The Best of the Best

Well, I thought I would look at who is the cream of the crop so far this NBA season. As usual, there have been lots of injuries across the league and some notable players have missed some games. The biggest superstar to be injured? I think it's Chris Paul. He's only managed 10 games so far this season, but what a 10 games. Look at those numbers.
http://www.dougstats.com/09-10/NOrleansHornets.html

So, who are the top 10 Fantasy studs as we near the 1/4 poll of the 09/10 season???
Well, it's impossible to say that one player is clearly better than the other based on individual game plans on building a squad...so, I decided I would break it down into 2 tiers. The first 10 guys are super studs in the Fantasy world and can be the cornerstone to any team. The second tier are also very good Fantasy stars but fall just a notch short of being elite. And yes, I know it's early in the season...but I'm basing it on what's happened to date. I also threw a couple of other categories in there just for fun...

Here we go....

The top 10:

1) Lebron James - the King
2) Chris Paul - impossible to perform at his 10 game level all season...isn't it?
3) Dirk Nowitzki - look, the steals and blocks are back!
4) Carmelo Anthony - holy cow, he's good.
5) Dwyane Wade - slow start and yet look at those cats
6) Kobe Bryant - 37 steals in 16 games. wow.
7) Dwight Howard - 18ppg, 12reb, 64%, and 36 blocks.
8) Steve Nash - no steals, no problem...look at those %'s and ATO
9) Chris Bosh - 25 & 12 and looking for a BIG contract
10) Kevin Durant - 27 & 7 but his %'s are down slightly. Great scorer.

The Honorable Mention Studs:

• Josh Smith (27 steals + 46 blocks already and he no longer jacks ill-advised 3's)
• Marcus Camby (healthy and a defensive monster again)
• Tim Duncan (18/11 and some blocks - yawn, boring, same every year)
• Monta Ellis (scoring machine does it all with 36 steals and good %'s)
• Carlos Boozer (20/11 and 55% and now some steals - wow, big year)
• Deron Williams (another All-Star type season)
• Marc Gasol (surprise Fantasy baller of the season - 16ppg, 10reb, 21stl, 29blks)
• Rajon Rondo (4:1 ATO, 43 steals, 54% FG, sure he could score more)
• David Lee (18/10, 20 stls, 54% shooting)
• Andrew Bynum (18/10, 27blks, 57% shooting)

The I Wanted More from You Fantasy Group:

• Al Jefferson (16 & 8 for $50+ bucks??)
• Amare Stoudamire (20 & 7 is all you got? And your 18/48 ATO is terrible)
• Anthony Randolph (everyone's favorite sleeper hasn't lived up to the hype....yet)
• David West (just 15 & 7 so far this season)
• LaMarcus Aldridge (15 & 7 and steals and blocks are down)
• Andre Miller (Portland spent big FA money to get 10ppg and 5ast???)
• Elton Brand (11 and 6 so far)
• Chris Duhon (you are the PG on the run-and-gun Knicks and you shoot 28% and 22%?)
• Paul Millsap (curse you Carlos Boozer!)

The Surprising Fantasy Players:

• Marc Gasol (see above)
• Ben Wallace (22stl, 21blk, 10rpg - come on - no one saw that one coming)
• Brandon Jennings (bet the Knicks regret passing on him)
• Channing Frye ( could he lead the league in 3-pointers made?)
• Danilo Gallinari (D'Antoni did say he was the best shooter he's ever seen)
• Chris Douglas-Roberts (16ppg?? Really?)
• Mareese Speights (Brand will lose his job to ____? This guy)
• Joakim Noah and Greg Oden (these 2 young centers are having great seasons)
• Andrei Kirilenko (having a resurgent AK47-type season)
• Trevor Ariza (leading the Rockets in scoring, steals, 3-pointers made)
• Tyreke Evans (19-5-5 and he's getting better)
• Chris Kaman (almost 20 & 9 - he can't keep it up)

I know there are lots of guys who could have made each of those lists but it's late and I ran outta steam. That's all for now...I will try to get some comments on the French & Yuma trade that went down today in the near future too...

Frustration Sets In...

OK, I know I have 916 points and shouldn't be whining..but what the hell, it's my blog and I'm frustrated with the Golden boys this week. Currently, through 5 days of Period 5 this Golden Showers squad is in last place for the week! Unacceptable. What's going on? Well, the boys suck right now and I'm not a fan of some of the guys.

Carl Landry is a good player. Heck, he may even be a contender right now for 6th man of the year. He's averaging 15 and 5 while shooting 56% from the floor. But come on man, stick your hands in a passing lane and get the odd steal (only 6 in 16 games).

The Centre debacle in Golden continues to frustrate me. Pryzbilla has 10 pts, 17 rebs, and 1 block in 3 games this week. I guess what that really means is that Oden is for real and Joel is purely a C-graded backup. Maybe I expected too much out of him.

The rest of my guys all seem to be struggling at the exact same time. Eric Gordon's shot is off since his return from injury; Dahntay Jones has thrown out 2 stinkers after 12 good games; Brandon Jennings is playing how I thought he would play all along (he had just set the bar so friggin' high earlier); and the biggest culprit is Boris Diaw.

Diaw, in 2 games this week has scored - ready for it - 7 points. Are you kidding me? Horrible. He's been a huge disappointment this season. He's averaging just 12 and 5. He's a better player than that but we have seen Boris go through some very frustrating stretches. Hopefully this one doesn't last very long. I will be watching his performance very closely today and one more stinker may find him on the bench for week 6. And just because he's struggling doesn't mean I will accept a Daniel Gibson or Ryan Gomes straight up offer.

I am going to have to ride this horrible play out as I really don't have any other options with Jameer Nelson out for another 4+ weeks. My bench has players that are more likely to help me next season than this one. James Harden and Omri Casspi have both earned some playing times on their NBA teams but I don't know if they can be counted on to get a week in the JBL yet (especially when they both have short weeks coming up). A side note, this is now the 3rd time I've had Casspi on my team. I drafted him for $1 and then had to drop him, re-signed him, dropped him, and now re-signed him again. Why do I keep bringing him back?? I believe he could be their starting SF of the future. Nocioni is more suited as a bruiser of the bench to provide some hustle and muscle. Garcia is still months away so I really do feel that this kid could be the answer. What I don't understand is how such a pure shooter can't make his free throws?? He's 17/36 (47%) on the season while he's 15/32 (47%) from downtown. Go figure. The Nets even went to the Hack-A-Omri strategy in last night's game (he went 3/4). Weird.

