Fantasy NBA Preview: Doctor's Prognosis on Early Position Battles

Dr. Alexander's recent article at rotoworld identifies key position battles that may have important fantasy implications for the upcoming season. As usual, it is an informative read and I definitely encourage people to check it out.

In this post, I expand on his article by looking at a few additional position battles that are likely of interest for many fantasy GM's.

New York Knicks - Mozgov vs. Turiaf vs. Anthony Randolph
Some New Yorkers are predicting that the 24 year old Russian center Timofey Mozgov will start in the middle come November. They argue that he brings a defensive presence superior to Ronny Turiaf's and after watching the US vs. Russia game, it's not completely crazy. Here's Donnie Walsh on Mozgov's performance in Turkey thus far:

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"Mozgov has played very well so far," Walsh told The Post. "He's shown he is a great prospect for the Knicks and NBA. I have been very impressed by how hard he plays. He has given a good account of himself. We are glad to have him."

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What happens with the center spot has huge implications for Anthony Randolph, the promising young talent from LSU. There's another contingent of Knicks fans that say do away with Turiaf or Mozgov at the 5 spot altogether. Start Randolph at the 4 and Amare at the 5. This would give the Knicks an extremely long and athletic frontcourt, along with Gallinari at the 3. Either way, I think Randolph is likely to get 30+ minutes this season. But there's still some uncertainty that needs to be resolved.

Other Knicks Battles: at shooting guard—with Azuibuke still recuperating from knee injury, there's a chance Wilson Chander takes hold of the starting 2 spot.

Sacramento Kings - Carl Landry vs. Jason Thompson vs. Dalembert
Tyreke Evans and Demarcus Cousins are so versatile that it's tough to know who will end up getting how many minutes and where. For instance, if Tyreke starts at the 2 (as he did towards the end of last season), that leaves Francisco Garcia, Omri Casspri, Donte Greene, and even Carl Landry to all fight for minutes at the 3. On the flip side, if he starts at the 1, Udrih gets squeezed.

In the frontcourt, if Demarcus starts at the 4, look for Jason Thompson and Samuel Dalembert to fight for minutes at the 5. But they could just as easily start Cousins at the 5 and Landry at the 4, leaving fewer minutes for Thompson or Dalembert.

From a pure basketball point of view, I think their best lineup would be:

Beno Udrih
Tyreke Evans
Omri Casspri
Carl Landry
Demarcus Cousins

But who knows what will happen come November. Keep a close eye on the Kings.

Detroit Pistons - Rip vs. Ben Gordon, Tay vs. TMac, Charlie V vs. Jerebko
The Pistons training camp might be the most interesting of all the 30 NBA teams. Rip Hamilton has Ben Gordon nipping at his heels and Tayshuan Prince has TMac and the rising Austin Daye to contend with. It's tough to see TMac settling for role player minutes given that he still sees himself as a starter. And last year, the shooting guard position battle was never fully resolved due to injuries to Gordon and Rip. But this year, with everyone back healthy, this position battle might get downright ugly.

Other Pistons Position Battles: Charlie V will eagerly try to wrest playing time away from last year's starter Jonas Jerebko.

Oklahoma City - Jeff Green vs. Serge Ibaka
Even though Jeff Green played 37 minutes-per-game last year, Serge Ibaka should still make Green owners slightly nervous. All logic should point to Serge taking away minutes from Nenad Kristic and not Green, but with Ibaka's emergence on the defensive end, it's a possibility. Especially on nights when Green is mismatched against guys like Gasol or KG, more minutes might shift Ibaka's way. In the short-term, I wouldn't worry about Green's minutes much; but in the long-run, it's definitely something to keep in mind.

Other OKC Position Battles: They like to start the defensive minded Thabo Seflosha at the 2. But I'm sure Harden will at least try to earn a larger role in training camp.

Phoenix Suns - Channing Frye
Dr. A touched on the Channing Frye vs. Robin Lopez position battle, but I think Hedo Turkoglu might eat into Channing's time more than Robin. Last season, Al Gentry preferred starting the more defensive minded Lopez over Channing in the middle. But on top of that, there are rumblings from Phoenix that Turkoglu might start at the 4, which clearly doesn't help Channing's value. Toss in Hakim Warrick and Josh Childress who can both play the 4 in a small ball lineup and you're potentially looking at a down year for last season's 3 point leader.

Philadelphia 76ers - Marreese Speights vs. Spencer Hawes
Marreese Speights versus Spencer Hawes may have huge implications for fantasy teams this season. If Speights can gain Coach Doug Collins' trust, then a breakout season is in play. But some say Speights is like JR Smith trapped in a big man's body. If this is true, then look for a time share that will kill both of their respective fantasy values.

Other 76er Position Battles: Elton Brand vs. Thaddeus Young at the 4 (expect Thaddeus to win) and Louis Williams vs. Jrue Holiday (expect Jrue to emerge as the starting point.)

Indiana Pacers - Paul George vs. Brandon Rush, Magnum Rolle vs. Hansbrough
Brandon Rush was a disappointment last year and Paul George is an exciting rookie eager to step up and grab the reins. Knowing Obie's fondess towards defensive intensity, Paul George could be a darkhorse to take Rush's minutes later in the season if he can prove his worth on that side of the ball. In the Pacers' frontcourt, there is a gaping hole at power forward with the departure of Troy Murphy. Magnum Rolle and Tyler Hansbrough should be lead candidates to take available minutes at the 4.

Chicago Bulls - Korver vs. Brewer vs. Deng
It's going to be really interesting to see who Thibs relies on late in games at the 2 spot. If he wants more shooting, he will turn to Kyle Korver who shot a ridiculous 53.6% from 3 point land last season. If he needs defense, then he will call on Brewer. And there's also the possibility that he brings in CJ Watson at the point and puts Drose at the 2. Or he could also bring in Brewer and Korver, leaving Deng on the bench. Given the range of possibilities, the guard spot for the Bulls will be the one to watch as we head towards preseason, regardless of all the Carmelo trade talk.

That's it for now! Have a great week!