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I know what you’re thinking: Freish can’t possibly write about fantasy basketball because fantasy football occupies about 99% of his brain capacity right? Wrong. I am in fact a participant in and analyst of fantasy basketball as well, so for those who really love my writing you can mend your broken hearts because I will still be writing during the fantasy football offseason. So what to write about this week?

The trade deadline always shows us one of the main reasons why the NBA is a broken system.  We rarely see deals that are designed to make both teams involved better.  There is a specific, annoying rubric:  A bottom feeder unloads superior talent to a contender in exchange for cap flexibility the following offseason.  That wasn't so bad in the past when the contenders would send the cellar dweller young talent that might make them better for the future, but as we saw with the Wizards-Mavs swap that young talent has unbelievably become less valuable than future money.  When the Celtics dealt for KG and Ray Allen, they paid the price; they gave up Al Jefferson, an incredibly talented young big man, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, and Delonte West, as well as the #5 pick in the draft, which turned out to be Jeff Green.  Also included was Theo Ratliff and Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contracts and two other first round draft picks.  The deals had it all; great young talent, expiring contracts for cap flexibility, and future draft picks all going to the bad teams, with proven superstars headed to the now-contender.  The Pau-Gasol-to-LA deal?  The Grizzlies got Marc Gasol (now a legit NBA center and creeping up on his brother), Javaris Crittenton, two first round picks, and Kwame Brown (gross).  While that was seen as a heist at the time and delivered the 2009 NBA title to LA, it now looks like more of a prototype deadline deal.  I don't expect we will see many deals like these this season, especially with the much-publicized 2010 free agent class looming.  We do have a few deals in the books, however, as well as a few in the works, so let's check them out.  I will also keep you all updated as we near the trade deadline.

While it's not quite the All-Star break yet, we just passed the halfway point for this NBA season.  That means we get to have some fun and look at the season that has been in fantasy so far, which is especially welcome since I've been very bored with fantasy lately.  There's only so much we can write about fantasy basketball that you can't figure out by yourself, and a minor pickup like Corey Brewer is unlikely to turn around your fantasy season like a Miles Austin or Sidney Rice did this season for football.  Like anything else, we need to make the best out of what we are given, and unfortunately this is what we have.  And yes, I do realize that the picture to the left is of Troy Murphy, and yes, I do have a good reason for that.  No, I won't tell you why right now.  Just keep reading.

Not only will tonight be Allen Iverson’s second debut for the Philadelphia 76ers in his career, but it will also mark the 4^th team he’s suited up for in less than a year (who would’ve seen that coming in 2005?).  Despite A.I.’s homecoming, however, analysts don’t believe Iverson will be the answer to the 76ers losing ways as he’s entering a lineup which features the oft—injured, overpaid and mostly useless Elton Brand and raw rookie Jrue Holliday.  But what about Iverson’s return from a fantasy basketball perspective?  In that case, everything which makes the 76ers terrible as a team will make Iverson great as a mid-season fantasy pickup.