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Trades often go a long way in changing a player's Fantasy value. Whether you own one of the players on the move or one of the players in a rotation that will need to make room for another contributor, in-season trades can always cause a bit of confusion.
With that in mind, many owners are bombarding Mr. Fantasy's inbox with questions regarding the changing values of the likes of new Warriors guard Jamal Crawford and new Knicks forward Al Harrington.
What do you think will happen to the Fantasy value of Al Harrington going from a Don Nelson offense to a Mike D'Antoni offense? What about Crawford's Fantasy value with the change in offensive schemes? I have Crawford on my team and Harrington is available off the waiver wire, just wondering if I should pick him up or wait a few weeks to see how he fits in New York? -- Ryan Thomas, Grand Rapids, Mich.
JL: First of all, Ryan, pick Harrington up right now. Don't even finish reading this answer. Just go get him on your roster. Done? Good. Now that he's owned in your league, be happy that you just picked up a player who will definitely reach his scoring average of last season, 13.6, and probably better that number while pulling down about six boards per game.
Harrington will fit into the Knicks' up-tempo system like a missing puzzle piece and his Fantasy value takes an immediate and massive jump. He was on the waiver wire? That's funny, because he should be starting in all Fantasy formats as soon as he begins to suit up in orange and blue.
Crawford, in the same regard, should essentially be the same player for Nelson that he was for D'Antoni over the season's first four weeks. He's averaging close to 20 points per game and that will likely continue as the Warriors starting shooting guard. Yes, trades often affect players Fantasy values, but not always. This is one scenario where both players will continue to put up the numbers expected of them in the preseason, only doing so wearing the colors of a different team.
What do you think of Eric Gordon? Is he worth picking up off waivers? I'd have to drop either Quentin Richardson or Beno Udrih for him. I'm in a 10-team Rotisserie league where we use three guards, three forwards, two centers and three utility guys. Is Gordon's potential worth it? -- Sandford Oliver, Los Angeles
JL: Well, my first thought about Gordon is that Indiana would be a heck of a lot better this season if he stayed another year. Absolutely go pick him up off waivers. As my colleague Sergio Gonzalez notes in his Playing the Waiver Wire column, Gordon is somebody worth grabbing across the board with Cuttino Mobley no longer in L.A. He scored 25 points and looked like a Rotisserie stud over 36 minutes in his first NBA start and that is only the beginning for a player who can absolutely fill the stat sheet in many different areas. He'll give you points, threes, assists and steals and will eventually blossom into a top Fantasy player.
So which player to drop? It will be tough to part with Richardson after he poured in 34 points and added 12 boards in his last game against the Wizards but trust us when we say that will be more of a fluke than the norm, especially with Al Harrington taking his starting spot. Richardson's value will drop and Gordon's will go nowhere but up in the coming weeks.
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There isn't much an owner can offer you that would be equal to Chris Bosh.
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I have Chris Bosh on my team and he's been playing terrific. There are two teams in my league that are hot after him. One team is willing to trade Deron Williams and Rudy Gay, while the other will part with Caron Butler and Corey Maggette for Bosh. Do I trade him at all, and if so, which trade is better for me? I don't play in a league where threes or percentages matter, just total points, rebounds, assists and blocks averaged out over a week. -- Mark Traeger, Minneapolis JL: There is no doubt that Bosh has been absolutely incredible this season for Fantasy owners. You cannot argue with 27 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, especially as your league concentrates on points, rebounds and blocks, three areas where Bosh excels. Add in the fact that Bosh is averaging 2.2 assists per game this season -- Maggette and Gay are both averaging less -- and he looks like a pretty complete player for your format. Bosh is a youngster who is only getting better in Toronto and that's why my recommendation to you is to keep him. He's worth more than what you'd be getting in return, especially with the parameters of your league.
That said, if you had to make either of these trades, we like the one with Williams and Gay. That is the only trade in which you'd be obtaining a No. 1 pick for the one you are giving up. Williams was a clear-cut top 5 draft pick in Fantasy drafts before getting hurt. He's suffered a few setbacks but the bottom line is, he's going to return shortly and be the player everyone expected him to be after putting up monster numbers in Utah last year. Maggette stands to lose some scoring with Jamal Crawford in Golden State and again later with the return of Monta Ellis and Butler the same when Gilbert Arenas returns.
Still, with those two scenarios you'd be playing the waiting game. By keeping Bosh, you already have irreplaceable production of the elite variety. Keep Bosh.
I'm in a 10-team non-keeper league. What is your opinion on adding Russell Westbrook off the waiver wire for Mickael Pietrus? -- Michael Needles, Toronto
JL: Keeper league, non-keeper league, doesn't matter. Pick up Westbrook. He's the better player. Don't make the mistake of choosing Pietrus simply because he's had far more 20-point nights this season. In fact, Westbrook hasn't had a single 20-point game and yet he's still averaging just one point per game fewer than the Magic small forward. Overlooking the fact that we feel Westbrook will end up scoring more than Pietrus, the rookie out of UCLA is the much better all-around player.
Westbrook gives you the same amount of rebounds per night and adds three more assists per game as a point guard. Plus, Westbrook gives you a ton more steals. He may not be starting just yet for the Thunder but he gets starter's minutes off the bench and make no mistake, he's the point guard of their future. And even in a non-keeper league, that future is beginning now. Westbrook should continue to improve while Pietrus is already playing at a level higher than ever expected.
