Jason Maxiell did add eight points, four boards and three blocks in another start, and still looks like a nice add in many leagues right now.



Wolves Win Over Suns – Luke Ridnour wasn’t great last night, but still had 10 points, four rebounds, nine assists and a block in the absence of Ricky Rubio, and remains a must-own player. Nikola Pekovic, who destroyed owners last week when he missed a couple games, remained hot, going for 24 points, eight boards and two steals. He’s averaging nearly 23 points, 11 boards and a steal over his last three games. Kevin Love was at it again with 30 points, seven boards and five more 3-pointers, as his dream season continues. If you’re looking for a Derrick Williams or Michael Beasley update, please see the injury report at the start of this column.



For the Suns, those of you who grabbed and started Jared Dudley for his five-game week couldn’t be happier right now. He went off for a season-high 28 points to go along with nine boards, a steal, a block and two 3-pointers on 10-of-15 shooting in the loss. I had him on my roster in League Freak, but cut him briefly a while back and allowed Rick Kamla to pick him up. Now Kamla is torturing me with him this week, which isn’t fun. Steve Nash had 25 points, 10 assists and two 3-pointers, Channing Frye went off for 18 points, five boards, four dimes, two steals, a block and four 3-pointers on 7-of-11 shooting, Grant Hill had 10 points, four assists and a steal in 32 minutes, while Shannon Brown added 11 points, five boards and three assists on 4-of-13 shooting in 28 minutes. When Grant Hill gets a random day off in the midst of this “old-man’s nightmare,” Brown could have a big game. Marcin Gortat was the lone disappointment, with just eight points, four rebounds and zero blocks, but he still has four games this week to make up for it.



Boston Clips Clippers – Rajon Rondo had 12 points, 10 assists, three steals and six turnovers in Monday’s win, Ray Allen scored 15 (and avoided a major injury – see above), Paul Pierce had 25 points, seven rebounds and three 3-pointers, and Kevin Garnett added 21 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in another start at center. If KG doesn’t qualify at center in your league yet, I’m not sure he will. Brandon Bass, who looks like a smart pickup with news that Chris Wilcox is likely done for the season with a heart problem, added 10 points and nine boards in the win.



For the Clippers and their five-game week, Randy Foye and Caron Butler laid eggs. Foye was 1-of-4 with three points in 20 minutes, while Butler was 3-of-13 for seven points, but at least had nine rebounds. I thought Foye was good to go, but Mo Williams was too hot tonight. Mo-Will had 21 points, four steals and a 3-pointer, Blake Griffin added 24 points, nine boards and a block, hitting 9-of-15 shots and 6-of-8 free throws, and DeAndre Jordan had six points, 13 rebounds, a steal and a block. If you started any of these guys not named Foye or Butler, things seem to be off to a good start. Chris Paul was shaky early in this one, but looked great in the fourth quarter, and still has four games this week to make up for last night’s 14-point effort on 3-of-12 shooting.
 

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Dunleavy Dancing

Who will get the minutes? It’s a simple question that rarely has a simple answer.

Coaches are constantly tinkering and toying with their rotations. Sometimes it has to with injuries and in other instances, it’s a result of ineffective play from a certain player. The impact this has on minutes played and thus statistical production is where we come in.

Every Tuesday for the rest of the season, I’ll explore a certain aspect of half the league’s rotations while attempting to get inside coaches’ heads. The idea isn’t to tell you what Kevin Love and LeBron James are going to do -- it’s to decipher how much burn fringe players are going to get.

Here’s last week’s Position: Shooting guard/small forward
For some unknown reason, coach Scott Skiles has undying faith in Carlos Delfino. Over the last 10 games, Delfino is shooting 28.1 percent yet playing 32.4 minutes. Yes, you read that right: 28.1 percent. Delfino has also started 38 of the 39 games he’s appeared in this year. We know he’ll have his chance to shoot his way out of this slump.

Meanwhile, Delfino's consistent minutes haven't affected Mike Dunleavy, who has quietly turned into one of the more valuable bench options in the league. With Tobias Harris filling the ceremonial “starter” role and Stephen Jackson banished to the trading block, Dunleavy is averaging 34.6 minutes over his last six games. Skiles said he isn’t planning on promoting Dunleavy to the starting five because he likes the fit off the bench, but that shouldn’t stop us.

“I have a nice comfort level with Mike, to know you can go down there and he can come in, he's so versatile. He can get hot and make 3s and make shots. Even if he's not, he's handling the ball and passing the ball. He's running the wing. He's doing a lot of things that help us."

Dunleavy is averaging 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 3-pointers and 1.3 steals over his last eight games. Yes he’s an injury risk and yes, Shaun Livingston (ankle) and Position: Small forward
We talked two weeks ago in this space about how the Bobcats’ talent level really isn’t that bad and how their rotation is actually deep everywhere but center. That’s killed Kemba Walker and Reggie Williams, but there is plenty of light at the end of the tunnel here.

Boris Diaw has been banished to the trade/buyout block, Corey Maggette (back) is hurt again and D.J. Augustin’s name is popping up in realistic trade rumors. Although Walker is getting just 23.7 minutes over his last 10 games, he’s a strong hold through Thursday. Williams started the second half in place of Maggette on Monday night and is also worth holding. Remember that in nine starts earlier this year, Williams averaged 12.0 points and 1.6 3-pointers while playing 31.0 minutes per night.

Bonus thought on Tyrus Thomas: This guy really needs a change of scenery. He’s started three straight games thanks to Boris Diaw’s situation, but is averaging 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while playing just 19.1 minutes. In 21 starts this year, the 6’10/225 Thomas is somehow shooting 34.2 percent. The light isn’t going to go on for him while playing for Paul Silas in Charlotte.

BULLS
Position: Shooting guard/small forward
The rotation here is so clean that we even know exactly what the backups are going to do. When Richard Hamilton (shoulder, week-to-week) is out, Ronnie Brewer will start. Brewer will play 27-33 minutes, but isn’t much more than a steals specialist.

When Luol Deng (day-to-day, wrist) is out, Kyle Korver will start. In six starts this year, Korver has averaged 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 3-pointers while playing 38.0 minutes per night. Much like teammate Position: Small forward
If the Cavs are going to trade Ramon Sessions and/or Antawn Jamison, they’ll primarily be looking for draft picks and cap space. Therefore, the status of Alonzo Gee should not be affected.

Gee has quietly settled in nicely over the last few weeks and has now started five straight games ahead of Omri Casspi. In eight starts this year, Gee is averaging 12.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.1 3-pointers while playing a hefty 34.5 minutes per night. Deep-leaguers shouldn’t be asleep at the wheel.

CELTICS
Position: Power forward
Over his last 10 games, Brandon Bass is averaging 11.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while playing 31.8 minutes. That’s the bottom of his range going forward.

With Chris Wilcox (heart) and Jermaine O’Neal (wrist) both in serious doubt, Bass is going to continue to gobble up plenty of burn. 35-year-old center Kevin Garnett is going to need to back off his current usage rate to sustain health and the 26-year-old Bass actually gives the Celtics some much-needed bounce, leaving him plenty of upside.

HAWKS
Position: Shooting guard
No, Kirk Hinrich has not taken over for Marvin Williams as the starter. Coach Larry Drew went with the three-guard lineup on Sunday to counter the Kings’ Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans starting unit. And yes, Hinrich remains one of the prime candidates to be traded.

Two points here. First, Hinrich’s lack of production in six starts this season (7.0 points, 2.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 27.3 minutes) is concerning. Even if he ends up with consistent big minutes somewhere, the ceiling won’t be high.

Second, we’ve talked plenty in this space about how Jeff Teague’s minutes/production have been capped by Hinrich’s presence. In the first 18 games of the year, Teague averaged 35.0 minutes per game. But in 13 February games, that number sunk to 28.7 minutes. Teague has gotten 34.2 minutes in six March games, but that’s mostly due to all the injuries at the two-guard spot in Atlanta. A Hinrich trade would be big.

KNICKS
Position: Point guard
The mess at shooting guard is pretty clear-cut. Coach Mike D’Antoni is going to roll with a “hot-hand” kind of system between Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert, Steve Novak and J.R. Smith. Despite Fields’ run of 27.9 minutes over the last five games, the smarter play is just to ignore this spot. Random blowups are going to happen.

The more interesting, situation, as usual, revolves around Jeremy Lin. Since Baron Davis returned 10 games ago, Lin is averaging 34.1 minutes per game. In Lin’s first eight games as the Knicks’ starter (without Davis active), he averaged 39.1. That decline in minutes combined with a natural regression in Lin’s shot has him slipping back toward reasonable levels.

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MAGIC
Position: Shooting guard
It’s a waste of breath to talk about Orlando’s rotation with so much up in the air ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. What we can prepare for is the possibility that the swingmen are going to get shaken up in one form or another. Either the Magic are going to deal Howard and likely send Hedo Turkoglu with him, or they’ll move assets such as Ryan Anderson and J.J. Redick to acquire another front-line player.

All we can do is stash talent and wait. In this case, Redick and Jason Richardson stand to benefit the most if Turkoglu and Howard move on. For more stash candidates, check out my Position: Shooting guard/Small forward
Brook Lopez played in five games this year. In those games, MarShon Brooks logged 33.3 minutes, but got just 8.8 shots up per night. In his 19 other starts, Brooks is averaging 13.4 field-goal attempts per game. With Lopez (ankle) week-to-week and possibly done for the year, Brooks is back as a strong hold.

Meanwhile, D-League callup Gerald Green is making some serious noise. It’s worth noting that even though Green was a first-round pick way back in 2005, he’s still only 26 years old. Over the last seven games, he’s averaging 21.2 minutes while fellow bench scorer Anthony Morrow is at 21.4.

But before we go overboard on Green’s last two games (18.5 points, 26.8 minutes), realize that Deron Williams (calf) played in neither. That made usual third guard Jordan Farmar the starting point guard, thus opening up room for Green. Barring further injuries, Green is unlikely to garner more than 18-22 minutes going forward.

PACERS
Position: Point guard
Darren Collison is a mediocre NBA point guard, so there’s always going to be chatter that his starting gig is in jeopardy. Don’t buy it.

Coach Frank Vogel is on the record saying he prefers George Hill (shoulder, day-to-day) at shooting guard anyway. The Pacers are 23-16 with Collison starting every single game and playing 33.1 minutes per night. Yes, they’ve lost four straight games -- but three of those came at Chicago, at Miami and at Orlando. The roles here are clear -- Collison is the starter and will hover around 31-34 minutes, Position: Power forward
Now that Andrea Bargnani (calf) is finally back, this rotation has settled down. Bargnani is going to ramp up to 31-34 minutes nightly, Jerryd Bayless will beast whenever Jose Calderon (ankle, day-to-day) is injured/traded and the ugly three-headed monster at center can be ignored.

James Johnson has started 27 straight games and his recent dip in production can be written off as a blip. As mentioned two weeks ago, Dwane Casey needs Johnson’s defensive-minded skills out there.

SIXERS
Position: Shooting guard
I talked about Turner in last Friday’s Dose and Matt Stroup hit on him in Roundball Stew. He’s a controversial player because he does everything at a plus-level except shoot the ball. I’m not sold on his offensive abilities after three explosive games.

We won’t debate that point in this space though. We’re here to talk about minutes, and you can be sure Turner is going to get plenty of them the rest of the way.

Why did Jodie Meeks start the first 38 games of the season at shooting guard? Because the Sixers began the season 20-9 and Doug Collins wasn’t about to mess with that. He says it’s truly that simple and I believe him. Now that Collins has made the move to Turner, committed to him for the rest of the year and has seen him go off for 17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in four starts, there’s no turning back. Think 32-36 minutes the rest of the way, even after the jumper goes back in the tank.

Those deep-leaguers holding onto Jodie Meeks can probably do better. In his four games off the bench, Meeks is getting just 13.6 minutes per game. He doesn’t fit as a scorer on the second unit because that’s the role of Lou Williams and Position: Power forward
Interim coach Randy Wittman is wisely making Andray Blatche earn his minutes. So far, Blatche hasn’t been able to do that.

In five games since returning from his calf injury, Blatche has started zero times and is averaging a mere 15.2 minutes per night. He’s been booed mercilessly by his home fans and has admitted that has affected him on the court. Meanwhile, Trevor Booker has held steady at 31.7 minutes over the last five.

Perhaps Blatche is still feeling the calf, perhaps he’s not in game shape and perhaps those boos are too much to overcome. But we haven’t seen a shell of the guy that averaged 16.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals as a starter last year. Or the guy that posted 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 36 2009-10 starts. And there’s no sign that we will see that guy anytime soon, making Booker safe and Blatche waiver-wire fodder.
 

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Monta Ellis Dealt To Bucks
The first big trade of the season went down on Tuesday night, as the Warriors sent G Monta Ellis, F/C Ekpe Udoh and C Kwame Brown to the Bucks in exchange for C Andrew Bogut and G/F Stephen Jackson. Here are some potential impacts from the deal.

For the Warriors, this should clear the way for Klay Thompson to start at shooting guard, who looks like the best fantasy pickup in the trade fallout. He started on Tuesday and had 14 points, four rebounds and five assists on 6-of-19 shooting, but also played 43 minutes. Sure, Jackson could cut into his flow, as could Brandon Rush, who had 17 points and eight rebounds, but my guess is the Warriors, who will probably tank the rest of the season in order to protect their draft pick and develop their youth, will roll with Thompson the rest of the way. With five games next week, Thompson is a “run, don’t walk” add off the waiver wire right now. Rush is also a solid addition if games played matter in your league.

Stephen Curry missed yet another game with a bum ankle/foot and is now a real candidate to simply be shut down for the season. I doubt he has played his last game, but the Warriors are going to be very careful with him, and now that Ellis is gone, need him healthy going forward – especially next season. Don’t do anything crazy and drop him, but owners should prepare themselves for a possible nightmare with Curry the rest of the way – which is just more of the same, I guess.

With Curry’s Doritos ankles, it’s possible that Nate Robinson and Charles Jenkins could be in for some big minutes going forward. Robinson had 17 points in a start for Curry last night, while Jenkins hit 7-of-10 shots for 15 points off the bench. With five games next week and Curry’s status in limbo, both players at least deserve some fantasy consideration right now.

Andris Biedrins started in place of Udoh last night and had six points, three boards, three steals and two blocks. He’s worth a look, but I just don’t trust him. David Lee could find himself playing heavy minutes at center going forward, and is an auto-start next week with five games. Bogut is likely done for the season with a broken ankle, meaning Lee and Biedrins are going to have to hold it down in the middle without Udoh.

As for Jackson, he’s still dealing with a hamstring injury and has to learn Mark Jackson’s system. Dorell Wright had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four 3-pointers last night, and had 20 points, five boards and four 3-pointers on Sunday. Maybe the loss of Monta will get Wright going, and he is an automatic pickup with five games in the coming week. Jackson could eventually steal his job at some point, but I’d rather own a healthy and hot Wright for now. Just keep in mind that Wright isn't happy he wasn't dealt by the Warriors, but at least he is playing better.

For the Bucks, my guess is Drew Gooden and Ersan Ilyasova will keep their starting gigs, meaning Udoh will come off the bench in Milwaukee. Udoh is also iffy for Wednesday, as he still needs to get to Milwaukee and pass a physical. I dropped him for Klay Thompson in a league where I was deep at center, and I suspect his fantasy value is going to take a real hit under Scott Skiles – especially with Gooden and Ersanity running wild for the Bucks.

Ellis will immediately start at shooting guard, which should push Carlos Delfino back to small forward, and Tobias Harris to the bench, with Mike Dunleavy as the sixth man. Ellis, like Udoh, is very iffy for Wednesday night, so watch for more news on their status in the news blurbs.

A backcourt of Other Trade Winds


Dwight Howard seems very likely to be moved to the Nets, although he’s also asked the Magic to roll the dice on him and keep him, taking a chance that they can re-sign him over the summer. They’d likely have to make some big deals to make it happen, but Jason Richardson’s name is the only one really popping up in rumors. If J-Rich goes, J.J. Redick will likely become a must-own player, if he’s not already. He had 17 points and three 3-pointers on Tuesday in another start for J-Rich, who is out with a sprained ankle. If Howard’s last game in Orlando was last night, he went out with a bang, hitting the Heat with 24 points, 25 boards, three steals and two blocks.

Injury Report


Derrick Rose PG Bulls – Rose was rear-ended in a car accident on Tuesday but it didn’t sound too bad. However, he’s dealing with a sore groin and is iffy for Wednesday’s game. The Bulls also re-signed Mike James, adding fuel to the fire that Rose might have to miss a game or two. Watch for updates on Wednesday.

Andrew Bynum C Lakers – Bynum powered through a bruised right knee for a season-high 37 points on 15-of-18 shooting, and kicked in 16 rebounds and a block for good measure. It looks like he managed to avoid disaster yet again.

Rudy Gay SF Grizzlies – Gay didn’t pass his concussion tests and missed Tuesday’s game, leaving him iffy for his final two games this week. Hopefully you listened to us and benched him this week.

Al Jefferson C Jazz – Jefferson is expected to miss Saturday and Sunday’s games due to the death of his grandmother, as our worst fears came true. His five-game week is now a three-game week, but that’s better than a three-game week turning into a one-gamer, right?

Marcus Camby C Blazers – Camby left Tuesday’s game with a bruised right shoulder and didn’t return. It’s anyone’s guess how much time he’ll miss, and Kurt Thomas doesn’t exactly require a trip to the waiver wire. Consider Camby day-to-day for now.

Jose Calderon PG Raptors – Calderon was out again with a sprained ankle and Jerryd Bayless had 20 points and seven assists. Until you get a report that Calderon will play, Bayless is basically a must-start player. Leandro Barbosa added 17 points for the Raptors, and is also a sneaky play with Calderon out, and there’s not a specific timetable on a possible return date for JC.

Kevin Martin SG Rockets – Martin was out again with a strained right shoulder, while Courtney Lee (21 points, three steals, four 3-pointers) started in his place. Chandler Parsons also went off for a career-high 21 points, seven boards, six assists, a steal and three 3-pointers on 9-of-16 shooting. Martin’s injury could keep him out a few more, while he’s also a serious trade candidate, meaning both Lee and Parsons are worth grabbing in many leagues right now.

Ty Lawson PG Nuggets – Lawson played through a foot injury last night and had 21 points, six boards and seven assists, so keep him in your lineup going forward.
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Injury News Continued

Goran Dragic PG Rockets – Dragic rolled his right ankle last night, but played through it, finishing with 12 points, six boards, seven assists, two steals and a 3-pointer. He’s a must-start player for the next several weeks with Kyle Lowry out with a groin/infection injury.

Luol Deng SF Bulls – Deng practiced on Tuesday and is hoping to return from his sore wrist on Wednesday, likely replacing Kyle Korver in the starting lineup.

Corey Maggette SF Bobcats – Maggette says his tweaked back isn’t a big deal and he’ll likely be a game-time decision for Wednesday. I cut Maggette for Klay Thompson in one league, and am holding him another (because I’m out of moves for the week). Here’s hoping he plays tonight against the Rockets.

Manu Ginobili SG Spurs – Ginobili is dealing with a hip flexor injury and you know Gregg Popovich is going to play it cool with Manu. As I wrote in Tuesday’s Dose, the Spurs have an incredibly high number of back-to-back situations coming up, so Manu’s going to be a roller coaster ride going forward. Consider him iffy for Wednesday against the Magic.

