Championship Week Pick-ups

If you were fortunate enough to reach your fantasy finals, if you're still fighting for consolation, or even if you're just fighting for bragging rights with a friend, here's a short list of additions you could make to your roster that would benefit you here in Week 23.

Let's start off with Jermaine O'Neal, Warriors backup center.  Andrew Bogut was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion, and will be sidelined for somewhere in the ballpark of 4-7 days.  In leagues of at least 12 teams, O'Neal is probably one of the smartest pickups.  Almost every team plays four times this week, and with Andrew Bogut injured and David Lee's status up in the air, O'Neal and Marreese Speights are in for some big minutes this coming week.  It seems that Lee should be returning soon, but Bogut will be out for at least the next two games, if not all four.  In a start against New York, O'Neal posted a stat line of 8 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots.  Solid performance for a waiver-wire pickup.

Jarrett Jack, Cleveland PG - If you didn't pick up Jack as soon as you heard Kyrie Irving would be missing substantial time, you missed out.  He's playing efficiently, scoring and assisting, and chipping in with a few rebounds, too.  In my opinion, the 37 MPG he's averaged over the last 9 games stands out.  The more time on the court, the more opportunities he is given to help your fantasy team.  You might even want to check out Matthew Dellavedova in a deeper league.  He's been playing upwards of 30 minutes each game since Kyrie's injury, and he's the main guard behind Jack and Waiters.

Enes Kanter, Utah C - Kanter is only owned in 68% of ESPN leagues.  Pretty ridiculous, considering he's won the starting center job in Utah and is a walking double double.  In his past 12 games, he's grabbed double-digit rebounds eight times and scored in double-digits nine times, including a couple 18-point games and 15-rebound games.  He's also played over 40 minutes twice over that span, and should be owned in all leagues.  He's a steal if you're alive in fantasy playoffs.

Gorgui Dieng, Minnesota C - All the hype around Dieng was hype for a reason.  The guy can play.  He's shown that he can be dominant on the glass, posting totals of 15, 17, and 21 rebounds in three of his last eight games.  Despite Pekovic's return, Dieng still has plenty of upside, especially if Rick Adelman decides to be cautious with Pekovic.  Any time Dieng plays at least 20 minutes, he's good for 8 points and 12 rebounds.

Matt Barnes, Clippers SF - Barnes got injured earlier in the season, at which point he was dropped in almost all leagues.  Now, he's healthy, and the defensive specialist is getting minutes and he's shooting a lot of threes.  He's only owned in 39% of leagues, and with four games this week, you can count on him to chip in every single category, and well.  With Griffin and Jordan sitting out, the boards are opened up to the likes of Barnes, and he will give you threes, steals, and blocks, stats that usually don't go hand-in-hand.

Omer Asik, Houston C - Asik is only really worth a look if Howard misses time.  Howard has been fighting injuries, leading to Asik starting four of the last six games.  In addition to that, some news sites are stating that Howard could miss up to eight to ten more days with his injury, opening up the starting job for none other but Asik.  He will most likely be a nice source of rebounds and blocked shots in the championship week of fantasy basketball.

Darren Collison, Clippers PG - Sitting backup to Chris Paul is never easy, but upon Griffin and Jordan missing time, Doc Rivers has instead decided to go with a small line-up, starting Collison at the 2-guard.  Collison has proven to be very effective in starter's minutes, considering his ability to score consistently, assist well, and grab some sneaky steals meanwhile.

Tony Wroten, Philadelphia PG/SG - If you're desperate and need a pick-up, I would first take a look at Wroten.  He's been a phenomenal all-around guy this season, despite the Michael Carter-Williams' shadow drowning him.  He can rebound, score, assist, and steal the ball, all great stats from a point-guard.  Just make sure he'll be playing if you decided to pick him up - he has missed a few games with an ankle injury.

Henry Sims, Philadelphia C - Previous to his last three games, Sims posted some pretty nice double-doubles against New York and Chicago.  However, he's slowed down in his last three.  He's worth a gamble if you're desperate, but I wouldn't rely on him for all four games.

Well, that's all I got for you today.  Best of luck in the championship round of fantasy basketball!

Injured Players - Keep or Drop?

In this post, I'm going to discuss in-depth which injured players are worth holding onto and which injured players are not worth holding onto.  So here we are in Week 16, which runs two weeks long, and chances are you've got at least one player on your roster who you've considered dropping or trading because they've been out injured for a few weeks already and won't return until "after the All-Star break," as they always say.  So here's my opinion on each of those players, and why.

