In a three-team trade earlier in the week, the New Orleans Hornets acquired Antonio Daniels, the Washington Wizards acquired Mike James and Javaris Crittenton and the Memphis Grizzlies acquired a draft pick.

While none of the players involved in the trade are household fantasy basketball names, Antonio Daniels had been valuable in recent years and Mike James was viable not that long ago. Now with the Hornets, Daniels likely won’t have the playing time to be worth much fantasy-wise. The only way he’ll be valuable is if Chris Paul goes down for an extended period of time and he’s given the starting spot. Even then, Daniels is up there in age and his declining athleticism may not allow him to play as well as he’s played in recent seasons.

James is another veteran player, however his situation is much different. With Gilbert Arenas sidelined for at least another month, James could conceivably work his way into a starting gig while Arenas is out. James hadn’t been playing for the Hornets but he’s a player always looking to shoot the ball — which makes him an interesting fantasy prospect if given minutes.

While he has dynasty value, Crittenton doesn’t have much redraft value. The Wizards will give him minutes here and there but it is doubtful he becomes an everyday cog in Washington’s rotation.

Photo credit: Newscom

Along with the Jamal Crawford for Al Harrington trade, the New York Knicks also made noise on Friday by trading Zach Randolph to the Los Angeles Clippers. The deal sent Randolph and Mardy Collins to the Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.

As far as Randolph is concerned, this is unlikely to be good news for his fantasy basketball value. With the Knicks, he was putting up very good numbers and was see a ton of touches. Mike D’Antoni basically let him shoot whenever he wanted to.

With the Clippers, Randolph will have to find time between Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman on the frontline. The Clippers also play at a much slower pace than the Knicks. The only silver lining is that the Clippers are looking for an Elton Brand replacement and Randolph has a comparable game. For that reason, Randolph could eventually get a lot of touches down the line.

As far as Mobley and Thomas are concerned, this is very good news. Mobley could conceivably step into a starting role at shooting guard to replace the departed Crawford. He’ll likely get a lot more shots — as long as D’Antoni warms up to him. Thomas previously played for D’Antoni and flourished in his system. If he gets time, he too could become fantasy relevant once again.

The New York Knicks made a pair of trades on Friday that had NBA and fantasy basketball analysts scrambling. Their first trade sent Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Al Harrington.

While the main point of this trade for the Knicks was to create more salary cap flexibility in 2010, this trade should be a great fantasy basketball-wise for Harrington owners. There’s a good chance that Harrington will start at center for the Mike D’Antoni Knicks, which will mean a lot of shot attempts — specifically, three-pointers. With his increased minutes and his role moving him to center, he can expect his rebound numbers to also go up. Now is a great time to buy low on Harrington before he becomes much more valuable on the Knicks.

The future for Crawford on the Warriors is much less clear. While in theory Crawford would flourish under Don Nelson, the question is how many minutes will he play. Right now he should get minutes but once Monta Ellis returns, Crawford could getting his playing time pinched. It’s going to be difficult for Nellie to juggle minutes between Crawford, Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Kelenna Azubuike and the new sensation Anthony Morrow.

As of right now, consider Harrington’s fantasy basketball stock way up and Crawford’s about the same with the possibility it could drop.

Photo: Newscom

By Brian Wagoner, Fantasy Basketball Expert for FantasyFanatics.com

Just as the dust settled on a couple of blockbuster deals last week, we may have another one on our hands if the Nets and Mavericks can sort out Devean George’s contract in a deal that would send Jason Kidd back to Dallas. The next week that leads up to the trading deadline appears to not only be attention-grabbing, but it could have a major shake up in your fantasy league as well.

It is important to remember when analyzing a deal to not only look at the players involved in the trade, but also who is going to fill the void of the player traded away. An example is in Memphis with the much criticized, and rightfully so, deal with the Lakers. Pau Gasol landed in Los Angeles, however, who is going to pick up the slack that he left behind with the Grizzlies? We will examine that question as well as look at some other players worth noting in this week’s Stock Watch.