Michael Beasley F Timberwolves – Beasley’s toe injury sounds very painful and he could miss several games. With Ricky Rubio also out, Derrick Williams is now a must-own player.

Ray Allen SG Celtics – Ray Allen’s sprained ankle doesn’t appear to be a big deal and he should play tonight against the Warriors.

Emeka Okafor C Hornets – Emeka Okafor’s knee injury could keep him out for the foreseeable future and he said recently that he’d “rather not get into the specifics of what happened” regarding his knee. Chris Kaman (if not traded) and Gustavo Ayon should continue to see heavy minutes for the Hornets.

Josh Howard G/F Jazz – Howard is dealing with an Achilles injury, but it sounds like he should play on Wednesday. He’s another guy I dropped in a few leagues to pick up Klay Thompson, and I think you should do the same.

Marvin Williams SF Hawks – Marvin left Tuesday’s game with a hip injury and Kirk Hinrich started again, with Joe Johnson going at small forward. Hinrich could stick as the starting SG the rest of the way and had 22 points, four assists and three 3-pointers on 7-of-8 shooting, and is worth a look in many leagues if you have someone to cut.

Spencer Hawes C Sixers – Hawes is targeting a return on Wednesday from an Achilles injury, but will be on a strict minute-count initially. I’m not racing to pick him up.

Timofey Mozgov C Nuggets – Mozgov returned on Tuesday but had zero points and one board off the bench. Kenneth Faried might just stick in the starting unit the rest of the way and had eight points, nine boards and a block in 25 minutes.

Rudy Fernandez G/F Nuggets – Rudy returned to action from a back injury and had five points in 16 minutes. He has no fantasy value as long as Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari are healthy. Afflalo cooled off last night, but Gallinari went for 19 points and a 3-pointer in 37 minutes, and is very close to returning to form.

Hedo Turkoglu F Magic – Turkoglu returned from a one-game suspension and had seven points, six boards, five dimes and two steals, and is a guy worth hanging onto until we see what trades the Magic make. If Ryan Anderson happens to be dealt, Turk could become a force.

George Hill G Pacers – Hill returned from a shoulder injury and had 11 points and three assists, while Game News and Notes


Joe Johnson and Josh Smith went nuts for the Hawks last night, but Zaza Pachulia badly missed a layup in overtime to cost the Hawks a win. J.J. went off for a season-high 34 points and six 3-pointers, while Smoove dropped a season-high 33 points to go along with 13 rebounds, seven assists, a steal, two blocks and another 3-pointer. Smith is playing at a first-round pick value and is still ticked off at not making the All-Star team. He's also a guy who could be dealt by Thursday, although I'm not sure the Hawks want to go there.

Trevor Booker had 20 points and 12 rebounds on 8-of-13 shooting for the Wizards and could be in line for a big five-game week. Andray Blatche had 11 points, but played just 18 minutes, and remains a serious trade candidate between now and Thursday night. Booker looks like a good bet to hold value the rest of the way, unless they trade Blatche for a stud PF (not likely).

Marreese Speights scored a season-high 25 points to go along with seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block, while Tony Allen caught fire for 18 points in a double-OT loss to the Lakers. Speights is about to take a real hit once Zach Randolph is back from his knee injury, although we don’t know when that will be. Allen and O.J. Mayo are going to be hot pickups near the end of the season when the Grizzlies play back-to-back five-game weeks, but aren’t worth using before then in most instances.

Alonzo Gee had 16 points, six rebounds and four steals, and continues to be a popular pickup off waiver wires. Ramon Sessions had 16 points, four rebounds, six assists and a steal, and is another serious trade candidate. It all depends on where he lands, but he could be a nice player to own if he ends up as Kobe Bryant’s point guard.

Andrea Bargnani had 19 points, eight rebounds, zero 3-pointers and a block for the Raps last night, and it’s time to get him back in all lineups.

Jameer Nelson exploded for 25 points, four assists and two steals on 10-of-16 shooting for the Magic, and is finally playing better. Make sure he’s not available in your league.

Isaiah Thomas hit 4-of-5 shots and 3-of-3 3-pointers for 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal, but still played just 29 minutes for Kings coach Mark Jackson. He’s still playing well enough to be owned in most leagues, but is not an automatic starter right now. But for the 60<sup>th</sup> pick in last year’s draft, he’s making a name for himself.

Nicolas Batum had just nine points, a steal and 3-pointer on 3-of-11 shooting in 30 minutes for the Blazers on Tuesday, and has scored between nine and 11 points in each of his last four games, collecting only one steal over that stretch. I have no idea what happened, but if he doesn’t bounce back soon, he’s no longer must-start quality.

Brendan Haywood returned from a sprained ankle and had six points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes. He doesn’t have much fantasy value, but is always worth keeping an eye on in two-center leagues. Roddy Beaubois got hot in a romp over the Wizards and had 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block on 8-of-14 shooting. Jason Kidd didn’t do or play much tonight, so Roddy Buckets got some nice run. It’s just too bad he didn’t have a game like this last week when he had five games.

Lou Amundson had a career-high 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting for the Pacers, and also added eight rebounds in an easy win over the Blazers. Consider this a fluke, and ignore him for now.
 

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Trade Deadline Madness: Part I
So we’re sitting just a day away from the trade deadline and the first domino already fell with the Monta Ellis/Andrew Bogut trade, which Doc cleared up in today’s Dose.

As we kick off our coverage this season, I can’t help but recall last year’s madness that became my pet project for at least a month. Fueled by the pun that I cannot even bring myself to say, Carmelo Anthony’s eventual trade to the Knicks caused the deadline to explode once that first domino fell. What we saw was nothing short of amazing, and I forget the final count, but it felt like half the league was traded.

And wouldn’t it be fitting that we woke up this morning to the first Melo trade rumor, no doubt fed to the NY Post by his agents as a way to test the waters (shockingly they called it ‘laughable’). There was also a report by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that one of owner James Dolan’s inner circle was cool with trading Melo for financial purposes, and it could be that both sides are tap-dancing around the fact that Melo doesn’t like Mike D’Antoni and vice-versa, Amare doesn’t like Melo and vice-versa, and the whole team would just like to go back to the days when Jeremy Lin operated in space and the team won games.

Or, more likely, less extreme positions on all of those points are true and everybody is covering their ass, which is often the case when disasters like the Knickerbockers run up against the trade deadline.

So here we go. Today I’ll be covering some of the overarching threads of Trade Deadline 2012 and you’ll want to keep an eye on the player news blurbs for the most up-to-date information.

You’ll also want to follow me on Twitter, as last year the feedback was tremendous. With so much going down, owners probably walked away from more pickups than they ever had in their life, as Twitter + Deadline = fishing with dynamite.

I’ll be back tomorrow with the morning preview and we’ll have full coverage on Thursday.

THE FINAL WORD ON MELO THIS MORNING

There are way too many obstacles for anybody to take the NY Post report and scream from the mountaintops that Melo is going to be traded. Aside from the enormous salary considerations, a team out there would need to be willing to organizationally absorb the circus a trade would be. Trying to keep up with all the rumors I’m not going to break down theoretic trades that would work, but the only team I could envision doing something would be the Lakers in a mega deal – and I only say that because Kobe speaks highly of Melo all the time. They also could use an upgrade at small forward, but again, bring on the salt and the Tylenol.

ROLL THE DICE

When the Warriors and Bucks made their trade last night, it signaled to the rest of the league that they believed they were out of the Dwight Howard running. And it wasn’t for a lack of trying, as they were willing to mortgage the future for a chance to play with the big boys. Quickly, the reports regarding Howard turned into epitaphs for his future in Orlando, and wouldn’t you know it immediately Howard said he’d like to stay and win a title. What I actually can respect here is that unless a mystery situation arises, all signs point to him playing for the Nets next year. By refusing to coordinate with Magic brass, Howard keeps his future team from trading all of its assets to get him, unlike what Anthony did last year.

For fantasy purposes, this has a few key implications. The first is that Howard becomes a rental candidate immediately. The Magic may deeply want to keep him and, who knows, maybe they keep him and try to go for one more playoff run – but the smart move is to get something in return and punish Howard with one less year on his future deal (due to CBA restrictions).

The second implication that may be the best news for fantasy owners is that Deron Williams (calf) is less likely to be shutdown if Howard is indeed coming to the Nets.

The third implication is that the Magic immediately go into selling and saving mode, and Jason Richardson, Ryan Anderson, and maybe even J.J. Redick become trade pieces. We know the Magic desperately want to get rid of Hedo Turkoglu’s awful contract, which goes without saying. My take, which could change with the news, is that each of these guys other than Redick is at a high point in value. Redick is the guy that could see a bump in value if Howard and some of his teammates go, but all of them are built to play around the big man. It will be interesting to see what a post-Howard Magic offense looks like.

As for where Howard could go, it’s an interesting question because any team that grabs him for the playoffs gets an immense boost. The Rockets have had the hots for Howard and reportedly don’t care about renting him, and have also been among the more active teams in the rumor mill. Beyond them the Lakers might want to make a move, but doing so would necessarily mean trading Andrew Bynum, whom the younger Buss loves more than jean shorts.

WHERE THERE IS SMOKE THERE IS FIRE

Howard is the next domino for sure, and when that domino falls we’ll learn quickly about how the rest of the league is going to handle this year’s deadline. We’re not going to see the volume we saw last year, as teams don’t have the time to integrate new players and the lockout scrambled plans to the point that executives are timid. Until a few more pieces of the jigsaw puzzle hit the board, it’s going to be difficult to project what the fantasy impacts are. For now, have a look at the trade deadline characters that are generating the most buzz.

Chris Kaman: The Hornets are reluctant to take on payroll and are asking for too much by most reports. Shocking, I know. There has also been chatter about Kaman and Eric Gordon being extended, but owners still need to consider Kaman a sell-high guy, even if the trade fever has dropped slightly over the last week. Wherever he lands and perhaps even if he stays in New Orleans, he won’t be 'auditioning' for long. We’ve been a bit tepid on Gustavo Ayon in the blurbs, but with Kaman possibly leaving and the Hornets so banged up he is a better than average hold after a slow week. The Hornets are also likely interested in trading Carl Landry for anything they can get their hands on, and there might actually be a market for his services after teams jockeyed for him over the summer. His $9 million, one-year deal will be pro-rated, too.

<!--RW-->The Rockets: Kevin Martin has one foot out the door and half of their team is on the block. Even Goran Dragic could reportedly be traded if the deal was right, which of course is interesting because Kyle Lowry is out for a while with a bacterial infection. The Lakers want Lowry and the Rockets want Pau Gasol, so there’s a good amount of smoke there. Luis Scola’s deal is looking to be shed and the rest of the lot that is on the block are spare parts, including Chase Budinger, Jonny Flynn, Terrence Williams, and most recently the Rockets offered Samuel Dalembert and Scola with a No. 1 pick to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. If there was one team other than the Magic that I would bet on a huge overhaul, it would be the Rockets.

Pau Gasol: I don’t want to overplay the possibility that he gets traded, but at least there are teams actively interested in acquiring the Spaniard. The aforementioned Rockets interest will compete with the Bulls’ interest, which is unknown at this point. If I had to think of a big-ticket deal that sounds crazy now but might shock everybody later, it would be a 3-teamer with the Bulls and Lakers trying to find a team with a power forward to follow in Gasol’s footsteps or a point guard to make it all work. Word is that Gasol and Derrick Rose’s shared agent, Arn Tellem, is using his great relationship with Jerry Reinsdorf to try to make it happen. The Wolves have also been linked to Gasol, which would have been sweet given the Ricky Rubio connection (before he got hurt), but one gets the sense that Minny isn't ready to make a splash. It doesn't hurt, though, that the organizations share a lot of executive contacts. Regardless, owners should be more concerned about the pieces that Pau would impact in a trade rather than his own value, which will hold relatively steady wherever he plays.

The Nets: They’re not going to trade much, if anything, for the right to get Howard this season. They know they’ll have his services next year, and for that reason they’re looking to shed cap right now. They’re big into trading for Boris Diaw’s expiring deal, which has seen either Jordan Farmar or Anthony Morrow paired with Johan Petro and a future first rounder in some reports. They'll take the cap flexibility and build on a core of Howard, Williams, MarShon Brooks, and Brook Lopez to go with a side of Beyonce.

TRADE ME SEYMOUR

Here are the guys that teams desperately want to trade, which of course means that they’ll be rammed down potential buyers’ throats as throw-ins.

Hedo Turkoglu: He has $24 million to go over the next two years and while he has played better than most could have hoped this year, the Magic are hell bent on moving him. It’s hard to imagine him holding his value outside of the friendly confines of his current system.

Emeka Okafor: Owed $28 million over the next two years, the Hornets would desperately like to get out from under his deal. The million dollar question is about his knee, as the only way the team could get rid of that deal is if a contender believes he can help them out this year. Teams will treat Okafor as a minus in any deal because of that contract.

Kevin Martin: He reportedly is at odds with Kevin McHale ‘and’ Daryl Morey, and with just one year at 12 million to go he has a solid mix of talent, flexibility, and utility for the team that would acquire him. He will be the carrot in many offers that the Rockets put out there, and owners really ought to do everything they can to hold him through the deadline. Courtney Lee has also been dangled, and owners need to be ready to pounce if Martin gets traded (or before, depending).

Luis Scola: Due $32 million over three years and having seemingly lost a step, the Rockets will do just about anything to get out from under his deal. I’m having a hard time believing that Scola’s drop-off isn’t linked to Kevin McHale’s system to at least some degree, so there is some hope that in the right situation that he could see a bump in value. Of course, he also has things pretty good in Houston from a minutes standpoint, so the situation is wishy washy from a fantasy perspective.

Michael Beasley: He’s set to make $8 million on a player option, which is interesting because a strong showing this season could have set him up for a pretty good payday and at a minimum some extra years. If he opts for that year, he faces the possibility of a face-plant if injuries or attitude woes kill his value in the middle of next year. Beasley is still a heckuva talent, though, and he has been among the more rumored trade candidates this year. Derrick Williams is likely already owned in your league, but keep an eye on Beasley if he lands somewhere that he can chuck it up.

Raja Bell: The Jazz sound like they want to move the disgruntled former Kobe slower-downer, but his $3.2 million deal isn’t all that enticing according to most reports. I’m a bit surprised by that, and the Clippers have been the most recent team ‘interested’ in his services. The guy teams want is Josh Howard, who would be a nice piece for a contending team, and the usual suspects of the Lakers, Spurs, Knicks, and Celtics are most interested. C.J. Miles is also generating rumors, as the Nets are interested, with Anthony Morrow and Johan Petro associated with a potential deal. There is also a three-team deal being discussed that would send Howard to the Spurs, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington to the Jazz, and Miles and Jamaal Tinsley to the Wolves. Whatever the case may be, the Jazz have a $10 million trade exception from the Mehmet Okur deal and have tons of flexibility. The takeaway? Gordon Hayward should be owned in all 12-team formats.

Boris Diaw: Big Mac is actually drawing interest from the Spurs and Knicks if you’re listening to Tony Parker, and it’s not all that farfetched because Diaw can provide some value off the bench while his $9 million expiring (pro-rated) contract will help clear cap space. The Nets have expressed the aforementioned interest and Diaw has been held off the court for the past few weeks. A reunion in New York with Mike D’Antoni would be interesting, though I’d personally like to see the log-jam eased there somehow before getting too excited. As for the Bobcats, I’m not jumping on any of the group of Tyrus Thomas, D.J. White, Derrick Brown, or Byron Mullens, though I believe Mullens’ game is the best complement to Bismack Biyombo.

Andray Blatche: He has just under $24 million and three years to go, and while JaVale McGee has become the poster boy for unintentionally funny behavior, Blatche has become the target for fans’ ire. The Wizards are desperate to move him and at this point it might actually help his value, as Trevor Booker continues to post big lines with 20 and 12 last night. Booker is clearly a hold, and the Wizards are a dark horse team to make some moves before the deadline. Nick Young has reportedly generated some interest from the Clippers, but as an unrestricted free agent next season teams will most certainly be looking at him as a high-maintenance rental. McGee is no longer untradeable, but he’s sure to generate some interest after the Wizards sent a promotional package out to teams yesterday.

Anthony Randolph: We’re not hearing a lot about him, but surely the Wolves wouldn’t mind selling some of the proverbial upside for some cash considerations or a second round draft pick. And once again, fantasy nation will ponder what could have been.

<!--RW-->Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford: The Blazers aren’t getting much interest, and that’s likely because teams know they’re desperate to find a solution that doesn’t include firing Nate McMillan and/or blowing the team up. Maybe that’s what will happen, but that doesn’t make it easy to come to grips with. The whole lot of Blazers are slumping right now, and once the next shoe falls whoever is left WILL break out of it. Crawford has been linked to a deal reuniting D.J. Augustin with Felton, which is just funny, but Crawford has received more intense interest from the Wolves and Clippers. All of these guys are ‘holds’ right now, and so are teammates Wes Matthews and Nicolas Batum. Gerald Wallace could also be listed under this heading, as the Blazers are searching and he’s the oldest and very expensive. He’s also a hold, as you’re not selling him low and he’s too good to play this bad. The deal for Felton and Steve Blake has quieted down, as both sides are probably looking at the other like sixth grade boys and girls at their first dance.

Dorell Wright, Stephen Jackson, and Andris Biedrins: Good luck trading Biedrins, Mr. Lacob, but the possibility of Wright getting traded is definitely there. He said he wanted to be traded in the Monta Ellis deal (Biedrins said he wouldn’t mind), and he has felt slighted in the organization ever since the Warriors started gushing about Klay Thompson. As we’ve said in numerous spaces, Thompson is a ‘run, don’t walk’ pickup and my personal take is that he has proven that he can shoot. The rest is entirely up for grabs. I’m holding Wright for a number of reasons, including his recent hot streak, the chance that Stephen Jackson gets flipped before Thursday, and because Stephen Curry (ankle) could be limited or shut down. And if Wright gets traded somewhere bad or Jackson soaks up all his minutes, I’ll simply drop him. Not a lot of risk there. As for Jackson, he’s worth a stash, but I’m not breaking my neck to stash him. He needs a trade to a place like Charlotte that needs scoring and isn't that ironic, don’t you think?

Kirk Hinrich and Ramon Sessions: Hinrich has an $8 million expiring deal and comes with equal parts injury concerns and veteran savvy. Sessions comes at about half the price and an extra year but has the youth and upside that teams want. With Kyrie Irving in town, the Cavs know they have a favorable situation and could also decide to try to make the playoffs if they don’t like what they see. Both guys are worth a look as stashes and also might provide some low-end results if they don’t get moved. Owners should keep in mind, though, that the landing pads for PGs right now consist of the Lakers and Heat, where values would be capped. The money spot would be Portland, but that assumes that Raymond Felton can be included in a deal.

PEEK-A-BOO, I SEE YOU

These guys have cooled off in the rumor mill, but they won’t leave the mill until all of the booze has been guzzled and one of your friends is talking up a transvestite.

Jose Calderon: A piece came out from the Toronto Sun quoting Dwane Casey as saying the Raptors weren’t looking to make any moves, and while that very well may be the case, forgive me if I don’t listen to a head coach at this time of the year. Calderon’s $10.5 million salary next season is prohibitive, but contending teams with a need at point guard will want to give that a look. That leaves the Lakers, Heat, and the Spurs have talked about bringing on a backup, so the list is admittedly thin there. My sense is that once Ramon Sessions is off the board we’ll know how this is going to play out.

