Well, Juan and the Wack after established themselves as the front runners with Golden, Arctic, French, and Bangkok still in the hunt. The Seoul Brothers are still hanging around but without a major move they don't appear to have the horses to get back in the thick of things. Now, that being said, I saw an online offer last night of Nene for Dwayne Wade. I then saw Chilliwack jump in with a Marc Gasol for Dwyane Wade offer shortly after that. It's that type of move that could help Seoul get back in the race and win it all for the Wack. I don't know if 'official' offers were made but both of those would have huge impact on the JBL standings. As for Boston, both of those offers have to be intriguing at least. The Pancakes aren't winning the title this year but they also have been trending upwards, are finally out of the basement, and actually can think about who he will protect for next season. Adding Nene or Gasol to Channing Frye could be a good move.
Gasol continues to be the #1 keeper out there in my books. In his last 10 games he's averaging 17 and 10 with 19 steals and 21 blocks while shooting 58% from the field. He's a stud. If I was Boston, I'd be taking Gasol over Nene.
I wonder if Seoul would be interested in a Nene for Chris Bosh deal? I wonder if I really would? I'm still in the hunt but I'm going to need a lot of things to go right if I want to catch Juan or Chilliwack. The downside for my Golden squad at the moment is a real lack of keepers for next season. I really only have Luol Deng (keeper value $17 bucks) that makes sense. On the year, he's 18 and 7 with 43 steals and 47 blocks while shooting 46 and 43 and he has a positive ATO. And with a tendex over 18 (more than his salary) he has to be considered. However, after Deng, the cupboard is pretty bare. I could consider Casspi but things need to get sorted out in Sac-town. Omar would have to be a starter for me to consider keeping him. Which brings me back to Nene. If I can't win the title this year - why shouldn't I try to acquire Nene? Do I really care if I finish 3rd, 4th or 7th? I've always been an all or nothing type of Fantasy owner. No one cares who finished 2nd or 3rd (unless of course you've never won a title and cling to the old "Well, I have finished 3rd two times you know"). It really doesn't matter does it? So, if you can't win this year - why not focus on next year...and Nene (or Gasol) would certainly do that. The biggest hurdle I see - the salary cap issues in Seoul. Chilliwack could handle a big salary player - but does it make him any better?
As I quickly check the JBL live scoreboard this morning I see Chilliwack is now the JBL leader!
There were a couple of late trades this week as well...
1. Brussels traded Granger to Bangkok for Chris Kaman. Makes sense for both teams and Tim gathers cheap talent for next season. And Rick hopes that Granger's "off" season can be saved in beautiful Bangkok. Moving Kaman's horrendous ATO is a big bonus for Rick but the %'s than Danny brings are equally bad. I mean he's shooting 40 FG% and 35% from downtown. He could improve on those though. Big drop in rebounding for Bangkok as well.
2. Brussels then traded Jeff Green to Bangkok for Jason Thompson. This trade was within an hour of Brussels email the league commish advising he was aware he was under the $200 salary cap floor and would make the necessary moves to get over the cap floor. Jason Thompson has struggled as of late but his inflated $24 dollar salary made him very attractive. Plus, it's not like he's horrible. But he is in a bit of a funk. He's 13 and 9 with 44 blocks. Not too shabby. Bangkok acquires another versatile forward who is also having an 'off' season in Jeff Green. He's the 3rd option in OKC and is averaging 14 and 6. He has also chipped in 47 steals and 39 blocks. His downside, 29% from behind the arc and he takes a lot of them.
3. Brussels traded John Salmons to Idaho for Roy Hibbert --- for 9 minutes. Then an email was sent to the league office requesting the trade be reversed as Brussels hit the wrong button. OK, I'll buy it. But how long should the JBL owners have to declare, "I hit the wrong button"? I'm not saying that either of these deals (Lebron) that that didn't happen...I'm just wondering what the limit should be. If I "accept" a deal at 11pm on Saturday night I should know right away because of the email confirmation that the deal went through. Correct? So what if I don't check my email and then Sunday morning I realize, holy cow, I hit the wrong button. So, now 10 hours later is it (A) I hit the wrong button or (B) I slept on it and I don't like the deal for me. I think, it the latter case, it will take an email from both owners to reverse that deal. In the first case, I think 10-15 minutes is adequate and the owner requesting the reversal must advise the other owner. And again, in both these cases, there was NO argument from Bangkok or Idaho.
So, what direction does Golden take in the next 14 days? And think about this JBL owners -- the current 3rd place team is actually considering making moves towards next season...
If I am going to challenge Chilliwack and Juan I will need to improve in 3PT%, ATO, and steals. How do I do it? I was hoping Chris Duhon would be a possibility. Turns out he's worse than I thought. Yes, his ATO in week 15 has been good (28:2) but his shooting has been equally brutal (3/14). So, do I play him? Drop him? Bench him? I don't know. His 3PT% has been ugly too (2/9) so he only helps me in ATO but hurts me everywhere else. I've tried moving a forward who is 16 and 5, shoots 55%, and has 39 blocks - but there is no interest. On paper he sounds pretty good. But then you tell people he's Carl Landry and no one wants the guy. Oh well.
I could consider a big shake up and try to improve for this season while looking at next year as well. That type of move would be a Bosh for Nene or Bosh for Gasol type of trade. But I haven't looked at the numbers so I don't know if it's even worth my while let alone those teams. I can see why Seoul would want Bosh as Philly Woo is currently 9th in scoring and could move up 60-80 points with Bosh's big scoring numbers. But I would also lose close to 500 points in total scoring as Bosh is 24ppg and Nene is 14ppg. But then again, do I care if I finish 2nd or 7th? The biggest problem I have making a deal with Seoul - salary cap issues.
And what about Bosh for Marc Gasol? Why would Benny do this? He would gain in PTS and REBS - that's it. Is it worth it for him? He would probably gain 40 pts in scoring as he would catch Idaho and Arctic. But he would lose in steals and blocks and ATO...so this deal would never happen...unless I added something to it. Anyways...something to think about.
