Fantasy Week 13: J.O. writes a new chapter
Jermaine O’Neal’s season lost? Elton Brand on his way back? Second half team schedules
Remember the 2001-2002 season when Jermaine O’Neal was, without question, the most underrated young superstar in the NBA? That was the year he truly broke out, averaging 19 points, and nearly 11 rebounds, while swatting 2 shots a night for the Pacers. For his efforts he was awarded the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, his first All-Star appearance, as well as a slot on the All-NBA Third team.
The All-Star birth as well as the All-NBA selection seemed like they were about to become themes of J.O.’s career, and in many ways they still are, however, injuries are also becoming a subplot and that story wrote a new chapter on Monday.
An injury to the left knee of the prep-to-pros stud has him considering sitting out the remainder of the season to rest and rehab. O’Neal had surgery on that same knee in April of 2007, and although he has undergone treatment, he still isn’t 100%.
When the report first broke it looked like a 2 week absence. Then as details came in it appeared missing the entire season was likely, and now O’Neal is calling that option the, “worst-case scenario.” Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said before the Sixers game on Monday that he, and his medical staff, fully expect O’Neal back this season… certainly nothing confusing about that report.
Listen, if you drafted O’Neal you were likely bumping “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers as you clicked the mouse, and you had to expect an issue at some point. Depending on who you believe this is either a catastrophe, or a 2 week setback. Usually when reports conflict like this the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Owners should hold onto Jermaine and see what type of reports come out of Indian in the next few days.
In the meantime Mike Dunleavy should get a bump in value to his already spectacular season. Kareem Rush will also benefit from O’Neal’s absence and has been shooting the ball very well lately. He deserves a look in all leagues and is a must-own for owners in need of three balls. Troy Murphy, Shawne Williams, Ike Diogu and Jeff Foster will all see increased tick and would like an opportunity to solidify your teams front line.
While Murphy is likely owned in your league Foster, Williams and Diogu are probably available. I think Williams has the most upside from this group but Foster will do the most work on the glass. If you’re in need of rebounds, pick him up while Jermaine rehabs.
Brendan Haywood was a popular pickup this season because his usual time share with Etan Thomas wasn’t going down while Thomas was sidelined for medical reasons. We all got a bit of good new Monday when Etan was cleared to practice with the Wizards. While he wont have any fantasy value this season, Haywood owners need to be aware of Thomas’s presence because it could cut into his minutes. If you can move him, it might be a good time to market his services to an owner in need of a second or third center. No one’s going to be thrilled about Haywood’s points or rebounds, but if you stress his blocked shots, you may be able to get something of value.
Throughout the season I’ve gotten a few emails from readers wondering where I go for fantasy information, and which fantasy writers I read. I quickly explain to them that I go nowhere because I’m all knowing and pretty much a fantasy guru, then I quickly delete the message and all traces of their existence from my inbox.
Hopefully you caught the sarcasm in that paragraph. The truth is, I think the key to being up on the fantasy tip is reading as much as possible, so there are a number of sites I checkout multiple times daily. Of those sites, only one is specific to fantasy basketball. If you’re familiar with Rotoworld, you know the name Steve Alexander. “Dr. A”, in my opinion, sets the bar for fantasy hoops and on top of all that, he’s also a very cool guy.
One of the reasons his stuff resonates with me is because he put me down with the “games played strategy.” It’s something I have touched on a number of times in this column but, as the season progresses it becomes more and more important. Take this week for example. Typically, Charlie Villanueva, Charlie Bell, and Royal Ivey are borderline value players at best. In week #13 the Bucks play 5 games and a player like Andrew Bogut is going to produce more than any center in the league. If you’re in a daily, head to head league, this information can get you a few more starts and more chances for your guys to get busy.
I recommend you take a look at each teams remaining games played by week schedule. Guys like Dwight Howard, Baron Davis, Carlos Boozer, and Chris Bosh will help get you into the playoffs, but Chris Kaman, Corey Maggette, Josh Smith and Tim Duncan will bring home more fantasy titles. Dr. A has broken it all down for you, right here.
There’s some value to be had on the waiver wire for owners in deeper leagues. Check out these niche players to sure up your bench.
Kareem Rush – For whatever reason, Rush plays much better when Jermaine O’Neal is sidelined. That’s odd considering a shooter like Rush should benefit from the attention O’Neal demands from the defense, but it’s not the case. Last night he had 25 points, 5 treys and 5 rebounds. If you’re in need of threes he’s a no-brainer.
