Oct 30^th Preseason Notes

Speedy Claxton finished the preseason with a game of 13 pts, 14 asts, and 5 steals. In four preseason games he averaged 11.5 pts, 6.5 asts, and 2.8 steals and will present a threat to the playing time of Chris Paul during the regular season particularly if Paul struggles as rookies often do.

Salim Stoudemire finished the preseason as the overall leader in three pointers made for the Hawks at 12 for 26. He may earn decent playing time for his skills in this area during the regular season.

Marc Jackson finished the preseason as the Nets scoring leader at 14.7 ppg which included 42-49 FT.

Nenad Krstic averaged 12.9 ppg in the preseason including 58% FG.

In 7 preseason games Eddie Curry led the Knicks in scoring and shot 67% FG. His FG% has historically been a strength for him.

Nate Robinson had had a good preseason ranking third in scoring for the Knicks and averaging 1.8 spg. However he will need to show me this during the regular season as I tend to doubt players as short as him can be effective for extended minutes in the NBA.

While Jarred Jeffries may end up as the starter for the Wizards he will have little fantasy value. The player to keep your eye on is Caron Butler as he has fantasy skills. Considering Butler outplayed Jeffries during the regular season I have to wonder what they are thinking about in Washington.

Jeff Foster will be out until Thanksgiving with an injury and my guess is that David Harrison will get plenty of playing time at C until then. Harrison was well enough to play in the Pacers final preseason game. Keep your eye on him.

Darko Milicic was given 38 mpg in his last preseason game and produced relatively modest numbers of 10 pts, 9 reb, and 1 bl.

Eddie Griffin was productive in the preseason averaging 1.6 treys and 2.4 blocks.

Andre Miller had an attention grabbing 15 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, and 6 stls in his final preseason game but I am concerned about him getting reduced playing time this season as the Nuggets now have two decent backups at point guard in Earl Boykins and Earl Watson.

Charles Smith shot 35% FG for the Blazers in the preseason and that was apparently enough to give him the starting SG job. Its going to be a tough year for the Blazers. If Smith gets playing time he appears to have the potential to contribute threes and steals but I suspect he will be part of a committee that restricts his playing time.

Kwame Brown finished the preseason at 10.6 ppg, 53% FG, 6.1 reb, and 0.5 bl. Although the blocks are a little subpar, he has done nothing to indicate he will not be bouncing back this season in LA.

Oct 28th Preseason Notes

This article is bullish on Charlie Villanueva. I would said I was among those doubting his abilities having listened to all of the criticism of his selection by the Raptors. What more motivation can a player need having gone through the experience described in this article.

An article published in the Houston Chronicle regarding Tracy McGrady having swelling was enough for me to lower his projections some. This could be nothing to be concerned about but some of the language in the article convinced me to react. The net result dropped McGrady about 5 draft spots. If McGrady is available late in your first round you may have a tough decision to make. McGrady has played in five of the Rockets eight preseason games averaging around 22 mpg.

Notes from yesterdays games:

Keith Van Horn had 22 points yesterday. He is fifth in scoring for the Mavs in the preseason at 10 ppg. Marquis Daniels has had a productive preseason averaging 12 pts and 2.1 steals.

Tim Duncan had 26 points including 10-15 FT, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 7 turnovers as he wanted the Spurs to avoid going 1-8 in the preseason. Duncan has the highest preseason rebound average in the NBA at 10 rpg.

Tony Parker had 23 points including 10-17 FG. He is second on the Spurs in scoring in the preseason. Nick Van Exel has been shooting 33% in the preseason with about half of his shots three pointers

Brent Barry had 21 points on 8-9 FG and 5-6 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. He is fourth in scoring for the Spurs in the preseason.

Chris Webber had 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 turnovers. Iverson did not play in this game. John Salmons started and had 13 pts, 5 ast, 4 reb, 2 st, and 1 bl.

Samuel Dalembert aggravated a right quadriceps injury and Steven Hunter stepped in and had 24 points including 9-15 FG and 8 rebounds including 5 offensive. He also had a clutch slam dunk late in the game. Should Dalembert's issues extend into the regular season Hunter would be worth consideration.

Chris Kaman had 13 points including 4-11 FG, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. He is averaging 9 pts, 7 reb, 1.5 bl, and 26.5 min in four preseason games.

Rashard Lewis had 25 points including 5-8 3-pointers and 5 rebounds. Overall in the preseason he is 11-20 3-pointers.

Salim Stoudemire is fifth in scoring for the Hawks in the preseason at 9.1 ppg ahead of Josh Smith and Marvin Willimas.

Pau Gasol had 22 points including 8-11 FG and 9 rebounds. He has been filling the stat sheet out nicely in the preseason.

Dwyane Wade had 25 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals. The TNT commentators indicated Wade had been vocal about wanting the ball more. This would bode well for his fantasy value to be demanding his touches.

J.R. Smith had 18 points including 4-8 3-pointers and 5 assists. He has incentive to play well with the impending arrival of Desmond Mason.

Bostjan Nachbar had 17 points including 4-10 3-pointers. He is second in scoring for the Hornets in the preseason and has been averaging 2 treys per game.

Speedy Claxton had 14 points and 7 assists as Chris Paul DNP.

Derek Anderson had 18 points including 8-11 FG. He has been fitting in with the Rockets in the preseason and could see decent minutes in the regular season.

Oct 27^th Preseason Notes

Grant Hill will be out 3-6 weeks after having surgery for a sports hernia. Hedo Turkoglu will see a spike in value over the first month of the season. He has hit the seventh highest number of treys in the preseason so far.

Al Jefferson played in his fourth preseason game and fouled out in 12 minutes but the important thing is that he is playing and should eventually improve this season. His numbers in the preseason are actually pretty good considering he is likely not 100%. For example, he is blocking 1.8 shots per game in only 17 mpg and he is 46% FG. The Celtics will likely start the season with Raef LaFrentz and Mark Blount starting. Jefferson will eat into the playing time of one or both of these players.

If Kenyon Martin misses games while he comes back from knee surgery, Nene may be the one who gets additional playing time. Yesterday Nene had 25 pts and 9 reb in 25 min. His new contract incentive has been previously discussed. He is shooting 66% FG in 4 preseason games but has not blocked a shot. In the regular season he should block at least a shot per game.

