With the release of Herija’s examination of the Bucks, that pretty well wraps up the 2008-09 RotoRob NBA Draft Kit. Perfect timing, with the season beginning tonight. We can’t wait for those games to count, and hope you’ve enjoyed our draft kit. Special thanks to all the writers who assisted in the creation of this, including Alex, Andy, Daniel, Derek, Herija, James, Jordan and Steven. In fact, almost the whole team kicked in for this effort. Kudos to you all!

The Bucks endured yet another miserable season in 2007-08, pushing out to a 7-4 start - including wins over the Cavs, Lakers and Mavericks - before the wheels came off. They lost four straight and their record never got over .500 again. They decided to rebuild (again) during the offseason, firing their coach (Larry Krystkowiak) and general manager (Larry Harris), and bringing on highly respected John Hammond to replace Harris and hard-nosed Scott Skiles to guide the team on the court. Unfortunately, it remains to be seen if owner Herb Kohl gives them the leeway to do the things necessary to put a sustainable winner on the court. If their seemingly all-in grab for a low playoff seed is any indication, Buck fans might not want to know the answer.

Hammond did do an admirable job of ridding the team of a locker room cancer (Mo Williams), a horrendous contract (Bobby Simmons) and a guy that never wanted to play there in the first place (Yi Jianlian), but I’m not convinced the overall talent level has greatly improved. There’s no question the transition from Williams to Luke Ridnour is a downgrade on the court, but Williams and Michael Redd had zero on-court chemistry, so this may be a case of addition by subtraction. The team will also have to hope that Charlie Bell didn’t spend his offseason doing 12-ounce curls again after reporting to the team woefully out of the shape last season. He sulked over the team’s handling of his contract and wasn’t the same player. With Williams gone, they’ll need more from Bell. Ramon Sessions had some huge games down the stretch, but we’ll see how he holds up over a full season. If what we glimpsed was the real deal, the Williams trade would suddenly look infinitely better.

The frontcourt makeover is a big one as well. Gone are Simmons and Desmond Mason, in is former All-Star Richard Jefferson. The Bucks got Jefferson in the Yi/Simmons salary dump, and he should give them their best perimeter defender and another player that can create his own shot. The departure of Yi also frees up power forward for Charlie Villanueva, who averaged 15-8 as a starter last year. Behind those two, the Bucks will try to get away with rookie Joe Alexander and veterans Malik Allen and Adrian Griffin. Villanueva is the key, however, and with the chance to be a restricted free-agent next season he should have plenty of motivation, not to mention opportunity, to put up big numbers.

Many casual fans bristled at the contract extension given to Andrew Bogut, but the big Aussie has elevated his game over the years and is already one of the game’s better centres. He racked up double-doubles after the All-Star break, is an excellent passer at the high post - maybe someone will actually try running some offense through him - and a great help defender. Bogut takes a ton of charges, has improved exponentially as a shot blocker and wants to win. The worst thing Bogut has ever done in his career is not be Chris Paul or Deron Williams, which isn’t his fault. Behind Bogut, big-money bust Dan Gadzuric and former Spur centre Francisco Elson will hold down the fort.

Milwaukee was brutal in the preseason, but it’s a work in progress, and Skiles is demanding more accountability at the defensive end than anyone in recent memory. A stumble out of the gates followed by a push to the .500 level wouldn’t be surprising, and in this conference that could be good enough to land one of the lower playoff seeds.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Luke Ridnour
SG: Michael Redd
SF: Richard Jefferson
PF: Charlie Villanueva
C: Andrew Bogut

Key Bench Players: Charlie Bell, Ramon Sessions, Joe Alexander, Malik Allen.

Position Battles

The starters are pretty much settled, though I expect the Ridnour/Sessions battle to continue throughout the season. About the only job up for grabs entering the final days of the preseason was back-up centre between Elson and Gadzuric. The latter has never come close to living up to his huge deal, but the team might give him some run in the futile hope he’ll show enough to generate some trade interest down the road.

Stud: Bogut averaged 16.3 points and 11.6 rebounds per game after the All-Star break last season. He also shoots a high percentage, blocks a lot of shots and is an adept passer. He’ll hurt you at the foul line, but Bogut - still only 23 years of age - appears poised for a real breakthrough season.

