We're joining the folks at some of the top fantasy hoops blogs on the web in a weekly roundtable. This week's question, posed by Tommy Beer over at Hoopsworld, was:

Last week we discussed some general trade advice - this week, let's get specific.  So, we asked the roundtable: "With most fantasy league trade deadlines inching closer and closer, which player(s) will you be targeting to acquire as a 'buy low?' And/or is there someone you would suggest trading away because you view him as a 'sell high' candidate?"

Yours truly responded with Eric Gordon as a Buy Low and Zach Randolph as a Sell High. Click here for the full post.

Special thanks to Ryan Lester over at Lester's Legends and Nels from Give Me the Rock for including us.

 

All I want for Christmas is my first round pick, Danny Granger, healthy and back in my lineup again. And maybe a new TV. Too much, Santa? Happy Holidays from everyone at RotoExperts and may the New Year bring good fantasy fortunes!

In the world of fantasy roundball, we're all looking for the next waiver wire stud, but who do you drop? Sometimes cutting your losses and picking up a waiver wire stud can dramatically improve your team. Other times, you pick up a flash in the pan and drop a disappointment that ends up statistically exploding - on someone else's roster. So, who should you drop and why? This week's NBA Roundtable discusses who the RotoExperts are currently considering dropping on their own teams.

Abe Chong

Spencer Hawes (PF/C, SAC), it's getting harder to hang onto you. I know that somewhere in that young, 7'2 frame a double-double threat who shoots threes AND blocks shots is lurking, but why can't you get more than 30 minutes on a Sacramento team that clearly needs size? Consider this: he's been removed from the starting lineup more than few times, and his minutes are dwindling into the 20s. Hawes' tendency to shy away from physical contact in the paint seems to be the main culprit, and his inability to string together a run of productive games is severely hurting his fantasy value. Recently, coach Westphal has started Jason Thompson at center for the Kings, which does not bode well for Hawes - should the move stick, you can bet his production to continue trending downward.

Tom Lorenzo

The one guy I keep going back and forth on is Anthony Randolph (PF, GSW). He came into this season with so much promise, and I was hoping that his ability to block shots and run the floor in the Golden State offense would turn him at least into a similar version to Tyrus Thomas -- who I can't seem to stay away from! The problem was most savvy owners also knew about Randolph, so you had to reach for him in the 7th or 8th round if you wanted a shot. That makes him a tough pill to swallow. It's one thing to drop one of your "top 10" players (meaning guys you took in the first 10 rounds) because he gets injured for 6-8 weeks, but it's another thing to admit that you made a mistake in drafting someone that early. I think it makes it much more difficult to pull the trigger.

Right now I'm hanging onto Randolph because he has shown some promise -- 13 points, six rebounds, and two blocks over his past three games. The Warriors are hurting up front with Andris Biedrins, Mikki Moore, and Rony Turiaf all out. Biedrins seems to be about 2-3 weeks away from returning. So, it's probably in my best interest to hold onto Randolph so at the very least he can raise his trade value and I can get something out of him. Why do I always have to own guys like Randolph and Thomas? It's my guilty pleasure, I suppose.

Eno Sarris

I can't believe I'm writing this, but Spencer Hawes (PF/C, SAC) is now approaching the last man stamding on about four or five of my fantasy teams. A testament to diversification if I ever saw one, owning his crappy season multiple times has me scrambling almost across the board. It's actually making me hawes-tile. It would be one thing if he was constantly in the hawes-pital, but he's playing. He's just playing very, very poorly. Per 48 minutes it doesn't look terrible (18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots) but because of his passive play, his numbers have actually dipped from 29 minutes a game last year to 27 this year. He ran off a string of 20/10 performances against good teams late last year, and I still have confidence that he can rediscover his skills. With a new system in place though, I'm just not sure if he'll get his mojo back in Sacramento. Maybe he'll leave town in one of the rumored deals that will bring a new big to the purple and black. If not, I guess I'll be less hawes-pitable to owning him.

Jeff Andriesse

I'm starting to lose patience with Mario Chalmers (PG, MIA). Now that he's coming off the bench behind Carlos Arroyo, I fear this could be a permanent demotion. In shallow leagues, it is time to really consider cutting bait. I own Chalmers in both a rotisserie and in a head-to-head format, and I can't keep running him out there for minimal stats and expect to win. Here's the kicker, however: I drafted Chalmers for a reason, and big scoring numbers wasn't one of them. When he's playing regular minutes, his steals and threes are valuable, so if I can afford to stash him, I will. But I say it is time to look for numbers elsewhere if you have to. Chalmers may indeed regain value later in the year, but right now he's killing fantasy teams.

