Weekend Update featuring Brandon Jennings and Allen Iverson

This is your fantasy basketball weekend update. You can catch the latest NBA and fantasy basketball news every weekend at hubpages.com/hub/FantasyBasketball.

For the first time, my formula for the fantasy basketball weekend update stays the same. I hope you find the information helpful.

(1) RANT and RAVE-- This week I'm gushing over Brandon Jennings and sobering up owners with high hopes of an Allen Iverson return.

(2) HOT or NOT -- Highlights 5 of the week's best players and 5 of the week's most disappointing players.

(3) Injury Report -- It's been a busy week for injuries in the NBA.  Here's a list of players worthy of discovering while their teammates are still recovering.

(4) Drop -- Guys you should strongly consider dropping.

(5) Add -- What else? Guys you should strongly consider adding.

(6) Watch -- Guys you may want to wait and see about before deciding to drop or add them.

Allen Iverson

I checked. Nearly 50% of people owned Iverson before he was waived by the Grizzlies. That number has since dropped to 42%, which is still quite high for someone not on an active roster. That means there are a lot of people waiting and wishing for Iverson to return. The big question many owners want to know about The Answer: Should I hold onto Allen Iverson in my league?

These owners are obviously enthralled with the idea that Iverson could return to basketball and provide first-round stats at last-round prices. Indeed, there is some validity to that belief. But while that outcome is POSSIBLE, it is not PROBABLE.

According to all the credible news reports, following Iverson’s departure from the Memphis Grizzlies, sources from virtually every NBA franchise were polled on whether they would be willing to sign Iverson and the answer was a resounding “NO.”

Meanwhile, Iverson, citing "family reasons", appeared to be ready for retirement based on his comments during his leave of absence from the Grizzlies. Although he seems to have suddenly backed off that feeling now that he has gained his freedom from Memphis, there is still a decent chance that Iverson could either retire, or decide to play overseas where he could be promised far more money and playing time.

So now that fantasy owners' hopes of Iverson returning to Memphis have been dashed, what are the chances Iverson could return with another team?

There have only been two teams mentioned in connection with the possibility of signing Iverson off of waivers: The New York Knicks and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Iverson reportedly has interest in the New York Knicks, but even Iverson’s manager admits they’ve heard nothing from New York, saying only that Iverson would be excited to play there. However, Iverson had interest in the Knicks this summer but the Knicks did not have any interest back. It has been suggested that since the Knicks have started out so poorly, they may now be willing to let him have his shot. I would find that signing as absolutely ridiculous as the Memphis one. Iverson would win a few more games for a team that has no shot at the playoffs anyway. He would only hurt them in their chances to get a high draft pick, just as he would in Memphis. And just as he would in Memphis, he would hurt the development of the younger players. High octane talent Nate Robinson has missed most of this season and has only recently returned to spot duty. Rookie guard Toney Douglas has just started to get playing time for the Knicks and has been extremely productive with that time, putting up at least 15 points in 4 straight games while shooting over 50% from the field. So why would New York want to stunt the development of their two most talented young guards by signing AI? That is a questions New York will certainly ask themselves.

The knock on both Nate Robinson and Toney Douglass is that they do not spread the ball and create for others enough from the point guard position. That’s why Chris Duhon continues to start. Is Allen Iverson going to help this team share the ball? With Larry Hughes and Wilson Chandler currently starting, are there enough basketballs for this team if Iverson were to join? Aren't these the same questions we were asking when he signed with Memphis? Can someone tell me why this makes sense? (more on this later)

Charlotte was listed as the only other possible destination for Iverson. This one makes a little more sense… but only a little. Once again I would question why a team would take a risk in bringing in a volatile veteran player to join a young, losing squad. Charlotte will not make the playoffs, and Iverson will not help to develop the young players. Unlike in New York, at least, he would be the obvious favorite to start for Charlotte without directly taking time away from young talents, as the Bobcats are not building their future around Raymond Felton. Also, Coach Larry Brown is more prepared to deal with Iverson than any other coach in the NBA, he has the most coaching experience and had Iverson in Philadelphia for most of his career. Also, with the recent addition of Stephen Jackson, and Gerald Wallace and Boris Diaw already in town, Charlotte would have a competitive squad for this season. Still, while they might succeed in drawing a few extra fans to the games this season, they would remain a directionless mediocre team in the long-term.

