Fantasy Hoops: Booker, Lin, Murray
The first quarter of the 2016/17 campaign is just about in the books and Hoops Rumors is examining the fantasy basketball landscape in order to help you win your league. Check back weekly for more fantasy basketball analysis.
Fantasy Goodness In Brooklyn
Trevor Booker signed with the Nets on a two-year, $18MM deal over the summer knowing he would not be competing for a title or even a playoff berth. He believed in what new GM Sean Marks was building and wanted to help the franchise build a winning culture. “I was comfortable with the whole situation,” Booker said “I bought into what they are doing.”
Booker took control of Brooklyn’s starting power forward position, something that wasn’t a given entering the season, and in the process, he has become a valuable fantasy asset. Booker has been solid in pretty much every category this season. He’s knocked down 54.8% of his shots this season, which is second in the league among power forwards and when he gets to the line, he’s nailing 75.0% of those attempts. The 28-year-old is averaging career highs in points, rebounds and assists per game and he has more steals per game than any big man not named Draymond Green.
The production should continue because of the Nets’ style of play. New head coach Kenny Atkinson previously worked under Mike Budenholzer, a disciple of Gregg Popovich, and has implemented many of the Spurs’ concepts into his offense. The Nets rank second in the league in pace—a metric which measures possessions per 48 minutes. That’s up drastically from last season, where the team was tied with the sluggish Pistons for 20th in the league.
Booker has been Paul Millsap-like this season, quietly notching solid games on a nightly basis. He’s owned in slightly less than two-thirds of ESPN leagues, but that figure should be much higher. As the season progresses and the Nets lose more games, Booker runs the risk of seeing his minutes reduced, as the team will likely look to give its younger guys more run. Until then, fantasy owners should enjoy his success and he should be in lineups every time the Nets play.
Here’s more fantasy analysis from around the league:
- Keep an eye on Jeremy Lin‘s status. There’s no timetable on his return to the lineup, though Marks said (via the team’s Facebook page) that he suspects it’ll be “pretty soon.” Lin, who signed with the Nets on a three-year, $36MM deal over the summer, thrived during the first couple weeks of the season before suffering a hamstring injury. He accumulated 15.0 points, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting a respectable 44.8% from the field. Now is the time to stash him, as the Nets’ style of play will make him a valuable fantasy contributor so long as he’s healthy enough to play.
- The Grizzlies signed Toney Douglas on Monday, but he shouldn’t be on the fantasy radar just yet. Andrew Harrison currently carries the most value among the team’s guards. He’s a streaming option while Mike Conley remains sidelined.
- Keep tabs on T.J. Warren, who’s available in 59% of ESPN leagues, as he was a top-12 small forward before a head injury sidelined him. He doesn’t have a timetable for his return, though he took part in some on-court drills today. The Suns lead the league in pace and Warren is a natural scorer who can take advantage of the extra possessions.
- Jamal Murray had a sound game against the Sixers on Monday night and he’s a nice streaming option this week. The Nuggets will take on the Nets on Wednesday before traveling to Washington on Thursday.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Raptors, Valanciunas
The Nets pursued several restricted free agents since Sean Marks took over as the team’s GM, but they weren’t able to land any of their targets. Marks said the team’s failures will not deter the franchise from pursing those types of players in the future, as Net Income of SB Nation writes.
“The fact that we have cap space, and the cards have fallen the way they have, we’ll obviously continue to try and be as aggressive and creative as we can in building this team; and if that means going through restricted free agency, that’ll be the path we go through,” Marks said.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Marks added that the Nets won’t necessarily limit themselves to picking up a point guard if they makes any additions despite the lack of proven options on the roster, Anthony Puccio of SB Nation relays (Twitter link).
- Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun isn’t convinced that Jonas Valanciunas is a good fit with the Raptors. The scribe argues that the big man’s value lies in his offensive production, but his talents are being wasted with Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan taking on such large roles. Wolstat adds that Paul Millsap would be an ideal target should the team look to make a trade.
- The Raptors wouldn’t be strong fit for DeMarcus Cousins, Wolstat contends in the same piece. Wolstat believes the team could only offer Cousins a role similar to the one it offers Valanciunas, which Cousins would likely scoff at.
Latest On Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh is more likely to attempt a comeback next season than he is this year, a source tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Bosh has not played at all this season because of blood clot issues and the Heat are apparently not expecting him to play for the team again.
“We are not working toward his return. We feel that, based on the last exam, that his Heat career is probably over, ” team president Pat Riley said back in September.
The Heat are expected to petition for a medical exclusion once they are eligible to do so on February 9, the one-year anniversary of Bosh’s last game. If granted, the team would waive Bosh and the exclusion would wipe the final two seasons of his contract off the team’s salary cap. However, if Bosh makes a comeback and plays more than 24 games over the course of his career, his salary would go back onto Miami’s books.
