Parker ranks as one of the top behind the arc...
This week I’ve found three “Yin” players who either weren’t drafted, or had to wait a while before reaching their NBA dream who’ve Impressed. Guys who are better for having struggled, and who now are delivering on all the work they’ve put in chasing their dreams. For the “Yang” I got three guys to Digess who’ve had the accolades and the attention, but whose skills no longer merit the reputations they have in fantasy circles. Follow the middle path I describe and while you may not be enlightened, you’ll be able to fleece your unsuspecting co-owners and hold it over them for the rest of their lives.
3 Who’ve Impressed
Anthony Parker
Toronto Raptors
Fantasy Eligible Position(s): SG, SF
For the third straight week I’ll be mentioning an Iowa born NBA player, this week it’s a shooting guard who can actually shoot. Strangely beneath everyone’s radar, Parker has been one of the NBA’s top three point shooters this year, currently third at a scintillating 48.8%, behind James Jones and teammate Jason Kapono.The two-time Euroleague MVP also scores at a nice clip, averaging 15.5 points/game in January, and will help a little with assists, rebounds and steals. Although people may not realize quite how good AP is dropping bombs from behind the arc, most have realized he’s worth a roster spot. So if he’s available on your waiver wire pick him up, if not, you shouldn’t have to give up too much for one of the league’s most unheralded starters.
Mark Blount
Miami HeatFantasy Eligible Position(s): C
The Big Basic has had one of the weirdest NBA careers in recent memory. To start, down NBA players smoke his last name regularly, usually calling them L’s. To continue, he didn’t make it to the NBA until he was 25, when Boston signed him, but he didn’t start playing well for Boston until after he returned from a stint with the Nuggets. Then, last year at age 31, despite being a career Center, he all of a sudden started shooting threes.Past history and funny last names aside, Blount has responded well in back-to-back starts, filling in for the injured Shaquille O’Neal. They say O’Neal will be back within a couple of weeks, but given his failing body and advancing age, I’d be surprised if he was back within three.
Despite being seven feet tall, Blount has never been much of a rebounder, his career average is only 4.7. What he does do is score at a high percentage when given consistent minutes. Last year with the T’Wolves, he averaged 12.3 points/game, shooting 51% from the field. He’s averaged 21 points over his first two starts, and as long as the minutes keep coming, he’s someone who can help you with scoring from the center position.
Jannero Pargo
New Orleans Hornets
Fantasy Eligible Position(s): PG
The defining moment of Pargo’s career to date has been hitting three three-pointers in the last minute over a 34 second span against the Wizards in a Bulls playoff game. It was easily the most impressive stretch I’ve seen live watching an NBA game. Ironically enough, the NBA’s Michael Jordan of blogging, Gilbert Arenas, calls his eventual shot to win the game the defining shot of his career.
Since then, Pargo has become a journeyman backup PG, playing solid when given time, but the lurking below the surface talent that erupted that night against the Wizards has been lost.
Until now … maybe. Over the past five games as the Hornets have continued their ascension to top team in the league, Pargo has been playing an average of 24.4 minutes, scoring 13.6 points shooting over 47% and dishing out 4.2 assists. He is the primary backup point guard to Paul and will still get good minutes after Bobby Jackson returns from injury.
Pick up Pargo or else, you might miss the chance to own a player while he makes the “defining” shot of his career. Clearly, despite the Chicago magic, since Arenas stole the moment, Pargo has yet to truly arrive.
3 to DigressStephen Jackson
Golden State Warriors
Fantasy Eligible Position(s): SG, SF, PF
Despite, or maybe because of, his rap sheet, Action Jackson is one of the NBA’s most likable personalities. He has persevered through some down times and, now Captain Jack is leading one of the better team’s in the only NBA conference that matters. He plays the game in a way that doesn’t necessarily show up on a stat sheet, aside from W’s for the Warriors.
Unfortunately for fantasy owners, W’s don’t count and neither does “grit.” In this way, Jackson is sort of the David Eckstein of the NBA. He’s a valuable player in the real world, but in the numbers only fantasy world a .286 career batting average doesn’t cut it, and neither does a putrid 32.7% from threes.
Jackson does add some all around stats, but his erratic shooting makes him too much of a fantasy liability. Take advantage of his inflated real world value and pawn him off on a ignorant non-Charity Stripe reading owner.
Peja Stojakovic
New Orleans Hornets
Fantasy Eligible Position(s): SG, SF
Following the painful 2007 where Peja only played 13 games for New Orleans after they gave him all that money, Peja is having a big time rebound year. He’s not scoring at quite the clip he did in his prime, but thanks to Chris Paul, he is having his best year by far shooting the three ball, making 46% of his attempts.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with players I recommend digressing, injury problems are always the elephant in the room with any Peja conversation. He’s never played a full 82 games in his career, and doesn’t seem a good bet to start at age 30. Now is the absolute best time to get rid of the sweet shooting Yugoslavian. The Hornets are not likely to remain the toast of the NBA for too long, and sooner or later he will go down. Time to sell, sell, sell.Vince Carter
New Jersey Nets
Fantasy Eligible Position(s): SG
Vinsanity is just such a disappointment in every way. Not as good as another top dunk contest winning SG from Chapel Hill, Michael Jordan. Not even as good as his kid cousin, Tracy McGrady. He’ll never be what he could have been, and he seems to be one of those guys just playing the game for the money.
Not that any of that matters for fantasy. What does matter is that in spite of still theoretically being at an age where he should be playing at the peak of his abilities, 31, Carter’s numbers are the worst in a non-injury season since his rookie year. Despite the fact he plays with Jason Kidd who is challenging the NBA’s all-time record for triple doubles.
He’s not going to get better, he’ll probably stay at this level for a while. His perceived value should still be high enough, though, to net one of these teammate pairs of swingmen: Granger/Dunleavy, Gay/Miller or Wallace/Richardson. All of those guys are young whose best years are ahead of them and who will have more value than Carter this year. Too bad Air Canada, you could’ve flown so high. 
In his own head, Charlie has been a fantasy General Manager for years. Unfortunately, real NBA teams did not return his calls when he applied to be their "real" GM. Following his rejection, he has spitefully chosen to share his knowledge with the world. For more from Charlie, visit his blog.