Our big keeper deadline is Feb 14th and I will be in Orlando at that time. So, I'm not sure how much I will be online during that day for last minute deals. With the midnight PST deadline I have a feeling I will be up a little later than usual....good times ahead.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Holy Crapola
OK, seriously, I go away for one day and all hell breaks loose. My day started today with a 4:30am wake up call to catch a 7am ferry to Victoria. A group of 8 of us execute a warrant on a Rehab provider and spend 6 hours searching and seizing documents. 15 hours, 2 Pacific Buffets, 2 ferry rides, and 8 cups of coffee later I'm at home and I see 2 more trades (1 of the monster variety) in my email inbox.
I was warned about this monster trade via Timbo in the afternoon...when he said that Juan de Fuca just won the JBL. Once he texted me the details of the trade - I'm probably going to have to agree. But I do have some comments...
Juan CLEARLY got the better of this deal. He gets Okafor/Parker AND Monta Ellis. He gives up Brook Lopez, Jose Calderon AND Earl Watson. OK, seriously, was Earl Watson the key to this deal? Would it have gone down without him included in the package?? This is almost a 3 for 1 deal as Calderon is a shell of his former self. Anyways, on the surface we think HOLY COW this is sooo one-sided - and it is. However, the obvious category wins for Juan de Fuca really have no bearing on the current standings. We say wow, look at all the scoring and rebounds Juan gains. Well, actually, they're already 1st in both categories so he gains 0 points. Yes, Juan gains in steals and could move up 3-4 cspots adding Monta to his mix. Juan didn't gain any blocks as Brook has 85 and Okafor has 75. What about ATO? Did he really gain enough to move up? I haven't crunched the numbers so I don't really know. FG%? I'm assuming so. 3PT%? I don't think so as Monta jacks them up for 30%. So what did Juan really gain in here? We know for sure he has PTS and REBs wrapped up - but he did anyways. Let me say that Juan de Fuca is the clear favorite (at this point) to win the JBL title but this trade doesn't help them as much as it may appear. As for Idaho, with that bunch of players he's putting out there now he will be lucky to remain in 9th place. His goal is clear - he wants Lopez and Jennings for 10/11. Can he avoid falling in the standings though? We'll see.
And I see French and Brussels hooked up on a 3 for 1 deal. French is taking the chance on Kevin Martin and gave up Salmons, JR Smith, and Jonny Flynn. I can see this from both sides. French is hoping KMart can find his 20+ scoring form again while Brussels desperately needed depth and potential keeper(Flynn). Immediate help on its way for Brussels while French has to hope Martin turns it around.
Last night, after the Woo trade debacle, I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with Tricky Dick. We discussed the Woo blunder by hitting accept instead of reject. This has happened before in the JBL and Woo called me within 20 seconds of me reading the email that Lebron had been traded for David Lee and Richard Hamilton. When I read it, I knew it had to be a mistake. And it was. Even Rick had a chuckle over it - for a second or two anyways.
Rick and I discussed the JBL, the state of his team, the value of players, the value of keepers, life, Woo, trade offers, and other random things over the half hour. Awesome chat. Really enjoyed it. Unfortunately (for Rick), I wasn't willing to part with my guys and he wasn't willing to part with his. I think right now Rick is going through the classic phase when you over-value your own players. We all do it. I do it. You do it. The guys on your team, because they are on your team, are worth more than the what the rest of the league think their worth. Rick has a little bit of this right now (in my opinion). If he can get past it, then the trades will come.
Rick has the envious position of having 5 quality keepers to choose from. What he has to realize is that even if he wins the JBL title he can only keep 4 of them at most. So, he may as well move one of them anyways. In my books, Curry and Evans wouldn't go anywhere, they both appear to be studs in the making. Kaman, Lee, and Westbrook should be up for grabs though for the best offers. Lee seems like a good keeper but he does have his drawbacks. Namely, someone please tell me what Lee will average in NY next year (if he's even there still)? What if he stays a Knick and they sign Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson and one more guy? Now what will Lee average? What if the Knicks get Lebron? Now what does Lee average? It's an unknown for sure. A little bit of the same logic can be used on Kaman....what effect does Blake Griffin have on Kaman's numbers? Does Camby return? How do the 3 co-exist? Can they co-exist? And Westbrook's 2 biggest drawbacks are FG% and 3PT%. The kid is a stud and the #2 option in OKC right now. He has good ATO, can steal, rebounds well for a PG and can score. But he can't shoot a lick and this is the 2nd year with that trend. So, can he learn to shoot? What does OKC do this off season? So Rick has the keepers - but the ones he should move all come with question marks. I made an offer for Westbrook. Rick doesn't think it's enough. My question to him is - has he had a better offer for Westbrook? I don't know the answer to that. Does the offer I made him improve his team? That's up to him to decide - but I know it does address one of his weaknesses. Anyways, Rick has 2 weeks to decide the direction of his team for this season and next. With Juan's recent trade can anyone catch them? Should Rick be holding on to all his keepers?
Man, what a day....
I was warned about this monster trade via Timbo in the afternoon...when he said that Juan de Fuca just won the JBL. Once he texted me the details of the trade - I'm probably going to have to agree. But I do have some comments...
Juan CLEARLY got the better of this deal. He gets Okafor/Parker AND Monta Ellis. He gives up Brook Lopez, Jose Calderon AND Earl Watson. OK, seriously, was Earl Watson the key to this deal? Would it have gone down without him included in the package?? This is almost a 3 for 1 deal as Calderon is a shell of his former self. Anyways, on the surface we think HOLY COW this is sooo one-sided - and it is. However, the obvious category wins for Juan de Fuca really have no bearing on the current standings. We say wow, look at all the scoring and rebounds Juan gains. Well, actually, they're already 1st in both categories so he gains 0 points. Yes, Juan gains in steals and could move up 3-4 cspots adding Monta to his mix. Juan didn't gain any blocks as Brook has 85 and Okafor has 75. What about ATO? Did he really gain enough to move up? I haven't crunched the numbers so I don't really know. FG%? I'm assuming so. 3PT%? I don't think so as Monta jacks them up for 30%. So what did Juan really gain in here? We know for sure he has PTS and REBs wrapped up - but he did anyways. Let me say that Juan de Fuca is the clear favorite (at this point) to win the JBL title but this trade doesn't help them as much as it may appear. As for Idaho, with that bunch of players he's putting out there now he will be lucky to remain in 9th place. His goal is clear - he wants Lopez and Jennings for 10/11. Can he avoid falling in the standings though? We'll see.
