It’s important to note that certain NBA teams who have clinched playoff spots may be resting players and it’s equally important to recognize which lottery teams will be “showcasing” their young talent as a way to audition them for next season.

Here is my list of players you should be on the lookout for.  As always, all players listed are under 50 percent owned in ESPN and Yahoo! leagues:

Feb 22, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Chicago Bulls small forward Jimmy Butler (21) dunks during the second half against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Arena . Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Bass- PF, C (Celtics):  After signing a three-year/$19.35 million extension with Boston in the offseason, Bass had failed to produce most of the year.  The man who was acquired in a trade that sent fan-favorite, Big Baby Davis to Orlando, was quickly becoming an afterthought in Coach Doc Rivers’ rotation, but an injury to Kevin Garnett has opened up a new window of opportunity.  Over the last 10 games, Bass has averaged 10.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, which is well over his career average of 0.6 blocks per game.  This run was culminated by a season-high 22 points in Wednesday’s win over Cleveland.  With an eye on keeping the C’s healthy for the playoffs, it looks like KG will be rested for a little while longer, and with a four-game schedule coming up next week you need to grab this guy now.  (36.9% owned ESPN, 50% owned Yahoo!)

Jimmy Butler- SG, SF (Bulls):  Like Bass, Butler is another player who has taken advantage of the recent injuries that have plagued his team.  Starting shooting guard Marco Belinelli has missed the past two games with an abdominal strain (and was ineffective for the two games prior) and there are talks of Rip Hamilton shutting it down for the year, so Butler seems poised to continue logging heavy minutes.  He brings a youthful energy to the court and Coach Tom Thibodeau has taken notice, as the Marquette product has played 33.2 minutes per game over his last five contests.  In that span he is averaging 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 three-pointers and 1.4 steals, while shooting 51 percent from the field.  Maybe the Golden Eagles’ run to the Elite 8 is inspiring him.  The Bulls finish the season with a 4-4-2 weekly schedule.  (2.8% ESPN, 9% Yahoo!)

Jerryd Bayless- PG, SG (Grizzlies):  Bayless was one of the sleepers I touted in the preseason due to the high level of success he’s had as a starter in the NBA, but it took Rudy Gay getting traded to Toronto for this to finally come to fruition.  After this week, the Grizz finish the season on a 4-3-2 weekly game schedule, and because of that Bayless is a guy that needs to be in your lineup.  With Gay gone, Coach Lionel Hollins needs another wing scorer and Bayless has been fitting that mold.  Over his past eight games he’s been lighting up the box scores to the tune of 18.6 points and 2.37 threes.  It’s crazy to me that his ownership is still so sparse, so get him immediately before people come to their senses.  (43.4% ESPN, 25% Yahoo!)

Jonas Valanciunas- C (Raptors):  The Lithuanian-born center has been a project all season long, but he finally seems to be making the best of his recent uptick in playing time.  Many fantasy basketball owners used some late-round picks on him hoping that they’d found a sleeper, but he soon fell out of favor, mostly due to the time he missed while injured as well as his relative ineffectiveness when Andrea Bargnani went down with his own injury.  Amir Johnson has seen his minutes decline lately because of “wobbly” ankles and a leg contusion, and that has only been a boon for Valanciunas, leading to 27.8 minutes over his last 10 games played.  In those games he has averaged 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, while shooting an incredible 70 percent from the field and a very impressive 84 percent from the line.  Numbers like that can be scarce on the waiver wire this late in the season, and are especially helpful because they are coming from the center position.  The Raptors are going nowhere and Coach Dwane Casey wants to see what he has in the 20-year old, so those increased minutes and productivity should continue.  Toronto finishes their 2012-13 campaign with weeks of 4, 3 and 2 games each.  (31.1% ESPN, 25% Yahoo!)

For Fantasy Basketball advice, as well as New York Knicks and NBA coverage, you can follow me on Twitter: @SethDaSportsMan

The sheer volume of games played by each individual player will lead to more accumulated statistics, which is why now is the time for owners to start filling out their rosters with players whose teams have bulkier schedules for the remainder of the season.  Snagging these guys off waivers could be the key to winning your championship.  While this is especially important in head-to-head leagues, it is also important in rotisserie leagues as well as weekly leagues where rosters need to be set prior to the start of each week.

Below is a list of players that meet the aforementioned criteria.  As usual, all players are under 50 percent owned in ESPN and Yahoo! leagues and their remaining games per week are in parentheses.

Mar 3, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Atlanta Hawks point guard Devin Harris (34) drives against the Los Angeles Lakers during the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Juan Barea (Timberwolves):  He’s been getting steady minutes (24.8) over the past 5 games and finding guys on the wire who are capable of providing assists isn’t always the easiest thing to come by.  To go along with his three assists per game in his last five, he’s also averaging 13 points and 1.8 threes.  (6.1% owned in ESPN, 11% owned in Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,4,2)

Devin Harris (Hawks):  There were high hopes for both players when Atlanta landed Harris in the trade that sent former second overall draft pick Marvin Williams to Utah.  Although neither player has lived up to expectations, Harris has been picking it up a little as of late and has a favorable schedule down the stretch which could help fantasy owners.  Over the past 10 games he has averaged 11.7 points, which included a stretch where he had double-digit scoring in seven straight games, and his yearly averages of one steal and 1.2 3’s per game as well as his dual eligibility at PG and SG are nice bonuses.  (6.6% ESPN, 21% Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,2,2)

Tony Allen (Grizzlies):  Known as a defensive stalwart, you would always be guaranteed a good amount of hustle stats from him on a nightly basis, but since Rudy Gay was sent packing he’s been given a larger role in the OFFENSIVE part of the Memphis’s offense.  In the month of March (five games) he’s averaged 11.4 points, 1.2 steals and 5.6 rebounds.  He won’t get you any three-pointers (he’s only made three on the year), which is disappointing for a shooting guard, but his free throw shooting (93 percent in March) may help alleviate that statistical deficiency.  (25.5% ESPN, 36% Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,3,2)

Trevor Ariza (Wizards):  It took a while, but Ariza is finally starting to heat up in the Beltway.  He provides a rare, fantasy-friendly combination of points, rebounds, assists, steals and threes and is mired on a team always looking for guys to score.  Over the past 10 games he’s putting up averages of 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and a pair of three-pointers in 30.8 minutes, numbers that are very reminiscent of his 2009-10 breakout campaign in Houston.  Bradley Beal’s impending return from an ankle sprain may reduce his minutes slightly, but you can expect those averages to stay around the same level.  (31.8% ESPN, 48% Yahoo!; remaining weekly schedule: 4,4,4,4,3,2)

Others to keep an eye on with favorable schedule volume (under 50% owned):

Mario Chalmers (Miami: 4,4,4,3,4,2), Eric Maynor (Portland: 3,5,3,4,3,2), Iman Shumpert (Knicks: 4,4,4,4,4,2), Dorell Wright (76ers: 3,4,4,3,4,2), Avery Bradley (Celtics: 3,4,4,4,3,2), Brandan Wright (Mavericks: 4,4,3,4,3,2)

Teams to avoid: Clippers, Pistons, Kings (they only play 17 games each)

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The biggest news was in fact that there WAS NO NEWS.  Of all the big names mentioned, Josh Smith, Jazz big men Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, Monta Ellis, Eric Gordon, Kevin Garnett and Eric Bledsoe, all ended up staying put with their current teams.  The Nets pretty much offered Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks to every team on the planet, save maybe Greek Olympiacos and the Prospect Park Pee-Wee Tigers, and I heard the latter even balked at negotiations unless they would throw in a case of Capri Suns and a bag of orange slices.

The trade that landed J.J. Redick in Milwaukee was the one big name to switch cities, but many other “smaller” trades occurred which may have an impact on the fantasy basketball landscape.  Here is a brief breakdown of what to expect in terms of fantasy value for some of the players that were traded this past Thursday.

Feb 20, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick (7) drives against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

J.J. Redick (Bucks):  This trade definitely helps the Bucks in “real life”, but does a great injustice for his fantasy owners.  In Orlando he came off the bench, the same role Bucks coach Jim Boylan said he’d play in Milwaukee, but the difference here is that he’ll be backing up Monta Ellis (and at some times Brandon Jennings).  With the Magic he was less of a backup and more of a 6^th man, meaning he was the spark off the bench rather than a second unit replacement.  The 31.5 min/g he was seeing this year for the Magic was easily a career high as were his 11.6 field goal attempts.  With Ellis’ 17.3 shots per game and Jennings’ 17 shots per game you’re looking at a lot less possible looks for Redick.  Exchanging blue and black for hunter green and red shouldn’t prevent him from hovering around 2 three-pointers made per game as well as supplying owners with solid free-throw percentages and a very good assist rate (4.4/g) for a shooting guard, but if there’s any chance of selling high you better do it quick.

Thomas Robinson (Rockets) & Patrick Patterson (Kings):  Even though there were six players involved in this trade, Robinson and Patterson are the most high-profile and have the only significant fantasy value so I will focus on them

Sacramento drafted Robinson out of Kansas with the No.5 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, so the mere fact that they traded him without even having a full year to evaluate him either speaks volumes for the turmoil in Sacramento, the knucklehead style of Kings coach Keith Smart or could even point to the fact that they realized they made a mistake with their draft pick and he was not the player they thought he’d be (they have to be a little regretful they passed up on Damian Lillard, who went one spot later to Portland).

From watching him play there is no question he is still very raw, and a No.5 pick seems a bit high, but at this point the kid is still only 21-years old and has room to grow and with Houston he’ll be given that chance.  By trading Patterson and Cole Aldrich to the Kings and shipping Marcus Morris off to Phoenix, the Rockets left Robinson as the only true power forward on their roster.  He’ll have some off nights, but in the run-and-gun offense that they play he’s bound to put up some points as well as rebounds.  Up to this point he has displayed no shot-blocking ability and his free throw shooting has been putrid, but if he’s given a shot at 26-30 minutes a game, he could post 12-14 points and 8-10 rebounds a night on average.  If you can deal with the fact that the Rockets have only one 4-game week remaining on their schedule he should be a decent pickup.  Robinson is owned in 13% of ESPN leagues and 36% of Yahoo! leagues.