Dud: Yes, Redd is a lights out shooter. He needs almost no time or room to launch his pretty J and has developed a solid game off the dribble as well. However, Redd has long expended nearly no energy on defense, something Skiles is unlikely to tolerate. Therefore, I look for Redd to either (a) continue playing no defense and earn fewer minutes; or (b) expend more energy defensively and have less left to give on offense. Either way, I’m expecting his numbers to slip.

Sleeper: Ridnour is going to start over Sessions, but we’ll see if that lasts. As a rookie, Sessions authored some truly memorable performances, and it’s not like he was chopped liver in the D-League (20.9 points, 7.6 assists, 6.6 rebounds) either. I like Sessions as a late-round pick with big upside, but then again, so does everyone else. Better to take him a round too early, he has too much potential.

It’s against my principles to go with two sleepers, but in Charlie V’s case we’re making an exception. The guy has double-double potential and can bury three-pointers. Focus and intensity have been his shortcomings, but if Skiles (and a fat contract) can motivate him, watch out.

Rookies to Watch: Everyone loves Alexander’s physical tools, but the consensus seems to be he has a ways to go to really contribute at this level. I don’t expect more than 15 to 20 minutes a night for Alexander behind Jefferson and Charlie V. Defense is the name of the game with second-round pick Luc Mbah a Moute, which could earn him sporadic minutes when a defensive stopper is called for.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

There’s recent talk that Skiles may be considering starting Mbah a Moute over Villanueva at PF, which would definitely boost the rookie’s stock. However, the fact that Charlie V can handle both the three and four should guarantee him plenty of minutes.

Ridnour’s back may keep him out of Tuesday’s season opener, and give Sessions an opportunity to make an early-season statement. In this scenario, Bell will also earn extra minutes.

October 28th, 2008
Categories: 2008-09 NBA Draft Kit, BASKETBALL, Herija Green, RotoRob . Author: Herija Green . Comments: 2 Comments

And with the release of our top 25 centres, we’re pretty well done the 2008-09 RotoRob NBA Draft Kit. Good luck to all our readers this season.

1. Amare Stoudemire, C/PF, Phoenix Suns: He won’t see much action at C, but he qualifies there, and given that he made most of his starts there last year, I put him on this list. While helping in the usual big man categories, Stoudemire will also carry you in FG percentage and help you in FT percentage, not an easy find among big men.

2. Elton Brand, C/PF, Philadelphia 76ers: Brand will also spend most of his time at the four this year, but having made five of his six starts last year at centre, he qualifies there, thus shooting his stock even higher. Last season was a complete write off for him, but he’s now healthy and ready to resume his dominance, only this time back in the Eastern Conference with an improving 76er squad.

3. Al Jefferson, C/PF, Minnesota Timberwolves: Yet another big man who qualifies at two positions, Big Al finally turned in a healthy season and man, was it worth the wait. Able to carry a bigger workload, Jefferson improved his FT shooting en route to a major breakout offensively. At age 23, there’s still tons of upside here.

4. Dwight Howard, C, Orlando Magic: Superman made minor strides dealing with his Kryptonite (sinking free throws) last year; this season, he has his X-ray vision set on blocking even more shots.

5. Yao Ming, C, Houston Rockets: Well, he came a bit closer to making it through the season unscathed, but that’s now three straight years Ming has suffered a major injury. His touches were down, and that obviously affected his scoring, but the Ming Dynasty enjoyed his finest season off the glass yet.

6. Pau Gasol, PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers: Gasol will mostly play the four this year, but considering most of his starts were at centre last season, we’re tossing him in here. He didn’t exactly have a banner year last season, but we’re expecting a nice bounce back effort in his first full season in La La Land.

7. Marcus Camby, C, Los Angeles Clippers: The Cambyman had a career year on the glass last season despite PT that’s been in decline for a couple of seasons. His touches and FG percentage also slipped, and that heel injury is a major concern. So there you have it – you know what this dude can do when healthy, but draft at your own risk.

8. Andrew Bogut, C, Milwaukee Bucks: This Aussie big man just keeps getting better and given his huge second half last year – especially in April when he averaged 17.6 PPG and 11.4 RPG – and the fact he’s still just 23, big things are coming this season.

9. Mehmet Okur, C/PF, Utah Jazz: Not sure why he qualifies at forward as well, but he does, so the flexibility is nice. Okur has been in decline over the past two years, but remains among the strongest centres in the game. He won’t get you the kind of FG percentages you expect from a big man, but makes up for it by sinking plenty of treys.