Brad Rysz

The player I'm on the verge of dropping is Knickerbocker rookie Toney Douglas (G, NYK). The reason I'm still holding on is two-fold. First, I'm simply waiting for Chris Duhon to blow his chance as a starter. It almost happened once and Douglas flourished with the extended minutes. Unfortunately, veteran leadership is important and Duhon was quickly reinserted into the starting lineup. Second, Douglas has shown flashes of dominance. In a four-game stretch from Nov. 7-13, Douglas averaged 18.8 points and showed a great ability to score at a high level. Still, Douglas is a rookie and it's becoming quite obvious that coach Mike D'Antoni isn't going to give him consistent minutes. In fact, Douglas has only one double-digit scoring outing in December. Love the talent, but I think it's time to part ways with this former Seminole.

Tamer Chamma

Andre Miller (PG, POR).  He has been awful this year with his stats down in every single fantasy category except for turnovers.  I don't see his numbers getting any better since he is splitting time with Steve Blake.  On the flip side I am thinking of keeping him for three reasons: First, Rudy Fernandez will be out for at least a month and since Fernandez went down Miller's minutes and numbers are up.  They are not at the level they were last season with the Sixers but at least they are moving in the right direction. Secondly, I have not seen anything on the waiver wire that is better then Andre Miller at this point.  Point guard is a notoriously thin position and even though Miller's numbers are down they are still better then a lot of other available points.  Finally, I drafted him in the sixth round - and I felt good about it.  I may be using my heart over my head here but I have to give him so more time. Right?

Nearly 20 games into the season, we have a large enough sample size to gauge a player’s fantasy value this season. As always, some players will maintain their production, others will flame out. A panel of RotoExperts writers shares their thoughts on which early season breakouts will retain their value, and which ones you may want to think about trading. One thing that many RotoExperts seem to agree on: Marc Gasol is money this season.

Brad Rysz  

The early season surprise who will maintain his value is surely Marc “Don’t Call me Pau” Gasol.  The Grizzlies lack any legitimate options to take playing time away from Gasol, and the youngster simply refuses to stop improving. For a center, his 75.5 FT% is elite, as is his 63.3 FG%. He’s taken the next step in rebounding and is grabbing 10.8 per game this season. He also combines the ability to block a shot (1.6) and rip a steal (1.1). Besides low assist numbers, Gasol is about as all-around a contributor as you can get from the center position, and one that has a legitimate chance to wind up as a top 15 fantasy performer.

One disappointment who I don’t feel will rebound is Washington’s Caron Butler. With Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison demanding 15 shots a game, Butler has become little more than a role player. Arenas also takes away any assist opportunities for Butler. The past two seasons Butler averaged 4.9 and 4.3 assists, respectively, but now sits at 1.2 per contest. Butler just doesn’t have the same opportunities he had the past few seasons and is no longer a Top 20 player. In fact, he may not finish in the Top 50.

Tamer Chamma

I think Marc Gasol will maintain his production.  He has always been underrated because his older brother is better so I am not surprised he has made the jump he has statistically in his second year.  In addition, he currently has no one pushing him for minutes and I don't see Hasheem Thabeet posing a threat this season if ever.

 On the other hand, I don't think that Chris Kaman will continue his hot start.  He has never been able to put up this production over a full season and I think he will either miss significant time with an injury or see a drop in his numbers as the grind of playing 37 minutes a night starts to wear on him.  If he was a younger player I would have an easier time believing he is a 20-and-8 player but with six full seasons under his belt I think we know what Chris Kaman is at this point.

Tom Lorenzo

Throw it down, big fella! I've been a fan of Greg Oden since day one. And, of course, I've been burned by my adoration for the 7-footer since the day his name was called on draft night. This season, though, he's looking like a legit superstar fantasy big. Going into Monday he was leading the league in blocked shots, shooting over 60 percent from the floor, while averaging close to a double-double in points and rebounds. All of this while playing under 25 minutes per game. Imagine what he can do once he gets up to 30 minutes per? I think Oden is here to stay. Maybe not in the Top 10, but I would be surprised to see a healthy Oden fall out of the Top 30 by season's end.