Patterson is a guy that you’d think would garner a lot of minutes on a team like the Kings, who are going nowhere, but what Smart does with his lineups on a daily basis is anyone’s guess.  The former Kentucky product has sort of a “Bargnani syndrome”, where at 6’9” he’d rather shoot threes than rebound or play defense.  When given minutes he’s proven that he can score at a pretty consistent rate, but for fantasy owners that’s all you should expect.  He had an insane 6-game clip from Nov. 21 until Dec. 1 where he averaged 19.6 points (1.3 3’s per game) and 5.3 rebounds, but those aren’t numbers you should count on.

More realistically he will put up numbers like the 14 points (0.7 3’s per game) and 5.5 rebounds he achieved on a recent 6-game stretch from Feb. 5 to Feb. 20.  Sacramento is another team that does not have a favorable fantasy schedule the rest of the way (4,4,2,4,3,3,3,2), but if you’re in need of a guy who fills in a forward spot for you there are worse to choose from.  You can’t complain too much about his 51% FG and 75% FT and if you’re lucky Smart will realize that his current starting power forward, Jason Thompson, has reached his ceiling and he’ll give Patterson more minutes, but we’re about as likely to know if that will happen as we are predicting the results of a Maury Povich Show paternity test.  Patterson is currently owned in 14% of ESPN leagues and 22% of Yahoo! leagues.

January 18, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jordan Crawford (15) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The Wizards won 112-108. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Crawford (Celtics):  This was actually the move I liked the best out of all the trades that went down.  The Celtics pretty much stole a 24-year old talent from the Wizards and have a year and half to play him at a $1.2 million salary before he becomes a free agent.  Crawford has been highly regarded as a great volume shooter, but his knock has been his lack of defensive prowess as well as his immaturity.  In Boston he’ll be thrust into a backcourt that already features guards Avery Bradley, Jason Terry and Courtney Lee, which may not look appealing for his fantasy value, but my belief is that this is a player Doc Rivers can mold and he should be able to tighten the reins on his childishness antics.

If he can do so, Crawford could become a valuable asset and with that will come minutes.  Gambling on this as well as a possible injury to another backcourt-mate could have your fantasy team flying high for the playoffs.  He’s been a sixth man most of the season, but he’s definitely shown signs of succeeding in a lead role.  From Dec. 11 to Dec. 22 he was put into the Wizards starting lineup and took full advantage, averaging 18.3 points, 6.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 three-pointers in 8 games.  Crawford is owned in 25% of ESPN leagues and 44% of Yahoo! leagues.

Others to keep an eye on:

Beno Udrih (Magic):  With Jameer Nelson seemingly always hurt and E’Twaun Moore not entirely ready to make the jump to a feature role, Udrih could be a nice PG plug-in.  While playing with Sacramento from 2007-10, he averaged 12.6 points, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 32.3 minutes per game.  (1% owned ESPN, 4% Yahoo!)

Marcus Morris (Suns):  Now in Phoenix, Marcus has been reunited with his twin brother Markieff, and I think this should boost his confidence and benefit his game a fair amount.  He has displayed some good shooting skills while with Houston, connecting on 1.4 three-pointers per game thus far this season.  New coach Lindsey Hunter seems inclined to let the younger guys play as Luis Scola, Michael Beasley and Marcin Gortat have fallen out of the rotation.  Morris should steal away a lot of those minutes and if you’re in need of 3’s and some scoring go ahead and grab this guy.  (0% owned ESPN, 3% Yahoo!)

Follow me on Twitter:  @SethDaSportsMan

Feb 2, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates a three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

MVP:  Kevin Durant (Thunder)

If I could give out a “co-MVP”, believe you me I’d have LeBron share this with KD, but unfortunately these are MY rules, and Durant gets the nod.  It’s hard to argue that with what he’s done this season so far: 29.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.9 three’s, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the team with the second-best record in the NBA.  Those absurd numbers also include a 51.6 FG percentage, a 90.3 FT percentage and a 41.9 three-point percentage.  He is on pace to record only the 11^th 50/40/90 (FG%/3P%/FT %) season with at least 10 points per game…ever.  For you stat geeks out there, Steve Nash (4x), Larry Bird (2x), Reggie Miller, Mark Price, Dirk Nowitzki and believe it or not, Jose Calderon, are the others.  And oh, by the way, Durant is still only 24-years old.  Let that sink in for a minute.  If you were lucky enough to have had one of the top 2 picks in your draft, congratulations are in order.

Honorable Mention:  LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden

Rookie of the Year:  Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers)

Lillard has been the favorite to win this award from the beginning (please see my article on Oct. 28^th) and he hasn’t disappointed.  Portland’s No. 1 draft pick this season (sixth overall) has helped guide the Blazers to a surprising 25-23 record.  His above average size for the point guard position has allowed him to make the most of certain situations and he has rewarded fantasy owners to the tune of 18.4 points and 6.5 assists as well as 2.3 3-pointers per game and an 84.8 FT%, both uncharacteristically good stats for a rookie.

Honorable Mention:  Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, Andre Drummond, Alexey Shved

The “Ugghh, I Wish I Had More Patience!” Award:  Co-winners: Nikola Vucevic (Magic) and Ersan Ilyasova (Bucks)

Vucevic was one of my much-talked-about sleepers going into the season (see my Nov. 8^th article).  He started well out of the gates, but a brief lull in his stats and minutes between November 19 and November 28 caused many owners to jump ship.  During this five-game stretch he posted lines of 5.8 points and 7 rebounds in only 22.6 minutes.  His total season averages of 12.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 32.4 minutes show that that run was simply a fluke.  If you were a patient owner and held onto him, you’ve been rewarded handsomely.  The Swiss-born, USC product is first in the Eastern Conference in double-doubles with 26.

Ilyasova shares this award, but his season trajectory has been a little different.  With an average ADP of 54.3, he was quickly becoming THE bust of the year.  Many fantasy owners took a slight gamble by taking him early, but were hoping that his unique combination of size and good shooting would garner them dominance in multiple stat categories.  He finished last season with a bang.  His April averages of 14.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 1 steal and 1.5 3’s exemplify the well-roundedness that fantasy owners look for.  He signed a $40-million contract in the offseason and expectations were high, but all that soon came to a crashing halt.

Mired in former-Coach Scott Skiles’ daily lineup mercurialness, he was accumulating inconsistent minutes and even a couple DNP-CDs.  He was the most frustrating guy to own because he could go from having 17 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes (12/26) to having 6 points and 4 rebounds in 14 minutes (12/29) and then coming back with 24 points and 3 3-pointers in 27 minutes (12/30).  Every time you wanted to drop him, or did, he’d stab you in the heart by having a great game and if you held onto him he’d have a dud.

Now that Jim Boylan is at the helm we can say that he is a MUST OWN and the owners who stuck with him or those that swooped him up on the waiver wire thinking his fortunes would change, have been rewarded.  In his past 8 games, the 25-year old from Turkey is averaging 20.5 points, 9 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.5 3’s, which he’s hitting at a 63% clip.  All this talk about Turkey makes me want to get a sandwich.

Honorable Mention:  Michael Beasley, J.R. Smith, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, Tristan Thompson

Feb 5, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward David West (21) posts up against Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (5) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Fantasy Surprises of the Year…so far (based on Average Draft Position):

David West, Pacers (ADP: 113.7): Having a bounce back year with 17.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks (20 ppg over his last 12, which includes a triple-double)

Shawn Marion, Mavericks (ADP: 117): 11.2 ppg, 8.2 reb, 50 FG%.  He has played in 41 of a possible 48 games at age 34.

J.J. Hickson, Trailblazers (ADP: Undrafted):  12.9 ppg, 10.7 reb, 56 FG% and tied for third in the NBA in double doubles.  It may be time to sell high as a possible trade to a contender could reduce his role.

Kyle Korver, Hawks (ADP: Undrafted):  11.5 ppg, 4.1 reb, 1 steal, 2.9 3PG.  Leads NBA in 3P% at 47.4%.  The Ashton Kutcher look-a-like is doing better than the “Two and a Half Men” star’s ratings these days.

J.J. Redick, Magic (ADP: Undrafted):  15.3 ppg, 2.5 reb, 2.5 3PG, 45.2 FG% (all career-highs).  His 4.5 assists are 8^th in the NBA for shooting guards.  Who says Duke players can’t be good in the pros?

Chandler Parsons, Rockets (ADP: Undrafted):  14.4 ppg, 5.8 reb, 3.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.8 3PG, 8 double doubles

Honorable Mention (ADP is in parentheses):  Kemba Walker (92.3), Nikola Pekovic (95.3), Jamal Crawford (112.7), Greivis Vasquez (115.9), Omer Asik (116), Jarrett Jack (undrafted), Matt Barnes (undrafted), Metta World Peace (undrafted), Tiago Splitter (undrafted), Amir Johnson (undrafted),

Fantasy Busts of the Year…so far (based on Average Draft Position)

Mike Conley Jr., Grizzlies (ADP: 40.3):  Career low 42.7 FG% and career high 2.4 turnovers per game.  The fact that he is only 25-years old is not a good thing when your stats regress.  The trade of Rudy Gay should boost his points, though.

Deron Williams, Nets (ADP: 5.3):  16.8 ppg is his worst since his 2^nd year in the league; 7.7 assists and 0.9 steals are both his worst since his rookie season

Marcus Thornton, Kings (ADP: 68.9):  11.3 ppg, 1.1 assists, 1 steal, 40 FG% (averaging 7.7 points in 18.6 minutes over the last 12 games)

Gerald Wallace, Nets (ADP: 80.2):  8.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and a 43.1 FG% are his worst averages since the 2003-04 season with Sacramento.  “Crash” has crash-landed.

Kris Humphries, Nets (ADP: 85.6):  The last two years he averaged 11.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He signed a 2-year, $24 million contract and is averaging 6.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 0.6 blocks.  Could it be the curse of Kim Kardashian?

Marcin Gortat, Suns (ADP: 42.5):  His blocks are up, but after last year’s averages of 15.4 points (on 56% shooting) and 10 rebounds in his first full season in Phoenix, this seasons numbers of 11.5 points (on 52.3% shooting) and 8.9 rebounds are a little underwhelming.

Honorable Mention (ADP is in parentheses):  Pau Gasol (18.3), Jeremy Lin (63), Manu Ginobili (66.2), Jason Terry (75.6), JaVale McGee (78), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (91.4), Kawhi Leonard (106), Jeff Green (112.7),

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Jan 9, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Milwaukee Bucks power forward John Henson (31) talks with coach Jim Boylan during the second half against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Bucks beat the Bulls 104-96. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

“In 2013 I RESOLVE to avoid any players mired in a coach’s rotation carousel”:  Messing with players who play for teams where the coach likes to tinker with lineups and minutes is about as frustrating as it can get for a fantasy owner.  The No. 1 culprit for these scenarios was former Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles.  For weeks on end we would pull out our hair while struggling to understand why $40 million man Ersan Ilyasova was losing minutes to guys like Marquis Daniels and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (say that five times fast!).