On the Rise

Darko Milicic – Power Forward/Center – Grizzlies – Have you come over to the “Darko Side” yet? I can not blame you if you are a little hesitant. He has been a disappointment of historic proportions and one of the very few mistakes that Joe Dumars has made in running the Pistons. However, since Pau Gasol was shipped westward, he has actually been pretty darn good. His numbers since the deal: 11 points, 9 boards, and 1.6 blocked shots a game on 46% shooting. Still, with all of the other options out there at power forward and center, Darko should still only be used if you really need his rebounds and blocked shots and can stand the sub-60% from the line.

Andre Miller – Point Guard – Sixers – Miller has been rumored on his way out of Philadelphia from the moment he arrived last season in the deal that sent Allen Iverson to Denver. But a funny thing happened . . . Miller has played great basketball for the Sixers. So much so, that now management is beginning to think of him as a piece to build the franchise on, especially considering his role in the recent hot steak the team is on. Miller does turn 32 next month, so it is difficult for me to believe that he will be able to contribute much when their young stars such as Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith, and Shavlik Randolph (just kidding) are hitting their prime. Fantasy owners should just sit back and enjoy the big time numbers that Miller is producing on a team that needs his scoring just as much as they need his assists.

Jameer Nelson – Point Guard – Magic – The Carlos Arroyo Experiment finally came to a crashing halt this week in Orlando. Nelson was inserted back into the starting rotation after languishing on the bench and even earning a couple DNP – Coach’s Decisions along the way. The fire appears to be back in Nelson’s game. His last two games, he is averaging 19.5 points and 6.5 assists on 48% from the field. It is now safe to insert him back into your fantasy lineup for the foreseeable future.

Chris Wilcox - Power Forward/Center – Sonics – Like Jameer Nelson, Wilcox had to earn his way back into a starting role. He did so about three weeks ago and has been very good ever since. He has really stepped up his game in February. His averages for the first four games of the month: 17.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game on 58.5% shooting. The downside is that he has struggled with his free throw shooting this month, even more than usual.

On the Way Down

Andris Biedrins – Center – Warriors – Biedrins has the potential to be a fantasy star. However, to realize that potential, he really has to avoid getting into foul trouble. His foul trouble has became so much of an issue that the Warriors brought in Chris Webber to start at center and to, hopefully, alleviate some pressure on Biedrins. This month, he has only gotten over 24 minutes in a game once – a 12 point, 18 rebound effort in a loss against the Bulls. You have to keep him active for those big rebounding nights. However, it appears that you are going get plenty of inconsistent play to go along with those boards.

Linas Kleiza – Shooting Guard/Small Forward – Nuggets – Klieza proved that he could be an offensive force and a reliable fantasy player while replacing Carmelo Anthony in the starting lineup. However, Anthony is back and Kleiza returns to his reduced role off the bench. He is a skilled enough offensive player to still put up a big night every now and then, even if his minutes are down. But do not expect helpful fantasy numbers on a game-to-game basis from him unless injuries strike again or if he is involved in a trade to a non-contending team.

Kyle Lowry – Guard – Grizzlies – Lowry did not fair extremely well in his brief time as the starting point guard with Damon Stoudamire in San Antonio and Mike Conley injured. Well, that is not entirely true, here are his splits in his six starts: first three game averages – 19 points, 3 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals and in the second three games – 7.3 points, 4 assists, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.3 steals. Those numbers have the look of a guy that you can plug in occasionally, but do not want to be the man for very long – in other words: a back-up. That is not what you want in a fantasy option.

Jason Terry – Guard – Mavericks – Terry was expected to take on a larger role for the Mavericks with Devin Harris out with injury. He has struggled with the extra workload. In the first eight games that Harris has missed, Terry is just shooting barely over 40% from the field, much different than his 46% season average. With Jason Kidd likely on his way back to Big D, Terry might just get a spark back in his fantasy value.

Skimming the Free Agent Pool

Mark Blount– Center – Heat – Okay, I just threw up a little in my mouth just typing the name. As a long time Celtics fan, I have seen Blount go from a hungry, energy player to an overpaid prima donna during his time in Boston. But personal feelings aside, Blount appears to be a beneficiary of the deal that sent Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix. His main competition now for minutes at the center position is Pat Riley wanting to go small – it is hard to imagine Earl Barron or the undersized Joel Anthony much competition at all. He is having his best month of the season so far in February with averages of: 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. Blount’s 18 points and 13 rebounds – yes, amazingly, “Blount” and “13 rebounds” in the same sentence – against the Nuggets this week give us a glimmer of hope that the hungry, hustling player might just reemerge.

