According to reports out of Detroit, the Pistons are set to change their starting lineup. With a number of shaky performances as of late, the lineup change doesn’t come as a shock to followers of the team.

The new starting lineup for the Pistons will feature Rodney Stuckey at point guard, Allen Iverson at shooting guard, Richard Hamilton at small forward, Tayshaun Prince at power forward and Rasheed Wallace at center. The player who got bumped of the starting lineup was center Kwame Brown, while Stuckey is the new addition.

At first glance, obviously this new lineup is rather small. Interior defense and rebounding could very well be a problem. However, fantasy-wise this lineup should make each player a slightly more productive rebounder. In fact, Prince may see a significant rise in rebounds.

On the offensive end, this lineup change should be good for everyone. The Iverson at point guard experiment failed, as he was unable to create shots for others. Stuckey should be able to create shots and play much more like a true point guard. If Stuckey is given big minutes to go along with this promotion, he automatically becomes a fantasy relevant player. 12 points and five assists per night with some good complementary stats makes him a solid bench guard for your fantasy unit.

The other big winner is Iverson. He no longer has to worry about point guard duties and can instead go back to concentrating on scoring the basketball. Prince too may be able to hit a few more three-pointers now that he will have a bigman defending him.

If this lineup doesn’t create wins for Detroit, the next move would be re-inserting a bigman into the starting lineup and benching one of Iverson, Hamilton or Prince. Keep a close eye on the Pistons over the coming weeks to see which players are getting minutes and how their fantasy production changes.

Rodney Stuckey recently got a reminder what an NBA court tastes like. While going up for a layup, he might the immovable force that is Shaquille O’Neal. The result was Stuckey flying to the ground and Shaq getting ejected. You can see the Stuckey video at the end of this entry.

While Stuckey was able to continue to play, his season so far hasn’t been as great as expected. Many NBA experts expected him to make a big jump in his second season in the league. That simply hasn’t happened yet.

Compared to his rookie season, his stats are up just a little bit. Most fantasy owners are probably looking elsewhere for production, even if they invested a draft pick in Stuckey.

Is there hope for Stuckey’s stats to improve? What Stuckey needs more than anything is a boost in minutes played. One way for that to happen is if he takes over the starting point guard job for the Detroit Pistons. In that scenario, Allen Iverson would move to shooting guard and Richard Hamilton would come off the bench. That makes sense for the Pistons but it’s doubtful that Hamilton would like a move that would make him a reserve.

If Stuckey remains a bench player, he’s going to remain a borderline fantasy basketball option. He’d only really become valuable if an injury were to strike Iverson or Hamilton.

Here is the video of Rodney Stuckey getting slammed to the floor by Shaq:

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Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
While Chauncey Billups could have another solid season, there are some red flags. First of all, he has Rodney Stuckey behind him and Stuckey is viewed as the future of the franchise in Detroit. Second of all, Joe Dumars seems ready and willing to trade Billups if the right trade becomes available. If Billups ends up in a bad situation, his value could plummet.

Mo Williams, Cleveland Cavaliers
Common sense says that if you play next to a very good passer like LeBron James, your fantasy value will rise. However, that hasn’t really been the case. A lot of players have gone to Cleveland as good fantasy players and then fall off the map. Williams should be okay but don’t over value him.

Randy Foye, Minnesota Timberwolves
Ever since he’s come into the league, Randy Foye has gotten fantasy love around the draft time. But each of his first two seasons, he underachieved. He’s once again ranked highly but that is based mostly on hope instead of reality. Don’t draft him expecting a huge jump in numbers.

Beno Udrih, Sacramento Kings
While in San Antonio, Beno Udrih had problems with dedication and staying healthy. He played very well in a short stint on the Kings but don’t let that fool you into thinking he’s a safe player. Now that he has financial security, he could fall back into being an undermotivated injury risk.

Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards
It’s easy to give up on Gilbert Arenas. He’s gone from Agent Zero to Agent Injured. It seems like every other blog he writes is about him undergoing a new surgery. That said, when he’s healthy he has a light greener than just about any player in the NBA. In fantasy basketball, that is gold.

Marcus Williams, Golden State Warriors
Being at the helm of the Golden State Warriors’ run and shoot offense should do wonders for Marcus Williams’ fantasy value. As long as he stays healthy and stays in shape, there’s really no reason for him not to be a huge contributor — until at least Monta Ellis is healthy.

Rodney Stuckey, Detroit Pistons
As a rookie, Rodney Stuckey flashed superstar potential at times. While he’s still stuck in a log jam, that could change at any given time. A trade or an injury could push Stuckey into the starting lineup where he’d do much fantasy basketball damage.

Ramon Sessions, Milwaukee Bucks
Although brief, Ramon Sessions’ stint with the Bucks last season was phenomenal. He looked very good and his stats were off the charts. If he’s given a chance to start during the 2008-09, he might end up the point guard sleeper of all point guard sleepers.

Flip Saunders was let go as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons. Saunders, who led the team to three straight appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, couldn’t get over the hump and was let go by Joe Dumars, the president of basketball operations for the Pistons.