Antawn Jamison: This is a classic situation of a piece waiting for the first dominoes to fall. Of course nobody is linked to Jamison and his pro-rated, expiring $15 million deal because the contenders don’t know if they’ll need a stretch four yet. If they do, you can bet the Cavs’ phone will be ringing.

D.J. Augustin: The deal exchanging DJA for Jamal Crawford quieted down, perhaps because the Blazers don’t want to destroy Raymond Felton’s confidence by having Augustin show up on his doorstep, again. That’s just a random guess knowing a cheap spark like Augustin could at least build depth. The reality, though, is that Augustin’s health is a tiny question mark, and as a restricted free agent teams just don’t know what his market will look like next season and that makes him a squirrely trade target. With Kemba Walker around, who should be owned in most (if not all) formats, the Bobcats will probably entertain any fair offers.

Drew Gooden: Before yesterday’s big deal there were rumblings that the Bucks wanted out from under Gooden’s $20 million and three extra years, which incidentally looks much better than it did last season. What they know, however, is that Gooden is mopping up stats on a bad team, is getting older, and is breaking down. Ekpe Udoh’s owners were bummed him being sent to play behind Gooden and Ersan Ilyasova, but it might be worth waiting to see if Gooden gets dangled. That said, I’m not passing on a hot free agent to find out about a Scott Skiles PF, no matter how much promise he has. Gery Woelful just reported that the Bucks aren't done dealing, too, but points out that Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Shaun Livingston are the guys on the block. Interestingly, those are Scott Skiles type guys, and change is in the air in Milwaukee.

Tyreke Evans: I just don’t see this happening, but there has been a decent amount of local chatter that he’s not ‘untradeable.’ With the upheaval in the front office and everything going on with the arena, etc., I think the Kings would need a sweetheart deal to let their former centerpiece (hello DeMarcus) get all bummed out.

COOLING OFF

Brandon Jennings: Reports emerged that he would not be traded, and I’m pretty much on board with that, but it bears mentioning that the Bucks now have the same problem that the Warriors did with two small guards. For fantasy purposes, I don’t think a team would take on Jennings without wanting to make him a starter so there’s not a bunch to worry about. If the Lakers want to get splashy, a return to his homeland would be fun. Jennings has one more $3 million year to go, so needless to say he’d come at a price.

Devin Harris: He was told by management that he would be staying on, which isn’t in concrete, but it’s generally a good sign that he will stay. Maybe the Jazz figured they couldn’t get a point guard for next season, and at $8.5 million and one year to go they’re crying uncle. Harris’ improved play lately probably helped. With the Jazz positioning themselves as an active team, my sense is that if Harris goes it’s as an ancillary piece to a separate big deal.

Josh Smith: GM Rick Sund there was as “close to zero percent” chance that Smith would be dealt as there could be, and Smith himself has backed off some of the trade talk. I don’t know how much I buy all that, but that’s some pretty strong talk and after Smith’s recent play the price is likely too high for the buyers, here. Now if only they could sell Joe Johnson’s contract….

Rajon Rondo: None of the Celtics are totally safe knowing Danny Ainge, but we’re guessing that as the chess board is setup right now that Rondo and his aging teammates aren’t going anywhere. The constant talk has been that Ray Allen is generating interest, but there has been no talk about the Celtics lately other than Ainge and Doc Rivers shouting from the mountaintops that Rondo isn’t going. The Celtics need a big man really badly, though, and that might be the thread that gets things unraveling.
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Daily Dose: Inmate Asylum

Somewhere, in the not so distant future, George Karl and Mike D’Antoni are going to share a schmoke and a pancake, and while drinking the night away, they're going to let it all out. Comparing notes like college girls, they'll come to the conclusion like men that it was all a part of the journey, and most importantly, the job description. But what they won't do is make excuses, because most of the time coaches aren't built that way.



D’Antoni quit after asking management if they would entertain a trade of Anthony before the deadline, after Melo’s team leaked anti-D’Antoni reports through CAA mouthpiece Chris Broussard, while also leaking to the New York Post that he wanted a trade.



I’m going to sum up the Melo situation as quickly as I can. He’s a cancer. He corroborated with the Nuggets to get his extension while stripping the Knicks of their key players – and even had his powerful agent/shoe company people installed at Madison Square Garden to eventually run out D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh. They, like most of us, thought it was dumb as hell to sell the farm for a career-loser and I-guy.



Melo showed up in New York and acted like the messiah and team leader, having the audacity to tell the cameras that his teammates needed to play defense. Instead of trying to expand his game to learn a new skill set under D’Antoni’s known quantity of a system, he refused to make his teammates better. Once the going got bad, he tried to pass the ball. I chronicled it then, and it really happened. But watching CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.



EDITORS NOTE: Be on the lookout for Trade Deadline Madness 2, posting shortly.



In the interest of accuracy I was wrong about Melo integrating into the offense, though the issue was more pronounced defensively and in the locker room. One of the criticisms being heaped on MDA was his inability to take the momentum created by Lin’s emergence and hold Melo’s feet to the fire with it, but that’s a little bit like blaming the dog for biting you after you yank its tail.



Now Mike Woodson, the mastermind behind Iso-Joe and resident pushover, steps in to let the inmates run the asylum. This has potentially huge fantasy impacts, though how much he can shape the team with seven weeks to go is a question mark. Anthony might see an uptick in his numbers, but again, he was already breaking plays and doing his own thing. Likewise, Jeremy Lin’s numbers could also take a little bit of a dive. Last night’s first outing, unfortunately, shed little light because the only team in the NBA more jacked up than the Knicks right now, the Blazers, got beat up, laughed at, and embarrassed by 42 points.



Melo’s buddy, J.R. Smith, was let loose and scored 23 points with seven triples, Steve Novak hit six threes for 20 points, and Iman Shumpert scored 16 points off the bench. Lin’s 6-6-6 line was impacted by the blowout, as were all of these lines, and surely the devilish numbers don’t sit well with the superstitious. Baron Davis had 10 assists in 18 minutes, and Landry Fields had one point. Melo scored 16 points with seven assists and two threes, and none of the starters played more than 26 minutes.



What does it mean? Nothing. If you’re holding a borderline asset here, you have to wait it out to figure it out. The Knicks will likely have fewer possessions per game and are surely heading for a team-wide locker room implosion. Melo’s guys, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, are decent bets to emerge from the wreckage. Lin’s guys, Landry Fields and Steve Novak, they’re looking at rough times. Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire are probably wondering what they signed up for. On the wings there is a log-jam. Somewhere Spike Lee shed a tear.



THE WORLD SERIES OF ROLLING THE DICE



Easily the biggest news of last night came around midnight out West, when RealGM broke the story that Dwight Howard was going to sign his waiver and stay in Orlando. We’ll learn more about the story behind the story, but Howard is throwing his new agent (Dan Fegan) under the bus and it makes me wonder if Fegan couldn’t deliver on something (i.e. Deron Williams, with a separate agent, wants to play in Dallas). Howard said that he got bad representation and then Quentin Richardson tweeted a picture of the Magic on the plane having a good time, and you know it’s real when Von Wafer is throwing gang signs.



The bottom line is that multiple sources are confirming Howard’s position, and it would take a PR disaster of amazing proportions for Howard to change his mind once again. I’m not going to bother laying out the various scenarios in which Howard could be fibbing, double-crossing, etc. My gut tells me this is done, and if it’s not then we’ll do it all again tomorrow. At a minimum, we’ll get to hear Fegan tell his side of the story through some sort of leak.



All in all this is great news for owners of Magic players, as the cloud of Howard will now be gone, and most importantly their cushy fantasy arrangements won’t be compromised. Jameer Nelson is revitalized and had 25 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a block, and five 3-pointers, begging the question of whether or not he’s allowed into Dwight’s parties again. Hedo Turkoglu (17-4-4) and Ryan Anderson (19 & 8, two threes) are both helped greatly by news that Howard is staying, as the offense is built perfectly for them. That is, of course, if the big man doesn’t change his mind. J.J. Redick scored just six points in 34 minutes and now that Jason Richardson isn’t imminently being offloaded (yet), some of the appeal is lost there.



MEANWHILE, BACK IN BROOKLYN



Deron Williams (calf) is targeting this weekend for a return, but it’s anybody’s guess how the Dwight Howard news will impact his plans for the rest of the year. If the injury is at all serious and he’s not forming a super team in Jersey, he could easily shut it down. Jordan Farmar should still be owned in all 12-team formats, despite getting handled by Jerryd Bayless to the tune of 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting with just three assists and five turnovers. Kris Humphries went off for 16 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks, and if you were like me wondering who the extremely athletic big for the Mavs was years ago it’s fun to see it all play out. He has added an offensive game to the repertoire and if he and Brook Lopez stay together, he’ll be a fantasy stud beyond this year.



The story from the Nets side though was Gerald Green, an interesting entry into the best dunker of all time discussion because he looks down at the rim. Green went off for 20 points in the second half to finish with 26 points, putting him on a three-game tear of 21 points per game with five threes and four steals total. Can he keep it up? It’s not a sure thing, but why not? He’s putting butts in the seats and the Nets are awful. I’m not dropping a consistent, low-end producer to find out, but if I have any dead weight at all, I’ll throw caution to the wind.



A WORD ON THE BLAZERS



Until Nate McMillan gets fired or the team gets shook up at the deadline, as expected, they’re all going to struggle. This means, of course, that after the shake-up that whatever is left is going to bust out of its funk to some degree. I’m holding all of the assets there, including guys like Raymond Felton and Wesley Matthews. Jamal Crawford is gone, but I’m holding him, too. It never ceases to amaze me though how media analysts can’t separate the technique of coaching, which McMillan clearly has figured out through meticulous planning, from the ‘reaching guys’ and personnel decision elements. But hey, he talked to me when he was a player, and boy is he a good guy.



TANKING IS FOR WINNERS!



Stephen Curry (ankle) is walking a fine line between his current act and being shut down, and there was a reason I put him on my 'do not draft' list this year. To be clear, I actually had to delete him from my spreadsheet and turn the photo I have of him on my desk away from me. And while the Warriors and the media have been surprisingly forthcoming with the tanking issue, it’s going to be difficult for them to fall organically into the bottom-seven (to save their lottery-protected No. 1 pick, Utah). From there it’s all about ping pong balls. Owners have to hope for the best, here, and only you know where your threshold for a drop exists.



KLAYMATION



The Warriors are still leaning toward keeping Stephen Jackson, though it might have as much to do with not having the time to clear a deal after physicals get done to finalize the Ellis/Bogut trade. And the question on everybody’s mind is whether or not Klay Thompson will hold his value, and answer from me is a fairly resounding ‘yes.’ Thompson scored a career-high 26 points with three triples and a 9-of-16 mark from the field, and owner Joe Lacob was seen blowing kisses to him during timeouts. Yes, Lacob loves the kid, and Jackson is basically going to take a backseat and, who knows, his hamstring might just act up (if you know what I mean).



Even if Thompson’s minutes shrink to 30 minutes (a worst-case scenario), he’s still going to post low-end value, so when you ask me about whether you should drop guys like Jrue Holiday, Darren Collison, Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford, Nick Young, Dorell Wright, Arron Afflalo, and the like I’m going to say do it. When you ask me about Isaiah Thomas I’m going to say no, and I’d probably say ‘yes’ to Jerryd Bayless as a point of advice, but then turn around and not pull the trigger when it comes to my own team – seeking the upside of Bayless on a gamble. And if you’re fighting for the playoffs I can reach way higher up the food chain for Thompson, too.



DRINKING WITH DAVID LEE



Though not as exciting, owners should be plenty excited about Nate Robinson (20-5-11, four steals), who could easily quarterback the Warriors down the stretch if Curry gets shut down. He’ll produce about half those numbers if Stephen Jackson plays less than 20 minutes per game and Curry returns to play a full slate, too. That’s good enough to knock off those options that are struggling in the aforementioned list.



While I said I’d toss Wright for Thompson, owners need to hold him while he’s hot as he posted 16 points, seven boards, and two threes in 33 minutes. As I alluded to in yesterday’s trade piece, we’ll soon know where he stands and owners can pitch him away if things break the wrong way. Brandon Rush (7-5-3-1-1) slowed down in 30 minutes, but with five games next week is a pretty nice pick-and-play, and has some upside of his own as one of Mark Jackson’s favorites.



Andris Biedrins went scoreless with three points and two blocks, and I’m pretty sure Lacob thought the term ‘amnesty’ meant ‘immunity’ after a drunken night of watching Survivor with David Lee.


<!--RW-->
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER



Evan Turner kept his foot on the gas with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting (including a three) with five rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks against the Pacers. Better late than never, kid. Jrue Holiday picked it up with 17 points, four boards, and four assists, and while he’s not going to go away if higher upside guys like Klay Thompson were available I would have made the switch. Spencer Hawes (Achilles) returned to 20 minutes with six points, two boards, three assists, and five fouls, which to me is actually a good sign but I’m not running to pick him up.



CHASE THAT PREDICTION



Beat writer Mike Wells predicted that George Hill would start early in the season, and he really, really, really wants you to hear about Hill’s 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three treys, and two steals. Wells, however, seems to know what most of us know, namely that a change at point guard this late would require a face-plant, and he called for Hill to stay on the bench no matter how hot he gets. I’m with him, though I take the cheerleading with a grain of salt. I said that Darren Collison (four points, two assists) would need to face-plant to lose his job, and he’s actually doing it. One more solid out of Hill will make him the player to own between the two, but neither are particularly good options in the timeshare. If you own Collison, don’t pass on a productive player let alone a hot free agent, but Indy may be shaky due to trade rumors.



ALL RIGHT MEOW



The Bobkittens were more of the same. Gerald Henderson (10-4-3) was a low-end guy, D.J. Augustin (nine points, three assists) struggled, Kemba Walker (6-4-8, 3-of-13 FGs) is waiting, Bismack Biyombo is blocking (4), Corey Maggette (10 points, two threes, 22 mins, back) is hurting, Tyrus Thomas (7-3-2-1-1, 19 mins) is sucking, and nobody else is getting enough minutes to matter. Hopefully the deadline will bring some resolution there.



I AM ALL IN



Tyreke Evans left last night’s game with an ankle injury in the last few minutes, and initially it didn’t look good, but he stayed on the bench until the very end when he went into the locker room. X-rays were negative and he is listed as day-to-day, and if you were thinking about dropping Isaiah Thomas, you were doing it at your own risk in my book, already. Evans’ potential injury and low-percentage chance of a trade are nice ways to calm that urge, as were his 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting with three rebounds, four assists, one block, and one three in 37 minutes. All I can say is that this kid is the truth. His maturity and skill levels are amazing. If you just watch him on defense he is technically sound, quick, and powerful. He’s not going to be a pushover on the block by any means, and has the leaping ability to block shots. His decision-making and shooting ability are both above-average, already. Keith Smart is going to catch hell in a bottle if he doesn’t unleash the kid fully, because everybody in Sac knows he is the future and that the team looks better. So again, if he gets toyed with, you’re dropping him at your own risk and you can send me the hate mail if he doesn’t pan out. I’m sold.



Jason Thompson also sent a message to Smart after grabbing nine minutes in about the time it takes fry an egg on Tuesday, posting 21 points and 15 boards with four assists, one steal, and one block while hitting 10-of-12 field goals. He’s not going to be this good every night but he’s back on the radar as a low-end fantasy play. Like Thomas, the Kings are better when he is starting and playing heavy minutes.



I’M SCOTT SKILES?



I’m not going to sit here and give Scott Skiles credit for making fantasy stars out of his players, but hot damn the Bucks are turning into quite the fantasy crowd. Drew Gooden went nuts with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, a steal, two blocks, and a three, and is vying for waiver wire pickup of the year with outings like this. Ersanity returned as Ersan Ilyasova scored 22 points with eight rebounds and two blocks and I hope you didn’t do anything crazy like drop him after Monday’s slow night. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (knee) played and scored 12 points with 13 rebounds and two steals, and is on the trade block along with Shaun Livingston. It’s very possible he was auditioned, and there are too many variables right now to get excited about his body of work.



Carlos Delfino turned things around with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting with seven rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a three, but he’s going to lose some touches with Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings around. The good news is that both guys will create open looks for Delfino so the net impact will be the same, and perhaps it will lead to better shooting overall. Delfino is still a guy to own in hopes the law of large numbers kicks in.



FOUR QUARTERS OF FURY



1<sup>ST</sup> QUARTER: Shawn Marion (knee) sat out practice and is questionable for tonight’s game. Lamar Odom will start if he can’t go. Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh were not active last night and, ironically, might see their first action on Friday against the Warriors. Chris Wilcox will miss the rest of the year with a heart condition, leaving KG, Brandon Bass, and Greg Stiemsma as the team’s only bigs. Stiemsma might be worth a look if you need blocks, but we’re expecting the Celtics to try to sign a big (J.J. Hickson?). Bass scored a season-high 22 points with nine rebounds, a steal, and a block and should be owned in all 12-team formats. Jose Calderon (ankle), a trade candidate, still has no timetable for a return and Jerryd Bayless (16 points, 10 assists) should be owned in all formats. Kevin Martin (shoulder), also a trade candidate, missed last night’s game and I’ve been urging owners to hang on. Only if you’re fighting for your playoff life should you make the drop. Courtney Lee dislocated a finger but it doesn’t sound like a big deal, and is somebody to watch closely today if Martin gets dealt. Marcus Camby got a flagrant-1 foul and may be suspended for a game, which he probably wouldn’t mind at this point.




2<sup>ND</sup> QUARTER: Luol Deng (wrist) returned and played 37 minutes on his way to 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, and the only takeaway is that Thibs may or may not be threatening him with a machete to get on the court. John Lucas went nuts for 24 points in 27 minutes, but you’re not grabbing him as long as C.J. Watson’s ankle tweak isn’t a big deal. Watson (11-4-4) is still the go-to guy whenever Derrick Rose (groin), currently day-to-day, is out. Rodney Stuckey looked like Michael Jordan last night on his way to 35 points, five rebounds, six assists, and four threes. The Kings wing defenders were awful, and I’m wondering if Tyreke Evans trade rumors got to him last night. Brandon Knight scored 10 points with five rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals last night, silencing some concerns about the rookie wall. Greg Monroe had his way, too, with 32 and 11, and you know the opposition is bad when Tayshaun Prince wakes up to score 28 points with a jam-packed stat line. Make him do it again. James Johnson got out of a funk with 16 points, four rebounds, two assists, and four blocks in 28 minutes, highlighting why I beg you guys to hang tight. Andrea Bargnani hit just 4-of-13 shots for 10 points, three boards, a steal, a block, and no threes in 33 minutes, but that’s normal for a guy coming off major injury.