French Lick has pulled ahead with another stellar week in the JBL. His team is really good. All 12 guys are productive right now and that always helps. Balance and depth...gee, where have I seen that before? And Marcus Camby? Oh my goodness. Amazing. Well done Hildy, I like the looks of this team a lot.

Big trade in the JBL last night as well. No, I'm not talking about Drew Gooden & Beno Udrih for Udonis Haslem (which I will comment on in a second)- I'm talking about Dwyane Wade for Chris Paul. Now that's a JBL trade.

Trev, who is currently freezing his ass off in Quebec (guess he's preparing for Chicago weather) right after he was cooking his ass in Maui, pulled the trigger on this blockbuster. Can't say I blame him. Trev's teams (including last years) has been devastated by injury. Chris Paul's injury apparently wasn't worth waiting for and when you can grab an equal talent like Wade I guess he thought he had to do it. Wade helps him more than Paul does in a few categories. Wade will block more shots (19 blocks already) and he will score more. Rebounds and steals will be about the same. Where Wade will hurt Trev is from downtown as Wade is taking a lot of 3's this season. And obviously, Paul is a LOT better in ATO. Wade is currently 1.600 ATO but that should get better. If anything, I think Wade has actually had a slow start to the season as his numbers are down from where they will be (in my opinion). The big question is how long will Chris Paul be out for? Is it another 2 weeks, 3 weeks? More? And how long will it take him to get back to full speed? Anyways, it's clear Timbo was after the ATO and is willing to chance that Paul will be back sooner rather than later. And look, both Paul and Wade are top 10 Fantasy talents - so this is really a win-win trade. I think one of my next blogs will be about who are the top 10 fantasy talents this season....ya, I like that.

Anyways, on to the other Brussels trade from yesterday. Gooden/Udrih for Haslem. Hmmm. A bit of a head scratcher really. Here's my opinion on it. In the long term, Haslem is the best player in the deal. He has the least amount of competition for playing time. Gooden will have to share with Dampier and Humphries and Udrih is a 4th/5th guard in my books. Now, that being said, all players are serviceable. Brussles is hoping for the consistent play that Haslem usually brings (without the steals - 1 steal in 13 games) while Belgrade is adding depth. Gooden has poor ATO but has blocked 17 shots this season and Udrih provides some PG depth and can be ridden while hot (16ppg over his last 10 games). I get the trade from both sides. The only thing I wonder is whether Timbo gave up too much? Was Haslem really worth both players? I mean he's good, but he is still just 10ppg and 9reb. Those aren't earth shattering numbers. Anyways, enough rambling, this is a classic JBL trade where both teams saw the benefits from their end and pulled the trigger. Bravo.

And finally, I'm going to see Philly Woo in VGH today. I spoke with him yesterday and he sounds much better again. He will be in VGH for another couple days though so I am heading down to visit and drop off a "JBL care package". For all you guys who have sent along well-wishes, they will be passed along today to lil Phil.

Well, that's it for this morning. Next up...who are the top 10 Fantasy talents so far this season??

Thursday Tidbits...

Well, I just got back from Kelowna. Drove up Wednesday afternoon, ate dinner, drank a lot of beer, watched the Raptors game on TV, slept, woke up and presented at a Conference for 2 hours, drove home. Good times.

While I was in Kelowna I got a call from Philly Woo. He sounded much better. He was still in hospital but said he was a lot better in the last 24 hours. Great news. He said he would still be in hospital for a few more days and I will try to go see him on Saturday after Ryan's soccer game. Great news that Philly is better. I miss his JBL phone calls and daily analysis.

So, what's on my mind tonight?? Well, a few things....

• I have a man-crush on Luol Deng. I know the Bulls are really bad right now but this guy, who isn't the most handsome man in the world, continues to be their best player. 26pts, 8rebs, and 4 steals tonight vs. Utah. Nicely done. The guy looks so awkward out there but always seems to find a way to score. Fun player to watch. Can't wait to see him in the United Centre in 2 weeks.
• I put Chris Bosh "on the block" last night just to see what his market value was and if there was any interest. OK, it was the beer talking. I did get one offer from Idaho. A classic too. Rodney Stuckey AND Roy Hibbert. Gee. How long do you think it took me to reject that one. Why even bother with those offers Tuna?
• I see French Lick and I were/are tied atop the JBL standings with 942 points (or we were last time I looked). We've never had a tie at the end of the season for 1st place. We have had a tie for other money spots a long time ago. How is the tie broken you wonder? Simply look at the head to head of the tied teams in each category. There are 7 categories so that should get you a winner right there. If, by the freak chance, you get a case where the 2 teams each win 3 categories (so it's 3-3) and they say tie in steals...how do we break the tie? It goes to the POINTS category since it is weighted the most (20%) and if for some reason they had the exact same number there then it would go to REBOUNDS. If, after all that, the teams are still tied - we will have co-champions. Trust me, won't happen.
• I'm getting a little frustrated with the CBS website and their lack of urgency to fix the chat board. Come on already. We're missing out on good banter and Idaho bashing. I still laugh watching Chris's video.
• I'm still frustrated with my 3-headed Centre mess. Shaq apparently is ready to play and Dampier may play some time next week. I really hate carrying 3 centres, especially when they are all #2 guys at best. Man, I should have drafted Noah or Haywood - both guys I had targeted as having breakout/comeback seasons.
• Watched part of the Hawks/Magic game tonight with Ryan. He's so funny, he'll always cheer for the team in the lead. Also, really like those ATL jerseys. Very nice. Why does Josh Smith wear a headband?? He continually adjusts the thing when he could be going for rebounds. Come on man.
• Boozer had another stellar game. If he could only block more shots he would be studly. Still, he's a top notch PF in my books. I was thinking of offering Bosh for Boozer and someone from Belgrade - but not sure it would really be much of an upgrade. I think I'd be making a trade for the sake of making a trade.
• My teams lack of 3-point shooters certainly can have it's advantages. I take so few 3 pointers that on a night when they shoot 2/3 I move from 33.6 to 34.0. Up .4 percentage points on 3 attempts and 2 makes??? Incredible. Now, if I can only get Gordon and Nelson healthy to carry the load. I have a feeling that there will be many poor stretches ahead of Brandon Jennings. I may need to add one other 3-point specialist here once my centres get healthy and I can drop one of them.
• The other night I had thoughts of a Brandon Jennings for Monta Ellis offer. Then, Moped Ellis went off for 35+ points in 3 straight games. I would now have to offer Jennings AND Bosh to get Scooter.
• While I was sitting in my hotel room in Kelowna looking at JBL rosters I thought of another potential deal...and it wasn't even involving my team. How about this one....Arctic and Boston swap Chris Paul for Dwight Howard. Chris could use the steals as he's last by a mile and Trev could use the rebs/blks/FG%. The deal probably helps Boston more than Arctic - but what a blockbuster that would be. Oh well, won't happen.
• Speaking of Boston...Trev is getting hosed again this year on the injury front. No Prince, no Chris Paul, Iverson retires, Okur gets sick, etc...Plus, Trev forgetting his laptop cord on draft night really hooped him. He ended up with guys he probably wouldn't have otherwise drafted (ie. Artest). The auto-draft was not kind to him at all. With the right moves and some healthy bodies he can move up in some categories. He's already very good in 3PT% and ATO and with the return of his injured guys he can improve in PTS, FG%, and STLS. He will have to make some trades though to get the rebound and block numbers up...that's why I was thinking he should move Chris Paul.
• And finally, what's Idaho going to do?? He keeps making deals and I keep thinking he's crazy. I mean his last deal, in my opinion, didn't really help him at all. He moved Okafor and Parker for Arenas, Ilgauskas, and Andre Miler. So, in this case, Arenas is the best player you are bringing onto your squad. Arenas is shooting 39% and 35% respectively and these aren't going to get much better. He also got Shaq's backup in Ilgauskas. Wow, a backup centre. Even with Shaq missing the last 6 games and Big Z getting the starts, do you know what his numbers are over his last 10 games? Try 7PPG, 7REB, and 33% shooting. Brilliant. And finally you bring in Andre Miller. Another backup player. Don't get me wrong, I think Miller should be on a JBL team but I don't think he's really anything more than a #4 or #5 guard. He's 10 and 5. Meanwhile, you gave up an underachieving Okafor who is averaging 10 and 10 with 31 blocks so far. And in Parker, despite his ankle injury concerns, he gave up a solid PG who will shoot 50% and average in the high teens. Tuna did comment that he "may go small" and try to climb back into the JBL race. I got news for you young one, you have already gone small. If I was Tuna, I would be selling high on Monta Ellis and trying to get 2 good players for him. Or, how about this one - Monta Ellis for Dwight Howard with some filler on both sides to make the salaries work.

