Power Forward Rankings

1. Kevin Garnett - BOS [PF]

Quick - Name an Eastern Conference big man who stands a better-than-average chance of playing credible defense on KG. I’m waiting. Next question – what’s scarier? Kevin Garnett with something to prove or Kevin Garnett in the frontcourt-challenged East? Could KG already be a run-away favorite for this season’s MVP? Consider KG back in the “first overall pick” argument and pencil him in for 20-10-5 to go along with his steals, blocks and good percentages.

(Read the full article in the NBA.com 2007 Fantasy Draft Kit)

Point Guard Rankings

1. Gilbert Arenas - WAS [PG]

Agent Zero has announced that he’ll opt out of his contract after the 2007-08 season. That makes this year one big audition for Arenas, which should be a scary proposition for opposing point guards league-wide. It seems inevitable that Arenas will win at least one scoring title before his career is over, and this could be the year. But don’t make the mistake of calling Arenas a shoot-first point guard. He’ll score as well or better than any other guard in the league, but he also manages to amass as many assists as a lot of those “pass-first” guys and rebound as well as some forwards. Throw in two steals a game and a ton of threes, all set in an up-tempo offense, and you’ve got the top point guard in fantasy. Don’t let last season’s knee injury scare you off; Arenas is expected to be fully healthy for the season opener.

(Read the full article in the NBA.com 2007 Fantasy Draft Kit)

Coaching Changes

Bobcats replace Bernie Bickerstaff with Sam Vincent

It’s not that Sam Vincent doesn’t have a decent resume. He’s an ex-NBA guard, like Doc Rivers, Avery Johnson, Nate McMillan and many other coaches these days. He’s got experience in the Euroleague. The Suns and Raptors will tell you that experience with the European style of play certainly isn’t a bad thing. He paid his dues on the bench with a successful team, serving as an assistant with Johnson’s Mavericks.

It’s not hard to suspect that one of Vincent’s primary goals this season will be to make some of Michael Jordan’s more controversial acquisitions look good. That means he’ll be under additional pressure to find minutes for disappointing No. 3 overall pick (2006) Adam Morrison at the small forward and shooting guard positions, even though Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace are far superior players at this point. The problem is that Morrison simply can’t guard NBA twos or threes at this stage of his career.

Vincent’s resume offers a few other hints as to how he’ll run the ‘Cats. His most extensive coaching experience has been overseas. He has coached men’s and women’s pro and national teams in South Africa, Greece, the Netherlands and Nigeria. He led the Nigerian women’s team to an upset victory over South Korea in the 2004 Olympics and the men to the second round of the 2006 FIBA World Championships. It seems reasonable to expect that he’ll bring some of that international flavor to Charlotte, which could mean a high-octane offense like that of the Suns or Raptors. Richardson and Wallace, as well as big men like Emeka Okafor and Sean May, should thrive in such a system. It could also present a nice opportunity for players Primoz Brezec and Walter Herrmann, who are both veterans of international play.

(Read the full article in the NBA.com 2007 Fantasy Draft Kit)

Offseason Moves

Boston Celtics

2006-07 Record: 24-58

Who’s Coming: Kevin Garnett (MIN), Ray Allen (SEA), Gabe Pruitt (32nd overall), Glen Davis (35th overall), Brandon Wallace (free agent), Eddie House (free agent), Scot Pollard (CLE), James Posey (MIA)
Who’s Going: Al Jefferson (MIN), Gerald Green (MIN), Ryan Gomes (MIN), Sebastian Telfair (MIN), Theo Ratliff (MIN), Wally Szczerbiak (SEA), Delonte West (SEA)

Danny Ainge won the offseason. The season? We’ll see.

It’s not hard to figure the Celtics’ plan. They saw two deeply flawed teams reach the Eastern Conference finals and figured, why not us? With Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in green, the Celtics instantly become the odds-on favorite to win a suspect Atlantic division and maybe the whole conference.

The best part about the deal is that, unlike the splashy acquisitions made by the Knicks and Magic, Boston’s imports have skills that complement each other. KG is a brilliant all-around player and defender who won’t dominate the ball on offense. Allen is perhaps the deadliest jump-shooter of his generation. Neither should get in the way of slasher and scorer Paul Pierce.

But one note of caution: this trade leaves the rest of Boston’s roster as green as their uniforms. Rajon Rondo – best known for his complete inability to sink a jump shot – is presumably the starter at the point. Another guard, Tony Allen, is coming off reconstructive knee surgery.

The frontcourt rotation is equally thin. Kendrick Perkins will probably fill out the starting rotation as the center. After him? Journeyman Brian Scalabrine, rookies Glen “Big Baby” Davis and Brandon Wallace, second-year man Leon Powe, and recently signed James Posey. You can bet that Danny Ainge isn’t done yet; he's likely on the lookout for a veteran point guard.

(Read the full article in the NBA.com 2007 Fantasy Draft Kit)

Risks & Rewards

You don’t need to read a preview to know that LeBron James is pretty good. But fantasy leagues generally aren’t won or lost with those first-round no-brainer picks anyway. If you want to finish in the money, you’ll need to find the guys who will be much better than anyone expects with those middle and late-round selections, and avoid burning picks on guys who will bomb. Here’s a look at some of the developing stories around the league and how fantasy sleepers and busts might emerge.

(Read the full article in the NBA.com 2007 Fantasy Draft Kit)

Dear Mr. Dork

We have to congratulate Vernon Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays. Lots of ballplayers will engage in witty repartee with leather-lunged bleacher creatures, but Wells has raised it to an art form.

Last week, Wells decided to sign a baseball for some Cleveland fans who had been giving him the business. He even included a personal message, which read:

Dear Mr. Dork: Here’s your ball. Can you please tell me what gas station you work at so when you are pumping my gas I can come yell at you!!! Sit down, shut up and enjoy the game. Your favorite center fielder.

Don't believe he could fit all that on a single baseball? Home Run Derby has pictures.

Originally published at About Baseball

Cleared for Re-Entry

The most remarkable thing about Roger Clemens' return to the Yankees?

It wasn't his announcement, over the Yankee Stadium public address system from George Steinbrenner's box, sending broadcaster Suzyn Waldman into what can only be described as "a tizzy."

It isn't his salary of $28 million dollars for the year -- $1 million more than Alex Rodriguez will make this season.

It isn't the Yankee pitching rotation, which is looking a lot more formidable than the group that featured the likes of Carl Pavano and Kei Igawa -- since banished to the disabled list and the minor leagues, respectively.

It isn't Brian Cashman's payroll, which is now north of $200 million.

It isn't even Clemens' age -- his 45th birthday is this August.

No, the most remarkable thing, by far, is the fact that all the parties involved -- Clemens, his agents, Yankee management -- managed to keep this signing secret until Sunday's seventh-inning stretch. The Yankees fired their strength and conditioning coach and the story made the back page of all the New York tabloids and a lead on SportsCenter -- but they managed to sign the most successful pitcher of the last quarter-century to the largest single-season contract ever -- and caught the media, the fans, even Clemens' new teammates completely off-guard.

They really should be more careful about shocking people that way. I'm really not sure Suzyn Waldman can handle the strain.

Will Clemens' return make a difference in the pennant race? Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus crunches the numbers for SI.com.

Originally published at About Baseball