Thabo Sefolosha – Even though Hinrich, Gordon, and Duhon are all likely more talented than Thabo he is going to get tick simply because he provides a different look for the struggling Bulls. Right now Duhon is day to day and last week Hinrich missed time with back spasms. Thabo isn’t a guy you need to run out and grab, but he is worth keeping an eye on and will have value the minute any member of the Bulls back court misses extended time with injury.
Ryan Gomes – If you want to ride Gomes after his 35 point, 11 rebound night against the Warriors feel free. Just keep in mind numbers tend to inflate against Nelly and company (Dorrell Wright) and Gomes was 11 of 15 from the field, which wont happen often. Either way he has played very well lately and deserves a look in all formats.
Linas Kleiza – I realize making light of guys medical issues isn’t cool but honestly, what’s really good with the Denver front line? First Nene goes down with a tumor in his testicles and then Kenyon Martin misses time with a staph infection on his butt. No joke here, I’m just saying, it’s a tough time to be a forward on the Nuggets. Picking up the slack has been Linas Kleiza who dropped 41 points on Thursday. Edwardo Najera is also banged up so Kleiza is going to get plenty of tick. After Melo went down last night with an ankle injury Kleiza’s value will be only extended. He scores, hits threes, and rebounds, excellent short term pickup.
If Elton Brand is floating around your waiver wire it’s time to think about snagging him. I wouldn’t pick him up in daily leagues but weekly formats where you can stash him on your bench, it’s time. His next examination is coming up at the end of January and if the news is good, he’ll instantly become a hot pickup throughout fantasy leagues.
Brand had originally targeted late February for a return but doctors have cautioned that projection was a best-case scenario and it actually coming to fruition is less than likely. If Brand does return this season the Clippers will be extremely cautious with their franchise big man. However, as I said earlier the Clip show have the best late schedule in the league so if he does come back, it could be a HUGE pickup for your squad. If you’re in good standing right now, look at him as an insurance policy.
39 Responses to “Fantasy Week 13: J.O. writes a new chapter”
Jan.22 at 2:04 pm
RV says:
Emry, what would you say if i told you I ran a league where half the guys weren’t updating their teams, so I decided on my own to drop all their premier players, placed myself #1 on the waiver wire, picked up the top ranked guy off waivers, then waited until 230 am to pick up the top new free agents, and then placed myself #1 on the waiver wire again to pick up the top guy clearing waivers tomorrow….
Jan.22 at 2:26 pm
Emry says:
RV: I would say from your consistent posts on this board that you’re a dedicated fantasy player, while your league clearly isn’t… next time it’s best to try to seed through the participants as best you can. I know it can be hard though. I would also say you’re going to kick some ass on your way to a tainted title.
Jan.22 at 2:30 pm
RV says:
exactly, in this case though, it’s Tarzan who’s going to kick some ass to a tainted title…me and Kayce are 1-2 in the Slamposters league with Tarzan 10 games back and he pulls this crap…Kaman, Gay, Caron, and Joe J all picked up in one night, and he’s got his eyes on Nash who clears tomorrow..
Jan.22 at 2:38 pm
Emry says:
RV: Well, not to get involved in the politics of the league to which I’m not a member but… I know if I did that in the leagues I commish … they would more than likely have a hit squad out on me, and I know some of my fellow league members read this column, so I’m sure they will testify. I have been fortunate to where that never happened to me, a massive drop or non-participation I mean… hopefully you have some other leagues you can link up to.
Jan.22 at 3:28 pm
t.dot dude says:
j.o needs to be on the raps, or lakers or somethin
Jan.22 at 4:07 pm
Emry says:
T. Dot: I would never trade for him, he’s talented but… that man has injury issues like Brittney has mental ones
Jan.22 at 8:19 pm
Ken says:
Hey Emry, Now that Bibby is back, should I drop Salmons?
Oh, and I dropped Nate Robinson and picked up Bibby. Good move? Also, any thoughts on AK47 sucking lately?
Jan.22 at 8:33 pm
Simmy Sosa says:
RV, thats totally wrong. Way to abuse your power as commissioner. You’ve ruined the fantasy experience for current participants, and turned off potential members.
Jan.22 at 9:18 pm
RV says:
Simmy, read my second post, it wasn’t me who did this..