OK, enough rambling for one night...time to hit the sack. And one more time, come on CBS, fix my chat board!

Monday Nighter...

Well, after the ribbing that Tuna just took from Crikker you knew there would be a trade coming soon from the Idaho camp. It came tonight...

Idaho gets Gilbert Arenas, Andre Miller, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Brussels gets Emeka Okafor and Tony Parker.

Who wins this trade? Make sure you vote on the JBL website.

Just watched the Blazers vs. Bulls game. Big win for PDX. Oden and Aldridge had monster games. French Lick was the team to take the risk on Oden this season. He actually paid $21 for his services. This after Oden missed his 1st year with a bad knee and then all the injuries he had last season. But that didn't scare French away. I'm a big Blazers fan but I didn't think he would go for that much. He's averaging 10ppg, 8reb, and 2.3blks...not bad at all. That being said, he did go for more than guys like Chris Kaman, Joakim Noah, and Brendan Haywood. I like Greg Oden and think he is a key for the Blazers to be successful - but why did he go for $21 bucks? And don't get me wrong, I like the pick. Michael Redd, a potential 25ppg, also with a history of injuries only went for $20 bucks. Why? Anyways, I find it interesting to look at salaries of guys during the season and thinking of what they would go for now...

Also, back to the Bulls/Blazers game. Deng had a nice game for Golden tonight although my 2 Bulls only play one more game this week. Not much choice at the moment for reserves in Golden. Once I get my centre situation sorted out I think I will have to add some depth.

My final point about the Bulls...I wouldn't consider Vinny Del Negro "safe" in terms of coaching. The Bulls appeared to quit tonight. And I don't think you can use injuries as an excuse because they are only waiting on Tyrus Thomas. Yes, he's a starter, but he shouldn't be the difference. I mean really, do you think anyone in the Bulls organization is really saying, "I know we're 6-7, but once Tyrus comes back that will all change." No way.

Oh, and finally, it's just under 3 weeks until Boston, Chilliwack, and Golden meet in Chicago for the big road trip. Check out this schedule...

Thursday, Dec 10th - fly from Seattle to Chicago
Friday, Dec 11th - Warriors vs. Bulls (center court, row 9)
Saturday, Dec 12th - Celtics vs Bulls (center court, 1st row upstairs)
Sunday, Dec 13th - Lightning vs. Blackhawks (center ice, row 15)
Monday, Dec 14th - fly home

While we're there it appears we will be doing a lot of eating...check out these places that we are hitting up...and yes, we have already scheduled our meals!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu-oobRhesU
www.hugosfrogbar.com
http://www.chicagochophouse.com/noflash.htm

The Funniest Video...

Leave Him Alone...

Are you kidding me?? Just when I thought the JBL couldn't get any better, Crikker creates one of the funniest videos I've seen in a LONG time. The whole idea stemmed from a weirdo named Chris Crocker who defended Britney Spears awhile back when she was going through her 'crazy time'.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc

Well, Chris has done his own parody defending our own Anthony Grills. Being completely honest, I laughed so hard I cried. I have watched it at least 6 or 7 times already. First he created the JBL podcast and now this video. Unreal. Talk about wrapping up the JBL owner of the year early this season!

Anyways, I do have to say that Tuna has been a good sport about it. I think that's what makes this Fantasy pool unlike many others - people can take a joke. I know a few former JBL owners who would not have been able to handle the good natured ribbing that occurs in this league. A couple of these guys would just have up and quit the pool if they were the target of a video like that. So, well done Chris and well done Tuna for being the good sport.

In other news, I spoke with Philly Woo today and he is in VGH recovering from a near kidney failure. He has been in hospital for 3 days now and will be there for a couple more. I will be going to see him tomorrow. He sounded tired and out of breath on the phone and is obviously nowhere near 100% at the moment. But good ole Philly Woo, despite being very ill and in hospital, still has concerns over Mike Miller's calf injury and making sure that Pau Gasol is in his lineup for the coming week. I told him I would take care of everything while he is under the weather. I told Benny this morning as well and Ben called Woo on his cell...so the JBL ownership group is a tight-knit bunch even when things aren't going so well. Get better Philly Woo.

