October 16, 2006

NBA TV's Rick Kamla has been poring through hundreds of e-mails as part of today's Fantasy Frenzy. During the last week, people from around the world have submitted their fantasy basketball questions to Kamla, eagerly waiting a response.

Kamla is the host for NBA TV's "Living the Fantasy," a nightly, one-hour studio show that has become the ultimate guide for NBA fantasy basketball players. Kamla is also a weekly columnist on the NBA.com's Fantasy Resource Center. He has been involved in fantasy sports for more than 20 years.

Well here we are. The moment you all have been waiting for. Kamla has answered all sorts of fantasy basketball questions so go on and check out his responses below!

Jeff S. from San Francisco, Calif., USA asked:
I gotta say, Rudy Gay's numbers have surprised me. Do you think he can keep up this production into the regular season? Obviously with Gasol gone (injured), Gay will get some solid minutes. Are we looking at a Gerald Wallace type player or somebody who just plays well against the benches of other teams? Thanks Rick, keep up the good work!

Rick Kamla: Thanks for the kind words. I do think he has Gerald Wallace potential. I like him. He had a game with 3 blocks and three steals recently. Even if you do that once in a preseason game you're legit. If Jerry West trades for you, and trades an Olympian, that says something.

Eric from Beaverton, Ore., USA asked:
Where should Shaq be taken in fantasy drafts?

Rick Kamla: I have him 50th overall in an eight category league and eight among centers, the end of the fifth round. Shaq I love you, but you miss games. It's just fantasy business: 59 games last year, 73 the year before. That's good attendance. Matthew Berry crushes Shaq, and he comes back with I love to crush Kobe, but Shaq puts it on cruise control, I can't put him ahead of Amare, Ilgauskas and the rest of those guys.

Barry from Buffalo, Minn., USA asked:
Which player will make the biggest impact on a new team?

Rick Kamla: Good question. Let's take a look ... Ben Wallace might be our answer here. Guys don't change teams that often. I love the feud with he and flip, that's gonna be great all year. Ben hasn't had the best run of coaches, has he. I'm gonna go Ben... Charlie V and TJ Ford are good ones. I loved that trade. They're good fits for each team. Ford's gonna be great with Toronto. Charlie V. is gonna be great, blocks, steals and threes.

Matt from Sacramento, Calif., USA asked:
Hey Rick, ready to get the fantasy season started again. I drafted J.R. Smith, but i dropped him for Mickael Pietrus after i found out he's the starting small forward for GS. Should i keep Pietrus, or pick up J.R. Smith, Jarrett Jack, Martell Webster, Rodney Carney, or Ronnie Brewer?

Rick Kamla: I don't think Smith or Pietrus belong on teams to start the season. I think they're pickup guys. Jack has the most upside of the guys Matt's talking about. Pietrus got a lot of starts last year and was underwhelming. Despite Nellie, Foyle and Murphy in the post, they're all offensive guys and he wants Pietru to run and defend. I don't know how many shots will be there for him. Jack could be nice in Portland.

David from Hamden, Conn., USA asked:
Who has the best chance of taking the next step in terms of fantasy value: Josh Howard, Tyson Chandler or Caron Butler?

Rick Kamla: Caron. Josh is who he is, Tyson is who he is. Butler first half to second half took off... they know what they want from him in Washington, I love Caron Butler. I have Butler 43rd overall, which is higher than most people.

Tyler from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada asked:
I got the last pick in a 12-team league, which means I also have the 13th pick, and I was wondering what direction I should go? Is it better to stack up my frontline with a solid center and a stud forward, or is a young point guard like Chris Paul a better move? Judging from the direction of last year's draft, guys I'd be looking at would be Yao, Brand, Bosh or the aforementioned Paul. Any ideas?

Rick Kamla: I think he needs to go big and small, the bigs'll be gone by the time they get back to him ... Brand, Yao, Duncan and Bosh that he should be looking for with his first pick. And then with Chris Paul, he should be next. I think he would be there at 13. If not Paul, then a Ray Allen and Steve Nash. If you can leave with Brand and Paul, you'd be in phenomenal shape.

Martin from Olpe, Germany asked:
What do you think ... which second-rounder will make the biggest impact in his first season? I think Steve Novak and maybe even Ryan Hollins will impress their teams.

Greetings from Germany,
Martin

Rick Kamla: He's killin' me, because this is a reality question, not a fantasy question. I don't think there is a second rounder taken in the Draft that'll do anything fantasy-wise.

Bert from New York, N.Y., USA asked:
Also, what do you expect of the three way dance in the Boston backcourt: Delonte West, Sebastian Telfair, and the emerging Rajon Rondo?

Rick Kamla: It's the million dollar question of the preseason. Doc Rivers went on record yesterday saying bad news for Delonte, Rondo has played so spectaculary, Rondo played his way into minutes and West out of minutes. He's an Alvin Robertson type, had points, rebounds, assists and steals. Sebastian Telfair, I love him, but I don't know if he'll get 35 minutes. It's crowded in the backcourt.

Keith from Bergenfield, N.J., USA asked:
Hey Rick, I have the 12th pick in a 16 team fantasy league. Who do you think is the best possible player that i can get? I really want Chris Paul, but he'll eventually get taken at top 10. I have the wrap around pick also at 21 so I need some advice man. Thanks.

Rick Kamla: Let's just take a look at the trusty top 100 ... at 16 I have Ray-Ray, Ray Allen, this guy will get two very good guys. It's a deep league, if you can't get a good team in fantasy these days, you're not trying. I'd target Nash, Yao -- I have Yao at 12 -- I would go safer like Ray Allen or Tim Duncan. I'll get someone who'll be a stud, sans injuries. You need a big and a small, late in the first early in the second.

Scott from Davis, Calif., USA asked:
I could use some insight on who to keep in my keeper league. It comes down to these choices. Ben Wallace or Nenad Krstic? Rip Hamilton or Tony Parker? They will play along side Lebron James, Ray Allen, and Brad Miller.

Rick Kamla: I get the plus-30 or below-30, it's not like Ben is 37 either. It's not even close. Ben. And Parker over Rip, TP, he's younger, he broke out and had his best year last year. I think Rip's a real nice player ... Rip is at 30, and Parker is 10 places ahead of him. So, Parker.

Michael K. from Portland, Ore., USA asked:
Who would you rather take as a late round PG: Deron WIlliams or Sebastian Telfair? I see Deron as the safer bet , but my heart's tellin me to go with Bassy... maybe it's just my Portland roots.

Rick Kamla: It's Williams, he's for sure the starter in Utah. Williams will get his 30-plus minutes, down 15 pounds in great shape. He should get the burn. I think Telfair will be in a minutes squeeze in Boston. Fantasy players will be frustrated with Boston because of the squeeze. A lot of players in the 20s in Boston.

Richard from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia asked:
Who do you think would be the top 3 rookies that you would expect to be the "fantasy beasts" this year?

Rick Kamla: Brandon Roy is No. 1, he's guaranteed to play 30 plus minutes with Portland, guaranteed. He's my only rookie in my top 100. I would put Gay No. 2, he's a high riser, he's really opening my eyes in the preseason. You can't assume numbers in the preseason, but when a guy goes off like that, he's a baller. I'd go Bargnani No. 3, but I don't know if you know this, he'll be the backup center, so he should have forward-center eligible from Day 1.

Kamla: Freaks, that's it for this half-hour. I'll be on NBA TV at Noon and back on .com at 1:30 to do a live, broadband chat. Join us.