I believe the Bobcats are the one and only team that should consider signing Iverson. That said, New York seems to be his most likely destination. As far as I can gauge, it does seem New York has renewed interest in signing Allen Iverson. They certainly aren't denying interest when they have been asked about it by the media. The way they have phrased their responses makes me think they are leaning toward signing AI as long as the conversations and contract negotiations go well. And I think Iverson and his agent will make sure they do.

So what's in it for New York? Why make the same mistake Memphis just did? My only guess is that New York is making a last-ditch effort to be a decent team so they will be more attractive to the top free agents this summer (especially LeBron). Also, considering they have been miserable for several years now, they wouldn't mind a boost in the win column this season either.

Conclusion:

If you are in a deep head-to-head league and you really aren’t missing out on too much by holding onto him until further notice, then by all means you should continue to do that until we know more. However, considering the still realistic possibility that Iverson will not play again, and would not return in top form even if he does, then passing on serviceable players while you are waiting on word from Iverson’s camp might result in you shooting yourself in the foot.

Brandon Jennings

I am so impressed by this guy in so many ways, and I’m extra excited because I was able to pick him up after his second game in one of my leagues. I love rooting for this kid. Everyone knows about his 55-point game by now. He put on one of the great all-time performances in the second half – and I don’t mean for a rookie. What’s more is that he led his team to victory in a close hard-fought battle. What's even more is that he almost single-handedly has his team near the top of the standings.

Now, albeit, that 55-point outburst was against the Golden State Warriors whose porous defense and high pace would allow 90 points to a decent high school basketball team. But Jennings has been consistent and does much more than just score. He can hit threes, penetrate and score, penetrate and dish, rebounds well for a guard, and plays outstanding defense. Most importantly, he makes his teammates better and helps them win games. I ranked the Bucks as one of the few teams incapable of making the playoffs in the East before the season began. That's because I had not seen Jennings play yet. I am shocked by how wrong I have been so far. Jennings is the glue to this team. Without him, the Bucks would be lucky to have one win.

Aside from his stats, Jennings is headstrong. He plays with a killer instinct and has infinite confidence in his abilities. Some of that must be attributed to his decision to play a year of professional basketball overseas instead of at the college level. I expect that experience prepared him better for life in the NBA than a division I college could have done. But it takes a special person to want to make that choice in the first place. Brandon Jennings has no fear. And he has the skill, ability, and drive to win. It’s all the makings of an all-time great player.

Yes, I am aware we are still only about ten games into the season. Sure, it’s early and Jennings has a long way to go. But in the first few weeks of his first season, he’s shown he has the tools to get there.

So from a fantasy standpoint, here's what I'm saying to you: TRADE JENNINGS

What!!??

Jennings' value couldn’t be higher right now. He is the talk around every league and amongst the larger NBA community. Unbelievably, Jennings owners are actually fielding offers for LeBron James and Chris Paul! Those are the two best in the game. Those trades are a little extreme if you ask me (or most other people). I am a proud owner but I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on one of those trades…

Now, I am not saying that Jennings' hot start is a fluke. He is an outstanding player and he will be outstanding all year producing across the board as long as he avoids injuries. So if you can't trade him for a TOP 10 PLAYER, or two very good players in a 2-for-1 deal, then don't trade him. But consider the following.

With questions – and not many answers – surrounding Chris Paul’s ankle injury, some are speculating he could be out over a month. If you feel your team can sustain a long-term injury, you might contemplate making a trade proposal for Chris Paul right now. You just may get him. In all probability, Paul's value is at an all-time low and Jennings at an all-time high this season. Paul is established. You know what you’re getting. He’s arguably the number one fantasy player in NBA today. Jennings is currently shooting 59% from three at about three threes per game. That cannot continue. It’s not humanly possible. So when his percentages come down to earth, so will his points. And Redd’s imminent return (until his next injury) will also steal some production.

I am in love with Brandon Jennings right now too – but if you think it through in a pragmatic way, right now could be your golden opportunity to acquire one of the league’s best. There’s no guarantee that the deal gets done (I know I still wouldn’t accept Jennings for Paul). But it’s worth trying, especially if you are dealing with a rookie owner. It’s all part of the old “buy low, sell high” mantra. For Jennings, it doesn’t get any higher than on top of the world.

