Category: Fantasy Basketball (Page 238 of 274)

      Whew! Fantasy leagues are safe for now

      June 3, 2008 /

      Fantasy fans everywhere can breathe a sign of relief. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear a case from Major League Baseball that would require all fantasy sports leagues to pay a high data-licensing fee.

      Fantasy sports companies like Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), CBS (NYSE: CBS) Sportsline and others can now breathe a sigh of relief: the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from Major League Baseball and its Players Association that, if successful, could have given these leagues the ability to control the lucrative fantasy-sports business via high data-licensing fee. This tussle has been going on for some years now…the situation began in 2005 when MLBAM acquired the rights to represent the MLBPA in licensing, decided to limit its licenses for fantasy baseball and refused to grant one to St. Louis-based CDM Sports, which then filed suit. CDM won the suit in federal court last year.

      Wall Street Journal: Fantasy-sports companies and the leagues had a mostly peaceful relationship through the 1990s, and these companies paid licensing fees of 5% to 10% of revenues for the rights to the players’ names and statistics. Deals with the largest companies produced nearly $1.5 million a year, the story says. But three years ago, MLB tried to limit the number of companies that could use its statistics, even though they were readily available from variety of sources, and that’s when CDM filed the lawsuit.

      LA Times: The justices’ decision was a setback not only for baseball players, but for other professional athletes who maintained that outside companies had no right to “exploit players’ identity for commercial gain.” The NFL, NBA and NHL had supported baseball’s players and owners in their appeal to the court.

      We all know what this is about… money. The leagues see sites like ESPN, CBS and all the other mom-and-pop fantasy sites making a profit on what they perceive to be their product, and they want a (big) piece. But the fantasy sites have a strong argument that they are only using players’ names and stats, which are readily available for free on the internet. The sites are then providing consumers with a fantasy league and all the services and features that entails.

      It always amazes me when professional sports leagues fail to see the big picture. Fantasy football has helped to explode the NFL’s fan base, yet the league wants to make it more difficult and more expensive for fans to own a fantasy team. Why doesn’t the league just appreciate the increased revenue produced from its higher ratings? Why must they squeeze every last cent out of us? I don’t mean to single out the NFL, but if there has been any league that has benefited from free, available fantasy sports, it’s the NFL.

      Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised. This is the same league that repeatedly gives exclusive rights to Sunday Ticket to the highest bidder, leaving millions of fans out in the cold.

      Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Football, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, Television

      NBA Finals Preview: Why Kobe and Co. need to lose (but probably won’t)

      June 2, 2008 /

      Ah, here we are, a few days away from the matchup that most of us wanted to see: Celtics vs. Lakers. Not since the 2004 Finals when the Pistons upset the Lakers have we had a Finals matchup that even approached the history of the once-vaunted rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics.

      This will be the 11th time that the two teams have met in the Finals, with the Celtics holding an 8-2 lead (but the Lakers have won the last two). The rivalry started in 1959 when Bob Cousy, Bill Russell and the rest of the Celtics swept Elgin Baylor’s Minneapolis Lakers, starting an unmatched run of eight straight titles and 10 championships in 11 years. Seven of those 10 Boston titles were against the Lakers.

      The teams wouldn’t meet again until 15 years later, in 1984 when Larry Bird’s Celtics beat Magic Johnson’s Lakers. The two teams would meet in two of the next three Finals, and the Lakers finally got over the Celtic hump, winning those two matchups in 1985 and 1987.

      Not that the 2008 Finals needs this much history to be compelling. There are several big questions that need to be answered. Will Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen break through and win a title after 35 combined years in the league without a single Finals appearance? Will Kobe finally win a title without Shaq, and establish himself as a player that deserves to be compared to Michael Jordan? Will Phil Jackson win his 10th title, breaking the record of the Celtics’ legend Red Auerbach, who once said that Jackson was a “good coach,” but that he “picks his spots” and has “been very fortunate”?

