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Rotisserie specials for Week 18

by Adam Moore | Fantasy Writer
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The NBA trade deadline has come and gone and things were surprisingly quiet this season. While there were plenty of deals involving low-end players, none of the bigger names that were reportedly on the block ended up changing teams. One of the teams that decided to stand pat at this year's deadline was the Lakers. Los Angeles will try to make the postseason with its current roster intact and the team is finally starting to string some wins together. One of the reasons for this is the fact that coach Mike D'Antoni has finally narrowed his rotation. D'Antoni has only been using eight players over the past few weeks, including veteran Antawn Jamison.

Jamison has been in and out of the rotation for most of the season, but has finally settled into his current bench role. Jamison has been seeing a healthy dose of minutes over the past few weeks, resulting in the veteran's most productive stretch of the season. In fact, Jamison has scored in double figures in a season-best five straight games and is averaging 16 points and six rebounds over that stretch on 43 percent shooting. He is also shooting 44 percent from downtown and attempting 2.8 3-pointers over that span as he continues to see open looks from deep in the Lakers' free-flowing offense. While at age 36 Jamison is no longer the high-end option he was back in his earlier days, he is proving he can still be a useful option on Fantasy teams when seeing consistent minutes. With the defensively challenged Nuggets and Timberwolves on the slate this week, owners are highly encouraged to leave Jamison active in the upcoming scoring period.

Find a place for 'em

Isaiah Thomas, G, Kings (@MIA, @ORL, @SA, CHA): The Kings seem to making news for all the wrong reasons lately as the team's possible move to Seattle and trade of No. 5 pick Thomas Robinson have made national headlines. However, the one story nobody seems to be talking about is the improved play of Thomas. The second-year guard has been on quite a run of late as he has scored in double figures in each of his last eight games and is averaging 19.5 points over that span on 48 percent shooting from the field. Thomas has been especially hot from 3-point land during his run as he has knocked down eight treys over his last four games and is making 45 percent of his shots from behind the arc. While the Kings look to have some tough matchups on tap this week, Thomas has thrived against Sacramento's next four opponents. In fact, he posted a 15-7-5 stat line in his lone meeting against the Bobcats this season, and torched the Heat for a career-best 34 points back in January. Thomas also went for 17 points when he faced the Magic back in December and is averaging 16.2 points and 4.8 assists in five career games -- four starts -- against the Spurs. Fantasy owners should continue to ride Thomas' hot hand this week.(owned in 78 percent of leagues)

Danny Green, G, Spurs (PHO, SAC, DET): The Spurs keep racking up the wins and while Tony Parker and Tim Duncan garner most of the attention, Green's recent play is a big reason for the team's success. The 25-year-old has caught fire in recent weeks as he entered Sunday's matchup against the Suns averaging 16.7 points over his last 10 games. He is shooting 54 percent from the field during his recent run and is also giving owners 3.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.9 steals while seeing more than 31 minutes per game (31.5). However, Green's biggest asset to Fantasy owners is his ability to knock down 3-pointers and that is exactly what he has been doing. The second-year guard has made at least two treys in nine of his last 10 games and is shooting a whopping 54 percent from behind the arc over that span. Green should be able to keep things rolling in Week 18 as he looks to have some favorable matchups on tap. The Suns are allowing opponents to shoot 39 percent from downtown on the year -- which ranks dead last -- while the Trail Blazers rank near the bottom of the pack in points allowed (99.9) and opponent field-goal percentage (46.7). Green also knocked down seven 3-pointers during his lone meeting against the Pistons earlier in the month so owners looking for help at guard this week should consider rolling with the sharp-shooter while he is red-hot.(owned in 63 percent of leagues)

