Doubting Thomas

Rounding out our prospects who were MIA in 2007-2008 is the backup center of Brendan Haywood, who was not lost on our radar after recalling his heart problems and several fights of theirs during ordinary and routine scrimmages. FantasyTank concludes its section of last season's absentees with a cold bucket of water coming from the big man out of Syracuse University: Etan Thomas.

* Etan Thomas
* #36
* Forward-Center
* Washington Wizards
* Height: 6-10
* Weight: 260

Why you should get him:
FG% - Although he does not attempt a lot of shots (career 4.6 FG attempted/game), he knows how to operate down low, converting close to 54% over the past three season prior to his injury. You can't help but like the fact that he knows how to dominate against smaller opposition, as highlighted by his higher clip against teams without a dominant big man based on his season splits.

One block away - Thomas is always deferred to for his hustle and defense over his capability to score, and has always been the guy who will make life hard inside the paint. If reports are true that he is close to 100% after his heart surgery, then it will be a cardiac game for his opponents when the season goes underway.

Why you shouldn't get him:
Brendan Haywood's career year - Last year, Haywood finally brought the goods to the table, filling in nicely during Thomas and Gilbert Arenas' absence. The improvement looks to carry over this year, and his presence down low is more effective than Thomas, so expect Haywood to get a larger bulk of the minutes, unless Eddie Jordan sends in Haywood and Thomas together while sliding down Antawn Jamison to the 3 spot.

Foul-prone - One reason Thomas only stays around 20 minutes a game is that he is too pesky on defense, swarming his opponent and getting a lot of arm instead of the ball. Getting three fouls in such a short span of time is unhealthy and gets him sent to the bench, preventing him from maximizing his ability to block and alter shots down the lane.

Projected 08-09 statistics:
GP: 59
Ppg: 6.8
Rpg: 6.6
Apg: 0.6
Spg: 0.3
Bpg: 1.6
TOs: 0.8
FG%: 51.1
3sM: 0.0
FT%: 59.3



Verdict:
Methinks that Etan Thomas will go undrafted and will eventually be picked up when a couple of big men on your fantasy team go down with sustaining injuries.

Photo courtesy of Lakers Top Buzz

Stash the Stache

Coming off one mediocre season and missing what was supposed to be the sophomore year where he would redeem himself, this Gonzaga standout looks to make up for lost time. The longtime rival of J.J. Redick is back, hopefully with a vengeance to fall in the range of the fantasy radar once more. FantasyTank goes in depth with another Charlotte Bobcat looking to earn the respect of a No. 3 pick that he was: Adam Morrison.

* Adam Morrison
* #35
* Guard-Forward
* Charlotte Bobcats
* Height: 6-8
* Weight: 205

Why you should get him:
Larry Brown's system - With Coach Brown calling the reins, Morrison may struggle to get his minutes initially, as his mentor has a notorious reputation for choosing not to play young stalwarts (for reference, see the screw-up that was the 2004 Olympics). However, Coach Broown carries with him a defensive mentality, and we quote from his NBA.com Coach File: "You’ve got to share the ball, or play unselfishly. You’ve got to try to guard, make an effort to defend to the best of your ability. You have to rebound the ball, which was an area that was so critical. And they wanted you to play smart and have fun. I’ve tried to let our people understand those are the most important things that I could possibly tell them." With this mantra, expect Morrison to play harder into order to stay on the court. Hopefully, harder translates into more rebounds, assists, and steals.

Mike Miller potential - Morrison has never been labeled as an athletic player, and his knee injury will further hampen his lateral movement, as well as his to do sharp cuts towards the hoop and stop-and-starts. With this deficiency, he should be able to primarily focus on becoming a set shooter and trust on Raymond Felton to develop under Coach Brown's tutelage. Once Morrison regains trust in his stroke, look for a spike in his scoring. Tip: watch Mike Miller's highlights and see the ceiling of what Adam Morrison can actualize himself to be.

Why you shouldn't get him:
Percentages - In the same light that it is a possible positive, the reality is that Morrison came out of the gates on the wrong foot, leaving a negative impression upon the GM's who were constantly tracking his progress. In his rookie season, Morrison was forced to create his own shot, resulting in a dismal 37.6 FG% and a mortal 33.7 3Pt%. You would wish that his free throw shooting would compensate, but he only knocks down 7 out of every 10.

