J-Mo's 2010-11 Fantasy Draft Rankings

With the preseason in full swing, that in turn means the start of the fantasy NBA drafts. Some of you may already be playing fantasy football and wondering if you have time for fantasy basketball, and all I can say to you is there is always time for fantasy sports.

We are going to break down the top 10 for each position and I will give you a little information about the player and his pros and cons. So, without further ado, let’s get the 2010-11 fantasy basketball season kicked off with a bang.
POINT GUARDS
1) Chris Paul The thing that worries me the most about Paul is his attitude. We all know he isn’t happy in New Orleans, but we also know he is the unanimous No. 2 pick in fantasy basketball.
2) Deron Williams Williams is my No. 2 pick at PG because of his assists, which is what I want out of a PG. He doesn’t get enough steals and threess to make a case for him to be the No. 1 PG. He is still in an offense that suits him perfectly and I don’t see a problem taking him in the top five.
3) Rajon Rondo Rondo and the Celtics are going for another run at the league title, so there is no reason to think he won’t finish as a top-three PG. The truth is he is a triple-double threat every time he steps on the floor and I have no problems having him as my starting PG in any format.
4) Stephen Curry: Curry looked like an amazing rookie on a team that desperately needs him last season, but new Coach Keith Smart hurts his value slightly. Curry doesn’t get enough steals to be in the top three, but his assists are on par and his 3-pointers make him an elite PG in leagues that count threes.
5) Steve Nash After all these years, Nash is still a top-five PG for me. He will be without Amare Stoudemire and I am not crazy about his supporting cast, but talent is talent and Nash has lots of it.
6) Jason Kidd I personally put Kidd on my Do-No-Draft-List, but his stats (outside of FG percentage) make him a starting fantasy PG. He can still get a triple-double any given night, but that FG percentage pretty much tanks that stat for his owners.
7) Russell Westbrook I like Westbrook because he is playing with the No. 1 overall pick (Kevin Durant) and that makes him a little better than Derrick Rose. Westbrook will get many more chances to rack up the assists; so if you get him, feel confident heading into the season.
8) Derrick Rose Rose plays in a very talented Bulls offense and he is the most talented players on the roster. Rose will probably score more than any other PG in the league, but that also means he will get fewer assists and steals than the other starting PGs out there.
9) Chauncey Billups Billups has long been one of the best PGs in the NBA, and 2010 is no exception. However, with the possibility of losing Carmelo Anthony, and Kenyon Martin not happy, Billups is barely making the top 10 because of it.
10) Darren Collison Collison made a name for himself while filling in for Chris Paul last season and now he is with the Pacers. Collison will be running the offense alongside Danny Granger, and that will make him a prime sleeper candidate at PG. He is going to be bargain for someone.
Pacers Prospects
T.J. Ford Ford watched his chances of taking the starting PG spot go down in flames when the team traded for Collison this past off-season, but that doesn’t mean he has zero fantasy value now. Those in 14-team or deeper leagues need to keep an eye on Ford as he will come off the bench behind Collison and has shown the ability to score double digits when healthy.
SHOOTING GUARDS
1) Kobe Bryant I remember when Bryant was the undisputed No. 1 pick in any basketball draft, but those days are gone and Bryant is more in the 6-to-8 range. Bryant won’t dominate games anymore, but he will give you a little of everything.
2) Dwyane Wade I’m not one of the super excited people out there waiting to see how Wade and LeBron James share the shots this season. The truth is Wade has an injury history and James will take Wade from a 2,000 point scorer down to around 1,800 if we are lucky.
3) Tyreke Evans The drop from two to three at SG is fairly large, so be prepared. Evans gets the No. 3 slot for me because I think he provides the more well-rounded stats and shoots a little better than Monta Ellis at No. 4.
4) Monta Ellis The issue I have with Ellis is the new owners are willing to trade him and that could become a distraction as the season goes on. Ellis has some injury history, but when he is healthy and on his game, he is a top talent in Coach Don Nelson’s offense.
5) Joe Johnson Now, why in the world Johnson got a $121 million dollar contract is beyond me. He is going to give you just over 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal per game, but that’s it. He won’t go off for 30 on any given night, but he is reliable.
6) Stephen Jackson Jackson will be the focal point of the Bobcats offense and that is both a blessing and a curse. Jackson will give you 20 points, 5 rebounds and nearly 2 steals a night, but he also shoots just 42 percent from the field and turns the ball over just over 3.2 time-per-game. So, be aware and beware.
7) Brandon Roy Roy is on a talented Trail Blazers team and he won’t hurt you in any category really. His health is an issue for me, not to mention the lack of blocks, four boards, less than a steal per game, and a sub-80 free throw percentage.
8) Gilbert Arenas Agent Zero is officially back, but now he will play alongside phenom rookie John Wall. Arenas won’t be dropping 50 on the scoreboard again in his career, but I like him to finish with 20-plus points with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal a night.
9) Jason Richardson Richardson should end up being the main scorer on the Suns this season with Stoudemire gone. I am not going to jump on the breakout bandwagon, but he should be a solid SG to target in the fourth round.
10) O.J. Mayo Mayo has not missed a game in his career, which means you can put him in as your starting SG and never have to worry about an injury. He doesn’t do much more than score, so don’t take him until round five.
Pacers Prospects
Mike Dunleavy Dunleavy is finally healthy, is in a contract year and should win the starting SG job on opening night and I think he could be a nice sleeper pick this season. He is a value pick because you will likely get him late in the draft.
Brandon Rush Rush is suspended for the first five games of the season and is looking for the team to pick up his option for the coming season. So, like Dunleavy, he has every reason to put up career numbers this year. But, missing the first week of the season cost him a shot at the starting SG job and that could ultimately be his downfall with Dunleavy healthy and George looking like the future at SG. He isn’t worth drafting unless something happens on the depth chart.
SMALL FORWARDS
1) Kevin Durant There is going to be someone that takes James first overall, just make sure you aren’t the one. Durant will score over 2,500 points with 600-plus rebounds, 200-plus assists, 100-plus steals and should approach 100 blocks. He is my choice if I have the first overall pick in my draft.

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