645
09-08-2006, 03:47 AM
Take a look at this year's draft class.
Done?
OK. Now forget about them until at least the middle to late rounds of your Fantasy Basketball drafts.
Pardon the superfluous exercise, but every year Fantasy owners stress over which rookies to grab early in drafts in the hopes of landing this year's Chris Paul when in fact the majority of NBA rookies make little to no impact in their freshman campaigns.
There is no LeBron James in this year's draft class. In fact, first overall pick Andrea Bargnani will likely make much less than a ripple effect in Fantasy leagues this season and should only be targeted late in drafts once the recognizable names are off the board. The lanky Italian will be fighting off Darko Milicic comparisons throughout the early stages of his career.
The second overall pick, LeMarcus Aldridge, was lucky enough to get traded from forward-heavy Chicago to talent-needy Portland and even his value is dependant upon the future of Joel Przybilla with the Blazers. He is a very talented athlete who will be versatile down the line and a great asset in Rotisserie formats, but should not be in anyone's starting lineup for Week 1 of the Fantasy Basketball season.
This is just to give you an idea of what to expect with the cream of the crop. The Oleksiy Pecherovs and Renaldo Balkmans of the first round need not be mentioned as they probably won't be come draft day.
Now that we've determined that no rookie should be selected until at least the first guy (or gal) in the draft room asks if Antoine Walker is still available two or three times, we can begin to look at some rookies that you should target to help right out of the gate.
1. Adam Morrison, CHA:
If anyone is a candidate to produce healthy totals from day one, it is Morrison. With a team that is building for the future and a three-spot ripe for the picking, he has the talent and the right situation to be productive all season long. He's a scorer who can create his own shot and spot up with the best small forwards in the game. It isn't a stretch to expect 13 ppg and 5 rpg from the Gonzaga legend.
2. Randy Foye, MIN:
Foye is off to a great start in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 26.5 ppg in his first two games and the hype machine is working overtime with regards to his abilities. He is being touted among the league's premiere scorers, so even if he falls well short of his expectations he'll be well worth a spot on any Fantasy roster.
3. Brandon Roy, POR:
The scarcity of talent on the Blazers' roster will provide a great opportunity for Roy to shine in the same way that Morrison could for the Bobcats. Double-digit scoring is almost a certainty for Roy, but the range is yet to be determined. He'll get plenty of room to grow in the Northwest and should be targeted in the same round as Morrison or Foye.
4. Sheldon Williams, ATL:
There is a significant drop-off after the top three guys and you can make a case for any of the remaining lottery picks, but we're going to say that Williams will be the most productive rookie from the bunch. The term 'NBA-ready' gets thrown around often with him and he'll get tossed right into the mix in Atlanta with a shot at earning a starting job once the inevitable Al Harrington departure occurs this summer.
5. Rudy Gay, MEM
The athleticism is there and the surrounding talent should provide for plenty of opportunities to be a Rotisserie dream off the bat, but there is no guarantee he'll see enough minutes to contribute on a reliable basis. With that being the biggest hurdle to clear for Gay, he should be among the top rookies selected by owners with plenty of patience.
http://www.sportsline.com/nba/fantasy/story/9548648
Done?
OK. Now forget about them until at least the middle to late rounds of your Fantasy Basketball drafts.
Pardon the superfluous exercise, but every year Fantasy owners stress over which rookies to grab early in drafts in the hopes of landing this year's Chris Paul when in fact the majority of NBA rookies make little to no impact in their freshman campaigns.
There is no LeBron James in this year's draft class. In fact, first overall pick Andrea Bargnani will likely make much less than a ripple effect in Fantasy leagues this season and should only be targeted late in drafts once the recognizable names are off the board. The lanky Italian will be fighting off Darko Milicic comparisons throughout the early stages of his career.
The second overall pick, LeMarcus Aldridge, was lucky enough to get traded from forward-heavy Chicago to talent-needy Portland and even his value is dependant upon the future of Joel Przybilla with the Blazers. He is a very talented athlete who will be versatile down the line and a great asset in Rotisserie formats, but should not be in anyone's starting lineup for Week 1 of the Fantasy Basketball season.
This is just to give you an idea of what to expect with the cream of the crop. The Oleksiy Pecherovs and Renaldo Balkmans of the first round need not be mentioned as they probably won't be come draft day.
Now that we've determined that no rookie should be selected until at least the first guy (or gal) in the draft room asks if Antoine Walker is still available two or three times, we can begin to look at some rookies that you should target to help right out of the gate.
1. Adam Morrison, CHA:
If anyone is a candidate to produce healthy totals from day one, it is Morrison. With a team that is building for the future and a three-spot ripe for the picking, he has the talent and the right situation to be productive all season long. He's a scorer who can create his own shot and spot up with the best small forwards in the game. It isn't a stretch to expect 13 ppg and 5 rpg from the Gonzaga legend.
2. Randy Foye, MIN:
Foye is off to a great start in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 26.5 ppg in his first two games and the hype machine is working overtime with regards to his abilities. He is being touted among the league's premiere scorers, so even if he falls well short of his expectations he'll be well worth a spot on any Fantasy roster.
3. Brandon Roy, POR:
The scarcity of talent on the Blazers' roster will provide a great opportunity for Roy to shine in the same way that Morrison could for the Bobcats. Double-digit scoring is almost a certainty for Roy, but the range is yet to be determined. He'll get plenty of room to grow in the Northwest and should be targeted in the same round as Morrison or Foye.
4. Sheldon Williams, ATL:
There is a significant drop-off after the top three guys and you can make a case for any of the remaining lottery picks, but we're going to say that Williams will be the most productive rookie from the bunch. The term 'NBA-ready' gets thrown around often with him and he'll get tossed right into the mix in Atlanta with a shot at earning a starting job once the inevitable Al Harrington departure occurs this summer.
5. Rudy Gay, MEM
The athleticism is there and the surrounding talent should provide for plenty of opportunities to be a Rotisserie dream off the bat, but there is no guarantee he'll see enough minutes to contribute on a reliable basis. With that being the biggest hurdle to clear for Gay, he should be among the top rookies selected by owners with plenty of patience.
http://www.sportsline.com/nba/fantasy/story/9548648