And I see French and Brussels hooked up on a 3 for 1 deal. French is taking the chance on Kevin Martin and gave up Salmons, JR Smith, and Jonny Flynn. I can see this from both sides. French is hoping KMart can find his 20+ scoring form again while Brussels desperately needed depth and potential keeper(Flynn). Immediate help on its way for Brussels while French has to hope Martin turns it around.
Last night, after the Woo trade debacle, I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with Tricky Dick. We discussed the Woo blunder by hitting accept instead of reject. This has happened before in the JBL and Woo called me within 20 seconds of me reading the email that Lebron had been traded for David Lee and Richard Hamilton. When I read it, I knew it had to be a mistake. And it was. Even Rick had a chuckle over it - for a second or two anyways.
Rick and I discussed the JBL, the state of his team, the value of players, the value of keepers, life, Woo, trade offers, and other random things over the half hour. Awesome chat. Really enjoyed it. Unfortunately (for Rick), I wasn't willing to part with my guys and he wasn't willing to part with his. I think right now Rick is going through the classic phase when you over-value your own players. We all do it. I do it. You do it. The guys on your team, because they are on your team, are worth more than the what the rest of the league think their worth. Rick has a little bit of this right now (in my opinion). If he can get past it, then the trades will come.
Rick has the envious position of having 5 quality keepers to choose from. What he has to realize is that even if he wins the JBL title he can only keep 4 of them at most. So, he may as well move one of them anyways. In my books, Curry and Evans wouldn't go anywhere, they both appear to be studs in the making. Kaman, Lee, and Westbrook should be up for grabs though for the best offers. Lee seems like a good keeper but he does have his drawbacks. Namely, someone please tell me what Lee will average in NY next year (if he's even there still)? What if he stays a Knick and they sign Rudy Gay, Joe Johnson and one more guy? Now what will Lee average? What if the Knicks get Lebron? Now what does Lee average? It's an unknown for sure. A little bit of the same logic can be used on Kaman....what effect does Blake Griffin have on Kaman's numbers? Does Camby return? How do the 3 co-exist? Can they co-exist? And Westbrook's 2 biggest drawbacks are FG% and 3PT%. The kid is a stud and the #2 option in OKC right now. He has good ATO, can steal, rebounds well for a PG and can score. But he can't shoot a lick and this is the 2nd year with that trend. So, can he learn to shoot? What does OKC do this off season? So Rick has the keepers - but the ones he should move all come with question marks. I made an offer for Westbrook. Rick doesn't think it's enough. My question to him is - has he had a better offer for Westbrook? I don't know the answer to that. Does the offer I made him improve his team? That's up to him to decide - but I know it does address one of his weaknesses. Anyways, Rick has 2 weeks to decide the direction of his team for this season and next. With Juan's recent trade can anyone catch them? Should Rick be holding on to all his keepers?
Man, what a day....
Monday, January 25, 2010
More Thoughts
OK, I'm on a roll now...another blog post. Here we go...
- We saw a couple of big trades over the weekend. Let me tell you my thoughts on those. Golden trades Amare and Channing Frye to Boston for Dirk Nowitzki. If there was ever a case to be made that an NBA player knows where he plays in the JBL - Frye is the case. He was very much average (at best) for his short stay in Golden. The moment he gets moved out of town and into Pancake-land he erupts for 21pts and shoots 5/10 from downtown. There, point proven, NBA players know exactly where they stand in the JBL world. So, why did Golden do this deal? Well, I needed a 2 for 1 to get under the roster limits for starters. I also see Dirty Dirk as a slight upgrade on Amare (especially in ATO). Why did Boston do this deal? Well, I can think of a couple of reasons. Boston really doesn't have anyone as a potential keeper so there is the value in Frye. Amare and Dirk are similar but there are a couple of categories that Boston could push in with Amare on board - FG% and REBS - both of which Amare is stronger than Dirk in. And really, when you're in 12th and you can get Amare and another player with value for 1 player - why not - nothing else has really worked in Boston this year (and I'll bet Trevor never forgets his laptop cord ever again).
- Then we saw Brussels and Chilliwack hook up on a 5 player deal. Chilliwack gets Jamison and David West. I get this move for the Offs. Benny gets 2 top-quality forwards and there are rumors another deal is coming. As for why Brussels made this move - this is a little harder to figure out. Timmy gets Granger, Green, and McGrady. How on earth does Brussels move Jamison and West and not get a keeper in the deal? And come on, no one honestly thinks T-Mac for $6 bucks is an option for next season do they? Granger is $50 bucks and likely the best player in this deal but he certainly isn't a bargain at that price. Jeff Green, in my books, is having a disappointing season and is destined to be back in the JBL draft next season. Maybe Brussels is hoping he can move up so he can protect Durant and Rudy Gay (who I think is a bargain at $24 bucks keeper value by the way).
- We also got to see one half of a Tuna trade message posted to the entire league. It read a lot like jibberish, which I understand because I've been to Jibber and it's lovely there this time of year. So, who was that post supposed to be for?? He was offering Okafor, Parker and Richardson. Was it Arctic perhaps? Unknown....
- Looks like there is quite a group of potential waiver wire pickups this week. Yes, I'm gonna post them right here and let the cat out of the bag. But come on, you guys are sharp, I'm not revealing any super secrets here - we all watch the box scores. So, who's out there this week? How about Marcus Thornton becoming the starting SG in New Orleans? How about Udonis Haslem? What about Aaron Afflalo? Goran Dragic? Boobie Gibson? (Yes I know his name is Daniel - but you honestly didn't think I was going to pass up the chance to type 'boobie' did you?). Lots of choices out there this week. I expect all of them to go before the weekend. And let me throw one more out there...Anthony Tolliver in Golden State. He had back-to-back double doubles for an injury depleted Warriors team. Now, remember the last part of that...Warriors team. We, the normal thinking public, think that Tolliver's performances are fluke because he got those with all the injuries in GS...but then, think again, this is a team coached by Don Nelson who loves to play weird line-ups and seems to get boners off of the odd NBDL guy. So, watch what Tolliver does this week and see if he's worth a flyer.