Last week, to the delight of the fantasy world, Skiles was exiled from the Badger State and assistant coach Jim Boylan was handed the reins on an interim basis.  Boylan vowed that he would immediately put Ilyasova into the starting lineup, which he did, but this switch hasn’t necessarily paid dividends for owners yet.  While he IS seeing much more consistent minutes (26, 27, 27, 26) in the four games under Boylan, they are not light years more than the 23.2 he was already averaging for the season.

Skiles always seemed to have a player “in his doghouse”.  This usually meant he’d either get a DNP-CD or very limited and erratic minutes, which would wreak havoc on fantasy owners, especially ones who had to set weekly lineups ahead of time.  Coach Boylan has obviously not gone this route, but the point remains that Milwaukee is a team that is deep in the forward and center positions and the “hot-hand approach” may be used at any given time.  The only players that are safe are Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, both guards.  Their last game on Sunday against Toronto is a perfect example of Boylan’s distribution of minutes, excluding Jennings and Ellis:

Mike Dunleavy:               30 minutes                L. R. Mbah a Moute:       18 minutes

Larry Sanders:                 28 minutes                Beno Udrih:                       16 minutes

Ersan Ilyasova:               26 minutes                Marquis Daniels:              14 minutes

John Henson:                   22 minutes                Samuel Dalembert:         yet another DNP-CD

Epke Udoh:                       20 minutes

You can see how a rotation like this saps any heavy minute potential from any of these players.  A great example of this is rookie John Henson’s recent production/minutes.  Having not played much of the season, the North Carolina product burst into the scene right after the New Year, tallying either double digit rebounds or double digit points in four consecutive games.  The final game of that run, versus Phoenix, was Boylan’s first game as the head coach.  He logged only 5 first half minutes and only ended up playing 19 total, but still managed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.  This kind of production in limited minutes would almost ALWAYS guarantee a boost in playing time, but he actually received one minute LESS the next time out vs. Chicago, which produced a rather tepid five point, six rebound line.

Unfortunately for fantasy owners the Bucks are 3-1 under their new coach, and as long as they are winning games this nightmare should continue for the unforeseen future.  My adage towards certain coaches’ rotational fickleness also deserves monitoring in regards to any fantasy players in the Keith Smart Sacramento debacle as well as the new developments in the Hawks’ backcourt and the inconsistent minutes Tom Thibodeau is handing out to his guards.  So whatever you have to do, avoid these kinds of situations like the plague, unless you plan on making the same New Year’s Resolution in 2014!

Jan 12, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) reacts during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at the Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA Today Sports

“In 2013 I RESOLVE to keep in mind that this is Fantasy, not ‘real life’”:  The All-Star break is right around the corner, marking the unofficial midway point of the NBA season, and just because a team is up by 10 games in their division it doesn’t mean that all their players are worth owning in fantasy.   Around this time teams are getting a better idea of whether they will be playoff contenders or pretenders.  Teams like the Bobcats, Wizards, Cavs, Hornets, Suns and Kings, among others, have all but punched their ticket to this summer’s Draft Lottery.  While these teams may want to just give up now, they are in fact required to play all 82 games of their schedule, which means lots of garbage time for the stars on these teams as well as opportunities to showcase trade bait and give their young talent some extra run.

On the other side of the spectrum are players on teams that ARE going to the playoffs, but will most likely have reduced minutes in the stretch run in order to save their strength for when it matters.  Swapping players like this could help you win your league.  The top players I’d try to acquire from the aforementioned “lottery” teams would be the Cavs’ Kyrie Irving, the Bobcats’ Kemba Walker and the Wizards’ John Wall.  The key with making trades or picking up free agents that are on these teams is making sure that they are in fact staying put and won’t be traded to a contender, which would most likely result in lost minutes and production.  Those three players aren’t going anywhere and are still very young, meaning that the heavy minutes they are logging will not budge and may actually increase.

Wall’s situation is a little harder to gauge because he just made his season debut, but once his minutes limit is lifted he should be back to his normal career average of 37 minutes per game.  Since these guys are on bad teams and have relatively no national media exposure they may be easier to land in a trade than a higher profile player on a top-tier team.  If you have faith in Wall’s knee holding up he may be the guy to snag immediately before he goes on a tear and an owner will have a larger asking price.

Now as far as the players you might want to dangle, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki are guys that come to mind.  They are still big names and may intrigue a rookie owner enough to part ways with a younger guy.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are guys that you will most likely find on the waiver wire that could either see a huge bump in minutes if a team that is out of contention trades one of their stars or if they themselves are traded to a contender and will assume a lesser role in that particular offense.  Some players will also be impacted when injured players come back to action.

Here is my list of such player that you may find on the waiver wire, and as always all players are owned in less than 60% of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues, respectively:

Dec. 23, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe (12) handles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Clippers defeated the Suns 103-77. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

Players with speculative minutes increase:

Ed Davis-PF/C, Raptors: An imminent Bargnani trade will make his already expanded role much larger (21% ESPN, 30% Yahoo!)

Amir Johnson-PF/C, Raptors: see Davis, Ed. (22% ESPN, 32% Yahoo!)

Jae Crowder-F, Mavericks: Trading Marion, Vinsanity not out of the question (0.4% ESPN, 1% Yahoo!)

Markieff Morris-F, Suns: Dudley and Beasley could be on their way out (0.6% ESPN, 4% Yahoo!)

Gerald Henderson-SG/SF, Bobcats: Ben Gordon’s almost a lock to be traded (32% ESPN, 33% Yahoo!)

Eric Bledsoe-PG, Clippers: Though LA has vowed not to trade him, if he is sent to a bottom feeder his Per 36 Minute stats of 16.8 points, 5.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.9 steals will make him a must own player(4% ESPN, 13% Yahoo!)

Thomas Robinson-PF, Kings: Everything in Sac-Town is tumultuous right now, but a DeMarcus Cousins trade still remains likely. T-Rob, as well as Jason Thompson, would be the main benefactors (6.5% ESPN, 21% Yahoo!)

Players with speculative minutes decrease:

C.J. Miles-SG/SF, Cavs: 30 min/gm over last 16 will decrease a bunch if traded (14% ESPN, 19% Yahoo!)

Anyone on the Spurs not named Duncan, Parker or Ginobili: an already crowded bench will only get more crowded if they make any trades for the playoff run

Ayon, McRoberts, Nicholson-Big men, Magic: Big Baby’s return spells the end of their recently increased minutes (avg 3% ESPN, avg 0.3% Yahoo!)

Harrison Barnes-SF, Warriors: Though he’s been playing well of late, they won’t balk at the opportunity to acquire a veteran inside presence with a chance to make the playoffs (14% ESPN, 46% Yahoo!)

Nate Robinson-PG/SG, Bulls: Return of D-Rose will chop his minutes (9.5% ESPN, 21% Yahoo!)

Emeka Okafor-C, Wizards: A $14 million salary almost guarantees he’ll be traded to a contender where he’ll likely assume a backup role (22% ESPN, 53% Yahoo!)

Sticking with this is going to take a lot of will power and dedication, but now that I have come up with my Fantasy Basketball resolutions, it’s time to hit the gym and buy some yarn!  Wishing everyone a joyous and prosperous 2013!!

Follow me on Twitter: @SethDaSportsMan

Whether you’re a seasoned vet or a fantasy novice, the early season rust should be starting to wear off and now is the time to start making moves!

In competitive leagues many of the prized free agents may have been snatched up, but there is still always room to make speculative adds, stashes and maybe hop on players that another owner wasn’t willing to ride out a cold streak with.

Here is a look at some of those type of players and as always, the players I feature are owned in less than 60 percent of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues, respectively.

Dec 15, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Alexey Shved (1) shoots during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at the Target Center. The Wolves defeated the Mavericks 114-106 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Alexey Shved (SG/PG-Timberwolves):  The rookie Russian import hit stateside without much fanfare, but had since etched a niche in Minnesota’s rotation.  Given playing time while the team was waiting for Ricky Rubio’s return from knee surgery, he has outshined guards J.J. Barea and Malcom Lee, and at times, Luke Ridnour as well.

Over his last seven games he has averaged 12.8 PPG while playing over 28 minutes in all but two of them.  His per game averages of 2.3 3-pointers, 1.6 steals and 4.6 assists during that stretch is a good example of how he can help you in many categories.  He was inserted into the starting lineup this weekend with Rubio’s return and should stay there even when Rubio’s minutes are back to normal.  In his second game starting he played a career high 44 minutes and scored 18 points.  Coach Rick Adelman likes his athleticism and youth and Minnesota has a glut of guards, meaning someone like Barea or Ridnour could be a likely trade candidate, which would make his value skyrocket even more.  Get him while you can.  (9.5% owned in ESPN, 18% Yahoo!)

Jarrett Jack (PG/SG-Warriors):  The Golden State Warriors have to be one of the biggest surprises of the season.  After winning 11 of their last 15 games, the Bad Boys from the Bay are now a robust 16-8.  Much of their early season success can be accredited in part to the well-rounded play lately of veteran guard Jarrett Jack.

When given minutes, the Georgia Tech product has proven he can fill up the stat sheet.  Playing a career-high in minutes with New Orleans last year, he put up 15.6 points, 6.3 assists, 3.9 boards and almost three free-throws made per game (at 87%).  While it took coach Mark Jackson a few weeks to integrate him fully into the rotation, he has since seen starter’s minutes even as a sub.  He has averaged 30 min/per over the past seven games while averaging 12.1 points, 5.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds.

Never known for his defensive prowess or his 3-point shooting, he has used the attention put on Stephen Curry and David Lee to reel in stats in both categories.  Career averages of 0.8 steals and 0.7 3’s are nothing to brag about, especially for a guard, but he has hit on 1.4 treys and had 1.3 swipes per game over the past  seven.  Now is the time to take him off the waiver wire before another owner is getting the last laugh with this “Jack” of all trades.  (45% owned in ESPN, 35% Yahoo!)