Fast Forward to 2010 in Vegas...

So far I know that Benny and I will be drafting from a Vegas hotel room in October 2010. It will happen. Who will be there with us? Will the defending champ be in Vegas? Will we have more owners in Vegas or in Surrey? Oh the possibilities. And who will be on my Golden squad? Well, I thought I would have a quick look at each team and some of the potential keepers out there. I'm sure, as the year goes on, a lot of these guys will get traded - especially in February.

Anyways...let's check it out.

Arctic - J-Rich $11, Nash $34, Ben Gordon $11. Nash and J-Rich make a nice Phoenix pairing. And if Calderon goes for $40 bucks on draft night you can damn well bet Nash is worth $39 bucks. And isn't it nice to get 20ppg guys for $16 dollars?

Bangkok - I love the potential keepers here...Evans, Westbrook, Lee, and Thompson would all be on my radar. Evans and Westbrook should be locks - unless of course Bangkok is in the running in February - then he should be leveraging these guys as trade bait. Lee and Thompson would be on the more expensive side, but they are both young and blossoming.

Belgrade - Yes, Carmelo is worth $45 in my books. He's averaging 30 and 6 right now! Ariza and Frye have also had breakout starts to the season. As long as Nash is around and Phoenix is running 'n' gunning then Frye has value. And Ariza is 18 and 5 with over 2 stls per game. I think he could actually get better with the return of Yao.

Boston - Nocioni is a solid role player - but is he worth keeping for $8 bucks? I don't see any real obvious choices at this point. However, unless this team gets healthy real soon, I could see guys like Dirk and CP3 (or even Iverson) get moved for some cheap talent.

Brussels - This team is potentially loaded with great keepers. CDR is $2 bucks; Gallinar is $2 bucks; Jamison is only $21 bucks for a guy who can get you 20 and 10. Plus Arenas could still be a bargain and potentially Ersan Ilyasova is someone to watch progress over the year. He could wind up being the starting PF all season.

Chilliwack - Terrence Williams (my pre-season podcast sleeper) for $1 dollar is developing nicely. Will he improve as guys like Harris and Lee return for injury? Bargnani is becoming the Eastern Conference's Dirk - he's currently at 18 and 7 with 17 blocks. He's a bargani at $10 bucks. (see how I used bargani instead of bargain - genius). And how about AK47 for $6 dollars?? He doesn't score like he used to but he's still at 14ppg with 14 steals, 14 blocks, and good ATO. I'd keep him. And you can't forget Marc Gasol at $8 bucks. He's only getting 15 and 10 while shooting 60%. Umm duh. And let's throw a wild card out there - Tracy McGrady for $1 dollar. What if he was healthy and ended up in a place like New York or Phoenix?? Wouldn't he be a valuable scorer for cheap??

French Lick - this well balanced team as a lot of guys right on the edge of being good keepers. I like Paul Pierce at just $24 dollars. What about Millsap ($15)? If Boozer gets traded or isn't re-signed - then Millsap's value definitely goes up! Guys like JR Smith, Dunleavy, and others should also be watched closely to see if they can up their value over the season.

Golden - Brandon Jennings and Eric Gordon look like locks to be back in Golden. And right now, I would seriously consider keeping Josh Smith ($43). He's having an amazing season and his (steals + blocks = 55) has to be tops in the NBA. Others I will be watching closely are James Harden, Luol Deng, and maybe Derrick Rose.

Idaho - Monta Ellis looks like he'll earn a 3rd year of protection with his current play. Jonny Flynn is progressing nicely but Ricky Rubio's potential arrival could put a dent in those plans. And what about Roy HIbbert? Is he the new beast in the east?

Juan de Fuca - I think Juan will bring back the same 2 guys again - Durant and Lopez - as they are still both greatly undervalued in my books. I think Mareese Speights $1 could also be a good value pick as well. And keep your eyes on Anthony Morrow and Gerald Wallace as well as they both appear to be on the cusp of being good value.

Seoul - OK, I didn't think he would be this good with the cast of characters he should be playing with but Rudy Gay is off to an amazing start. 22 and 6 with big steals and good %'s - I didn't think he could do it. And then there's Woo's 2 big men - Kaman and Nene. Does he sell high on a guy like Kaman or will he ride him out? And Nene is having another great season. What a great pick that was 2 years ago...did you know I took Nick Collison and left Nene to Woo...your welcome.

Yuma - I am a big fan of Mario Chalmers ($4) and Brendan Haywood ($1) and think that both of them are good values. And what about an Aaron Brooks ($11), he's having a good season and could be even better lobbing passes to Yao next season. Yuma will need to get out of the basement though as we have to remember that the last place team won't be able to protect any players.

So...there you have it. Numerous potential bargains for the 2010/11 season. Which ones will be on your team and will you be in Vegas with me and Benny? I hope so.

Wednesday Nighter...

Big Free Agent night in the JBL tonight...9 guys found homes. We saw some big bucks being spent on the likes of Rudy Fernandez, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Jason Williams. Yes, 'White Chocolate' is back in the JBL with the Offs after a whopping $23 dollar bid. This is the same Offs that bid $41 dollars to secure Martell Webster for a week. Well, if you want a guy bad enough, money should be no object.

I see that Mr. Arksey is back from his Hawaiian holiday. He picked up 3 FA's tonight to help that injury infested roster of his. Parker, Dudley, and McDyess certainly can't be any worse than the 3 stiffs he just dropped. What's sad about Trev's 10th place team at the moment is that he is actually 10th! That means there are 2 teams BELOW what Trev has been able to do. Good job Idaho and Yuma (although Yuma has had numerous injuries as well).

With my 3-headed debacle center rotation known as 'PrzDampShaq', I of course signed a 6 foot Point Guard in Luke Ridnour. Was I thinking of hedging my bet on Jennings or was I looking at Luke's last 5 games? Either way I completely forgot that Luke is only getting time because Redd is out of the lineup. I don't see Luke making it to Monday in Golden. Waste of a buck.

Big night in Brussels tonight. His Elton Brand trade came up roses as EB posted 19/11 and 6 blocks. Timbo liked him enough to trade for him but not enough to start him this week. So, which EB will show up next game?

