Fantasy Basketball Is Back: 7 Important Things To Keep In Mind

I guess nuclear winters don’t last too long. After a tormenting string of false alarms heralding “progress” and “optimism,” the NBA lockout is finally almost over, which means it’s time to dust off that part of your noggin associated with fantasy basketball again. As NBA players will have to get back into game shape in a brief period of time, fantasy basketball owners will have less than a month to skillfully shift into a mode that might seem foreign by now. There are important things to keep in mind, habits to form and preparations to be had.

We’ll be looking at the finer points of the upcoming NBA season from a fantasy basketball perspective in the coming weeks. For now, here are some things fantasy owners should pay attention to:

1. Brief preseason
Dec. 9 is the day when training camps and free agency will begin, which leaves just 16 days before the start of the season on Dec. 25. This means fantasy drafts should be held off until at least a few days after Dec. 9, so we can see where the more relevant free agents (e.g., David West, Nene, Tyson Chandler, Marc Gasol and Samuel Dalembert) will land. It also means that fantasy owners shouldn’t lean too much on the preseason period and however many games will be scheduled to educate themselves on players’ values for the 2011-12 season.

2. NBA players playing overseas
Fantasy owners should remember that some NBA players took to international leagues during the lockout, and that some of these players signed contracts without opt-out clauses. Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin are among the players who have contracts without opt-out clauses. They may be able to wiggle their way out of those contracts and back to the U.S. for the upcoming NBA season, but their situations should obviously be monitored.

3. Tried and true
The insufficient time for rookies and free agents on the move to jell with their squads, and for new coaches to build an understanding of their teams, means a premium will be placed on players whose fantasy values are more certain, along with productive players on teams that won’t see too much change during the free-agency period. This also means sleepers should be examined with sober eyes in your drafts.

4. Amnesty clause
The new labor deal includes an amnesty clause, which will allow each NBA team to rid itself of one player and wipe his salary from their cap. This means the likes of Baron Davis, Gilbert Arenas and Rashard Lewis will be strong candidates to be cut from their current teams. Fantasy owners should keep an eye on where these players will end up.

5. Less rest
The 66-game schedule will mean more games squeezed into a shorter-than-usual NBA calendar. Older players and players who play through injuries will have less rest between games, and may have to battle through back-to-back-to-back games at some point in the season. Fantasy owners shouldn’t hesitate to knock down veterans and injury-prone players down in their rankings.

6. Patience
As players get back into game shape and try to find their legs as fast as they can, there will be plenty of messy and disappointing lines to endure, especially early in the season. Fantasy owners will just have to grin and bear it, while resisting the temptation to drop valuable players too hastily.

7. Accelerated, half-blind preparations
Preparations for fantasy drafts will require dexterity, efficiency and a small dose of guesswork from fantasy basketball participants this season. With free agency still nearly two weeks away, fantasy owners will have to make do with what they have at their disposal for the moment. This means working the rust off by inspecting depth charts, studying preliminary rankings and participating in mock drafts. With so much still to be determined for rosters across the league, preparing for your actual drafts will be a bit like flying while blindfolded, but it can’t hurt to stay on your toes by doing what you can as things get sorted out. Besides, with more than a few NBA fans and fantasy basketball owners likely out of the loop, any homework you do starting now could pay off handsomely when fantasy leagues are up and running.

Throughout the season, be sure to leave your questions, comments, concerns, trade offers, roster problems and more in the comments below.

Follow Jason on Twitter at @fbasketballblog.

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