An early season, fantasy basketball management guide.
After a couple weeks into the 2010-2011 NBA season, there are already a few surprises in fantasy basketball, as well as many more things to look forward to. Players like Elton Brand and Rudy Gay have jumped out the gates to a fast start, while other players, like Gerald Wallace and David Lee have struggled early on. The question is who is it wise to hold onto and who should be dealt now. Here's an early season guide to managing a fantasy basketball team.
Buy Low
These are players who can probably be gotten for cheap right now.
- Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats - Wallace isn't getting the steals or blocks he's known for, but don't fret, he's also known for slow starts before picking it up big time after the All Star break. Try to trade for this guy now and sit on him until mid-to-late February.
- Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets - Lopez is shooting 39% from the field and is collecting just six boards per game. That doesn't sound like him, so it's hard to imagine the slump lasting even with Troy Murphy in the lineup. Try to lure him from a panicky manager.
- Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns - Nash doesn't seem like the motivated Nash from a year ago. He's even come out and said that the Suns probably won't make the playoffs. Don't be surprised to see his name in more and more trade rumors. Whether he's traded or now, however, it's hard to imagine this continuing slump, even though some would point out that he is 36 years old.
- Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets - Billups is another one who's followed the trend of late starts in the last few seasons. He seems to want to rely on the younger guys earlier on and then step in to a bigger role later in the season when more is on the line. He's getting up their in age, but his game isn't based on athleticism like some other stars who've had major drop offs with old age. Expect Billups to be more productive in the second half of the season.
- Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers - Keep a close eye on Iguodala. The Sixers are in a strange place with so much perimeter talent, and Andre's likely to be traded at some point. He's injured now, but that shouldn't last for too long. If he's traded, he could be an excellent pick up for later in the season.
- Nene Hilario, Denver Nuggets - If (when) Carmelo Anthony gets traded, Nene should have a bigger role. One of the best attributes he provided last season was 1.4 steals per game from a center.
- Antawn Jamison, Cleveland Cavaliers - Jamison is the odd man out in Cleveland, but he's a prime candidate to be traded. He still has a lot to contribute, so if he does get traded, he could be a nice addition. Keep an ear to the rumors and consider dealing for him cheap if it seems like he's going to be moved.
Sell, Sell, Sell! or Don't Bite!
These are players who may see a drop off after an early hot start.
- Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks - The new motion offense is having an effect on Johnson. This is more than just a slump.
- David Lee, Golden State Warriors - He probably won't shoot 43% from the field for the entire season, but the problem with Lee is that it's tough to see where he can improve. Last season, when he finished high in the fantasy rankings, he pretty much did so just on excellent scoring, rebounding, low turnovers and high percentages. While his percentages should improve, he's already rebounding and his turnovers are already low. He scored 20 ppg last season, but Lee was the focal point of the Knicks' offense much of the time last season. In Golden State, that role falls onto Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, which means one shouldn't expect his scoring to jump too drastically.
- Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers - He's playing pretty well now, but don't expect a fully healthy season. He just had fluid drained from his knees and Ron Artest contends that he's not 100%.
- Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls - Fantasy basketball is not the same as real life basketball, and while Rose's scoring and 9.2 apg are attractive, his turnovers are high and he doesn't do much else. Since he's never shown the ability to consistently collect steals or threes, he's probably not worth what a manager could get in return for him in a fantasy league.
- Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls - He's not likely to average 15, 15 and 2 when Boozer gets back in January, so depending on what can be gotten for Noah, he might be worth dealing.
- Emeka Okafor, New Orleans Hornets - Okafor's played well so far and the Hornets are hot, but he's bound to cool off - if just a bit - at some point.
- Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies - It's hard to know if Conley's hot start is legit or a fluke. He has the talent, but Zach Randolph (who commands the ball a lot) is back from injury and Conley probably won't maintain his 3.4 spg average.
- Wilson Chandler, New York Knicks - As Amar'e settles in with the Knicks and Danilo Gallinari gets more comfortable with his role, it's hard to think that Chandler, who's coming off the bench, will continue with this sort of consistency. Slip him into a package deal if it makes sense.
Copyright Phil Partington. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Phil Partington - Phil Partington is a writing enthusiast of many years and has been published in national magazines, web publications and other media ...
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