Maurice Harkless, F, Magic (@PHI, SAC, HOU, MEM): The Magic were one of the more active teams at the trade deadline as Orlando shipped out a ton of rotation players, including J.J. Redick. That means some of Orlando's younger players will get a chance to see increased minutes moving forward as the Magic evaluate its roster for the future. Harkless has already been asked to take on a larger role as the rookie was pressed back into the starting lineup once Glen Davis went down for the year. He has more than responded to his increased role, averaging 11.5 points and 6.4 rebounds over his last 13 games as a starter. However, he has been especially hot of late as he is putting 16.8 points and seven rebounds during his last four games and is shooting 49 percent from the field over that span. With Redick now gone, Harkless will be asked to continue to shoulder an increased scoring load and based on some of his Week 18 matchups, he should be able to maintain his productive ways. The Rockets and Kings are both ranked last and next-to-last in scoring defense while the 76ers are surrendering an average of 101.6 points over their last five games. Harkless also finished with 19 points and nine rebounds against the Grizzlies in Week 17 (Feb. 18-24) and we see no reason why he can't do it again. Consider rolling with the 19-year-old in the upcoming scoring period. (owned in 52 percent of leagues)

Derrick Williams, F, T'Wolves (@PHO, @LAL, @POR): While the losses continue to mount up in Minnesota, the recent play of Williams has been one of the few bright spots for the Timberwolves. The 21-year-old continues to earn starts at power forward for coach Rick Adelman as he has scored in double figures in six of his past eight contests and is averaging a healthy 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds over that span. He is shooting 44 percent from the field during his recent hot streak and looks to have some favorable matchups on the docket this week as well. The Trail Blazers and Suns both rank near the bottom of the pack in points allowed and opposition field-goal percentage, while the Lakers are also surrendering more than 100 points per game. Williams dropped in 15 points and nine rebounds in his lone contest against Los Angeles earlier in the year and has averaged more than 20-plus Fantasy points in each of the last three scoring periods. Fantasy owners looking for help at the forward position should continue to roll with Williams this week. (owned in 65 percent of leagues)

Andray Blatche, C, Nets (@NO, DAL, @CHI): After completely falling off the Fantasy map for a few weeks, it looks like Blatche is slowly but surely starting to work his way back into form. The 26-year-old has managed to score in double figures in three of his last four contests and is putting up a respectable 10 points and 6.5 rebounds over that span on 55 percent shooting from the field. He is also seeing 19 minutes per game during his mini run as coach P.J. Carlisemo continues to dish out his minutes based on matchups and game flow. The Nets will likely lean on the veteran this week as the Brooklyn will be facing some bigger teams. While the Mavericks play with a small lineup most of the time, the Hornets have a ton of big bodies on their front line as do the Bulls. Blacthe has averaged 10 points and 4.5 rebounds in his two previous meeting against Chicago this season and has averaged 19.4 minutes in those meetings. We would expect Blatche to at least be able to match that this week, which makes him a viable low-end option at the extremely thin center position.(owned in 38 percent of leagues)

Put 'em on your bench

Jerryd Bayless, G, Memphis (DAL, @MIA, @ORL): After spending much of the season as a Fantasy afterthought, Bayless turned a few heads and gained new owners after his torrid nine-game stretch that started at the end of January and lasted into early February. He averaged 16.4 points and 4.6 assists on 53 percent shooting from the field over that span, but has since fallen back down to Earth. The 24-year-old made a loud dud when he landed as he is averaging just six points over his last six games and was even shutout in his last contest. Bayless is shooting just 35 percent from the field during his slide but has still managed to put up 3.7 assists. Bayless is clearly trending downward at the moment and things won't get any easier this week with the stingy Heat and Mavericks on the schedule. Despite the promise of seeing 20-plus minutes over the next week, owners are best to look at other options at the guard spot.(owned in 52 percent of leagues)

Kendall Marshall, G, Suns (MIN, @SA, ATL): After spending much of the first four-plus months of his NBA career on the bench or in the D-League, the Suns have finally decided to give Marshall a look. The team traded backup point guard Sebastian Telfair to the Raptors last week to open up some minutes for the rookie from the University of North Carolina. While his ownership has already started -- and will continue -- to grow moving forward, owners would be best to exercise some patience for the time being. Marshall is still being eased into the rotation and has scored a combined nine points in his four games since the All-Star break. He has averaged 11 minutes over that span, but we would expect his playing time and production to be on the rise in the coming weeks. However, with the playoffs a mere six weeks away in most leagues, owners are best to take a wait-and-see approach with Marshall for the time being. We strongly recommend leaving Marshall reserved heading into Week 18.(owned in five percent of leagues)

