It’s not always easy to keep perspective. Like when the 410 lb. orca whale purchasing $30-worth of Burger King for himself double-checks with the cashier that the soda he was served is Diet. But we here at Razzball know how difficult maintaining perspective can be, especially when you’re drunk and trying to sketch moving objects. So from now until the start of the season, we’re bringing you the 2010 Fantasy Team Previews, which will focus on each NBA team in hopes of painting a clearer fantasy picture. Who’s starting over whom? Who might surprise you and who might make you want to hurl yourself off a bridge in a few months. Enjoy! Next up – The Philadelphia 76ers.
Gained – Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, Andres Nocioni, Darius Songalia
Lost – Samuel Dalembert, Allen Iverson, Jason Smith, Willie Green, Francisco Elson, Rodney Carney
Probable position depth –
PG – Jrue Holiday, Lou Williams
SG – Andre Iguodala, Evan Turner, Jodie Meeks
SF – Thaddeus Young, Jason Kopono, Andres Nocioni
PF – Elton Brand, Mareese Speights, Darius Songalia
C – Spencer Hawes, Tony Battie, Craig Brackins
3 Concerns Heading Into the Season –
1. If I had to choose one PG likely to go from off the radar last season to possible top 10 by season’s end, am I going with Darren Collison or Jrue Holiday?
Collison because he spent 2/5 of last season proving he could do it, while Holiday spent the first three months of the season being mistaken for Lou Williams by Eddie Jordan. Having said that, Holiday averaged 5.5/2/2.5 before the All-Star Break and 12/3.5/5.5 after it in twice as many minutes. He’ll have the full confidence of Doug Collins and the rest of his team and, after a summer’s worth of development, is expected to improve his efficiency. Look for 13.5/3.5/7, which would put him at just about the 10th or 11th best PG in the league.
2. Wait, why CAN’T Elton Brand be his 20/10 former self again?
He’s hurt all over (shoulder, knee), he’s getting older (31) and the Sixers are stacked at the PF/C position. Oh, okay. Just askin’. Hey, keep your chin up, little fella. Brand will still have his best season since 2006 and has been a 10th-round steal in many leagues. Gee willikers, mister No foolin’? Honest injun. Swell.
3. Over/under that Evan Turner at least matches his freshman output at Ohio State this season (8.5/4.5/2.5)?
Over. I don’t question why people are down on Turner this season, but I do question why they’re so quick to dismiss a guy who averaged 21/9/6 last season? Those are not stats of a kid that can’t learn and grow into a system. I wouldn’t recommend taking him in the seventh or eighth rounds as people have been doing with Anthony Randolph, but I would recommend them keeping a similar mindset for Turner as they have with Randolph. Even if Turner is a mess for three months while getting acclimated to the NBA, that’s about how long it took Stephen Curry. Turner isn’t going to explode right out of the box, but it seems pound-foolish to leave him for some other team to grab in the late rounds of your deep draft. It wouldn’t give me tummy trouble at all if he were to become a top 50 pick this time next season.
Fantasy Disappointment in ’10 – Evan Turner. I know, I know. This comes off as confusing and hypocritical to say what I said 1/4-inch above and then to call Turner a probable disappointment. Caress and slap. Lace and leather. Tough it out. Elton Brand almost took this distinction. Both Brand and Evans are being drafted near one another (Brand’s ADP on ESPN is 106, Turner’s is 111), but when people draft Brand at 106 it’s a cautious pick. When they draft Turner a few ticks later, it’s with hope for an upside worthy of the No.2 selection in this season’s NBA draft. So when Brand disappoints, no one will really feel all that slighted. When Turner disappoints, bottles of Heineken go through television screens.
Biggest Fantasy Contributor in ’10 – Andre Iguodala. Remember how good Iguodala was last year? He played almost 65 percent of his season at SF, where he had a 16 PER. He played 33 percent of his season at SG (where he will log most of his minutes this season) and averaged a PER of 21. Blackjack!
Deep Sleeper – Lou Williams. If Eddie Jordan can be excused for anything, it’s not knowing who the starting PG of his team should have been. While I do think Holiday is the correct way to go, if he happens to go down with an injury, I fully anticipate straining numerous ligaments in my leg during my mad dash to my computer and the fantasy leagues that reside there in an attempt to grab Screwy Louis and his 16/4/3.5 and 1.4 stls as a starter. You see, I would not have stretched before breaking into the sprint, as I would have no way of knowing that Holiday was about to become injured – unless I make the decision to stretch before and during each Sixers game this season. I will not likely do that.