The fact that Jeff Foster may not be ready to go at the beginning of the season (Achilles) could translate into additional playing time for Danny Granger if the Pacers move Jermaine O’Neal over to center. Yesterday Granger had 13 pts, 7 reb, and 2 bl which was a bounce back from a previous poor game. However this could also translate into an opportunity for second year player David Harrison but he has a torn abdominal muscle. While this sounds serious to me, he is not expected to miss much time.

Kareem Rush bounced back from a previous poor preseason to shoot 11-15 for 26 pts including 3 treys. However despite this, Rush is a cumulative 34% FG in the preseason. Matt Carroll was only 1-7 FG. 

With Chris Duhon out with an injury, Ben Gordon got 10 assists but shot 0-7 from the field. Duhon though as not been ruled out to start the season as nothing major was found.

Wally Szczerbiak had 19 pts on 7-13 shooting. Kevin Garnett did not play due to a sore ankle. Typically a high percentage shooter Wally is 61% FG in his two preseason games.

Although not shooting particularly well so far, Marko Jaric has been impressing the Timberwolves coaches with 20 assists and only TO’s in three games.

TJ Ford had 22 pts, 10 ast, and 2 steals in 38 minutes yesterday. It would appear he will not have any lingering affects from his previous serious injury. Note though that his TO average is high with only Lebron and Steve Francis averaging more in the preseason.

Bonzi Wells had 21 pts and 10 reb in 33 min. However I hesitate to proclaim he has a lock on the SG spot for the Kings.

Through 7 preseason games Peja S is shooting 39% and Mike Bibby is shooting 32%. This is normally a strength in both their games. I see no reason to believe this will be a problem during the regular season however that may change as Bibby is getting his sore foot checked out.

Charlie Villanueva had 22 pts, 7 reb, 2 st, and 4 treys yesterday. He has been mostly consistent throughout the preseason with good performances for a rookie. I have adjusted his projections to include his demonstrated three point capabilities.

Cumulatively in the preseason James Jones has hit 22 treys more than anyone else in the NBA. Raja Bell is not far behind with 18. Mike Dunleavy made over 1 trey per game last season but in the preseason has been making over 2 per game. 

James Jones has the third highest preseason playing time average with Josh Childress and Joe Johnson of the Hawks in front of him.

Dwight Howard, Joel Przybilla and Andris Biedrins have the highest offensive rebound averages in the preseason. 

Oct 26^th Preseason Notes

Yesterday Jamaal Magloire had 12 pts, 15 reb, and 2 bl playing against Shaq.  The Hornets decided that's not good enough and then traded him to the Bucks who wanted give Andrew Bogut some help on the front line. Andrew Bogut was not showing the resource of blocks having only blocked 3 shots in 7 preseason games. With Magloire around he may not have as much of the resource of playing time. While the transition presents some risk for Magloire's fantasy value, I am anticipating minimal reductions in his value as a result of the trade. Bogut though will likely see a bigger hit as the Bucks also have Dan Gadzuric who can help the Bucks to bring Bogut along slowly.

Among other things, the Bucks gave up Desmond Mason whose future was not looking so bright in Milwaukee because of Bobby Simmons. Mason should see more playing time for the Hornets and this could come at the expense of second year player JR Smith. 

Chris Andersen may be the biggest beneficiary of the trade as he attempts to step in for Magloire. Consider in his last 4 games last season he averaged 11 pts, 10.5 reb, and 3.8 bl in only 24 minutes. Note that Andersen has played in only 3 preseason games so far because of an ankle sprain and that he has been somewhat injury prone through his four NBA seasons.  That being said I just gobbled him up as the my15th round pick in a 12 team draft.

Jumaine Jones was traded to Charlotte for a draft pick. As a result Gerald Wallace will likely see less playing time. Jones will probably play more but will likely continue to be a role player.

Kyle Korver has stated he is striving to become a more complete player which is good if he were to continue shooting 36% as he has in his first 7 preseason games. In 29 mpg he has averaged 3 assists and 1.4 steals in the preseason which is a step in the right direction.

In six preseason games Marc Jackson is 32-37 FT and leads the Nets in scoring average at 15 ppg.

Nazr Mohammed has played in only 3 of the Spurs 7 preseason games as he deals with some personal issues.  His per minute performance in those games has been decent so he should not be forgotten in late rounds of drafts in leagues that require centers.

Some other notes from yesterdays games:

Chris Paul had 9 ast in 19 minutes.

Sarunas Jasikivicius had 14 pts in 16 min including 3-3 three pointers.

Eddy Curry was 6-9 FG for 15 pts and had 9 rebs in 22 min.  However there have been some concerns expressed about his conditioning which may lead to more limited minutes at the beginning of the season. 

Danny Granger had 2 pts and 1 ast in 19 minutes and took some of the promise off of his previous preseason performances.

Smush Parker had 15 pts including 4 treys and 4 assists in 27 minutes as the Lakers starting PG.  Only Kobe played more minutes than him. He continues to present as a potential sleeper.

Desagana Diop had 10 reb, 4 bl, and 4 stl in 27 minutes.  Erick Dampier did not play because of a sore hip. I am still having a tough time using the S word with him though (the S word is sleeper).

Yesterday Ricky Davis had 24 pts in 30 minutes including 4-4 three pointers.  In the preseason Doc Rivers has indicated that Davis and Pierce are the Celtics only definite starters.  Last season Davis started only 11 games.  This could lead to him getting more minutes although he did average 33 minutes last season as a reserve primarily.

Oct 25^th Preseason Notes

I can't help but feel preseason injury news is like walking through a mine field. While most of the DNP's for minor strains and sprains will not extend into the regular season, sometime injuries that appeared minor in the preseason do extend into the regular season without much notice. On that note I read the following at www.ajc.com today.

Rookie forward Marvin Williams did not make the trip to Nashville. He stayed in Atlanta and had an MRI on his aching right knee Monday morning. The results came back without issue. Coach Mike Woodson said Williams should be available for the remaining two preseason games, against Memphis Thursday in Chattanooga and against New Orleans Friday in Columbus. "Marvin's fine," Woodson said. "We'll get him back on the floor at practice [today] and make sure we just watch his minutes in those last two games."

I am not suggesting Marvin Williams' knee (or Garnett's ankle) will be that injury that affects the regular season but there will be some cases LIKE this that do affect the regular season. I do not reduce projections based on news like this typically. 

