The injury-struck all-star will not be returning to court action the rest of the season. Dealing with lingering problems and discomfort from his fractured knee, Kobe and the Lakers' staff have decided to call it quits for this season and rest him up for next year, when the struggling Lakers actually might make playoffs. This may not come as much of a surprise to some, especially at this point in the season, but if you drafted him in your first or second round, you're at least disappointed.
I, for one, thought he'd be back on the court right about now. I traded for him, buying him pretty cheap in a four-player deal, so I'm not distraught, but it would've been nice to see him produce for my fantasy team at least a few times.
So Kobe's out. How do you replace a guy like that?
Easy: Anyone playing right now can replace Kobe.
Jokes aside, let's take a look at a few of the top prospects you should consider adding in Bryant's place.
1. Alec Burks, Utah PG (owned in 72% of leagues) - I'm not a huge fan of Burks's fantasy potential, mainly because he's so one-dimensional. However, if you're in a category league and were hoping for points from Bryant, Burks might be a solid replacement. He's been posting 12-23 points over his last 15 games, usually around the 18-19 side, but aside from that, his rebounds, assists, and three pointers made aren't remarkable. However, given the opportunity, Burks could be a fairly consistent 19-5-5 guy.
2. Amar'e Stoudemire, New York PF/C (owned in 60% of leagues) - I've been a Stoudemire supporter since his Suns days, but I'll be the first to say he's been extremely under-productive this year and every year since he landed on the Knicks. However, over the past six games, Stoudemire has averaged about 18 PPG and 7 RPG. He's on the up-and-up, recovering from his injuries well, and I feel pretty confident he could get back up to a 20 PPG, 8 RPG stat-line by the end of the season.
3. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee SF (owned in 52% of leagues) - I wasn't a believer that Middleton would stay this hot at the beginning of his streak, but props to the 52% of people that picked him up. Middleton has been a consistent source of points and threes, but lately he's stepped up his rebounds, assists, and steals. He might be the best option for you on a failing Bucks team.
4. Maurice Harkless, Orlando SF (owned in 41% of leagues)
Mo Harkless has increased his play lately, scoring in double digits each of his last seven games, knocking down about two threes per game and stealing the ball well, but most importantly, he's averaged about 37 MPG over that stretch. When Harkless gets enough minutes, he's always a good option to produce a solid game statistically. Look to Harkless if you need points, threes, and steals.
5. Miles Plumlee, Phoenix C (owned in 29% of leagues) - Many owners dropped Plumlee recently due to his time out with injuries. He's the kind of player that you can't hold onto when he gets injured because he doesn't produce enough, but he's also the player you can't drop because he produces well enough. He's one of those guys that's solid and consistent, but never explosive. Plumlee is good for 14 and 10 on a given night, especially with facilitators like Goran Dragic and Ish Smith attacking and dishing. He's probably available, and worth a pick-up in any league.
6. Wesley Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers SF (owned in 22% of leagues) - Johnson has proven that he can produce in every category every night. In any league, category or points, Johnson is worth a pick-up, as he's shown to be probably the most consistent Laker from a fantasy standpoint.
7. P.J. Tucker, Phoenix SF (owned in 23% of leagues)
Tucker has been a pleasant surprise this season, as have the whole Suns team. He has been playing great lately, scoring, rebounding, and assisting well. He produces well in almost every category, and especially in rebounds and points for a small forward.
This is the guy I will be replacing Kobe Bryant with (mainly because Harkless isn't available). I see potential in the first-year forward, and in his last two games, he's averaged 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. His only problem is that he can be inconsistent, but I think he'll get a good run down the stretch.
So there you have it, a group of eight solid players with potential that you can pick up to fill the void left by Kobe Bryant. For many of you, playoffs begin next week, so best of luck to you all and I hope that you can grab someone that helps out your team!
No comments:
Post a Comment