Tim and I had a quick discussion over Gilbert Arenas' and Jameer Nelson's fantasy worth. I'll start with Jameer. I like him. Tim doesn't. We agree to disagree. I have no problems with that. I think Jameer is worth more than Andre Miller and Beno Udrih - but I don't think Tim does. Again, we each have our own opinions. It's neat having these discussions with the guys because I don't get to do it that often. I love the NBA and the JBL and love talking hoops (maybe you noticed if you listened to any of my Podcasts). It's fun to hear what other guys think of certain players. We all have our biases too...and there is nothing wrong with that.

As for Arenas, Tim made a quick comment as he was signing off that others in the JBL don't hold him in high regard (in Fantasy terms) because they simply don't like the guy. Probably a fair point in both regards. Steve Francis, in his day, was a wicked Fantasy hoopster but he never found himself in Golden (or Hershey) because I didn't like the guy. I would always pass over him and never traded for him. I didn't like him. Maybe there are some guys in the JBL who don't like Arenas. If they don't want him, they won't trade for him. If they don't like Arenas and Tim offers Hibachi for Ramon Sessions and Arctic turns him down...so be it.

And in some cases, maybe Arenas' case, the guy hurts you more than he helps you. The argument against Gilbert is always going to be his FG%, ATO, and health. The argument for Arenas is always his PPG and steals. So, each JBL team has to weigh the good with the bad and decide if Arenas helps their team. Look at Steve Nash too...the guy is having an amazing year, unless of course you need steals (he has 1 in 12 games). Every NBA player has some positives and minuses that are relevant to the respective Fantasy team. That's why guys value players differently.

So, with PG's in my head I decided I would look at the 30 PG's in the NBA and rank them in my own little world. Keep in my mind, it's impossible to rank them purely 1st to 30th as it would obviously depend on who else is on your Fantasy team. So, I decided I would rank them in tiers. I came up with 6 tiers of 5 players and depending on who else is on your Fantasy team I would move guys up or down within each tier. I've tried to factor in some historical and current numbers due to injuries to some guys. As the season wears on, I'm sure these tiers could change due to improved play or from guys sucking balls.

The Stud Tier

• Chris Paul (he's the best, no doubt about it)
• Steve Nash (having another MVP year, just wish he had more steals)
• Deron Williams (he should finally make the All-Star team)
• Rajon Rondo (doesn't score enough but his cats are amazing)
• Jason Kidd (he's not the old Kidd, but his stats are still amazing if your loaded with PPG)

The 'Oh So Close' Tier

• Chauncey Billups (%'s are down but he's still Mr. Clutch)
• Mo Williams (look at his all round game with great %'s)
• Monta Ellis (ignore the attitude and look at those #'s)
• Brandon Jennings (he could drop tier(s) as the season wears on but so far so good)
• Russell Westbrook (16-8-5 and still getting better - needs to work on %'s)

The 'Wish for More' Tier

• Tony Parker (22-7 last season with 50% shooting but needs more steals)
• Gilbert Arenas (loads of points/steals but also poor ATO and FG%)
• Devin Harris (can score and pass but his %'s are a bit low)
• Jose Calderon (best ATO going, but slow start in 09/10, more steals please)
• Louis Williams (surprise, he arrived, great ATO, but he still can't shoot 3's)

The 'Still Solid' Tier

• Aaron Brooks (breakout season, better 3% and more steals needed)
• Jameer Nelson (injured again, 42% 3's, with 14 and 6, solid)
• Derrick Rose (sophomore slump averaging just 13 and 5)
• Rodney Stuckey (needs more assists but 17ppg and 5reb shows he can play)
• Mike Bibby (aging veteran on best team in NBA with 46% & 44% shooting right now)

The 'Starting to Stretch' Tier

• Baron Davis (can't stand those %'s but the PPG, STL, REB are nice)
• Mario Chalmers (pass to Wade, steal, pass to Wade, hit the three, repeat...)
• Andre Miller (coming around in Portland but his big number days are gone)
• Beno Udrih (he's only here while K-Mart is out, serviceable right now for sure)
• Jonny Flynn (pretty sure 36/40 ATO is not good for a PG; like the PPG and STL)

The "Is that the Bottom" Tier

• Mike Conley (regressed a bit from last year but room to grow)
• Raymond Felton (never been a fan of those %'s, I just like his steals)
• TJ Ford (can't stay healthy and rough start to 09/10 - but he can improve)
• Chris Duhon (look at the %'s - 22% and 21% - those have to go up right?)
• Derek Fisher (the only FA in the bunch - he's useless in the JBL but indispensable to LA)

What are your thoughts?? You can always leave a comment below the post. Did I miss the boat on someone? Should someone be in a completely different tier?

Well, that's it for tonight. Time to batten down the hatches as the wind and rain continues to pound the palace....

What's in a Name??

I've noticed a lot of trade offers where other owners are trying to sell you on the name...have we not reached a point where it's time to look at the numbers rather than the name? Granted, there are other factors to be considered when looking at a player - but I think the numbers one is being slightly ignored.

Take this example of these 2 guards:

Player A - 13.8PPG, 3reb, 46.6% FG, 48/27ATO, 8 steals in 9 games, doesn't shoot 3's
Player B - 16.4PPG, 4reb, 46.4% FG, 14/20 ATO, 7 blocks in 7 games, doesn't shoot 3's

Which one of those players would you want on your Fantasy team. Neither one has eye-popping numbers. Both appear to be serviceable Guards. One has better ATO and the other scores a bit more. There would be definite debate as to which guy would better help your team.

Other factors to consider when comparing the 2 players?
Is one player in a slump?
Is one player playing over this head?
Is one player only playing because of injury to another player?
All valid points and things to consider.
But when does the mirage become reality? When can we no longer say - that guy is playing over his head?

In this example, player A is Derrick Rose and player B is Dahntay Jones. If I asked you now which player you'd rather have....every single industry expert would say Derrick Rose. Now, I'm not saying I would take Jones over Rose either (due to factors mentioned above) but I think there is a strong case that Jones is a serviceable player in Fantasy now. You can't just say, "well, it's Dahntay Jones, he sucks.". That argument does not cut it in Fantasy hoops.

