1) Goran Dragic
Straight to the point, the guy's an assassin, and a silent one. You didn't realize it, but the Suns are off to a 21-15 start, and they wouldn't be there without Dragic. Phoenix is in the game, and all of the sudden, you realize Dragic has 22 points, 8 assists, and a couple of rebounds and steals. He's playing 35 minutes a game, and that's while Eric Bledsoe is playing. With Bledsoe just undergoing knee surgery, that gives a pretty dominant boost to the already-productive Dragic. I'm not saying that Dragic's minutes will increase significantly, but the offense will run through him more than it already had. He's scored 21 points or more in six of his last ten, and has had 7 or more assists in six of his last ten games. Bottom line, this guy is a top-tier point guard and a threat every night.
2) Terrence Jones
I've been going on and on about Terrence Jones for weeks, and I'm not done giving props to the big guy. He had a few rough games, but I blame it on his ankle injury. Jones has been a monster lately, posting rebounding totals of 14, 11, 13, and 17 in four of his last 9 games, dipping below 8 rebounds just once. Don't forget, he's getting these rebounds in spite of Dwight Howard. Heck, he's taking boards AWAY from Howard. He's had multiple games of 3+ blocks. There's nothing not to like about this guy. He can finish around the rim, he's athletic, can grab boards, can block shots, and he's getting 26 minutes per game. Normally, 26 MPG is a little low, but I give Jones the exception. He's playing exceptionally well and if he's on waivers, pick him up; if not, trade for him.
3) Kris Humphries
Believe me, I'm even upset with myself for putting him in this list. I really am. So much so, I am almost didn't do it. But that doesn't mean I can overlook what he has been doing and the potential he has on the Boston Celtics. He's healthy, he's playing over 30 minutes a game now, he's rebounding well... and he's on the Celtics. His competition on the boards is Jared Sullinger, a 6' 9" forward playing the center position. Not to discount Sullinger's play or rebounding abilities, but Humphries is the obvious rebounder on the team. I don't like the guy or the way he plays, and he played quite awful last season, but a new team with very little depth in rebounding means Humphries has potential to be a double-double guy, including 13 rebounds per game or so and a couple of blocks. Give him a chance if you've got the room for him.
4) Kyle Lowry
I love Kyle Lowry. He's a guy that is a triple-double threat every time he plays a game, but will never quite get there. I've known that, but lately, he's proven it to everyone else. The guy's averaging 16 PPG, 7.5 APG, and 4 RPG while hitting 2 threes a night. He's playing great, and the Raptors are finally playing just as Kyle Lowry wants them to. DeRozan is hitting, Terrence Ross is coming around, Amir Johnson, Patrick Patterson, and Jonas Valanciunas are on their games, and more importantly, Rudy Gay is gone. That's been the case over the last few weeks, and Lowry has averaging over 8.5 assists over that stretch in addition to double-digit scoring in every game since. He's a top-20 player in my mind with no hesitation, and if you can grab him from someone who doesn't quite appreciate his potential, do it.
5) Kendall Marshall
I was going to stop after Lowry, but I couldn't resist not mentioning Kendall Marshall. Let's put it this way: in his first career start with the Lakers, he scored 20 points, dished out 15 dimes, and grabbed 6 boards. In his second start, he scored 9 points, dished out 17 dimes, and grabbed 6 boards. There are no other point guards on the Los Angeles Lakers roster, and Steve Nash, Jordan Farmar, and Steve Blake are all sidelined with injuries, and Kobe Bryant is still out. I'm not convinced that any of those point guards will replace Marshall after the showings he's put up lately, and I think even when Kobe is back, Marshall is looking bright. It's amazing how well he is playing, and even better, he understands his role. I guess I'll mention that despite his efforts, the Lakers are 1-9 in their last 10, and Marshall looks to be the starter from here on out. If you're part of the 87% that picked him up, congratulations.
Now let's talk about some disappointments.
1) Andre Iguodala - I've been saying all season long that Andre Iguodala isn't cut out for an elite fantasy position with the Warriors. There's too much going on with the Splash Brothers and with David Lee and Bogut in the post that Andre is very limited in almost every category. Curry, Thompson and Lee combine for 50 shots per game, and Iguodala is 5th on the team in shots attempted. Take that and combine it with the fact that Curry always has the ball and Iguodala is limited by Lee and Bogut on the boards... trade him if you have him, and don't trade for him. We'll leave it at that.