Kyle Singler, F, Pistons (ATL, @WAS, @NO, @SA): The Pistons have really struggled coming out of the All-Star break and unfortunately for Fantasy owners, so has Singler. The rookie has scored a combined 19 points on 34 percent shooting from the field since play resumed last week, which isn't going to help many owners out this time of year. We have seen this from Singler before this season as he has gone through the typical ups and downs that most first-year players in the association go through. At his best, Singler can be considered a decent source for points, rebounds and even 3-pointers as evidenced back in January. However, his inconsistent production has made him more of a liability rather than an asset of late -- especially for owners in category-based formats. While the Pistons are slated to play four times this week, Singler's recent cold spell makes him an extremely risky start. Owners should consider looking at other options in Week 18.(owned in 26 percent of leagues)

Brandon Bass, F, Celtics (@UTA, GS): Injuries have helped Bass reclaim a starting role for the Celtics, but the 27-year-old has not been able to take advantage of his increased playing time. In fact, Bass has only managed to score in double figures in two of his last 10 games entering Sunday's tilt at Portland and he is averaging a very pedestrian 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds over that span. While those numbers aren't terrible, most expected a bit more from Bass. However, the days of him consistently scoring in double figures seems to be long gone -- even on Boston's depleted roster. While Bass will still post a stat line or two that will turn a few heads, his overall production has been that of merely a low-end option. Boston is one of two teams scheduled to play only twice in the upcoming scoring period, which doesn't give owners a ton of room for error. Fantasy owners should leave Bass reserved heading into the upcoming scoring period. (owned in 27 percent of leagues)

Chris Kaman, C, Mavericks(MIL, @MEM, @BKN, @HOU): After missing nearly three weeks with a concussion, Kaman was finally able to get back on the court during Dallas' latest loss to the Lakers. While that should be a welcome sight for the 50 percent of Fantasy owners in CBSSports.com standard formats who own the 7-footer, we would not recommend getting him active this week. Kaman only logged eight minutes during his first game back on the court and that trend is likely to continue moving forward as the Mavericks will look to ease the 30-year-old back into action. Fantasy owners should also keep in mind that Kaman's playing time was starting to dwindle prior to his injury as coach Rick Carlisle was giving rookie Bernard James more run at the five. In fact, Kaman lost his starting job to James just two games prior to his concussion and was averaging just 11.6 minutes in a reserve role. Wait until Kaman proves to be healthy and productive before getting him active again -- especially in this scoring period. (owned in 50 percent of leagues)

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Player News
Aaron Gray
Gray to remain in Toronto
Aaron Gray, C, TOR
5/23/2013
News: TSN.ca reported last week that Raptors forward Linas Kleiza and center Aaron Gray picked up their player options for the 2013-14 season. Kleiza's option will pay him $4.6 million, while Gray will make $2.6 million, in the final years of both of their deals.
Analysis: Gray averaged just 2.8 points per game over the course of 42 games, and he saw his role dramatically reduced as the team leaned on younger options. He will likely assume a similar role for Toronto this season, and should be ignored in most Fantasy formats on Draft Day.

Linas Kleiza
Kleiza picks up option
Linas Kleiza, SF, TOR
5/23/2013
News: TSN.ca reported last week that Raptors forward Linas Kleiza and center Aaron Gray picked up their player options for the 2013-14 season. Kleiza's option will pay him $4.6 million, while Gray will make $2.6 million, in the final years of both of their deals.
Analysis: Kleiza did not play after Dec. 28, thanks in part to lingering issues with his surgically-repaired knee. He averaged just 7.4 points on 33.3 percent shooting in the 20 games he appeared in, and is unlikely to be worth targeting in any Fantasy formats on Draft Day.

