TOP 5 NBA NEWSMAKERS FROM WEDNESDAY 7/14/10 TO TUESDAY 7/20/10

We have many great articles planned leading up to the 2010-2011 Fantasy Basketball season including sleepers, busts, rookies, strategy, full player rankings and projections all wrapped up into a nifty draft kit to help you win your league next year. Below, we analyze the top fantasy basketball news items from the previous week.

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With LeBron James out of town, somebody has to pick up their production in Cleveland. PG Mo Williams will certainly score more, as will Antawn Jamison. However, expect the Cavs to feature the young Hickson, who had a really good "emergence" season in 09-10. He averaged approximately 11-9 PTS-REB in MAR/APR. If things fall right, he could be a 16-10 man this season. Put him at the top of your sleeper list.

4. Ridnour, Luke G (MIL) signed with MIN

Ridnour, who signed a 4-year, $16M contract, finds him in just about the same situation as last season. Instead of splitting time with young, hot-shot guard Brandon Jennings, he'll be splitting with young, hot-shot guard Johnny Flynn (Ramon Sessions is likely do be dealt). Expect very similar production to his 09-10 season.

3. Brewer, Ronnie SG (MEM) signed with CHI

Brewer signed a 3-year, $13M deal. He was an excellent source of field goal percentage and steals from the shooting guard position for the Jazz in 08-09 but got hurt and struggled in 09-10. The change of scenery could do him some good this season. Watch the Bulls' rotation in pre-season games, and if it looks like he'll get solid minutes, consider him late in deep leagues if you need steals.

2. Miller, Mike SF (WAS) signed with MIA (5-years, $25M)

Initially, you might think he'd barely do anything playing behind the Super Friends. However, he could actually have one of his better years. He could be one of the best three-point shooters in the game this season. Yes, he will come off the bench, but he should absolutely get 30 minutes per game. LeBron and Dwyane are excellent passers and will surely get the ball to him often. Also, the Heat will blow out the weaker teams, and when they do, Miller should get big minutes while the Super Friends rest (and be the main scorer in those instances). Miami is actually a pretty good place for Miller to be.

Harrington (5-years, $34M) is not your prototypical power forward (nice threes), but he can still get good minutes for the Nuggets splitting time at PF with the brittle Kenyon Martin and playing the back-up minutes to Carmelo Anthony at SF.

ALSO

Boris Diaw PF is still on the Bobcats. Michael Jordan killed the trade that would have sent him to Toronto... Shaun Livingston PG (WAS) signed with CHA. It's a small sample size, but he was excellent down the stretch with the Wizards last season. He could end up being a fantasy steal if he ends up with the majority of PG minutes for the Bobcats. He just has to beat out D.J. Augustin. Definitely keep an eye on the situation... C.J. Watson G (GS) signed a 3-year, $10M contract with CHI. He'll rotate in with Ronnie Brewer and Derrick Rose at each guard position. He should be fairly irrelevant in fantasy -- perhaps a waiver-wire injury replacement at some point in-season... Raja Bell SG (GS) signed a 3-year, $10M contract with UTA. He'll start there and hit some threes, making him worthy of slotting into your deep-league line-up when you need threes and the Jazz have a four-game week... Linas Kleiza F/G signed with TOR. He played in Europe last season. Given the state of the Raptors' roster, Kleiza should at least be useful as a low-end, fantasy-reserve, three-point shooter in deep leagues... DeMarcus Cousins PF SAC is having a great summer league experience thus far. Mark him down as a potentially useful rookie in 10-11... Brad Miller C (CHI) signed with HOU (3-years, $15M). He'll put up the same numbers as last year, meaning he'll only be occasionally useful in deep 2-C leagues, especially when Yao doesn't play... Tony Allen F/G (BOS) signed with MEM. His offensive skills are poor, so he's unlikely to make a fantasy impact behind Gay and Mayo... Travis Outlaw SF (POR/LAC) signed with NJ. He'll basically do what he's done so far in the NBA -- be occasionally useful in deep fantasy leagues as an injury fill-in off the wire... Orlando matched the Bulls' offer to J.J. Redick SG. He'll only have fantasy value if you know Vince Carter will miss a chunk of time. He's not worth drafting, but possibly worth picking up in deep leagues if VC misses games... Kyle Lowry PG re-signed with HOU. He's a really good swing guard off the bench for the Rockets and not a bad waiver-wire fill-in in deep fantasy leagues where you need guard help due to injury in-season... The following players signed this past week, but they aren't likely to be fantasy assets: Craig Smith PF LAC, Keyon Dooling PG (NJ) MIL, James Jones SF MIA, and Jamaal Magloire C MIA.

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