Saunders had actually coached a good season, by all account. He was able to finish with the second best record in the NBA, while at the same time giving minutes to young players like Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell.

While there wasn’t an immediate announcement regarding the new Pistons head coach, sources are pointing toward Michael Curry as the likely replacement. Curry, an ex-Piston, has only one year as an assistant coach under his belt. It’s difficult to project how he’ll coach with no information on him.

After getting eliminated, many expect the Pistons to receive a makeover this summer. Dumars will be busy and a number of big names could be headed out of town, including Rasheed Wallace.

Will Michael Curry be the new Pistons coach?

Photo: Newscom

Chauncey Billups has been slowed in recent games and there are some whispers that Rodney Stuckey is the Detroit Pistons’ best point guard at the moment. Billups injured his hamstring against the Orlando Magic in the second round and hasn’t been the same since returning.

In Game 3 against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, Billups had one of the worst games of his Pistons career. In 27 minutes, Billups had only six points and four assists, while shooting 1-for-6 from the floor. The Pistons ended up losing the game at home and now trail the Celtics 2-1 in the best of seven series.

Stuckey, on the other hand, was very good in Game 3. Stuckey, who is a rookie point guard who was drafted in the first round, played 27 minutes and had 17 points, four assists and four steals. In the playoffs, Stuckey has improved his numbers of his regular season statistics and may now be a better options than a hobbled Billups.

In Game 4, don’t be surprised if Billups sees more time on the bench and Stuckey sees more time on the court.

Photo: Newscom

In Game 3 of the series between the Detroit Pistons and the Orlando Magic, the Magic beat the Pistons 111-86. The Pistons now lead the series 2-1. However, the big news for the Pistons was the injury suffered by Chauncey Billups.

Billups injured his hamstring when he did the splits after getting tangled up with Jameer Nelson. After being helped to his feet, Billups limped to the locker room. He wasn’t able to return to the game.

The Pistons are hopeful that Billups will be able to play in Game 4. The initial diagnosis has Billups listed as day-to-day, but Billups will undergo further testing. If Billups has a moderate to severe hamstring strain, he could miss the rest of the series against the Magic.

Billups primary backup at point guard is rookie Rodney Stuckey. In Game 3, Stuckey responded with 19 points, three rebounds and two assists. Lindsey Hunter is also on Detroit’s roster and he’d likely see more time if Billups’ injury ends up being more serious than initially thought. Game 4 of the series will be played on Saturday.

From FantasyFanatics.com

Well, All-Star Weekend has come and gone, however, the debate on the “Superman” dunk (was it a dunk or not?) still rages on. As fantasy basketball players, we have bigger concerns on our mind. For one, what are the fantasy effects of all of the blockbuster deals this season? Also, are there any second-half sleepers out there to help you in your league’s stretch run? Here is a look at those questions and more.

Trade Fallout – The Winners:

Kurt Thomas – Power Forward/Center – Spurs – Thomas moves to a team that needs his services in the post. He should get the majority of minutes over Fabricio Oberto and may contribute a double-double statistical line with strong percentages and decent defensive numbers. He has very limited upside. But, you could do worse for a short-term filler at center.

Beno Udrih – Point Guard – Kings – Udrih resumes his role as the Kings starting point guard with Mike Bibby going east to the Hawks. Just in case you forgot, he is averaging 14 points and 5 assists as a starter this season.

Marcus Williams – Point Guard – Nets – The good news, Jason Kidd has left town. The bad news, Devin Harris has arrived in town. Harris will be out a couple of weeks recovering from injury. That will give Williams ample time to audition for the starting point guard job.

Antoine Wright – Shooting Guard/Small Forward – Mavericks – Wright has two things to be grateful for. One, he no longer has to compete with the uninspired duo of Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson for minutes. Two, he is out of New Jersey. Wright could contribute in steals, assists, and rebounds if given 28 to 30 minutes a night. That is not as far fetched as it sounds as the Maverick may start to save the aging legs of Eddie Jones and Jerry Stackhouse for the playoffs.

Trade Fallout – The Losers:

Andris Biedrins – Center – Warriors – Biedrins’ stock is not affected by a trade, but the signing of Chris Webber. Biedrins has not only lost his starting gig to Webber, but some playing time as well. He is really foul-prone, so the drop in his value can not all be attributed to the Webber signing. He is also very young and is a nice buy low candidate for keeper leagues.

Josh Boone – Power Forward/Center – Nets – The Nets have been in search of good big men since the days of Derrick Coleman. While the lot of “bigs” they have now do not have the talent – or nearly the waistline – of Coleman, there are a lot of them. Adding DeSagana Diop to Boone, a recovering Nenad Krstic, the recently acquired Stromile Swift, and rookie Sean Williams makes the front line rotation pretty crowded. There is a large possibility that there will be an open audition at the four and five spot in New Jersey for the rest of the season. If that is the case, then all involved will have diminished fantasy value.