Carl Landry
Landry torn on opt-out decision
Carl Landry, PF, GS
5/23/2013
News: Warriors forward Carl Landry would like to return to Golden State, but he has an opt-out clause for next season's $4 million contract. He has yet to choose whether to do so, and he told the Contra Costa Times Wednesday that it is the hardest decision he has faced in his career. “The Warriors are home whether I opt in or out," he said. "Hopefully, I can spend the rest of my career here because this is a very special place. Everything here is what you want: the city, the fans, the front office, the coach, the teammates. You can’t ask for anything more.”
Analysis: Landry would probably be underpaid at $4 million next season, so he would likely be turning down millions of dollars to remain on what is essentially a one-year deal. Landry averaged 10.8 point and 6.0 rebounds per game for the Warriors in just 23.2 minutes per game, and he could get a much bigger role on another roster. We will keep an eye on his free agency as it moves forward, but Landry is likely to be more of a late-round Fantasy option on Draft Day no matter where he ends up.

Charlie Villanueva
Villanueva picks up fifth-year option
Charlie Villanueva, PF, DET
5/23/2013
News: Predictably, Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva picked up his option for the 2013-14 season, a deal that will pay him $8.5 million. Villanueva is entering the final year of a five-year, $37.7 million contract.
Analysis: Villanueva appeared in 69 games this season, averaging a career-low 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. With the Pistons continuing to rebuild, it is unlikely that he sees a larger role than that this season, so Fantasy owners should ignore him in most Fantasy formats on Draft Day.

Anderson Varejao
Varejao doing better
Anderson Varejao, C, CLE
5/23/2013
News: Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao has been taken off blood thinners, a sign that he has recovered from the blood clot issue that ended his season. According to The Plain Dealer, Varejao is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.
Analysis: Varejao was in the midst of the best season of his career, before quad surgery and the ensuing developments with a blood clot. He averaged 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds per game prior to the injury, both of which are by far career highs. Varejao has emerged as a very solid Fantasy option over the last few years, however he has also missed 149 games over the last three seasons. He is a major injury risk heading into the season, but he should still be gone by the middle rounds in most Fantasy leagues on Draft Day.

Pablo Prigioni
Prigioni wants to stay in NBA
Pablo Prigioni, PG, NY
5/23/2013
News: Knicks guard Pablo Prigioni becomes a free agent after his rookie season, and he reportedly wants to stay in the NBA rather than return to the Spanish League. It might just depend on what his wife says, according to the New York Post. Prigioni is set to become a free agent July 1, and is expected to look for a one-year contract worth around $2 million.
Analysis: Prigioni ended up moving into the starting lineup for the Knicks, but he did not have much of an impact this season. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 assists per game in 16.2 minutes. After showing what he can do, he might be able to get a bigger role next season, but he should probably still be ignored until the very end of most Fantasy formats.

Bradley Beal
Beal waiting to be cleared
Bradley Beal, SG, WAS
5/23/2013
News: Wizards guard Bradley Beal has yet to be cleared for basketball activities, nearly two months after being shut down due to an ankle and right leg injury. According to the Washington Post, Beal is still a week or so away from getting back on the court. “It’s always frustration,” Beal said Thursday. “But at the same time, I have to stay positive, make sure I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. Making sure I’m able to take care of myself and just stay on top of it. Basically just being patient and when I get out there, I’ll get out there.” Beal is lifting weights, riding a bike and swimming, but it mostly limited to free throws on the court for now. He is expected to be ready to go by the time the team opens training camp.
Analysis: Beal became just the seventh player to make the all-rookie first team as a teenager, a pretty good indication of the kind of upside he has when healthy. He missed 26 games due to a variety of ailments, mostly related to his ankles. He finished the season averaging 13.9 points per game on 41.0 percent shooting, however he improved dramatically as the season went on. Beal shot 47.1 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three-point range after the All-Star break, with 16.5 points per game. If that is any sign of what Beal can do when healthy, Fantasy owners should be very excited to see him in his second season. Plan on targeting Beal in the middle rounds on Draft Day, with plenty of upside.

