Thrown into the deal were Marcus Banks going to the Heat to the Raptors and Jamario Moon going from the Raptors to the Heat. Banks could get time at point guard for the Raptors, especially considering that Jose Calderon has been injury prone as of late. Moon, likewise, could find some minutes off the bench for the Heat.

However, Marion and O’Neal are the two big names in this trade. In terms of fantasy basketball, this trade increases the value of both players. Marion will start at small forward for the Raptors and should get plenty of looks at the basket. The Raptors can also use his rebounding help and considering that they play at a fast pace, Marion’s overall statistics should be on the rise.

On the other hand, O’Neal should definitely start at center for the Heat. Playing for a team that is starving for a center will increase O’Neal’s value. As long as he stays healthy, O’Neal will play as many minutes as possible. Due to minutes alone, expect O’Neal to be worth more in fantasy basketball.

The other players this should help are Andrea Bargnani and Michael Beasley. Bargnani now has a spot in the starting lineup next to Bosh and Marion for the rest of the season. Beasley should now take Marion’s starting small forward spot and form a frontline next to O’Neal and Udonis Haslem.

Post from: Expert Fantasy

For the Heat, they desperately need a true center. And although O’Neal has battled injuries and ineffective play the last few seasons, he’s still one of the better available centers in the league. Right now, the Heat are starting Joel Anthony at center. That’s all you need to know about how desperate the Heat are for a legit center.

As for the Raptors, they O’Neal has been pretty much a bust since acquiring him in the offseason. He doesn’t mesh well with Chris Bosh or the fast pace that the Raptors are trying to play. Add in the fact that Andrea Bargnani finally seems to have gotten it together and there just isn’t room in Toronto for O’Neal anymore. Add in the fact that GM Bryan Colangelo is a fan of Marion and the Raptors have a gaping hole at small forward and this trade makes a huge amount of sense for Toronto.

As far as the fantasy basketball implications, this trade would make both teams more valuable. O’Neal would do better in the deliberate attack of the Heat, while Marion would do better with the up and down Raptors.

Post from: Expert Fantasy

All that said, they have some interesting fantasy basketball options. First and foremost is Chris Bosh. At the beginning of the season, Bosh was one of the best fantasy bigmen in the NBA. But recently, he has been in a major slump. His shooting percentages have plummeted and he’s settling for too many jumpers. He’s also not rebounding or blocking shots as well as usual. The good news is that this is probably just a slump for Bosh and he should be able to return to his typical dominant self soon enough. One explanation for his recent poor play is fatigue due to his play in the Olympics. If that’s the case, he’ll come around once he catches his second wind.

Outside of Bosh, the best fantasy option on the team is Jose Calderon. He’s actually been shooting the ball very well as of late. On the season, he hasn’t missed a free throw yet — which always helps in the fantasy world. He’s also continuing his insanely high assist-to-turnover ratio from last season.

Outside of those two players, it’s difficult to find a very good fantasy option. Jermaine O’Neal is decent but he isn’t producing much. He’s somewhat valuable due to his blocks but he’s a far cry from his heyday. O’Neal has been struggling with a variety of injuries so there’s a chance that he could get healthy and become a better fantasy option down the line.

Andrea Bargnani is a player fantasy owners have been waiting on to erupt onto the scene but it simply doesn’t appear as if it’s going to happen. Bargnani is now coming off the bench and is struggling mightily. His shot is way off and he’s not helping in any other category. Avoid Bargnani until he shows some signs of life.

Last season Jamario Moon was a useful player but he’s not playing nearly as well this season. Anthony Parker has been struggling shooting the ball and Jason Kapono just isn’t much of an all-around option. Joey Graham has had some decent outings but he’s not good enough to be a fantasy option.

Photo credit: Newscom

Post from: Expert Fantasy

Michael Beasley, Miami Heat
Most league pundits expect Michael Beasley to put up decent stats. But don’t forget that this sleeper was just a certified beast as a freshman in college. If he can adapt quickly to the NBA, he could end up the year as a top eight power forward in fantasy basketball.

Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats
Emeka Okafor is coming off of a season to forget. His progress seemed to stall and he just wasn’t as good as he was in previous years. With Larry Brown now in the fold to push him on a consistent basis, look for Okafor’s production to rise across the board.

Jermaine O’Neal, Toronto Raptors
Over the last few years, Jermaine O’Neal has been been slowed significantly by injuries and a bad environment. Now that he’s in a new situation, there’s a chance that he could return to his former self and be a fantasy basketball game changer.

Post from: Expert Fantasy

For the Raptors, O’Neal will give the team the perfect center to put next to Chris Bosh. The last Raptors have never had a very good center but if O’Neal can stay healthy, he can change all that. O’Neal is a very good center with a good low post game. In terms of fantasy basketball, a new start in Toronto is very good news for O’Neal.

The Pacers finally have a point guard. Ford should be able to step right in and produce at the lead guard position. Ford, who is also an injury risk, has been a very solid player in his career when he’s been able to stay on the court. For Ford, this is also good news in terms of fantasy basketball because he no longer has a backup who could eat away at his minutes like Jose Calderon in Toronto.

Nesterovic was a salary filler who might or might not see meaningful action for Indiana. With the 17th pick, expect the Packers to add a bigman.

Here is a video concerning the TJ Ford and Jermaine O’Neal swap:

Post from: Expert Fantasy

Here is a look at the key fantasy players on the Pacers:

Jermaine O’Neal
O’Neal can put up very good stats when he’s healthy. The problem has been keeping him healthy over the last couple years. He missed the season opener but has played in both games since.

Mike Dunleavy, Jr.
Dunleavy has played great this young season. Since the beginning of the preseason, there has been a noticeable difference in Dunleavy’s game. He’s much more confident and he seems to finally be comfortable in the NBA. Dunleavy has always had the talent, it’s the intangibles he used to lack.

Danny Granger
Granger is off to a huge start this season. Averaging over 22 points per game, Granger could be in line for a breakout year. His three-point shooting looks to be much improved and overall Granger looks like a player who could have a very productive fantasy season.

Jamaal Tinsley
Under new coach Jim O’Brien, Tinsley has looked the best he has in years. Tinsley knows his chances as a starter in the NBA are running out and seems to be on a mission this year. His shooting percentages will likely be low and his turnovers high, but otherwise he could be a very good sleeper this year.

Troy Murphy
Murphy has missed the entire season to date. However, he still has a spot in the rotation as the starting center once he returns. He’s also a good match for O’Brien’s system and could return to double-double form once he gets back on the court.

Ike Diogu
Diogu has always had the talent to play in the NBA, he’s just never had the playing time. With Murphy out, Diogu has stepped in and played very well. He’s averaging double digits in scoring and putting up solid rebounding numbers.

Jeff Foster
Foster has always been a good center option for the Pacers. However, fantasy-wise he’s not a great option because his playing time is usually sporadic. Once Murphy returns, Foster will most likely be moved out of the starting lineup.

Marquis Daniels
Daniels has the potential to be a very good fantasy player. He does everything well and can play multiple positions. Although currently, Daniels doesn’t enough minutes to be a quality fantasy option. If that changes, Daniels is a player to give a look.

Travis Diener
Backing up Tinsley, Diener is only in line to get spot minutes. That said, Tinsley isn’t exactly the most sturdy point guard and if he misses any time, Diener would get big minutes as the starter. Keep an eye on Tinsley’s health and pick up Diener if Tinsley goes down.

David Harrison
Harrison’s stats were impressive over the first couple games of the season. It was no doubt his best start to a season as he heads into his fourth year in the NBA. But once Murphy returns from injury, Harrison’s minutes will likely be significantly reduced.

Kareem Rush
Rush in the Pacers hired gun from the outside. He can stroke three-pointers and the Pacers will use him in that role when needed. Fantasy-wise, Rush doesn’t add much unless you are desperate for three-pointers.

Post from: Expert Fantasy