Boris Diaw– Power Forward/Center – Suns – If Shaquille O’Nealcan stay healthy and if he can play 30 minutes a night, then Diaw role and minutes will be minimized for the Suns. But those are some pretty big “ifs”. Diaw’s steals and assists from the center spot can be value. However, his production is too volatile to rely on.

Jarrett Jack – Guard – Blazers – Why is Jack on this list? He has not been traded, has he? The Blazers have not made a trade, right? Well, there is the problem. Jack would have benefited greatly by a move out of Portland. He has moved into the starting lineup recently, at the two-guard spot, at least on a part-time basis. His shooting is too inconsistent to play big minutes at the off guard spot and there are too many options on the bench for Jack to be worthy of a roster spot right now.

Acie Law – Guard – Hawks – Using simple math, you can deduce that Law has a chance of more playing time. Two point guards leave (Tyronn Lue and Anthony Johnson) and one came back in a trade (Mike Bibby). However, beating out Lue and Johnson for minutes is different than beating out Bibby. Law may see some gain in value, but loses a chance to become a truly viable fantasy option.

Second-Half Sleepers

Randy Foye – Guard – Wolves – I have been tooting this guy’s horn for a while. Foye is good. How good? Well, that has yet to be determined, but Minnesota has nothing better to do this season but find out what exactly what they have in Foye. His shooting has been awful this season – currently sitting at 36%. Considering that he shot 43% from the field and 37% from three point range last season, he should raise his field goal percentage considerably the rest of the way.

Luis Scola – Power Forward/Center – Rockets – Scola got off to a slow start this season as he got acclimated to the league. His February numbers: 11 points and 6 rebounds – not eye popping, until you see that he is shooting 63% from the field. He should continue to put up better numbers as he gets more comfortable with the NBA style of play. Averages of 13 points and 7 rebounds is very possible.

Rodney Stuckey – Guard – Pistons – In case you have not noticed, Stuckey has February averages of 11.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in just 22 minutes. Logic tells us that he should see his minutes continue to rise as they ready him – a rest the aging starters – for the post-season. Put Stuckey on the Timberwolves or the Clippers, he would be a top candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.

Louis Williams – Guard – Sixers – Like Randy Foye, Williams should have plenty of opportunity the rest of the way to prove his wares. Williams has a multitude of skills and appears that he will be a fantasy star someday. The question that you should be asking is: will he turn those skills into production this season. He is, at least, worthy of a spot on your watch-list, if not your reserve team. However, I have a little more optimistic outlook for Williams. He could be good for 12.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals the rest of the way on 45% shooting, up from his current 41% shooting.

FantasyFanatics.com is a premier fantasy sports community. Need help deciding who to sit and who to start? What about help with a big trade? Chat with the fantasy basketball experts on FantasyFanatics.com.

With three preseason games played on Monday, we got a peek at six teams for the first time.

Here’s a look at a player from each team that stood out:

Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks - Smith finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots in his preseason debut. What was really interesting is the Hawks started a small lineup with Smith and Marvin Williams at the forward positions. If that’s going to be the case going into the season, Smith could play minutes at power forward, which would help his rebounding and blocks stats. Smith is immensely talented and this performance did nothing but reinforce that notion.

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic - With 30 points and 11 rebounds to go along with four blocks, Howard had a huge preseason opener. The 30 points is the number to be most impressed with because Howard can at times have trouble scoring. If he adds scoring to his repertoire, he’s going to be even more of a fantasy stud. However, the problem with Howard in the past has been turnovers, and his five turnovers didn’t do anything to reduce those fears.

Wilson Chandler, New York Knicks - While Chandler probably won’t get enough minutes to be considered in a redraft league, Chandler looks like a nice prospect for a keeper league. In his first game against NBA players, Chandler had nine points, six rebounds, two blocks, a steal and an assist in 19 minutes of action. Isiah Thomas has a history of drafting well and Chandler could very possibly be another steal.

Reggie Evans, Philadelphia 76ers - Evans started for the Sixers on Monday. That’s a good sign for fantasy owners looking for a guy who can rebound. Evans is a ferocious rebounder who could very well lead the league in rebounding if given enough minutes. The fact that he’s apparently in the mix to be a starter for Philly should bump up his fantasy stock.

Rodney Stuckey, Detroit Pistons - Stuckey was very impressive in his first action with the Pistons. He scored 15 points in 19 minutes, connecting on 5-of-7 shots from the field. Stuckey seems to have locked up a spot in the Pistons’ rotation, however he has a lot of competition for minutes. If he can carve out a niche where he plays 25 minutes a game, he could have a big rookie season.

Marcus Slaughter, Miami Heat - Slaughter led the Heat in scoring on Monday with 17 points. The Heat, who were playing without most of the best players, didn’t put up much of a fight against the Pistons. That said, Slaughter was still impressive. The 22-year-old Slaughter played in Europe last year and had a great season. The Heat have given him a shot and Slaughter should stick in Miami. He’s traveled a similar route to Udonis Haslem and is a similar type player.

Marcus Slaughter Mix …