Ed. Note: This was obviously written prior to Oden’s unfortunate injury — it remains here as both a tribute to the young center’s potential and as a precautionary reminder of the risks of drafting known injury risks.

I'm not sold on Channing Frye. Sure, he can hit the three-point shot and it helps that he's center-eligible. Robin Lopez just returned to action and I take it that he'll start eating into Frye's minutes little by little. Lopez is the better defender of the two, which is what the Suns could use more of in the paint. He's had a nice early run, but he'll fall outside of the Top 50 once all is said and done.

Eno Sarris

If I believe in any of the nice starts to the season, it's a trio of young big men. Al Horford isn't doing much more than he did before, he's just doing more of what he did before with more minutes and touches. It's nice to see players age organically. Joakim Noah is also putting up similar rate statistics, but making ample use of the nine minutes more a game he's getting right now. But really, it's Marc Gasol making the most of extra time and touches this year. With five minutes more a game, "the other" Gasol added 1.5 free throws (with good FT% for a big man), 3-plus points, 3.5 rebounds and half a blocked shot per game. That's better across the board, with some of the cheapest center numbers — and the cherries on top are the good percentages. Gasol makes ugly look good. (Also: Carmelo Anthony is also making good look better this year as the rare high-volume, high-percentage multi-category stud we thought he would be.)

Looking around at the hot starts, Larry Hughes keeps showing up. There's no way he can keep on getting 32 minutes per game game in a town that holds Nate Robinson, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Galinari, and even youngster Toney Douglas. I expect the minutes to drop soon. I think Chris Douglas-Roberts is a great story, and his slash-and-pop game seems like a bright spot on the winless Nyets, but there are too many clouds on the horizon. Devin Harris is playing already, Terrence Williams is playing well, and Courtney Lee will get time eventually. D-R fills up a jersey, but he takes too many shots from the worst spot on the floor: long two-pointers. Now is the time to trade him at top value.

Jeff Andriesse

There may not be a bigger surprise in the league than Marc Gasol. All the talk in the preseason was about the additions of Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph, and how they would affect mainstays O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay and Mike Conley. And with No. 2 pick Hasheem Thabeet in Memphis, folks were convinced Gasol would fade into the background. Not so, by a long shot. Thabeet is ineffective, Iverson is off in some sort of retirement/pouting session, and Randolph is more than happy to leave the dirty work - rebounding, playing defense - to Gasol, who has responded with 15.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.1 steals and a league-best 63.3 field goal percentage. With all those doubts erased, there's no reason to think Gasol won't continue his tear en route to the fantasy MVP based on draft position.

Rodney Stuckey is averaging a career-high 17.3 points and has taken the Pistons on his back recently, averaging 23 points per game in his last three through Sunday. Not too many players can give you around 20 points, five boards and four-plus assists each night, but Stuckey is one of them. He's even contributing 1.4 steals and having a better fantasy season than many imagined. Unfortunately, I don't see this lasting as much of his damage has come with Detroit stars Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince sidelined. The vets will return to the lineup and kindly let Stuckey know that they would like some of their shots back, and with Ben Gordon in the equation to get his, fantasy owners should sell high on Stuckey right now. 

Abe Chong

I really wish I picked up Carl Landry when I had the opportunity. Even as a bench player, the Houston Rockets are keenly aware of his talents and fully intend to capitalize on them. Sporting a robust season average of 16.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks while shooting a sparkling 56% from the field and 88% from the line, Landry has increased his points and boards to the 19-and-8 range over the last week. His promising young career his undoubtedly on an upswing right now and the starless Rockets rotation needs his scoring this year.

Sorry to all of you who own big Roy Hibbert, but it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to believe in the breakout season many are still hoping for. Since Troy Murphy’s return, Hibbert’s production has been trending steadily downward. While there is undeniable potential in his 7’2, 278lb frame, his lumbering style of play doesn’t seem to quite fit into a Pacers offense that is better suited for a faster tempo. After a hot start, Hibbert’s average minutes-per-game has dipped to just under 23 minutes. Jeff Foster’s return from injury also gives coach Jim O’Brien a veteran option at center that will surely continue to impact Hibbert’s playing time. Use him as throw-in fodder if he’s on your roster.