Brandon Jennings! - See above.

Josh Smith - His box scores have been so bloated, there is too much to write about. Just check out what he's done here: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3834/gamelog;_ylt=ArFbeffqS.qRt_03DB0Z2AICPaB4

Dwight Howard - Shot 22 of 29 in his last 4 games, and recorded double-doubles and 8 blocks over his last 3. Foul trouble and poor free throw shooting continue to be Superman's Kryptonite though.

Marc Gasol - In two games this week went 15-16 with 33 points, 24 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Corey Maggette - Reclaimed a starting position with the departure of Stephen Jackson, and shot 29-50 in 4 games this past week, averaging over 22 points per game, and hitting 4 threes after making just one the rest of the season.

Emeka Okafor - After going for double-doubles in 4 of his first 5 games, he went 5 straight without one until Thursday night's game. He has been a consistent source of blocks all season.

Raymond Felton - 14-41 shooting over his last 4 games, while failing to score in double-digits in his last 3. If Charlotte brings in Iverson, be prepared to drop Felton.

Michael Beasley - In his first 2 games this week went 6-26 from the field before an 8-15 shooting night Wednesday. Beasley also had just 2 steals and 3 assists to go with 17 rebounds over the past week (3 games).

Terrence Williams - Before Wednedsay's big game, Williams was 9-35 shooting over his previous 3 games, with 3 assists, 0 steals and 0 blocks.

Manu Ginobili - 6-24 shooting over his last 3 games and 1-11 over his last two. Ginobili capped off this week with an injury and may be out for a week or so. What else is next?

Chris Paul - Ankle - Although tests showed that Paul's ankle injury was only a sprain, he is still expected to miss 3 weeks to a month. Rookie Collison is showing himself as a serviceable replacement at point guard, and could be a good pick up in the short-term. Peja Stojakovic is starting to hit the three and will need to pick up the scoring for the Hornets as well while Paul is out.

Udonis Haslem - Shoulder - Haslem has been playing great and he shouldn't miss more than a few games with his shoulder injury. Beasley will have more shots if Haslem does miss some time.

Manu Ginobili - Groin - It's too bad Ginobili can't stay healthy. I found him to be one of the most entertaining NBA players when he was on top of his game, especially when playing for his native Argentina. A good estimate for Ginobili is a week right now - until the next injury. You should give serious consideration to trading or dropping Ginobili at this point.

Tony Parker - Ankle - Tony Parker's recurring ankle injury has been upgraded from "not too much to worry about" to "mildly concerning" in my opinion. Parker returned for just one game (after missing a couple) during which he played fairly well. But Parker will now most likely miss the next few days to a week of action in order to rest his chronically sore ankles. With he and Ginobili out, Richard Jefferson should have a big week and George Hill should be a great short-term acquisition.

Jameer Nelson - Knee - Speaking of recurring problems, Jameer Nelson continues to be plagued by injury. He underwent left knee surgery and will miss at least 4-6 weeks, and possibly more. Jason Williams could now get enough time to help in threes and assists. There may also be additional minutes for JJ Redick at the guard spot.

Erick Dampier - Unknown Illness - Damp has missed several games with his illness already. He was planning on returning this week but felt dizzy before the game. I hope it won't, but my sense is telling me this could turn out to be a scary, serious thing. Dizziness could be attributed to a heart condition (like Eddy Curry's) or Vertigo (like Jamal Mashburn's). More news will come out probably by the time you read this. In the meantime, Drew Gooden has three straight double-doubles while he and Marion are out.

Marreese Speights – Knee - Speights was a popular pickup in many leagues as he actually was acquiring more fantasy value than either of his counterparts, Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert. He may have even been priming himself to take over the starting job for Brand. Unfortunately, Speights hurt his ACL and will be sidelined for at least 6 weeks. Suddenly, Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert will get some extra time, and Brand had a big first game with Speights out of the picture. I expect Brand to play a little better from here out, but he still won't be the consistent producer he once was. Dalembert gets a slight increase in value too.