 

Some exceptions to the above state though are as follows:

Carlos Boozer who missed an inordinate amount of time last season and is missing games in the preseason with a strained hamstring and Grant Hill's abdominal pain also concerns me for similar reasons.

 

Grant Hill's potential injury enhances the prospects of Hedo Turkoglu who has established himself this preseason as Orlando's primary three point threat. He has averaged over 2 treys per game in six preseason games. He also can hold his own in the steal category. 

 

Nene is a bit of a special player this season in that he is drooling over his upcoming new contract and thanking Samuel Dalembert for setting the bar high for those who are tall. He likely will not sign an extension in the next week and then be inspired to play for his new contract this season. To discover others with this magical incentive visit:

http://www.dfw.net/~patricia/contracts

 

In five preseason games Carmelo Anthony has averaged 27.6 mpg, 19.4 ppg, 3.6 apg, 1 trey, 1.8 spg, and 53% FG. What has encouraged me about this performance in particular is the assist and steal contributions where last year in 34.8 mpg he averaged 2.6 apg and 0.9 spg. This is mediocre for a player with Anthony's potential. So I now think he can exceed the early assist and steal projections that I have made for him. Perhaps being a spectator to last years All-Star game in HIS HOUSE has inspired him.

 

The following article has many positive things to say about Caron Butler.

washington post article

 

In the preseason Jake Tskalidis and Lorenzen Wright have each been getting around 19 mpg in the preseason however Jake is making 58% of his FG attempts compared to 29% for Wright. On another note, recall that last season 10 players played at least 50 games and averaged over 20 mpg for the Grizzlies with Gasol maxing out at 32 mpg. This results in quite a bit of individual fantasy mediocrity. However with all the moves in the offseason it will be interesting to see if playing time distribution changes results in some unexpected fantasy surprises. 

 

In six preseason games Zaza Pachulia is getting to the line at a pretty good rate and is 27-32 FT for 84%. Last season he shot 75%. 

 

I have taken Travis Outlaw off the sleeper list as he just isn't being given many minutes in the preseason. Darius Miles would appear to be the main reason. Yesterday he played just 10 minutes and did not score.

 

While the young rookie Yaroslav Korolev has played in all seven Clipper preseason games he has demonstrated his time is a couple years off for being productive.

Oct 24^th Preseason Notes

Knicks SF/SG Quentin Richardson has missed 3 of the Knicks 5 preseason games with a strained hamstring and may not be ready for the beginning of the season. Trevor Ariza would likely start in his place. It would be wise for now to neglect the potential short term increase in value for Ariza when drafting.

James Posey has a sprained thumb and will likely miss the beginning of the season. Antoine Walker would start in his place. 

It now appears Shaun Livingston will miss up to a month due to his back injury.

Rafeal Araujo led the Raptors yesterday with 17 pts, 8 reb, and 2 st. He was considered a bust last year as a rookie but it is too early to dismiss him entirely yet. Of note he is 16-16 FT in the preseason and shot 78% FT last year.

The Cavaliers were looking for three point shooters in the offseason and so far Mike James is leading the team in treys made with 13. This skill should bode well for his playing time compared to Eric Snow.

Chris Paul had 26 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, and 4 stl yesterday and seems to be the likely rookie to have the most fantasy value this season.

Desagana Diop is one of four Mavericks to play in all five preseason games. He has averaged 1.7 bpg in 17 mpg and with Shawn Bradley's retirement may have some value in deeper five category PARSB roto leagues.

With Antawn Jamison sitting out, Jared Jeffries and Caron Butler both started for the Wizards. During the regular season one of the two will start and Butler's 22 pts and 3 steals on this night was far superior to Jeffries who had 2 pts in 23 minutes. Prior to yesterday Jeffries had been more productive. Based on Jeffries past history, he won't have much value even if he ends up starting so seeing the impact he may have on Butler is what is important at this time.

In four preseason games Stromile Swift has averaged 26 min, 15 pts, 6.5 reb, and 2.2 bl.

In three preseason games Matt Carroll (Cha) has averaged 15.7 ppg and hit 8 treys. Primoz Brezec is also having a decent preseason for Charlotte averaging 12 pts, 7 reb, and 1 bl in 28 mpg.

Smush Parker is third on the Lakers in scoring average in the preseason and is shooting over 50%. He may warrant late round consideration if he appears to retain his spot as the starter at PG.

It is my guess that the emergence of James Jones and Raja Bell will take its toll on the fantasy value of Jim Jackson. Jackson is 7^th on the Suns in scoring average in the preseason.

Kings guard Kevin Martin was given 42 minutes of playing time and responded with 15 pts, 9 reb, and 5 stl. This would not be good news for Bonzi Wells who did not play yesterday.

Oct 23^rd Preseason News

Al Harrington is leading the Hawks in scoring in the preseason at 21.8 ppg and this includes 9-13 three pointers. Last season Harrington had 16 three pointers is 66 games. While his value would increase in roto leagues if he all of a sudden starting making threes I would speculate he will fall back to making 25% of his attempts as usual.

Dwight Howard has been the Magic’s best player in the preseason leading them in scoring, rebounding, and FG%. He has struggled from the line shooting 63%. I have not increased his projections much as he seems to be on pace for what I had expected from him as an emerging player.

Jeff McInnis returned to action and Jason Kidd was given the night off. If McInnis is healthy, he may serve to take a small bite out of Kidd’s minutes during the regular season.

Ryan Gomes led the Celtics in scoring as he was given a little extra playing time playing in his home state of CT. He is leading the Celtics in the preseason in offensive rebounds but is making less than 40% of his shots and has not been blocking many shots.

Shaq has been 16-35 FT in the preseason for 46%.

James Posey may start for the Heat but likely is there for defense and won’t get too many touches. In the preseason he is third in playing time but tenth in scoring for the Heat.

Delonte West is averaging 1.8 spg in the preseason in only 21 mpg. He has the potential to help fantasy teams out in this category.

In a game in which the regulars got more playing time than in past preseason games, Darko Milicic played only 14 mpg suggesting that he may not crack the 20 mpg mark this season.

Marko Jaric played 35 minutes and had 6 pts, 7 ast, 2 st, and 2 bl. He seems to be salvaging his status as a potential sleeper later in the preseason.

Eddie Griffin has been showing his potential to have fantasy value despite limited playing time by making contributions in the block and trey categories. He had 6 blocks yesterday.