10. Andrew Bynum, C, Los Angeles Lakers: Bynum missed most the year, but showed promise offensively and continued to make nice strides from the charity stripe. The starting gig’s his, so go ahead and use a mid-round pick on him.

11. Tyson Chandler, C, New Orleans Hornets: Moving to the Big Easy has been the big break that Chandler needed, as he’s gotten better and better with the Hornets. At age 26, there could still be upside, especially offensively.

12. Rasheed Wallace, C/PF, Detroit Pistons: ‘Sheed’s PT has been getting reduced for a couple of years now – a trend I expect to continue in a deeper Detroit frontcourt – but he’s still capable of contributing a little bit of everything for your team.

13. Al Horford, C/PF, Atlanta Hawks: A near Rookie of the Year performance, qualification at both centre and forward, and double-double potential every time he takes the floor. While more blocks might be nice, there’s a lot to like here.

14. Andris Biedrins, C, Golden State Warriors: Biedrins’s offensive game started moving forward last year as he shot better, got to the line more often, and improved his FT percentage.

15. Greg Oden, C, Portland Trail Blazers: The hype is huge, and Oden will definitely make you happy, but don’t reach too soon.

16. Chris Kaman, C, Los Angeles Clippers: Kaman had his offensive breakout season cut short by injury last year, but with Brand missing most of the season, he was asked to shoulder much more of scoring role. There’s concern over how the addition of Camby will affect Kaman this season, but if he can stay healthy, he’s a quality centre to own.

17. Samuel Dalembert, C, Philadelphia 76ers: Dalembert will help you in boards and blocks, but that’s about it. He’s stayed healthy the past couple of years, but his knee is bothering him, so keep an eye on the situation.

18. Brad Miller, C, Sacramento Kings: Miller bounced back after a horrible, injury-filled 2006-07 and wound up averaging a steal per game while shooting his finest percentage from the line ever. He’ll miss the first five games because of a suspension, slipping him down the rankings a tad.

19. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C, Cleveland Cavaliers: Big Z bounced back after floundering in Cleveland’s new offensive system in 2006-07. He earned himself more touches, and put himself back on the map as a quality fantasy centre.

20. Shaquille O’Neal, C, Phoenix Suns: Shaq’s been in free fall for what seems years, yet he remains a double-double machine when he can take the court. You know the drill – if you draft Shaq Daddy, make sure the rest of your team can sink their freebies and have plenty of backup –he’s injury prone, and Phoenix plans to rest him for the tail end of back-to-backs this season.

21. Joakim Noah, C/PF, Chicago Bulls: There’s talk Noah may come off the bench to start the season, but last year, he earned more minutes as the season progressed and by April, he was averaging 10.6 PPG, almost seven boards per game and close to 1.7 blocks per contest.

22. Ben Wallace, C/PF, Cleveland Cavaliers: Okay, so he no longer pulls down 10 boards on a nightly basis, but Big Ben isn’t quite ready to be set adrift on an ice floe, either.

23. Kendrick Perkins, C, Boston Celtics: No one is going to confuse Perkins with an offensive threat, but last season, given more PT and touches, he responded by shooting extremely well. The boards and blocks are sweet and there is plenty of upside here.

24. Marc Gasol, C, Memphis Grizzlies: Pau’s younger brother, only a Grizz, ironically enough, because of the deal that sent his bro to LA, is someone you should definitely consider as a viable fantasy centre.

25. Andrea Bargnani, C, Toronto Raptors: Il Mago is making a statement for more PT with his play this preseason, and I’m expected a major bounce back year. Remember that he hasn’t yet turned 23 (but will on Wednesday).

Others to Consider

Brook Lopez, C/PF, New Jersey Nets
Andray Blatche, PF/C, Washington Wizards
Josh Boone, PF/C, New Jersey Nets
Spencer Hawes, Sacramento Kings

October 27th, 2008
Categories: 2008-09 NBA Draft Kit, BASKETBALL, Cheat sheets, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 2 Comments

As we continue the 2008-09 RotoRob NBA Draft Kit, we’re back with another team preview, this time with Alex making his basketball debut with a look at the Wizards.

The Washington Wizards enter the 2008-09 campaign with more questions than answers. Once again, their franchise star, Gilbert Arenas, will be out an extended period of time as he underwent another knee surgery. In his absence, the ball will be in good hands with Antonio Daniels. He is always among the league leaders in assist-to turnover ratio, but on the downside, he hardly the star and shot maker that Agent Zero has become over the past few years.