Dec 12, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal (3) leads the fast break against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports

Bradley Beal (SG-Wizards):  Many NBA experts questioned Washington’s use of the third overall pick to draft the University of Florida freshman.  While the raw talent was there, having only played in one college season there wasn’t a lot to go on.  His numbers weren’t eye-popping and his shooting efficiencies weren’t amazing, plus he had analysts comparing him on a daily basis to all-time 3-point king Ray Allen.  That’s a tough act to follow for any basketball player, let alone a first year player.

While he’s years away from “Ray Ray status”, he has made great strides in his first couple months in The Association.  In November he scored 11.2 PPG and shot a paltry 34 percent from the field to go along with 1.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game.  While he didn’t excel in those areas, he had his 3-point and free-throw shooting going, which would be a good sign of things to come.  He was making 1.4 long balls a night to go along with very accurate free throw shooting for a 19-year old (85%).  While those aren’t great all-around numbers, they’re not awful for a still very raw player being thrown to the wolves.  That was November…then came December.

In the beginning of the month Wizards’ starting point guard A.J. Price fractured his finger and Beal was teamed with Jordan Crawford in a much faster and offensively-friendly starting backcourt.  In seven December games he has averaged 14.7 PPG on a much-improved 39 percent shooting, which is significant because he is actually attempting 0.5 more 3-pointers a game.  He’s averaging 1.7 more assists per contest and turning the ball over even less than in November which sheds a light on his passing skills.

Beal’s rebounds have improved by 0.8 and he is now over a steal per game in the month.  While franchise player John Wall’s return dates have been all over the place (some say next week, some say February), Price had been given a 4-6 week timetable on Dec. 8.  Coach Randy Wittman prefers to play Crawford off the bench for his scoring punch, so even when either of those aforementioned injured players return, Beal should remain in the starting lineup.  The Wizards are going nowhere fast and have no reason not to give Beal a long look, so you should, too.  (51% owned in ESPN, 58% Yahoo!)

You can find me on Twitter: @SethDaSportsMan

With a bunch of new additions to the personnel and the promising notion of 82 games under Mike Woodson’s defensive tutelage, things were looking up in the Big Apple, but I don’t think anyone planned on them having the best record in the Eastern Conference (as of Dec. 8).

Dec 5, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) prepares to shoot a foul shot during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Success in the win column almost always comes with good statistics from its players.  In the case of Fantasy Basketball, if you have owned many of the Knicks players, chances are you’re reaping the benefits.  While there a few slight “Fantasy disappointments”, most of the guys playing their home games at Madison Square Garden have been blowing up the stat sheet.

Carmelo Anthony: Many thought his otherworldly 2.9 3-pointers made per game during the 2012 London Olympics was solely based on the competition, but his success Across the Pond has translated to the NBA this season.  He is now making a career-high 2.4 3’s per game, a full trey per game more than his previous best in the 2010-11 season with Denver and New York.

Even with the uptick in shots made as well as shots taken, his percentages haven’t suffered, as he is also shooting at an all-time high of 44 percent from 3-point land.  He is back to his old scoring ways and now sits at third in the NBA in PPG, only trailing Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.  While his scoring may take a slight hit when Amar’e Stoudemire comes back from his season-long absence, other parts of his game, like his rebounding, may improve.

Raymond Felton: GM Glen Grunwald is looking like a genius right now.  In a controversial move this summer, the Knicks’ front office man decided it was in the best interest of the team to not match the offer sheet the Houston Rockets had made for sensation Jeremy Lin.  This move was followed by lots of skepticism.

I was one of the supporters of this move, but the proof still had to lie on the court. Well truth be told.  Raymond Felton was brought over from Portland in a sign-and-trade to help alleviate the loss of “Linsanity” and he has done a remarkable job running the point for this team.  His best year came when he was a one-and-done in New York in 2010-11 and he is doing it again for them this time around.   He has provided the Knicks backcourt with solid leadership and relatively mistake-free basketball.  The Knicks are better with him than with Lin.

For the all the doubters let’s compare this year’s key statistics (both have averaged 33 min/g):

Felton : 15.2 PPG, 6.9 AST, 42% FG, 2.2 TO/G

Lin:         10.5 PPG, 6.4 AST, 38% FG, 2.8 TO/G

His FG% has always been something to be desired, but still remains consistent.  The 68 percent free throw shooting is obviously something his owners can’t be happy with, but he is making up for it with a career high 1.8 3’s per game.  Continue to ride this guy as Stoudemire’s return will only increase his assists.

Tyson Chandler: The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has not slowed down one bit, but his offense had been the big surprise of the season so far.  He has always been a FG% machine, but this year’s 77 percent shooting clip is that of the record books.  He finished the month of November shooting 70.9 percent, the second time in his career he had topped 70% while taking at least 75 shots.  Only one other player in NBA history has accomplished that- Wilt Chamberlain (who did it 7 times).  His points per game and FT% are also on pace for career highs.  While his blocks and rebounds are down from last season, he is another Knick that will benefit in specific categories once Stoudemire hits the court again.

J.R. Smith: While dubbed a “sixth man”, albeit his 33 min/per, he has arguably contributed the most to this team’s success so far.  He has come off the bench to spark their second unit, chipping in stats in every offensive and defensive category.  Fantasy owners can live with the 41 percent shooting as long as he continues to deliver in all the other relevant categories.  He is a roto league dream averaging 13.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 3’s per game.  Shooting 88% from the charity stripe is a nice bonus as well.

Jason Kidd: Seemingly resurrected from the dead, the former Cal standout is having himself a rebirth year.  Woodson has been playing him primarily at shooting guard and that has seemed to fit their offense perfectly.  He has lived and died by the 3 this year.  He is shooting over 50 percent on the year from long range which has translated to 1.8 3’s made per game.

On the other end of the spectrum he has only attempted 12, yes 12, 2-point field goals the ENTIRE season.  Because of such a disparity his overall scoring is capped, but for all-around statistics you can do way worse on the waiver wire (47% owned ESPN, 57% Yahoo!).  His role as a shooting guard has made his assists take a nose dive, but 3.2 per game is still a nice asset to have for a plug-in guy and his 3.2 boards are very nice for a guard.  He’s also fifth in the league in steals (2.1/game) and shooting 94% from the free throw line.  Grab this guy now, as an injury to any of the other Knicks backcourt guys could free up a ton of minutes for him.

Rasheed Wallace: Averaging 7 points, 4 rebounds and a 3 per game.  Not bad for a guy who hasn’t played in two years.  And he’s already gotten his first ejection!

Steve Novak: Doing what Stevie does best, hitting the 3-ball.  He got off to a slow start hitting only 14 of them in his first 8 games, but had poured it on of late, draining 26 long balls in the last 9 games.  He’ll get you nothing in terms of other categories, but can single-handedly win you the 3-pointers category in any given week.  Snag him off the waiver wire now and you can “Discount Double-Check” him off your Christmas list. (24% owned ESPN, 23% Yahoo!)

Marcus Camby: He has to be one of the lone disappointments for the Knicks so far.  Drafted by many Fantasy owners as a sure-fire double-digit rebound guy, he has only played in 6 games so far.  He had fallen out of the rotation for Coach Woodson and is now dealing with plantar fasciitis, an injury that is very difficult to fully recover from mid-season.

Mar 7, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike D

Clearly this is a good move for the organization as the players loyalty to Brown has grown tenuous.  His “Princeton” style offense did not seem to be a good fit for the Lakers last year and it wasn’t meshing well with the new and incumbent players this year.

Not only was Brown’s sluggish scheme bad for fantasy basketball owners who have many of LA’s players, but D’Antoni’s “seven seconds-or-less” approach to the offensive side of ball should do the complete opposite.  I expect bigger numbers from most of their players in terms of scoring, assists and shooting.  The Lakers’ big men, as well as spot-up shooters, will get a nice boost in numbers due to the fondness D’Antoni has for the pick-and-roll.

So will their defensive numbers be hurt from the drastic reversal of coaching styles?

According to Dwight Howard they won’t.  I agree with his theory that the Lakers already have guys in place who like to play defense, so that will make up for D’Antoni’s shortcomings on coaching the defensive end of things.  D’Antoni has vowed that the Lakers will at least “contend for an NBA title” and I think that he’s correct in assuming that possibility will be there come June.

Here is my fantasy outlook on the Lakers “Big Four” players in the post-Mike Brown Era:

Kobe Bryant (G):  So far in 2012 Kobe’s numbers have pretty much been in line with what his previous three seasons have looked like (26 PPG/5 RPG/4.5 APG).  The one category that has notably taken a rise is his 3-pointers made per game.  He’s making 0.6 more a game now, but that will soon change once D’Antoni begins coaching.  Kobe is one of the best players of all time and he will continue to post Hall of Fame numbers regardless of who is manning the sidelines, but  I actually expect his scoring to drop a tad with more emphasis on the pick-and-roll and less isolation plays.  As long as he keeps playing through his numerous aches and pains, Kobe Bean is as safe a bet as any to lead your fantasy team to the promise land.

November 13, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) moves to the basket against the defense of San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (21) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Dwight Howard (C):  I believe Dwight Howard is going to benefit the most from the coaching switch.  This offense is perfect for his game.  Howard was brought to LA with an expiring contract and management had high hopes of them winning a championship and cementing a long-term deal with him in the offseason.  But with their terrible start and with Kobe sticking with his impending retirement plans, they needed to change things quick.  After all, he will be a huge building block for them in the future.

Sure, he is one of the worst free-throw shooters in the league, but he is also shooting less of them this year.  This new offense will give him many more looks inside and while his percentages may still hover in the 50-60% range, owners that have him in leagues that count “free throws made” as a category will reap the benefits.  D’Antoni was praised for the way he helped Amar’e Stoudemire out offensively and should do the same with Howard.  Slowly but surely I think the Lakers’ offense will start to revolve more around Dwight than Kobe.  He can still be a “category” league nightmare, where he’ll almost guarantee you a loss in FT% every week, but trade for him in “points” or “roto” leagues while his stock is still low.

Pau Gasol (F/C):  Gasol has gotten a bad rap the past couple of seasons.  He’s been called “soft”, among other characteristics we might attribute to a bunny or a pillow, but he prime statistics (points, rebounds, assists, blocks) have remained constant.  The calls of “softness” may have resulted in the fact that he got to the line way less last season that he had throughout his career as well as some pretty dismal performance in the playoffs.