In what appeared to be nearly a regular season rotation, TJ Ford played 35 minutes and Maurice Williams played 19 minutes for the Bucks.

Channing Frye had 19 pts, 8 reb, 2 stl, and 2 bl and Jerome James has already demonstrated he will be a non-factor for the Knicks. The biggest issue now affecting Frye’s fantasy potential will be how many minutes Eddie Curry will be able to play.

Although he has played only 14 mpg in the preseason, potential sleeper Travis Outlaw is second in scoring for the Blazers in the preseason. He can make contributions in the steal category as well.

Nick Collison has had a respectable preseason including 17 pts and 10 reb yesterday however his role in the regular season is not certain.

With Troy Murphy, Adonal Foyle, and Ike Diogu not playing, Andris Biedrins had 8 pts, 12 reb, and 2 bl yesterday.

Shaun Livingston’s back injury appears it may affect his ability to start the regular season.

Oct 22^nd Preseason Notes

Charlie Villaneuva is 5-11 in three pointers in four preseason games. Having three point capabilities enhances his games.

Alvin Williams has played in two preseason games as he attempts to recover from microfracture surgery. He may serve as a further threat to Mike James’ fantasy value.

It now appears the Delonte West will be the starting Celtic point guard over Dan Dickau partly due to his defensive skills.

John Salmons had another great games with 25 pts, 7 ast, and 3 steals but once again it came because Iverson was not playing. Should Iverson have injury issues with his knee in the regular season Salmons would be a player to look for.

Nenad Krstic is shooting 56% in the preseason and is fourth on the Nets in scoring. He should start for them at center. Has not shown many shot blocking skills in the preseason. But he should provide 1 block per game usually.

Trevor Ariza had 13 pts on 6-7 FG, 5 reb, and 2 stl last night. Although as a small forward he does not contribute three pointers.

Damien Wilkens is fourth in scoring and field goal attempts in the preseason for the Sonics and is a player to keep your eye in the regular season to see if he breaks into the playing rotation.

Matt Carroll had 21 points and 3 treys in 24 minutes last night. The player projected in front of him, Kareem Rush, has led the Bobcats in field goals attempts in the preseason but ranks ELEVENTH in scoring as he has made only 24% of his shots.

Oct 21^st Preseason Notes

Andre Iguodala had 15 pts, 6 stl, 2 bl, 7 ast, and 5 reb in 39 minutes. This is perhaps a preview of what can be expected from him this season.

Although Raymond Felton had 12 pts and 10 assists last night, comparing his numbers to Brevin Knight shows Knight to be the better player for the Bobcats so far.

Matt Carroll showed some potential for the Bobcats at the end of last season but just played his first preseason game last night. He had 11 pts in 22 minutes.

Other than free throw shooting, Jared Jeffries has had a strong preseason. In particular he is averaging 3.5 apg in four games. For his career he is averaging only 1.5 apg. Last night he had 18 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast, and 2 st.

Michael Ruffin has been averaging 8 rebounds in only 18.5 mpg in four preseason games.

Antawn Jamison has been off in the preseason shooting 24% from the field. However there is no reason to think this would extend into the regular season.

Maciej Lampe played 36 minutes and contributed 23 pts, 12 reb, and 2 bls. He has been one of the better players for the Hornets in the preseason averaging 12 pts and 6 reb in 24 minutes. Only JR Smith is averaging more points. 

Chris Paul has been averaging 7 apg in four preseason games but shooting only 32%.

In four preseason games Danny Granger has averaged 13 pts, 9 reb, 1.3 bl, and 1.3 stl. Still I am a little hesitant to declare he will have such value in the regular season. He certainly is warranting a later round pick though.

Darius Miles has taken 52 field goal attempts in four preseason games for the Blazers. The next closest in attempts is Martell Webster with only 32 attempts. Miles is dominating the ball for them and looking at their roster only Zach Randolph would seem to stand in his way of becoming the primary offensive option from the way things look from the preseason. And Randolph may still be slowed still recovering from microfracture surgery. While Miles was only 2-17 FG last night, he usually shoots better, and with the young Blazers he may become one of their leading scorers. At the same time, he has always given contributions in blocks and steals.

In four preseason games Deron Williams is shooting 54% which is pretty good for a rookie point guard. He is having much more success there than Chris Paul or Raymond Felton.

Maric Jaric played 27 minutes in his first preseason game last night. This should give owners more confidence to take him in a draft.

Oct 20^th Preseason Notes

Carmelo Anthony is averaging 20 pts and 2.3 steals in three preseason games. This would indicate a good season with improvements to his game is forthcoming.

Although you already knew Marcus Camby would miss a number of games, he is beginning now with a Plantar Fascia Strain.

Normally a decent shooter, Mike Bibby is shooting only 34% in the preseason. 

Brad Miller, who has risen to be one of the first centers taken in fantasy drafts, is leading the Kings in scoring in the preseason at 11.8 ppg while shooting 68% FG in 4 games.

Chris Kaman, a potential sleeper, has played in three of the Clippers five preseason games. There had been reports that he injured his finger but he appears OK. He had missed two games for personal reasons. Shaun Livingston has missed all 5 games. 

Corey Magette is leading the Clippers in scoring in the preseason including 20-20 FT, a category where he will make an impact during the regular season.

Sebastian Telfair has averaged 8.5 assists in 2 preseason games but is shooting only 24% FG. He struggled last year also shooting 39%.

Darius Miles has been leading the Blazers in scoring in the preseason and may prevent potential sleeper Travis Outlaw from emerging.

Brendan Haywood has the potential to be a serviceable late round center acquisition however he has shot only 5-20 from the FT line in the preseason. He shot 61% last year.

Smush Parker appeared in only 16 games last season for limited minutes but may be poised to see a big increase with the Lakers. That potential though does not warrant drafting him yet.

Kwame Brown is second on the Lakers in scoring and rebounding in the preseason at 12 ppg and 5.7 rpg.

No worries with LeBron as he went for 26 pts last night and he was not 100% yet either.

Drew Gooden had 18 pts and 4 blocks in 37 min and Donyell Marshall was 2-10 FG with 6 TOs in 28 minutes. Advantage Gooden.

Luke Jackson is just 5-21 from three point land but has made 16-17 FTs.

