With all the possible offseason moves, here's a look at teams who possibly could've done better in the draft, free agent signings, or trades. It's not that they got weaker, it's just that they could have been stronger coming out of this offseason.
New York Knicks
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| Maybe Tyson can teach Andrea a thing or two about defense? |
Who they traded for: Andrea Bargnani
Who they lost: Chris Copeland, Marcus Camby, Quentin Richardson, Steve Novak, James White (Waived), Jason Kidd (Retired)
Projected starters: Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler
Bench depth: JR Smith, Beno Udrih, Metta World Peace, Andrea Bargnani, Kenyon Martin, Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Knicks are a team with a high-powered offense with Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith taking care of that department. Outside of them, though, there's not much firepower expected, as Amar'e Stoudemire still can't figure out how to play alongside Melo. And what do they do to address their need? Add another shooter. They traded for former number 1 draft pick Andrea Bargnani in a move that still boggles my mind. Raymond Felton is a shoot-first point guard, and they lost their facilitator in Jason Kidd. One ball is not enough in a five-man squad of Felton, Smith, Anthony, Stoudemire, and Bargnani.
They're still going to be awful defensively, but it won't be because of Tyson Chandler. Kenyon Martin could provide quality minutes off the bench, but don't expect him to play over 50 games this season, given his injury situation. I'm not sure what to make of the Metta World Peace signing, other than it finally got him closer to his hometown Queensbridge. He's not as good defensively as he was before, Good news is that Tim Hardaway Jr. could potentially play major minutes in his rookie season.
Beno Udrih will fill the Jason Kidd role, a younger player with the old Kidd's game. He won't be spectacular, but he'll be able to provide threes and will distribute the ball. If he can somehow make a lineup with Melo and Amar'e together work, Felton might be losing his starting post.
Fantasy Prospects: With more passing options, Felton could be a nice 5th to 6th pick to fill your guard spot. Udrih might be a risky low risk-high reward pick. He's a heady pass-first guard that may steal minutes from Felton. That is, of course, if Shumpert continues his dismal showing. A couple of years ago, he was a great pick up to provide defensive stats and guard stats, but since getting back from injury, he hasn't been able to revert back to his form. His preseason performances are looking good though. Melo could still be a centerpiece of your team, but you'll have to live with his erratic FG%. Smith could be a third or fourth pick in a deep league, but his off-court antics may just hit his fantasy stock hard. Chandler provides efficient stats from the Center position; possibly not too elite rebounds, definitely not a lot of points, but will provide excellent FG% and at least a block per game. Amar'e and Bargnani would be risky picks. Bargs may give three pointers from the Center position, but the Raptors wouldn't have traded him out if his shots were falling. Amar'e is the odd man out in the New York payroll since the arrival of Melo. This could be his year, or he could be traded sometime soon to a team where he could flourish more. Remember his pre-Melo games with the Knicks?
Toronto Raptors
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| I still think Rudy Gay's going to have a big year coming up |
Who they traded for: Steve Novak
Who they lost: John Lucas III, Andrea Bargnani, Alan Anderson, Marcus Camby (Waived), Linas Kleiza (Waived)
Projected starters: Lowry-DeRozan-Gay-Johnson-Valanciunas
Bench depth: Hansbrough, Fields, Augustin, Novak, Ross, Gray, Daye, Richardson
After acquiring Rudy Gay from Memphis at the trade deadline last season, the Raptors finally have a big name player they could build around. They moved on from the Andrea Bargnani era, and are looking to go on a playoff hunt with the pieces that they have.
Their pieces include a borderline All-Star in Gay, the summer league MVP Jonas Valanciunas (who's just in his second year), a SG rotation of almost the same player in DeMarr DeRozan and Quentin Ross, an explosive triple-double threat in Kyle Lowry, and the perpetually active Amir Johnson up front. They added a couple of shooters from New York in Steve Novak and Quentin Richardson (who they eventually waived), and they also got free agent Austin Daye. They also got a couple of guys from Indiana in DJ Augustin and an energy guy in Tyler Hansbrough.