But alas this is fantasy, not life, and on paper his numbers are at the top of the list for power forwards.  He has always been one of the premier passing big men in the league and should continue to rack up assists when drawing double teams.  He is another great “buy low” guy right now, as his season hasn’t exactly started with a bang and there may be some owners willing to part ways with him.

Steve Nash (PG):  Between 2004 and 2008 when he was on the D’Antoni –coached Suns, Nash won two MVP Awards (’05, ’06) and established himself as one of the top point guards of all time.  Nash had to be the happiest of all the Lakers when he heard of the coaching change in LA.  In his last season in Dallas he recorded 14.5 point and 8.8 assists per game.  The following year, his first in Phoenix and first with D’Antoni, he upped that to 15.5 points and 11.5 assists per game.

This run-and-gun style of offense is perfect for a ball handler of his caliber.  While he is up there in age (38 years-old), he won’t have much of a scoring burden, which will allow him to dish the ball to any of the multi-talented players on the roster.  His rapport with Howard and Gasol in the pick-and-roll could end up being one of the deadliest combinations ever.   He has missed all but two games this year because of a non-displaced fracture in his left leg, but when he comes back to the court expect the Lakers’ offense to go off with a bang.

Some rookies have showed up to play and some vets have shown us their age.

Here is a look at my fantasy basketball outlook for the coming week with players you should target in free agency and some players that you may have to give up on.  (The players listed are those who are still readily available in the free agent pools of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues)

Nikola Vucevic (C/F- Magic):  Hardly given a chance to play last year in Philly, he is taking advantage of the lack of size on Orlando’s roster.  One of the pieces of the trade that sent Dwight Howard to LA, he has averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and a steal through three games.

While getting only 16 minutes in the first game he has come back with games of 37 and 42 minutes.  With Orlando clearly rebuilding and not having many options, he is someone that will garner a lot of minutes, even in blowout losses.  The only knock here is that he has only attempted seven free throws in those three games.   He’s going quickly on the waiver wire.  Don’t’ wait any longer to get him.  (40% owned in ESPN, 52% owned Yahoo!)

November 7, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Ramon Sessions (7) looks to shoot as he is defended by Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat (4) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Suns win 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

Ramon Sessions (G- Bobcats):  Sessions has ALWAYS had the talent of a true point guard, but until his trade to the LA last season, has never really been given the opportunity to play the position full time.  Stuck in timeshares with guys like Luke Ridnour and Kyrie Irving, he truly excelled when given the reigns to the Lakers offense.  He is showing improvement in his 3-point game and is a player who likes to take it to the hole which subsequently led to his 4.4 FT attempts per game last year.  With Gerald Henderson out for at least 2-4 weeks, Sessions will get more minutes and could slide into the shooting guard position while Kemba Walker is on the floor.  Not bad if you can get SG eligibility out of him, too.  (42% ESPN, 32% Yahoo!)

Kevin Seraphin (C/F- Wizards):  Only 22-years old, Seraphin has room for improvement, but this 22-year old from French Guiana is already rising up the free agency hit list.  Many aspects of his game are still very raw, but finding center help in fantasy basketball leagues is always vital to any teams’ success.  With Nene seemingly always nursing an injury (this time it’s plantar fasciitis) and Emeka Okafor looking every bit his age, Seraphin will log heavy minutes on a team not shy to play it’s youth.

Last year, from March 15^th on, he averaged 14 ppg which also included a stretch of 16 consecutive games in double-digits.  This is a guy that when given the minutes he produces.  Because he started the year injured and D.C. has only played one game he has been overlooked by fantasy owners.  Get this guy now before it’s too late.  (13% ESPN, 24% Yahoo!)

Other guys to get bullish on: 

Jarrett Jack (G- Warriors):  Brandon Rush ACL injury makes him a full rotation player.  Will be a good source of assists, 3’s, steals and FT’s.  (26% ESPN, 41% Yahoo!)

Gerald Green (G/F- Pacers):  This guy’s got hops.  With Danny Granger officially sidelined up to 3 months, he will be called upon to fill a big hole in that lineup.  (1.9% ESPN, 12% Yahoo!)

Marcus Morris (F- Rockets):  The twin brother of the Suns’ Markieff, this rookie is averaging 12 points and 5 boards a game in 20 minutes.  A thin bench will get him playing time (0.1% ESPN, 2% Yahoo!)

Al-Farouq Aminu (F- Hornets):  With No. 1 pick Anthony Davis sidelined, he has stepped up his game, dropping 13.3 points a game to go along with 7 rebounds.  He has gotten 2 steals in each game as well.  He should stay in the starting lineup when Davis comes back with Ryan Anderson moving back to a sixth man role.  (68% ESPN, 48% Yahoo!)

Trending Up:  Nate Robinson, Dorell Wright, J.J. Reddick, E’Twaun Moore, J.J. Hickson, J.J. Barea, Larry Sanders, Danny Green

Rookies on the Rise:  Marcus Morris (see above), Kyle Singler, Jonas Valanciunas, Harrison Barnes, Jae Crowder

Stock Is Falling:  MarShon Brooks, Lamar Odom, Nene, Andrew Bogut, Wilson Chandler, Samuel Dalembert, Ben Gordon, Elton Brand, Derrick Favors, Bradley Beal

Here are my picks of sleepers and rookies and also the guys that you should avoid.  Draft correctly or you may wind up being the pumpkin at the ball.  In the spirit of Halloween, let’s proceed….

Dracula’s (Sleepers)

O.J. Mayo (Dallas Mavericks)

Oct 26, 2012; Dallas, Tx, USA; Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O.J. Mayo (32) dribbles during the second half against the Charlotte Bobcats at the American Airlines Center. Dallas won 99-82. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIRE

O.J.’s namesake might scare you into not drafting him, but that would be a mistake.  This is not Orenthal James, but actually Ovinton J’Anthony (you can see why he shortened it), and he may be looking at a career year.

Since being drafted by Memphis in 2008, he has seen his numbers gradually decrease.  His rookie year stats of 18.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists were very good.  He even made 1.8 3-pointers a game to boot.  Actually they were good enough to garner him enough votes to finish second only to future-MVP Derrick Rose in the Rookie of the Year balloting.

Unfortunately for Memphis fans after that breakout season his game faded.  Last year he finally adjusted to the sixth man role that he was given the previous season and flourished, hitting key 3-pointers and also improving his defensive game.  Eventually though the welcome had worn out in Tennessee.

He is now with Dallas, who brought in some new players to a team that has already made the playoffs 12 years in a row.  Figuring to be the starting SG alongside PG Darren Collison, Mayo has breakout potential.  His competition for the position is very lackluster and once Dirk Nowitzki is back and healthy he should draw many double-teams that will give O.J. many open looks.  His quickness may be what the Mavs need to reenergize their offense.  USC has been known to breed slasher-type players, and O.J. fits this role…Mayo, not Simpson…but now that I mention it…

Carlos Boozer (Chicago Bulls)

Like many horror stories of yore, Carlos Boozer has been a name many have forgotten since the Bulls acquired him before the 2010-11 season.  Stuck in a rotation featuring MVP Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and a dearth of front-court talent (Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik), Boozer has simply not gotten the minutes to make a fantasy impact.

Excluding his rookie season, he averaged the fewest PPG and RPG of his career in 2012.  Many people drafted him last year hoping he would turn around the mess that was ’10-11 campaign, be he wounded their hearts by playing below his talent level.

This year will be different for the Alaska native.  With Derrick Rose gone until at least March, or possibly the entire season, and Asik earning  a freakish $25 million (?!!) in the Lone Star State, Boozer will have to shoulder a lot of the scoring load, as well as play more minutes inside, which should garner him more rebounds.

He has never been a shot blocker, but is a good passer for a big man, so three assists per game and possibly one steal per game could be likely.  Look for his scoring and rebounding averages to creep back up into the 20/10 range.  Especially with the possibility of earning the much coveted center eligibility, drafting him in the middle rounds could be less trick and more treat.

Raymond Felton (New York Knicks)

Two of the issues that have always haunted the Knicks’ newly-acquired point guard have been his consistency as well as his fluctuating weight.  When management decided to do a sign-and-trade for Felton it pretty much squashed any chances of them re-signing media and fan sensation Jeremy Lin, but in doing so the Blue & Orange have brought in a more prototypical floor general.

This is good news for Knicks’ fans and fantasy owners who draft him.  He had a forgettable one-year stint in the Pacific Northwest, but should enjoy another quality year in the Big Apple, much like he did in 2010-11 before he was shipped to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade.  His numbers that year in New York were the best of his career and there’s no reason to believe that he can’t produce similar stats across the board.

His rapport with Amar’e Stoudemire that year using the pick-and-roll became one for the ages.  Amar’e looks to be out for a month or more, which is a little unnerving, but Felton should have no trouble accumulating assists with jump shooters like ‘Melo, J.R. Smith and Steve Novak draining shots.

There has been some hubbub about his propensity for, let’s call it “rotundness”, but he seems to be in shape coming into camp this year.  Having played most of his career injury-free, taking a flyer on him in the middle rounds could be a fang-tastic move for you.

Others to consider:

Oct 24, 2012; Winnipeg, MB, CAN; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Luke Ridnour (13) is chased by Detroit Pistons power forward Andre Drummond (1) during the 3rd quarter at the MTS Center. Timberwolves win 95-76. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USPRESSWIRE

Luke Ridnour (Minnesota Timberwolves):  With Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love out due to injury, look for “Cool Hand Luke” to conjure up some points and assists.

Jerryd Bayless (Memphis Grizzlies):  He’s stuck behind Mike Conley and Tony Allen on the depth chart, but there is little talent after that.  He’s an injury away from playing big minutes.  In four years he has averaged 16.3 points and 5.2 assists as a starter, thus making his potential to put up big numbers enchanting.

Arron Affalo (Orlando Magic):  He will pretty much be THE offensive spark in Orlando.  As the “prize” of the Dwight Howard trade massacre, there is no reason for Jacque Vaughn to not have him log big minutes.  He is coming off a career year in Denver where he averaged a frighteningly good 15.2 points on 47 percent shooting.  His 1.4 three’s per game should actually increase.  Could be the steal of the draft.

Byron Mullens (Charlotte Bobcats):  The Bobcats are rebuilding (aren’t they always?) and this is one of the pieces they plan on getting them there.  He is eligible at center and can shoot the three, which is a rare commodity.  Analysts have had a ­bone to pick with his inside game, but some big rebounding performances in the preseason may be signs of him turning the corner.