Useless hustle numbers - He averages less than half a steal and practically no blocks per game, to add to his paltry line of three rebounds. If Morrison hopes to give GM's any value for next year, he should improve his defensive prowess and hope to be more alert when it comes to guarding his opponents. GM's hope Coach Brown does something about Morrison's "laziness" on the defensive end.

Projected 08-09 statistics:
GP: 57
Ppg: 12.5
Rpg: 3.9
Apg: 3.7
Spg: 0.6
Bpg: 0.2
TOs: 1.9
FG%: 42.4
3sM: 1.8
FT%: 77.6



Verdict:
Methinks that Adam Morrison will be selected in the middle 14th round in 15-20 team leagues and go undrafted in smaller leagues. Expect him to be a picked up when he starts going on a scoring streak, but eventually dropped when he resumes his slumping ways.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

P.S. Today's blog was originally supposed to be about Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who only played a total of six games last season. However, in an ironic and timely twist of fate, he stole my thunder by retiring.

Project Livingston II

If the topic is about players returning from injuries, who could forget that Clipper guard who tore three out of four ligaments, all while attempting a finger roll? He has probably become the poster boy of what ESPN described as "graphic images", and nearly two years removed from that, he will try to return to the competitive level of the NBA. Today, FantasyTank discusses: Shaun Livingston.

* Shaun Livingston
* #14
* Point Guard
* Los Angeles Clippers
* Height: 6-7
* Weight: 182

Why you should get him:
Balanced statline - Prior to his injury, Livingston provided his team with nearly 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists, along with a steal to boot. He never lived up to the hype he received coming out of high school, but he will make a decent guard to fill in your roster with what he was able to produce. Take note: was.

Why you shouldn't get him:
The knee - Oh, it could happen again. It could. GM's, just knock on wood that it doesn't.

Uncertain future - As of press time, the Portland Trail Blazers (frontrunners), the Miami Heat, and the Minnesota Timberwolves have displayed interest in the lanky ballhandler. If he does stay in Lala Land, he will have a hard time finding his minutes relieving Baron Davis. Either way, cracking the rotation will be one tough nut unless he regains a semblance of his former self.

Projected 08-09 statistics:
GP: 48
Ppg: 7.5
Rpg: 2.6
Apg: 4.9
Spg: 1.0
Bpg: 0.4
TOs: 2.2
FG%: 44.0
3sM: 0.3
FT%: 69.6



Verdict:
Methinks that Shaun Livingston will go undrafted on most leagues due to the high risk involved. However, those who may take a risk on him as a 15th round pick may benefit from his assists. Look for him to continue providing one steal if he can continue keeping up with smaller but faster point guards.

Photo courtesy of CNN Sports Illustrated

Embattled Battie

With the continuous development of Orlando centerpiece Dwight Howard, many would wonder if there is room for another big alongside Superman over in Florida. Today, FantasyTank previews another player shaking off the rust, hoping to bring the Magic further from its Eastern Conference semifinal spot last year: Tony Battie.

* Tony Battie
* #4
* Forward-Center
* Orlando Magic
* Height: 6-11
* Weight: 240

Why you should get him:
Block party - True, Dwight Howard is the one Orlando turns to in patrolling the lanes, but with the return of Battie, you have two FC's who are capable of swatting a shot lobbed without caution. Battie has always been good for a block a game throughout his career, and should continue to do so once he steps onto the court this year. Playing time will not be a problem, as his only competitors for the job are Adonal Foyle and Marcin Gortat (who?).

Numbers correlate to Orlando's game result - Back in the 2006-2007 season, a win normally translates to a decent to noticeable performance from this big man, while a loss is equivalent to another one of those forgettable games. If this will be the trend once again coming into this season, then GM's can expect 40-something performances worth tacking onto the fantasy charts, give or take.

Why you shouldn't get him:
Lack of points - Battie has never been known as a scorer, only averaging a career-high 8.4 points per game in his 1997-1998 rookie season with the Nuggets. He will compensate in order ways such as minimal turnovers (for a big man) and FG%, but don't expect any offensive explosions, especially if the GM's goal is to win the points category.

Recovery rate - While Battie has been cleared to play as early as the playoffs last season, his rotator cuff (shoulder) surgery indicates that his performance could have been hampered and opted to sit it out. Like all other players returning from year-long injuries, it will be notable to track his progress over the course of the season.

