The Dallas Mavericks have needed more size and strength in recent years. On Thursday, they addressed that need by getting a commitment from Marcin Gortat. The native of Poland spent the first two years of his NBA career backup up Dwight Howard on the Orlando Magic.

The contract the Mavs will reportedly give Gortat is the entire mid-level exception. Over five years, Gortat is expected to make more than $30 million. Due to Gortat being a restricted free agent, the Magic will have a chance to match the contract offer.

Last year, Gortat averaged 3.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in 12.6 minutes.

In fantasy basketball, Gortat will be a boom or bust type player. His per-minute numbers suggest he’s a very good rebounder and shot blocker. However, it’s risky depending on per-minute numbers.

If Gortat is the starting center for the Magic, he very well could be worth a look in the mid rounds of a fantasy basketball draft next year simply based on his potential.

Although the Orlando Magic weren’t able to beat the Los Angeles Lakers to win the 2009 NBA championship, there’s no doubt that their team gained value experience during their run. One of their most impressive players along the way was Hedo Turkoglu.

The native of Turkey averaged 15.8 points, 4.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in the 24 postseason contests. Late in games, Turkoglu proved to be a clutch option who was never afraid to take the big shots.

Now, however, Turkoglu and the Magic’s futures aren’t necessarily linked because the 6-foot-10 small forward will become a free agent this summer. He’s expected to opt out of his contract and hit the open market.

At 30 years of age, many teams will likely target Turkoglu as a player who could be a key part to a championship team. Depending on where he ends up, he could range from a very good fantasy basketball option to a great fantasy basketball option.

When watching where he ends up, keep in mind how many touches he’s likely to get. The more touches, the better Turkoglu plays and the more stats he can put on the board. If any team woos him with the promise of playing more point guard, that is great news for his fantasy basketball future.

Jameer Nelson has watch the Orlando Magic make it all the way to the 2009 NBA Finals without him. Now there are rumors circulating that Nelson can return from his shoulder surgery in time to play in the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jameer Nelson - Could he return against the Lakers (Image: Zuma Press)

If you are hooping it up in playoff fantasy basketball, Jameer Nelson’s injury update could have a lot of impact. Named to the All-Star team, Nelson was having an amazing season prior to his shoulder injury. He was averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting 50.3% from the floor and 45.3% from beyond the three-point arc.

However, even if he is able to return, it’s all but certain that he’d come off the bench. Rafer Alston hasn’t been amazing but he’s been good enough to retain the job for the rest of the way.

Nelson’s return would most likely result in replacing Anthony Johnson in the rotation. He would also cut into Alston’s minutes if he plays well.

For fantasy purposes, take a wait and see approach with Nelson. If he returns and then looks decent on the court, that’s when you start considering him for your fantasy basketball team. Prior to that point, he’s more of a tease than a sure thing.

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.

Courtney Lee, the rookie sensation for the Orlando Magic, could miss the rest of the playoffs. Lee suffered a fractured sinus after taking an elbow to the face from superstar teammate Dwight Howard during Game 5 of the team’s first round series versus the Philadelphia 76ers. In the contest, Lee was only able to play six minutes before leaving the game.

While there’s a chance he could return in the playoffs, those chances don’t seem very likely. He has to undergo surgery to repair the fractured sinus.

During the regular season, Lee played in 77 games and started 41 of those contests. He averaged 8.4 points per game while shooting 45% from the field, 40.4% from the three-point line and 83% from the free throw line. In the playoffs, Lee averaged 15.8 points per game in the first four games of the series before getting hurt in the fifth game. He shot 48.1% from the field, connecting on 26-of-54 shot attempts.

On Thursday evening, the Magic were able to beat the Sixers to advance to the second round of the playoffs. Orlando won despite not having Lee or Howard able to play. Howard missed the game because he was serving a one-game suspension for elbowing Samuel Dalembert of the Sixers.

Jameer Nelson was having a fantastic season, easily the best of his career. Now his season may be over after an MRI showed that he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Both the Orlando Magic and fantasy basketball owners have to be crushed by this news.

How long Nelson will be out depends on whether or not he has surgery. If he has surgery, Nelson will most likely miss the rest of the season. If he doesn’t have surgery but instead tries to rehab, he could possibly return in a few weeks. However, without surgery, he will be susceptible to re-injuring his shoulder.

With Nelson out, Anthony Johnson will take the reins in Orlando. The veteran point guard isn’t much of a fantasy producer but he plays solid defense and knows how to run the show. In the fantasy world, he may be a decent stop gap if you are scrambling to replace Nelson.

If Nelson is indeed out for the season, expect the Magic to go out and trade for a point guard. Jamaal Tinsley could possibly be a fit or maybe a player like Earl Watson. Though Johnson is solid, the Magic would need a better player at the position to stay in the championship hunt.

