By Dan O’Shea
Trade chatter continues to surround Tracy McGrady, SG/SF. As of Tuesday, it was still unclear where he might be going, and who might be destined for Houston, but any trade that happens is likely to involve meaningful names. One of the great things about fantasy basketball is that there are often more trades than you are likely to see in the NFL in a given season, and though fewer than you might see in an MLB season, they almost always affect the everyday lineups, unlike to the minor shuffles and player-to-be-named deals you see in baseball.
It’s Week 12, and we are not yet at the spiritual or actual halfway point of the fantasy basketball season. A potential McGrady deal may be only one of many to come.
Fantasy Find of the Week: Samuel Dalembert, C, Philadelphia. Always at the top of the available players list, but consistently lower points per game, along with non-existent assists and steals, tend to keep him off rosters. However, a PPG explosion last week – 13 PPG in four games, along with an average of 13.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks, make him with the pick-up, at least until he remembers who he is. Only 67% owned in Yahoo! through Tuesday.
Fantasy Stud of the Week: Corey Maggette, SF/PF, Golden State. Injury problems pushed him way down in most drafts, but last week he showed a bit of old promise with 29.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG. His chief talent, however, has always been getting to the line. He shoots 8.2 free throws per game and made a startling 17 out of 18 in one game last week.
Fantasy Dud of the Week: Dwight Howard, C, Orlando. What happened to Superman? Howard’s numbers have fallen this year: 16.8 PPG (16.5 last week), 13.1 RPG (11.3 last week) and 2.4 BPG (1.8 last week). Last year’s numbers: 20.6 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 2.9 BPG. The decline makes his 58% FT shooting even more of a burden. Can a 30-point outing Tuesday night revive him?
Fantasy Match-Up of the Week: Caron Butler, SG/SF, Washington. Strange choice, as he has been below par all year, but with four games this between Wednesday and Monday, he may be poised to break out. Also, with Gilbert Arenas suspended and the Wizards possibly ready to trade Butler, he might hog the rock the next few games.
Expert Wire
* Yahoo! NBA Skinny has more speculation on a number of players besides McGrady who could be on the move.
* SLAM Online highlights one trade that already has happened, the exchange of Kris Humphries for Eduardo Najera. Humphries is likely to get a lot more playing time with New Jersey, and Najera, though recovering from back pain, can expect at least more minutes spelling Dirk Nowitzki and others in the Dallas lineup than he was getting in New Jersey.
* CBS Sports.com talks about the finger injury suffered by Kobe Bryant. It’s true that Kobe’s PPG was down to about 24.8 over the last few games, a full five points per game off his season average, though Kobe remains one of the toughest players around, and will keep taking his shots.
* CBS Sports.com also has your Week 12 planner, noting busy teams like Detroit, Indiana and the L.A Clippers.
* Another weekly planner, Matt Buser’s Court Report at Yahoo!, suggests Rafer Alston and Kirk Hinrich, among others, as hot waiver wire pick-ups this week. Both veteran guards have find new life playing second banana to guys named Wade and Rose.
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Dan O’Shea’s Fantasy Fix appears in this space every Wednesday. Comments welcome. You can also read his about his split sports fan personality at SwingsBothWays, which isn’t about what it sounds like It’s about.
Posted on January 13, 2010