In addition to Arenas’s injury, starting centre Brendan Haywood will be out virtually for the entire season thanks to a wrist injury. It’s awful timing as he was starting to show signs of consistency when he was given consistent minutes last year. This injury is far more important than it seems as Haywood is a long seven-footer that fills up the lane on defense and can block shots. Etan Thomas will fill in as starter, but I am not sure how many minutes he will be getting as he is coming off heart surgery. The Haywood injury most likely will leave a revolving door at the centre spot, with Andray Blatche and, to a lesser extent, Javale McGee factoring into this mix.

If Coach Eddie Jordan does not get the Wizards past the second round of the playoffs, and more importantly the Cavs (who have knocked them out in the first round three straight years), there will be questions about whether he is the guy to lead this team. You can only blame injuries for so long, right? It just seems the Wizards can never catch a break, as injuries to their big three have been commonplace. The last time Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, and Arenas were all healthy, they were No. 1 in the East at the All-Star break the season before last.

Another huge question will be how the young talent on the team (Nick Young, McGee, Dominic McGuire, Blatche) continues to be integrated into the rotation. All four have outstanding potential as Young can be a deadly scorer, Blatche is a very versatile big man, and McGuire could be a great energy guy off the bench. I think Blatche is finally taking his job seriously, so I look for him to continue to develop.

Fantasy wise, the only guys worth a starting spot on a standard league will be Butler and Jamison. Daniels could be a nice bench player if you need assists and want to keep your turnovers down. Jamison is a perennial 20-10 guy, so you know what you will get with him. Butler, on the other hand, fills up all the categories as he covers points, assists, rebounds, and steals.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Antonio Daniels
SG: DeShawn Stevenson
SF: Caron Butler
PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Etan Thomas

Key Bench Players: Andray Blatche, Nick Young, JaVale McGee, Darius Songalia, Dominic McGuire, Dee Brown.

Position Battles

While there is a constant battle for bench minutes on the team, the only starting gig being contested is at centre. With Haywood out basically for the season, it is Thomas’s job to lose, with McGee, Blatche, and Songalia looking to push him for starts. With Arenas out, Brown steps in as the back-up point guard to Daniels. Also look for Young to seriously push for Stevenson’s starter minutes within the first 20 games of the year.

Stud: Caron Butler is an absolute fixture for the Wizards. He is not called “Tough Juice” for nothing. He plays hard and consistent and is the stud on the team. You could argue for Jamison, but he is sometimes soft and usually hides when there’s an opportunity for a big shot.

Dud: As good as Gilbert Arenas is when he is healthy, he is the fantasy dud on the squad. He has not played on a regular basis for a very long time. His injuries will always be a concern ever since he went down with the meniscus injury. As much as Wizard fans would love to see Agent Zero in full effect this year, that very well may never come to pass.

Sleeper: I will go with Andray Blatche as the sleeper on the Wizards. He has the skill set and size to be a valuable fantasy player. He can handle the ball, get assists, and his size allows him to get easy rebounds. He also is a decent shot blocker who is getting better on the defensive side. His scoring and jump shooting has improved each year, which is promising. Draft him late, and you could be rewarded. He should end up getting more minutes than starting centre Etan Thomas.

Rookies to Watch The only rookie on the squad is centre JaVale McGee. This ultra-athletic seven-footer will compete for minutes this year. Coach Eddie Jordan did not expect him to be in the rotation before the preseason started, but it will be hard to keep him on the bench if he continues to work and play as hard as he has in the last few exhibition games. McGee will not make a major fantasy impact, but if you are in a keeper league, you may want to keep an eye on him.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

I think the biggest fantasy story to watch will be if those who draft Gilbert Arenas get any returns. He is slated to come back by January, but recent reports say he could make it back as early as November. If you want a potential stud in round six or seven, he may be worth a shot. After his previous complications, Arenas won’t be rushing back to the court. Are you willing to take the risk and pull the trigger on Arenas?

Another interesting story to follow is the scoring ability of Nick Young. I think he is a legit NBA scorer would could very soon be averaging 16 to 20 points a game. The problem is that he will be just that, a scorer. I do not see him putting up enough assists and boards to become a fantasy stud. Basically, he will just be taking points away from Jamison and Butler, making them slightly less valuable.