I think some of JBL owners are relying more so on the name than the numbers. Take a look at the most recent trade with Gomes/Hawes for Elton Brand. That has to be the explanation when we see Timbo going after Elton Brand - because his numbers do not warrant a 2 for 1 deal. So, was it the name - Elton Brand - that warranted Timbo to give up 2 serviceable forwards?? Of course it was. Would Timbo have traded Gowes/Hawes for Yi Jianlin???? NO WAY. But you know what - Yi has better numbers so far than Brand.

So...boys, if your reading, look at the numbers too...that's all I'm saying.

Easy Like Sunday Morning...

• I have to start with Brandon Jennings don't I? 55pts, 5rebs, 5asts, 21/34FG, 7/8 3's. Broke some guy named Lew Alcindor's rookie scoring record in Milwaukee. Wow. And yes, I had him on my bench this week for his 2 game 87 point outburst. BIG mistake. My thinking was in a 2 game week and him being a rookie he was bound to have a crappy game. I couldn't have been more wrong. Has Jennings become a must-start Fantasy player every week? I think he has. And if Golden stays in contention all year long - why on earth would I trade him? He's $6 bucks. Sure, I know he's gonna hit the rookie wall and have some absolutely terrible games - all rookies do - but the kid looks like the real deal. And I'm not sure how Blake Griffin, after he's going to miss 4-6 weeks with a bad knee, is going to come back and take ROY from this kid.
• Week 4 has the return of a couple of guys...big guys for their respective teams. Rashard Lewis is back for Chilliwack and Antawn Jamison returns for Brussels. Both should be top end forwards for their teams. Benny will sit the one-dimensional Corey Maggette while Timbo REALLY needs Jamison's scoring and boards.
• Speaking of Timmy and his Brussels side. JBL rumors have heard his team is in turmoil. He is shopping Arenas but not finding any takers. Hard to believe a 24 and 6 guy would be hard to move. Gilbert excels at points and steals. A quick glance of the JBL standings reveals that the 3 teams who could really use a guy like Zero would be Yuma, Boston, and Brussels!! Tim is 10th and 9th in scoring and steals...so it appears Arenas could help his current owner. That being said, Timbo's team is suddenly small, but perhaps the return of Jamison can help that out.
• JBL rumors are also reporting that Idaho is angry. Maybe it's because his cousins are giving him a hard time? Maybe it's the frustration of seeing himself in the bottom half of the JBL standings? I just think it's great that a person can get upset over a Fantasy Basketball pool. My job here is done. Gotta love the Tuna. But is Tuna still the King of the bad trade offer...or is someone else challenging his crown?
• JBL rumors out of Bangkok indicate that the Fighters' owner Rick Eng is floating some dubious trade offers out there. Maybe it's because of Bangkok lofty standing (5th) that he is over-valuing his players?? Just yesterday, Bangkok and Chilliwack hooked up on a AK47 for Charlie V swap. I've never been a Charlie V fan and would much prefer AK47 on my team. That being said, if Bangkok can handle the ATO, the moodiness, and the likelihood of Charlie V missing some games then it could work out. Charlie has played better in Detroit (17ppg, 5reb). But if you have lots of scoring, who wouldn't love the well rounder game that AK47 is bringing these days (13ppg, 5reb, 38/15ATO, 8stl, 11blk, and 48/36 %'s) That's a 7 category player!
• Can Peja crack the Bangkok lineup?? At the moment Peja is riding the pine and Matt Barnes is still starting. This should change
• And there were a few injuries last night...Azubuike looks to be done for a long time with a crippling knee injury. Too bad, that guy can become a Nellie favorite. Outlaw has a broken bone in his foot - he's gone 6-8 weeks. Not that he was a Fantasy stud - but Idaho lost his services. And Chris Paul's ankle injury could be worse than originally expected. I've read anywhere from 1-4 weeks now and that could be longer with the rumored deal of Okafor being shipped to Sacramento for the expiring deal Kenny Thomas. Why would Okafor ship away their only center? Well, he's on the books for 5 years and 62 million. Kenny's 8.7 million dollar deal expires after this season. That type of trade could indicate the Hornets are going to rebuild because Paul is going to be out an extended period of time. The team has already fired Byron Scott and they are REALLY going to struggle with Paul (evident by David West's 3/17 performance last night).
• Poor Trev is basking in the sunshine in Maui while his Boston team is ravaged by injuries, inconsistent player, and inactivity from the owner. If only I could get my hands on this team for one day...

Saturday morning...

• Chris Paul could be out for 2 weeks...just what Boston needed. At least he's on a beach in Maui enjoying the sunshine. There has to be some sort of silver lining to such a poor start to the season. The roster needs a makeover.
• Anthony Randolph ended up playing 6 minutes last night and super rookie Stephen Curry played less than that! There are rumors this morning that Nelson could be fired soon. Wouldn't that be a bonus for any owner with Warriors on their team.
• Minnesota is the worst team in basketball. Even worse than New Jersey. I see Corey Brewer had 10 pts, 7rebs, and 4 steals in his 2nd last game in Golden before he moves over to Seoul next week. Those numbers are nice but his 4/13FG and 1/4 3PT is the reason he was shipped out of town for Anthony Parker.
• Speaking of Parker, he's gone already. I signed Joel Pryzbilla last night as a 3rd center. Dampier, after having a monster 14pt & 20reb game on Monday has crapped the bed his last 2 outings. Godzilla plays 4 games next week and has put up good numbers in limited minutes. Throw in the fact that Portland could have some blowouts next week, Godzilla may be serviceable as a #2 center. Also, Parker was unlikely to make my lineup as a guard. Where would I play him once Gordon is healthy? I will have Nelson, Jennings, Rose, Gordon, and Ronnie Brewer. AP was not better than one of those guys and he doesn't have the upside of a James Harden. Translation = bye bye Parker. So yes, this trade was about getting rid of Corey Brewer's shooting %'s.
• Idaho is now in 12th....although with Boston losing Chris Paul for a couple of weeks and not making many roster moves...they could be headed to the basement. What is going on in Idaho? They were poised for the next step this season after a 4th place finish in 08/09. Well, he has been hit with some injuries but that's not the real reason. Let's start with those poor performers...Brand has been terrible. Amare, a $60 player, is 18 and 8. Chris Duhon couldn't hit the ocean from a boat in the middle of the Atlantic. Okafor is 10 and 9. The list goes on. His protected players simply were over-valued and we know that now because of the way the draft panned out. Parker $32, Brand $28, and Thornton $12 were simply not worth that much.
• French continues to be strong led by his balanced team. And this is with John Salmons having a horrible start to the season. Barring injury, French appears to be around for the long haul.
• Arctic is in 6th place while being 12th in steals (Nash has 1 steal in 10 games) and 11th in blocks. If he addresses these categories, he could make a push.
• Bangkok is loving his Kings' boys. Evans and Thompson have been amazing. How about those Kings? They are now 5-4 and have won 4 straight without their star player Kevin Martin. If I was them, I would move him for young talent and/or draft picks. The fans are coming back to ARCO Arena to see this young energetic team. Get another building block. Back to the 'kok - Rick is so high on his Kings' right now I don't think I could make a 1 for 1 offer to get Evans out of there. I like the kid a lot. He has great potential (provided K-Mart doesn't come back and take 20+ shots). He's not a pure PG but he's more of a hybrid PG/SG. And Thompson is finally living up to his $24 draft night salary. Good picks.