2) David West - David West annoys me terribly. He's a great player and a great power forward who should be averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds every night. But he's not. And it's not because of Roy Hibbert's dominance. And it's so frustrating because he could. Here's what it is. It's the fact that the Indiana Pacers thought it would be a great idea to add Luis Scola to the roster. It's the fact that Lance Stephenson and Paul George like to bang with the big boys and grab rebounds of their own, and West doesn't give that extra effort anymore. There's too much depth on the Pacers for West to be an elite option anymore.
3) Evan Turner - The Philadelphia Sixers are 12-25, the third worst record in the East, and the third worst record in the NBA. Michael Carter-Williams has been named a superstar for some reason. He's good, no doubt, and stuffs the stat sheet, and I applaud his efforts and I think he's a good player, but truth is, Evan Turner is the star of the Sixers. He's the go-to guy, the scorer, the defender, the guy you should run your offense through, the guy who is going to rebound, score, and create plays for teammates. He's a 20-8-6 guy in my mind, and it's frustrating for me to see players play below their potential. Turner, I recommend, is a guy I would look into picking up, because one of these days, he's going to pick up his game and start playing like the multi-dimensional player he is.
4) Jameer Nelson - He's playing 34 minutes a game, and having very little to show for it. His stat line looks pretty good, at 12.7 PPG, 6.3 APG, and 3.8 RPG including 2.4 threes per game. But he's Jameer Nelson, and Victor Oladipo wants to be the Magician. Nelson has potential, but nothing is going to change on the Magic as long as they keep spreading the love like they are, giving 6 players at least 11 shots per game. He's not worth the pick-up, but you might be able to get something out of him because of his name.
Now let's play a game involving frequently asked questions, and let's call it, hmm, FAQs.
Who's going to benefit from Ryan Anderson's injury? Al-Farouq Aminu.
But who's going to benefit from Tyreke Evans's injury? Oh, easy one. Al-Farouq Aminu.
But with Jrue Holiday out, too, who's going to benefit from his absence? Eric Gordon.
Not Austin Rivers? No.
Bottom Line: Pick up Al-Farouq Aminu.
How is the Luol Deng trade going to affect the Bulls? Easy answer: Pick up D.J. Augustin. Tonight, Augustin led the team in minutes (35), points (20), and assists (12). Problem solved. Also, try to get Joakim Noah if you can.
How about Andrew Bynum? Leave him alone.
And the Cleveland Cavaliers? There are very few players on the Cavaliers worth having. Kyrie Irving, Luol Deng, and Anderson Varejao. Please don't keep Alonzo Gee or Dion Waiters, but fine, keep Tristan Thompson.
Chandler Parsons is suffering from all sorts of injuries this season, what do I do? Hold on to him.
Who will be benefitting from Parsons's injuries? No one. Ronnie Brewer and Omri Casspi will be filling in for Parsons, but neither of them will get enough minutes nor will they do enough in those minutes to warrant a pick up. Pick up Terrence Jones if you can.
A message to all fantasy basketball players looking to make a run for the playoffs.
Download theScore app for your Android phone or iPhone, and subscribe to the NBA basketball news alerts. Not only is it a great way for you to have first-hand knowledge of injuries and updates, but it's just a good app to have to track players and teams and their statistics.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fivemobile.thescore&hl=en
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thescore-mobile/id285692706?mt=8
Now, when it comes to trades, you want to look for players who a) are getting good minutes, b) have very little competition at that position on their team, c) are effective in multiple categories, and d) are getting ample opportunities and chances to reach their potential. Best of luck to you in Week 12!
P.s. Keep in mind Rajon Rondo is trying to return by the end of the month and while the Celtics have very little to play for, they are only 2 games out of playoffs with their horrendous 13-25 record. Boston isn't an organization that will try to doom themselves for a lottery pick; they'll play to compete. Rondo will be good; I guarantee it. He will be the point guard and he will have options that consist of Jordan Crawford, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger, and Kris Humphries. Maybe not the best players to surround a guard like Rondo with, but still good enough to grant Rondo is assist numbers that he is always so determined to achieve.
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