Players to keep:

1. Russell Westbrook - This guy's a no-brainer.  He is a constant threat to produce in every single category on any night, posting season averages around 21 pts, 6 rbs, 7 ast, 2 stl per game.  He posted a triple-double the game before he had surgery, and he'll come back just as strong.  Hold onto him.
2. Kobe Bryant - Ah, the most debatable player in fantasy basketball this year.  Should you keep him?  Should you drop him?  Trade him?  Anyone will give you a different answer, but I say keep him, and here's why.  Kobe wants to play.  If Kobe wants to play, then if he can, he will.  There's no reason he won't be back before the end of the season, and although the Lakers might not make playoffs, he'll be back for fantasy playoffs.  Now don't you want an elite scorer with passing and rebounding abilities on your roster?  I do.
3. Kawhi Leonard - He may be one of the guys you're more inclined to drop because he's just an average player on the rotational Spurs team.  Leonard is a must keep.  As the season winds down, especially during fantasy playoffs, Popovich begins resting his stars.  He will mainly rest Parker, Ginobli, and Duncan, and Leonard and Splitter will man the workload of the team.  The starting five for games down the stretch will probably look like Patty Mills, Marco Belinelli, Kawhi Leonard, Boris Diaw, and Tiago Splitter.  Leonard is the biggest asset because now, he has an increased role on the team and as a young player, he will probably play around 40 minutes a game toward the end of the season.
4. Ty Lawson - Absolutely.  Lawson is averaging almost 9 assists per game this season to accompany is 18 PPG.  He's a top-30 fantasy player, and despite his cracked rib, there's no other natural point guard on the Nuggets.  Randy Foye has been shouldering the workload, and now Quincy Miller will be doing some of the work.  Either way, the Nuggets are only 5 games out of playoffs and will be playing hard down the stretch to reach that 8-spot.
5. Eric Bledsoe - Bledsoe had been having a great season before his injury, and there's no reason he won't continue his success upon his return.  The All-Star break is already here, and he will probably be returning late February/early March.  If your roster can stand holding onto him, he's a great add if he's not owned in your league.

Players to release:

1. Anderson Verejao - Now this guy's debatable, and if you could make work out a trade with somebody that you get a pretty good deal on, I say take it.  Verejao is a prolific rebounder, but on a declining Cavs team, they won't rush Verejao back into action if he isn't 100%.  Verejao has a history of injuries, so if you can deal him away somehow, do it.
2. Larry Sanders - Sanders has just been diagnosed with a fracture to his orbital bone (eye), putting him out indefinitely.  Sanders has been dealing with all sorts of various injuries this season, and this just adds to the list.  Now you probably can't trade him before a timetable for his return is released, but it's worth a shot.  None of his previous injuries have crept back up, but as an injury risk, I think he provides for risk than he does reward.  Look for Zaza Pachulia or John Henson to command the most minutes in Sanders's absence.
3. Ersan Ilyasova - Ilyasova has been playing decent basketball lately, but even then, he brings below average scoring and below average rebounding from the power forward slot.  He's been shooting the ball better, but he has been having lingering back issues.  It's never good to hold onto players with lingering issues.  You never know when one game he'll suddenly be ruled out because his back issues flair up.  In most leagues, Ilyasova might not even be worth a trade, but definitely keep an eye on him.  Khris Middleton might be a nice pick-up in the meanwhile.
4. Dwyane Wade - Whatever you have to do to trade this guy, do it.  Wade has been having a injury season, to say the least, playing in just about half of the games.  He has potential if healthy, and he's too valuable to drop, but try and work a trade out where you'd be getting something more consistent.
5. Nick Young - He's a scorer at best, and very little besides that.  He will bring very little to your fantasy team and underproduces from the shooting guard position.  He's injured, and his return will most likely coincide with Kobe Bryant's.  Young is worth a drop; it's hard to justify holding onto him.

If you had any more questions about players I didn't mention, feel free to contact me and I'd be glad to give you my advice.

Week 16 Free Agent Finds

Well I can't say I didn't tell you so.  If you missed out on picking up Randy Foye, there's not a lot of hope left, seeing as he is owned in over 94% of fantasy basketball leagues now.  No Nate Robinson, no Andre Miller, and now Ty Lawson has a cracked rib?  I bet you're just kicking yourself.

Well all that aside, let's take a look at your best prospects for waiver wire pickups here in Week 16.

1. DeMarre Carroll, Hawks SF - Carroll is really having quite a coming out party this year on a pretty banged up Hawks team.  This past month, he's averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.1 treys and 1.7 steals.  In my opinion, he's the second best player to own on the Hawks, from a fantasy perspective, right behind Paul Millsap.  Scoop him up if he's available in your league.