- So we've seen some of the top teams make some significant moves over the last couple of weeks. Juan, Golden, and the Wack have made some drastic changes. Will French, Bangkok, and Arctic respond? What about the 7th place team - Seoul? Which way will he go? He either has to cash in his chips and make a big move to get back in the race or he throws in the towel and trades Lebron and focuses on 2010/11.
- Speaking of 2010/11 - my #1 ranked keeper, Marc Gasol, had one of those nights that can give a grown man a big chubby. 19pts, 8rebs, 4stl, 3blks, 5/8FG....oh yeah, that's it baby, just like that...
- With the JBL keeper deadline 3 Sunday's away (Feb 14th) - what kind of last minute activity will we see? There are a couple of factors at play here. The first is that this is Valentine's Day and I'm thinking that some of the guys won't be online all night making those last minute deals. Secondly, I think that some of the teams have already blown their wads and might make a run with what they have (ie. Golden). Juan de Fuca still has a nice shiny Mercedes (Brook Lopez) just waiting for a rich SOB to come in and not even look at the sticker price and just say "I'll take it" without even worrying about what it costs him. The big question remains will Arctic, French, and especially Bangkok make a big move. Bangkok, I think, has the most chips to play. He has 5 legit top keepers for next season and has to make a move...doesn't he? And finally, the team with maybe the biggest chip to play is still Seoul. He has Lebron and Lebron may just have the keys to the storage locker where the JBL keeps its championship trophy. What Philly Woo decides to do with Lebron could ultimately decide the fate of the JBL title. Who will step up with the best offer? I know I don't have the chips for the King so I look forward to hearing about all the offers. It should be exciting. The worst part (or best part) for me is that I will be in Orlando from Feb 11th to Feb 26th enjoying some well-deserved R&R and I won't be privy to that last weekend prior to the keeper deadline. But I know Philly Woo will make it exciting. I know it...
Well, that's all for now...other than I am very pleased with the Golden squad tonight. I had a good night with my 9 guys and that was without my big 2 studs (Dirk and Bosh) playing tonight. As predicted, my ATO took a tumble...but everything else was just fine. Cheers.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Updated Keepers List
So, it's been a couple weeks since my first Keeper Rankings and I thought I should update it since a few new guys have his the scene. In my first rankings I really wanted to focus on the cheaper guys who could provide some really good value - this time I think I'll just focus on the "best of the best". Here we go...
#10 - Danilo Gallinari ($7 keeper value)
#9 - Brandon Jennings ($11)
#8 - Chris Kaman ($14)
#7 - Tyreke Evans ($18)
#6 - Kevin Love ($17)
#5 - Monta Ellis ($24)
#4 - Kevin Durant ($43)
#3 - Nene ($12)
#2 - Brook Lopez ($11)
#1 - Marc Gasol ($13)
Moving In - Durant, Ellis, and Love. Seriously, check out their numbers...amazing
Moving Out - Frye, Westbrook, and Bargnani. Frye was demoted to 2nd string, Westbrook cannot shoot, and Bargnani just can't measure up to the Love-man.
#10 - Danilo Gallinari ($7 keeper value)
#9 - Brandon Jennings ($11)
#8 - Chris Kaman ($14)
#7 - Tyreke Evans ($18)
#6 - Kevin Love ($17)
#5 - Monta Ellis ($24)
#4 - Kevin Durant ($43)
#3 - Nene ($12)
#2 - Brook Lopez ($11)
#1 - Marc Gasol ($13)
Moving In - Durant, Ellis, and Love. Seriously, check out their numbers...amazing
Moving Out - Frye, Westbrook, and Bargnani. Frye was demoted to 2nd string, Westbrook cannot shoot, and Bargnani just can't measure up to the Love-man.
Pull the Trigger
OK, I pulled the trigger. I traded the Kid, Double-Nickel, whatever you want to call Mr. Jennings. He's gone. He's off to Idaho in exchange for Amare Stoudamire and Chris Duhon. Why did I do it? Well, something had to change for the Golden squad if I am to try and climb back in the race.
But Johnny, you were only 13.5 points behind Juan de Fuca when Saturday night wrapped up???
Yes, but Juan is still improving in many categories and I have to try and do something with my own team to keep up. (by noon on Sunday the lead was up to 33 points).
So...I went back to a deal that I really didn't want to begin with. Surprisingly, there were many other options...Idaho proposed another offer I was interested in...Andre Miller and Emeka Okafor for Jennings. This was pretty good because I would be able to replace Jennings ATO in this deal. However, it didn't have the 'star' power I wanted.
I tried Brussels on to see if he wanted to grab Jennings. No dice. I was looking for maybe Gay and one other. I tried Gay and Webster. Nope. I tried Gay and Alston. Nope. Why was it difficult for Tim to pull the trigger? I can think of two main reasons....
1) If he doesn't improve on his 11th place in the standings he will only be able to keep 1 player anyways (that will be Durant) so he wouldn't be able to keep Jennings.
2) He only has $1 free agent dollar left so if he traded away 2 players he would have to play guys like Boykins or Brockman. (poor team FA$ management?)
OK, I buy those theories...but shouldn't there be other factors involved??
How about pulling the trigger and then making a secondary trade??? You're telling me he couldn't make a 2 for 1 deal the other way where he could've moved Kevin Martin or Jamison or Gay?
So, with Brussels out of the equation, I had to resort back to Idaho. Over comes Amare and Duhon. Why Chris Duhon?? Because I have to try and replace Jennings' ATO somehow. Yes, Duhon currently sucks. However, the Knicks could shake their roster up by the trade deadline and Duhon could have Fantasy relevance again in the future.
So, with this deal I am now left with 1 too many players and will have to make a secondary move. I'm OK with trying to pull a 2 for 1 the other way. Personally, I would think Channing Frye (despite his recent demotion to the 2nd unit in Phoenix) still has some keeper value/potential. What if Phoenix moves Amare? What if Amare doesn't re-sign? Frye has shown he can play. I know he's not an All-Star or anything - but he is Fantasy relevant. Shouldn't some other JBL teams have interest in him? And if I paired him with say....Carl Landry or Shaq...shouldn't a Frye/Landry or Frye/Shaq combo be intriguing?