Marc Jackson is leading the Nets in scoring in the preseason at 16.7 ppg including 19-23 FT. This warrants an increase in his projections.

Jose Calderon, PG Toronto, who I dismissed before the preseason, looks like he may have enough game to limit the minutes of Mike James. Last night Jose had 15 pts, 6 ast, and 2 steals.

Charlie Villaneuva has had a good preseason leading the Raptors in points, rebounds, and blocked shots. He is showing himself to be a good later round selection. Perhaps a good alternate to the injured Al Jefferson.

Mike Sweetney is second on the Bulls in scoring including 19-24 FT in the preseason and he is leading them in rebounding. Ben Gordon has been coming up small - I have backed down his projections and taken him off the sleeper list.

Mark Blount is third on the Celtics in scoring in the preseason and may be able to show improvement over his last season.

Darko had his worst game of the preseason. I took him in the 16^th round of a 12 team draft last night. He can be expected to be up and down this year. Actually - I HOPE he has some ups.

In two preseason games TJ Ford is averaging 18 pts, 6.5 ast, and 2.5 steals however Maurice Williams has been productive also. It is not clear yet what their regular season roles will be.

Luke Ridnour is averaging 11 pts, 7 ast, and 1.7 stls in 4 preseason games.

Mike Dunleavy is second to Baron Davis in scoring for the Warriors at 15 ppg and is averaging three treys per game. I believe his new contract is coming up as well.

The following shows the results of an expert draft that I particapted in last night. It is a rotoleague - PARSB3 FG% FT%. You start 8 weekly (1 center - ESPN position eligibility).

Early Oct 19^th Preseason Notes

John Salmons went to the line 21 (that is twenty one) times on his way to 30 points in 29 minutes. I saw parts of this game and Salmons was aggressive getting to the rim often. Iverson did not play in this game. I have previously mentioned Salmons as someone who can show improvement this season – this performance will give him some attention from other owners. He also chipped in 5 assists.

The Knicks played their first game since Allan Houston announced his retirement. This event should give additional insurance for the minutes of Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson. 

Maurice Taylor started and had 1 rebound in 15 minutes. If he played 45 minutes he would have racked up 3 rebounds. Rookie David Lee had 10 rebounds in 25 minutes.

Channing Frye’s games have not stunk so far in the preseason. If Eddy Curry does end up with some health issues he could be a player to look for. He had 13 pts and 6 reb in 23 minutes. He had been 10-18 FG total in his previous two preseason games.

Devin Harris had 20 points in 22 minutes (no treys) and 2 steals. However he had just 2 assists. Jason Terry had a good offensive game as well. People may tend to forget that Harris was the number 5 overall pick in the 2004 draft and will eventually be a starter. Just may not be this year with Terry in Dallas.

Darko Milicic had 9 pts (4-7 FG) and 2 blocks in 22 minutes. He has not had a ‘bad’ game yet in the preseason. He has blocked 14 shots in 4 games averaging around 21 minutes.

DeShawn Stevenson did not play giving Jameer Nelson the opportunity to crash and burn as a starter – he fouled out in 27 minutes and was 1-8 FG. He also committed 3 TO’s vs 4 assists. He normally shouldn’t be that bad. Keyon Dooling on the other hand was productive with 19 pts, 5 ast, and 2 steals.

Dwayne Wade was trying new things as he attempted three 3-point shots making none of them. Last season he attempted 0.6 per game. In his previous three preseason games he was 2-5 for three pointers and he shot 29% last year. It is not likely three point shooting will be a part of his game soon. In this game he also had issues with the ball committing 6 TO’s. Gary Payton had 8 assists and 1 TO.

In their 5^th preseason game the Spurs gave 13 players ten or more minutes. They should start to trim the roster soon. There will be some regular season issues regarding playing time distribution that will be important to some players such as Michael Finley. The extent of his role now is not certain - he has the potential to have almost no value in some leagues if he does not get minutes in the Spurs system. 

Rookie Danny Granger had a huge for the Pacers with 19 pts, 15 reb, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. That is gittin’ ‘R done in multiple categories. He certainly has my attention now.

Sarunas Jasikevicius had a tough night going 0-6 FG and 0-4 FT. 

Potential sleeper Al Jefferson has not played in the preseason making it tough to commit to him in a draft. I made a pick tonight in a draft with James Jones and Al Jefferson both available. A couple weeks ago I would have never thought I would take Jones over Jefferson but I did. I was drafting on the potential of Jones becoming Korver-like from three point land and having drafted a team at that point that need help in the three point category.

October 18^th Preseason Notes

There have been numerous DNP's in the preseason because of strains and sprains, but unless it is announced it will extend into the regular season I will not reduce projections. While a player such as Jermaine O'Neal may disturb owners (such as me) who have drafted him already by not playing, he will likely be ready to go at the beginning of the season. 

Third year player Richie Frahm is fourth in scoring this preseason for the Timberwolves with 9.5 ppg. In limited playing time in his career his has shown he can make around 38% of his three point shots. With Fred Hoiberg out this season and the departure of Latrell Sprewell, Frahm may assume not only Hoiberg's role but perhaps get additional minutes beyond that. Competition will come from Trenton Hassel and Rashad McCants who has been second on the team in scoring in the preseason. I will increase Frahm's projections although he may remain just a player to monitor as a free agent pickup unless you are in a deep league.

I have backed down Ben Gordon's projections a bit as he has been less aggressive in the preseason as I would like to see. Last night Hinrich took 16 shots compared to only 9 shots for Gordon despite the fact that Gordan played 4 more minute. However Gordon did chip in 5 assists.

Zaza Pachulia has averaged 14 pts and 7.7 rebounds in the preseason in three games. While he can be a sleeper pick this season, a lack of shot blocking would prevent him from being on the same level as a player such as Dalembert.

It is the time of the preseason when teams start to shorten their rotation and make player's regular season role a little more apparent. Gerald Wallace played 39 minutes for the Bobcats last night and showed his strengths with 3 blocks and 2 steals. He had no FT attempts - a place he struggles. Okafor contributed 2 steals and 4 blocks as well.

In three preseason games James Jones and Raja Bell are averaging 18 points. This could continue into the regular season.

Deron Williams has been inconsistent in the preseason going 0-3 FG last night but was given just 8 minutes. He had 3 fouls in that span.