2. Steve Nash/Steve Blake, Lakers PG - In shallow leagues, maybe these guys won't be extremely relevant, but in deeper leagues, both of these guys will have fantasy value.  Upon return from injuries, Nash will start at the point guard and Blake will start at the 2-guard.  Both players will have ample opportunities to drop some dimes and hit a few threes.  Jordan Farmar probably won' t have much fantasy relevance.

3. Danny Green, Spurs SG - I'm not a Spurs fan, especially from a fantasy perspective, mainly due to the way Popovich uses his players.  On any given day, Green or Belinelli's minutes could range from 15-35, depending on how they're playing, but you can't overlook the fact that San Antonio is hurting for health, with Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobli both missing a significant amount of time.  Upon Leonard's return in a few weeks, Green will be irrelevant, but he's worth a short add if you need a boost this week.

4. Raymond Felton, Knicks PG - It's hard to imagine that Felton's slump will continue for much longer.  He's never been a top-tier point guard,  but over the past month, he's averaging about 10 points and 6 assists.  Not great numbers, and obviously any point guard on a team with Carmelo Anthony can't expect much more production, but Felton's a guy to keep an eye on if you need a short-term add.

5. Wesley Johnson, Lakers SF - Johnson is a story, no doubt, but when you look at him, just statistically, there's no reason you don't want him on your team.  ESPN analysts have bragged about "1+1+1" players all year long, meaning players that get at least 1 block, 1 steal, and 1 three pointer a game, and Johnson is one of the few players in the league doing that.  But more importantly, since the Lakers have found health at the point guard position, Johnson is averaging almost 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game.  The pressure will be taken off of Johnson, but he'll still be the only player on the Lakers clocking 40 minutes a night.

6. Jordan Hill, Lakers PF/C - Jordan Hill is also worthy of a pick up, at least in the short term.  Gasol will be out at least until after the All-Star Break, so Hill will be a smart add for at least this week of play.  Coming off the bench behind Robert Sacre (probably not for much longer), Jordan Hill has logged 29 points and 15 rebounds over the last two games, and he's worth keeping an eye on.

7. Ryan Kelly, Lakers SF/PF - Now Hill is a great short term add, but if you're looking to the future, pick up Ryan Kelly.  He's impressed coach D'Antoni with his three-point shot, giving himself a spot in the starting lineup.  Over the past month, D'Antoni has given Kelly almost 28 minutes a game, and he's only recently begun starting.  The Lakers don't need a player like Hill in the starting lineup while Gasol is healthy.  The starting line will be Nash, Blake, Johnson, Kelly, and Gasol.  I don't really like any of the Lakers due to their inconsistency this season, but it's hard to think players like Kelly won't benefit from a player like Nash spreading the ball around.

Players who have lost or are losing fantasy relevance very quickly:
If you haven't already traded or dropped these players, try to work out a trade quickly before they lose relevance altogether.

1. Darren Collison, Clippers PG - Needless to say, with the return of Chris Paul, Collison will no longer bring much to any fantasy team unless there are any setbacks with Paul, which is unlikely.

2. Jamaal Crawford, Clippers SG - A lot of Crawford's production over the past few months has been opportunities due to him running the show, and now with the return of Paul, back-up point guard duties are now on Collison.  Crawford will only really help you in deeper leagues, but he's definitely a better option than some.

3. J.J. Redick, Clippers SG - The return of Paul will definitely impact many players, and some may think that Redick's production will return to how it was early in the season with Paul back.  However, I don't really think so.  Redick's got a sweet shot, but I can't see him producing much more than a couple threes a game and maybe a few assists.


How much of a risk are you willing to take?

It might be time to consider trading for Kobe Bryant.  Right about now, picking up Kobe is a gamble to say the very least.  However, he's the kind of player that, if he comes back, he will be great.  If he comes back.  Here's my opinion.  Kobe isn't going to be playing for much longer.  He already announced he would play two more years and retire.  Now there's no telling how this season will affect that, but I guarantee he won't cut his career short.  He's Kobe.  Kobe wants to play, and Kobe wants to win.  There might never have been another player with as much will to win as Kobe.  The Lakers are officially 12 games out of playoffs.  12 games behind the 8 seed.  It's unlikely the Lakers will make the playoffs, as this year the West has taken more shape than previous years.  Needless to say, though, if there's a chance, Kobe will take advantage of it.  I expect Kobe to start playing late February, early March at the latest, and while some people think he might rest, taking days off isn't Kobe Bryant.  I'm not a fan, but I'm just stating the facts.  If you can buy him low right now (and a lot of owners are probably worried about not making playoffs), then go for it.  He's a high risk-high reward player.

Best of luck in Week 16!

Week 13 Free Agent Finds

Topping off the list of this week's free agent finds are a few Chicago Bulls.

