The NBA is almost ready to resume play and it's time to start getting ready for some Fantasy Basketball. That's right, we want you to forget about the gridiron boys for just a moment and start to prepare for some hard court action.
Don't worry, we promise to let you know if there is any breaking news about Terrell Owens during the time it takes you to read this piece.
If you need a little something to get you back in a round ball state of mind, we've got you covered. We're taking a look at six players who Fantasy owners should keep in mind as they near their Draft Day. To go with our top three sleepers heading into the season, we'll also warn you about players that Fantasy owners tend to overvalue.
Sleepers
Brandon Roy, G, Portland Trailblazers
We don't often push rookies -- as a matter of fact we usually urge you to stay clear of them, but this kid is no ordinary player and he'll be in a perfect storm for immediate contribution in his first NBA season. He'll be in serious competition with Charlotte's Adam Morrison this season for Rookie of the Year honors and is a lock to be among the top three scorers in the first-year class.
With no serious playoff aspirations in Portland, the Blazers will do everything they can to develop the young man who made Coney Island phenom Sebastian Telfair expendable this offseason. He averaged 19 ppg at the Vegas Summer League, where he shot a whopping 64.7 percent from the floor and showed great court vision and aggressiveness on the boards as well.
He will fall to the middle rounds because of his inexperience, but if you can slot him in as your No. 3 or 4 guard to start the season, consider yourself lucky. He has the goods to develop into a No. 2 Fantasy guard as the season progresses.
Ryan Gomes, F, Boston Celtics
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| Ryan Gomes showed potential late last season. (Getty Images) |
He has the potential to post a 15 and 10 season at some point in his career, but the presence of Al Jefferson will be a bit of a roadblock in his development. However, the Celtics have been very fragile in the front court and the young Celtics will look to get Gomes in their regular rotation right from the start.
The nice thing about Gomes is that he will go in the later rounds on Draft Day and you will likely already have your starting forwards set by the time you select him. He may start the season on your bench, but could become a regular in your active lineup by November.
Nazr Mohammed, C, Detroit
Pedestrian numbers while with the Spurs will help make Mohammed a very nice value to Fantasy owners this season. He averaged just 6.2 ppg and 5.2 rpg while splitting time with Rasho Nesterovic last year, but still has the ability to contribute on the offensive end in bunches.
In one game last season, he dropped 30 points on the Suns while picking up 16 boards. Those aren't numbers that Fantasy owners should expect from him, but it goes to show what he is capable of if needed. He will see more minutes in Detroit and will be a presence in the paint as the Pistons rely on their perimeter scorers heavily. When they miss, he'll be there to clean up the mess.
Reliable centers are hard to come by in Fantasy Basketball, so grabbing a guy like Mohammed in the middle-to-late rounds on Draft Day could provide a big boost for your squad.
Busts
Jason Terry, G, Dallas Mavericks
Let me start by saying that I am not predicting a horrible statistical season from Terry. In fact, I think he'll come close to last season's numbers (17.1 ppg, 3.8 apg). The problem is that Fantasy owners have begun to look at Terry as a No. 1 guard because of the exposure he received during the Mavericks run to the Finals last season.
Don't buy into the hype. His numbers simply aren't good enough to be considered a No. 1 Fantasy guard in any format and the truth is that you can get similar numbers for a much better value. A guy like Chicago's Ben Gordon, for instance, can be had later in the draft and he posted numbers comparable to those of Terry last season (16.9 ppg, 3.0 apg).
Terry will continue to be a very nice option in Fantasy leagues this season, but he's best used as a No. 2 or 3 guard. Getting him at that price could become very difficult this year, however.
Ron Artest, F, Sacramento Kings
There is no question about how much Artest meant to the Kings' turnaround last season. In fact, it could be directly traced to his arrival in Sacramento via trade in late January. With Artest, however, Fantasy owners tend to attach extra merit to his name and the fact is that there are players that offer similar numbers that don't go as high in drafts.
Guys like Rashard Lewis and Gerald Wallace don't get the same amount of recognition as Artest in Fantasy circles, but they are just as productive as Artest and they come with half the headache.
Artest is certainly a player worth owning in any league, but drafting him usually comes at much too high a price for a player that has played just 63 games over the last two seasons.
Zaza Pachulia, C, Atlanta Hawks
Maybe it's the hair, maybe it's the cool name, but for some reason, Fantasy owners have made Zaza Pachulia a trendy choice heading into this season. A couple of offseason moves by the Hawks, however, don’t bode well for his chances to post an overly productive campaign.
The Hawks signed free agent Lorenzen Wright in the offense, creating somewhat of a logjam that should limit Pachulia's production. They also drafted Shelden Williams and and will look to get him in the mix early and often.
Under the current circumstances, it's hard to see how Pachulia could match his numbers from 2005-06 (11.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg). He certainly should not be considered a No. 1 Fantasy center heading into the season and Fantasy owners can do better even at No. 2.
You can e-mail your Fantasy Basketball questions to DMFantasyHoops@cbs.com. Be sure to put Attn: Fantasy Basketball in the subject field. Please include your full name, hometown and state. Be aware, due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses to all questions.