3<sup>RD</sup> QUARTER: Devin Harris played just 17 minutes last night with seven points and two assists, and while he was in foul trouble it was just fishy. Yes, the Jazz might have been auditioning Jamaal Tinsley (11 points, eight assists) for a trade, but my gut kept asking me if he had been pulled off the court in advance of the deadline. Regardless, don’t move the needle, here, it’s just too weird. Jared Dudley is carrying some of my teams and the best part is that he was a wire pickup in deeper formats. He had 21 points, four threes, and a nice line. Channing Frye is also amazingly still on all of my squads, and he posted 26 points, nine boards, a steal, and four blocks. Patience, it’s what’s for dinner. Randy Foye played just 19 minutes last night and owners should simply hold through the deadline. He has been a mess but if the Clippers don’t add anybody he has a nice schedule. Kirk Hinrich did not back up his nice night on Tuesday, scoring four points with five boards and two assists. He may start the rest of the way or be traded, and is simply a guy to watch right now. Manu Ginobili played through his hip injury and scored 14 points with four treys, three rebounds, and three assists in 23 minutes off the bench, which is great, until you realize that Pop is going to play it safe all year long in a string of back-to-back games down the stretch. The mantra has been to sell-high, though I’m guessing it’s a tough sell.



4<sup>TH</sup> QUARTER: Goran Dragic played through a sprained ankle and looked fine with 14 points and 10 assists. Chandler Parsons backed up his big line from Tuesday with eight points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and a block, and deserves to be owned in all 12-team formats while he’s hot. Chase Budinger is making noise still, scoring 10 points with nine boards and a full line last night, but is a weak add right now without clarity at the deadline. Jarrett Jack is back and scored 30 points with six assists and an otherwise full line against the Lakers, while Greivis Vasquez scored 15 points and six assists and held the ball on the final play of regulation (an effective pass to Chris Kaman on the pick-and-roll that Kaman couldn’t convert). It’s been admittedly hard to hold Vasquez as a stash, but nights like these show why you do it where you can. Unfortunately, Jack’s knee seems healthier and there haven’t been many teams lining up to take his $5.4 million deal next season in a trade. Kaman went for 21 and 12 with six turnovers and a 9-of-20 mark from the field, as he continues to chuck it up in advance of the deadline. Yes, he’s still a sell-high guy if you can. Gustavo Ayon continued to shrink with four points, two rebounds, four assists, and a block in 31 minutes. Maybe when Kaman goes he won’t be so darn invisible.
 

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Trade Deadline: Morning Report

So here we are, Trade Deadline 2012, a far cry from last year but with a hint of Melo and a big helping of Dwight. The two big pieces of news that hit over the last 36 hours were the trade of Monta Ellis for Andrew Bogut, et al, and then last night Dwight Howard shocked the NBA world by waffling more than Brett Favre and reportedly agreeing to stay in Orlando.



The next big domino to fall is going to be the Michael Beasley/Jamal Crawford nexus of trade possibilities, and from there the big question is how the NBA will react to the Howard decision. Will the Magic become buyers as a part of their pitch to keep Howard? What will the Nets do now that their trade to acquire Deron Williams last year appears to be falling apart at the seams?



Will the big pieces such as Pau Gasol, Josh Smith, Ray Allen, Shawn Marion, Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin, Ramon Sessions, Chris Kaman, Gerald Wallace, Raymond Felton, Jose Calderon, Nick Young, Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Luke Ridnour, Luis Scola, Samuel Dalembert, D.J Augustin, Dorell Wright, Drew Gooden, and Stephen Jackson find new homes?



Will follow me on Twitter for all the trade deadline news in real time. Now here we go.



MICHAEL BEASLEY AND JAMAL CRAWFORD



This may be the trade that connects the most moving pieces, as the Lakers are very close to acquiring Michael Beasley, and they're also in the hunt for a point guard. Jamal Crawford reportedly has played his last game for the Blazers and a deal is coming this morning. Here's what we know.



The Wolves are going to end up with Crawford in almost every scenario, but the question is whether or not the Blazers are going to end up with Steve Blake, Luke Ridnour, or a Lakers first round pick for this upcoming year. They are also the team that is holding up the deal, which tells me they're trying to figure out what to do with their Raymond Felton problem. He has become the target for everybody's ire in Portland, and whatever the Blazers do, it's clear they'd like to move him but nothing has materialized. Surely there is a team out there willing to take a chance on Felton, but at what price is the appropriate question.



If Felton stays and Blake arrives, the two would likely play to a timeshare, but I get the sense this deal is the least favorite for the Blazers. My guess is that they'd really like to get Ridnour, who would see a decrease in fantasy value going away from Rick Adelman's cushy system. Felton, if still there, would likely take an immediate backseat role and lose all value.



The other immediate question is what Minnesota would do if they trade Ridnour. My immediate guess there is that they would try to swing a deal to acquire Ramon Sessions, who just left the land of Kahn, and that would mean big things for Sessions in fantasy leagues. There are other point guards available such as Jose Calderon, D.J. Augustin, and maybe they take back Felton, but Sessions stands out to me as a piece that could fit Minnesota's current plans. The trio of Sessions, Crawford, and J.J. Barea are versatile and could keep Adelman's offense fluid with motion.



If that bit of speculation doesn't work out, the Lakers, who also covet Sessions, might be more interested in facilitating a deal that lands them the Cleveland backup – sending Steve Blake to Portland or elsewhere, all while acquiring Beasley.



The Takeaways: Sessions looks like a must-stash character for the chance he plays in Minnesota, with L.A. being a place he could produce, as well. Beasley, while a bit banged up with a sore foot, is a fine stash for the chance he will be relied upon to score in L.A., but keep in mind that his value will be capped by all the weapons around him. Crawford will play the same role that he plays everywhere, which is good enough to be owned in 12-team leagues, as well. Ridnour is a borderline sell-high guy for the chance he gets moved to a less friendly place. Steve Blake is not a fantasy pickup in Portland unless news comes across that there is a solution for Felton. While talking about the Blazers, I'm holding each of their borderline guys in the hopes that a shake-up breaks them free – even Felton.



THE MAGIC AND THE NETS



Assuming the Dwight Howard opt-in waiver gets signed, then the Magic both preserved the integrity of their team and became potential buyers. First and foremost this protects the values of Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson, and Jameer Nelson. The question is whether or not they get back into the Michael Beasley hunt, which I haven't heard much about. The bait there was Jason Richardson, which would be good for J.J. Redick's value. Beasley, for what it's worth, would also fit for owners in Orlando – but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The other rumor that was interesting, and unlikely as of now, was Josh Smith who was also linked to the Beasley matrix.



Above all, we'll be watching to make sure the waiver gets signed, and until then the Magic are still talking with the usual suspects – the Nets, Lakers, and the Rockets. If the waiver doesn't get signed, look for all golly-gee-heck to break loose.



As for the Nets, their situation just got amazingly complex. Should they not be able to throw in a full court heave to get Howard, their pitch to Deron Williams just went behind his ear. He will be favored to land in Dallas next season for the time being, so it's possible they try to get splashy or even deal Williams as a rental. Right now the only talks that are concrete with the Nets surround a deal to get his friend C.J. Miles and Raja Bell from Utah in exchange for Anthony Morrow, a future pick, and possibly Johan Petro. Morrow's value will likely remain consistent across either scenario as a streaky 3-point shooter coming off the bench, while Miles would be an interesting piece in Jersey where DeShawn Stevenson currently starts.



The other issue would be whether or not they would still want Boris Diaw's $9 million expiring deal, which is going to come at a price for the teams acquiring it. If the answer is no, and because Mike D'Antoni is no longer around, the basketball answer to where he could land would be in San Antonio. But because he's viewed as an expiring contract first and basketball player second, he could theoretically go anywhere.



There are a handful of reports out of New Jersey that they will sit on their draft picks and build without making a splash, too, but we'll see.



The Takeaways: Jordan Farmar didn't look good last night and Deron Williams (calf) is targeting a return this weekend, but there's still enough fluidity here that Farmar should be owned through the deadline. C.J. Miles is a guy to watch in case he heads east. The band of Orlando fantasy assets is safe – for now – and J.J. Redick needs Jason Richardson to go to carry any value. Boris Diaw really needs a nice situation to hold fantasy value, and the Nets or Knicks could have provided that. Those options don't look so swell right now, so he's not a high priority target or target in general until his situation improves.


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WHAT HAS PAU GASOL DONE FOR YOU?



Apparently, not much, as the 7-footer would be coveted by the entire league if you simply told executives that they could get their hands on a big man that could score, rebound, pass, and block shots. But what does he get after a few rings in L.A? Trade rumors. Always the butt of jokes about toughness, the Lakers would really like to get rid of him as they transition to an Andrew Bynum-centric organization. The two teams that appear to be in the mix are the Rockets and the Bulls, but the sticking points are that the Lakers want an elite PG and they don't want Carlos Boozer. Both teams will need to work hard to find a third and possibly fourth team with one big piece that could satisfy the Lakers' desires, and that just doesn't seem likely at this point. Minnesota was interested at one point and shares the AEG back-channel pipeline, but there's nothing other than long snuffed out smoke signals to grab onto there.



The Takeaway: Gasol would do more to shake up the playing board today than any impact on his own value, and the catch here is that the playing board needs to be shook up before Gasol has a chance to be moved. But if we're looking for fireworks today, this is the pin that needs to be pulled.



HOUSTON, WE HAVE A NASA METAPHOR



The Rockets have made a deal at nearly every deadline over the past six years and this year will be no different. Everybody must go! The only player that is safe is Kyle Lowry, and even he could go if the Rockets covet Pau Gasol enough and are holding out, though I offer that this is an unlikely outcome. The more likely outcome is that Kevin Martin, who is no fan of Kevin McHale or GM Daryl Morey, gets sent packing – but to where? And if the Rockets can't find a home for him, then Courtney Lee, he of the supposedly minor finger dislocation, will be the next guy on the block. Samuel Dalembert and Luis Scola were offered to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut, giving insight on how much they value a big man right now (and how much they don't like Dalembert). I've read reports that Chase Budinger, Goran Dragic, Terrence Williams, Jonny Flynn and Yao Ming's autograph are on the block.



The Takeaway: You want to put all of them on your watch list and pick the guy that's left standing. Patrick Patterson might end up with a low-end value role if Dalembert and/or Scola can get moved without returning a dominant big man such as Chris Kaman or Pau Gasol. Kevin Martin should be held and a move out of town could go either way, but one has to think he can't do much worse than he is in Houston. Lee needs some help and could find himself playing for any team in the hunt for a shooting guard, including the Wolves, Clippers, Bulls, and Pacers. None are as appealing for Lee as a scenario that sends Kev-Mart packing. Chandler Parsons hasn't been named in rumors, and his value could increase if the Rockets determine they can rely on him heavy going forward. If you were iffy on grabbing him watch to see if the Red Sea parts for him, and I'm talking in terms of touches and not minutes. The minutes are mostly there. Dalembert and Scola both have things pretty good, even though minutes are an issue for Dally, so they don't really stand to gain by the deadline.



EVERYTHING MUST GO!



The Hornets are trying to shed payroll, acquire young talent, and heck why not, some lottery picks, an All Star big man and all for one low monthly rate. Chris Kaman is the talk of the town right now, followed by the question of whether or not the Hornets can get anybody to bite on Emeka Okafor's $28 million over the next two years. Cleveland made an inquiry but the Cavs wanted a first rounder for taking on Okafor's big deal and that ended that. Okafor's knee is a total question mark and why a team that isn't contending would take that on is beyond me, but the Hornets are trying. As for Kaman, a lot of contending teams are taking the position of trying to let him get bought out by the Hornets, only to try to pick him up as a free agent. Kaman could also get extended by the Hornets, but most signs point to him leaving. The Celtics and Heat are teams are trying to pick him up as a free agent, while the Rockets and Pacers will be more likely to deal. Trevor Ariza's name has popped up, and if the Hornets owe you more than $5 million per year you're probably on the block.



The Takeaways: Kaman has been a sell-high guy for weeks, so hopefully you took care of that. Ariza is a sneaky sell-high guy right now while owners think the sky is the limit. Gustavo Ayon has been intensely invisible while in the spotlight, but that could change if Kaman isn't around attempting every shot known to man. Because we're not hearing anything about Jarrett Jack, all those looking at Greivis Vasquez can hold onto is hope that the Hornets go young and/or Jack's knee acts up.



NOT BEING TRADED



Or so they say. Steve Nash or the Suns would need a sweetheart deal for anything to happen. Rajon Rondo has been all but locked into the locker room in Boston. JaVale McGee told the Wizards he wants $14 million next season as a free agent, and video guys around the US are trying to figure out how to put that into his blooper reel. It'll take a big leap of faith for a team to take him on, even as a rental. Andray Blatche is about as untradeable as guys get, too.



The Mavs would have needed to move Shawn Marion to complete their master plan of getting Dwight Howard and Deron Williams, and with that plan scuttled, it's less likely that Marion gets moved today than it was 24 hours ago – which needless to say wasn't all that likely. The Nuggets went through hell last year at the trade deadline and appear to be standing pat. The Pistons would like to move some of their contracts, but there has been no smoke, and nobody is lining up to take on Tayshaun Prince's deal no matter how much he beat up on the Kings last night.



The Heat are trying to make plays in free agency, and not the trade market. Brandon Jennings is off the market by most reports, setting up the small guard backcourt. Good news, they all go to the land of the small guard backcourt in Oakland for the awkward game of the night. The Thunder aren't looking to make a move, which sounds about right.



ODDS AND ENDS




Josh Smith wanted out but talks have died down. He might have played too well for his own good, there. The Wizards are desperately trying to move just about everybody, though they'll drag their heels in a deal to send Nick Young to the Clippers. Young's value will take a hit in that case, while Jordan Crawford should be owned in most formats for both his current value and the chance he gets to operate by himself. The Clippers join the Bulls and Wolves as teams looking for a shooting guard, which means that C.J. Miles and Raja Bell are in play there, too.



J.J. Hickson is drawing interest in Boston, but is a longshot for fantasy value. Tyreke Evans drew interest from the Warriors, and I'm told that Evans is not untradeable. That might explain his frustrated play last night. Leandro Barbosa was cryptic when talking about his future the other night.



UPDATE: Barbosa was traded to the Pacers right as this went to press, and will struggle for fantasy value playing next to Darren Collison and George Hill. Both Collison and Hill become droppable for a hot free agent, though owners will want to weigh their options carefully. The Pacers were looking for help at center and the acquisition of Barbosa pulls them out of the running for Kaman, securing the value of Roy Hibbert and David West, for now.



Kirk Hinrich and D.J. Augustin are two point guards that could fit among the PG needy teams, but aren't a sure bet to take starter's minutes wherever they land and thus are just guys to watch today (or in Augustin's case, hold). Ray Allen is the only Celtics piece that is drawing interest, but Danny Ainge likes to wheel and deal so we'll just watch to see what he does. Allen will hold his value wherever he plays for the most part. Stephen Jackson appears to be staying in Golden State, but stranger things have happened. Check my Dose from earlier today for that evaluation.



Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Shaun Livingston are on the block, which can only help the cause of starters Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, and Carlos Delfino. Maybe Scott Skiles has a girlfriend that likes fantasy basketball. Drew Gooden was reportedly on the block, and Ersan Ilyasova's name has popped up, too. The acquisition of Ekpe Udoh would support that one of those guys could go, with Gooden being the guy with the weighty contract and Ilyasova being the cheaper guy that could return value to the Bucks. They'd both take a hit to their fantasy value if moved, but the smoke has long died down, here. You may want to hold onto Udoh through the day if the wire looks bare.



Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby are two vets with relatively weighty deals that Portland almost certainly wants to see go with their season in the tank. There's not enough here for fantasy owners to grab onto in terms of swinging values. Jerry Colangelo likes to deal, and while there's not a lot of smoke around Jose Calderon the day is young. Jerryd Bayless should be owned in all formats for the chance Calderon gets dealt, hurt, or outplayed by the explosive young talent.
 

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Trade Deadline: Final Count

We came, we saw, and we conquered about 72 hours of continuous trade deadline coverage over here, and I’m sure I set a personal record for Red Bull consumption and the like. Without further ado, your fantasy value matrix and trade deadline breakdown.



Follow me on Twitter for all of the fallout as we settle into a five-game night.



Team: PHILADELPHIA SIXERS



Acquired: Sam Young



Fantasy Impacts: None



Team: CHARLOTTE BOBCATS



Not Dealt: D.J. Augustin, Boris Diaw



Fantasy Impacts: Kemba Walker won’t get an easy pass to the starting job, but he’s still worth owning in most formats for his expected heavy workload. Diaw might get thrown back into the mix, or bought out, but he’s somebody to stay away from for now.



Team: MILWAUKEE BUCKS



Acquired: Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh



Heading Out: Andrew Bogut, Stephen Jackson



Not Dealt: Brandon Jennings, Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Shaun Livingston



Fantasy Impacts: Ilyasova was a trade candidate from way back, and Gooden was from a few weeks back. Gooden’s recent tear probably priced him out of the market, and Jennings’ trade chances were squashed after the team acquired Ellis. Ellis’ value is going to take a dip, if anything, as will Jennings’ value. Don’t go crazy trying to unload them, though, as the Bucks are turning into a sneaky fastbreak team. Udoh is worth dropping for a hot free agent because his upside will be capped, but one has to think that Scott Skiles will use the promising youngster (famous last words). If the wire looks thin, playing it out with Udoh could make sense if you need a big or blocks. The removal of Jackson doesn’t impact the rotation, but it does take a threat to Carlos Delfino’s value off the board. And while most analysts cringe at the thought of two ball-holding guards playing together, their playmaking ability should give Delfino better looks from the 3-point line. Any decrease in touches could easily be offset by greater efficiency, assuming of course Delfino can hit his shot. Not moving Mbah a Moute and Livingston is a bit of a nuisance for somebody like Mike Dunleavy, but he has played so well lately that he needs to be owned in all 12-team formats. Again, the faster pace is the tide that raises all boats. Gooden and Ersanity might slow down a bit with the introduction of Ellis and Udoh, but I’m not selling there.



Team: CHICAGO BULLS



Not Dealt: Carlos Boozer



Fantasy Impacts: The Bulls didn’t acquire a shooting guard, which is good news for the values of Ronnie Brewer, and to a lesser degree, Kyle Korver. Brewer deserves ownership in 12-team formats with the hope he can provide low-end numbers, and there’s a hint of upside in that he can provide versatile numbers and above-average steals (his steals are down in general).



Team: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS



Acquired: Jason Kapono, Luke Walton



Heading Out: Ramon Sessions, Christian Eyenga



Not Dealt: Antawn Jamison



Fantasy Impacts: Kyrie Irving officially gets all the run he can handle and Daniel Gibson immediately becomes worth a look in 12-14 team leagues. He’ll handle backup PG duties and there are few better at stroking it from deep. He has been a bit inconsistent, but there’s a lot to like here. It would have been nice for Tristan Thompson if Jamison had been dealt, but the rookie is basically competing against himself. He’ll be worth watching down the stretch but for now he shouldn’t be near rosters. Alonzo Gee gets even more security with minutes leaving the rotation and none coming in.



Team: BOSTON CELTICS



Not Dealt: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce



Fantasy Impacts: None. Look for the Celtics to try to get in on Chris Kaman if he goes the buyout route, but for now Brandon Bass should be owned in most leagues as a low-end producer. Greg Stiemsma is the guy to watch if you’re trolling for blocks, but he still needs to prove himself. Ray Allen was almost gone, but the Big Four have one more title run in them.



Team: LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS



Acquired: Nick Young



Heading Out: Brian Cook, Conditional Second Round Pick



Not Dealt: Eric Bledsoe



Fantasy Impacts: Nick Young is going to quickly be put in his place by Chris Paul, which means no more fadeaway threes and the like. Young also won’t be handed the keys to the car right away, which means a slow position battle between him and Randy Foye. Foye’s value is likely crushed by this development, and feel free to hang on in deeper formats, but don’t hesitate to make the drop for a hot free agent.