If Bosh intends to make a comeback next season rather than this year, Miami could ostensibly waive him, receive the exclusion and use the cap space to absorb salary in a trade before the February 23 deadline. Trading for a high priced star would be feasible in this scenario, though Jackson doubts that Miami could make a substantial move, as there is no available perimeter player whom would be considered an ideal fit.
Latest On Changes In New CBA
DECEMBER 5, 12:58pm: Stein has followed up on his earlier report on rookie extensions (noted below), tweeting today that he’s now hearing the timeline for those extensions are expected to remain unchanged in the new CBA — players on rookie contracts will likely still be eligible for new deals after their third season, rather than after their second season, according to Stein.
DECEMBER 3, 6:09pm: The NBA remains on track to announce its agreement with the National Basketball Players Association between now and December 15, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports. That is the final date in which either side can opt out of the current CBA and commissioner Adam Silver has maintained that it always was the “real” deadline for a new deal.
Stein hears that the new agreement will feature several changes. It’s likely that the start of 2017/18 season will be moved up somewhere between 7-10 days in order to help reduce the number of back-to-backs teams face over the course of the year. The preseason is likely to be shortened with each team playing in a max of five or six exhibition games, which is down from the current eight game max. Opening night could then fall as early as mid-October.
Another looming change, according to Stein, is that the new deal will allow teams to sign first-round picks to extensions after the second year of their rookie deals. Currently, players are eligible for an extension after year three.
“One of the things we’re talking about, without being too specific in bargaining right now, is coming up with some additional opportunities for the incumbent team to retain the player, some advantages in terms of being able to negotiate earlier to extend the contract,” Silver recently said.
“I think if we ‘early up’ some of those opportunities, at least teams will be in a better position to know, one, whether they can keep that player. And if they can’t, there will be more of an opportunity to deal that player and get value for that player if it seems likely that player is going to leave.”
If this provision were to exist in the new agreement, then members of the 2015 draft class, such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis, would be eligible for extensions this summer.
And-Ones: Motiejunas, Deng, Jokic
The Nets signed Donatas Motiejunas to an offer sheet on Friday and the timing of it was no accident, Marc Stein of ESPN.com writes. Brooklyn hopes that by waiting until after November 23 to sign Motiejunas, the Rockets will further consider not matching, as that was the last day they could have signed him and still been allowed to trade him this season. If Houston matches now, the big man can’t be traded for a full year without his consent.
Stein also notes that Brooklyn hired former longtime Rockets executive Gianluca Pascucci as its director of international scouting during the offseason and there’s likely a correlation between the hiring of Pascucci and the Nets offer to Motiejunas.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Luol Deng is struggling in his first season with the Lakers and the chatter about whether he fits in on Los Angeles’ young, promising team is expected to continue, Stein adds in the same piece. Deng signed a four-year, $72MM deal with the team in the offseason.
- Nikola Jokic will miss at least a week as he recovers from a sprained wrist, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post relays. “Talking to Nikola, he wants to play right when he can catch the ball,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I think we’ll probably be a little more cautious than that on this road trip, maybe get it looked at again just to kind of see where it’s at once the swelling goes down.”
- Jake Rauchbach of Basketball Insiders examines how Russell Westbrook and James Harden are producing eye-popping numbers on the Thunder and Rockets, respectively. Both players signed extensions with their respective teams this offseason.
NBA Responds To Steve Kerr
On Friday, Steve Kerr admitted that he tried marijuana a couple times over the last 18 months in order to find a remedy for his back pain, as Chris Haynes of ESPN.com relays. “A lot of research, a lot of advice from people, and I have no idea if I would — maybe I would have failed a drug test,” Kerr said. “I don’t even know if I’m subject to a drug test or any laws from the NBA, but I tried it, and it didn’t help at all. But it was worth it, because I’m searching for answers on pain. But I’ve tried painkillers and drugs of other kinds, as well, and those have been worse. It’s tricky.”
Kerr added that he hopes that professional sports leagues soften their stance on the substance. “You’re seeing that change in these laws that you’re talking about in different states, including California. But I would just hope that sports leagues are able to look past the perception,” Kerr said.
Kerr’s comments elicited a response from the NBA. Earlier today, the league issued the following statement:
“All of our coaches are drug tested each season. Marijuana is included on our banned substances list. There are medical exceptions to our policy but, in this case, it’s not relevant because Steve said he did not find marijuana to be helpful in relieving his back pain.”
It’s unclear whether Kerr will face discipline from the league as a result of his comments. Regardless, his stance could spark a dialogue, Janie McCauley of the Associate Press writes. Kerr’s players believe their coach can make a difference when it comes to changing rules and the way people think.
“He’s a public figure with some notoriety making a statement,” David West said. “It brings more attention to a cause for something that people feel like there needs to be a shift in the way we monitor it and change things. Obviously somebody of his stature can give a little weight to the argument.”
The NBA is expected to reach an agreement with the National Basketball Players Association on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement sometime this month, though it’s unclear whether the issue of marijuana as a banned substance has been or will be a major topic during negotiations.
