Donyell Marshall

Marshall enjoyed a roto renaissance a few years ago, when he consistently knocked down treys and blocked shots while providing just enough in the other categories to make him a fantasy impact player. Unfortunately, those days are over. His declining athleticism has robbed him of his shot-blocking abilities, and he’s no longer a consistent 3-point threat, either. Factor in a time-share with Drew Gooden in the Cleveland frontcourt, of which Marshall is now the junior member, and this equation makes him very unlikely to merit a spot on your fantasy roster.

Marshall can keep himself in the mix for significant minutes at power forward by rediscovering his ability to shoot threes at a 40% clip, the reason the Cavs brought him to Cleveland in the first place, though his six rpg average last season wasn't bad for someone who averaged 25 mpg.

Marshall lost playing time in Toronto in 2004-05 with the emergence of Chris Bosh, and his stats suffered as a result. In 25 minutes a game, Marshall averaged 11.5 points and 6.6 boards, down significantly from his averages of 16.2 points and 10.8 rebounds with the Raptors the previous season. Marshall signed a big contract with the Cavaliers in the offseason, which would seem to indicate a commitment to getting him more involved in the offense, but the Cavs have a logjam in the frontcourt right now, and the team's ability to unload Drew Gooden for some point guard help is key to determining the extent of Marshall's minutes this season. When he is on the floor, Marshall should contribute in almost every category except assists, and his three-point numbers (282 threes made in the last two years) are outstanding for a big man. With LeBron James and Larry Hughes drawing defenders, look for Marshall to get a lot of open looks from long range. If he’s able to see 30-plus minutes per game, expect a steal and a block per game, to boot.

Marshall joined the Raptors after 16 games in the Antonio Davis/Jalen Rose deal, and promptly exploded. His minutes jumped from 25.5 per game in Chicago to 39.1, and his PPG nearly doubled, from 8.7 to 16.2. His rebounds (6.2 to 10.7) also saw a big increase. With Bosh continuing his development and some new options at center available, Marshall may not see quite as much court time as he did in 2003-2004, so don’t expect another double-double from him. 14 points and 7-8 rebounds a night (the kind of numbers he put up in Utah) should be a safe bet, however.

Marshall was one of the more consistent Bulls last season, averaging 13.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He can play both forward positions and can hit the three (37.9 percent in 2003-04). His scoring dropped off in the final three months when Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler became options on the offensive end. Head coach Bill Cartwright indicated that Scottie Pippen isn’t around to be a backup, so Marshall could see a reduced role in 2003-04. He will have good value if he’s the starter at small forward, but we really need to see what the Bulls’ plans are for Pippen, who could also see time at the point.