The Cheat Sheet: The return of Michael Redd makes him this week’s sleeper pick

By Eric Yearian

Recent News/Revelations: With NBA All-Star Weekend now in the books, it’s time to start the second half of the NBA season, and more importantly for this column, the stretch run for fantasy owners. Will your fantasy season fall flat like a Chris Paul Skills Challenge layup in the second half? The Cheat Sheet will try to make sure your team shines as brightly as Blake Griffin’s star after jumping a car on his way to a Sprite Slam Dunk Contest Saturday night. We’re still awaiting the conclusion of the long drawn out proceedings surrounding Carmelo Anthony, so not much new there, but one of the teams mentioned in Melo talks has entered a free fall of late. It’s known around the league that the last few games before the All-Star break can lead to teams dropping games to inferior opponents, but that can’t make Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers feel any better. The Lakers lost to the Bobcats (no surprise there, they typically struggle in Charlotte.) However, the loss to the lowly Cavaliers is much more alarming, as the Cavs were still without Anderson Varejao who is out for the season, and Mo Williams played only 3 minutes, meaning even a short-handed Cavaliers team was able to handle a Lakers team that is clearly flawed.

Sell High:

David Lee: An important part of putting together a quality fantasy roster is looking at player production and their trends. David Lee is, at least in most leagues, eligible at center, which is a weak position in fantasy. Playing a position that is seriously devoid of depth makes it difficult to deal Lee unless you are lucky enough to have a suitable option sitting on your bench. However, Lee’s rebounding numbers have been decreasing virtually every month this season, and while it’s certainly not out of the question for him to turn it around, there is no empirical evidence to suggest he will actually turn it around. Lee is not scoring enough (15 points per game) to make him a top center option, although he is certainly justifiably a starting option. He might actually be able to bring a pretty penny in trade in your league from a fantasy owner who is in need of help at the position.

Buy Low:JaVale McGee can do more than dunking two basketballs

JaVale McGee: So, McGee came up short in the dunk contest despite dunking two balls on two separate rims at the same time, and dunking three balls in one basket at one time, because Blake Griffin can, you know, jump a little bit. However, he’s still not getting as much play in fantasy as one might expect. If you watch Wizards games, or even just the nightly highlight reels you knew just how long and athletic he is, but now, the entire world knows that he is an athletic freak of a seven-footer. He’s been getting better as the season goes on. He’s getting playing time in Washington and trying to make the most out of it. In head-to-head leagues he will be a solid number two center. In rotisserie leagues he could be a valuable asset, though, as he will produce rebounds while also chipping in some points and even consistently contribute blocks as well, as he’s gone without a block in only 4 of 51 games this season.

Players you should avoid:

Peja Stojakovic: Whoa, Peja Stojakovic is back! Stojakovic dropped 22 points for the Mavericks the other night and was feeling it from deep, looking like the Stojakovic that Kings fans remember. He also will have every chance in the world to keep getting playing time with Caron Butler out with his injury, too. However, let’s face it, it is only one game. Don’t get too excited about it. He’ll give you a good game here or there, but he’s just too inconsistent to produce for fantasy owners. There are too many options ahead of him in Dallas, and he hasn’t produced on a consistent basis for years now. Plus, if he still had a lot left in the tank would he have bounced around New Orleans, Toronto, and Dallas this season?

Players you should be looking to pick up:

Michael Redd: There is a major caveat here: don’t expect much and only take a flier on Redd if you have the open roster spot. Redd has blown out his knee two consecutive years now and may be at the very tail end of his career due to that. Yet, he may be worth a pick if you have the roster spot because he’s a crafty scorer who has never relied on being a superior athlete to score, but rather utilizes a streaky jumpshot and smarts to get in position to hurt defenses. The other thing he has working in his favor? He is in a contract year. Because of his expiring contract, he’ll be trying to show he’s healthy so somebody will take a chance signing him for next season, and the Bucks will be looking to see if he’ll be worth resigning, so both parties will have a stake in getting him out on the court and in a position to succeed. It may be a little bit longer before he plays but he should be on your radar starting now.

Full Disclosure from last column: How did the players mentioned in the last column fare in the last column?
Manu resting will be more common post All Star Break
Sell High:Manu Ginobili: The Spurs are still on top of the league standings, and coach Popovich has from stretch. Against Washington, Manu played only 8 minutes, and despite the fact that he played over 30 minutes in the last two games before the all-star break, the last thing you want to have to worry about in the fantasy playoffs is your star guard getting a night off when you need him most. Be ready for Ginobili and Tim Duncan to both get rest periodically, especially as long as the Spurs continue to be on pace for a top seed in the playoffs. Final Verdict: Correct

Buy Low: Corey Brewer:  Brewer has been a steady player for the Timberwolves, despite being far from spectacular. He is a low end option, but he can give you some production. While his head-to-head value is limited, he can really help you out in rotisserie leagues as he produces across the board. He’s not going to carry your team, but he could be a solid contributor and could be the difference between a first place finish and ending up “the first loser”. Final Verdict: Correct

Player you should avoid: Evan Turner:  Well, Turner is rebounding, but that’s about it. He’ll have the occasional game where he will get a handful of assists, but over the last two games he’s racked up a total of zero assists. Without him scoring on a consistent basis, his stat lines add up to a whole lot of disappointment for not only the 76ers, but also fantasy owners. Final Verdict: Correct
 

Player you should be looking to pick up: Greg Monroe: Monroe is producing despite not getting very many shot attempts. You have to expect that as Detroit’s season goes down the drain they are going to get Monroe, who is already a fixture in the starting lineup, more opportunities and more looks at the basket in order to help develop his game and improve their future center in hopes that he can develop into a franchise player for years to come. As he gets the additional looks, his production will continue to go up, which will make all owners that have him on their rosters smile. He’s hovering around double digits in scoring and will chip in the occasional double-double and with his future prospects looking promising; he’s a guy everyone should consider.  Final Verdict: Correct