I'm looking for some extra rebounding help and I can afford to give up some points. Recently I was offered a trade that would get me Shawn Marion for Richard Jefferson. Jefferson has been scoring well with Michael Redd out and he picks up 5-6 rebounds per game. I realize Marion isn't the same as he used to be, but he's come on of late and I can expect more rebounds, steals and a better shooting percentage out of him, right? Should I complete this trade? -- Jimmy Bickerson, London
JL: Two weeks ago we'd have probably had a different answer. We were down on Marion as he severely disappointed Fantasy owners who still drafted him among the first three rounds. We knew he wouldn't be the same guy who starred on the Suns for so long, but we didn't think he'd be as bad as he started.
So, of course, my answer is make the trade. You are looking for rebounding help and that is an area where Marion will certainly be better than Jefferson. He's averaging almost nine rebounds per game for the Heat, compared to RJ's 5.3, and that is with his slow start to the year. Yes, you'll take a hit in the scoring department, but you expected that, and the hit won't be as hard as you thought. With the return of Redd, RJ's percentages will rise, but his scoring will likely drop slightly. Marion has been playing much better lately and is averaging 18.3 points and 10 boards over his last three games. We expect that to continue for Marion and when you consider he's better than Jefferson at percentages, steals and turnovers, Marion is the better player in Fantasy.
I need some assurance. I made a trade earlier in the season and would like your expert opinion on it. I traded Ben Gordon and Al Jefferson for Deron Williams and Greg Oden. At the time, Kirk Hinrich was still playing and it looked like Gordon wouldn't get as much playing time. Hopefully, when Williams gets healthy and Oden keeps improving, I'll feel better about the trade. What is your opinion? -- Steve Meyers, Orlando
JL: Ouch. Obviously, you made an excellent trade at the time the deal was made. Gordon did look like he'd be a secondary option in Chicago and you'd be getting a No. 1 guard and possibly a No. 1 center for Jefferson, essentially.
Now, you are hanging your hat on the hope that Oden continues his development and turns into a scoring and rebounding machine and Williams can return and be the same guy he was last season. That is a lot to hope for. We expect Williams to be fine and you'll have a No. 1 guard in no time. Oden, however, will not near Jefferson's production this season. Jefferson is dropping 22 points, 10 boards and 1.5 blocks per game and you just can't expect that from Oden just yet.
I know you are looking for us to tell you not to fret and that it will all work out in the end, and if you are in a keeper league, you definitely still made an excellent deal. But if we're talking about this season and this season only, unfortunately, you'll continue to regret making this trade.
Luol Deng's production has been very low this season and he's being overshadowed by Derrick Rose. Is it still worth holding on to him, especially if someone recently dropped Gilbert Arenas? -- Arsene De Villiers, New York
JL: Deng is definitely still worth holding onto in 12-team leagues. Deng missed three games due to a groin injury and returned to score just two points in 16 minutes so it is easy to see why you'd be concerned. Still, he was averaging 14.4 points and over 30 minutes per game before the injury and should get back to that shortly as the Bulls were just working back into game action.
You are right, Deng has been overshadowed by Rose and is also playing below what was expected from him, but he remains a viable Fantasy forward in most leagues.
The fact that Arenas is available off waivers is intriguing, however. That could essentially be a future No. 1 guard just sitting on waivers. But if your decision is Deng or Arenas, keep Deng. The Wizards have started the season 1-10 and have fired coach Eddie Jordan. With Arenas likely out until January, their record doesn't figure to get much better. Arenas has said already that if Washington is well out of playoff contention he's not going to rush his return. That means Arenas could miss much more time than originally planned and that makes his value significantly lower. Deng has been a disappointment of sorts, but he's still the better option for the time being.
One of the owners in my Fantasy league has Yao Ming on the trading block and wants a forward/guard two-for-one in return. What combo justifies this trade? I offered him Udonis Haslem and Earl Watson and he rejected it. Just to clarify, my team is guard heavy with my worst active guard being T.J. Ford. – Daniel Johnson, Austin, Tex.
JL: Here's a hint. When you are trying to land a No. 1 Fantasy center, as Ming undoubtedly is, it helps to offer players who contributed more than a total of eight points and seven rebounds combined in their last games. The whole point of two-for-one deals involving elite players like Ming is so the person can get two high-end players in return. Not at Ming's level, of course, but close. Your offer of Haslem and Watson is not even close.
You will need to give up two guys who are considered must-starts on most occasions in Fantasy. You won't have to trade your best players, but you will have to part with two second-tier guys. One recent trade made in a CBSSports.com Fantasy league was Andre Miller and Al Thornton for Ming. That is a solid deal because Miller brings an immediate and noticeable boost in assists and can also score and together with Thornton more than makes up for Ming's lost scoring. He's still going to lose rebounds but since he's gaining three-point shooting and the assists, that can cancel each other out.
Remember, all trades need to be fair. You are not trying to pull one over on anyone. You are trying to make your Fantasy team better in the places it was lacking. If you are deep at guard and weak at center, you are going to have to part with someone you'd rather keep to land a guy who averages 18 points and 10 boards as Ming does.
Do you have a question? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyHoops@cbs.com and we'll address as many as we can. Put Attn: Dear Mr. Fantasy in the subject field. Include your name, hometown and state.