Anthony Randolph (Denver Nuggets):  Now this is a DEEP sleeper, like comatose, but still only 23-years old, he is still on that “breakout” list.  The classic “hype” player, his lack of focus has over-shadowed his amazing athleticism.  He is on the Nuggets now which features the “Manimal” Kenneth Faried, but is also rostering sluggish ogres like Kosta Koufos and Timofey Mozgov and JaVale McGee who has talent, but lacks intuitiveness.  He’s not draft worthy, but keep an eye on him in free agency if any of those other players should become George Karl’s black cat.

Michael Beasley (Phoenix Suns):  The former No. 2 overall pick has never fully come into his own.  After only two seasons in Miami he was jettisoned to the Great North to make room for LeBron and Co.  His first season in Minneapolis was a success, averaging career high in points per game.  However last year, with a much more limited role, he failed to meet the expectations that had been bestowed upon him after coming out Kansas State as the Big 12 record holder in many categories.

This is a fresh start for Beasley in the desert.  He is pretty much guaranteed lots of minutes on a Suns team that will need his scoring.  His streaky shooting can be spine-chilling, but if he can be consistent on more of a regular basis he could be a find.

More under-the-radar guys that could put a spell on you:  Brandon Knight, Devin Harris, George Hill, Chandler Parsons, Gordon Hayward, Evan Turner, J.R. Smith, Wesley Matthews, Derrick Favors, Nikola Pekovic, J.J. Hickson

The Plague (Avoid these guys at all costs)

Oct 19, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Stephen Curry (30) drives the lane in the first quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. Curry left the game with an injury in the second quarter as the Warriors won the game 101-97. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US

Stephen Curry  (Golden State Warriors):  Yes, I know how much talent this kid has, and many people are drafting him in the first couple rounds, but the fact of the matter is that he has way too many issues with his gimpy ankle that are worth stressing about all year long.  When healthy he has put up great all around numbers, but he missed 40 games last year and has already had another mishap with the same surgically repaired ankle in the preseason.  Bury him on your draft list.  Let him be someone else’s problem.

Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets):  see “Curry, Stephen”.  Same deal here, just a knee problem instead of an ankle problem.  Put a nail in his coffin.

Jason Richardson/Dorell Wright/Nick Young (Philadelphia 76ers):  All three of these guys essentially play the same position and will eat into each other’s time on the court.  Not bad fillers in free agency on a daily basis if you’re desperate for scoring categories (namely 3-pointers and points), but their field goal percentage’s will be murder on your in the long run.

Anyone in the Sacramento Kings backcourt:  This list would include: Isaiah Thomas, Aaron Brooks, Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette and John Salmons.  While many of these players are talented there are too many of them to go around and most of them will hurt your team in specific categories.  While Evans and Thornton will see more consistent minutes than the others, their shooting percentages will give you nightmares!

Andrea Bargnani (Toronto Raptors):  While many had doubted the former No. 1 overall pick over the past few seasons he has really turned out to be a great scorer.  But scoring is mainly what you’ll get from him.  Being center –eligible is nice, but five boards, a sub-par FG% and almost no blocks or steals to speak of is not what you’re looking for on a daily basis.  He’s basically like teammate DeMar DeRozan, just taller and speaks better Italian.  Chronic injuries are a problem with him as well.  With Bargnani you never know if you’ll get Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde, don’t take the risk.

Hedo Turkoglu (Orlando Magic):  Hedo has had his good years, but those years are behind him.  He is starting for the Magic now, but don’t let his projected minutes fool you into selling your soul for this guy.  Once the Magic start 3-20 he’ll most likely be traded to a contender where he’ll move back to a bench role and be a non-factor.  Tread lightly with this Turk.

Nene (Washington Wizards):  Nene is a highly talented player who is good for career averages of 12 points and seven rebounds a game.  The problem is that over a 10 year career, out of 804 possible games, he has only played in 457 of them, which translates to 57 percent.  Draft this guy and you’ll be heading to an early grave.

More guys you’ll feel have put a hex on you if you draft them:  Chris Kaman, Corey Maggette, Nate Robinson, Gerald Henderson, Andrew Bogut, Amar’e Stoudemire, Robin Lopez, DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Williams, Metta World Peace, and Caron Butler

Fresh Blood (Rookies)

Angels:

October 25, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers):  He had a great rookie camp and is the starting PG on a team really lacking in depth.  New coach Terry Stotts will give him lots of minutes and he does have some formidable scorers (LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews) that can help him pad his assist totals.  He should be given a very long leash.  Drink this potion and you’ll find yourself a sneaky point guard pickup in the later rounds.

Jae Crowder (Dallas Mavericks):  He had a great career at Marquette, but rarely do you see a second round pick blossom so quickly.  He has impressed coach Rick Carlisle in preseason and is a tweener big man who hustles a lot.  He will see minutes because he brings youth to a team that desperately needs players that aren’t on death’s bed.   He should also fill a big role while Nowitzki continues to nurse a bad knee.

Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers):  The Cavs are bad.  Aside from the ­otherworldly  Kyrie Irving they have very few players who are legitimate scorers.  Waiters will be shooting and shooting a lot.  Don’t expect good percentages, but the points will be there.

Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards):  The highly regarded SG from Florida will take no time to get on the NBA map.  With franchise player John Wall out for a few months they will need to rely heavily on Beal’s scoring ability.  What have they got to lose by playing Beal, after all they are the Wizards, and unless they perform some kind of voodoo, they are going to be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Brian Roberts (New Orleans Hornets):  No, this is not the Brian Roberts who plays second base for the Baltimore Orioles.  This Brian Roberts is a 29-year old rookie who has made heads roll during training camp.  I don’t think Greivis Vasquez is suited for a full time role as the starting PG in ‘Nawlins and Austin Rivers is more of shooting guard, which leaves Roberts as the potential rock handler for the Hornets.

Perry Jones III (Oklahoma City Thunder):  What is it with Baylor guys and the “III” after their name? Robert Griffin “Tres” has mightily impressed in his rookie year as the Washington Redskins QB so why can’t Jones III do so in OKC?  Well, he might.  With the trade of Sixth Man of the Year James Harden to the Houston Rockets, the Thunder will need more punch off its bench.  Harden’s ghost may not haunt Chesapeake Energy Arena for long as Jones III is a very athletic big man who could easily supplant the older and slower Kendrick Perkins in many crunch minutes.

Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons):  A very, very, very raw talent, but Drummond possesses a lot of upside.  A defensive minded beast, he could get you sufficient rebounding and blocked shot numbers in your fantasy league.  The Pistons aren’t very good and have no reason not to play their first-round draft pick.

Others:  Marquis Teague, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson, Moe Harkless (when he returns from injury), Jonas Valanciunas

Devils:

Oct 23, 2012; Raleigh, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap talks to Charlotte Bobcats small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) on the sidelines against the Miami Heat in the first half at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-US PRESSWIRE

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte Bobcats):  I think it might take a while for him to find a position that is best suited for his abilities and then he may finally rear his fangs, but for now he’s a deer in headlights.

Tyshawn Taylor (Brooklyn Nets):  Stuck behind D-Will and C.J. Watson in the depth charts.  His fantasy season can rest in pieces.

Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets):  I think that the consensus No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft will be a great player one day and I’m not saying he’s not a great player now, but I think his game is limited with the players that are currently surrounding him.  If Gordon has made a deal with the devil and can stay healthy I can see myself changing my tune on this, but for now he’s at best a late round pick.

Kendall Marshall (Phoenix Suns):  Newly acquired PG Goran Dragic got paid the big bucks and will log most of the minutes.  Though he is sound defensively, Marshall’s offensive game still has cobwebs on it.

Will James Dolan make terrible trades? Will he bring Knicks Kryptonite Isiah Thomas back into the fold?  Are the Miami Heat just TOO good?  All these things could play a factor in the Knicks’ possible shortcomings, but if they fail the number one reason will be because Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire simply can’t coexist with one another.

Dec 21, 2011; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) hold off New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez (11) on a rebound during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

From the time Anthony was traded from Denver to the Big Apple, he and superstar teammate Stoudemire have found it very difficult to play at an All-Star level while both on the court together, posting an under .500 record when both are in the lineup together.

Knicks fans everywhere are beyond frustrated with this, after all the team traded half their roster to acquire Anthony.  Is ‘Melo the problem or is Amar’e the problem?

Some say Anthony is better suited on a team that features more role players.  While he was on the Nuggets that team went to the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons (2004-2010).  He was by far the main scorer and biggest star on those teams.  He likes to shoot and run the offense and may not be comfortable yet with deferring to other players when it comes down to crunch time.  Without Stoudemire in the lineup for most of the stretch run last season Anthony seemed possessed.  He took the reins of the team in notable wins over Chicago, Milwaukee and Boston:

April 8 vs. Bulls (NY Wins 100-99 in OT) 43 points on 16-31 shooting in 47 minutes (+game winning shot)

April 11 vs. Bucks (NY wins 111-107) 32 points on 13-26 shooting in 41 minutes

April 17 vs. Celtics (NY wins 118-110) 35 points on 13-24 shooting in 40 minutes (also had 12 rebounds)

But because both players have had injuries (mostly Stoudemire) they still don’t have a full season under their belts together so it has been hard for them to get consistent on-court time together to work out the kinks.

‘Melo is coming off a fantastic showing in the London Olympics where he flourished in a role in which he had to take a backseat in minutes to stars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.   Hopefully this humbled him a little bit and he may now see the necessity of putting together a team effort in order to win titles.

Amar’e has always had tremendous talent, but knee and back problems and a detached retina have forced him to miss a good amount of games in his career.  Before last season his brother was killed in an automobile accident, which had to be a great burden on his mentality for focusing on basketball.  He also reportedly came into camp a little heavier which may have led to the bulging disk in his back.  After completing his lowest scoring season since his rookie year (not counting the 3 games he played in ’05-’06), he punched a fire extinguisher after losing Game 2 vs. the Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

For someone who is chronically injured, self-inflicted wounds add flame to the fire.  Stoudemire is at his best when running the pick-and-roll through a point guard that is efficient in this.  In 2010-11 he had a magnificent season with Chauncey Billups at the helm.  With Billups amnestied before the start of last season the Knicks scrambled to sign guys like Baron Davis and Mike Bibby.  Jeremy Lin ended up being the point guard for the team and became an overnight sensation.