Jan.22 at 10:36 pm
Tim says:
Emry, I found your ID and bank card. You can pick it up at Stone’s Beverage.
Jan.23 at 12:39 am
Ben Osborne says:
Great stuff as always, Emry. Really lame of Tarzan in the other league.
Jan.23 at 12:48 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
“that man has injury issues like Britney has mental ones” Emry, you are a fantasy whiz and a comedian!! Although I missed the boat on joining a league this year (and I’m still kicking myself for it), I love your posts and look forward to each one.
Jan.23 at 5:18 am
The Notorious King says:
dont be drafted as a forward on denver
Jan.23 at 8:59 am
Tarzan Cooper says:
rv and emry, keep in mind that i dropped many players who were wasting away on teams’ benches. yes, i picked up 5 guys, but steve nash, manu, etc., etc. are still available. in fact, kayce added deron williams. like i explained to them, i did that because 7 owners suck and do not set their roster, many only have a few guys starting with many stars rotting on the bench. i did this to benefit all the active owners, so that we may have a more competitive league down the stretch. im very disappointed that all the owners who were begging to be in the league dont even set their rosters. for example, eboy had kaman, dwade, and kevin martin on his bench all season. i had to do it. ideally, i wouldnt have had to do it. 7 out of 12 owners are ghosts, and it was really only a 4 horse race. rv seems to keep forgetting that there are playoffs in this league, so games behind first dont matter at all, as long as you’re in the top 6 and have guys that will be playing through the end of april, youre good.
Jan.23 at 10:36 am
Emry says:
Ken: Yea, after carrying the team through a lot of injuries Salmons value is going to be in the tank as long as Bibs, Martin, Artest are healthy. It’s a shame too because he showed he can really play at a high level. If he sucks it up and plays his role he will become one of the better bench guys in the league. Dropping Nate for Bibby is also an upgrade, though Nate has played well… if the worst guy on your team is Mike Bibby, you are in a good place my friend.
Jan.23 at 10:38 am
Emry says:
Holly: Thanks, I appreciate that. There’s a lot of roll over in fantasy basketball so just think of your reads right now as a scrimmage for the real thing next year! Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you like the column.
Jan.23 at 10:43 am
Emry says:
Tarzan: I’m not in your league, so it’s not my business but, if I was faced with a similar situation I might handle it this way… simple lock the rosters and let it play out, or just leave it alone, most leagues have an issue like this at some point… or if the active owners all wanted to get more star power you might have setup an email style draft where guys are added via the league draft order and done it that way (As in the last to draft drafts first, and so on).
Jan.23 at 10:48 am
MSkittle says:
I still can’t believe that Kenyon injury
Jan.23 at 11:14 am
Emry says:
MSkittle: What happened? I’m not clear what that means…
Jan.23 at 12:58 pm
RV says:
Emry thats exactly what i thought he should have done, drop all the players first and let them clear waivers and then have another “draft”, and Tarzan, the playoffs are seeded according to record, so it does matter, the whole point is to show your ability to predict how players will perform, that skill isn’t needed when you got 12 stars who come to play every game..
Jan.23 at 12:59 pm
RV says:
emry, Kenyon has a staph infection and has been out a few games
Jan.23 at 2:03 pm
Emry says:
RV: No, I know about the staph infection what I’m saying is, how do you get a staph infection “on your buttocks” What in the world does that mean?
Jan.23 at 2:50 pm
Balla says:
i traded nash and deng for b-diddy and manu g
Jan.23 at 4:39 pm
Emry says:
Balla: If BD stays healthy, looks like you did your thing on that one. Nice work
Jan.23 at 5:34 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
rv, as i previously tried to explain to you, seeding doesnt matter much. its all about the guys on your team getting minutes down the stretch of the season. would you call it a success to get to the finals only to see all your players only get 15 minutes a game?? and quit bitching, there are many, many high quality players available that i wont touch, nash, manu, maggette, etc. etc.
Jan.23 at 10:17 pm
RV says:
Tarzan, the guys who get rest at the end of the season are the stars, therefore, by loading up teams with stars, you’re actually making it worse..
Jan.23 at 10:23 pm
RV says:
emry, i believe you can get a staph infection anywhere on your skin as long as your skin is broken and there’s staph around, and staph is naturally on your skin already, i guess it would be kind of like a really bad overgrown pimple
Jan.24 at 1:08 am
Ken says:
Hey Emry, Any thoughts on Gilbert? He’s still on the waiver wire. My problem is I already have a glut of guards, especially PGs. I have Nash, Bibby, Devin Harris, and TMac. Do you think I should take Gilbert before somebody else does?