They may look deep, but they seem to be a collection of ok guys without an elite player, which means they could be a good team that's not great. The good news, is they're in the East, where the top teams are clear, but the 6th to 8th spots are wide open for anyone. The bad news, is that their best finish would be a first round exit.
Fantasy Prospects: I noticed that the SF spot has been a position of strength by the Raptors over the past couple of years in NBA Fantasy, with James Johnson and Alan Anderson providing solid numbers from that spot. With Gay now playing that spot, I would expect him to have a pretty good year this year. Lowry, when healthy, is one of the elite Fantasy guards, contributing in guard categories, and also providing some rebounds at the guard spot. Valanciunas was effective when he was on the floor, but had issues staying out of foul trouble, limiting his minutes. A year wiser, hopefully, he has learned how to stay on the floor longer. He'll be a valuable Center, as he has a nice shooting stroke from the line, and knows how to pick his shots, so your FG% won't suffer. Novak may be a late pick, seeing as he'll be competing for minutes with Rudy Gay. Daye might not cut the rotation, but if he’s given the chance, he can be a Channing Frye-lite.
Charlotte Bobcats
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| Big man in the middle is arguably the biggest star in their franchise history |
Who they got in the market: Al Jefferson, Gerald Henderson (Re-signed), Josh McRoberts (Re-signed), Cody Zeller (Draft), Jannero Pargo
Who they traded for: N/A
Who they lost: Byron Mullens, Reggie Willams, Tyrus Thomas (Amnesty)
Projected Starters: Kemba Walker,Gerald Henderson, Micheal Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zelle, Al Jefferson
Bench Depth: Ben Gordon, Ramon Sessions, Jeff Taylor, Josh McRoberts, Bismack Biyombo, Jeff Adrien
Here's a big name acquisition; the Bobcats got one of the biggest names in free agency in Al Jefferson. While Toronto at least experienced a couple of big name players in Vince Carter and Chris Bosh, the biggest name that the Bobcats have had historically would probably be Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, both of which were incidentally present in their first and only playoff appearance. With Jefferson, they have a legitimate All-Star caliber Center who can help carry their team back to the playoffs.
They're here in this section because they weren't able to do much with their bench. Sure, they got Ben Gordon and top scorer Gerald Henderson to re-sign with them, but that's basically it. We'll have to wait and see if Cody Zeller would turn out like his brother Tyler did in Cleveland (or better). Josh McRobers is a talented big but needs to keep his head in the game, while Bismack Biyombo is still a project in his third year. They're still young, but being in the East, they may have a chance for that 8th spot.
Fantasy Prospects: Jefferson will definitely be a focal point of this team. The continued development of Kemba Walker is also something to watch out for in Fantasy. Last year, he provided decent assists to go along with sudden outbursts of scoring and steals. There were also a couple of good three point shooting games for him, so I'll definitely keep Kemba in my radar for an early pick. I'll be surprised if he's still available by the 5th round in deep leagues. Henderson provides offensive stats, and Sessions could be a nice late pick who will produce, as he almost splits time with Walker at the point. Gordon will give you days where he'll be unconscious from three, but get a dud in the same week, so he could be a specialty pick. MKG's a nice player for the Cats, but his contribution is mostly not seen in the stat sheets. He has a limited offensive game, but he'll give decent rebounding numbers.
Los Angeles Clippers
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| Despite injuries, Paul remains one of the best players in Fantasy |
Who they traded for: Jared Dudley, J.J.Redick
Who they lost: Chauncey Billups, Ronnie Turiaf, Eric Bledsoe, Caron Butler, Grant Hill (retired)
Projected Starters: Chris Paul, Willie Green, Matt Barnes, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan
Bench Depth: Jamaal Crawford, JJ Redick, Jared Dudley, Byron Mullens, Darren Collison, Ryan Hollins
The Clippers got their man back, keeping Chris Paul in their fold. They didn't quite get the players they wanted, after the trade for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett didn't push through. Basically, they're here in this section because of that failed trade. Instead of getting Pierce and Garnett, they have to settle for JJ Redick and Byron Mullens. They also lost more than they gained. Jared Dudley is a nice player, but he's no Caron Butler or Grant Hill. Eric Bledsoe's athleticism won't be replaced by Darren Collison, but he'd be able to compensate with the added playmaking aspect.