Amar'e Stoudemire
Stoudemire might not start next year
Amar'e Stoudemire, PF, NY
5/23/2013
News: According to his agent, Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire was not happy with how the season ended, as he was barely able to contribute in the team's six-game loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. “You know Amar’e, he’s going to work as hard as he can during the offseason,” Happy Walters, Stoudemire’s agent, told the New York Daily News. “It was a tough year, but Amar’e is already looking forward to next season. He’ll be ready.” Knicks coach Mike Woodson would not comment on whether he thinks Stoudemire will return to the starting lineup next season, after the Knicks enjoyed great success with Carmelo Anthony at power forward. Stoudemire came off the bench in all 29 of his regular season games this season, after doing so just 17 times in his previous 10 seasons.
Analysis: Despite eventually needing two knee surgeries, Stoudemire was actually quite productive for the Knicks, when he played. He averaged 14.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in just 23.5 minutes, while shooting 57.7 percent from the field, his best mark since 2007-08. Stoudemire may be best suited coming off the bench on the Knicks' current roster, but that probably limits how much playing time he can get on a nightly basis. Given injury concerns and questions about his role on the Knicks, Stoudemire is a risky Fantasy option heading into next season. He should be left for the middle rounds at the earliest on Draft Day.

J.R. Smith
Smith dealt with knee injury in postseason
J.R. Smith, SG, NY
5/23/2013
News: Knicks guard J.R. Smith endured plenty of criticism for his play in the postseason, but now we might have an explanation. According to the New York Post Thursday, Smith spent much of the postseason playing with fluid built up in his left knee. “[Smith’s] been playing hurt,” a source said. “He probably should’ve sat out a couple of games. It’s what Melo had. That’s why he wasn’t driving the ball like he was. That’s why his jump shot wasn’t right, not having the lift.’’ Smith's knee started swelling up in March, but it became a bigger deal in the playoffs, when he shot just 33.1 percent from the field in 11 games.
Analysis: Smith likely cost himself a ton of money as an impending free agent thanks to his poor performance in the postseason, though that might actually help him end up staying with the Knicks long term. The Knicks can only offer Smith around $5 million this offseason due to their salary cap issues, but he might fall into their price range now. Smith's postseason struggles were especially disappointing after the best regular season of his career, as he scored a career-high 18.1 points per game. Assuming Smith returns to the Knicks, he should be able to put up comparable numbers next season, so plan to target him in the middle rounds on Draft Day.

Jared Sullinger
Sullinger expects to be 100 percent by training camp
Jared Sullinger, PF, BOS
5/23/2013
News: Celtics forward Jared Sullinger had a promising rookie season cut short by back surgery, but he expects to be fully healed by the time the team begins prepping for his sophomore season. He told the Boston Herald he is not rushing through recovery from his February surgery, to avoid any potential setbacks. "Everyone says (the word) back with a question mark, but you might as well put an X through that," he said. "I had surgery, I’m taking my time so there won’t be any recurring injuries." Sullinger detailed his rehabilitation process as well, noting he expects to be healed by the start of training camp. "It’s a 10-week process," he said. "Every two weeks we bump it up 10 percent. September, October I’ll be 100 percent to go. I met with the doctor about 10 weeks ago and he said it’s a full go."
Analysis: Sullinger averaged just 6.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 45 games before the injury, but that was in just 19.8 minutes per game. The team's first-round pick from last season is expected to be a big part of their plans moving forward, but the team's roster is up in the air with a number of veterans possibly on the way out this offseason. If Sullinger proves healthy and snags a role that gives him 30-plus minutes, he could emerge as a useful Fantasy option in his second season. However, with the injury risk hanging over him, Fantasy owners should avoid looking his way until the later rounds on Draft Day.

 
 
 
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