But with Lin prospering in a scoring role, Stoudemire’s scoring opportunities were minimized.  Lin was a shoot –first style guard while with the Knicks and clearly did not have the pick-and-roll experience that Billups had.  Since then Lin has signed with Houston and in his place are Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd.   Their experience could be a boon in helping to elevate Amar’e into becoming a dominant big man once again.

Despite all the negatives that have been put on this duo, the fact of the matter is that since both these stars have adorned the orange and blue together the Knicks have made the playoff in two consecutive seasons.  This is after having not made the playoffs since 2004.

After Mike D’Antoni left last year the team was very efficient under Mike Woodson.  With Woodson in the fold from the beginning, the front office making some smart offseason acquisitions and both Anthony and Stoudemire vowing good health, it will be fun to see how well the team can play in an 82-game season.

With all the wheeling and dealing and the season set to start the day before Halloween (Heat vs. Celtics), now seems like the perfect time to assess the Eastern Conference and how the New York Knicks look to figure in the playoff picture.

2012-13 Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions (listed in order of finish):

1. Miami Heat

No matter how much other teams improve, unless you are completely dismantled like the 1997 Florida Marlins, my opinion is that if you are the reigning champs you’re the team to beat.

That being said, not only did the Heat win the title, but they DID improve on an already stellar squad.  With the Big Three of LeBron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh already on board, they added seasoned vets Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to the mix.

Allen will provide a nice lift in scoring and deadly shooting to go along with his leadership skills.  Lewis has been sort of an enigma the past few years, clearly not living up to what was in fact the largest salaried contract in the NBA.

My feeling is that this will change as he will learn he is no longer the star player and will try to contribute in any way to help the team get another ring.  Also having long time Miami vet Udonis Haslem as well as a seemingly healthy Mike Miller and a much improved Mario Chalmers should almost guarantee this team another spot in the NBA Finals, but who knows, this is why we play the game, folks.

 2. Boston Celtics

June 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers talks to Paul Pierce (34) and Rajon Rondo (9) against the Miami Heat during the third quarter in game seven of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

What can I say about Boston?  For the first half of the season they looked every bit their age.  They had no depth and their aging stars seemed have lost all their ferocity.  It looked like an era was finally coming to an end…until after All-Star Break when they caught fire and became only the fourth team in NBA history to win their division after having a sub-.500 record before the break.

While Allen has departed to the sunny shores of South Beach, the Celts still have first ballot Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and arguably the best, or one of the best, point guards in the league in triple-double machine Rajon Rondo.

KG seemed possessed in the second half of the year and carried that all the way through the playoffs.  One of the more lacking aspects of the Celtics was their bench depth so they went out and signed super sixth man Jason Terry and acquired Courtney Lee from Houston.  Terry is so determined to shine in Celtic green that he tattooed their logo on his arm.

Chris Wilcox is back this year after he had somewhat of a breakout campaign and after dangling Brandon Bass around, they decided to keep him, which was smart because he proved very valuable with a 12.5/6.2 season.  He also had a very good stretch of games in the playoffs.

Rookie guard and defensive specialist Avery Bradley had a surprisingly good season and Jeff Green is back after missing the entire year due to heart issues.  Take into account some risky, yet possibly high reward draft choices in big men Fab Melo and Jared Sullinger and you’ve got yourself a very, very good team.

3.  Indiana Pacers

One of the more upstart teams of the 2012 season was the Indiana Pacers.  Seemingly loaded with untapped potential, they barely made the playoffs the prior year.  This past season, under the guidance of Coach Frank Vogel, they put everything together.  The Pacers were one of the deeper teams in the NBA and have since added point guard D.J. Augustin (now free from the burdens of playing in Charlotte) and former dunk champ Gerald Green to the mix.

Moving George Hill into the starting point guard role seemed to really get their offense going towards the end of last season thus making Darren Collison expendable, who was subsequently shipped off to Dallas.  In return the Pacers got young C Ian Mahinmi to back up budding superstar Roy Hibbert.

With the high scoring Danny Granger, the insanely athletic Paul George, do-it-all Tyler Hansbrough and wily vet David West, Indiana looks like a team who can make a championship run.  Although the Pacers are a quality team, this ranking is highly predicated on the injury to the Bulls’ Derrick Rose.

4. Chicago Bulls

Apr 28, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (1) brings the ball down the court during the first quarter in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

Coming into last season the Bulls were on many people’s lists as the team to beat.  They had incumbent MVP Derrick Rose and a slew of other stars returning to improve on their 4-1 Conference Finals loss to the Heat.  Unfortunately for them, the injury bug hit Rose…and it hit him hard.  With numerous ailments including injuries to his groin, back and ultimately a torn ACL in the playoffs, he ended up playing only 39 regular season games.

This team is very good without him, but with him they can be arguably the best in the league.  But to the chagrin of Chicagoans everywhere, D-Rose is not due back on the court until at least March, so they will have to make due without him.  Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah are no NBA saps and they will try to keep the Bulls’ record afloat until their star player comes back.

General Manager Gar Forman brought in former Bull Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson and drafted Kentucky’s Marquis Teague to help man the point in Rose’s absence.  While they HAD to let Omer Asik go with what Houston is now paying him, Taj Gibson should now flourish in an expanded role.  Nazr Mohammed adds some front court depth and Italian sharp shooter Marco Belinelli should fill the same role Kyle Korver had here, but with more scoring ability.

Coach Tom Thibodeau is a defensive mastermind and that should keep the team in the hunt until Rose arrives.  They could be a scary team come playoff time when they are working on all cylinders.

5. New York Knicks

The major news for the Knicks in the offseason was the decision to not match the $25 million offer the Houston Rockets’ made to sensation Jeremy Lin.  While many look at this as a failure on their part to keep a great player and media/marketing sensation in the Big Apple, in the end it may be viewed as a smart move.

Looking at the decision in financial terms it makes sense.  In my opinion that is a lot of money to commit to someone who pretty much has 25 games under his belt as an NBA starter.  As aforementioned, the Knicks no longer have Jeremy Lin…yup no more Lin, so they brought back former guard Ray Felton and future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd to man the point.  While that duo may not light up the scoreboard like the Harvard alum, they will play more sound basketball and commit fewer turnovers, which was a major flaw in Lin’s game last season.

Depth has been an issue for New York for a while and bringing a guy like Kidd off the bench along with big man Marcus Camby will help out a lot.  They will also add a lot of veteran leadership to the team.  The Knicks also acquired the versatile G/F hybrid Ronnie Brewer, who has since had knee surgery but expects to be back for opening night.

Hope has emerged on the defensive front with Tyson Chandler winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award and the re-signing of defense first coach Mike Woodson.  J.R. Smith is back to provide a bench spark and rookie standout Iman Shumpert is set to return from offseason knee surgery around January.

Of course the main concern in New York is whether Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire can EVER co-exist.  It’s been a rough going for the pair since Melo was acquired in 2011.  If these two superstars can finally figure things out the Knicks should be a team to be reckoned with.  If this can’t be accomplished I think I flip-flop their seed with the Nets.

6. Brooklyn Nets

After an entire offseason of “Dwight Howard Drama” the New Jers…err…Brooklyn Nets finally removed themselves from that debacle, re-signed their own big men, Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries, and plan on beginning their first season in the new Barclays Center with a bang.

While they didn’t trade for Superman, they DID make another big move, landing perennial All-Star Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks.  Johnson should fit in nicely on this team and should thrive with Deron Williams dishing him the rock.  Gerald Wallace, who was acquired late last season, is also back and is a proven star in the league.  By not trading for D12 they were able to keep one of the brighter young stars in the game in MarShon Brooks and added some more talent through the draft with former Kansas star Tyshawn Taylor.

The signing of Bosnian sensation Mirza Teletovic could prove to be a boon and adding rebounding machine Reggie Evans will surely give them some tenacity on the glass.  I like the signing of C.J. Watson as one of the more underrated moves of the offseason.  He should bring some experience and scoring punch to the backup point guard role.

The health of Lopez should be a concern all season long, but if he can stay on the court I expect the Nets to make the playoffs in their first season in The Borough.

7. Philadelphia 76ers

May 26, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Evan Turner (12) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Philly basketball is finally back.  They had a very good season and beat the highly favored Bulls in the first round of the playoffs.  Basketball minds everywhere are so impressed that there are rumors of Coach Doug Collins being the next coach for Team USA.  Capitalizing on their success from last season, the Sixers involved themselves in the Dwight Howard proceedings and in doing so were able to land stud center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers.

One of the knocks on Philly last season was their depth in the front court.  Spencer Hawes proved to be a valuable asset when he was healthy, but bringing in a still young Bynum makes them a huge threat.  While the rest of their “big men” are more like tweeners (Thaddeus Young and former-Warrior Dorrell Wright), they have upgraded tremendously from last season.

In getting Bynum they had to send All-Star Andre Iguodala to Denver, but I still think they made out very well.  In that huge trade the Sixers also got Jason Richardson from Orlando.  He seemed like a very unhappy person in the Sunshine State and the move up north may help turnaround what has become a downward spiral in his career.

PG Jrue Holiday had a breakout season last year and the addition of former no. 1 pick Kwame Brown (really Wizards??) and Nick Young will help bolster the bench. Former No. 2 overall pick Evan Turner now has his time to shine in the City of Brotherly Love. The versatile Turner improved a ton over his rookie season and will fill the void left by Iguodala and if he continues to make improvements, he could become a star at both ends of the floor.

8. Milwaukee Bucks

With apologies to the Atlanta Hawks and the much-improved Washington Wizards, the Bucks are my final pick to round out my projected Eastern Conference standings.  Milwaukee made one of the biggest mid-season splashes last year shipping former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut to Golden State.  In return they got multi-talented guard Monta Ellis and blossoming center Epke Udoh.

While Ellis’ scoring came down with the Bucks, he contributed elsewhere.  I think an offseason of meshing with Brandon Jennings will remedy that.  While Udoh is still somewhat of a project, he and newly acquired centers Samuel Dalembert and Joel Przybilla represent something Milwaukee has been lacking in many years which is depth in the form of true centers.

Drew Gooden had a tremendous season last year and Turkish import Ersan Ilyasova proved to be a star while averaging a double-double in the second half of the year.  Ilyasova was one of the best offensive rebounders last season and he also can provide a 3-point touch.  The Bucks have a solid bench led by Mike Dunleavy, Beno Udrih and rookie Doron Lamb.  The bottom half of the East has lots of potential, but I see the Bucks eking out the last spot.