Over at our blog, Damn Lies & Statistics , Tom Lorenzo and I (along with blogger Greg Fox) talk about young big men we're now targeting thanks to their performances this preseason.

Check it out .

 Our very skilled, and very conspiratorial (j/k, bro), Senior Football Editor Mike Gilbert asked me if I had any thoughts on whether the Braylon Edwards trade to the New York Jets was some sort of larger scheme to keep LeBron James in Cleveland next summer.  

 Well, as a basketball guy I guess I never really thought about it until he posed the question.  Here now was my response to Gilbert on the Braylon Edwards/LeBron James story.. 

 

I guess I don't know enough about Braylon Edwards to say whether or not this move was made based solely on the premise of keeping LeBron James in Cleveland next summer.  In saying that I mean: did the Browns get fair market value from the Jets?  If someone can convince me that the Browns got five cents on the dollar in return, then you might be onto something here. It would seem to me, however, that with Edwards being in the final year of his contract the Browns could have just waited for the smoke to clear and accept that Braylon Edwards did what any noble man would do; he Tweeted his apology.  Then they just would have let him walk next summer, no?  Was he that much of a nuisance?  Besides, the ghost of Mickey Mantle could rise up and win a World Series for the Tribe and still not trump LeBron James as the toast of the town.        

On the other hand, I wouldn't put it past the city of Cleveland to round up anyone within a 60 mile radius who could be considered a potential roadblock in returning LBJ to the city that was built on rock-n-roll and, of course, Drew Carey.  The Cavs did bring in an aging Shaquille O'Neal and his $20 million contract this summer for the sole purpose of having him lean his meaty body up against Dwight Howard's.  They also just printed out and sent NBA Finals tickets to their season ticket-holders three weeks before the 2009-10 season even starts!  So it actually wouldn't surprise me to see the entire city of Cleveland chip-in and buy Edwards a one-way ticket to New York if it meant keeping LeBron James happy.

The real losers in all of this, however, are the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets.  If it is true that LeBron James and Braylon Edwards cannot co-exist in the same city I'm sure that Knicks and Nets fans will come together in solidarity and surround Giants Stadium.  Both teams have worked so hard in their attempt at wooing LeBron James for a good two years now.  How could the city of New York (meaning, the Jets) accept a trade offer that could possibly drop them from contention in the LeBron James sweepstakes?  Don't the people have a say in all of this?  Haven't Nets and Knicks fans suffered long enough?  Is Braylon Edwards going to cause sleepless nights in the city that never let's someone "play" with them "like that"?    

Although now that I think about it, this may have been one shrewd move by Cleveland that not only got Edwards out of town, but also sent him to their biggest competitor(s) in the 2010 free agent market.  Well played, Cleveland.  Well played.  New York?  Your move...     

The preseason rankings keep on comin' from RotoExperts hoops writers Tom Lorenzo and Jeff Andriesse over at Damn Lies and Statistics .

Top 25 Small Forwards Plus Analysis

Top 25 Power Forwards Plus Analysis

Over at the fantasy hoops blog Damn Lies & Statistics , RotoExperts Tom Lorenzo and Jeff Andriesse offer an early look at the top shooting guards in fantasy for the upcoming season. Here are their rankings:

2009-10 Shooting Guard Rankings

Tom's Top 25	Jeff's Top 25
1. Dwyane Wade	1. Dwyane Wade
2. Kobe Bryant	2. Kobe Bryant
3. Brandon Roy	3. Brandon Roy
4. Kevin Martin	4. Joe Johnson
5. Joe Johnson	5. Kevin Martin
6. Andre Iguodala	6. Andre Iguodala
7. Vince Carter	7. Vince Carter
8. Ben Gordon	8. Ray Allen
9. O.J. Mayo	9. John Salmons
10. Ray Allen	10. Jason Richardson
11. Jason Richardson	11. Stephen Jackson
12. Manu Ginobili	12. O.J. Mayo
13. Jason Terry	13. Ben Gordon
14. Leandro Barbosa	14. Eric Gordon
15. J.R. Smith	15. J.R. Smith
16. John Salmons	16. Jason Terry
17. Randy Foye	17. Michael Redd
18. Stephen Jackson	18. Josh Howard
19. Eric Gordon	19. Manu Ginobili
20. Michael Redd	20. Leandro Barbosa
21. Courtney Lee	21. Randy Foye
22. Wilson Chandler	22. Richard Hamilton
23. Josh Howard	23. Wilson Chandler
24. Richard Hamilton	24. Courtney Lee
25. Brandon Rush	25. Ronnie Brewer

 For their analysis of hot topics within the position, click here .