1. Taj Gibson - Chicago Bulls, PF -

 I've got multiple arguments for him.  First off, fantasy-wise, Gibson really isn't that far below Boozer in general.  Rather, he's very close.  Now also consider that Gibson gets a few less minutes per game, but still gets the crunch time playtime.  Now, figure in that Carlos Boozer has been nursing a calf injury; he's not even playing tonight against Cleveland.  This will be Boozer's third missed game in his last ten.  Gibson will be taking the start, and likely more minutes even when Boozer returns.  In the previous two games Boozer missed, Gibson landed 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks against Atlanta and 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists against Phoenix.  Gibson is in for a big game tonight and strong numbers as long as Boozer's injury lingers around, which could be for who knows how long.

2. D.J. Augustin - Chicago Bulls, PG -

This isn't the same D.J. Augustin that ran Charlotte a few years back or the same one that took a backseat to George Hill in Indiana last season.  He's different.  He's matured, smarter, a better shooter... all of the things you want in a point guard.  Augustin is no Derrick Rose, but he's better than Kirk Hinrich, Marquis Teague, and Mike James, all completely irrelevant in this case.  It doesn't come down to Hinrich vs. Augustin; it just comes down to whether or not to pick up Augustin.  I'll convince you.  Hinrich starts still, and I'm not too sure why.  But Thibodeau is a good coach, and I won't question it.  Either way, Hinrich is officially ruled out for about a week with a hamstring injury, making Augustin able to run the offense from the get-go.  Now Hinrich hasn't missed any action yet, so the following stat line is while Hinrich was getting 30 minutes a game.  Over his past six outings, Augustin has averaged 18 points, 7 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.7 threes a game.  Now you're not going to see Augustin's minutes skyrocket to 46 (you might, it's Thibodeau), but you will see increased production due to the absence of Kirk Hinrich.  Pick him up, and give him a week.  If you're not happy, drop him.  But you will be.

3. Channing Frye - Phoenix Suns, PF -

In short, Channing Frye is a power forward who is a three-point specialist.  Not many power forwards can successfully guard him, and he's too tall in the post to be effectively contained by a small forward.  He's hard to match up with, and he's hot right now.  The Suns' center, Miles Plumlee, is nursing an injury right now, offering more rebounding opportunities for Frye, who already averages 5.5 boards a game.  Through his last 11 games, Frye has hits four threes six times.  He's also grabbed almost 6 rebounds a game.  Shooting power forwards sometimes have it tough, but the Suns have an excellent point guard in Goran Dragic, who is averaging over 7 assists over his last few games.  I mean he learned from Steve Nash, he's got skill.  Anyways, pick up Frye for this week and see how he fairs out for you.

4. - Randy Foye - Denver Nuggets, SG - 

I'm not going to go into huge detail about Randy Foye right now; I'll keep it short and sweet.  In his last six games, Foye is averaging 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.2 threes a game.  He's hot.  He sat out his last game because of a stomach bug, not an injury.  He's feeling it right now, and he's playing well.  Ride him while he's hot and see how it turns out to you if you need a shooter.

If these guys are still available (although unlikely in your league), grab them immediately: Jared Sullinger, Celtics PF; Jimmy Butler, Bulls SG/SF; Eric Bledsoe, Suns PG/SG (if you can afford to hold onto him for 2-4 weeks); Darren Collison, Clippers PG

*If you own Jordan Crawford, please trade him away now or drop him for a better option.  You need to realize he may be a great back-up scorer, but he's just that, a back-up.  He will be behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.  Unless either of them get hurt for an extended period of time (which isn't unlikely with Curry), he has very little value.

X-Factor of the Week: Greivis Vasquez, Raptors PG

This guy is lethal.  He's deadly.  We're talking about 12 assists per game, league-leading.  The problem?  He's sitting behind Kyle Lowry.  Keep an eye on this situation.  Over his last two games, Vasquez has really found his game even off the bench, averaging 13 points, 8.5 assists and 6 rebounds.  The Raptors claimed they were no longer interested in trading Lowry, given his outstanding play as of late and the team's recent success.  HOWEVER, they will have that same success with Vasquez running the show, and I think Toronto knows that.  They have a starting point guard sitting on their bench, playing 20 minutes per game.  He's finally fully recovered from his ankle surgery in the off season, and the Raptors stated that they are no longer "marketing" Lowry.  They aren't out looking to trade him, but he will be a free agent at the end of the year, and if somebody wants to trade for him, the Raptors will consider it.  I've almost picked up Vasquez just in case this happens, to hold onto him.  What I'm saying is, if you hear so much a rumor that Lowry is getting traded, immediately pick up Vasquez, whatever you do.

Good luck to all in Week 13!