Well, that's all for today...I had flirted with some offers to Juan and Bangkok over the last 24 hours but have withdrawn them as I'm not sure I need to make drastic changes at this time. And the offers I had floated out there could have been MASSIVE change in Golden. Chow for now.

Quick Hitters

• Byron Scott was canned today after a dismal start. I predicted this firing on Sunday with Timbo while we brokered our Wade/Bosh trade. Who didn't see this one coming though?? I have said it here in this blog that the Hornets overachieved last season with 49 wins. They do not have that sort of talent. They have Chris Paul and David West. The rest of the team, yes, I'm including Okafor, is simply not that good. Peja is over the hill. They were starting Julian Wright. They have Hilton Armstrong and Devin Brown and Darius Songalia and James Posey....come on. Despite the lack of talent, Chris Paul was able to lead this team to the playoffs last year. I don't know how he did it. What I do know is that this team had quit on Byron Scott this year. You can see it in the way they play. They don't care and with their lack of talent - if they aren't trying - they don't have the skill to win a game.
• The Wade/AR for Bosh/Rose trade appears to be working out for both teams. Randolph really likes Brussels and has back to back double-doubles since his arrival. Wade only dropped 41 pts in his debut for Tim. And similarly, Bosh and Rose have been very good and Golden has gained close to 100 points in the standings since their arrival. Of course, a big factor after Randolph was shipped out of town was I had to play Landry and Dampier this week to try and get some boards. Damps had a 20 rebounds game and Landry has scored 20 points in both his games. So, maybe Timbo wins the 2 for 2 trade, but the Golden 12 man team appears to be the early winner as well.
• Speaking of trades...am I the only one who didn't get the Kevin Martin & Travis Outlaw for Beno Udrih and Danilo Gallinari trade? Yes, K-Mart gets hurt A LOT, but is that all that a potential 25+ppg guy gets now?? I mean, in 8 weeks time, when K-Mart returns, Beno will be useless. As it stands now, he's still a 12 & 5 guy. And I'm not sold on Danilo. Sure, he can shoot...but what else does he do really well? He's shooting 43%, doesn't rebound, steal or block very well...but he can shoot 3's and score. Plus, he is only $2 bucks. I just would have thought Kevin Martin would have been worth more than Danilo and Beno.
• OK, I'll admit it, I didn't think Brandon Jennings would be this good. He just dropped 32 and 9 on Chauncey Billups and company. Seeing him play (thank you Score court surfing) I am impressed by the kid. Plus, he is born the same day as me...that must mean something right?
• Yuma is struggling. Period. And injuries, I think, can be a reason. Redd, Murphy, Nate, and now even Mr. Underachiever of the year, Al Jefferson, will miss some time. Poor Chubby. Not the way he wanted his return to the JBL to go. Maybe a working lap top in Vegas in 2010 will make everything better.
• I'm still getting the odd Idaho offer. When I say odd, yes I mean ridiculous, but I was referring more to the quantity offers as opposed to the usual low quality. Looking at that roster - how many guys would you really want? I would guess maybe 5-6 guys have value while the rest are just really bad filler. Don't get me wrong, every JBL team requires filler. It's just how good is it? Idaho's 5th guard is Chris Duhon (look at those %'s). Yowzers.
• Woo is quietly making his move up the JBL Standings. This despite him missing his big gun Pau Gasol. Look out, Seoul is coming.
• Seoul and Golden hooked up on their annual bench fodder trade...Corey Brewer for Anthony Parker. Brewer can bring steals, upside, and depth to Seoul while Parker brings his 3PT% to Golden. Win-Win I say.
• So now that Byron Scott has been canned - who's next? Don Nelson has to be a prime candidate. His team is imploding and he doesn't play his young talent. Minny just hired Rambis so he's safe. NY is paying D'Antoni 8 million bucks and are using his '7 Seconds or Less' in attempt to bring in a high priced FA in 2010 - so he's not going anywhere. What about Lawrence Frank in New Jersey? I think he's doing a fine job actually - and they are win less. But seriously, no Devin Harris and no talent - how are they supposed to win a game. They are developing Lee, CDR, Lopez, and Williams for the future and what if Jay-Z was somehow able to convince his buddy Lebron to join the Brooklyn Nets in 2010.
• Elton Brand is done.
• I can't wait for tonight's Suns vs. Lakers matchup. Both teams have been playing amazing. No Gasol for LA. Is Bynum playing? I think the Suns will be tough to handle despite playing the 2nd half of a back-to-back. But Kobe and Artest can be tough to handle. Pumped for this game.
• Who are the top Free Agents in the JBL?? Well, I would think close eyes will be kept on things in New Orleans now that Scott is gone. GM Jeff Bower's taking over and his job is on the line as it's pretty clear he assembled this no talent team. Good luck Jeff. JBL owners will be watching though to see if Bower makes any changes to the roster. Will Devin Brown be a factor? Will Julian Wright play? Can Ike Diogu help? Other FA's around the league appear pretty thin right now but with injuries coming and teams shuffling their lineups due to severe cases of losing (ie. Knicks playing Toney Douglas) there will be loads of Free Agents with value in the near future.
• How about some quick picks for Fantasy All-Stars that are a lot better than I expected...Centers -Chris Kaman and Joakim Noah. Forwards - Jason Thompson, Mareese Speights, Luol Deng...Guards - Jason Richardson, Lou Williams and Brandon Jennings. I know I forgot lots of guys...these were just off the top of my head.

Anyways, that's all for now...

The Big Deal

Well, Timbo and I have busted up the JBL with the league's largest trade to date.