A lot of NBA experts thought the Orlando Magic would be a solid team this season. However, few could have predicted that the Magic would be arguably the best team in the league. In recent weeks, Orlando has had a host of quality wins and they suddenly look like legit championship contenders.

In both the fantasy basketball world and the NBA world, it all starts with Dwight Howard. He’s once again improved and now he has a case for being the best bigman in the NBA. He can score in the low block and we all know what he’ll do with a free lane to the rim. On top of that, he’s an exceptional rebounder and shot blocker. His only negatives are turnovers and his free throw percentage, however he’s more than making up for those shortcomings these days.

Outside of Howard, the Magic have a trio of very good sidekicks in Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson. Lewis is having a very good season. He’s scoring the ball, rebounding better, shooting for good percentages and hitting three-pointers by the truck load. Turkoglu isn’t playing as well as last season but his all-around game is helpful and chances are that his numbers will recover as the season progresses.

Nelson might be the biggest story of all. He’s having a career year and has been shooting the ball with amazing accuracy. No one in the NBA is hitting jump shots as consistently as Nelson is currently. On top of his shooting and scoring, he’s getting assists, steals and is avoiding turning the ball over.

With Mickael Pietrus injured, Courtney Lee has emerged as an interesting fantasy basketball prospect. Currently starting at shooting guard, Lee is a rookie who can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court. Also helping the Magic at shooting guard is JJ Redick, who may be worth a fantasy look if he can keep draining threes at his current pace.

Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets
Starting now for the Nets at center, Brook Lopez is starting to establish himself. While he’s still very much inconsistent, he’s scoring skills as both a scorer and a rebounder that should keep him in the starting lineup. It’s not out of the question that he could become a double-double machine sooner rather than later.

Courtney Lee, Orlando Magic
With news that Mickael Pietrus broke his rest and is out for an indefinite amount of time, Courtney Lee should see an upshoot in playing time as a result. The rookie shooting guard can shoot, score and provide decent complementary stats. If he can move into the starting lineup, that’d be a big boost for his fantasy worth.

Amir Johnson, Detroit Pistons
Amir Johnson is back into the starting lineup. He began the year as a starter before falling out of favor and falling out of the rotation. However, it should be noted that he’s starting mostly due to an injury to Richard Hamilton. Only start Johnson as long as Hamilton is sidelined.

Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors
The Great Tease is at it again. Filling in for an injured and sick Jermaine O’Neal, Andrea Bargnani had a big game. This followed a series of uninspired performances off the bench. When he’s going right, Bargnani is a center who can score, hit three pointers, block shots and chip in with a few rebounds.

Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic
Simply put, Jameer Nelson has been on fire in the month of December. In the past, Nelson’s outside shot was never his strong suit. However, this month, he can’t miss. He’s shooting over 57% from the field and over 60% from three-point range for the month, while scoring more than 20 points per game.

Ray Allen, Boston Celtics
At points last year in the playoffs, Ray Allen looked like he may be headed to the end of his NBA career. This year, especially in the month of December, Allen has looked very good. For the month, he shooting 53.1% from the field, 44.9% from the three-point arc and 92.3% from the free throw line.

Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic
To start off the 2008-09 NBA season, Rashard Lewis wasn’t shooting the ball very well. This month, he’s turned it around. Most impressively, he’s hitting 44.9% from three-point land on his 6.8 attempts per game. For the month, his scoring average is up to 21.2 points and he’s helping the Magic race up the standings.

Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats
In his first month under Larry Brown, Emeka Okafor looked lost on the offense end. Now he’s tearing it up offensively. For the month of December, Okafor is shooting better than 61% from the field and is averaging 18.1 points per game. To put that in perspective, he averaged only 10.3 points per game in November.

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Roger Mason, Jr., San Antonio Spurs
Currently, Roger Mason, Jr. is leading the NBA in three-pointers made and is shooting a sizzling 52% from beyond the arc. Playing off of Tim Duncan, Mason has found plenty of openings to get off his quick release jumper. However, keep an eye on his minutes after Ginobili returns to 100% and Tony Parker returns from his ankle injury.

Quentin Richardson, New York Knicks
Under Mike D’Antoni once again, Quentin Richardson is in line to have a huge year from beyond the three-point line. He already has made 35 threes and is shooting a very respectable 38%. If he stays healthy, there’s a good chance he could lead the league in three-pointers made.

Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic
Although his touch isn’t quite there yet, Rashard Lewis is already shooting a ton of threes. He easily leads the league in three-pointers attempted and once he regains his touch, he will undoubtedly finish amongst the league leaders in three-pointers made. With Dwight Howard drawing a lot of attention, Lewis gets freed up for many good looks per game.

Rudy Fernandez, Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers knew Rudy Fernandez had a good jumper but they didn’t know he’d be among the league leaders in three-pointers made while shooting better than 43% from deep. If Fernandez gets more playing time, he’ll be able to drop even more long distance bombs.

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