Take Brussels for example - he's trotting out Andray Blatche and Tyson Chandler as his centres currently. His bench options include Jon Brockman and Earl Boykins. Wouldn't Frye and Landry be better options? Who would you rather have - Frye/Landry or Jamison/Chandler? Keeping in mind of course that Chandler was/is injured and his potential replacement is Jon Brockman. (so really it's 2 for 1 because Chandler and Brockman give you nothing!) Oh vey.
Anyways, I have less than 24 hours to make a 2 for 1 deal and I may have found 3 potential partners. These would be much larger deals however. Without much detail, I will say I have approached Belgrade, Idaho, and Boston with multiple deal offers. Some of those deals include Amare Stoudamire - who may end up not playing a single game in Golden.
So what is the best keeper approach? Can't say I've had to employ mine very often over the years...but I know what I would be trying to do...
1) Get as many good potential keepers as I could while trying to maintain my position in the standings.
2) If I can't move up anymore, then I would be trying to get those good keepers away from the other teams so they can't be protected. In this case, do we really want to see Bangkok get to keep all of the guys he wants?? For example, I'd rather see Boston make a trade with Bangkok to get Tyreke Evans out of there...so even if Boston finishes last and can't protect a single player - at least Bangkok can't protect Evans now. (This is the old dating theory of "If I can't have her, then no one else can either" - Then you tell all your male friends she's got a cock so they stay away). And if you're Bangkok - wouldn't you be willing to sacrifice Evans if you could make a run at the JBL title? So, even if your 10th, 11th, or 12th in the JBL standings - I think you can still have a major impact on the JBL rosters. And if you are Boston, isn't it worth a shot to get at least 1 protectable player on your roster just in case you do move up??
Anyways, there will be plenty of more deals...I know it. I feel it in my bones.
But Johnny, you were only 13.5 points behind Juan de Fuca when Saturday night wrapped up???
Yes, but Juan is still improving in many categories and I have to try and do something with my own team to keep up. (by noon on Sunday the lead was up to 33 points).
So...I went back to a deal that I really didn't want to begin with. Surprisingly, there were many other options...Idaho proposed another offer I was interested in...Andre Miller and Emeka Okafor for Jennings. This was pretty good because I would be able to replace Jennings ATO in this deal. However, it didn't have the 'star' power I wanted.
I tried Brussels on to see if he wanted to grab Jennings. No dice. I was looking for maybe Gay and one other. I tried Gay and Webster. Nope. I tried Gay and Alston. Nope. Why was it difficult for Tim to pull the trigger? I can think of two main reasons....
1) If he doesn't improve on his 11th place in the standings he will only be able to keep 1 player anyways (that will be Durant) so he wouldn't be able to keep Jennings.
2) He only has $1 free agent dollar left so if he traded away 2 players he would have to play guys like Boykins or Brockman. (poor team FA$ management?)
OK, I buy those theories...but shouldn't there be other factors involved??
How about pulling the trigger and then making a secondary trade??? You're telling me he couldn't make a 2 for 1 deal the other way where he could've moved Kevin Martin or Jamison or Gay?
So, with Brussels out of the equation, I had to resort back to Idaho. Over comes Amare and Duhon. Why Chris Duhon?? Because I have to try and replace Jennings' ATO somehow. Yes, Duhon currently sucks. However, the Knicks could shake their roster up by the trade deadline and Duhon could have Fantasy relevance again in the future.
So, with this deal I am now left with 1 too many players and will have to make a secondary move. I'm OK with trying to pull a 2 for 1 the other way. Personally, I would think Channing Frye (despite his recent demotion to the 2nd unit in Phoenix) still has some keeper value/potential. What if Phoenix moves Amare? What if Amare doesn't re-sign? Frye has shown he can play. I know he's not an All-Star or anything - but he is Fantasy relevant. Shouldn't some other JBL teams have interest in him? And if I paired him with say....Carl Landry or Shaq...shouldn't a Frye/Landry or Frye/Shaq combo be intriguing?
Take Brussels for example - he's trotting out Andray Blatche and Tyson Chandler as his centres currently. His bench options include Jon Brockman and Earl Boykins. Wouldn't Frye and Landry be better options? Who would you rather have - Frye/Landry or Jamison/Chandler? Keeping in mind of course that Chandler was/is injured and his potential replacement is Jon Brockman. (so really it's 2 for 1 because Chandler and Brockman give you nothing!) Oh vey.
Anyways, I have less than 24 hours to make a 2 for 1 deal and I may have found 3 potential partners. These would be much larger deals however. Without much detail, I will say I have approached Belgrade, Idaho, and Boston with multiple deal offers. Some of those deals include Amare Stoudamire - who may end up not playing a single game in Golden.
So what is the best keeper approach? Can't say I've had to employ mine very often over the years...but I know what I would be trying to do...
1) Get as many good potential keepers as I could while trying to maintain my position in the standings.
2) If I can't move up anymore, then I would be trying to get those good keepers away from the other teams so they can't be protected. In this case, do we really want to see Bangkok get to keep all of the guys he wants?? For example, I'd rather see Boston make a trade with Bangkok to get Tyreke Evans out of there...so even if Boston finishes last and can't protect a single player - at least Bangkok can't protect Evans now. (This is the old dating theory of "If I can't have her, then no one else can either" - Then you tell all your male friends she's got a cock so they stay away). And if you're Bangkok - wouldn't you be willing to sacrifice Evans if you could make a run at the JBL title? So, even if your 10th, 11th, or 12th in the JBL standings - I think you can still have a major impact on the JBL rosters. And if you are Boston, isn't it worth a shot to get at least 1 protectable player on your roster just in case you do move up??
Anyways, there will be plenty of more deals...I know it. I feel it in my bones.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Playing for 2nd?
What a difference 10 days make. After Juan and Brussels made their deal...the Yo Mamas have sky rocketed into 1st place and have almost a 100 point lead. And they still have room to move in steals and blocks. With the way Juan is stealing they could actually even catch the French Lick squad in steals. With 11 weeks to go I honestly don't feel like anyone can catch them. Now, that being said, there are still plenty of moves potentially out there...so someone has to be able to make a run...don't they???