Oct 17^th Preseason Notes

Minnesota 80 
Detroit 91

Rashad McCants had his worst game of the preseason going 2-7 FG in 12 minutes. Anthony Carter started at PG as Troy Hudson and Marko Jaric (sprained ankle) did not play). Newly acquired Richie Frahm had 13 pts and 3 treys and must be considered a candidate to inherit some of Latrell Sprewell's minutes. By the way, Sprewell has yet to sign with a team.

Darko Milicic was 0-5 however he was 10-12 from the line and had 6 points. Much of his production was in the fourth quarter. I have already substantially increased Milicic's projections in the preseason. Ronald Dupree scored 13 pts and is battling to earn a backup spot on the team. At this time his prospects for fantasy value are slim.

Dallas 104 
New York 102

Josh Howard had 16 pts and 2 steals in 26 minutes. I expect him to be productive this season and may slip in some drafts. DeSagana Diop had the game winning basket and added 5 blocks. He is a former high draft pick looking to salvage an NBA career. Jerry Stackhouse DNP because of a sore knee.

Quentin Richardson started at SF for the Knicks. If the Knicks plan to play him there it will help the playing time of him and Jamal Crawford. Rookies David Lee and Nate Robinson had strong games for the Knicks. Lee has a shot at decent minutes as his competition includes players such as Malik Rose. Robinson's prospects are not as bright with Marbury ahead of him. He has however been impressive since summer leagues.

Golden State 99 
Sacramento 114

Kevin Martin was a leading scorer for the Kings with 15 pts in 21 minutes. I have recently read discussion indicating that he could beat out Bonzi Wells as the starter. Rookie Francisco Garcia also had a good game and has the potential to take minutes from Wells. It is possible that the SG position could end up being manned by a committee. 

Jason Richardson missed the game for personal reasons. His backup Mickeal Pietrus has shown himself to be productive in the past but will likely not break through while on the same team as Richardson.

Oct 16^th Preseason Notes

The Hawks backup center Jason Collier unfortunately died tragically yesterday. He had been projected to spell Zaza Pachulia. I have increased Pachulia’s playing time projections a bit.

New Orleans 83 
Orlando 101

With 19 pts, 9 reb, 3 bl, and 2 st in 24 minutes, Dwight Howard is presenting evidence he will be taking a similar career path as Amare Stoudemire (hopefully excluding the bad knee). He needs improvement in FT% having shot 67% last season and was 5-10 last night. Grant Hill sat out the game after bruising his quadriceps during a shooting drill earlier in the week. It was apparently just a precautionary measure – nothing serious. Keyon Dooling and Jameer Nelson each had solid games. I would not be surprised to see either of them displace DeShawn Stevenson as a starter during the season.

Jamaal Magloire had 13 pts and 7 reb in 23 minutes. I am expecting him to have a much better year than last year when he had injuries. 13 Hornets got ten or minutes in the game. In general their roster looks pretty weak and I expect Chris Paul will eventually play heavy minutes as they give him experience in a lost season.

Charlotte 82 
Miami 72

Okafor had 16 pts and 7 rebs including 6-8 FT. He shot 61% from the line last year and would benefit from improvements in that category. Raymond Felton’s game has been progressively worse in the preseason with 0 pts and 3 TO’s (1 ast) last night. Brevin Knight had 10 pts, 7 reb, and 6 ast in 27 minutes. Kareem Rush is a candidate to start at SG and took 16 shots last nights however he made only 3.

Udonis Haslem had 12 rebounds in 25 minutes. The Heat continue to start James Posey over Antoine Walker in the preseason.

New York 93 
New Jersey 84

Eddy Curry was productive (and survived) his Knicks debut with 16 pts in only 13 minutes. Channing Frye wasn’t so bad either with 12 points in 18 min. Potential sleeper Trevor Ariza had 13 pts, 6 reb, and 4 ast in 29 min.

Cliff Robinson started for the Nets however Marc Jackson had 19 pts in 26 minutes including 9-11 from the line where he can have an impact.

Washington 79 
Memphis 104

Chucky Atkins had 19 pts and 2 treys in 31 minutes however the ‘point’ guard had no assists. Gilbert Arenas did not play in this game. Caron Butler and Jarvis Hayes also sat out.

Jake Tsakalidis followed up his good game with 0 pts in 17 minutes and reminded me why I tend to not react too quickly to good games from mediocre players in the preseason. Pau Gasol had 19 pts and 7 reb in 20 minutes. Hakim Warrick had 19 pts on 8-12 FG. However he won’t be getting that many shots in the regular season or making such a high percentage.

Boston 97 
Chicago 116

There has been some positive news about Mark Blount this preseason and his performances have not ‘stunk’, but I am leery to improve his projections based on anything from him in the preseason. Ryan Gomes continues to be impressive for a player taken so late in the second round but I have not felt it necessary yet to project his stats assuming he will not have such success in the regular season. Note that Al Jefferson has not been playing in the preseason so far and he would seem to be an obstacle for Gomes.

Darius Songaila and Mike Sweetney each had good games for the Bulls and I can see them each getting close to 30 minutes during the regular season. Tim Thomas appears to be settling in as a role player

Cleveland 89 
Milwaukee 91

Lebron did not play and Luke Jackson continued to be cold from the field shooting 1-5 FG. Damon Jones and Eric Snow each stated their case to be the back up point guard.

Potential sleeper TJ Ford had 17 pts, 4 ast, and 3 st. His competition for playing time Maurice Williams DNP because of an ankle sprain.

Houston 95 
San Antonio 87

I have backed down potential sleeper Stromile Swift’s projections a bit as Juwan Howard appears to be having a bigger role than I expected he would. Swift though did have 15 pts in 20 min as well as 3 blocks. I will restore Swift’s projections once there is more evidence that Howard will have a smaller role. Swift should still have a decent ranking on your chart.

The Spurs gave Mike Finley a start at SF last night over Bruce Bowen. 

Portland 85 
Denver 112

The Blazers gave ten or more minutes to 13 players. Rookie Martell Webster had 12 pts in 11 minutes and while Travis Outlaw played limited minutes he managed to collect some points and get a block and a steal.

Carmelo Anthony is having a strong preseason with 23 points, 3 steals, and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes. This would be the year for him to go from be just a ‘good’ player and he appears to have made that commitment.

LA Clippers 90 
Phoenix 87

I felt Chris Kaman had the potential to be a good sleeper pick but the fact he has not been playing (although just listed as personal reasons) prevents any evidence of this assessment from being witnessed.