Injuries and coaching changes have made it difficult for some players to adjust to new lineups, but there’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert (21) brings the ball down the court during the first half against the Charlotte Bobcats. The New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-84 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

However the main question that many want to know is…..“How are these players going to do for my fantasy basketball team??”  This is a look at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a Fantasy perspective.

Today is the final part of a my six part fantasy series, as today I take a look a useful bench players on the Knicks roster.

Draftable Bench Players:

Iman Shumpert (SG/PG/SF):

The Knicks finally broke out of a long draft slump and took the Georgia Tech product Shumpert in the first round a season ago.

Many people questioned this, but Shumpert had a very productive rookie season.  His shooting percentages were low, but his all-around input into every game’s box score was remarkable.  He seemed to really hit his stride and had his confidence peak once he was given a starting role.  A terrible knee injury in the post-season will cost him the first few months of this upcoming season (expected to return in January), but he is still a great player to stash, especially if your league has an IR spot.   Look for about 10-11 PPG with Top 10 steals per game if/when he reclaims the starting spot back from J.R. Smith.

Expected Draft Position:  9^th-10^th Round, later if there is no IR spot

Jason Kidd (PG):

Kidd will turn 40-years-old before the season is over, but don’t let that stop you from picking him up with a later round pick.  While his numbers have tapered off a ton since his earlier years, he is still a great source of all-around stats to contribute to your team.  In an offense with many scoring options his assist numbers should improve from last year’s career low 5.5.  He has the capability of averaging close to two steals and two 3-pointers made per game and can explode for a big rebounding night as well.

Expected Draft Position:  12^th Round

Steve Novak (SF):

Apr. 13, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) shoots a three-pointer during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 103-65. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Novak is an anomaly, he’s 6’11” but can’t rebound for a lick and often shoots a better percentage from downtown than from inside the arc.  While he provides nothing in terms of rebounding, assists, steals or blocks, he did lead the league in 3-point percentage and was tied for third in the NBA in 3-pointers made.  He is not a bad guy to have on your fantasy team’s bench if you are in need for an offensive injection now and again.

Expected Draft Position:  12^th-14^th round depending on 3-pointer needs

Marcus Camby (C):

It’s been 10-plus years in the making for the Cambyman’s return to the Big Apple.  His signing by the Knicks is a great addition to a team that was desperate for help in the front court.  Like Kidd, Camby will soon be entering his 40’s, but this is someone, who even in limited time, can help produce on the defensive end.

He won’t get you much in terms of scoring, but for a big man can chip in a couple assists a game.  If you decide to gamble on him in your fantasy draft it will be for his sometimes gaudy rebounding and shot blocking stats.  Last season with Portland and Houston he averaged around 9.0 boards and 1.5 blocks per game (he exploded for three 20+ rebounding games and five games with at least four blocks in 2012).  Look for similar numbers this year while where he should see decent minutes spelling both Stoudemire and Chandler down on the blocks.

Expected Draft Position:  11^th-12^th Round depending on Center needs

Ronnie Brewer (SG/SF):

At six-foot-seven, Ronnie Brewer fills the Knicks’ need of a hybrid/hustle type.  He won’t always get the minutes you’ll want for fantasy production, but when given the opportunity, he has shown he can put up decent numbers across the board.  When in Utah playing 30+ minutes/game he was averaging double-digit points.  This is a player you should look for on the waiver wire if anyone from the Knicks’ backcourt should go down.  In limited time last season, he still managed to eke out 1.1 SPG to go along with seven points and almost four rebounds.

Expected Draft Position:  Undrafted

Other Knicks players who should go undrafted in your fantasy leagues:

Kurt Thomas, Pablo Prigioni, Chris Copeland, Chris Smith, anonymous PF whom Knicks have not signed yet but won’t have fantasy relevance

Follow Seth on Twitter @sethdasportsman

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith (8) shoots over Miami Heat small forward Shane Battier (31) during the second half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 89-87. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

While injuries and coaching changes have made it difficult for some players to adjust to new lineups, there’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go.

But what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my fantasy basketball team??”

This is part five of a six part series looking at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a fantasy perspective.

Today I look at J.R. Smith, who despite coming off the bench often will produce like a starter.

Smith was one of many players who chose to sign overseas during the lockout last season.  Unfortunately for him, he signed with a Chinese team, which precluded him from opting out of his contract early.

When he was finally available to play stateside, the Knicks snatched him up and he provided instant offense off the bench for a team that had been in dire need of depth and bench scoring.

Smith could begin the season as the starter with Iman Shumpert sidelined until January with a torn ACL, or Woodson can keep Smith in his productive bench role and elect to start Ronnie Brewer.  One way or another, whether it’s immediately or not until Shump returns, Smith will revert back to a bench role.

When drafting, fantasy owners should keep this in mind.  Even with a bench role looming in January, Smith still gets regular minutes and often starter’s minutes.   His shooting percentages were very low last year, but a lot of that was because he was forced to assume the scoring load once injuries beset the Knicks.

Always a good three-point shooter, he should continue to provide solid numbers in that category.  Even with under 30 MPG, Smith can fill in most categories in fantasy box scores.

Season Predictions:  11.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2 3PM/g, 1.4 SPG, 43% FG

Expected Draft Position:  10^th Round

Follow Seth on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan

Apr 7, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Raymond Felton (5) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. The Bucks defeated the Trail Blazers 116-94. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

There’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and head coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go.

But what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my Fantasy Basketball team??”

This is part four of a six part series looking at the outlook for Knicks’ players for the 2012-2013 season, from a fantasy perspective. Today I take a look at point guard Raymond Felton.

After a season and a half away from MSG, Felton returns to the team where he had his best stats as a pro.

In 54 games played for the Knicks in 2010-2011, he had career highs in points, assists and steals.  Alas, he was shipped to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade, but never fear, the 6’1” point guard is back to lead the Knicks’ offense this time around.

Last season was definitely one to forget for the former North Carolina product.  Many of his offensive stats were career lows or close to it, but a lot of that had to do with the system he was playing in Portland and the constant shuffling of his role there as a starter/non-starter.

While this season stats may not compare to the one he previously had with offense first coach Mike D’Antoni, his percentages should elevate.  Having Tyson Chandler in the middle should also increase his assist opportunities and three-point looks during the double teams.

Still only 28-years-old, there’s plenty of room for improvement.  Keep in mind, though, that with two other very capable point guards on the team, Woodson may opt to stick with those guys in certain games.

Felton though is definitely a candidate for a bounce back season.

Season Predictions:  13.8 PPG, 7.9 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 44% FG, 1.8 3PM/g

Expected Draft Position:  7^th Round

Follow Seth on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan

July 9, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA center Tyson Chandler during practice at the UNLV Mendenhall Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

While injuries and coaching changes have made it difficult for some players to adjust to new lineups, there’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go.

But what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my Fantasy Basketball team??”

This is part three of a six part series looking at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a Fantasy perspective. Today we look at Tyson Chandler.

Chandler was the most pleasant surprise for the Knicks last season.  One of the very few offseason moves that the front office can actually be proud of.

After years of turmoil at the center position, Chandler had a fantastic season and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, the first ever for a Knicks player.  While fantasy owners should expect much of the same defensive statistics this season, I actually think his offensive stats will get better.

With the Raymond Felton/Jason Kidd/Pablo Prigioni combo at point guard, look for more pick and roll opportunities for Tyson and Amar’e Stoudemire.  The ones running through Amar’e should leave open looks for Chandler in the post.

Even though Chandler has elected not to work out with Hakeem Olajuwon like Stoudemire did, I still see an increase in his numbers on the horizon.

Season Predictions:  12.4 PPG, 10 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 63% FG

Expected Draft Position:  3^rd Round

Follow Seth on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan

Apr 22, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York Knicks power forward Amare Stoudemire (1) lines up against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Philips Arena. The Knicks won 113-112. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

There’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go, but what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my Fantasy Basketball team??”  This is the second part of a six part series looking at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a fantasy perspective.

Today I feature Amar’e Stoudemire.

Last season was a huge disappointment for Amar’e.  His chronic injury issues that had seemed to be in the past came back with a vengeance in 2012, not to mention a stupid self-inflicted injury during the playoffs.  Stoudemire has vowed that he is now healthy, and while we can be skeptical, even at 90 percent health, Amar’e is still a pretty good fantasy option.

The key when drafting him will be whether you are willing to accept him possibly missing a chunk of games and whether he and Carmelo Anthony will be able to finally function on the court together.

One thing that the Knicks have been able to do in this offseason is add some depth, which should allow him to get ample rest during games when needed and keep him healthy for the stretch run.  Another noticeable change is the departure of Jeremy Lin, a shoot first point guard, and the addition of three traditional PGs to the roster.

Stoudemire really seemed to struggle with Lin at the helm.  The pick-and-roll offense that was utilized so well with Raymond Felton in the 2010-2011 season will be back and that should help to improve his numbers as well.   The almost two blocks per game he had in the 2010-2011 season may never be replicated, but his percentages and rebounding will be up from last year, notably FG% and FT%.

Season Predictions:  22.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 51% FG, 79% FT

Expected Draft Position:  3^rd Round

Follow Seth on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan

There’s a great chance the Knicks will make huge strides this year with the addition of many key players and coach Mike Woodson in the fold from the get-go, but what millions of people really want to know is… “How are these players going to do for my Fantasy Basketball team??”

This is a look at the outlook for Knicks players for the 2012-2013 season, from a fantasy perspective as Part One in a six part series takes a look at Carmelo Anthony.

Melo is returning from a sub-par year, albeit for his standards.  The 22.6 PPG represented his lowest total since his second year in the league and his 43 percent shooting was his lowest percentage since his rookie campaign.

Yes, he did have some nagging injuries that caused him to miss 11 games, but in all this was a dismal performance for a player the Knicks traded half their squad for two years ago.  If he and Amar’e Stoudemire can work on their on-court chemistry I expect him to turn around his game this year.

Under the leadership of the formerly “interim” coach Woodson, I think these two superstars can co-exist.  Don’t expect his gaudy three-point percentage during the London Olympics to carry over, but with more minutes being logged at power forward, he should see his rebounding numbers to return to a more respectable 7-8 RPG range.

The Knicks have brought in many new weapons so the burden he had to carry the offense last year will be gone and he should be more confident in his shot.

Season Predictions:  26.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 47% FG, 1.6 3PM/g

Expected Draft Position:  Early-Mid 2^nd Round

Follow Seth Klein on Twitter @SethDaSportsMan