Have I made a worse deal than Frye for Aldridge??? Frye obviously hates Golden and has since been benched in Phoenix. The numbers are frikkin' unreal. Check it out his numbers...
In Golden - 4ppg, 4reb, 20 FG%, 23% from downtown
In Belgrade - 12ppg, 6reb, 45 FG%, 40% 3PT%, 1 blk per game
I was thinking I had a potential keeper in Frye for $1 buck. But clearly he is crapola now and has lost his job to Robin Lopez - who, by the way - must be signed for big bucks tonight. He posted 20 and 7 against his brother tonight. Robin can also block some shots. I expect him to go for BIG dollars in tonight's waiver wire frenzy.
I have had some offers for Jennings this past week...some damn good ones too. And surprisingly they were from Idaho. In most cases too, I would have made the deal as his 2 offers were both quite good. In fact, I will say that he offered Amare Stoudamire for Jennings straight up. So why didn't I do it??? Numerous reasons...
1. My weakest cats are 3PT%, ATO, and steals. Amare does not help me in any of those. If I made the deal I would be worse off in ATO and lose on steals as well. But Johnny - he scores so much more! Um, no, he doesn't. Amare is 20ppg and Jennings is 18ppg. That's 2 points per game over the next 40 games. That's 80 points only. Not enough.
2. What categories does Amare significantly help me in then? Rebounds? Yes, but there is no guarantee I would catch Seoul or Bangkok in rebounds. FG% - would I really be able to move up here? Unknown.
3. Why am I trading a great keeper if I honestly don't think I can catch Juan de Fuca? I'm not loaded with cheap talent as it is so why would I move one of the top keepers? My current keeper crop is thin with Jennings, maybe Deng, maybe Casspi, unlikely Frye now, and who else??? There isn't much there for next season at all.
So, unless someone really wows me with a great offer I may just hold on to Jennings. He's been a bit better since Redd's been out with injury anyways (other than FG% - note his 5/21 tonight). So, we'll see.
My center situation in Golden is desperate. Basically they all suck at the moment. The most serviceable guy is Shaq. Gulp. How hard was that to say?
Can Boston actually catch Brussels?? They were only separated by 2 points for a minute there the other night. I believe Tim's plan is to protect Durant (no brainer). Can he move up in the standings? I think he still could if his guys get hot and stay HEALTHY.
So what other top 7 team has a chance of making a run???
Can Bangkok pull the trigger on a major move??
Can Chilliwack pull off a big deal - maybe involving Lebron for Marc Gasol??? (Rumors)
Can French Lick get healthy?
Can Arctic get some steals and blocks?
So Juan de Fuca has made their big move...who will be next?
I think the teams with the most potential to make that move are Bangkok and Chilliwack. Why? Because they have the best cheap talent. Bangkok is loaded with youngsters that could be protected...he has to make a move to sacrifice some of it to make a run. He needs 3PT% and steals!!! And Chilliwack has Marc Gasol. Could Gasol and pieces be enough to get Lebron if Woo throws in the towel? Will Woo throw in the towel? Is it in his fibre to do that?
Here's a question for you...is Lebron worth keeping for $83 bucks or whatever it is? I honestly think he is. We used to have 5-6 guys every year go for $100+ bucks. And he is clearly the #1 Fantasy player in any format. Seriously, look at his numbers...
30ppg, 8AST, 7REB, 67 STL, 42 BLK, 2.168 ATO, 51% FG, 36% 3PT
There is no one better. Last year you could argue Wade, Paul, or Howard were maybe close...this year, no one is better. Absolutely no one. Think about this...Lebron has scored more points than Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined!!!!
There is just over 4 weeks until the keeper deadline...something has to happen. Who will make the next big move? Can Juan be caught? Seriously, can he? Who are the best keepers??? Remember a couple weeks ago when I had Channing Frye in my top 10??? Well, that certainly wouldn't be the case anymore now would it?? So, if you can't win and you can't get into the money - shouldn't you be doing everything you can do to prepare for the 20th season of JBL Fantasy basketball? Now, that being said, what if you sell the farm and slip into the nether regions of the standings and you can't protect anyone at all? For example, is Boston really in a position to sell off Dirk or Wade? If he gets worse in the trade and he can't get out of 12th then he won't be able to keep anyone anyways....soooooo, what does he do?
Oh the questions...
Oh the fun ahead...
The JBL is in a bit of a lull right now because of what Juan de Fuca has done over the last week. I know he's taken the wind out of my sails with his strong performance. But, that being said, injuries can happen...NBA trades can happen....and the JBL keeper deadline can happen. There hasn't been much in terms of trade action over the past week or so...but that should change. Stay tuned boys, things will heat up again very soon...
Have I made a worse deal than Frye for Aldridge??? Frye obviously hates Golden and has since been benched in Phoenix. The numbers are frikkin' unreal. Check it out his numbers...
In Golden - 4ppg, 4reb, 20 FG%, 23% from downtown
In Belgrade - 12ppg, 6reb, 45 FG%, 40% 3PT%, 1 blk per game
I was thinking I had a potential keeper in Frye for $1 buck. But clearly he is crapola now and has lost his job to Robin Lopez - who, by the way - must be signed for big bucks tonight. He posted 20 and 7 against his brother tonight. Robin can also block some shots. I expect him to go for BIG dollars in tonight's waiver wire frenzy.
I have had some offers for Jennings this past week...some damn good ones too. And surprisingly they were from Idaho. In most cases too, I would have made the deal as his 2 offers were both quite good. In fact, I will say that he offered Amare Stoudamire for Jennings straight up. So why didn't I do it??? Numerous reasons...
1. My weakest cats are 3PT%, ATO, and steals. Amare does not help me in any of those. If I made the deal I would be worse off in ATO and lose on steals as well. But Johnny - he scores so much more! Um, no, he doesn't. Amare is 20ppg and Jennings is 18ppg. That's 2 points per game over the next 40 games. That's 80 points only. Not enough.