Community Shootaround: Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel seems like the odd man out in Philadelphia and while he hasn’t come out and demanded a trade, he clearly wouldn’t mind a change of scenery.
“I feel like it definitely needs to be figured out,” Noel said of the Sixers’ roster during training camp. “I think at the end of the day, again, you have three starting-caliber centers (Noel, Jahlil Okafor, and Joel Embiid). And it’s just not going to work to anybody’s advantage having that on the same team. That’s how I’m looking at it. I’m not opposed to anything, but things need to be situated.”
Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors detailed the perils of trading for the former No. 6 overall pick in his Trade Candidate piece. Noel reportedly doesn’t have a ton of value of the trade market with his injury history and his looming restricted free agency causing concerns. Still, Adams notes that getting back something in a trade is better than nothing for Philly, as Noel doesn’t appear to have a long-term future with the franchise.
So that leads us to tonight’s topic: Which teams should make an offer for Noel? What could Philly reasonably expect to get back in return for the 22-year-old?
Adams names Phoenix as an intriguing landing spot for Noel. The Suns could afford a pricey new contract for Noel and they could offer up Brandon Knight for him since the backcourt rotation of Knight, Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker hasn’t netted positive results for the team this season. Knight is likely the best player the Sixers could receive in return for Noel, though that’s just my speculation. However, it’s unclear whether Philadelphia would even want to acquire Knight since the franchise isn’t in a position to be competitive now and the point guard’s upside is limited.
Noel also carried limited upside, but his defense would be welcomed on many teams. The Warriors and Blazers are among the teams that could use his services, though each team would likely have to send back substantial salary in order to accommodate a deal, as Adams notes.
Construct your best Noel trade and let us know the details in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Dirk Nowitzki Out Indefinitely
Dirk Nowitzki has missed 11 of the last 13 games, including three straight, with a right Achilles strain and the Mavericks want to give him the best chance at returning to the floor and playing as much as possible without any lingering problems, Eddie Sefko The Dallas Morning News reports. When asked how long the big man will be out, coach Rick Carlisle said “indefinitely.”
“I talked to Casey [Smith, athletic trainer] about it [on Friday] and I think he’s going to be out for a while,” Carlisle said. “I think indefinitely is an accurate word until we tell you something. We’re not trying to hide anything here. But taking daily questions about it gets exhausting for him. If it’s not going to happen real soon, then what’s the point. Progress has been made, it’s just not there yet.”
Nowitzki, who re-signed with the team on a two-year, $25MM deal, has only played in five games this season. In those contests, he averaged 12.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting only 35.8% from the field.
New York Notes: Rose, Kilpatrick, Marks
Derrick Rose said he hopes to spend the rest of his career with the Knicks and he “would be cool” with an in-season contract extension, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “[A contract extension] would let me know I’m playing the way they want me to play and I’m on the right track. But if not, I haven’t heard anything. So I’m not thinking about it,” Rose said. The 28-year-old went on to praise the organization’s atmosphere and environment . “As for my future, who knows? I’ll have to wait but I’d love to be here though,’’ Rose added.
Here’s more from New York:
- Sean Kilpatrick has thrived this season for the Nets and and coach Kenny Atkinson believes the guard plays a certain way because he came from the D-League, Tom Dowd of NBA.com passes along. “Sean has a chip, there’s no doubt about it. I think there’s an angry chip and a healthy chip, and his is healthy. It’s in a good spirit,” Atkinson said. “He’s not putting anybody down, but he feels like he didn’t get what he deserved. His personality is such that he keeps that chip on his shoulder. Every practice he’s trying to prove himself. I don’t think it’s sunk in, you’re an NBA player now. But I love that he has that chip.”
- Kilpatrick said that Nets GM Sean Marks gave him confidence by telling him to simply go out and play, Dowd relays in the same piece. “Just go out there and play your game. Honestly, I think it’s something that every player in the league will want to hear. When you have a GM like that who really has supreme confidence in you it gives you a lot more confidence personally.”
- The Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s D-League affiliate, are playing their games in the Barclays Center this season and the franchise is thrilled about the convenience, Filip Bondy of The New York Times writes. “We’re fortunate to have the D-team based in our building,” Marks said. “Our coaching staff watches them. Our coaching staff watches them. Our front office is able to watch practices. They’re really under our noses”
Tiago Splitter To Miss Six More Weeks
The Hawks will be without Tiago Splitter for at least six more weeks after an MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain in his right calf, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Injuries caused Splitter to miss 46 games last season and he has yet to suit up this year.
“There is nobody more disappointed than me,” Splitter said. “I’m tough. I’m tough. Maybe the first day I was sad but the next day I’m already positive and thinking about positive progress each day. That is the mindset you have to have when you are injured.”
The Spurs traded Splitter to the Hawks during the 2015 offseason in order to create the necessary cap space to offer LaMarcus Aldridge a max contract. Splitter has had trouble staying on the court during his career, missing at least 22 games in every season but one. He’ll make $8.5MM this year before becoming a free agent in July.