      The Phil Jackson and “Big Three” storylines are nice, but this Finals is all about Kobe Bryant. Thus far, it has been his year. Last summer, he demanded a trade, criticizing Mitch Kupchak for not pulling the trigger on a move that would have brought Jason Kidd to L.A., saying that it was a no-brainer since all they had to give up was Andrew Bynum. Then, he was seemingly detached for much of November, still quietly pushing for a trade. It was only after a 10-4 December that gave the Lakers a 19-11 record (and Bynum averaged a near double-double, emerging as one of the best young big men in the game), did Kobe fully invest himself in the 2007-08 Lakers.

      Even Bynum’s season-ending injury couldn’t derail the Lakers, not after Memphis GM Chris Wallace’s decision to trade Pau Gasol – another of the league’s best young centers – to the Lakers for Javaris Crittenton and a bag of peanuts. Or the more overlooked acquisition of Derek Fisher who was so generously let out of his contract in Utah so that he could live in a city where his daughter could have better medical attention.

      Now I’m hearing commentary about how Kobe deserves credit for the Laker turnaround because his critical words were what pushed Kupchak to make the team better.

      Please. Kobe was wrong. He was wrong about Bynum, he was wrong about Kidd, he was wrong about Kupchak, but most importantly, he was wrong about airing his grievances through the media the way he did. And I actually defended him when he first demanded to be traded. (Keep in mind that I defended the trade demand, not the way he demanded it.)

      You’d think that a guy that was wrong on so many points might show some sign of regret or remorse. Not Kobe. He repeatedly implies that it was his temper tantrum that motivated Bynum to be a great player and that he pushed Kupchak to make the team better.

      Right, like Bynum wasn’t already halfway through his demanding summer workout program (and already on track for a breakout season) or that any GM in the country (with an owner willing to spend) wouldn’t have agreed to trade for a seven-foot, borderline All-Star if all they had to give up was an unproven rookie, a backup center and a late first round draft pick. To be fair, Kupchak blew the Caron Butler for Kwame Brown trade, but he has drafted very well in his tenure, garnering most of the players that make up the Lakers’ dangerous bench.

      For a while there, I was hoping Chris Paul would win the MVP so that Kobe wouldn’t be rewarded for his actions last summer. I’m not sure what kind of message that sends to the rest of the league. Hey, it’s okay to throw your teammates under the bus – we’ll still give you the MVP.

      Now I’m rooting against Kobe and the Lakers, hoping that his legacy-defining, Shaq-less title will have to wait at least a year. But I don’t know if the Celtics – even with home court advantage – have the juice to pull it off. They aren’t well-coached, the vaunted ubuntu chemistry is shaky, and they don’t have the best player in the series. I’d love to see Garnett win a title, especially considering all of the trials and tribulations he went through in Minnesota, but I wonder if his immense intensity will work against him. It’s tough to play at a very high level when you are wound that tight, and he is standing at a monumental precipice that represents his entire career. Do you think he’s going to be playing loose in crunch time?

      The best defense in the league (Boston) will try to slow down the best offense in the league (L.A.), but the difference might be on the other end of the court. The Lakers are an underrated defensive team and the Celtics have a tendency to go through offensive droughts because they shoot so many jumpers. And both teams have several young players in their rotations; who will play above their head and who will lie quietly in the corner in the fetal position?

      One thing’s for sure – the Lakers have the coaching advantage. I don’t think anyone not related to Doc Rivers is going to say that he’s a better coach than Jackson. In a seven-game series, adjustments are so important, and Jackson has a much better track record.

      Ultimately, this is going to come down to Kobe. If he plays well, the Lakers will triumph. If he doesn’t, Boston has a chance to win a few games and make the series competitive. As much as I’d love the sweet justice of Bynum becoming the guy responsible for putting the Lakers over the top, it looks like that role will be played by Pau Gasol.