All in all, the Wizards are ready for another playoff year. I am sure they will do just enough to allow LeBron to eliminate them again as he takes his three steps down the lane for game winners. Long live the King…

October 27th, 2008
Categories: 2008-09 NBA Draft Kit, Alex Hardin, BASKETBALL, Team report, Uncategorized . Author: Alex Hardin . Comments: 3 Comments

And yet more of the 2008-09 RotoRob NBA Draft Kit is released as Jordan checks in with his thoughts on the Pacers.

Playing in a division that includes the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls, the Indiana Pacers can get lost in the shuffle at times in the Central. However, a busy offseason of change has brought a sense of optimism and hope to a team that struggled to a 36-46 season last year.

The Pacers were looking to change the culture of their team and were successful by trading the huge contract of Jermaine O’Neal to the Toronto Raptors, giving away Shawne Williams to the Dallas Mavericks and basically dumping Jamaal Tinsley. The trade of O’Neal brought T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to the Pacers from Toronto and the Pacers also brought in Jarrett Jack to help run the point. In addition, the Pacers got rid of Kareem Rush, Flip Murray and Ike Diogu.

Ford, Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger lead the “new” Pacers. With the breakouts of Granger and Dunleavy last year, the Pacers are poised to make an impact in a potentially loaded Central Division.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: T.J. Ford
SG: Mike Dunleavy
SF: Danny Granger
PF: Troy Murphy
C: Rasho Nesterovic

Key Bench Players: Jarrett Jack, Travis Diener, Marquis Daniels, Jeff Foster, Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert.

Position Battles

The new-look Pacers have had a very peaceful training camp with little distraction off the court — a novely considering the events of recent years. The only real position battle at this point is at the power forward/centre positions where the Pacers will utilize a three-man rotation of Murphy, Nesterovic and Foster.

Stud: Only four players in the NBA averaged 18 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block per game in 2007-08 – LeBron James, Rudy Gay, Kevin Garnett and the Pacers’ Granger. In his third year in the league, Granger broke out and became a fantasy stud. Look for him to continue to mature and to post great multi-category lines as the ball will go through him even more this year.

Dud: The Pacers cleaned house and dealt away most of their duds. I would be leary of Ford only because he has had trouble staying healthy. When healthy, he can easily average 8+ assists, but he doesn’t shoot many threes and his field goal percentage has steadily declined.

Sleeper: The absence of O’Neal should free up minutes and opportunities for Murphy. He will start at power forward and even play minutes at centre. Murphy is a solid double-double guy every night and his centre eligibility makes him a strong sleeper for the 2008-09 season.

Rookies to Watch: The Pacers drafted Roy Hibbert and acquired the draft rights of Kansas swingman Brandon Rush, the 13th pick in the draft, in a package deal that sent Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless to Portland. Rush should make an immediate impact for the Pacers as he will likely see consistent minutes at the shooting guard spot.

Fantasy Stories to Watch

Can Ford stay healthy and put behind him the neck injury that cost him over 30 games last season?

Can Granger ascend to the next level as a fantasy stud?

Dunleavy’s injured knee is causing some concern, but all indications are that he should be ready for the start of the regular season.

October 27th, 2008
Categories: 2008-09 NBA Draft Kit, BASKETBALL, Jordan Frank, Team report, Uncategorized . Author: Jordan Frank . Comments: No Comments

We continue the 2008-09 RotoRob NBA Draft Kit today with the second of our three cheat sheets, our top 41 forwards.

1. LeBron James, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers: How much better can he get? The dude is just 23, is already a 30 PPG man, but definitely has room to grow with his outside shooting and work from the line. If he avoids major injury, this could be the year King James really makes his mark.

2. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks: His PT and boards have been declining for three years, but Disco Dirk still helps across the board, bagging you a trey every game and even pitching in with a career best 3.5 APG last year.

3. Kevin Garnett, PF, Boston Celtics: Many have soured on him to an extent because his minutes – and production – dropped significantly last year as part of the Big Three in Boston. But KG never shot better, and still provides value almost across the board.

4. Shawn Marion, SF/PF, Miami Heat: While he’s not as prolific a scorer as he once was, the Matrix still provides across the board production, so you can’t let him slide too far.

5. Josh Smith, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks: Despite less PT last season, Smoov took his offensive game to a new level, while setting new career bests in SPG and APG. He just keeps getting better and better, and is still just 22.

