New Faces in New Cities (part 1)

The summer of 2009 certainly didn't 'Wow' anyone, but it had its fair share of action. Teams weren't willing to spend much in order to prepare for next year's free agent class (some are calling the best ever). To make matters worse, once the new salary cap figures were released (decrease of about $1 million), teams had to alternate plans and get creative.

For fantasy purposes, we'll look at the major acquisitions that went on in the off season and see what kind of impact they will have for their new teams.

Allen Iverson (PG/SG)- Memphis Grizzlies (via Detroit Pistons)
It took awhile for AI to find a team to play for. The keyword is getting to "play" since the Grizzlies aren't going anywhere fast. Why would the franchise take away growing time from their young players? But then again, why would a team trade their franchise player (Pau Gasol) for a #1 overall bust (Kwame Brown). Hard to explain what's going to happen here. Iverson will probably have a similar role in Memphis as he did in Detroit, and that wasn't very pretty. Draft at your own risk.

Andre Miller (PG)- Portland Trailblazers (via Philadelphia 76ers)
Miller is certainly getting up there in age (33), but his play remains at a high level. Leaving Philly won't hurt his value as the Blazers are loaded with talent. This young talent will look up to Miller and rely on him as a leader with his veteran experience. The assists should increase from last season since he won't be relied on to score as he was when EB went down. Will be a solid fantasy player, nothing spectacular.

Ben Gordon (SG)- Detroit Pistons (via Chicago Bulls)
B-b-b-b-Ben Gordon finds himself in a similar role in the motorcity as he had with his early years in Chicago. With Rip Hamilton and Rodney Stuckey glued in the starting lineup, Gordon will be the first man off the bench. This hasn't stopped Gordon from putting up good numbers. In fact, in 2006 & 2007, he averaged better overall stats. The Bulls didn't pay $50 million to sit, so the minutes will be there.

Charlie Villanueva (SF/PF)- Detroit Pistons (via Milwaukee Bucks)
Many projected last season to be the breakout year for CV31. Inconsistent minutes made fantasy owners unsure of when to put him in the lineup. Villanueva diplayed the type of numbers he's capable of putting up night in and night out when given the opportunity. In Detroit, just as it is with newly acquired Ben Gordon, both former Uconn stars didn't sign ($35 million) to sit. Minutes will be given to him.

Emeka Okafor (PF/C)- New Orleans Hornets (via Charlotte Bobcats)
Brought over by New Orleans to be a defensive presence in the paint, look for Okafor's offense to increase slightly. Okafor unquestionably, has a better offensive game than the man he was traded for, Tyson Chandler. Chandler was able to average 10+ ppg, when healthy, so Okafor will surely score even more. Having CP3 doesn't hurt too, as he'll set up very easy looks for him just as he did for Chandler with the lob pass.

Hedo Turkoglu (SG/SF)- Toronto Raptors (via Orlando Magic)
Why Toronto over Portland? Turkoglu has 53 million reasons why he chose to play in Canada. This was the biggest contract he'd ever see in his lifetime, and he jumped on it by spurning the Blazers.
Unlike his role in Orlando, Hedo won't have the ball in his hands as much. He'll be a nice floor spacer to free up Chris Bosh downlow. His value will most likely decrease since Calderon will be their main distributor.

Mike Miller (SG/SF)- Washington Wizards (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Miller is one of the best shooters in the game and he'll definitely get to show that touch off in Washington. After somewhat of a down year in Minnesota, Miller's numbers will likely be revived thanks to a change of scenary. A lot can happen when you're playing for a playoff contender. He'll see plenty of looks to take the scoring load off of the Wizards' big 3 of Arenas, Butler and Jamison. He may even see time with the 2nd team giving him even more shots.

Ramon Sessions (PG/SG)- Minnesota Timberwolves (via Milwaukee Bucks)
A nice building block to add to the T-wolves rebuilding team. His scoring increased by 4 points last season, and should remain at that level with his new team (12.4 ppg). Will be interesting to see how rookie Jonny Flynn will affect his playing time at point. A solid backup pg for your fantasy team.

Randy Foye (PG/SG)- Washington Wizards (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Foye had somewhat of a rebound season last year after coming off an injury plagued season before that. He's in a much better winning situation in real life, but for fantasy, his value has decreased. Probably won't see enough minutes to put consistent numbers up. However, if Arenas' knee doesn't hold up all season, make sure you scoop Foye up quick as he'll fit in perfectly.

Rasheed Wallace (PF/C)- Boston Celtics (via Detroit Pistons)
Sheed's days of being a top scorer are over as are his days of being relied upon as a main threat. Joining Boston gives him his best chance at another ring. If you want a fantasy championship ring (or trophy), don't rely on him to carry your squad. He can still fill every category on the stat sheet, but won't dominate any of them. Obviously, he's only a KG injury away from stepping into the starting lineup.








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