      Unfortunately, it’s Kobe’s year.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Finals, Television

      Offseason Blueprint: Miami Heat

      May 28, 2008 /

      Let’s see, Miami drafted their franchise-changing player, Dwyane Wade, in 2003, won a title in 2006, traded away their aging, overpaid center for a talented forward that’s in his prime, and now they have the #2 pick in the draft with a chance at another franchise-changing player?

      I guess the lesson here is that if you’re going to tank… tank hard.

      I’m not saying that the Heat planned all of this. They certainly went into the season hoping to eventually make a run in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, but a poor start and a series of nagging injuries to Wade forced the Heat’s hand. They found a desperate trade partner in the Suns and rid themselves of the overpaid and under motivated Shaquille O’Neal, landing an All-Star caliber forward (Shawn Marion) in the return. Now their consolation prize will likely be either Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley, whomever the Bulls don’t take. How convenient is it that either player should fit nicely alongside Wade and Marion?

      Suddenly, the Heat’s short-term prospects are looking pretty good. Who would have said that six months ago?

      The Heat have only five players signed past next season: Wade, Mark Blount, Udonis Haslem, Marcus Banks and Daequan Cook, assuming they exercise their option on his rookie contract. Haslem’s contract is very reasonable for what he brings to the table. Banks, who quickly fell out of favor in Phoenix, actually played pretty well for the Heat, averaging 9.5 points and 3.0 assists, while shooting 51.2% from the field and 40.5% from long range. If the team ends up with Beasley, it’s conceivable that a Banks/Wade backcourt could work. If the team drafts Rose, Banks could make a good backup.

      The conventional wisdom is that Marion will likely exercise his player option, as he’s not going to be able to get that kind of money ($17.2 million) in the open market. This will allow the Heat to see if the Wade/Marion/rookie-to-be-named-later combo has potential. If it’s a disaster, they may be able to move Marion for a disgruntled or out of favor star before the trade deadline. If it looks like it’s going to work, then they can work out a more reasonable deal for Marion’s services.

      Given the type of season they had (and the fact that they had Shaq’s albatross-like contract hanging over their heads for a few more seasons), the Heat are sitting pretty right now. They just simply have to sit back, draft whoever is there at #2, and maybe try to find a defensive-minded big man to man the middle for the mid-level.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft

      Offseason Blueprint: Chicago Bulls

      May 27, 2008 /

      And the #1 pick goes to… the Chicago Bulls?

      The Bulls defied the odds (1.7%) by winning the top pick in the lottery and now, with a good offseason, the team is poised for a big turnaround. The decisions start with Ben Gordon and Luol Deng, who are both restricted free agents this summer. It’s pretty clear that the team wants to keep Deng as he was seemingly the only player deemed “untouchable” in all the trade talks the past few seasons. Both players turned down extensions worth in excess of $10 million per year, so neither guy is going to be cheap.

      So which direction should the team go with the #1 pick? They could take Chicago-native Derrick Rose, but that would mean fewer minutes for either Gordon or Kirk Hinrich, and a serious change in the direction of the franchise. It seemed like the Bulls were content with Hinrich and Gordon in the backcourt, but Rose has the potential to be a franchise-changing player like Chris Paul or Deron Williams. Do you really pass on that for a duo that didn’t play all that well last season? I say no. I would take Rose and eventually start him alongside Gordon, moving Hinrich to the bench or trading him altogether. Rose is 6’4” and is strong, so he could cover most opposing shooting guards, though his college coach John Calipari said that he’s going to have to work on his defense. Hinrich’s salary actually decreases over the next four years, so another option is to sign-and-trade Gordon for help elsewhere. The safe play is to draft Rose, sign Gordon and see how the trio plays as unit.

      Another option is to draft Michael Beasley, which would give the Bulls the low post presence it has been lacking since their boneheaded move to trade Elton Brand for Tyson Chandler. A starting lineup of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Beasley and Joakim Noah, along with a bench of Larry Hughes, Andres Nocioni and Drew Gooden, should be pretty formidable in another year or two, especially on the offensive end.