Chris Bosh and Derrick Rose for Dwyane Wade and Anthony Randoph.

Amazing what a couple of pints of Stella, some dry ribs, and 2 pounds of chicken wings at Earls can accomplish.

This deal cam about when Timbo offered Bosh/Rose for Wade/Smith...denied.
The counter was Bosh/Rose for Wade/Brewer. Denied
Then it was Wade/Diaw. Denied.
Then it was Wade/Jennings. Denied.
Then Timbo said Wade & Randolph and a very long pause occurred.

Not having a computer in front of me and multiple spreadsheets to examine kind of threw me off. I paused. For a long time. I paused. Finally, with a big gulp of Stella, I said OK.

This deal can be broken down many different ways...

Here's my thought process on this trade...

Wade is having another stellar season and is in a contract year - but so is Chris Bosh. He's off to a phenomenal start as well. I needed rebounds though and Bosh is over 10 a game right now. Plus, Bosh doesn't shoot 3's...well, at least not like Wade does. D-Wade is the best player in this deal (in my view) but his 3-point shooting (4 for 22) is not attractive for my Golden squad and the way it's set up. Wade will likely out-block Bosh (sad that a guy 6'3 can out block a guy who is almost 7 feet tall). Bosh should double (at least) the rebounds that Wade gets though. Both shoot very good FG%. Both have had injury problems over the years. Both are in contract seasons and should be motivated to show their worth. Bosh is on TV a lot - big bonus when your 6 year old loves watching basketball. Ryan will love this trade.

The 2nd part of this deal is about 2 guys under achieving - big time.

Derrick Rose is currently averaging 12 and 5. This for last season's rookie of the year. He should/will get better as the season wears on. Plus, let's not forget that I will be in Chicago one month from now watching 2 Bulls game. That had a factor in this deal, no doubt about it. I am a fan of this kid and think he can be a top PG in the league. I like his upside from where he is now.

Timbo is taking the flyer on Randolph. He is the key to this deal. Correction, his playing time if the key to this deal. Which AR will show up?? Is it the 7 minute one or the 35 minute one that produced 13pts, 14rebs? Will Don Nelson get canned? Can AR become a Fantasy force? AR's future is the key to this trade for Tim.

Why did I do the deal?

1) I needed rebounds and Bosh can get me those
2) Rose is underachieving and should be much better in the coming weeks
3) the uncertainty behind Randolph scares me. Will he play? Won't he play? Can he perform night in and night out? His big game the other night came against 2nd team players.
4) I will be able to say that I sat in the United Centre and cheered for Rose & Deng from center court seats. How cool is that?
5) Wade's a stud, no doubt about it....but D-Wade's 3-point shooting is horrible and my Golden squad is better off without that 3PT%.
6) Bosh is in a contract year (like Wade, Amare, etc) and needs to show Toronto and other teams that he is a big deal. Plus, watching Raptors game is relevant again.

I just told Ryan I traded away D-Wade and he almost started crying. I told him I got Bosh and Rose...but apparently Wade was a big deal to him. After a 20 minute discussion about Fantasy Basketball and who Derrick Rose is (YOU TUBE video), I have convinced my 6 year old this was an OK trade for me.

We'll talk about this deal as the year goes on....because of a few key factors.

1) Can Wade and Bosh stay healthy and who has the better year (relatively speaking)?
2) Can Derrick Rose take the next step to stardom?
3) Can Anthony Randolph really play?

That's 3 key points...whoever wins those....wins this trade.

Gun Shy?

OK, so it's early in the 09/10 season and I haven't made any trades yet. Good thing? Or bad thing? I've had some offers come through and some are no brainers - I simply click the reject button. But others, they could have been good offers but I think I'm starting to 2nd guess myself now. Maybe it's because I write this blog. Maybe it's because I'm trying to think 2-3 moves ahead. Maybe it's because my 08/09 season, from a trades perspective, was sooo lousy.

I made horrible trades last year. No, none of them cost me the title as Woo was so far ahead anyways. But, my 2nd place finish was still in doubt on the last night of the year because my idiotic decisions last season.

I find I'm 2nd guessing myself on everything early in this JBL season.
Should I make that offer?
Should I reject this offer but make a counter?
What are the long term effects of this trade on my team?
How patient can I be with my current group?
Am I a good enough rebounding team with all the other squads seemingly making moves around me?

Like tonight for example...I had a quick online discussion with Philly Woo regarding Tyson Chandler. It started with a typical Woo offer of wanting Boris Diaw which was quickly rejected. Then he went to the 2nd tier of wanting Ronnie Brewer which again is too rich for my blood. Finally, we seemed to settle on Corey Brewer for Tyson Chandler- which I thought I wanted - so Woo offered it up.

Then all the doubts came into my head...

• Chandler is injury prone
• why do I want him so bad after an 8pt, 8reb, 2blk night?
• is Brewer's multi-category ability too much to give up 3 games into the season?
• do I want the Center from one of the worst teams in the league when I already have Diaw?
• is Chandler that much better than Dampier?
• shouldn't I wait and see if Shaq and Anthony Randolph can't pick up their rebound totals?

So many doubts in my head.

Then, all the positives popped into my thick skull...

• should I be passing up the opportunity to get bigger (ie. more rebounds)?
• is Corey Brewer really that essential to Golden's success?
• what if Chandler is healthy - couldn't he average almost 9-10 rebs per game?

So, after a quick review....I went conservative and didn't make the deal. Maybe I will regret not pulling the trigger. If Tyson has a couple of big games and then Woo pulls off a deal for him for someone then I guess I'll live with it.

I know that all the guys in the JBL go through what I just did. And you know what, I love it. For some guys that trade would have been a no-brainer. They would say, "Wow, I can get Chandler for Corey Brewer, I'm in" and click the 'accept' button. Everything would work out great, Chandler would suddenly average 8ppg and 10reb and would learn to block 2 shots per game again. For me, I guess I'm taking the more conservative approach and I think it's because my team is off to a good start - despite my rebounding issues. If I was down in 10th place or something maybe this Chandler offer would be more of a necessity but, thankfully, I feel like I'm in a position to wait. The 'If it ain't broke don't fix it' approach.

But this is why I love the JBL. I just spent 10 minutes typing about a trade offer that involved such stalwarts as Corey Brewer and Tyson Chandler - 2 guys I could really care less about. Amazing. God I love this league.

And I am very excited about the JBL's upcoming announcement....can't wait for Benny to finish it off.