Travis Outlaw – Foot - Originally expected to be out for about 6 weeks, Outlaw is now expected to miss 3-5 months after udergoing surgery on a stress fracture of his metatarsal. It could even turn out to be a season-ending injury after that length of time. Rudy Fernandez was a fringe fantasy player before and is a great pickup now, considering Outlaw's injury. I believe all Rudy needed to really make an impact was more time and now he's going to get it. If you need threes and steals, you need to check Rudy out. I just dropped Ronnie Brewer to get him with my priority 1 waiver.

Kelenna Azibuike - Knee - I feel really bad for Kelenna. I hate to see guys, let alone talented young guys, go down with knee injuries like this. Unfortunately, he is out for the season.  Taking into account Stephen Jackson's dismissal... er... trade to another team, a lot of time just opened up.  Suddenly, there is a little more to be hopeful about for Corey Maggette, Anthony Morrow, Stephen Curry, and Anthony Randolph owners.  (By the way, I'm done giving advice on Anthony Randolph.  To anyone who listened to me before, I'm sorry.  I give up.)

Shaquille O'Neal - Shoulder - He has been nursing a strained shoulder and most likely will not play for another week or so. Coach Brown has also said that "There will be days where I will sit him for no reason" in order to save him for the playoffs. So, Shaq owners, what else did you expect?

Raja Bell (Golden State) - Aside from some of the injured guys I listed above, Raja Bell is still quite a precarious player. He almost didn't pass the physical to play for Golden State and there are still a lot of questions about whether he will be able to continue playing this season with his wrist injury. If you have him and there isn't a lot to look at in free agency, it might be worth it to hold onto him for a few games to see how much run he gets. If he can gun it like he did in Phoenix (and Golden State is the closest thing to Phoenix) then Bell may still have value.  Otherwise, I wouldn't want to own this guy this year.

Andray Blatch (Washington) - Still hasn't shown consistency and I'm afraid he never will. With Antawn Jamison finally back in the lineup (and in grand fashion) Blatch will be relegated to short spurts off the bench once again.

Toney Douglas (New York) - I just told you to add Toney Douglas last week. So what's changed this week? Well, two things. First, Although he started, Toney played only 12 minutes and scored only 2 points on 2 shots and recorded no other noteworthy statistics. That performance was mainly due to Larry Hughes playing very well, and of course, Nate Robinson stealing some of his other minutes. Still worse for Douglas is some reports that Iverson is likely to join the Knicks some time in the next week. An Iverson signing would doom any chance Douglas had of busting out this season. And that is unfortunate.

Ramon Sessions (Minnesota) – Ramon Sessions has gotten over his season average of 23 minutes in each of his last 4 games. In the last two he went 5-8 for 13 points and 8 assists in 26 minutes Saturday in a loss to Memphis, and 7-11 for 16 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals in 24 minutes Wednesday in a loss vs. the Rockets. The coach says he runs the offense better than heralded rookie Jonny Flynn, and that confidence is showing up in Sessions' minutes and production. After a slow start, Sessions looks like a good deep-league add going forward.

Chris Douglas-Roberts (New Jersey) - Even though Devin Harris and others will be back in the coming weeks, Chris has played so well that at this point, he figures to maintain major minutes and continue producing at high levels. He is a strong pickup right now and currently has one of the highest upward trends in owned percentage in all of fantasy basketball.

Dahntay Jones (Indiana) - His scoring has improved drastically this season and I believe we have a large enough sample to be sure that his production will continue like this. Since he is also averaging 1 apiece in steals and blocks to go with his 17.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 48% shooting, Jones is a much-overlooked prospect right now. Check for his availability in your league.

Ersan Ilyasova (Milwaukee) - Love his name, like his game. There aren't too many guys available in deep leagues who can score (9.4), rebound (6.6), block shots (0.7), hit threes (1.2), and shoot very well from the foul line (87.5%). Ersan is one, and he is still not owned in many leagues. I think he will only get better as the season progresses. I just wish another guy in my league hadn't beaten me to the punch in adding him. You probably still have time to get him in your league though.

George Hill (San Antonio) – Hill is a talented player who could be putting up much nicer fantasy stats with more minutes on another team. He has been playing very well for the Spurs in short minutes and as long as Tony Parker continues to sit with his ankle injury, owners will see quite an improvement in his production.