Nenad Krstic – Power Forward/Center – Nets – If you have a roster space, you might want to go out and grab Krstic. He is beginning to get back into game shape after taking some extra time off to recover from last season’s knee surgery. He is a big part of the Nets future and should receive an increased role as soon as he can prove that he can handle it. In his last game, he scored 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in just 15 minutes. It would not surprise me at all if he averaged 14 points and 8 boards in March.

Thabo Sefolosha – Shooting Guard/Small Forward – Bulls – There is one thing, and one thing only keeping Sefolosha from being a sure fire fantasy starter. That one thing is playing time. He has gotten plenty of run since being inserted into the starting lineup in mid-January. His numbers this season as a starter in over 33 minutes a game: 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals. However, he may be the odd man out when, or if, the Bulls ever get back to full strength. In the meantime, he is worth a spot on your fantasy roster, especially if Luol Deng and Ben Gordon continue to miss time due to injury.

Hakim Warrick – Forward – Grizzlies – The trade that rattled the Western Conference, left a huge hole in Memphis’ rotation. Warrick seems like a good candidate to help fill that hole. He was good last season replacing the injured Pau Gasol, averaging 15 points and 6.5 rebounds as a starter last year. With that track record and the 28 point, 13 rebound effort in a win against the Kings this week, Warrick may be just worth taking a shot on.

The Deep End

Thaddeus Young – Forward – Sixers – The talented rookie has been a roll lately. Young is averaging 11.8 points and 6.3 rebound while shooting a 59.6% field goal percentage in six February games. With him being a rookie, you should not get too excited, as there are sure to be more ups and down this season for his numbers. However, if you are in a deep keeper league, his performance is definitely worth noting.

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.

Grant Hill is aiming toward a Tuesday return to the lineup for the Phoenix Suns. Hill had an emergency appendectomy earlier in the month and was expected to miss two weeks. Tuesday would make exactly two weeks since his surgery.

With Hill out of the lineup, the Suns won five of their seven games. The player who most flourished with Hill out was Boris Diaw. Diaw was inserted into the starting lineup and responded with a couple of really nice games. Once Hill returns, expect Diaw to return to the bench.

Hill’s fantasy basketball prospects going forward are very good. He’ll average a good amount and in the Suns system, Hill’s stats should be consistently above average.

The prospects for Diaw aren’t as bright. He struggled with his bench role before Hill went down and his production will likely go down again. If you can, trade him before Hill gets back. If not, you most likely will have to look elsewhere for fantasy production.

Grant Hill Tribute …

Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
Garnett has been far from dominant recently. His points are down, his rebounds are down and his overall play isn’t as great as it was earlier in the season. That said, he should be a very good fantasy option down the stretch run of the season. Right now, he’s going through the mid-season doldrums. Once the finish line gets in sight, expect Garnett to produce much better. If you can trade for him, do it.

Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic
Lewis hasn’t been as good as many touted him to be. His scoring isn’t spectacular, neither is any other statistic. However, Lewis is still learning the Eastern Conference and is adjusting to his teammates. Expect him to start carrying more of the load in the coming weeks. Once he starts playing his best, he’ll be a great source for points and three-pointers made.

Josh Howard, Dallas Mavericks
Howard has been in a funk recently. He started the season playing great but that hasn’t been the case recently. He actually missed a game recently due to personal reasons. Once whatever is wrong is cleared up, expect Howard to become a dominant player yet again. Right now you can trade for him at his lowest point if you wish to do so.

Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Parker has struggled with both injuries and poor play. His focus might not be 100% and the reigning Finals MVP might be a bit bored. With that in mind, trade for him now and reap the rewards when he starts to turn it around. You might have another month of uninspired play forthcoming, but after that he should turn the switch and enter playoff mode.

