Comments on: The Leap http://www.fantasybasketblog.net/2006/01/19/the-leap/ A Fantasy Basketball Blog. Surprise. Sun, 20 Jul 2008 22:14:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: JM http://www.fantasybasketblog.net/2006/01/19/the-leap/#comment-633 Fri, 20 Jan 2006 04:39:00 +0000 http://www.fantasybasketblog.net/2006/01/19/the-leap/#comment-633 Dm, Good points. I agree that Rashard doesn't get enough respect. I drafted him at #36, and he's been playing like a top 15 guy. He's been so good that I was recently able to package him with Dwight Howard in a trade to get Elton Brand and Richard Jefferson. As for Billups, at age 29 I think he's now finding his groove. As long as the core of his team and coach stay together he will continue to produce #'s like this year. He was a guy who in my league was drafted in the late 3rd round (#35). At the time I thought that was a bit high. But now, he's showing he was a great pick at that spot, and is playing like a top 15 guy. Dm, Good points. I agree that Rashard doesn’t get enough respect. I drafted him at #36, and he’s been playing like a top 15 guy. He’s been so good that I was recently able to package him with Dwight Howard in a trade to get Elton Brand and Richard Jefferson.

As for Billups, at age 29 I think he’s now finding his groove. As long as the core of his team and coach stay together he will continue to produce #’s like this year.
He was a guy who in my league was drafted in the late 3rd round (#35). At the time I thought that was a bit high. But now, he’s showing he was a great pick at that spot, and is playing like a top 15 guy.

]]> by: DM http://www.fantasybasketblog.net/2006/01/19/the-leap/#comment-632 Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:52:00 +0000 http://www.fantasybasketblog.net/2006/01/19/the-leap/#comment-632 Yeah, Brand already made the leap, but he's making a mega-leap this year. I mean, I drafted him in the first round two years ago (when he broke his foot in the opener after going for 21 and 15 w/8 blocks), so he's already a well-established superstar. Same with Rashard Lewis, who never gets enough respect, but I had him ranked #30 before the season, and it was only that low because I knew you could wait on him. Billups's season is weird -- I still can't figure out if it's a leap or just a career season. He's a lot older than the rest of these guys, y'know? Yeah, Brand already made the leap, but he’s making a mega-leap this year. I mean, I drafted him in the first round two years ago (when he broke his foot in the opener after going for 21 and 15 w/8 blocks), so he’s already a well-established superstar. Same with Rashard Lewis, who never gets enough respect, but I had him ranked #30 before the season, and it was only that low because I knew you could wait on him.

Billups’s season is weird — I still can’t figure out if it’s a leap or just a career season. He’s a lot older than the rest of these guys, y’know?

]]> by: JM http://www.fantasybasketblog.net/2006/01/19/the-leap/#comment-631 Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:24:00 +0000 http://www.fantasybasketblog.net/2006/01/19/the-leap/#comment-631 Nice article. I agree with all the guys you listed, though I'm still a little skeptical about Okur. I know his numbers this year put him as the 5th best center in a 9-cat league, behind only Rasheed, Bosh, B.Miller, and Duncan (with Dalembert being very close behind Okur). However, it's hard for me to accept that he's a superstar. I want to see him play this well 2 years in a row. (Though perhaps, it just a long-standing dislike of the Jazz, on my part.) As for guys I would add to your list, the first that comes to mind is Elton Brand, who has had a solid improvement in 5 categories. For his career he's at: 20pts, 2.0 blks, 49%FG,73%FT, 2.6TO This year he's at: 25pts,2.6 blks, 52%FG, 76%FT, 2.1TO The jump would be even bigger if you considered what his career numbers were prior to this season.(This season's stellar numbers have raised his career avg a decent amount.) Did you leave him out because he had already "made the leap" a couple years ago? Maybe he's in the category of guys who have made a leap from fantasy Superstar to Knocking on the Door of the Top 4 (Lebron,KG,Matrix,Dirk). For Brand to be in the upper-upper echelon, I guess it depends if he can keep up his first half #'s for the entire season. i.e. his %'s have started to slip a bit this past month) Others who I would add in to your "making the leap" category: C.Billups - his avg's have increased by 5 pts, 3.5asts, 0.5 3's, 2%FG, 4%FT compared to his career avg R.Lewis - has increased 6 pts, 0.5 3's, 0.8 asts, 0.3 stls,0.2 blks Camby - has increased 5 pts, 4 rbs, 0.7 blks, 0.5 stls, 8%FT, 3%FG, 0.5 less TO, (if he were to get a magic infusion of healthiness. :-) Nice article. I agree with all the guys you listed, though I’m still a little skeptical about Okur. I know his numbers this year put him as the 5th best center in a 9-cat league, behind only Rasheed, Bosh, B.Miller, and Duncan (with Dalembert being very close behind Okur).
However, it’s hard for me to accept that he’s a superstar. I want to see him play this well 2 years in a row. (Though perhaps, it just a long-standing dislike of the Jazz, on my part.)

As for guys I would add to your list, the first that comes to mind is Elton Brand, who has had a solid improvement in 5 categories.

For his career he’s at:
20pts, 2.0 blks, 49%FG,73%FT, 2.6TO

This year he’s at:
25pts,2.6 blks, 52%FG, 76%FT, 2.1TO

The jump would be even bigger if you considered what his career numbers were prior to this season.(This season’s stellar numbers have raised his career avg a decent amount.)

Did you leave him out because he had already “made the leap” a couple years ago?
Maybe he’s in the category of guys who have made a leap from fantasy Superstar to Knocking on the Door of the Top 4 (Lebron,KG,Matrix,Dirk).

For Brand to be in the upper-upper echelon, I guess it depends if he can keep up his first half #’s for the entire season. i.e. his %’s have started to slip a bit this past month)

Others who I would add in to your “making the leap” category:

C.Billups - his avg’s have increased by 5 pts, 3.5asts, 0.5 3’s, 2%FG, 4%FT compared to his career avg

R.Lewis - has increased 6 pts, 0.5
3’s, 0.8 asts, 0.3 stls,0.2 blks

Camby - has increased 5 pts, 4 rbs, 0.7 blks, 0.5 stls, 8%FT, 3%FG, 0.5 less TO,
(if he were to get a magic infusion of healthiness. :-)

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