By Jeff Andriesse
Rotowhine.com Editor
Mar. 6, 2008
From FantasyFanatics.com
At Rotowhine.com we’ve developed somewhat of a reputation for not being able to let anything go. Ever. So it goes without saying that I’m a little sensitive about those players - they know who they are - who have crossed me and others like me by underperforming this season. As much time as I spend preparing for my basketball draft, scouring the waiver wire and looking to make any trade work, I spend just as much time whining like a baby when things don’t go my way. As the clock runs out on the 2007-08 season I can’t help but look back on all of the underachievers out there who never lived up to their preseason predictions. Who let us down this year? Who went above and beyond the call? And what are the odds I get over any of it by 2020?
Disappointment First Team (Predicted value: Rounds 1-3)
G - Dwyane Wade
Wade’s early injury, followed by his team’s pitiful display of basketball, has rendered him inconsistently great at best. He’s better than this, and next year should return to first-round worth.
G - Gilbert Arenas
Gilby has spent more time blogging than playing this year. It goes without saying that I took him with the No. 3 overall pick in one of my leagues, so the Arenas ‘07-08 story I’ll carry with me until well into the 2048-49 shuffleboard season.
C - Jermaine O’Neal
I really thought O’Neal would be motivated this year. So I took him with my second-round pick. Moving on…
F - Shawn Marion
In some formats, Marion was considered a top 5 pick entering the year. He hasn’t come close to that except in rare spurts. His move to Miami hasn’t done anything to correct his maddening inconsistency.
F - Dirk Nowitzki
Another clear first-rounder entering the year, Nowitzki now has to be knocked down a peg or two for next season. It isn’t that he doesn’t put up good numbers - he certainly does - but I can think of 15 guys off the top of my head I’d rather have in ‘08-09.
Pleasant Surprise First Team (Final value: Rounds 1-3)
G - Brandon Roy
It is rather remarkable what Roy has been able to do this year. Not only does he have lingering injuries cramping his style, he is leading a young team through the jungle that is the Western Conference. He is doing it with the ease of a 10-year veteran.
G - Manu Ginobili
Ginobili took advantage of Tony Parker’s injury to post fantasy numbers as good as anyone other than LeBron for a few weeks. If he played 35-40 minutes per game at full speed, I’d consider him in the second round.
C - Chris Kaman
Kaman has tailed off a bit, but that still leaves him as one of the top fantasy centers. It will be interesting to see where he is drafted next year with Elton Brand back.
F - Antawn Jamison
With Arenas out, Jamison has put up some of the best numbers of his career. Seeing how annually I avoid Jamison as if he were an Amway salesman, and Arenas’ injury has torpedoed my chances, I’m going to be bitter about this for a while.
F - Mike Dunleavy
Dunleavy’s actual stats are 18.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.8 threes. Going by memory only, I have him for 36.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.0 threes. My memory feels much more accurate, so we’re putting the unbelievable Dunleavy here.
Disappointment Second Team (Predicted value: Rounds 4-6)
G - Tony Parker
A marginal fantasy player at best, Parker’s injury has deflated his value and put the hurting on his owners this year.
G - Kirk Hinrich
Hinrich got off to a hideous start and, like most of the Bulls, let us down. He’ll plummet in value in next year’s drafts, but might be a nice candidate for a bounce-back year and good value pick.
C - Mehmet Okur
Okur has picked it up lately, but for much of the year hasn’t produced. He’s way down in points this year (17.6 to 13.5) and his 1.4 threes, while nice from a center, doesn’t make up for his lack of meat in other categories.
F - Luol Deng
See Hinrich above - the Bulls have been awful. Deng was hyped going into the year too much as it was. Injuries were the final nail, rendering him a huge letdown on any fantasy team.
F - Kevin Durant
Yes, Durant is probably the Rookie of the Year. But no, he isn’t what he could or will be. Settling for jumpers that kill his field goal percentage, coupled with a lack of rebounding, have muted (at least statistically) what he’s capable of. He’s a future star, but if he’s a glorified shooting guard for his career the fantasy world will be disappointed.
Pleasant Surprise Second Team (Final value: Rounds 4-6)
G - Monta Ellis
Ellis oozes offensive ability, so it isn’t too surprising that he stepped into the hole left by Jason Richardson’s departure. That he has been as good as he has is a reason his owners, many of whom took him in the eighth or ninth round (or higher), are in contention.
G - Rudy Gay
Gay has taken off this year, improving by leaps and bounds. More assertive, and difficult to defend, he should be a star fantasy option for years to come. Boy, if he picked up his shot blocking a little bit he’d be the whole package.
C - Andrew Bogut
Speaking of shot-blocking, Bogut has gone from 0.5 blocks last year to 1.7 this year. Of course, I had him last year and can’t come to grips with this. He’s scoring and rebounding slightly better, but his field goal percentage is down. Still, 1.7 blocks makes him a much better bargain than where he was likely picked.
F - Danny Granger
If you paid any attention to the Rotowhine Basketball Preview this past fall, you realized two things: 1) That Granger was indeed a great sleeper candidate, and 2) We were wrong about everything else. Still, Granger has surpassed even our expectations, giving us confidence to present an even better preview next year to an audience that hopefully grows to double digits.
F - Hedo Turkoglu
My face is twitching writing about Turkoglu. He’s one of the best fantasy forwards in the game this year, no doubt. I’m as shocked as you are that Rashard Lewis’ arrival actually helped Turkoglu.
Disappointment Third Team (Predicted value: Rounds 7-9):
G - Leandro Barbosa, Mike Bibby; C - Ben Wallace; F - Andrei Kirilenko, Andrea Bargnani
Pleasant Surprise Third Team (Final projected value: Rounds 7-9)
G - Beno Udrih, Rajon Rondo; C - Brad Miller; F - Rasheed Wallace, Al Horford
Disappointment Fourth Team (Predicted value: Rounds 10 and higher)
G - Mike Conley, Morris Peterson; C - Andris Biedrins; F - Walter Herrmann, Troy Murphy
Pleasant Surprise Fourth Team (Final projected value: Rounds 10-12)
G - Devin Harris, Rafer Alston; C - Brendan Haywood; F - Udonis Haslem, Travis Outlaw
This Week’s Tip: To prepare for next year, email me and I’ll let you look at my roster. Each one of my guys will be WAY better next year. Draft them. (By the way, last year I had LeBron James AND Chris Paul)
Whine of the Week: I was discussing this the other day with my partner in whine, Greg Fox. ENOUGH with the Kobe Bryant for MVP, Kobe for best player in the league, Kobe for Obama’s running mate, etc. My Top 5 most valuable players in the NBA this year: 1) James; 2) Paul; 3) Kevin Garnett; 4) Ginobili; 5) Dwight Howard. Kobe might be six, but I’d also throw in Deron Williams, Steve Nash and Baron Davis. Flip LeBron and Kobe’s supporting casts, and then tell me who the MVP is.
Jeff Andriesse is the editor of the fantasy sports web site Rotowhine.com. His weekly column, The Complaint Desk, is syndicated worldwide and has won 17 Accuracy in Journalism Awards by Modern Hyperbole magazine.