Parker Mix:

Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Johnson has been struggling recently for the Hawks. His jumper has been shaky and he’s been having trouble finishing around the rim. That said, there’s no reason to think he won’t be able to solve his issues. Johnson, when he’s on the top of his game, is a very nice fantasy player. He’s also a very durable player who rarely misses games.

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
Ginobili’s numbers have dipped in recent weeks but there’s no reason not to value him highly at this point. All of Ginobili’s struggles can be traced back to his injured finger. Before his finger injury, he was a top 15 fantasy player. Expect him to get back to that once his finger is fully healed. As it stands, Ginobili is wearing a brace on his left hand that is hindering his play.

Shane Battier, Houston Rockets
Battier has played surprisingly ineffectively for much of the season. His offense has been almost non-existent at times. However, as of late, he’s been turning on. Not only is he scoring better but he’s also helping out by expanding his all-around game. He’s a solid fantasy player at this point and should continue to improve as the season progresses.

Grant Hill, Phoenix Suns
Hill recently had an emergency appendectomy and is scheduled to miss about two weeks. If an owner in your league is willing to move Hill, now is a good time to buy him. His value is relatively low now that he’ll be out for a couple of weeks. If your team is good enough to wait for Hill to get better, trade for him now and then reap the rewards in the second half of the season.

An important aspect of winning in fantasy basketball is to know when to trade away your assets when their value is at the highest. Players can be artificially valuable due to circumstances that may change with time. If that’s the case look to trade those players while they still have value.

Here are the top five sell high players at the moment:

Chris Kaman
Kaman is more of a long-term sell high candidate. He should be good for a while longer. However, if Elton Brand’s return is on the horizon, that’s the time to cut bait on Kaman. He’s not going to be able to put up the monster stats he’s putting up now with another dominant bigman taking up room in the middle. Enjoy his early season production but be prepared to trade.

Theo Ratliff
Ratliff is currently a great source of blocked shots and is chipping in with a good amount of rebounds. That said, Ratliff is a huge injury risk. He’s been injured for practically the last half decade. If you can get an owner to overpay for him, trade him away.

Leandro Barbosa
Barbosa is a guy who has put up great stats over the last couple games. While he’s a good fantasy player, his minutes might soon fluctuate once the Suns get completely healthy. D’Antoni has shown he’ll play his starters big minutes, which will leave relatively limited minutes for Barbosa.

Kelenna Azuibuke
With Stephen Jackson ready to return from his suspension, now is a good time to trade Azuibuke while his value is high. Jackson will get a spot in the starting lineup, which could very well be Azuibuke’s spot. You can risk it and hope that Nelson plays both players and demotes someone else, but the safer move would be to trade Azubuike for a more reliable option.

John Salmons
Salmons should be traded ASAP. With Ron Artest back from suspension and Beno Udrih in the starting lineup, Salmons is now relegated to a bench role. He’s currently averaging very impressive numbers, but those numbers are bound to plummet in his new role. If you can find an owner who isn’t aware of his situation, you might be able to get good value for him.

Even though we are just starting the fantasy basketball season, it’s never too early to buy low on the fantasy market. One area to look for buy low candidates is on the injured list. Early season injuries often make fantasy owners overreact and sell of their asset for well below their actual value.

Here is a look at some injured players to make an offer for:

Randy Foye, Minnesota Timberwolves
Foye is sidelined with an injured kneecap. It’s unknown how long he’ll be out but it shouldn’t be any longer than a month. With that in mind, Foye is a good buy low target. He wasn’t that great last year and now with an injury on top of everything, his stock is rather low. When he returns to health, Foye should soon find himself in the starting lineup and playing big minutes.

Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings
Bibby is a more difficult situation than Foye. Bibby is going to be sidelined for 10 to 12 weeks with a thumb injury. That’s a long time to wait in fantasy basketball. However, if you have a deep roster or can survive with Bibby sidelined, consider offering a trade for him. When healthy, he should resume his role as one of the better fantasy point guards in the league.

Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers
Brand has been injured for a while and it’s likely that he was drafted in your fantasy basketball league. That said, fantasy owners are a fickle bunch and the Brand owner might be willing to part with Brand for a low price. If that’s the case, Brand is worth the risk. He’s a fantasy monster when healthy and there’s talk of him possibly being ready as soon as January.