James Jones continues to be impressive with 8-16 FG for 19 pts and he also added 4 assists. I have bumped up his projections multiple times in the preseason.

Oct 15^th Preseason Notes 

Notes from last night's games

Toronto 100 
Boston 107

Although he fouled out, Charlie Villaneuva had another decent game with 17 pts and 6 reb in 27 minutes. Rookie Joey Graham did not play because of knee tendonitis. Toronto guard Tierre Brown did not have the same success as in his first preseason game but did manage 9 pts and 2 ast in 19 minutes. Meanwhile the projected starter, Mike James, had a good game with 20 pts, 4 ast, 2 treys, and 2 steals. 

Dan Dickau who is battling for a starting job made a statement with 0 pts in 16 min. Delonte West and Marcus Banks did not play in the game. Rookie Ryan Gomes (second round pick) has been impressive in the preseason and had 18 pts and 6 rebs in 23 minutes. In these preseason games you have to realize though at times an average player can rack up some stats when being defended by a player who is merely training camp fodder - guys that I could even dunk over. For that reason I try not to react too much to players like Gomes who have a good preseason game.

Philadelphia 100 
Cleveland 98

John Salmons had 8 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast, 2 st, and 1 bl. I will likely bump up his projections as my speculation that he gets most of Willie Green's minutes are confirmed. He could also displace Kevin Ollie for some backup point guard minutes. Iguodala went back to his ways of not shooting with only 3 shots in 24 minutes. He spent much time watching Iverson shoot as he had 30 pts in 28 minutes.

Luke Jackson led the Cavaliers in shot attempts but made only 2-14 FG including 1-9 treys. At least he had the confidence to keep trying. Lebron DNP. Drew Gooden and Donyell Marshall each had good games not giving much reason for one to move ahead of the other in their training camp battle.

Minnesota 84 
Indiana 93

Nikoloz Tskitishvili who was a 5^th overall draft pick but has a three year career FG% of only 30% (and he is a seven footer) went 3-6 FG - good for him! He also had 5 reb and 4 ast in 22 minutes. However at this time I will project that Kevin Garnett will win their training camp battle. That Rashad McCants had another good game with 14 points in 27 minutes. However the Wolves were without three potential starters in KG, Jaric, and Wally. I have already once previously boosted his projections.

Ron Artest has appeared he will return with a vengeance posting big stats in the preseason. Sarunas J's second game was nothing to be ashamed of either. Danny Granger played 27 minutes and showed he can sprinkle in a little across the stat sheet - something he showed in college although for a smaller school. Jonathon Bender showed his true colors by sitting out with a sore knee. This comes after actually having a decent game.

Memphis 101 
Miami 91

Jake Tsakalidis had 12 pts and 10 rebs in 26 min. Need to see a little more before reacting. Dahntay Jones is a third year SG thought highly of by Memphis. Last night in 30 minutes he had 18 pts, 3 treys, and 3 ast. However with Eddie Jones on the roster he can not be counted on for that kind of playing time regularly.

Antoine Walker showed his other side going 0-5 in 19 minutes. Alonzo continues to be productive on a per minute basis but won't see many minutes.

Phoenix 114 
Seattle 113

Phoenix showed they can still score points. Potential sleeper James Jones had a great game with 18 pts, 3 treys, 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 st, and 1 bl in 29 minutes. Potential sleeper Raja Bell had 26 points including 4 treys. Here is the kicker - NASH DID NOT EVEN PLAY!

Luke Ridnour had 18 pts, 10 ast, 7 reb, and 2 st. I really like his prospects this year without Antonio Daniels around to trim his minutes.

Sacramento 90 
LA Clippers 84

Bonzi Wells would appear to be the starting SG and had 9 rebs in 24 mins. He can really help a team in the reb category from the guard spot.

Shaun Livingston continues to shoot himself in the foot with DNPs.

Oct 14^th Preseason Notes

Warriors rookie Ike Diogu will be out 3-to-4 weeks with a broken bone in his hand. Perhaps this pushes him down in your draft to a point where he can become a bargain as he may only miss the first week of the season. No problem to stash him on the bench at the small price you may need to pay.

LeBron was diagnosed with pleurisy and released from hospital. I wasn’t getting good vibes from initial reports and was braced for worse news than expected as a result of the Amare episode. But it appears to be nothing to reduce his projections for.

My suspicions that James Jones would benefit from the absence of Amare were confirmed by the following from an Arizona newspaper.  
”The player with the biggest opportunity to blossom in Stoudemire's absence is Jones, whom D'Antoni acknowledged is a probable starter at the small forward spot. Jones, 6 feet 8 and entering his second season of significant time, is a steady shooter who can defend and rebound. His defensive discipline was polished in an Indiana system that gave him solid, weak-side instincts.

He and Bell give the Suns two good wing rebounders in addition to Thomas and Shawn Marion, who ranked sixth and third, respectively, in NBA rebounding last season. A starting job for Jones, who started 24 games last season, means a reserve role for Jim Jackson again. But D'Antoni said Jackson could be part of the finishing five in close games this season.”

The following is taken from a Houston newspaper regarding rookie Luther Head

And Head has given Van Gundy every reason to keep calling his number off the bench. A rookie who errs out of aggression is far more welcome than one who shies from action. "I'd rather see a guy who has a lot of confidence than throw out that guy (who is) like a deer in headlights," Van Gundy said. "I'm not really concerned with him right now."

Potential sleeper Al Jefferson is currently being slowed by a sprained ankle that has not shown itself serious enough yet to lower his projections.