2. What categories does Amare significantly help me in then? Rebounds? Yes, but there is no guarantee I would catch Seoul or Bangkok in rebounds. FG% - would I really be able to move up here? Unknown.
3. Why am I trading a great keeper if I honestly don't think I can catch Juan de Fuca? I'm not loaded with cheap talent as it is so why would I move one of the top keepers? My current keeper crop is thin with Jennings, maybe Deng, maybe Casspi, unlikely Frye now, and who else??? There isn't much there for next season at all.
So, unless someone really wows me with a great offer I may just hold on to Jennings. He's been a bit better since Redd's been out with injury anyways (other than FG% - note his 5/21 tonight). So, we'll see.
My center situation in Golden is desperate. Basically they all suck at the moment. The most serviceable guy is Shaq. Gulp. How hard was that to say?
Can Boston actually catch Brussels?? They were only separated by 2 points for a minute there the other night. I believe Tim's plan is to protect Durant (no brainer). Can he move up in the standings? I think he still could if his guys get hot and stay HEALTHY.
So what other top 7 team has a chance of making a run???
Can Bangkok pull the trigger on a major move??
Can Chilliwack pull off a big deal - maybe involving Lebron for Marc Gasol??? (Rumors)
Can French Lick get healthy?
Can Arctic get some steals and blocks?
So Juan de Fuca has made their big move...who will be next?
I think the teams with the most potential to make that move are Bangkok and Chilliwack. Why? Because they have the best cheap talent. Bangkok is loaded with youngsters that could be protected...he has to make a move to sacrifice some of it to make a run. He needs 3PT% and steals!!! And Chilliwack has Marc Gasol. Could Gasol and pieces be enough to get Lebron if Woo throws in the towel? Will Woo throw in the towel? Is it in his fibre to do that?
Here's a question for you...is Lebron worth keeping for $83 bucks or whatever it is? I honestly think he is. We used to have 5-6 guys every year go for $100+ bucks. And he is clearly the #1 Fantasy player in any format. Seriously, look at his numbers...
30ppg, 8AST, 7REB, 67 STL, 42 BLK, 2.168 ATO, 51% FG, 36% 3PT
There is no one better. Last year you could argue Wade, Paul, or Howard were maybe close...this year, no one is better. Absolutely no one. Think about this...Lebron has scored more points than Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined!!!!
There is just over 4 weeks until the keeper deadline...something has to happen. Who will make the next big move? Can Juan be caught? Seriously, can he? Who are the best keepers??? Remember a couple weeks ago when I had Channing Frye in my top 10??? Well, that certainly wouldn't be the case anymore now would it?? So, if you can't win and you can't get into the money - shouldn't you be doing everything you can do to prepare for the 20th season of JBL Fantasy basketball? Now, that being said, what if you sell the farm and slip into the nether regions of the standings and you can't protect anyone at all? For example, is Boston really in a position to sell off Dirk or Wade? If he gets worse in the trade and he can't get out of 12th then he won't be able to keep anyone anyways....soooooo, what does he do?
Oh the questions...
Oh the fun ahead...
The JBL is in a bit of a lull right now because of what Juan de Fuca has done over the last week. I know he's taken the wind out of my sails with his strong performance. But, that being said, injuries can happen...NBA trades can happen....and the JBL keeper deadline can happen. There hasn't been much in terms of trade action over the past week or so...but that should change. Stay tuned boys, things will heat up again very soon...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Randoms...
Well, it looks like Arctic and Juan de Fuca have taken over atop the JBL power rankings. There are 5 more teams out on the outskirts in the 700's. Then Yuma is mid-500's - quite the climb from his last place perch early in the season. Then we have Idaho, Brussels, Belgrade, and Boston in the 400's (which the first 3 of those occasionally peaking into the 500's for a moment or two).
Have you ever looked at your JBL team and thought.....what on earth can I do? Where do I go from here? That's how I feel right now with this Golden bunch. Yes, I'm in the thick of things but it just looks like things are slipping away sometimes.
Have you ever noticed that a JBL trade actually does affect a players performance sometimes?? Seriously. I acquire Channing Frye, who was healthy and happy in Belgrade, and he comes in puts up 0 FG's in his Golden debut. Hasn't had one of those all season long, he gets traded in the JBL and pulls that??? Come on, these NBA guys have to know they've been moved in the JBL - how else can it be explained?
Rumors out there indicate that a JBL Podcast will soon be posted to the site. The Belgrade Zombies owner, Marko, will be chiming in soon enough. And, I am scheduled for a mid-season review next week. Oh yeah.
Hmmm, big games from big men tonight in the Association.
Al Jefferson with 22 and 26
Dejuan Blair with 28 and 21
Jamison with 25 and 19
Dalembert with 12 and 21
Dirty Dirk with 30 and 16
How many of those guys are in Golden - not a one!
We are now just 5 Sunday's away from the keeper deadline. Who will be moved? Who has the balls to blow it up and grab those best keepers for next season? Does Chris Kaman's keeper value go up because he won't see a reduction in his performance this season now that Griffin is done for the year?
Houston and Minny going to triple-overtime right now and Luis Scola is planted on the bench. He's played 28 minutes (out of a possible 58 minutes). Why is he on the bench? Is he not a better offensive option than Chuck Hayes. I don't think you can make the argument that Hayes is a better defender or a better rebounder to go up against Big Al because Jefferson has 22pts and 26rebs. So why is Scola not playing?? I don't get it.
Has anyone had more bad luck this year than Brussels (I know French would argue)....but Brussels is the team that just moved Stephen Jackson for Michael Redd. S-Jax is another guy who suddenly lights it up once he's moved to Yuma (coincidence? I think not) and Redd blows out a knee in Brussels. Hmmmm.
Hey, look at that. Rudy Fernandez is back for PDX. That should help them. And how is Juwan Howard doing it?? He's 56 years old.
On paper, are the Milwaukee Bucks the least talented team in the league? Seriously, they start a rookie PG that 9 teams didn't want and who shoots under 40%. They have an Aussie center with a history of back troubles and whose peak numbers are likely 16 and 10. Then they start Charlie Bell, and 2 others named Ersan Ilyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. How many other teams do those 2 players start on?? Their bench is stacked with Jodie Meeks, Kurt Thomas, Luke Ridnour, Hakim Warrick, and others. Really? How has this team won 15 games and the NJ Nets only won 3?