6. Carmelo Anthony, SF, Denver Nuggets: Sure, he’s gotten less touches since Allen Iverson arrived in town, but Melo has stepped up in other areas of his game to compensate.

7. Tim Duncan, PF/C, San Antonio Spurs: Okay, so he doesn’t play 40 minutes a night anymore, but The Big Fundamental is still a near across-the-board talent, and he even improved his FT shooting last season.

8. Carlos Boozer, PF/C, Utah Jazz: I’m not sure why Yahoo! has him qualified at centre as well, but I’ll take it. Boozer became a bigger part of the Jazz offense last year and even pitched in with a few more blocks, although that’s not really part of his arsenal.

9. Caron Butler, SF, Washington Wizards: I’d love to see this All-Star get to the charity stripe more, but it’s hard to argue with his well-rounded game.

10. Andre Iguodala, SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers: Iggy is expected to play mostly at the two-guard this year, but with 74 starts at forward last season, I’m listing him here. Regardless of what position he’s playing, Iguodala just keeps getting better, despite playing a bit less last season on a deeper Sixer team.

11. Chris Bosh, PF/C, Toronto Raptors: Again, I’m not clear why Bosh has centre qualification, but that’s a sweet bonus. I’d like to see Bosh’s blocks bounce back, but with Jermaine O’Neal in town, I doubt this will happen. Even sweeter would be to see Bosh incorporate more of an outside game into his repertoire; he’s shown a nice touch when hoisting it up from beyond the arc.

12. Danny Granger, SG/SF, Indiana Pacers: Swingman qualification is just another reason to like the durable Granger, who continues to take a larger role and show improvements across the board each season.

13. Paul Pierce, SG/SF, Boston Celtics: Pierce didn’t make any starts at the two-guard spot last year, but still qualifies as a swingman. It’s a good thing, because his value has slipped playing as part of the Big Three. On the plus side, The Truth stayed healthy and upped his blocks, steals and assists last year.

14. Rudy Gay, SF/PF, Memphis Grizzlies: Gay was given way more PT in his sophomore season and he responded with across-the-board improvements, even pitching in with a block per game and the odd assist. Expect another huge jump this season.

15. Antawn Jamison, SF/PF, Washington Wizards: Jamison’s outside game slipped a bit last year, but he more than compensated for that by getting to the line more often and shooting a higher percentage, not to mention having a career year on the glass.

16. Rashard Lewis, SF/PF, Orlando Magic: Lewis’s offense suffered thanks to the breakout performance by Hedo Turkoglu, a bit less PT and the fact that his shooting was off a smidgeon. However, there are few players better from beyond the arc than Lewis.

17. David West, PF, New Orleans Hornets: West enjoyed a tremendous season, and although you’ll need to look elsewhere for your 3-pointers, he provides a great boost in FT shooting, scoring, rebounding and even blocks.

18. Hedo Turkoglu, SG/SF, Orlando Magic: The NBA’s most improved player still qualifies at guard for some reason, but his owners won’t complain. An excellent source of treys, Turkoglu proved he wasn’t a one-trick pony last year by drawing way more fouls to help his scoring average soar.

19. Mike Dunleavy, SG/SF, Indiana Pacers: A true swingman who spends most of his time at forward, Dunleavy is coming off a career year where he parlayed more PT into fantastic production. I’d like to see more steals, and the knee is worrisome, but Dunleavy has arrived as a fantasy force.

20. Josh Howard, SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks: The swingman’s FG percentage has slipped three straight years, but everything else is on the rise, and now that Howard is a 7 RPG man and has cut his TOs, he’s even more valuable.

21. Stephen Jackson, SG/SF, Golden State Warriors: Jackson is expected to play at the two-guard (and even some point, apparently) this season, but after making all his starts at forward last year, I’m putting him here. He got way more touches last year, but was a liability in FG percentage. If you can handle that, his across the board skills are a great addition.

22. Ron Artest, SF/PF, Houston Rockets: Although his rebounding slipped last year, Artest enjoyed a great season from behind the arc, helping to improve his scoring big time. Yes, he’s a headache, but is too much of an across the board talent to ignore.

23. Richard Jefferson, SF, Milwaukee Bucks: Okay, so RJ’s rebounding was down, but he proved he was healthy, logging heavy minutes and lighting up the scoreboard.