Team: MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES



Heading Out: Sam Young



Not Dealt: O.J. Mayo



Fantasy Impacts: None.



Team: ATLANTA HAWKS



Not Dealt: Josh Smith, Kirk Hinrich



Fantasy Impacts: Hinrich has an outside shot at value with Marvin Williams heading to the bench and always banged up, but he needs to prove himself before owners should make an add in most cases. Jeff Teague didn’t lose the guy looking over his shoulder, either, but he has been playing better lately and should be owned in all 12-team formats and most 8/9 cat, 10-teamers, too. Smoove wasn’t dealt, which clearly wasn’t going to happen as we neared the deadline, and owners have to be thrilled because he’s on fire.


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Team: MIAMI HEAT



Fantasy Impacts: None



Team: NEW ORLEANS HORNETS



Not Dealt: Chris Kaman, Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor, Carl Landry Jarrett Jack



Fantasy Impacts: Kaman dodges bullets here and throws salt in our sell-high recommendations, but I won’t lose any sleep over that with everybody and their mother expecting a trade. He might get bought out, but with David Stern at the controls it remains to be seen how that will play out. Gustavo Ayon did not get any relief on the trade front, but it’s unclear what the banged up corps of forwards in New Orleans really has in them. Ayon has been invisible lately and could have benefited from Kaman leaving because he is good with the ball and would have seen more touches. Feel free to drop him as he hasn’t been producing much, anyway, but keep an eye on him because right now the minutes are there. Greivis Vasquez never really had a shot at Jarrett Jack leaving, but he still has a shot to get minutes whenever Monty Williams finally goes young. Ariza’s value had nowhere to go but down, so today was a win.



Team: UTAH JAZZ



Not Dealt: Josh Howard, Devin Harris, C.J. Miles, Raja Bell, Paul Millsap



Fantasy Impacts: Raja Bell is not going to seek a buyout, which would have been nice, but here everybody’s values remained the same. Gordon Hayward is worth a look if he was dropped after a slow couple of days, as he is a part of the future and a good fit on the second unit.



Team: SACRAMENTO KINGS



Not Dealt: Tyreke Evans, J.J. Hickson



Fantasy Impacts: The Warriors inquired about Evans and we learned that he isn’t untouchable, but the status quo remains in Sacramento. They weren’t able to pawn off any of their larger veteran contracts. Hickson staying put does not impact the rotation much, if at all, because he has fallen so far out of favor, anyway.



Team: NEW YORK KNICKS



Not Dealt: Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Toney Douglas



Fantasy Impacts: The change in value here has more to do with the firing of Mike D’Antoni than anything, which has been well-chronicled here. Jeremy Lin is a bit of a sell-high guy with Mike Woodson turning the keys over to Melo, but don’t go crazy.



Team: LOS ANGELES LAKERS



Acquired: Ramon Sessions, Jordan Hill, Christian Eyenga



Heading Out: Derek Fisher, Jason Kapono, Luke Walton



Not Dealt: Pau Gasol, Steve Blake



Fantasy Impacts: Ramon Sessions is the big winner here, as he’ll fall somewhere between low-end and low-mid round value as the Lakers’ starting point guard. Don’t worry too much about Steve Blake, as Sessions is a clear upgrade over the declining Blake. Even in 28-32 minutes per game, Sessions should be able to put up enough numbers to justify ownership in most formats.



Team: ORLANDO MAGIC



Not Dealt: Dwight Howard, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson



Fantasy Impacts: The Magic might have saved the most value for the greatest number of guys from one team, as the entire squad is built to play around Dwight Howard. If you own Ryan Anderson, you have to be pretty thrilled. All of them were on the block, as well, leaving their futures in doubt. Today, the status quo is in play, which is bad news only for J.J. Redick. He’ll need an injury to Richardson to have any real value in standard formats.



Team: DALLAS MAVERICKS



Not Dealt: Shawn Marion, Roddy Beaubois



Fantasy Impacts: None.



Team: NEW JERSEY NETS



Acquired: Gerald Wallace



Heading Out: Shawne Williams, Mehmet Okur, Top-3 protected 2012 pick



Not Dealt: Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, Kris Humphries, Anthony Morrow



Fantasy Impacts: Gerald Wallace slides into a pretty gaping hole at small forward for the Nets, and since he was struggling mightily in Portland with the team in disarray owners have to be pretty happy. Yes, this could be a buy low moment if his owner doesn’t respect the improved environment. This puts a pretty good dent into whatever value Morrow had, because there won’t be quite as many minutes to go around, and MarShon Brooks’ owners can’t be jumping for joy. The rookie is still a part of the plan in Jersey and will get his touches, but has shied away in the past and adding a veteran like Wallace isn’t going to help that. Because the team wasn’t blown up, Humphries can continue to be the man and Williams will be more motivated to stay on the court.



Team: DENVER NUGGETS



Acquired: JaVale McGee, Ronny Turiaf, Wilson Chandler



Heading Out: Nene



Fantasy Impacts: McGee is going to have every opportunity to play as much as he did in Washington, but if anything I see his value going down and not up. He won’t get nearly as many touches within the sane confines of the Denver offense, and he’ll have an actual leash now. Kenneth Faried is a big winner, here, too, as his emergence was one of the drivers to get rid of Nene’s deal, which was called “buyer’s remorse” by management today. Al Harrington got a bit of good news when Nene's minutes left the rotation, and also because McGee is competing at a different position, but the imminent signing of Wilson Chandler isn't good news for anybody in Denver. Harrington has been a sell-high candidate for a while, but owners should hold to see where it all goes. Danilo Gallinari might take a slight hit in value, but I'm more worried about Arron Afflalo, Andre Miller, and Harrington in that department. Afflalo should be owned to see if he can hold low-end value in 8- and 9-cat leagues, though we saw the first signs of his decline in his last contest. Miller will have some productive nights and is stubborn enough to steal value from others, but planning or betting on it is another story. He can be dropped for a hot free agent.



Team: INDIANA PACERS



Acquired: Leandro Barbosa



Fantasy Impacts: Barbosa’s arrival only serves to complicate an already dicey situation for Darren Collison and George Hill. I’d stay away from all three in 12-team formats until one of them emerges, if they emerge. Roy Hibbert avoided the Pacers acquiring a big man.



Team: DETROIT PISTONS



Not Dealt: Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey



Fantasy Impacts: Both were talked about trade candidates earlier in the year, but neither were really a threat to be traded today. No fantasy impact.



Team: TORONTO RAPTORS



Heading Out: Leandro Barbosa, Second Round Pick



Not Dealt: Jose Calderon



Fantasy Impacts: One of the bigger draft day storylines, especially for me with my man-love for Bayless, was the fact that Calderon did not get traded. The good news is, though, that Calderon’s presence was half the story with my deciding to stash him this year. Setting his ankle injury aside, we’re seeing the real position battle take shape right now, with Calderon’s injury now putting the onus on him to get back on the floor and counter-punch back. Calderon is a notorious injury risk, but I don’t get the sense that he’ll be shut down simply to see what Bayless can do. So, yes, today was a bit of a blow to Bayless’ value, nonetheless. I’m holding Bayless at least until we know the story with Calderon, and the exit of Barbosa certainly helps, but I’m going to let Bayless fight for the job before I drop him in most cases. He’s hand-over-fist better defensively, and has a nice offensive game of his own. If you’re not as bullish as me (or in general), he is certainly somebody that you can drop for a well-positioned free agent.


<!--RW-->
Team: HOUSTON ROCKETS



Acquired: Derek Fisher, Marcus Camby



Heading Out: Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Jordan Hill



Not Dealt: Kevin Martin, Courtney Lee, Luis Scola, Samuel Dalembert, Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger, Terrence Williams



Fantasy Impacts: The team with the most roster-wide action today, the Rockets only sent away one rotation guy in Hill, and added two aging vets. Camby, who likes the idea of Houston as far as I can tell, will step in and form a timeshare with Dalembert. I’m not going to rush to drop Dally too quickly, though, as Hill’s exit might still provide enough minutes for the two to co-exist. There’s also the issue of Camby’s health. Patrick Patterson will be worth watching over the next week, too, as any slippage by Scola and the aforementioned bigs could open the door for him. Still, I’m not running to make the add. Martin’s owners didn’t get any relief from Kevin McHale, but I’m thinking the passing of the deadline will bring closure to some of the stressful issues facing him. Lee is a loser today, as he’ll need Martin to take a dive to have any real value. Ditto Budinger. Chandler Parsons leaves the day the same way he came in – worth owning in 12-team formats while he’s hot. Dragic is still a must-start player for the foreseeable future.



Team: SAN ANTONIO SPURS



Acquired: Stephen Jackson



Heading Out: Richard Jefferson



Fantasy Impacts: Jackson couldn’t have landed in a sweeter situation, as he has Gregg Popovich’s trust and respect and vice-versa. The Spurs have also had trouble scoring at times, which means that Jackson will be encouraged to score the ball when he’s on the floor. I’m projecting a 25-32 minute role as he’ll slowly get up to speed, and while we know the warts (FG% and TOs), targeting low-end value for him makes sense. The exit of Jefferson could also free up minutes for Kawhi Leonard, too, so keep an eye on him over the coming days. That said, I’m not running to the wire in 12-14 team formats. The DNPs and potential injuries to the Big Three could also bump both Jackson and Leonard up the list, along with Gary Neal and Danny Green, per usual.



Team: PHOENIX SUNS



Not Dealt: Steve Nash



Fantasy Impacts: None.



Team: OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER



Fantasy Impacts: None.



Team: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES



Not Dealt: Michael Beasley, Luke Ridnour, Anthony Randolph



Fantasy Impacts: None. The Wolves liked what they had and why not? The Beasley deal fell apart and so did his fantasy value, which is a bit shocking with Beasley being a guy that most felt would be dealt. Don’t downgrade Derrick Williams too much because of this development, but it’s certainly not helping him if Beasley can get healthy and in Rick Adelman’s good graces. On the bright side, Ricky Rubio’s injury cleared up a lot of minutes for Williams to tap into through osmosis.



Team: PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS



Acquired: Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Shawne Williams, Mehmet Okur



Heading Out: Gerald Wallace, Marcus Camby



Not Dealt: Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford, Nicolas Batum



Fantasy Impacts: I’m a bit giddy because I’ve been that guy telling you guys to hang onto your Blazers assets while the ship was sinking, pointing to the firing of Nate McMillan as the tide to raise all boats. Well it happened, and it couldn’t have worked out much better for Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford, and Wesley Matthews, and Nicolas Batum is about to become a superstar. Yes, Felton has Jonny Flynn behind him all of a sudden, but let’s be real. He’s coming into a new situation and just isn’t that good, despite some evidence of talent early on in his career. The other salient point here removal of redundant rotation parts will allow the offense to flow better, and the team-wide shake-up and removal of McMillan is going to allow guys to play the way they want, for better or for worse. I’m betting against McMillan here, as he has a long history of problems with personnel decisions and a system that has not been able to take advantage of strengths and weaknesses. Felton could also fall off the wagon, believing he’s public enemy No. 1 and the like, but I think he should be owned in all 12-team leagues, while Crawford should be owned in all formats for his expected production. Matthews falls somewhere between the two, and depending on your team needs he can switch places with Felton.



Team: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS



Acquired: Andrew Bogut, Richard Jefferson



Heading Out: Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, Kwame Brown, Stephen Jackson



Not Dealt: Dorell Wright



Fantasy Impacts: We’ve covered this a whole bunch, but Klay Thompson is going to be a key component of winning fantasy squads in the playoffs. Do not drop nor move him. From there I believe Wright and Nate Robinson should be owned in all 8/9 cat, 12-team formats, while Brandon Rush is also worth a look. Jefferson could be plugged into the lineup right away because the Warriors brass likes to justify its bad transactions by putting them on full display, but he is not a good fit for the team and will need to get acclimated. That’ll give owners a week or so to evaluate both Wright and Rush, who will be most impacted by Jefferson’s presence. And if you want to take a flier on Rush having more value than Wright, be my guest, as Rush is a favorite of Mark Jackson’s and will gobble up minutes at both wing slots. Robinson has the upside of a Stephen Curry shutdown and has a shot at low-end value even if Curry stays healthy, particularly because S-Jax won’t be around.



On a side note, the Warriors paid $12 million and got tied into an extra year of a contract for Jefferson (one beyond next year) – all for the right to package some second round picks into a top 15-20 draft pick next season. Hand down man down.



Team: WASHINGTON WIZARDS



Acquired: Nene, Brian Cook



Heading Out: Nick Young, JaVale McGee



Not Dealt: Jordan Crawford, Andray Blatche



Fantasy Impacts: Nene, if healthy, will be expected to produce and be a team leader right away, and playing with John Wall his production should be just fine. A bigger winner today, though, was Andray Blatche, who if healthy will be playing behind a more injury prone player in Nene. The entire rotation gained minutes with Young heading out, too. And the BIGGEST winner was Crawford, who has the starting job all to himself. Crawford should be owned in all formats, Trevor Booker should have already been owned but also gets a little relief with more minutes leaving than are coming in, and Blatche is worth added consideration on your stash scale with the semi-positive developments. Of course, there’s also the chance that the team’s fumigation, as David Aldridge put it on NBATV, will make everybody play better. Good times in Washington.
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Dose: Nasty Nate Robinson

The 2012 trade deadline was a strange one for fantasy owners.

No less than five major deals went down, but they didn’t yield a single significant waiver pickup for those in competitive leagues. Jordan Crawford, Ramon Sessions, Wesley Matthews and Stephen Jackson all gained value, but all were likely already owned. I didn’t make any adds during the day.

However, that doesn’t mean that we didn’t see a shift in value for a ton of guys thanks to the trades. Aaron Bruski breaks down all the fallout, NEWS OF THE DAY #1
By trading away Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh for a guy who’s likely out for the season (Andrew Bogut), the Warriors showed their cards: They’ve given up on the season. And in the two days since that trade, the signs for Stephen Curry (ankle) have only gotten worse.

It’s now clear that both Curry and the organization have finally had enough of the incessant aggravations.

"When he's 100 percent, we'll look at putting him back on the floor," GM Larry Riley said. "We've talked at length about the situation, and we're going to take our time. We're going to come up with a plan that gets him completely healthy before he ever steps on the floor, and I don't know when that will be."

Curry definitely won’t play Friday or Saturday and even he sounds like he’s ready to shut it down for weeks instead of days. It’s not like the Warriors are really fighting for anything anymore except ping-pong balls.

“I’m getting fed up with dealing with the same thing over and over again and trying to push through it and not being able to produce like I want to on the floor. … That’s my main goal, to get healthy. What that means I’m not sure yet,” Curry said.

The bottom line is that the Nate Robinson party is going to rock on for the foreseeable future. Robinson has played 25 minutes or more 12 times this season. In those games, he’s averaging 13.1 points, 5.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.2 3-pointers per game. With Ellis out of the mix, Robinson will have the ball even more. Along with locked-in starting shooting guard NEWS OF THE DAY #2
It was all smiles in Memphis Thursday as both Rudy Gay (concussion) and Zach Randolph (knee) practiced.

Gay has been fully cleared and will immediately resume his normal minutes. Randolph, on the other hand, is another story.

Z-Bo has been medically cleared off his MCL tear for a couple weeks now, but he wasn’t feeling comfortable. He wanted to have 100 percent confidence that he can do what he needs to do one the court without worrying about his knee buckling. Therefore, Randolph is more than 10 weeks removed from an injury that was supposed to cost him no more than eight weeks.

Look for the Grizzlies to ease him in slowly with limited minutes for a few games. If everything goes well, Randolph should be back in the 31-35 minute range by late next week.

NEWS OF THE DAY #3
Part of the Nuggets’ motivation for the Nene trade was to free up some money. That money, of course, will be going in restricted free agent Wilson Chandler’s pockets shortly.

The Nuggets have confirmed that the two sides are close to striking a long-term deal and that Chandler could be with the team as soon as this weekend. We know Chandler is a starting-caliber NBA talent, but he’s coming into one of the more crowded wing rotations in the league. With Arron Afflalo, Danilo Gallinari, Corey Brewer, Rudy Fernandez and NEWS OF THE DAY #4
Coach Vinny Del Negro didn’t hesitate when asked about the newly acquired Nick Young’s potential role. He said he sees Young as a starter.

It’s really not all that surprising. Prior to Thursday night, Randy Foye had started 25 games, averaging 29.2 minutes in those contests. But he managed just 11.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 38.2 percent. Look for Foye to get phased out, leaving Young as the starter and THURSDAY NIGHT GAME THOUGHTS
Kevin Love dinged his thumb but X-rays showed no problems. He’s fine. … Al Harrington sustained a leg injury of unknown severity. … Brendan Haywood sustained a “mild” right knee sprain. Brandan Wright and Ian Mahinmi would split time if Big Brendan is out. … Steve Nash and Grant Hill got the night off to rest as the Suns were on a back-to-back. … Marco Belinelli’s 13 minutes were strange. No injury was reported, but adding Greivis Vasquez while we wait can’t hurt. … Don’t adjust your box score. Paul Millsap really had eight steals. ... Derrick Favors had 16 boards in just 22 minutes off the bench. He'll get two starts this weekend with INJURY FAST BREAK: GUARDS
Eric Gordon is (knee) is “working out hard,” but there’s still to real target date. The Hornets maintain that they hope he’ll play in the season’s final month. … Derrick Rose (groin) is not expected to play this weekend as the Bulls take a conservative approach. … Jose Calderon (ankle) could be back by Friday or Saturday. … INJURY FAST BREAK: FORWARDS AND CENTERS
There’s still no timetable for Emeka Okafor’s (knee) return. This feels like a shutdown. … Jermaine O’Neal (wrist) is not expected back this season. With Chris Wilcox (heart) also done for the year, it’s wide open for Brandon Bass. … Luol Deng (wrist) says he’s not planning on sitting out any more games. Hard to believe that. … DEPTH CHART FAST BREAK
The Hornets say they have no intention of buying out Chris Kaman. Party on for owners. … Monta Ellis will make his Bucks debut Friday, coincidentally against the Warriors. … Daniel Gibson is expected to see backup point guard minutes going forward. … A Boris Diaw buyout could be coming in the next few days. The Spurs and Knicks may show interest in him as a backup. … Nate McMillan was fired. Consider it a clean slate for the Blazers that are left.
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Top NBA Fantasy Pickups
It’s been a pretty intense week at the Rotoworld Hoops Headquarters and this might be the most important Waiver Wired column of the season. Therefore, I pulled out all the stops and it’s extensive, including all the winners (and some losers) from the trade fallout, as well as the coaching changes in New York and Portland. Let’s do it.

Trade Losers

Here are some players who took a negative hit over the last week due to trades and coaching changes. I’m not saying any of them should automatically be dropped, but you have to think about it if you’re looking to make good moves on your waiver wire.

Stephen Curry – He very well could be shut down for the season and Nate Robinson is playing well. The Warriors want to tank and get a good draft pick, and I’m on the verge of cutting Curry in the one league I own him in. However, I’m going to try to hold on through the weekend, until we get a better idea of what the plan will be going forward. If you’re in a bind and need a healthy player, it might be best to cut the cord, but if you do it, don’t look back. It’s a risky move that could backfire if Curry is suddenly healthy and starting a week from now. Do ya feel lucky, punk?