I'm not saying the Clippers blew it, I personally think they could've done better if they were able to keep at least one of the players they lost. Still, I think they're one of the better teams in the West, and their acquisition of Doc Rivers will definitely help their cause for a deep Playoff run, if not a championship.
Fantasy Prospects: Paul is one of the elite guards in the NBA and in Fantasy Basketball. I think he can't be lower than the 5th overall pick (LeBron and Durant at the top, possibly Paul at third, but you could also go with “The Best Player in the League” Derrick Rose, or the crazy stats we get from Kevin Love. Depends really who you want to build your Fantasy team on). Blake Griffin, for all his highlights, isn't really a very attractive Fantasy player. He has the athleticism to grab around 15 rebounds per game, but he settles for 7 or 8. He's a bad free throw shooter, but he did show improvement last year. He doesn't block a lot of shots as well. He does play a lot of minutes, which is good from a Fantasy perspective. DeAndre Jordan provided elite block numbers, but he doesn't have much offensive creativity. He'll give you rebounds, but yes, he'll ruin your free throw percentage. They're bench looks like an attractive bunch; I discount Jamaal Crawford because he plays starters' minutes. Dudley could be a sneaky good pick. He may spell for Matt Barnes, or he may outplay him for the position, given his shooting stroke and able defensive skills. Up front, Mullens could provide threes from the PF/C position, and he may be able to be given playing time down the stretch if neither Blake nor DeAndre improve their free throw shooting.
Denver Nuggets
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| A Center spot for him to lose, JaVale should finally have his time to shine |
Who they got in the market: Nate Robinson, J.J.Hickson, Timofey Mozgov (Re-signed), Erick Green (Draft), Joffrey Lauvergne (Draft),
Who they traded for: Darrell Arthur, Randy Foye
Who they lost: Andre Igoudala, Corey Brewer, Kosta Koufos,
Projected Starters: Ty Lawson, Andre Miller, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, JaVale McGee
Bench Depth: Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson, JJ Hickson, Evan Fournier, Anthony Randolph, Darrell Arthur, Randy Foye, Timofey Mozgov
The Nuggets were able to snag one of the late big time performers of the league in Nate Robinson, which is supposed to be a good thing. However, Nate comes to a team where the starting point guard is almost as tall as he is. It may work to their advantage in the sense that they will essentially keep one style of play at the point guard spot through 48 minutes in the game. The problem is, they lost Andre Iguodala in free agency; a Small Forward who can create his own shots and create shots for his teammates as well. They also lost Corey Brewer, and with Danilo Gallinari possibly going to the season injured once again, it doesn't help that their next possible option at SF is Evan Fournier. Wilson Chandler might have to fill that spot as well instead of playing PF.
With the departure of Kosta Koufos, JaVale McGee's only competition for his spot would be Timofey Mozgov. They could also decide to play small, as they have a bunch of other big men they could play in the "Manimal" Kenneth Faried, and new recruits JJ Hickson and Darrell Arthur. They have an offensively gifted, but vertically challenged backcourt, with Randy Foye joining Lawson and Robinson at the Guard spot. They'll probably still be able to compete, but I doubt if they go as deep as they did last season.
Fantasy Prospects: Lawson is an explosive guard who can be your second or third player in a deep draft. Evan Fournier may still not be a popular pick, but he may be an under the radar Fantasy pick who will provide threes and an efficient clip at that. I think Chandler will be a good 5th or 6th pick (or possibly earlier), as he will possibly play a huge role for this team. Faried needs to earn back his "Manimal" moniker after a bit of a disappointing showing last Fantasy season. McGee will give you blocks, and he may be a nice option at Center; a new coach means management may finally push the new coach to squeeze out the most out of their huge investment. Fantasy losers may be Robinson (stock definitely goes down from how he was late last season) and Hickson (decent PF rebounding and blocks and excellent shooting clim, but minutes would take a hit as he'll be competing with Faried).
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