24. Gerald Wallace, SF/PF, Charlotte Bobcats: Crash is another forward that’s rebounding fell, but pretty well everything else went up, especially his trips to the charity stripe. He’s an injury risk as always, but man, can help you in so many ways.

25. Corey Maggette, SG/SF, Golden State Warriors: While Maggette’s rebounding slipped and he missed a fair amount of time last year, he enjoyed an explosive offensive season and returned to the one SPG territory. Expect more of the same this season with the free-wheeling Warriors.

26. Lamar Odom, SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers: Odom never shot better and enjoyed a great rebounding season last year, but he didn’t use the 3-pointer as a weapon as he had in the past. The fact that he’ll be coming off the bench hurts his value somewhat, but Odom is still a very good bet.

27. LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C, Portland Trail Blazers: I don’t know where this C eligibility comes from, but man, I’ll take it. Aldridge showed improvements across the board in his sophomore season, especially in terms of drawing fouls. I’m expecting more of the same this year.

28. Emeka Okafor, PF/C, Charlotte Bobcats: Okafor’s touches have dropped every year since his rookie season, but he shot better last year – except from the line, of course. He’ll be pressed to enjoy a breakout year by Coach Larry Brown.

29. Michael Beasley, SF/PF, Miami Heat: This kid needs to be the first rookie taken off the board, probably around the sixth round.

30. Luol Deng, SG/SF, Chicago Bulls: Don’t freaking ask me where Yahoo! has come up with guard eligibility for Deng, but that only makes him more attractive. Like most Bulls, Deng slipped last year, but we’re expecting him to move to the next level this season, making him a nice value pick.

31. Jermaine O’Neal, PF/C, Toronto Raptors: O’Neal’s 2007-08 campaign was truly forgettable, and he remains an injury risk, but if he can play 70 games, he’ll reward you nicely from a late fifth round slot.

32. Zach Randolph, PF, New York Knicks: Randolph, like everyone else in New York, struggled last season. With his PT and touches down, his numbers suffered, but it’s supposedly a new day in the Big Apple, so Randolph could bounce back under new coach Mike D’Antoni.

33. Andrei Kirilenko, SF/PF, Utah Jazz: AK-47 bounced back somewhat after his disastrous 2006-07 season, but there’s still room for more. He’ll be coming off the bench, so temper your expectations, but I still like his across the board potential.

34. Peja Stojakovic, SG/SF: Yes, he has swingman qualification for some reason, but either way, Peja proved he was healthy last year, and shot well while improving his rebounding numbers. Three treys a game? Sweet.

35. Marvin Williams, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks: Williams stayed healthy last year and earned more touches as a result, but his limited outside game vanished. Still, I’m expecting a very nice year of growth from this former Tar Heel.

36. Al Harrington, PF/C, Golden State Warriors: Harrington’s PT and shooting slipped last year, but you’ve got to love that centre qualification and the fact that he’s really developing his outside game, putting up five attempts per game from beyond the arc.

37. Al Thornton, SF/PF, Los Angeles Clippers: Thornton was a wonderfully pleasant surprise as a rookie, and I’m expecting more touches this year as he looks to enjoy a major breakout.

38. David Lee, PF/C, New York Knicks: Lee’s rebounding dropped a bit last year, but we’re willing to throw out basically everything that happened in NY last season. This dude has centre qualification, and is a major gamer. Gotta love him!

39. Tayshaun Prince, SF, Detroit Pistons: Prince didn’t have a banner year, with his touches, steals and rebounds in particular all slipping, but he’s capable of pitching in with a little bit of everything.

40. Charlie Villanueva, SF/PF, Milwaukee Bucks: Villanueva is expected to see plenty of action with Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons out of the picture. As a bonus, Charlie V is playing for a contract, so look for his shooting touch to return.

41. Troy Murphy, PF/C, Indiana Pacers: Murphy’s expected double-double season didn’t happen last year, even though he remained relatively healthy. His shooting slipped a bit, but because of his centre eligibility, he remains a solid fantasy choice.

Here are a few forwards that missed the cut, but also qualify at centre, so deserve mention:

Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns
Luis Scola, Houston Rockets
Chris Wilcox, Oklahoma City Thunder
Nick Collison, Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz
Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons
Nene Hilario, Denver Nuggets

October 27th, 2008
Categories: 2008-09 NBA Draft Kit, BASKETBALL, Cheat sheets, RotoRob . Author: RotoRob . Comments: 2 Comments