      I think Chicago’s decision will depend on how the franchise feels about its current backcourt. The once promising Hinrich/Gordon duo had a disappointing season, so there’s no guarantee that either player will be on the roster come November. Both players hold significant trade value, so the Bulls’ best move may be to draft Rose and build around the Rose/Deng combo. I’d draft Rose, lock up Deng, and let Gordon test the restricted free agent market if he doesn’t want to sign a deal averaging somewhere in the $8-$10 million range.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft, NBA Finals

      Ranking the top 30 small fowards by total value

      May 26, 2008 /

      This is the third of five installments of my position-by-position rankings, where I consider the four major factors that affect a player’s total value: talent (statistical performance), contract, age and potential. To see a more detailed explanation of my approach, give my point guard rankings a gander. I have also completed the first edition of my shooting guard rankings.

      To summarize a player’s stats, I’ll use the NBA Efficiency statistic, which is defined as:

      EFF = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) – ((Field Goals Att. – Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. – Free Throws Made) + Turnovers))

      Essentially, the order of this list depends on the answer to the question – would you trade Player X for Player Y, assuming the goal is to win a title in the next three seasons, while also building a strong franchise for years to come?

      On with the rankings…

      1. LeBron James, Cavaliers
      Age: 23
      EPG: 30.6
      Contract: three years, $47.3 M ($15.8 M per)
      What’s there to say about LeBron that hasn’t already been said? He’s only 23 and is, at worst, the second-best wing in the NBA. He has some things to work on (i.e. post game, consistent shooting), but the sky is the limit.

      2. Kevin Durant, Sonics
      Age: 19
      EPG: 15.2
      Contract: four years, $23.3 M ($5.9 M per)
      ROY probably should have gone to Al Horford, but Durant won it and his game is dripping with potential. I don’t think the Sonics would trade Durant away for anyone on this list but LeBron.

      3. Rudy Gay, Grizzlies
      Age: 21
      EPG: 18.5
      Contract: three years, $10.3 M ($3.4 M per)
      Gay broke out in a big way, averaging 20/6 in his sophomore season. He’s young and talented, and will be the cornerstone to Memphis’ rebuilding effort.

      4. Caron Butler, Wizards
      Age: 28
      EPG: 22.7
      Contract: three years, $29.4 M ($9.8 M per)
      He is five years older than ‘Melo, but wouldn’t you rather have Butler for the next 3-5 years and spend the extra money elsewhere? I know I would. Butler isn’t quite the offensive juggernaut, but he’s a better defender and passer.

      5. Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
      Age: 23
      EPG: 23.9
      Contract: four years, $65.8 M ($16.5 M per)
      ‘Melo is one of the best scorers in the league, and though building around him in Denver has worked in the regular season, the Nuggets have had little playoff success. People have questioned his defense, which makes one wonder if he’s a max-contract, franchise-type player.

      6. Paul Pierce, Celtics
      Age: 30
      EPG: 20.1
      Contract: three years, $59.4 M ($19.8 M per)
      The Truth has raised his game this season and is finally getting results on the defensive end. He is a crafty scorer and has the rare ability to take games over.

      7. Gerald Wallace, Bobcats
      Age: 25
      EPG: 19.1
      Contract: five years, $49.4 M ($9.9 M per)
      The Bobcats locked the do-it-all Wallace to an affordable contract. He doesn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but the rest of his game is terrific. Would you rather have Wallace or Marion given their respective ages and contracts?

      8. Shawn Marion, Heat
      Age: 30
      EPG: 23.0
      Contract: one year, $17.2 M
      The Matrix is expensive, but he brings a lot to the table. He stuffs the stat sheet, but has trouble creating his own shot, so he’s better equipped to be a second or third option.

      9. Tayshaun Prince, Pistons
      Age: 28
      EPG: 14.3
      Contract: three years, $30.9 M ($10.3 M per)
      Prince quietly goes about his business. He’s a top-notch defender, a pretty good shooter, a solid passer and he has a developing post game.

