If you have a dynasty fantasy basketball team that features Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, you received some bad news on Monday. Yao, according to various reports, could miss the entire season next year. In fact, there are some that think that Yao’s career could be over.

What do you do if you have Yao in a dynasty league? The best idea is to hold onto him. No one is going to give you a fair deal right now and selling low is usually a losing strategy in fantasy basketball.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a player who had years of trouble with his feet but was able to eventually return to action and has become a durable option as of late. Perhaps Yao can go down that same path and bounce back from his feet trouble. It might be unlikely but there’s definitely still hope.

In a redraft, Yao isn’t draftable unless it sounds as if he’ll return at some point. Keep an eye on the Yao Ming news.

On Thursday, the 2009 NBA Draft took place in New York City. After a lot of trades and a lot of action, we finally know the new homes for the NBA rookies during the 2009-10 season. Here are the best rookies for next season in regards to how they’ll perform in fantasy basketball:

1. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Griffin is very talented and a great athlete on top of that. He’s also entering a situation in need of a superstar. As long as the Clippers trade a few bigs to make room for him, Griffin should be very good his rookie year.

2. James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
Next to Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, Harden will fit right in. He’ll likely start at shooting guard right away and provide the team with yet another young building block. For fantasy purposes, Harden should provide scoring, efficiency and good assist numbers.

3. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
No matter if he ends up with the Warriors or if he’ll be traded to the Suns (like the rumors indicate), Curry will land in a very good situation. Both of those teams like to run and shoot … and that fits right in with Curry’s game.

4. Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings
If Evans can win the point guard job in Sacramento, he could have fantasy value right away. It’s not a lock that he can play PG at the NBA level, so stay tuned.

5. Hasheem Thabeet, Memphis Grizzlies
Thabeet is raw and might not be able to play many minutes in the NBA yet but his shotblocking could make him valuable right away in the 2009-2010 fantasy basketball season.’

If you watch the 2009 NBA Draft, there’s sure to be a lot of hype. Every player who is selected near the top of the draft will be talked up as if they’ll come into the NBA ready to be an All-Star. However, the truth is that many of the rookies won’t be ready to help during the 2009-10 fantasy basketball season.

Here is a list of five rookies who won’t be ready to live up to their potential:

Ricky Rubio
Yes, Rubio has a massive amount of potential. But he’s only 18 right now and will need a year or two to adjust. As a rookie, he’ll probably average around eight points and six assists.

Jrue Holiday
Last year, Russell Westbrook came out of UCLA and was a good fantasy basketball player. Don’t expect the same out of Holiday. Like Rubio, he’ll need a year or two.

DeMar DeRozan
Perhaps the rawest top prospect in the draft, DeRozan is definitely a project. He has the size and athleticism to be a star but he still has a lot of learning to do.

B.J. Mullens
Mullins has very good size and is one of the better center prospects in the draft. That said, he’s a player you can safely ignore in fantasy basketball for the 2009-10 season.

Brandon Jennings
This past season in Europe, Jennings showed a lot of promise. But he also proved he wasn’t ready for the spotlight. Don’t expect that to change next year right out of the gates.

With a Game 6 victory over the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers have advanced to the 2009 NBA Finals. If you are still playing playoff fantasy basketball, here’s a preview of what you can expect from the fantasy players on these 2009 Lakers.

Who’s hot and who’s not?

HOT

Kobe Bryant
In Game 6 against the Nuggets, Bryant had arguably his best game of the 2009 NBA playoffs. He shot the ball well, passed the ball well, rebounded with authority and avoided turnovers. Next to LeBron James, Bryant is the best thing going in the fantasy basketball world.

Pau Gasol
Next to Bryant, Gasol is the best player on the Lakers. He’s extremely talented and he can rack up fantasy stats in a hurry. While he’s not quite Kobe, he could very well be the best fantasy power forward still alive in the postseason.

Lamar Odom
About a week ago, Odom appeared as if he were stuck in a funk. Now, Odom is playing very well. He just completed his second straight positive outing and should be primed for a big finals.

Trevor Ariza
These playoffs have introduced Ariza to the world. The starting small forward for the Lakers is a good shooter who can stuff the stat sheet in multiple categories.

Shannon Brown
If you want to located a sleeper on these Lakers, look no further than Brown. In his spot minutes, he’s played well more often than not. His energy is helping Los Angeles in their march to a championship.

NOT

Andrew Bynum
He’ll have a good game here and there but Bynum just isn’t a very dependable option in these playoffs. He’s definitely oozing with talent and has a bright future — but that future doesn’t appear to be now.

Derek Fisher
The ol’ gunslinger for the Lakers appears to be running about of bullets. He’s not shooting accurately at all and isn’t doing much else to impact the stats.

Sasha Vujacic
Last year, Vujacic was a decent fantasy basketball option in the playoffs. This year? Not so much. He’s basically a shooter that can’t find his range at this point.

Luke Walton
Bill’s son is having a tough time in these playoffs. He’s dealt with injuries and inconsistent minutes. Can he turn it up in the 2009 NBA Finals? Don’t hold your breath.

With the NBA conference finals set to start on Tuesday, here’s a look at sleepers who may play a big role in the third round of the 2009 NBA playoffs.

C Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers
In Game 7 against the Rockets, Bynum had his best game of the playoffs. He’ll be needed if the Lakers are to beat the Nuggets.

PF Ben Wallace, Cleveland Cavaliers
Wallace has struggled with injuries and he hasn’t done much in the playoffs so far. That said, he could see a lot of time in hopes of slowing Dwight Howard.

SF Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic
Over the last few games, Pietrus has been playing at a high level. Against the Cavs, he’s in line to see plenty of minutes.