Projected 08-09 statistics:
GP: 74
Ppg: 6.8
Rpg: 6.1
Apg: 0.7
Spg: 0.3
Bpg: 1.3
TOs: 0.8
FG%: 46.4
3sM: 0.0
FT%: 71.4



Verdict:
Methinks that Tony Battie should be an early 13th round pick in 15-20 team leagues and a late 15th round pick in 12-14 team leagues. He may be undrafted in smaller leagues and will be picked up when dropping a player, particularly a big man, midway in the season due to disappointing statistics or injuries.

Photo courtesy of Orlando Sentinel

May or May not

For the next few entries, FantasyTank scrutinizes players returning from injuries, prioritizing those who missed the entire of last season. We began with Darius Miles yesterday and continue with the fray of returnees. On today's hotseat: Sean May.

* Sean May
* #42
* Power Forward
* Charlotte Bobcats
* Height: 6-9
* Weight: 266

Why you should get him:
Bobcats' bare frontcourt - With his return, May automatically fills a gap that has doomed Charlotte last year in his absence. It would be hard imagining him not being the sixth man, backing up Emeka Okafor and Nazr Mohammed at different points of the game. New Head Coach Larry Brown himself said that May should be able to get ample playing time.

Learning curve - His statistical jump from his rookie to sophomore year is incremental at best, but he is improving in terms of shot selection. Proof: his FG% shot up from 40.9 in Year 1 to 50.0 in Year 2. He also has a scorer's mentality, proven by a seven-game streak where he averaged 17.7 points per game.

Boards - Before you criticize his 5.9 rebounds per game over his first two years, it would be critical to note that these came in a span of 21 minutes, give or take. Once Coach Brown gives him additional playing time, watch the rebounding numbers go up as well.

Why you shouldn't get him:
Recuperation period - May might get too giddy at the thought of getting his starting job back and could force the issue. If he tries to be too much upon returning from injury, it will definitely hurt your team. GM's take note.

Inconsistency - May may have one good game sandwiched between two bad ones, which may seem like a "mirage" to most GM's (think Ramon Sessions). Once the year begins, we will see whether he still falls into this habit or learns to play out of it.

Projected 08-09 statistics:
GP: 69
Ppg: 9.9
Rpg: 7.6
Apg: 2.0
Spg: 0.4
Bpg: 0.7
TOs: 1.8
FG%: 48.5
3sM: 0.0
FT%: 75.1



Verdict:
Methinks that Sean May should be an early 11th round pick in 15-20 team leagues and a late 13th round pick in 12-14 team leagues. He may be taken in the late 15th round or go undrafted in smaller leagues but could be one of the first to pick up when dropping a player early in the season.

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Observer

There's might be Miles left in the tank

After abandoning FantasyTank since the Pau Gasol trade, we would like to announce our return to the NBA scene as the 2008-2009 season draws nearer and nearer. We (re)kick off stuff by critiquing a player who took a longer hiatus than our website: Darius Miles.

* Darius Miles
* #23
* Small Forward
* Boston Celtics
* Height: 6-9
* Weight: 222

Why you should get him:
Sleeper pick - Miles is not really on anyone's radar right now, and if he were, he would be written off as "that dude who hasn't played in two years". On the contrary, career stats would show his stability and consistency on the floor in the six years he has played in the league since the turn of the millenium.

1-1 player - If he regains at least 80% of his former self, Miles is capable of proving a spot on your team with a decent steal and block per game. The risk involved here is the ever-present "big IF", where GM's (that means you) gamble on how much athleticism he still has on his legs coming into the season.

Why you shouldn't get him:
72 games max - Don't hate the player, hate the anti-drug program.

He's not James Posey - And he will not give you any three pointers. Don't count on it. And since Miles got his previous stats as a starter, being relegated to the bench will hurt, but you never know when Boston may alter the rotation and give him more minutes backing up Paul Pierce or Ray Allen.

His FT's suck - They do. Go to Y!Sports if you don't believe me. Career 58.6% from the line.

Projected 08-09 statistics:
GP: 64
Ppg: 7.7
Rpg: 3.9
Apg: 2.1
Spg: 1.0
Bpg: 0.8
TOs: 1.6
FG%: 44.2
3sM: 0.1
FT%: 55.6



Verdict:
Methinks that Darius Miles should be a 12th round pick in 15-20 team leagues and a 15th round pick in 12-14 team leagues. Undrafted in smaller leagues but one of the first to pick up when dropping a player.

UPDATE: The Celtics have dropped Miles, so stay tuned.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images