      10. Danny Granger, Pacers
      Age: 25
      EPG: 18.5
      Contract: two years, $5.6 M ($2.8 M per)
      One look at Granger’s numbers – 19.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 40.4% 3PT% and 85.2% FT% – reveals one of the league’s most underrated small forwards. He’s also the Pacers primary wing defender.

      11. Josh Howard, Mavericks
      Age: 28
      EPG: 19.0
      Contract: three years, $31.7 M ($10.6 M per)
      Howard saw his stock fall with a woeful postseason punctuated by some bonehead comments about his offseason marijuana use. Still, his contract is reasonable and he’s in the prime of his career.

      12. Luol Deng, Bulls
      Age: 23
      EPG: 16.7
      Contract: restricted free agent
      The Bulls had a down year, but Deng’s numbers stayed pretty steady. He still has a ton of upside, but it’s difficult to gauge his total value until he signs a long-term contract. He’s looking to sign for big money, which is why he is this low on this list.

      13. Hedo Turkoglu, Magic
      Age: 29
      EPG: 19.5
      Contract: one year, $6.9 M
      This year’s Most Improved Player had a breakout season at the age of 29. He’s a dynamic scorer who can shoot it from deep and drive to the hole. He’ll be looking for a big raise after next season, but will be on the wrong side of 30.

      14. Ron Artest, Kings
      Age: 28
      EPG: 19.4
      Contract: one year, $8.5 M (may opt-out)
      Sure, he’s a little crazy, but he’s been a pretty good citizen in Sacramento and people around the league have noticed. He’s terrific defender and rebounder and can score pretty well.

      15. Richard Jefferson, Nets
      Age: 27
      EPG: 18.2
      Contract: three years, $42.4 M ($14.1 M per)
      Jefferson has a nice all-around game, but his contract is a bit pricey. He’s athletic and can shoot it, but there are other guys that give you similar game for less money.

      16. Corey Maggette, Clippers
      Age: 28
      EPG: 19.4
      Contract: free agent
      Finally free of the Clippers, Maggette is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He’ll be looking for a starting gig and a salary starting at least $10 million per season, but whoever signs him will get a dynamic scorer who is one of the best in the league at getting to the line.

      17. Rashard Lewis, Magic
      Age: 28
      EPG: 17.9
      Contract: five years, $102.6 M ($20.5 M per)
      Lewis is a nice player who can shoot the ball from long range and has an improving midrange game. However, the Magic overspent last summer and that monster contract really hurts his overall value.

      18. Josh Childress, Hawks
      Age: 24
      EPG: 14.5
      Contract: restricted free agent
      Childress shot over 57% from the field this season and has been one of the league’s most effective players in his short four-year career. He doesn’t get much national exposure, so the Hawks should be able to re-sign him for less than his true value.

      19. Marvin Williams, Hawks
      Age: 21
      EPG: 15.1
      Contract: two years, $13.0 M ($6.5 M per)
      Lost in all “the Hawks should have taken Chris Paul” talk is that Williams is developing into a pretty good player. He has a solid all-around game although he isn’t a threat from long range.

      20. Shane Battier, Rockets
      Age: 29
      EPG: 12.8
      Contract: three years, $20.7 M per ($6.9 M per)
      It’s difficult to quantify Battier’s true worth because he does all the little things. He covers the opponent’s best wing, boxes out, dives for loose balls, helps on defense and is a good three-point shooter.

      21. Thaddeus Young, Sixers
      Age: 19
      EPG: 9.9
      Contract: four years, $11.0 M ($2.8 M per)
      It’s a good sign that the young Young (sorry, couldn’t resist) got a lot better as the season wore on. He averaged 10.8 points and 4.8 boards for the surging Sixers after the All-Star break, while his FG% (55.7%) and 3PT% (36.4%) give a glimpse of great things to come.