Hey, a Scola sighting...good to see it took Chuck Hayes to foul out before he could get back in. Ugh. Aaron Brooks has 40 pts in that game. Wow, talk about under-rated PG's this season. Big Al has 26 and 26. When is the last time a player went 30 and 30?? Has Howard done it? I don't think so...I think this could be one of those things that hasn't happened since the days of Bill Russell. Maybe I'm wrong. Bill Simmons would know. Plus, I don't think Big Al will get there. Great game nonetheless.
Portland up by 30 on the Bucks in the 3rd quarter. Proves my earlier point I think.
So if you're the Raptors - what do you do with Chris Bosh at the trade deadline. This could go a couple of different ways....
1) Bosh tells you he will re-sign and you do nothing with him at the deadline
2) Bosh says he wants to test free agency but is willing to re-sign...this means they will have to look for a good trade or else look for a sign and trade in the off season.
3) Bosh says he wants to test free agency and makes no indication he wants to re-sign...this means you must trade him.
I believe there could be some truth to those Bosh to Houston rumors. The guy is from Texas and they could use another big man to play with Yao. And think, they could trade Scola to Toronto so the Raptors have the all-Euro team they want so badly and they can then become the worst defensive squad in the NBA. It all makes sense....so, start the rumor, Bosh to Houston for Scola and change.
I have 6 man games tonight and I scored 62 points...Aaron Brooks has 43 (and counting) all by himself. And that's why the Golden squad is in trouble.
That's all for tonight...I have been sooo busy at work that I just haven't had the time to devote to the JBL that I usually would like. It's like a mid-season crisis....where you don't have time, you hate your team, you have feelings like you just don't care, where you think 'fuck it, I'm gonna blow it up', I'm rambling...I'll go now.
Have you ever looked at your JBL team and thought.....what on earth can I do? Where do I go from here? That's how I feel right now with this Golden bunch. Yes, I'm in the thick of things but it just looks like things are slipping away sometimes.
Have you ever noticed that a JBL trade actually does affect a players performance sometimes?? Seriously. I acquire Channing Frye, who was healthy and happy in Belgrade, and he comes in puts up 0 FG's in his Golden debut. Hasn't had one of those all season long, he gets traded in the JBL and pulls that??? Come on, these NBA guys have to know they've been moved in the JBL - how else can it be explained?
Rumors out there indicate that a JBL Podcast will soon be posted to the site. The Belgrade Zombies owner, Marko, will be chiming in soon enough. And, I am scheduled for a mid-season review next week. Oh yeah.
Hmmm, big games from big men tonight in the Association.
Al Jefferson with 22 and 26
Dejuan Blair with 28 and 21
Jamison with 25 and 19
Dalembert with 12 and 21
Dirty Dirk with 30 and 16
How many of those guys are in Golden - not a one!
We are now just 5 Sunday's away from the keeper deadline. Who will be moved? Who has the balls to blow it up and grab those best keepers for next season? Does Chris Kaman's keeper value go up because he won't see a reduction in his performance this season now that Griffin is done for the year?
Houston and Minny going to triple-overtime right now and Luis Scola is planted on the bench. He's played 28 minutes (out of a possible 58 minutes). Why is he on the bench? Is he not a better offensive option than Chuck Hayes. I don't think you can make the argument that Hayes is a better defender or a better rebounder to go up against Big Al because Jefferson has 22pts and 26rebs. So why is Scola not playing?? I don't get it.
Has anyone had more bad luck this year than Brussels (I know French would argue)....but Brussels is the team that just moved Stephen Jackson for Michael Redd. S-Jax is another guy who suddenly lights it up once he's moved to Yuma (coincidence? I think not) and Redd blows out a knee in Brussels. Hmmmm.
Hey, look at that. Rudy Fernandez is back for PDX. That should help them. And how is Juwan Howard doing it?? He's 56 years old.
On paper, are the Milwaukee Bucks the least talented team in the league? Seriously, they start a rookie PG that 9 teams didn't want and who shoots under 40%. They have an Aussie center with a history of back troubles and whose peak numbers are likely 16 and 10. Then they start Charlie Bell, and 2 others named Ersan Ilyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. How many other teams do those 2 players start on?? Their bench is stacked with Jodie Meeks, Kurt Thomas, Luke Ridnour, Hakim Warrick, and others. Really? How has this team won 15 games and the NJ Nets only won 3?
Hey, a Scola sighting...good to see it took Chuck Hayes to foul out before he could get back in. Ugh. Aaron Brooks has 40 pts in that game. Wow, talk about under-rated PG's this season. Big Al has 26 and 26. When is the last time a player went 30 and 30?? Has Howard done it? I don't think so...I think this could be one of those things that hasn't happened since the days of Bill Russell. Maybe I'm wrong. Bill Simmons would know. Plus, I don't think Big Al will get there. Great game nonetheless.
Portland up by 30 on the Bucks in the 3rd quarter. Proves my earlier point I think.
So if you're the Raptors - what do you do with Chris Bosh at the trade deadline. This could go a couple of different ways....
1) Bosh tells you he will re-sign and you do nothing with him at the deadline
2) Bosh says he wants to test free agency but is willing to re-sign...this means they will have to look for a good trade or else look for a sign and trade in the off season.
3) Bosh says he wants to test free agency and makes no indication he wants to re-sign...this means you must trade him.
I believe there could be some truth to those Bosh to Houston rumors. The guy is from Texas and they could use another big man to play with Yao. And think, they could trade Scola to Toronto so the Raptors have the all-Euro team they want so badly and they can then become the worst defensive squad in the NBA. It all makes sense....so, start the rumor, Bosh to Houston for Scola and change.
I have 6 man games tonight and I scored 62 points...Aaron Brooks has 43 (and counting) all by himself. And that's why the Golden squad is in trouble.
That's all for tonight...I have been sooo busy at work that I just haven't had the time to devote to the JBL that I usually would like. It's like a mid-season crisis....where you don't have time, you hate your team, you have feelings like you just don't care, where you think 'fuck it, I'm gonna blow it up', I'm rambling...I'll go now.
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