Samuel Dalembert – Will now share time with Marcus Camby, which is not a good thing.

Jeremy Lin – Mike Woodson might start Baron Davis eventually, and the ball is going to run through Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Sadly, Linsanity is about to morph back into just being Jeremy Lin.

Darren Collison – Collison is still the starting PG in Indy, but with Leandro Barbosa in town to provide instant offense off the bench, George Hill could be on the verge of stealing Collison’s job.

Ekpe Udoh – Will back up a red-hot Drew Gooden in Milwaukee and has to learn how to play for Scott Skiles. I think it’s time to move on, at least for the rest of this season.

Randy Foye – Nick Young is not going to the Clippers to come off the bench.

Gerald Wallace – Has to learn a new system and new teammates in New Jersey, but should still start for the Nets. Just expect there to be a learning curve and adjustment period, which could last the rest of the season.

MarShon Brooks – The arrival of Wallace should allow Brooks to continue to start at SG, but he’s not likely to be a top offensive option for the Nets with Deron Williams, Wallace and Kris Humphries on the floor.

Anthony Morrow – Wallace’s arrival directly impacts Morrow, who is now nothing more than a designated 3-point shooter.

Gerald Green – Green has been feeling it for the Nets, but I just can’t see it lasting much longer.

Timofey Mozgov – JaVale McGee should start over Mozgov, as long as George Karl doesn’t hate McGee and his antics.

Kawhi Leonard – Stephen Jackson may not start right away, but Pop loves him and Leonard simply has to take a hit.

Richard Jefferson – The old man is going to have to deal with Dorell Wright and Brandon Rush in Golden State, and he wasn’t doing much to begin with.

Point Guards



Goran Dragic HOU - Kyle Lowry's not coming back anytime soon, if at all, and Dragic has been solid. He’s averaging nearly 17 points, seven assists, a steal and two 3-pointers over his last five games. He’s a bit risky in case Lowry does make a surprise return, but the vibe I’m getting is that Lowry’s going to be out for at least another three weeks. Houston’s schedule isn’t great though, finishing up 3-4-3-4-5-1.


Ramon Sessions LAL – Say hello to the new starting point guard for the Lakers (although he won’t play on Friday). Sessions reminds me a little of the point-guard version of Tyrus Thomas. The potential is there, he’s put up some big numbers when given some opportunity, but has never been able to put it all together. He’ll finally have his chance in L.A. and if he can’t explode now, it’s never going to happen. He’s going to have to deal with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, making him the fourth scoring option, but should see a ton of minutes now that Derek Fisher is in Houston. I don’t fully expect Sessions to live up to the hype, but he should be owned in every fantasy league in case it happens.


Nate Robinson GSW - If Stephen Curry is shut down, Nate's going to go on a tear. In fact, he’s already on a tear, scoring between 17 and 21 points in three of his last four games, and is averaging 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 1.0 3-pointer over his last two games. We still don’t know if or when we’ll see Curry again, but with five games in the upcoming week, Robinson should be ready to put up some big numbers. The Warriors finish up 5-4-4-4-5-2.


Jameer Nelson ORL – Nelson is suddenly scoring, bombing threes and dishing for the Magic. Maybe he was motivated by the Dwight Howard trade talk, that is officially dead until this summer, but Nelson has scored 25 points in two straight games, bombing nine 3-pointers and totaling 11 assists in them. There’s no way he stays this hot, but he’s still a solid starting point guard. The Magic finish 3-4-3-4-4-2.


Luke Ridnour MIN- Ridnour survived the trade deadline and should handle point in Minnesota the rest of the way. I still don’t really understand how he does it, but he’s averaging 15 points, 8.0 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.6 3-pointers over his last five games. The Wolves finish 4-4-3-4-4-1.


Raymond Felton POR- Felton gets new life with the reformed/decimated Blazers, and should be fun to own again. Felton and coach Nate McMillan were enemies from the get-go and now that McMillan is gone, Felton should be able to stop looking over his shoulder and start putting up big numbers again. I’m not going to focus on what he’s been doing recently, as this is a fresh start for Felton. The Blazers finish up 4-4-4-4-3-2.


Isaiah Thomas SAC – Thomas is still starting and getting it done for Sacramento, albeit inconsistently. He had 21 points and four assists in his last game, has scored between 12 and 21 points in four of his last five and has buried 12 3-pointers over that stretch. He’s not going to win you the assists category every week, but he’s still a solid fantasy player, especially now that the slump appears to have been busted. The Kings have just three games this week, so he’s going to be on a lot of benches, but I’d rather see him there than on waiver wires. The Kings finish 3-4-5-4-3-2.


Devin Harris UTA – Harris is still the starter in Utah, and has played better lately when healthy. He had 19 points, eight assists and two 3-pointers on Monday against the Pistons, struggled on Wednesday, and then had 18 points, four assists and two more threes on Thursday against the Timberwolves. He’s inconsistent, but looks much better than he did a month ago. The Jazz finish 4-4-4-4-3-2.

George Hill IND – Hill is playing well off the Pacers bench, averaging 14 points, five boards, two assists, a steal and 1.7 3-pointers over his last three games. There’s been a lot of chatter this year from beat writer Mike Wells, who has been campaigning for Hill to start at point guard on Twitter for months now. And with Leandro Barbosa in town, the thought is that Hill can start for the struggling Darren Collison, with Barbosa coming off the bench to fill Hill’s current role. Unless Collison picks it up soon, Wells’ vision could easily become a reality. Just keep a close eye on Hill. The Pacers finish 4-5-4-4-4-2.


Kirk Hinrich ATL – Hinrich has five games in the upcoming week and has been starting at shooting guard for the Hawks. He’s not exactly tearing it up, but if he can keep the starting job, he is probably worth a pick-and-play this week. He was hot for a minute, scoring 12 points on Sunday and 22 points on Tuesday, but hit just 1-of-5 shots for four points on Wednesday. He can help you in scoring, rebounds well for a guard, should get three or four assists per game, along with a steal and a three. The Hawks finish 5-4-3-3-4-2.


Baron Davis NYK - Mike Woodson is ready to slow Jeremy Lin's roll, and Baron could even end up starting at some point. I am not recommending you rush out and grab Davis, but he has been playing well off the bench and the focus in New York is going to shift completely to Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, regardless of whether that’s the right thing to do or not. If Davis plays well the rest of the weekend, I might even come around and buy what he’s selling. But he’s also a guy who will be very risky in weekly formats, as his chances for injury will increase with the more minutes he gets. As for Lin, this might be your last chance to sell high on him – ever.


Daniel Gibson CLE - One look at the Cavs’ depth chart will tell you there's not much behind Kyrie Irving and Gibson could get hot. Someone on Twitter asked me about Gibson and I kind of blew it off at first, but then took a look at what was left and it quickly became clear that Boobie is about to solid run the rest of the way. He had 18 points and five 3-pointers on Wednesday and now that Ramon Sessions is gone, Gibson could be one of the big winners from the trade deadline. He’s not a must-own player at this point, but he’s a guy who should be on all watch lists as the primary backup at both guard positions in Cleveland. The Cavs finish 4-4-4-5-4-3.<!--RW-->



Shooting Guards



Jordan Crawford WAS - With Nick Young in L.A., the sky's the limit for Crawford. He should score a ton of points, could hit four 3-pointers per game and put up some decent rebounds, assists and steals, as long as he stays out of Randy Wittman’s doghouse. He’ll be a train wreck on nights when his shot’s not falling (he doesn’t have an ‘off’ switch) but when he gets rolling, he might be the most exciting scorer in the league. He’s officially must-own in all leagues, and the Wizards finish 4-4-4-4-3-3. That three-game week to end the season is exciting, as only five other teams play three times that week, while four teams play just one game. Everyone else goes two times in Week 18.


Klay Thompson GSW - With Monta Ellis now in Milwaukee, the door is wide open for Thompson to catapult through. He scored a career-high 26 points on the day Monta was traded and should play 40 minutes a night. With that kind of run, Thompson should be able to average somewhere around 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal and three 3-pointers per game, as long as Mark Jackson winds him up and turns him loose. A perfect storm is brewing with Thompson, as the Warriors are tanking, coming up on a five-game week, and want to develop their young talent (Thompson is the centerpiece), making him one of the most exciting pickups in fantasy hoops. And as if that wasn’t enough, the Warriors finish 5-4-4-4-5-2, which is as good as it gets.


Nick Young LAC - I don't know how Young will get along with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, but he should do well now that Jordan Crawford is in his rearview mirror. We already know that Young can score and hit threes in bunches, but that was while running free on one of the most disorganized teams you’ll ever see. Vinny Del Negro may have to reel him in a bit, and Young may not love being the third or fourth option for a very good team, but the minutes and production should still be there. Young should have already been owned in most leagues, and as long as he starts over Randy Foye, he should be solid going forward. The Clips finish 4-4-4-4-4-2.


Evan Turner PHI – Turner has been hot for 10 days and has stayed that way, putting fears that he was a fluke to bed (for now). He’s averaging 17.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.4 3-pointers over his last five games, while shooting 54 percent from the floor. Yes, more threes would be nice, but that rebounding number is not a typo, either. The Sixers finish 4-3-4-3-4-3.


Jared Dudley PHO – Dudley is in the midst of a very nice five-game week, and should be owned going forward. He’s averaging 19 points, seven boards, a block and two 3-pointers per game over his last five, and if you were able to pick-and-play him for this week, kudos to you. The Suns finish 4-3-4-4-4-2.


Wesley Matthews POR – Matthews gets new life as the starting shooting guard now that Nicolas Batum will slide to small forward after the Gerald Wallace trade. Matthews will start on Friday and should be ready to start producing on a high level again, as he’s been frustrated coming off the bench and seeing his minutes limited. Jamal Crawford is still around, which is a bit of a concern, but as long as Matthews starts over him, it should be ‘all good'. The Blazers finish 4-4-4-4-3-2.


Gordon Hayward UTA – Hayward blew up for 26 points on Thursday and has hit double figures in scoring in four of his last five games, despite coming off the bench. If you grabbed him for the current five-game week, he’s paying off, and should be a solid fantasy player the rest of the way, as the Jazz finish up 4-4-4-4-3-3 to end the season.


Jamal Crawford POR – Crawford is still in Portland and should play a backup role at both guard spots. It’s not out of the question that interim coach Kaleb Canales could start Crawford at some point, but it does seem unlikely. Crawford has been a solid sixth-man performer for most of his career, and now that Nate McMillan is gone, Crawford should go back to having fun and doing his thing – which should mean a lot of scoring, 3-pointers and decent assists. Just keep in mind that he missed Wednesday’s game with a case of knee tendinitis, which also could have just been code for ‘trade bait.’ The Blazers finish 4-4-4-4-3-2.


Courtney Lee HOU – Lee has been playing well without Kevin Martin around, but is also dealing with a painful finger injury that he'll try to play through. Lee would be higher on this list if Martin would have been traded, but given that he can return from his shoulder injury at any time, Lee’s value is in a bit of a flux. The Rockets finish 3-4-3-4-5-1.


O.J. Mayo MEM – Mayo has quietly playing been playing well and should be a nice source of 3-pointers the rest of the way. And he’ll be especially popular when Memphis goes five games in back-to-back weeks, finishing up with a schedule of 4-3-5-5-4.


J.J. Redick ORL – Redick has been playing well in the absence of Jason Richardson, who has been out with a sprained ankle, but J-Rich is expected back on Friday night. Redick will still hit threes off the bench, but as long as Richardson remains the starter (and healthy), Redick simply isn’t a must-own player. The Magic finish 3-4-3-4-4-2.


Roger Mason Jr. WAS – Say hello to the new back up shooting guard in Washington. Mason came off the bench behind Jordan Crawford on Thursday and scored 19 points. I’ve owned him in my 30-team league for much of the season, and despite Thursday’s performance, your league needs to be pretty deep to be messing with Mason. Just keep an eye on him. The Wizards finish 4-4-4-4-3-3.<!--RW-->




Small Forwards



Nicolas Batum POR – Batum will slide to small forward and should be a big winner in Gerald Wallace trade to New Jersey. Batum was absolutely on fire a couple weeks ago, but was slumping as the McMillan era came to a close. A new coach, a new position and a new attitude in Portland should do wonders for Batum and he’s a must-own player if he was dropped due to his recent struggles. He’s one of the few players in the league with a potential of scoring 30 points and going for five 3-pointers, five rebounds, five assists, five steals or five blocks on any given night. The Blazers finish 4-4-4-4-3-2.


Alonzo Gee CLE – Gee, to put it bluntly, has been flat-out ballin' and should rack up a ton of steals the rest of the way. His recent five-game averages are 15 points, six boards, two assists, 3.4 steals, 0.6 blocks and just under a 3-pointer per game. He survived the trade deadline without any new competition for his job and should be good to go the rest of the way. Maybe Anderson Varejao comes back and pushes Antawn Jamison into Gee’s spot, but that just wouldn’t make sense. Gee has earned minutes and is only going to get better from here, and needs to develop for a team on a bridge to nowhere this season. The Cavs finish 4-4-4-5-4-3.


Corey Maggette CHA – Maggette is getting healthy again, but don't plan on him staying that way. As usual, I’m going to continue to ride him until he breaks, and those of us riding him caught a break when he failed to miss a single (entire) game after suffering a back injury earlier in the week. He’s been a scoring machine for the Bobcats over the last month and will continue to flourish as long as Paul Silas is starting him. Just know that the Bobcats could decide to go on a youth movement at any time, or Maggette could go down with an injury in an instant. The Bobcats finish 3-4-4-5-3-2.


Dorell Wright GSW – Wright has actually played well in three straight games and I’m not worried about the arrival of Richard Jefferson in Golden State. He’s averaging 17 points, seven rebounds and three 3-pointers right now, and with five games next week, it’s time to pounce if he was dropped. The Warriors finish 5-4-4-4-5-2.


Brandon Rush GSW - Like Wright, Rush benefits from absence of Monta Ellis - and has five games next week. He’s coming off the bench, which is a bit of a buzzkill, and is averaging eight points, five rebounds and just over a 3-pointer per game over his last five. Just keep in mind that Monta was around for three of those, and he is averaging 12 points, 6.5 boards, a block and 2.5 3-pointers in the two games without Ellis.


Chandler Parsons HOU – Parsons has been on a roll for Rockets, averaging 15 points, five boards, five assists, 1.4 steals and a 3-pointer per game over his last five. He’s gone on a couple other streaks this season and then fizzled out, but this one feels a little different. The Rockets finish up 3-4-3-4-5-1, which isn’t an ideal schedule.


Steve Novak NYK – The three-point specialist off still hasn't cooled off, despite a new coach and a permanent bench role. He’s averaging 10 points, and 2.6 threes over his last five. He won’t do much more for you, but if you need quick help in threes, he’s the man.


Stephen Jackson SAN – Jackson finally landed in San Antonio, where he’s played before. He should be comfortable there, and could even end up starting for Gregg Popovich, but you have to wonder if he’s in game shape. Jackson’s not a must-own player at this point, but is a nice add if you have room, and are in need of threes, steals and the ability to produce across the board. Just beware of his field goal percentage, as it’s usually shaky, at best. The Spurs finish 4-3-4-4-5-3.


Wilson Chandler DEN – Chandler is ready to sign with Denver, but his minutes and role could be shaky with Arron Afflalo & Danilo Gallinari entrenched as the starters. Chandler could end up starting at some point, but will still be sharing time. He’s a good source of points, rebounds, assists, steals and threes when he’s rolling, but I just think it’s too crowded in Denver for him to fully breakout. The Nuggets finish 4-4-3-4-4-2.


Chase Budinger HOU - Like teammate Parsons, Budinger is on a roll, but will take a hit once Kevin Martin is healthy again. Budinger is at 13 points, 5.5 boards, 0.8 steals and 2.3 3-pointers over his last four games. The Rockets finish 3-4-3-4-5-1.<!--RW-->



Power Forwards



Zach Randolph MEM – Z-Bo is expected back from his knee injury on Friday night and should immediately make an impact with points and rebounds, but you also have to wonder what kind of shape he’s in. He shouldn’t be available in any leagues at this point, but you never know.


Channing Frye PHO – Frye is tearing it up for five games this week and should be owned already. If he’s not, you should pick him up, as he’s averaging close to 14 points, six boards, three dimes, two blocks, a steal and 2.5 3-pointers over his last five. The Suns finish 4-3-4-4-4-2.


Brandon Bass ORL - Jermaine O'Neal sounds done for the season with a wrist injury and Bass is getting healthy. He should start at power forward the rest of the way and is averaging 13 points, seven boards, nearly a steal and block per game over his last five. The Celtics finish 4-4-4-5-3-2.


Derrick Williams MIN - The minutes are coming around and Williams is a fun pickup right now, averaging 27 minutes over his last five games. The numbers have been very up and down, but he’s still at 12 points and eight rebounds, with nearly a steal, block and three per game over his last five. He played just 16 minutes in his last game, which is a bit of a mystery, but there are no reports of an injury. Michael Beasley has been out with a toe injury, which has helped Williams, and the Wolves finish 4-4-3-4-4-1.


Kenneth Faried DEN - Benefits from the loss of Nene (Nets) and should start at power forward the rest of the way for the Nuggets. He’s averaging 7.6 points, 7.4 boards, nearly a steal and 0.6 blocks over his last five. Those aren’t must-own numbers, but he’s a decent power forward option in deeper leagues. Denver finishes up 4-4-3-4-4-2.


Jason Thompson SAC – Thompson has been playing better for the Kings and might make for a sneaky pickup the rest of the way. He had 21 points, 15 boards, an assists, a steal and a block in his last game, but had scored a total of just 10 points in his previous three. He’s hit or miss, but hopefully that last game is a sign of more to come. The Kings finish 3-4-5-4-3-2.



Centers



Bismack Biyombo CHA – Biyombo now looks like a much better player to own than Ekpe Udoh, who will backup Drew Gooden in Milwaukee. Biyombo will get all the minutes he can handle going forward, and is averaging seven points, eight boards, nearly a steal and 2.6 blocks over his last five. The Cats finish up with a 3-4-4-5-4-3 schedule.


Spencer Hawes PHI – Hawes is slowly working his way back from an Achilles injury, but is not really startable in fantasy yet. He’ll get some back-to-backs off, but if you’re desperate for a center, he could be playing well in 10 days or so. The Sixers finish 4-3-4-3-4-3.


Hasheem Thabeet & Kurt Thomas POR - Someone has to play center in Portland after Marcus Camby was sent packing, right? I don’t know that I could pick either of these guys up right now, but they should at least be on your radar going forward. The Rockets go 3-4-3-4-5-1, and either player might be useful in a four- or five-game week.


Jeremy Tyler GSW - Andris Biedrins is just awful and the Warriors are tanking. I honestly don’t know much about Tyler and he hasn’t played more than 15 minutes in any game this season, and that only happened once. Just keep an eye on him, while David Lee will have to handle the bulk of the center minutes going forward. The Warriors finish 5-4-4-4-5-2.


Jordan Hill LAL – If Andrew Bynum goes down, Hill would suddenly become the man in the middle for Lakers. But as long as Bynum is healthy, Hill will be sporadic for some occasional decent lines off the bench. The Lakers finish up 4-4-4-4-4-1.
 