Anthony Morrow (Golden State) - A good all-around player who should be playing much more consistently than he is. Morrow has a tendency to fade into the background of some games and it can sometimes be difficult to know when he is on the court or on the bench. Other games, he'll bust out with a 30-point night and steal the show with his 3-point shooting barrages. Despite his inconsistencies, I still like Morrow for now, especially with Azibuike and Jackson gone, and Ellis' departure a very real possibility. He does enough other good things to suffer through some blah nights, and is in favor with Coach Nellie more often than the rest.

Darren Collison (New Orleans) - Doing a nice job filling in for the injured Chris Paul. A Collison add will help keep you afloat with scoring, assists, and steals in the short-term, but expect Collison to put up less-than-satisfying percentages. Also know that Collison will be obselete in a few weeks' time.

Samuel Dalembert (Philadelphia) - With Marreese Speights out of the picture for the near future, Dalembert and Brand both get a boost to their value. Dalembert may see a slight increase to his block and rebounding average, so if you need someone to help you in those areas, Dalembert can be a good pickup.

Peja Stojakovic (New Orleans) - Another beneficiary of Paul's injury, Peja will be counted on to pick up the scoring. He did so Thursday night to the tune of 7 three pointers. Peja should be a reliable three point threat throughout the season, but especially over the next few weeks.

Al Thornton (Los Angeles Clippers) - Al has started to play better after once again securing his starting role. He is averaging 20 points and 5.5 rebounds over his last three (ending Wednesday). He still does nothing notable outside of scoring and rebounding though. The impending - albeit, still distant - return of Blake Griffin is also something to consider in the long-term.

Donte Greene (Sacramento) - I hadn't really seen Greene play until Tuesday night against the Bulls when he went 10-19 for 24 points and 5 rebounds with 2 threes. Greene showed a lot of potential in that game. I thought he moved well, and I think if he continues to play a lot of time (and he should with Nocioni joining several other Kings players on the sidelines), then he will continue to score points and get you some steals and threes. Pay close attention to the next few Sacramento box scores and be the first to pick him up if you like what you see.

J.J. Hickson (Cleveland) - He was a popular add earlier this week and he made owners proud of themselves with three outstanding games in a row with ridiculous shooting percentages capped by a 9-9 performance. He has decent footwork and athletecism inside and LeBron likes to look for him. Most of his shots are dunks so the high shooting percentage should continue. What's not to like? Well, all of this damage has come without Anderson Varejao or Shaquille O'Neal in the lineup. It's probably too late to pick him up in many leagues by now, but that may not be that bad of a thing. I expect his production to come down a lot compared to his recent performances, but he has played well enough to warrant a watch on his situation. Don't be fooled into buying high on this guy though.

Tyler Hansbrough (Indiana) - Hansbrough has shown some promise in 5 games since returning from injury. The good part is that in very limited minutes while recovering from a deep bone bruise in his shin, Hansbrough has a double-digit scoring average and does pretty well in the rebounding category too. If he is allowed more time once the coaches gain trust in him, he could put up very relevant numbers in both the scoring and rebounding columns. The bad news is he is shooting in the low 30% range. It's still too early to know if it is an accurate indicator of his average with such a small sample size but my concern before the season began was that Hansbrough would be too undersized and unathletic to get good shots off over other forwards, so it is something to be concerned about right now. Also, Hansbrough has not shown an ability to help your team in any other categories, such as blocks and steals, so he is a two-trick pony.

Earl Boykins (Washington) – Boykins could be a short-term solution for points and - to a lesser extent - assists. He had a big game in his return to the NBA for the Wizards Saturday, going 7-12 for 20 points in 31 minutes off the bench in a close loss to Detroit. The Wee Wiz is averaging 14.5 points and 3 assists in two games.

Nenad Krstic (Oklahoma City) - If you have need for a 10 and 5 guy with a half of a steal and a block per game in a very deep league setting, Nenad's your man.

Eric Maynor (Utah) - Maynor had 3 straight productive nights before Thursday's 0 point, 1 rebound, 3 assist performance in 16 minutes. Still, his recent successes, especially in the absence of Deron Williams, warrants a watch for more signs.

Rodrigue Beaubois (Dallas) - As long as Josh Howard and/or Shawn Marion are out, Beaubois will provide minor value in the scoring and 3-point column in his starting role.

Allen Iverson (?) - I think I said enough about this guy already. You don't have to pay attention to the news in this case. You'll hear about it whether you want to or not if/when he signs with another team (New York).