With three contributing players inked to overseas deals that may prevent them from rejoining the NBA in the 2011-12 regular season (should it exist) and with at least two significant free agents to re-sign, the Denver Nuggets make for an intriguing study from a fantasy basketball perspective. While all that means the Nuggets will likely have fewer fantasy assets than they did last season, it might open things up for other players on the team. Let’s take a glance at the potential fallout.
Depth chart:
PG: Ty Lawson, Andre Miller
SG: Arron Afflalo**, J.R. Smith*^
SF: Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler**^, Gary Forbes**, Jordan Hamilton
PF: Kenyon Martin*^, Al Harrington, Kenneth Faried, Melvin Ely*
C: Nene*, Timofey Mozgov, Chris Andersen, Kosta Koufos
* unrestricted free agent
** restricted free agent
^ locked into overseas contract with no opt-out clause
Relevant fantasy players and their projected draft positions/per-game stats:
– Nene, PF/C (Rd. 3): 60% FG, 70% FT, 15 Pts, 8 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl, 1 Blk, 2 TO
– Ty Lawson, PG (Rd. 4): 48% FG, 80% FT, 1 Three, 17 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 7 Ast, 1.5 Stl, 2.3 TO
– Danilo Gallinari, SF (Rd. 5): 40% FG, 85% FT, 1.7 Threes, 16 Pts, 5.5 Reb, 1.5 Ast, 1 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 2 TO
– Arron Afflalo, SG (Rd. 7): 47% FG, 80% FT, 1.5 Threes, 13.5 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2 Ast, 0.5 Stl, 0.5 Blk, 1 TO
– Andre Miller, PG (Rd. 10): 45% FG, 80% FT, 10 Pts, 3 Reb, 4.3 Ast, 1 Stl, 2 TO
– Al Harrington, PF/C (Rd. 11+): 40% FG, 70% FT, 1.5 Threes, 11.5 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 0.5 Stl, 2 TO
Sleeper:
Harrington
Most likely to surprise:
Gallinari
Most likely to disappoint:
Lawson
Category specialists:
– Threes: Gallinari, Afflalo, Harrington
– Steals: Lawson
– Blocks: Andersen
Things to consider:
– How much Miller cuts into Lawson’s minutes/production
– If Gallinari and Afflalo (if re-signed) can take advantage of bigger roles
Team’s statistical NBA ranks from 2010-11:
– Pts: 1st
– FGM: T-5th
– FGA: T-17th
– FG%: 3rd
– FT%: 16th
– 3PTM: 7th
– Reb: 11th
– Ast: T-10th
– TO: T-15th
– Stl: T-12th
– Blk: T-23rd
– Pace: 3rd
– Offensive Efficiency: 1st
– Defensive Efficiency: T-16th
Throughout the season, be sure to leave your questions, comments, concerns, trade offers, roster problems and more in the comments below.
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