Thought so... RotoExperts basketball writers Tom Lorenzo and Jeff Andriesse rank and discuss the point guard position at Damn Lies & Statistics .

Here's their rankings:

2009-10 Point Guard Rankings

Tom's Top 25	Jeff's Top 25
1. Chris Paul	1. Chris Paul
2. Deron Williams	2. Deron Williams
3. Jose Calderon	3. Devin Harris
4. Steve Nash	4. Steve Nash
5. Devin Harris	5. Jose Calderon
6. Chauncey Billups	6. Chauncey Billups
7. Derrick Rose	7. Jason Kidd
8. Jason Kidd	8. Gilbert Arenas
9. Rajon Rondo	9. Derrick Rose
10. Gilbert Arenas	10. Rajon Rondo
11. Jameer Nelson	11. Monta Ellis
12. Russell Westbrook	12. Tony Parker
13. Mike Conley	13. Russell Westbrook
14. Monta Ellis	14. Mike Bibby
15. Tony Parker	15. Mike Conley
16. Andre Miller	16. Baron Davis
17. Baron Davis	17. Raymond Felton
18. Raymond Felton	18. Mo Williams
19. Mike Bibby	19. Andre Miller
20. Lou Williams	20. Jameer Nelson
21. Mo Williams	21. T.J. Ford
22. T.J. Ford	22. Lou Williams
23. Ramon Sessions	23. Aaron Brooks
24. Mario Chalmers	24. Ramon Sessions
25. Rodney Stuckey	25. Rodney Stuckey

Here's their breakdown and discussion of the position.

It's never too early to start thinking about fantasy basketball.

That's the prevailing opinion, at least, of Tom Lorenzo and myself. Over at our blog, Damn Lies and Statistics , Tom and I have each compiled a mock first round based on a rotisserie format. Check 'em out, and comment if you wish. We'll have many goodies leading up to the season that we'll be cross-posting here. Enjoy.

Jeff Andriesse's 2009-10 Mock First Round

Tom Lorenzo's 2009-10 Mock First Round

 Jeff and Tom analyze their selections and more

Every once in a while, something happens that makes me feel inconsequential in the universe, something so awe-inspiring that I'm moved to reflect on the wonder and majesty of our existence. A few weeks ago, an Earth-sized object barrelled into Jupiter at what I assume was above the speed limit and caused severe damage clearly visible from telescopes. It's enough to make you wonder what would happen should a stray asteroid carom into our planet, but it appears for now that God Himself is either a fantasy basketball fan or made a wild throw from right field in the Universe company softball game.

I'm thinking the former, that the Big Guy is keeping us safe long enough for Ramon Sessions to run the point for the New York Knicks in 2009-10. It is looking like Sessions will sign an offer sheet as soon as today, and that Milwaukee is unlikely to match.



Within a couple of weeks, a comet punctures Jupiter and now this. Am I wrong to be hyperventilating at this news?

Sessions will always have a place in my heart as the guy two years ago who erupted in April of '08 to the tune of an 11-5-11 with 1.5 steals and outright won leagues for anyone who picked him up. He played a ton last year as well for Milwaukee, but again turned it way up in April (14.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 10.4 APG). Despite languishing behind Luke Ridnour for most of December and January, Sessions had a solid year, averaging 12.3 points and 5.7 assists per contest in 27 minutes per game. When the dude played 30 minutes or more, he averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 assists.

And now he might play for Mike D'Antoni? The same Mike D'Antoni that made Chris Duhon a worthy fantasy player for much of last year? Too good to be true?

Perhaps. God is known to have a wicked sense of humor, and Duhon remains employed at Madison Square Garden. D'Antoni could conceivably feel more comfortable with the guy who ran his team last year. Another time share for Sessions? Say it ain't so. On top of that, Jason Williams might be on board. And the Knicks drafted Toney Douglas.

All I know is that if Sessions is going to clearly be the point guard entering the season, he will be a fantasy beast, and you are going to have to pay through the roof to get him on your team. I'm wary. The Nevada product seems destined to be stuck in a point guard time share his whole career.

So let's see how this plays out. He's not a shooting star just yet.