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The one-category helpers

By Josh Whitling | Special to ESPN.com


At earlier points in the season, it's easier to target the best available player on waivers when performing an add/drop. This is because you want to boost your overall team value, and it's easy to convince yourself that your team's categorical deficits aren't as bad as they seem and will even out once your underperforming players start meeting the lofty expectations you've placed on them. But now that the trade deadline is passed and we're about two-thirds through the season, it's critical to address your specific needs through the waiver wire and not just add whoever has been playing well.

Making "targeted" add/drop decisions is the only way to make up ground in a category. So don't just sort free agents by Player Rater ranking. Instead, pay close attention to exactly what each potential addition to your roster would provide and make a decision accordingly. This week, I'll focus on players who will bolster your stats in a specific category. Some provide help in more than just that category, others are purely one-dimensional, but all of them are widely available and will help you in the designated area. ReboundsZaza Pachulia, C, Hawks (20.6 percent owned): I've previously highlighted Pachulia as a target if you need steals, and that remains the case, as he consistently ranks among the top centers in steals per game. But he's currently rebounding at an epic pace -- well, epic for Pachulia anyway. His 9.6 rebounds per game in March is one of his highest marks for a month in his eight-year career, and a big reason is because he's on the court a ton, averaging 32.5 minutes per game this month. It's still unclear whether Al Horford will return before season's end, but for now Zaza has the center spot in Atlanta on lockdown. With double-digit rebounds in eight of his past 10 contests, he's grabbing boards at a rate that warrants ownership on any team in need of rebounds.
Jason Thompson, PF, Kings (2.1 percent owned): Thompson is a streaky player who has had his ups and downs this season, but it looks as if he's at the beginning of one of his hot streaks. He has averaged 8.6 rebounds per game in his past five contests and has snared at least eight boards in five of his past six. He benefits when DeMarcus Cousins gets in foul trouble, which happens frequently, and even though he's not flashy, Thompson should be a steady source of seven or eight rebounds per night for the foreseeable future.
Luke Babbitt, SF, Blazers (0.1 percent owned): Here's a name suited only for the deepest of formats, but the second-year small forward could benefit from the Blazers eschewing Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby. He has proven to be an excellent rebounder in his limited playing time, averaging 16 rebounds per 48 minutes for the season and 17.2 rebounds per 48 in March. In his final season at Nevada, he averaged 8.9 rebounds, 0.8 blocks and 1 steal and shot 50 percent from the floor. The team likes him and is clearly looking toward the future after cleaning house of key veterans, as well as coach Nate McMillan, so don't be surprised if Babbitt sees a significant uptick in playing time and regularly posts 5-6 boards per night.



Assists

Jerryd Bayless, PG/SG, Raptors (21.4 percent owned): One of the unsung winners of the trade-deadline action is Bayless, who sees his stock jump considerably with Leandro Barbosa out of the picture in Toronto. He was already playing well in place of the sidelinedJose Calderon, with 13.8 points, 5.8 assists and 1.4 3-pointers per game in his past five games. With Barbosa gone, he should continue to see steady minutes even upon Calderon's return. He's averaging 22.9 minutes with 3.7 assists and 1.3 3s per game this season but should hover around 30 minutes per game in the streamlined Toronto backcourt, which should push his assists to around five per game and allow him to flirt with two 3s per game. He was already being added in many leagues, but with news of the Barbosa trade, Bayless becomes a no-brainer.
Baron Davis, PG, Knicks (14.8 percent owned): Many fantasy owners selected Davis in the final rounds of their draft in hopes of stashing him until he crashed onto the scene to lead their teams to fantasy glory, but the emergence of Jeremy Lin shattered that fantasy. However, Davis is emerging as a capable backup and is racking up assists at a spectacular pace; his 15.7 assists per 48 minutes is second in the league behind Steve Nash. "Boom Dizzle" (love that nickname!) is averaging 6.1 dimes per game over his past 10 games and is playing 19.7 minutes per game in March, a number that should increase as his conditioning improves. His ability to score and nail 3s has tailed off considerably, but he's consistently giving fantasy owners 5-6 assists per night, which is valuable given the scarcity of assists on the waiver wire.

J.J. Barea, PG, Timberwolves (5.9 percent owned): Barea notched eight assists in his first game without Ricky Rubio and should undoubtedly see an uptick in dimes and playing time with the dazzling rookie sidelined for the rest of the season. Luke Ridnour has grown accustomed to playing off the ball more, and Barea should take a nice chunk of the ballhandling duties in the new-look Timberwolves backcourt. He's averaging 3.6 assists in 20 minutes per game this season and should be able to hover in the five-per-game range with increased run and responsibility. He's coming off an ankle injury, so his playing time should steadily increase, and if he can stay healthy, he's a viable option for assists with a few 3-pointers thrown in as well. 3-pointers


Matt Bonner, PF/C, Spurs (1.1 percent owned): Seemingly nothing can stop Bonner from averaging around two 3s per game in San Antonio. He's averaging two in March, averaged 2.1 in February and is at 1.9 per game for the season. Bonner is a situational add, making a great addition to an already-good team in turnover formats that needs 3-point assistance. This is because he can get you treys from the center position, a nice way to make up ground since those 3s are coming from an atypical slot. Plus, his turnovers are nearly nonexistent (0.2 per game on the season). He's not everybody's cup of tea and he really doesn't help you anywhere else, but if you have specific 3-point needs, Bonner is a nice player to plug into your starting lineup.
Daniel Gibson, PG/SG, Cavaliers (0.7 percent owned): With Ramon Sessions sent to the Lakers, Gibson should see more backup time at both guard spots in Cleveland. He's already at 1.6 3s per game for the season, with 1.8 per game over his past five, and if there's one thing he's been able to do with some consistency throughout his career, it's drain long-range shots. Now that his minutes should increase from 26.5 to around 30 per game, Gibson could easily average two 3s per game with about one steal. He's not a well-rounded player, but his opportunity to produce has improved since the trade deadline, as he should provide a steady long-range spark off the bench for the Cavs and see more looks than when he was splitting time with Sessions.

Steals

Nate Robinson, PG/SG, Warriors (26.5 percent owned): Robinson is another player whose stock has risen due to trades, as the absence of Monta Ellis in the Bay Area opens up serious playing time for the diminutive guard. His steals have been especially helpful of late, with 1.5 per game in March and 1.1 per game for the season in just 21.9 minutes per game. Only 22 players with more than 20 minutes per game have accrued more steals-per-minute than Robinson, and with the rumor that the team might shut down Stephen Curry for the rest of the season, Robinson has a prime opportunity to flex his statistical muscle. He'll consistently provide 3s, assists and steals and could see more than 30 minutes per game given the Warriors' roster composition. That makes him worth owning in all formats.
Metta World Peace, SF, Lakers (3.8 percent owned): The artist formerly known as Ron Artest is playing big minutes for the Lakers of late, with 32.9 minutes per game this month. That has provided him the opportunity to do what he does best on a more consistent basis. He's averaging 1.5 steals per game this month, with at least one steal in every March game but one. He also is averaging 1.3 3s per game this month, and with the type of minutes he's seeing recently, he should continue to produce in those categories. His percentages are terrible, but he doesn't take many shots, so it isn't especially harmful. If he continues seeing 30-plus minutes per game, World Peace should be around 1.5 steals with around 1.0 3s per game for the rest of the season.
 

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Dose: Isaiah Thomas Hot Again

Let’s dive right into the Dose with a team-by-team breakdown of each team in the league. The numbers after the team name represent their remaining weekly schedule. And for the full Injury Report, just click here.



Atlanta – 5-4-3-3-4-2 - Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia are hot and Kirk Hinrich is starting and playing well. All five look like great starts with five games this week. Marvin Williams has been out with a hip injury, and I’m going to ignore him for now.



Boston – 4-4-4-5-3-2 – Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Brandon Bass all look like strong plays, while Jermaine O’Neal’s season appears to be complete.



Charlotte – 3-4-4-5-4-3 – Corey Maggette is very iffy for Monday due to a bad back, and the shutdown’s wheels could be in motion. With three games this week, no Bobcats look like must-starts. But after that D.J. Augustin, Gerald Henderson, Bismack Biyombo, Maggette, and possibly Kemba Walker, Reggie Williams and Tyrus Thomas are all worth a look.



Chicago – 3-4-3-3-4-2 – The Bulls schedule isn’t great and Derrick Rose sounds doubtful for Monday with his groin injury, and might be out until Saturday, giving him a one-game week. Bench him if you can. C.J. Watson might be a sneaky play in his stead, while Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer are decent options, as usual. Deng plans on playing through his sore wrist, as Richard Hamilton continues to make slow progress from a shoulder injury, but has no target date for his return.



Cleveland – 4-4-4-5-4-3 – Anderson Varejao still doesn’t have a target date for his return from a wrist injury, so I have a hard time recommending he be held. Tristan Thompson is showing signs of playing well, but still hasn’t blown up. However, he did start at center on Sunday, so keep a close eye on him, as this move could be permanent. Kyrie Irving, Antawn Jamison, Alonzo Gee are looking like must-starts, while Daniel Gibson is starting to get solid minutes with Ramon Sessions out of town. He also started the second half of Sunday’s game over Anthony Parker, and could be a sneaky pickup if he ends up taking the job.



Dallas – 4-3-4-4-4-1 – Brendan Haywood will miss at least a week with a sprained knee, making Ian Mahinmi worth a look if you’re desperate at center. Jason Kidd and Roddy Beaubois are playing well as of late, and along with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, are the guys you want to play for Dallas. Shawn Marion was out Saturday with a sore knee, but should be back for their next game, which isn’t until Wednesday. And that will likely push Beaubois back to the bench.



Denver – 4-4-3-4-4-2 – The Nuggets finally signed Wilson Chandler, but I’m leery about his role with Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari already in the lineup. JaVale McGee should make his debut on Monday and with four games, Ty Lawson, Afflalo, Gallinari, a red-hot Kenneth Faried, and McGee should all be in starting lineups. Andre Miller, Al Harrington (who played through a sore knee on Saturday) and Chandler are also worth consideration in deeper leagues.



Detroit – 3-4-4-4-4-2 – The three games are a buzzkill for those of us in leagues where the playoffs start, but Greg Monroe is still nearly a must-start player. Rodney Stuckey cooled off on Sunday with just seven points on 1-of-8 shooting, but should be a safe play going forward, while Tayshaun Prince stayed hot with 20 points against the Clippers. Brandon Knight struggled on Sunday and isn’t a great option in a three-game week, while Jonas Jerebko and Jason Maxiell have become too unpredictable to be trusted.



Golden State – 5-4-4-4-5-2 – I dropped Stephen Curry on Sunday night to pick up George Hill, and didn’t feel too bad about it. I think Curry is going to be shut down for the year now that the tank is on. Nate Robinson, Klay Thompson, Dorell Wright and David Lee are all must-starts with five games, while Brandon Rush and Richard Jefferson should be decent options. And with that schedule, all of these guys should be owned in head-to-head leagues.



Houston – 3-4-3-4-5-1 – Goran Dragic and Luis Scola are suddenly the only sure bets in Houston, and I’ve got them on the bench in a weekly league with three games. Courtney Lee backed up a season-high 25 points with just two of them on Sunday, missing all eight of his shots. Kevin Martin’s missed four straight games with a shoulder injury, and his mystery date to return will keep Lee’s owners looking over their shoulders. Chase Budinger and Chandler Parsons have both had their moments of late, but Budinger is playing much better than Parsons, who is coming off a bout with the flu. And finally center Samuel Dalembert is now sharing time with Marcus Camby, hurting both of their fantasy value. As for Kyle Lowry, if you need healthy bodies right now and don’t have room to stash him, you’re simply going to be forced to drop him, as much as it might hurt. The last two transactions in my main league were: Drop Stephen Curry for George Hill & and Drop Kyle Lowry for Richard Jefferson. Funny (and sad), huh?



Indiana – 4-5-4-4-4-2 – The Pacers have a golden schedule the rest of the way so Danny Granger, Paul George, David West (who is struggling) and Roy Hibbert should all be rock solid, while Darren Collison and George Hill should be owned in all leagues. Tyler Hansbrough and Leandro Barbosa are also worth a look in many leagues. I have no idea if Mike Wells can predict the future, so whether or not Hill takes over the starting point guard duties for Collison happens or not, they should both be owned. I recently cut Stephen Curry for Hill, and wouldn’t mind see him taking Collison’s job at some point. Barbosa is expected to make his Pacers’ debut on Tuesday.



Clippers – 4-4-4-4-4-2 – Nick Young came off the bench and hit just 1-of-6 shots for nine points on Sunday, but also played 29 minutes. You have to think he replaces Randy Foye as the starting shooting guard soon. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are your sure bets with a great schedule, while slumpers Caron Butler and DeAndre Jordan are worth a look in many leagues. Mo Williams hit just 2-of-10 shots on Sunday and is probably ticked off at the arrival of Young, making Mo-Will a roll of the dice from here on out.



Lakers – 4-4-4-4-4-1 – The Lakers have a great schedule so Kobe Bryant (3-of-20 on Sunday), Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum remain must-starts, while Ramon Sessions has played fairly well in his two games for the Lakers. He came off the bench again on Sunday, but easily outplayed Steve Blake, and should take the starting gig soon. I’d continue to ignore Metta World Peace, but keep an eye on Matt Barnes, who played well on Sunday.



Memphis – 4-3-5-5-4-2 – That three-game week is going to be a hassle, but the back-to-back five-gamers are gold, Jerry! Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are auto-starts with four games, while O.J. Mayo and Tony Allen are worth a look – especially during those five-game weeks. Randolph still hasn’t started, but has looked good in his two games, and should render Marreese Speights useless going forward.



Miami – 3-4-4-4-5-2 – I own Wade across the board and am not thrilled with his three-game week, especially in my 30-team league, where I moved on to the Final 4 this week. But he’s still D-Wade and has to be started, along with LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Mario Chalmers is serviceable in four-game weeks, while James Jones and Shane Battier are worth a look in deep leagues with Mike Miller hurting. <!--RW-->



Milwaukee – 4-4-4-4-3-3 – The Bucks have a nice remaining schedule so keep Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Drew Gooden in most lineups. And keep an eye on Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who blew up for 22 points and 17 rebounds on Friday, when Ilyasova was out with the flu. Mike Dunleavy is still red-hot off the bench and should be owned in most leagues. Ekpe Udoh is going to play behind sizzling Gooden, and I’m not interested in owning him any longer.



Minnesota – 4-4-3-4-4-1 – Jose Juan Barea and Kevin Love got into it on the bench on Sunday, but cooler heads prevailed after the game. Luke Ridnour, Love and Nikola Pekovic, who missed Sunday with a sore knee, should all be owned and in starting lineups going forward. Pekovic’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious, and I plan on starting him this week, praying that he’ll play on Monday night. Derrick Williams played well with 16 points and nine boards off the bench, but has been very inconsistent recently, and Michael Beasley returned from a toe injury with 13 points and seven rebounds, also off the bench. Williams and Beasley are probably worth owning, but I’d weigh options carefully before starting either of them.



New Jersey – 4-4-4-3-3-2 – Deron Williams returned from his calf injury on Saturday and had 20 points and 12 assists, so the shutdown isn’t a major threat of happening just yet. Jordan Farmar is due back from a groin injury on Monday, but isn’t an exciting option now that Williams is back. MarShon Brooks continues to start at shooting guard, but has been struggling, and isn’t helped by the arrival of Gerald Wallace, who had 11 points in 37 minutes on Saturday. Starting center Shelden Williams suffered a shoulder stinger on Saturday, but played through it. The bottom line in Jersey is that Deron Williams, Wallace and Kris Humphries are must-start players, while Gerald Green, Brooks, Anthony Morrow (20 points on Saturday) and Shelden Williams are all worth a watchful eye. Green was signed for the rest of the season on Sunday and is somehow averaging 19 points and 1.6 3-pointers over his last five games. I don’t trust him, but picking him up and throwing him out there could help you win this week. Morrow is playing well again, hitting double figures in four of his last five, but he’s hard to trust coming off the bench and with Green coming on and Farmar returning.



New Orleans – 3-5-3-4-4-2 – The three-game week isn’t great, but Jarrett Jack, Trevor Ariza and Chris Kaman are all worth a look as starters. Marco Belinelli, Greivis Vasquez and Gustavo Ayon will be popular pick-and-plays for the following five-game week, while Emeka Okafor remains without a target return date from his mysterious knee injury (I am guessing he’s done). As for Eric Gordon, I am not sure whether or not we’ll see him again this season, and am not holding him in any of my leagues, either.



New York – 4-4-3-4-4-2 – Guess what? Jeremy Lin is still an effective point guard, going for 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and a block on Saturday, as the Knicks improved to 3-0 under Mike Woodson. Baron Davis is hoping to return from his hamstring injury on Tuesday, but is only worth a look in deeper leagues, if at all. Lin, Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler are your must-starts, while J.R. Smith, Landry Fields, Iman Shumpert and Steve Novak are your fringe fantasy players.



Oklahoma City – 4-3-4-4-4-2 – There’s not much to say about the Thunder, as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka can be started blindly in fantasy leagues. However, Harden jammed a finger on Sunday, but played through it, hitting just 1-of-7 shots. He appears to be OK, and I am going to run him out there this week unless we get bad news on Monday.



Orlando – 3-4-3-4-4-2 – Jameer Nelson is suddenly hot for the Magic, but is a little iffy to start with just three games this week. Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson and Dwight Howard are your other usual suspects, but only Howard, and maybe Anderson, are must-starts with three games. Anderson was suspiciously quiet on Sunday with five points on 2-of-6 shooting, Turkoglu was just 1-of-5 for two points, and Howard failed to block a shot in a loss to the Heat. I expect all of them to bounce back, but just weigh options carefully if games played matter. J.J. Redick is worth a look, but isn’t a great option now that J-Rich is back. Nelson was poked in the eye on Sunday, but played through it and should be fine.



Philadelphia – 4-3-4-3-4-3 – The schedule isn’t great, but with four games this week, Jrue Holiday (30 points on Saturday), Evan Turner, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young should all be in starting lineups. Spencer Hawes is back from his Achilles injury, but is seeing limited run. He’s not allowed to play in back-to-backs, but the Sixers don’t have one this week. Nikola Vucevic isn’t a great center option, and there’s a chance Hawes could play in all four games for the Sixers, starting on Monday.



Phoenix – 4-3-4-4-4-2 – The Suns are coming off a five-game week when Jared Dudley and Channing Frye went off, but Dudley crashed to earth with just four points on 1-of-4 shooting as Michael Redd caught fire off the bench. Redd hit 10-of-13 shots and three 3-pointers, but I’m not taking the bait. Dudley should bounce back, while Steve Nash, Frye and Marcin Gortat are also must-starts, with Grant Hill looking like a solid play for the Suns. They do go back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday, but my guess is that Hill, who had 10 points, five boards and seven assists on Sunday, plays in both.



Portland – 4-4-4-4-3-2 – Nicolas Batum disappeared on Sunday with six points, six rebounds and nothing else, but also played 40 minutes in a loss to the Thunder. I’m starting him over Carmelo Anthony in the playoffs in one league this week, and am hoping he bounces back. Raymond Felton, Wesley Matthews, Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge are all must-starts until further notice, while Jamal Crawford should be solid after going for 23 points and three 3-pointers on Sunday. Joel Przybilla had six points, 11 boards and two blocks in another start, and should at least be on fantasy radar going forward.



