Give Me The Rock
this is fantasy basketball
**post edited, new section at end**
Remember how ridiculous I said Don Nelson is? I have a feeling that he had some significant input in today’s deal…
Warriors Get
Baby Al Harrington (SF, PF, C)
Stephen Jackson (SG, SF)
Sarunas Jasikevicius (PG)
Josh Powell (SF, PF)
Pacers Get
Troy Murphy (PF, C)
Mike Dunleavy Jr. (SF)
Ike Diogu (PF, C)
Keith McLeod (PG)
Analysis of what this trade means for each players fantasy value. The ratings are assigned to their relative value, not overall value. Meaning Baby Al gets an A-, not because he is a top tier fantasy player but because this trade is tremendous for his fantasy value…
Baby Al (A-)
Tremendous! Right now i expect Nellie to run Baby Al out as his starting PF. I could be wrong about this and if I am then Al’s value drops. But, if Al is the starting PF and gets 30 minutes a game (again questionable) then i expect good things. Baby Al has existed in this league for the last nine years(!) solely on his athleticism. I still question if Al knows what sport he is playing. Nonetheless, Nellie lives for athletic big men that run the floor with his rapid fire offenses. I do not want to be so bold as to advocate career numbers for Al from here on out, but this is the first time he will play in an offense that truly suits his skill set. Atlanta was a fastbreak offense when he played there, but not by design or desire. That was just a bad team running the ball so they did not have to play in the halfcourt.
Stephen Jackson (D)
Jackson’s only value in Indiana came from filling an offensive void. He shot the ball and scored because no one else would. Now, Jackson joins a team that is already busting at the seems with players that do the exact same things he does. Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis, Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus already fill Golden State’s quota of athletic hybrid 2-3’s that run the floor and score from anywhere without playing much defense. It is possible that Nellie will trot three of these players out at a time, alongside B-Diddy and Biedrins or Harrington, but i doubt it. If I am Nellie I see Jackson as my last option of the five hybrids i have. He lacks the athleticism of the other players I have, he has never shown any desire or passion since leaving the Spurs and he is constantly in trouble. If Jackson retains any true fantasy value it will be from Nellie’s crazy lineups, not his own drive.
Sarunas Jasikevicius (B+)
YES! YES! YES! Last year when Sarunas came over from Europe i was ecstatic! One of Europe’s best passers was coming over to man the floor of an Eastern Conference contender and revitalize it’s offense… or just become a three point specialist that sits on the bench and would never be picked by the opposing coach to shoot free throws (if that rule still existed, what a sweet rule) because he shoots .900%. Well, it appears that Sarunas will now have free reign to showcase his captaincy skills. Well, assuming B-Diddy ever rests. I accept the fact that this could just be me exploding with joy for no reason and that Sarunas will wallow on Nellie’s bench the rest of the year, but this also has potential. Jasikevicius (I can spell and pronounce it) seemed to have fallen out of Rick Carlise’s favor and always had trouble touching the court, despite producing when he did. This was because his turnover numbers were high and Carlise’s slow plodding half court offense fears turnovers more than anything. Well, I can promise you that Nellie has little problems playing sporadic guards that have high turnover rates when they are new…
Troy Murphy (B-)
Amazing trade for Murphy. Nelson was killing him and now he gets a chance to prove those double doubles are not history. I expect him to play well in a halfcourt set that maximizes his rebounding ability and allows him to stretch the floor with his shooting. The major question mark is, where will he play? Starting an undersized three point shooting power forward at center in a half court offense seems ill fated if not stupid. Murphy really can not play SF; he is as fast as a greased up Danny Devito. This issue is why i gave Murphy a B-. The only good scenario for him is moving O’Neal to center and starting Murphy at PF. Moving O’Neal to center never works though. Could he evolve into a sixth man? This one is up in the air, I think that the Pacers will try all of these combos and just use the one that hurts them the least on defense.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. (B)
Dunleavy proved that he can play and be a sturdy fantasy player at the end of your lineup. This move is good for him because Don Nelson hated him and he will regain the minutes he saw at the start of the year. It looks like he starts at SG or SF, so add him if he is available. I do not have a lot to say here, I am not a Dunleavy fan, he has burned me in leagues before so I stay away out of habit.
Ike Diogu (A+)
Big man who is slow at running the court and plays out of the post leaving a run and gun team and going to the Pinto of offenses? GREAT! Diogu has substantial potential, so much so that this off-season, Chris Mullin had him labeled as untouchable. Now Ike should see time on the court again, the only thing that decides his fantasy value is his drive and conditioning. While in GS did he stay in shape and ready to play? Or did he wallow in the pity of Don Nelson’s bench and accept his fate? The eyes of every GM in the league are on Diogu now that he is in a good environment.
I think the Pacers got the best of this deal. Though, both teams benefited. This deal seems almost predestined now that I think about it. Each player in this deal is better than they have played this year. In a way, most of these players have been victimized by their systems. It will be exciting to see what will happen now that they have been freed.
Mins wasted no time in asking me…
how do you guys see this trade effect the production of the players NOT traded? Specifically Monta Ellis, Baron Davis, JO, and Jeff Foster.
Monta Ellis
I see Jackson coming in as the last option behind Ellis, Barnes, J-Rich and Pietrus. Ellis especially is producing very well and there is no reason, other then his recent 1 for 23 3 point shooting of late, why he would lose time to Jackson. If anyone, Pietrus and Barnes are at risk. But again, Nelson could make time for three of these five to be on the court at the same time. In which case none would lose value.
B-Diddy
Davis will get his minutes. Sarunas’ presence will not interfere until late in the season when B-Diddy needs some pre-playoffs rest. Davis is the best player on the team and Nelson has left him on the court for the whole game twice this season.
Jermaine O’Neal
This trade is great for O’Neal. He will not cede a single minute to Murphy, why should he? But, this trade will energize him and re-dedicate him. O’Neal grows complacent and stops trying, expect this trade to make him a believer again.
Jeff Foster
Remember, Foster is on borrowed time to begin with. David Harrison is setup to take this job by the end of the year. Foster only has his current value because of Harrison’s injury. This does not mean Harrison has value, he is a raw player that does not produce fantasy points. But, Harrison is a vital piece of the Pacers puzzle filling voids that Foster does not. Until Harrison comes back, Foster is muted by Murphy, expect his value to drop slowly.
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