      22. Julian Wright, Hornets
      Age: 21
      EPG: 4.8
      Contract: four years, $10.7 M ($2.7 M per)
      The main knock on Wright coming out of college was his jumper, but the rookie knocked down 41.7% of his three-point attempts this season. He didn’t crack the rotation until March, and still struggled at times, but his solid play in the postseason is encouraging. He’s a great athlete and has long arms, so he has the tools to become a very good defender.

      23. Travis Outlaw, Blazers
      Age: 23
      EPG: 11.7
      Contract: two years, $8.0 M ($4.0 M per)
      This was a breakout season for Outlaw, who averaged 13.3 points off the Portland bench. Why he’s playing behind Martell Webster is a mystery, as Outlaw is better in virtually every part of the game.

      24. Al Thornton, Clippers
      Age: 24
      EPG: 10.8
      Contract: four years, $10.4 M ($2.6 M per)
      At 24, Thornton is quite old for a rookie, which is why Wright and Young are ahead of him on this list. Still, he’s a good scorer who averaged 16.0 points and 5.7 rebounds after the All-Star break.

      25. Mike Dunleavy, Pacers
      Age: 27
      EPG: 18.5
      Contract: three years, $29.4 M ($9.8 M per)
      Even though he was playing out of position (at shooting guard) much of the season, Dunleavy looked pretty comfortable in his first full season with the Pacers. He set career highs in points, assists, FG%, 3PT% and FT%, and finally started to earn that big contract.

      26. Andres Nocioni, Bulls
      Age: 28
      EPG: 11.0
      Contract: four years, $29.0 M ($7.3 M per)
      Nocioni is a hard-working, tough-minded player who continues to play behind Luol Deng in Chicago. His contract is reasonable given what he brings to a team, though he needs more run to justify his salary.

      27. Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz
      Age: 27
      EPG: 16.0
      Contract: three years, $49.4 M (16.5 M per)
      AK-47 is a tough guy to gauge, because his role on the Jazz is to defend, block shots and rebound. For what he does, his salary is completely out of whack. I think Utah would rather have Dunleavy and Nocioni at their respective salaries.

      28. Dorrell Wright, Heat
      Age: 22
      EPG: 11.4
      Contract: restricted free agent
      Though he missed much of the season with a knee injury, Wright showed promise in his fourth season, setting career highs in points, rebounds, steals, blocks and FG%. He has all the physical tools to be a very good small forward, though his time may be limited by the arrival of Shawn Marion.

      29. Jamario Moon, Raptors
      Age: 27
      EPG: 13.7
      Contract: one year, $0.7 M
      After stints in the CBA, USBL, the Mexican League and with the Globetrotters, Moon finally landed a deal with the Raptors and made the most of it. He’s an energy guy who stuffs the stat sheet.

      30. Ryan Gomes, Timberwolves
      Age: 25
      EPG: 13.5
      Contract: free agent
      Gomes is a tweener combo forward who has started 134 games the last two seasons for the Celtics and T-Wolves. He’s a solid shooter who has averaged around 12 points and five boards over the last two seasons. Time will tell if he’s capable of more.

      Youngsters with upside: Francisco Garcia, Kings; Shawne Williams, Pacers; Matt Barnes, Warriors; Leon Powe, Celtics; Trevor Ariza, Lakers; Corey Brewer, Timberwolves; Jarvis Hayes, Pistons; Jared Dudley, Bobcats; Wilson Chandler, Knicks; Antoine Wright, Mavericks; Gerald Green, Timberwolves; Carlos Delfino, Raptors

      Vets on the decline: Kyle Korver, Jazz; Peja Stojakovic, Hornets; Bruce Bowen, Spurs; Grant Hill, Suns; James Posey, Celtics; Eduardo Najera, Nuggets; Desmond Mason, Bucks; Matt Harpring, Jazz; Luke Walton, Lakers; James Jones, Blazers; Bobby Simmons, Bucks; Vladimir Radmanovic, Lakers; Wally Szczerbiak, Cavaliers; Bostjan Nachbar, Nets; Jason Kapono, Raptors; Ime Udoka, Spurs

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

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