SG Dahntay Jones, Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets will likely put Jones on Kobe Bryant early and often. In those extra minutes, Jones could emerge as a fantasy basketball sleeper.

PG Jordan Farmar, Los Angeles Lakers
Derek Fisher is struggling and Farmar is playing at his highest level of the last few months. It would surprise no one if he saw his minutes spike going forward.

Andrew Bynum, Fantasy Basketball Sleeper (Image: Newscom)

The 2009 NBA Conference Finals are set. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers will host the Denver Nuggets. In the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Orlando Magic.

If you are playing playoff fantasy basketball, which players should shine in the NBA’s version of the Final Four? Here’s a look at the best players at each position:

C Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
It seems like Howard and Stan Van Gundy are now on the same page. Superman will concentrate on rebounds and blocked shots while allowing his teammates to handle the scoring. Even though he probably won’t have any huge offensive outbursts, Howard is still a fantasy stud at this point.

PF Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers
This is the weakest spot in the remaining NBA teams. Gasol is very talented but sometimes struggled against the Rockets. He has the highest ceiling of any remaining power forward but he could find it tough to produce against the physical Nuggets defenders.

SF LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
This is a no-brainer. LeBron is not only the best small forward in fantasy basketball right now, he’s by far the best fantasy basketball player. If he’s on your team, thank your lucky stars.

SG Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Now that Kobe won’t have to go against Shane Battier and Ron Artest, he could find some more room to breathe. That said, the Nuggets have been playing good defense as of late.

PG Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets
Speaking of the Nuggets, whether or not they advance will likely depend on the play of Big Shot Billups. If he can continue is outstanding play, Billups could topple the Lakers … again, just like in 2004.

On Sunday, two NBA Game 7s will take place. First, the Los Angeles Lakers will play the Houston Rockets in the decided game of their Western Conference battle. After that game, the Boston Celtics will host the Orlando Magic in a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference.

If you are playing playoff fantasy basketball, these two games could hold a lot of meaning for you. Which players could shine in their Game 7 contest?

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
After the Magic lost Game 5, Dwight Howard had a meltdown. He basically blamed the loss on not getting the ball enough. Howard got the ball a lot in Game 6 and expect him to get the ball a lot in Game 7.

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
When it comes to big times and big moments, Paul Pierce is usually the Celtics player who steps up. He has had some bad moments in this series but expect him to go off in Game 7.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Is there any doubt who the Lakers will go to in Game 7? Kobe Bryant could very likely end up with 40 or more points as the Lakers battle for their playoff lives against the Rockets.

Luis Scola, Houston Rockets
Without both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, Luis Scola is now arguably the best player on the Rockets. In Game 6, he dominated the action early on in the ballgame and helped the Rockets force a Game 7.

Derek Jeter, the superstar shortstop for the New York Yankees, didn’t play on Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Jeter was relegated to spectator due to a sore right oblique. The Yankees are currently listing Jeter as day-to-day.

While sources close to the Yankees don’t believe the injury is series, Jeter has hinted that he may be headed to the disabled list if he doesn’t start feeling better. In previous seasons, Jeter has gone on the disabled list due to an injured oblique.

After having a day off on Monday, the thinking was to give Jeter back-to-back days off to see if his oblique responds to the rest. If you have him on your fantasy baseball team, keep a close eye on whether or not he plays on Wednesday. If he plays, then he’s safe to put into your starting lineup. If he doesn’t play, you might have to start worrying about a trip to the DL.

The Yankees play at Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday before coming home to face the Minnesota Twins starting on Friday.

Derek Jeter (Image: Flickr)

Yao Ming’s season is over. The superstar center for the Houston Rockets has a broken left foot that will keep him out for the rest of the 2009 NBA playoffs. Without Yao, the Rockets will face a huge challenge in their second round series against the Los Angeles Lakers. After three games, the Rockets trail 1-2 in the series.

During the 2009 playoffs, Yao has averaged 17.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 assists per game in 35.8 minutes. Earlier in the season, the Rockets lost Tracy McGrady due to microfracture knee surgery. Earlier in these playoffs, center Dikembe Mutombo was lost for the rest of the playoffs due to a knee injury.

If you have Yao on your fantasy basketball team, this is obviously devastating news. He was playing well and was undoubtedly helping your team.

For those looking for a sleeper to emerge due to this Yao injury news, the most likely player is Carl Landry. In the last two games against the Lakers, Landry has scored in double figures — including a 21-point and 10-rebound performance in Game 2. Pick up Landry off the waiver wire if he’s available and hope he can put up Yao-like numbers the rest of the way.

Yao Ming Injury Update - Fantasy Basketball (Image: Newscom)

Derek Fisher, the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, has been suspended for Game 3 of the second round series between the Lakers and the Houston Rockets. Fisher found himself in hot water after decking Houston’s Luis Scola. Watch the video at the end of this entry to see what got Fisher suspended.

In the fantasy basketball world, Fisher hasn’t been much of an asset in the 2009 NBA playoffs. In seven postseason games, the point guard is averaging 9.6 points, 2.9 assists and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 42.9% from the floor and 26.1% from beyond the arc.

The aspect that has hurt Fisher’s fantasy production the most is his three-point shooting. In the regular season, he drained 120 threes and shot 39.7% from downtown. Until he starts hitting from behind the three-point line, his fantasy value will remain limited.

In Game 3, expect the Lakers to play Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar at point guard. Brown is the player with a higher ceiling. So far in the playoffs, he’s averaging 6.4 points in only 16.1 minutes per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Farmer is only shooting 36.4% in the postseason and is averaging 2.5 points in seven minutes per game.