Notes from games of Oct 13

Caron Butler and Jarvis Hayes each made their case to start. Butler had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals in 23 min and Hayes had 19 points on 8-13 FG in 21 minutes. Box Score

Beno Udrih had 20 points for San Antonio. He likely won’t score as much during the regular season. Box Score

Darko Milicic had 10 points including 4-5 FG, 9 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. While he may not appear on very high on your depth chart now he may still be worth taking on a flyer on in later rounds. Box Score

Maurice Williams will be battling with TJ Ford for playing time on the Bucks. He had 19 points in 25 min but only 2 ast. TJ Ford did not play because of a finger sprain. Box Score

Raymond Felton followed up his good first game with 10 points on only 3-9 FG. Brevin Knight had 6 ast and only 1 TO. Box Score

Sarunas Jasikevicius had a compelling game with 18 points on 6-9 FG and 4 asts. Jamaal Tinsley had only 1 ast and 5 TO’s and for now Sarunas is not making Tinsley’s future look very bright. Box Score

Deron Williams had me a little concerned after his first game but came back with 17 points and 6 assists (1 T/O) in 23 min in his second game. Box Score

Andre Miller went 1-5 FG and should hope that Earl Watson does not have the same drag on his playing time that Watson had on Jason Williams in Memphis. Watson was 4-7 FG but had only 1 ast and 3 TO in 25 min. Box Score

DerMarr Johnson was second to Carmelo Anthony with 15 points. Johnson has been an intriguing player to me and is in a good spot in that he is only needing to compete with the likes of Voshon Lenard. Box Score

Oct 13 Preseason Notes

I am participating in a draft right now in a roto league with P, A, R, S, B, 3, FG%, and FT%. You can follow the draft here.

Wally Szczerbiak left last night’s game when he sprained his foot. Szczerbiak had all 11 of his points in the first half. He has the potential to have a fantasy impact if he can stay healthy.

Minnesota guard Marko Jaric, who sprained his right ankle in practice, sat out the game last night. I will react negatively to players like Jaric with a bad injury history missing a preseason game compared to a more durable player missing a preseason game.

Philadelphia played its second straight game without Chris Webber, who is out with a right quad strain and not traveling with the club. This contradicts previous earlier reports of him being in shape. For all I know this is just a veteran getting out of a preseason game.

Utah's Deron Williams had five turnovers in just 16 minutes. While he is slated as the future point guard for the Jazz he needs to clean this up to get playing time this year.

The Jazz gave 10 or minutes to 13 different players. Rookie C.J. Miles had 14 points on just 5-15 FG however his play was praised by Jerry Sloan. Despite what he says the chances of him having fantasy value are slim. Mehmet Okur who has shown up to camp in shape from playing with his National team had 12 points and 5 rebounds.

Sam Cassell had 16 points and 5 assists. Shaun Livingston didn't play due to a back injury and I think this is enough for me to back down his regular season games played projections considering how much time he missed in his rookie year. 13 players got 10 or more minutes for the Clippers.

Tierre Brown had 24 points including 12-14 FT and 7 assists and only 2 turnovers for the Raptors. If he continues to play well he has the potential to threaten the playing time of Mike James. 

Charlie Villanueva had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 blocks. His selection was universally maligned on draft day so the incentive is there for him to prove people wrong. It looks like he will get plenty of playing time.

Andrew Bogut had a good game with 9 pts, 9 reb, and 3 ast. However he had no blocks or steals. A potential lack of shot blocking skills could hold down his fantasy value so his preseason production in that area will be watched. He also has the potential to contribute assists from the center position.

Luol Deng had 13 points and 6 rebounds and has the potential to breakout this season.

Rashad McCants had a great first game with 18 points, 2 bl, 1 st, and 2 treys. My initial assessment of him was that he would have no impact this year but I think I better give him more consideration now. 
 

With Garnett not playing, Eddie Griffin had 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 treys, 2 st, and 2 bl. Griffin has the potential to be a productive late round selection.

Gerald Wallace had 22 points including 9-15 FG, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. The potential is there for him to contribute in multiple categories. 
 

Raymond Felton had 20 points on 8-11 FG and 4-5 3-pointers. I need to see this again before I react. Brevin Knight would seem too much of an obstacle for consistent value –that being said, Knight is always hurt.

Zach Randolph who is coming back from microfracture knee surgery had 16 points and 8 rebounds including 5 offensive.

Sebastian Telfair had 12 points including 3-14 FG, 10 assists, and 3 steals. He should have value throughout the season

Kwame Brown had 11 points and 6 rebs and so far seems to be fitting in with the Lakers.

Michael Sweetney had 13 rebs for the Bulls and it would appear to be a leading candidate to start.

Mario Kasun followed up a good first preseason game by fouling out in 14 minutes.

Luther Head’s play in his first two preseason games has caught my attention. He has the potential to impact Rafer Alston’s playing time. He had 12 pts and 2 treys in 23 min last night.

14 players got 9 or more minutes for the Sonics last night. Robert Swift was given an opportunity to start at center but was not that productive other than 2 blocks.

Oct 12

Darko Milicic showed a pulse last night - or perhaps was finally given a chance - and finished with 7 points, 4 rebounds, and a few blocks. His encore performances will be closely watched but this is enough to increase his very modest projections. He had not been very impressive in summer league play.

With Jason Terry not playing Devin Harris had 14 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals. At times last preseason Harris showed great potential but then had a tough season. While Avery Johnson has announced he expects Terry to assume a greater offensive role I see Harris as a potential threat and should not be forgotten yet.

Marquis Daniels had 18 points on 9-13 FG and also has some low stock after last years disappointing season. He should be watched in the preseason. I suspect his projections will increase.

Keith Van Horn sprained his thumb. No word on the prognosis but this would seem to not have much impact on his regular season.

Michael Sweetney made his bid for playing time with 17 points however the Pistons apparently abused the Bulls frontline in the game. I saw a picture of Darko dunking over Sweetney.

A thigh bruise kept the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal out of practice.

Luke Walton sustained what was called a severe left hamstring strain -- an injury expected to sideline him for two to six weeks. This comes shortly after reports that he may be a starter and should pretty much take him off your draft depth chart. However keep an eye out for him in the regular season.

The extremely injury prone Jonathan Bender had 13 points on 1-5 FG and 11-14 FT last night. With 14 FT attempts he was apparently playing aggressively.

Luke Jackson (Cle) had 14 points as LeBron sat out with a strained pectoral muscle that I

Oct 11

I have thought about the redistribution of minutes on the Suns in the absence of Amare Stoudemire. Shawn Marion should see some more playing time but more importantly become more productive on a per minute basis as he shifts between small forward and power forward. He should now be mentioned in the same breath as Kevin Garnett fantasy-wise and in some scoring systems may show as the #1 overall fantasy player. Others such as Steve Nash, Kurt Thomas, and Raja Bell will be counted on for more points production. James Jones may go from being undrafted to being worth a late round pick. The same may also hold true for Boris Diaw depending on what he shows in preseason games.

If there is one thing sillier than paying Joe Johnson all that money it is playing him 39 minutes in the