I’ve also been tempted to dump some of my weaker forwards, like AK and Marvin Williams. Any input, as always, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Jan.24 at 2:36 am
Tarzan Cooper says:
rv, no fu(king $hit!!! its still january, in a couple months i probably wont have the same team… ps when did paul millsap get center eligibility? i swear a few days ago, he was still sf/pf
Jan.24 at 11:00 am
Emry says:
Ken: The Gilbert question is a real tough one… For me it comes down to this, if you can survive and stay competitive week to week with him collecting moss on your roster than he is a good guy to add. He said he is going to go hard after the break to get back on the court but he has also eluded to not coming back if it will “just be for 15 games” Although all his teammates say he is going to return as does his coach. If you’re in a good position a guy like Gil would do wonders upon his return, put it this way, if you will be burnt if your opponent picks him up… snatch him now.
Jan.24 at 11:02 am
Emry says:
Tarzan: That’s a great question… I guess since the Jazz never play a true 5 he slid in there. Good catch. Does that increase his value enough to play him… I still say no. He is simple on the wrong team.
Jan.24 at 3:22 pm
Ol' Marty-Mar says:
Yo Em, we’re going head-to-head, no homo, this week and you’re up 7-3. My team is full of scrubs. I think I lead the league in waiver wire moves. But I gotta tell ya, if it wasn’t for your column (advising me to pick up players like Jamario Moon and Rashad McCants) i’d probably be down 10-0, so thanks.
Also, the worst part about this whole Denver situation is that the information is being leaked in the first place!?! I don’t want to know about the balls and butts of Nene and K-Mart. For godsakes, can’t we just simply drop these players, pick-up new ones and move on with our lives.
Jan.24 at 4:34 pm
Emry says:
Ol Marty Mar: I’m glad the column has helped you pick up some guys, I’m not happy when my advice is pitted against me but as I remember you got off to a rough start to the season. The matchup is a lot closer than the score indicates, but… hopefully I can spread that out a bit further the rest of the way (NH) Lol. Couldn’t agree with you more of the Denver thing, the worst part was people just hounding after Nene, he said it was a personal thing, let it be. The headline for that mess should just be Denver Nuggest: Balls and Butts. Horrifying. Thanks for those tickets last night also… set the pick ma!
Jan.24 at 5:11 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
emry, millsap still has value and c eligibility adds a lil to it. hes good for at least 8pts 5rebs, 1blk, 1stl every game, plus you never know when he will have one of those huge games. that being said, i dont own him on any of my teams. however, i might have to add him on one of my teams if i cant get a trade crackin, as that team is too guard heavy.
Jan.24 at 6:52 pm
Balltastics2000 says:
Hey Emry, I have Salmons, Garcia and Udrih and I’m thinking of dropping one of them for Marko Jaric or Rashad McCants. What would be the best option here? Cheers.
Jan.24 at 10:52 pm
Emry says:
Ballstatistics: You were really riding that Kings high huh… well, judging by play this year I think Garcia is the oddest of odd men out. Udrih is the most appealing, especially if Bibby gets traded and Salmons has played well enough and kept the Kings at least competitive and should be rewarded. Maybe an Artest trade or a move from SF to PF for Ron. So I say drop Garcia. Not sure those guys are the best option though because Foye should be back soon. Is Mark Blount available? Kareem Rush? Maybe Ben Gordons wrist is bad, Thabo S? Let me know.
Jan.25 at 12:10 am
Balltastics2000 says:
Blount, Thabo and Rush are available, so are Leinis Kleiza, Anthony Carter and Ryan Gomes?
Jan.25 at 10:42 am
Emry says:
If you need three balls, it’s Rush. Assists it’s Carter … best player available there to me is Blount but only because centers are scarce. He doesn’t rebound but he will shoot a good fg % and board a bit. Kleiza I like only if Melo goes down. Watch what happens with BG’s wrist and if he’s gonna miss a lot of time I like Thabo. But straight up… Rush/Gomes/Blount. Gomes being the all-around guy.
Jan.26 at 9:35 pm
Simmy Sosa says:
Why isn’t anyone talking about Josh Boone?