With the pennant races heating up in baseball and football season in full effect, it's easy to forget basketball season is fast approaching. But fear not, as I'm going to tackle some players who are likely to be undervalued during upcoming fantasy drafts. Without further ado:
Rajon Rondo – Rondo is still raw, and it's going to take some time before he truly develops a jump shot. He won't be a major asset in the scoring department, but he enters the year in prime position to be among the league leaders in assists. He handed out nearly four dimes per game in just 23.5 minutes last season, and when starting, that number jumped to 5.8 apg. Entering 2007 with a year of seasoning under his belt and as Boston's unquestioned starter at point guard, Rondo's numbers should take a big leap with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett as teammates. During the final month last season, Rondo averaged 5.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.5 spg and shot 55.3 percent from the floor. Lost among the other stars now playing in Boston, Rondo will be an affordable option on draft day who will reward you with excellent assist and steal totals.
Rudy Gay – After an up and down first year, Gay flew somewhat under the radar compared to other rookies around the league. However, there is a lot to like here, as Gay offers the rare ability to contribute in the hustle categories from the guard position; he averaged 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in limited action last year. He can also hit the three, making him a well-rounded fantasy asset. Also, after Mike Fratello was fired, the team's offensive production really picked up, and new coach Marc Lavaroni came from Phoenix's run-and-gun system, so expect a more up-tempo approach this year in Memphis, always good news for fantasy stats.
Andrew Bynum – It's easy to forget, but Bynum is still just 19 years old. He's battled inconsistency, and most notably, foul trouble during his limited time on an NBA floor. Still, he's shown flashes that suggest much better things are to come. At 7-0, 275 LBS, Bynum is a physical force who could be unstoppable once he develops a few more low post moves. The 1.6 blocks in 21 minutes per game reveals major upside in the swat department as well. Bynum's overall numbers don't look great, but he's a major candidate to break out; he had a three-game stretch last season where he averaged 11.7 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 4.0 blocks, so there's significant potential here.
LaMarcus Aldridge – During March, Aldridge put up 14.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 0.9 spg, 1.6 bpg and shot 52 percent from the field. He no longer has Zach Randolph to share touches with, nor Greg Oden for that matter. Aldridge tore up the summer league and looks primed for a huge breakthrough in 2007. If he's center-eligible in your league, he has to be considered in the early to middle rounds of your draft. With very few scoring options in Portland, Aldridge is going to be the man in the middle.
Danny Granger – Continuing the theme of youth on this list, Granger didn't take quite as big of a leap last year as many expected, despite seeing his floor time increase by nearly 12 minutes per contest. Still, that doesn't mean a major uptick won't take place during his third year in the Association. Granger started to really figure it out during the season's final month last year, averaging 17.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 threes while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor. He also really improved his free throw shooting, making 84.6 percent of his freebies after the All-Star break. Granger won't excel in any one particular category, but he'll contribute in all of them while limiting the turnovers, something becoming increasingly rare. Also, the exit of Rick Carlisle is good news, as new coach Jim O'Brien will let the team run more frequently and will give Indiana a lot more offensive freedom.