FUTURES Watch: Francisco Garcia

Categorized as: Author: Erik, Fantasy Basketball, Sacramento Kings
Posted on: February 24th, 2009

Francisco Garcia has come out from the shadow of the now departed (for Chicago) John Salmons to become part of the stimulus package to help bail-out the Sacramento Kings players’ fantasy values. If he’s available in your league, wonder if there are any active managers still playing, then grab him nonetheless.

While I was higher on John pre-season to be the better and bigger fantasy impact player in the aftermath of the Kings’ wise decision to have a “Ron Artestectomy”, due to John’s more versatile (well he passes more) line; I now in the light of recent events a.k.a the “Trade Deadline Furry” have to recalibrate my view.

Francisco was the perimeter shooting fella off the bench while Salmons was the play-making swingman in the starting lineup for the Kings. Now that Garcia has the starting job seemingly all to himself, he has truly stepped up his game and diversified his identity and role in the team beyond just being a long range threat. He has actually stepped up his defense! While he hasn’t exactly been wowing you over with Waiver Lines of the Night; he has, however, over the last four games quietly managed to average 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals a game.

Silently, while the net is alive with Rajon Rondo and Kevin Durant accolades, Garcia has slipped into the highly esteemed 1 Trey / 1 Steal / 1 Block Club. For the season so far, he is averaging 11.6 PPG / 3.1 RPG / 1.8 APG / 1.1 3PG / 1.2 SPG / 1.0 BPG at a more than reasonable trade-off of 43% shooting from the field and only 1.3 turnovers per game. Not bad at all. It looks like Andres Nocioni and Rashad McCants will have to settle for being the “perimeter shooting guy” off the bench for now.

He along with “Mr. Brad-lite,” Spencer Hawes, represent the new nuts and bolts that will help keep the Kevin-Martin-powered KINGS engine running.

His situation is like the flipside of Charlie Villanueva’s bloated lines for this season. Charlie, who I admit is an awesome multi-cat contributor, has his stats up beyond what he will likely average when Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd are back in the starting lineup next season. While I am still high on Charlie V next season, I suggest that managers join me in tempering my expectations.

Garcia represents the kind of player whose situation and varying playing status (minutes and opportunity-wise) for the season should be noted by fantasy managers all around. His overall season stats are watered down by the time he spent playing behind John Salmons, but the games that will better and more appropriately reflect his future value for next season’s fantasy draft have only begun to be played. This is why, from here on out, you should play closer attention to his production.

He odds are will not end up being as fiercely coveted next season as Rajon Rondo or Kevin Durant. But keeping an eye on Francisco Garcia’s production for the remainder of this season may just land you a solid role-player for your fantasy team at a bargain draft position. You can then reap the benefits of your due diligence, sit back, relax and have a bear and a blonde… or TWO!

~0~

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Tags: Francisco Garcia, Sacramento Kings