Sacramento – 3-4-5-4-3 – Isaiah Thomas bounced back in a big way this week and is averaging 17 points. 2.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, a steal and 2.5 3-pointers over his last four games. None of the Kings are must-starts with three games this week, but Thomas, Marcus Thornton and DeMarcus Couins will be must-starts once this one’s over. Tyreke Evans missed another game with an ankle injury (which has helped Thomas), leaving him iffy for Tuesday. I’d play it safe and bench him in weekly leagues. Jason Thompson is suddenly hot for the Kings, averaging 18 points, 13 boards and a steal over his last three games, and he could be a difference maker in the playoffs.



San Antonio – 4-3-4-4-5-3 – Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are going to be risky starts for much of the rest of the season, as the Spurs play back-to-backs in 18 of their remaining 23 games. This week they go on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and then play on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. With four games, Parker, Duncan and Manu are all worth a close look, but it’s very possible that Gregg Popovich sits them all down for one game this week. Stephen Jackson (33 years old) is back in action and had five points in 17 minutes on Saturday, and should limit Kawhi Leonard’s fantasy appeal on most nights, but could also see some surprise DNPs. Start all Spurs at your own risk going forward, including DeJuan Blair and Tiago Splitter, who will share minutes at center.



Toronto – 4-4-4-4-3-2 – Jose Calderon is due back on Tuesday from an ankle injury, which could slow the roll of Jerryd Bayless, who is hot. I’d plan on starting Calderon, Bayless, DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani this week, while Amir Johnson and James Johnson are worth a look in most leagues. Linas Kleiza and Ed Davis also deserve a watchful eye going forward. Watch for an update on Calderon on Monday before locking him in.



Utah – 4-4-4-4-3-2 – Al Jefferson missed a couple games due to a funeral, but should be back this week, meaning Derrick Favors strong play will be rewarded with a return to the bench. Gordon Hayward disappeared on Sunday, with Alec Burks getting some of his minutes, but he is still a worthy fantasy consideration, while Devin Harris (12 & 9 Sunday), Paul Millsap and Jefferson are must-starts. Other guys to consider in addition to Hayward are Josh Howard and C.J. Miles, both worth a look depending on your league.



Washington – 4-4-4-4-3-3 – John Wall, Jordan Crawford and Trevor Booker are all must-starts, while Nene is expected to debut on Wednesday against the Nets. The Wizards go back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday, and then again on Monday & Tuesday, and Thursday & Friday, so I’m not thrilled with the idea of putting Nene into lineups. Kevin Seraphin has been playing well at center, but the debut of Nene should at least mean a timeshare for the duo
 

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Dunleavy Dynamic

As predictable as some aspects of this season have been, other story lines have blatantly defied logic. One such instance is the recent resurgence of Mike Dunleavy, who has played an average of just 49 games the past three seasons (and would figure to be breaking down late in this condensed season), yet has just completed his most productive five-game stretch since April 2008, averaging 20.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 5.2 apg and 2.4 3s over the last eight days, including a monstrous 24 points in just 19 minutes of a blowout win over his former team (the Warriors) on Friday.

The caveats with Dunleavy are that he’s no guarantee to stay healthy, does very little in the way of defensive stats (0.4 spg, 0.2 bpg in his last five) and is producing despite coming off the bench as part of a crowded wing rotation. With that said, sometimes you’ve gotta ignore those those pesky little facts and simply focus on the numbers. And with that sentiment in mind, I wouldn’t hesitate to start Dunleavy (four games this week) in hopes that the unexpected resurgence has a little bit more fuel left.

Speaking of resurgences, is Dorell Wright all the way back? One of fantasy basketball’s biggest disappointments for the first two and a half months of the season, Wright has posted 16.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.0 bpg and 3.0 treys in his last five games. On the one hand, I’m inclined to think it’s not sustainable, as Wright has shot a scalding 15-of-31 on 3s during this run. Furthermore, he has still gotten just 10.4 FG attempts per game in his last five (as opposed to 14.0 FG attempts per game last year), so it’s not like his role has suddenly changed significantly. However, trade of Follow me on Twitter: @MattStroup

Meanwhile, just in case you weren’t already, it’s time to take Alonzo Gee seriously. Over his last seven games, Gee has posted 16.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.6 spg, 0.6 bpg and 1.1 3s, making him the No. 26 overall player on Basketball Monster’s 9-category leaderboard during that streak. Let those numbers – and Gee’s average of 33 minutes per game in his last seven – be a reminder that Cleveland’s starting SF is a must-own (and in many formats, must-start) player for the stretch run.

I’m not yet ready – nor am I likely to become ready – to buy in on Jason Thompson. Sacramento’s starting PF is certainly playing well at the moment (18.3 ppg, 13.3 rpg, 1.0 spg in his last three games), but don’t be fooled by those stats. Thompson is capable of nice short-term runs like this, but is averaging a mediocre 9.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 0.6 bpg in 29 games as a starter, and is too foul-prone and inconsistent to bring you anything other than frustration in the long run.

These are not the most fun times for MarShon Brooks. The man with a capital “S” in the middle of his first name has been flat-out diSappointing lately, posting just 7.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg and 3.0 apg in his last four, and 10.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg and 2.9 apg through 10 games in March. The problem, as I see it, is twofold: 1) The Nets are suddenly quite crowded at SG/SF with Gerald Wallace, Gerald Green and Anthony Morrow, and 2) Avery Johnson tends to pull Brooks from the game pretty quickly when he makes mistakes. I still like Brooks’ potential, and do think he has a chance to break out of this, but I wouldn’t hesitate to drop him if there are productive free agents available.

And since we mentioned Gerald Green, his recent production is worth noting: 18.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.2 spg and 1.6 treys in his last five games. It’s a pretty inspired run for a guy who last played in the NBA in 2008-09, but – and I hate to be a buzzkill, but you knew there was a “but” here – he’s been hitting seemingly every jumper he takes lately, and I don’t see him staying this hot for the long run. Green is certainly useful in deeper formats while he’s getting this kind of run (26 minutes per game in his last five), but his recent pace (57.4 percent shooting during his hot streak) really isn’t close to sustainable.

And while we’re on the topic of Geralds (and in a record third straight paragraph about Nets), I was hoping to see more of the old Gerald Wallace in New Jersey, but… The Wallace I watched on Saturday looked way too much like the Wallace we saw in Portland this year: occasionally spectacular (three blocks, including one monstrous rejection off the backboard), but overall too passive on offense (11 points, three rebounds, three assists on 3-of-9 shooting). Obviously it’s just one game, and hopefully Wallace will wake up more as he gets acclimated, but I’m not convinced that the move to New Jersey will definitely mean a notable increase in value.

Other Random Thoughts: Nicolas Batum is struggling lately (9.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 0.6 spg, 0.6 bpg, 1.0 3s in his last seven games), but the minutes are there (32 per game during that stretch), and he’s way too dynamic and versatile to continue struggling like this … Marcin Gortat is suddenly having major problems from the line: 38.5 percent – 10-of-26 – in his last five games. Confidence from the free throw line is a delicate thing, but I’m guessing it won’t remain a long-term issue for Gortat … Don’t beat yourself up too much if you ran into Channing Frye in a head-to-head league last week. He shot an obscene 18-of-34 from downtown, averaging 18.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg and 3.6 treys in five games.
 

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Weekly Dish: Wilson Chandler back

By Brian McKitish | Special to ESPN.com

It's been a busy week for sports fans, and at this stage of the season, fantasy basketball has perhaps taken a back seat to NCAA brackets and fantasy baseball drafts. But with a little more than a month left to play in the NBA regular season, there is still plenty of hoops to be played.


The biggest news in the fantasy hoops world this week was the NBA trade deadline, of course. My colleague, John Cregan, did a tremendous job of breaking down the trades, so I'll try my best to avoid repeating that analysis. Instead, my thoughts on the trades should be clearly noted by the swings in value in this week's Top 130.


As we inch closer to the end of the year, you will notice some major movement in the Top 130 rankings as injuries and hot/cold streaks carry more weight in a shorter time span. With that said, let's take a look at some of the biggest non-trade movers in this week's rankings update.


The Top 130


Note: Brian McKitish's top 130 players are ranked for their fantasy value from this point forward in the 2011-12 NBA season. Previous rank is indicated in parentheses.1. LeBron James, SF, MIA (1)
2. Kevin Durant, SF, OKC (2)
3. Chris Paul, PG, LAC (3)
4. Kevin Love, PF, MIN (4)
5. Dwyane Wade, SG, MIA (5)
6. Russell Westbrook, PG, OKC (6)
7. Dwight Howard, C, ORL (7)
8. Kobe Bryant, SG, LAL (8)
9. Deron Williams, PG, NJ (9)
10. Derrick Rose, PG, CHI (10)
11. Josh Smith, PF/SF, ATL (11)
12. Al Jefferson, C/PF, UTAH (12)
13. Pau Gasol, PF/C, LAL (13)
14. LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C, POR (14)
15. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, DAL (15)
16. John Wall, PG, WSH (20)
17. Andrew Bynum, C, LAL (18)
18. Monta Ellis, PG/SG, GS (16)
19. Marc Gasol, C, MEM (19)
20. Carmelo Anthony, SF, NY (34)
21. Blake Griffin, PF, LAC (22)
22. Ty Lawson, PG/SG, DEN (23)
23. Rudy Gay, SF, MEM (24)
24. Marcin Gortat, C, PHO (25)
25. Greg Monroe, PF/C, DET (26)
26. DeMarcus Cousins, PF/C, SAC (27)
27. Steve Nash, PG, PHO (28)
28. Paul Millsap, PF, UTAH (29)
29. Rajon Rondo, PG, BOS (31)
30. David Lee, PF/C, GS (35)
31. Paul Pierce, SF/SG, BOS (30)
32. James Harden, SG, OKC (32)
33. Marcus Thornton, SG, SAC (33)
34. Kyrie Irving, PG, CLE (37)
35. Ryan Anderson, PF, ORL (36)
36. Tony Parker, PG, SA (42)
37. Zach Randolph, PF, MEM (72)
38. Brandon Jennings, PG, MIL (39)
39. Serge Ibaka, C/PF, OKC (41)
40. Joe Johnson, SG/SF, ATL (50)
41. Nicolas Batum, SF/SG, POR (43)
42. Danny Granger, SF, IND (38)
43. Andre Iguodala, SF/SG, PHI (44)
44. Gerald Wallace, SF/PF, NJ (55)
45. Joakim Noah, C/PF, CHI (49)
46. Kevin Garnett, PF/C, BOS (52)
47. Jeremy Lin, PG, NY (40)
48. JaVale McGee, C, DEN (45)
49. Roy Hibbert, C, IND (46)
50. Tyreke Evans, PG/SG/SF, SAC (47)
51. Mike Conley, PG, MEM (48)
52. Nikola Pekovic, C, MIN (61)
53. Kris Humphries, PF, NJ (51)
54. Amare Stoudemire, C/PF, NY (60)
55. Chris Bosh, PF/C, MIA (53)
56. Luol Deng, SF, CHI (56)
57. Carlos Boozer, PF, CHI (57)
58. Evan Turner, SG, PHI (71)
59. Manu Ginobili, SG, SA (54)
60. Tyson Chandler, C, NY (59)
61. Danilo Gallinari, SF/PF, DEN (66)
62. Drew Gooden, PF, MIL (65)
63. Paul George, SF/SG, IND (62)
64. Andrea Bargnani, C/PF, TOR (63)
65. Antawn Jamison, PF, CLE (64)
66. Jason Terry, SG, DAL (67)
67. Nene, C/PF, WSH (69)
68. Luke Ridnour, PG, MIN (82)
69. Ersan Ilyasova, SF/PF, MIL (70)
70. Ray Allen, SG, BOS (68)
71. Kyle Lowry, PG, HOU (17)
72. Kevin Martin, SG, HOU (58)
73. Jarrett Jack, PG/SG, NO (74)
74. Jrue Holiday, PG, PHI (75)
75. Jordan Crawford, SG, WSH (96)
76. Jose Calderon, PG, TOR (76)
77. Tim Duncan, PF/C, SA (77)
78. DeAndre Jordan, C, LAC (73)
79. Jared Dudley, SF/SG, PHO (79)
80. Chris Kaman, C, NO (87)
81. Rodney Stuckey, PG/SG, DET (90)
82. Nate Robinson, PG/SG, GS (NR)
83. Channing Frye, PF/C, PHO (85)
84. Ramon Sessions, PG, LAL (NR)
85. Lou Williams, PG/SG, PHI (78)
86. Klay Thompson, SG, GS (NR)
87. Luis Scola, PF, HOU (80)
88. Wilson Chandler, SF/SG, DEN (103)
89. Jeff Teague, PG, ATL (84)
90. Raymond Felton, PG, POR (91)
91. Brandon Knight, PG/SG, DET (92)
92. Isaiah Thomas, PG, SAC (95)
93. Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, POR (119)
94. DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF, TOR (93)
95. Arron Afflalo, SG, DEN (88)
96. David West, PF, IND (86)
97. D.J. Augustin, PG, CHA (98)
98. Mo Williams, PG, LAC (89)
99. Jameer Nelson, PG, ORL (106)
100. Al Harrington, PF, DEN (81)
101. Corey Maggette, SF, CHA (100)
102. Jamal Crawford, SG/PG, POR (94)
103. Gerald Henderson, SG, CHA (110)
104. Jason Richardson, SG, ORL (101)
105. Elton Brand, PF, PHI (102)
106. Caron Butler, SF, LAC (97)
107. Nick Young, SG, LAC (105)
108. Andre Miller, PG, DEN (99)
109. Thaddeus Young, SF/PF, PHI (107)
110. Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, CHA (109)
111. Alonzo Gee, SG/SF, CLE (NR)
112. Devin Harris, PG, UTAH (111)
113. Goran Dragic, PG, HOU (NR)
114. MarShon Brooks, SG, NJ (83)
115. Stephen Jackson, SG/SF, SA (NR)
116. Mario Chalmers, PG, MIA (104)
117. Darren Collison, PG, IND (112)
118. Jason Kidd, PG, DAL (113)
119. Hedo Turkoglu, SF, ORL (114)
120. Trevor Ariza, SF/SG, NO (115)
121. Kenneth Faried, PF, DEN (121)
122. Derrick Williams, PF, MIN (126)
123. Anderson Varejao, PF/C, CLE (117)
124. Kemba Walker, PG, CHA (118)
125. Dorell Wright, SF, GS (NR)
126. Richard Jefferson, SF, GS (NR)
127. James Johnson, SF/PF, TOR (120)
128. Samuel Dalembert, C, HOU (108)
129. Gordon Hayward, SG/SF, UTAH (128)
130. Shawn Marion, SF/PF, DAL (122)




Wilson Chandler, SG/SF, Denver Nuggets: After signing a five-year deal Sunday, Chandler should be available as early as Monday for the revamped Nuggets lineup. As one of the league's more versatile players, Chandler should be able to help both the Nuggets and fantasy owners almost immediately. His presence makes things a little more complicated in Denver as he'll have to fight for minutes and touches with Danilo Gallinari, Aaron Afflalo, and Al Harrington, but I expect him to step in and earn nearly 30 minutes right away. Minutes will mostly come at the expense of Corey Brewer and Rudy Fernandez, but Afflalo and Harrington will likely see a decrease in minutes and production as well. I like Chandler, who averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.2 3-pointers in 21 games for the Nuggets last season, the best of the group after Gallinari.


Carmelo Anthony, SF, New York Knicks: Melo has had a rough few weeks, but despite the struggles, he's still averaging a versatile 17.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.2 3-pointers over his past five games. I don't think I've ever written this as a fantasy analyst, but Anthony should actually benefit from the departure of Mike D'Antoni, as they never quite meshed. New head coach Mike Woodson wants him be more of a focal point of the offense, and Anthony should be able to return to posting 22-23 points per game with around 6-7 rebounds and 3-4 assists per game under Woodson.


Amare Stoudemire, PF/C, New York Knicks: I'm not nearly as confident in Amare as I am in Melo, mostly because I think Amare has lost a step and has had a hard time finding his way with Tyson Chandler in town, but I have to admit that I like Mike Woodson's plans to make Melo and Amare the focal point of the offense in New York. Amare should at least be able to provide Chris Bosh-like stats as the Knicks will look to give him more shot attempts in the paint.


Jeremy Lin, PG, New York Knicks: Is Linsanity over? Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that he can't still be an effective fantasy point guard. Think about it, he's still running the point for a team that has some of the league's best finishers, and his biggest threat for playing time is the oft-injured Baron Davis. With 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.6 steals over his past five games, Lin hasn't been as effective as he was at the start, but owners would be wise to take a wait-and-see approach on Lin's value with Mike Woodson at the helm.


Joe Johnson, SG/SF, Atlanta Hawks: Johnson has caught fire, averaging 24.0 points, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 3.2 3-pointers in six games since returning from a knee injury. JJ had been in a bit of a shooting slump dating back to last season, but he's playing his best ball of the year now that he's found his touch again. With only a little over a month left in the season, Johnson looks primed for a big finish as the Hawks battle for playoff positioning in the East.


Luke Ridnour, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves: Ridnour made an appearance in the Top 130 last week after we learned of Ricky Rubio's injury, he but gets a major bump here for what he's done with the opportunity. Ridnour might not be flashy, but who needs flashy when you're averaging 12.8 points, 9.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 3-pointers per game over your past five games? He's always been great at creating scoring opportunities for his teammates, and he should be able to hand out assists in bunches with a couple of very efficient offensive players in Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic at his disposal. With Rubio out for the season, and the Wolves fighting for the last playoff spot in the West, Ridnour figures to finish strong down the stretch.


Rodney Stuckey, PG/SG, Detroit Pistons: Stuckey has quietly posted 24.2 points, 5.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.0 3-pointers in nine games since the All-Star break, and he continues to climb in the rankings as a result. While I think he may be playing a bit over his head, there is no denying that Stuckey is a talented offensive player. He's begun to develop a nice chemistry with backcourt mate Brandon Knight, so he could certainly continue to play at a high level the rest of the way.


Indiana Pacers: After losing six of their last eight, the entire Pacers lineup (aside from George Hill) is in a bit of a funk at the moment. Roy Hibbert, who had been struggling mightily, bounced back with a 24-point, 12-rebound effort against the Knicks on Saturday, and I expect Granger and Paul George to follow suit sometime in the near future. Darren Collison and David West owners shouldn't get their hopes up, though. George Hill and Leandro Barbosa will cut into Collison's minutes if he doesn't turn things around soon, and West has been streaky at best this season.



Goran Dragic, PG, Houston Rockets: With limited news coming out of Houston, it's hard to say just how much longer Kyle Lowry will be out of action with a bacterial infection. Luckily for the Rockets, they have one of the league's best backup point guards in Goran Dragic, who has averaged 14.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.2 3-pointers per game over his past five games. With Lowry out, Dragic is a top-10 fantasy point guard, and given his solid play, I wouldn't be surprised if he continues to earn around 25 minutes per game after Lowry's return.


Alonzo Gee, SG/SF, Cleveland Cavaliers: Gee has had moderate value for much of the season thanks to his high steal rate in limited minutes, but he's turned into a must-add after seeing an increase in playing time over the past month. With 13.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.0 3-pointers in 32 minutes in nine games this month, Gee has made the most of his opportunity in Cleveland. His defensive intensity and strong play of late should keep him locked into the starting lineup the rest of the way.
 

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