A few days have passed since New Year's Eve, so hopefully you have shaken off that hangover and are ready to jump back into the 2015-16 hoops campaign with vigor. As we begin the new year, several questions have popped up concerning key and intriguing fantasy players.
Should we be concerned about Stephen Curry's health? Whose fantasy production will be on the rise with Jarrett Jack done for the season? Should you drop the struggling Zach LaVine? Should you add Jusuf Nurkic, who just returned from an extended absence? What is the top piece of advice for dealing with your fantasy teams right now?
Don't worry; I have the answers for you.
Each Monday this season, I'll tip off the week by positing and seeking answers to five key questions, thus "The Starting Five."
This week's contributors are ESPN Fantasy analysts Jim McCormick, Joe Kaiser and yours truly.
A shin injury has limited Stephen Curry to just 14 minutes over his past three games, and he is listed as questionable for Monday night. Should fantasy owners be concerned about his rest-of-season fantasy value?
McCormick: I wouldn't fade Curry much on account of this injury. I could see rest in the immediate future benefiting the team's greater goal, given that Golden State faces only three teams with winning records until a rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers on the 18th. As SI's Ben Goliver found, the Warriors are 73-9 in Curry's past 82 regular-season games, suggesting history is within reason if they manage this injury conservatively. If there is any reservation from the Curry owner -- see what it takes to acquire him.
Kaiser: Though the injury appears to be minor, it is also a lingering thing, and that is cause for concern when it happens to the reigning MVP. In the short term, there's a decent chance that it leads to some nights off for Curry, and in the long term there's concern that the shin injury could limit some of his incredible abilities on the court. The Warriors are good enough to sit Curry any time they break out to a big lead, too, and that's something to think about.
Carpenter: This particular injury isn't concerning to me, as I assume they will baby his bruised shin to make sure it doesn't become something more serious. After shaking off his early-career ankle issues, he has missed just 10 games over his past three seasons, so I'm generally not concerned about his health. Plus, he isn't being overworked in games, having averaged 32.7 MPG last season and 34.1 MPG this season. My real concern is that the Warriors will scale back those minutes further later in the season, when it matters most for fantasy owners. It's something to factor in to trade equations concerning Curry -- whether you are trading him or trading for him.
The Brooklyn Nets have lost Jarrett Jack for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL and meniscus. Who on the Nets will benefit the most in fantasy terms with Jack sidelined?
McCormick: Shane Larkin's per-36 numbers have him with a slash of 12.4 points, 7 assists and 2.5 steals on .455 shooting. We can expect the steal rate to stall a bit with increased minutes, but on a thin depth chart with only veteran Donald Sloan -- who is a career .395 shooter -- it seems Larkin is a fine free addition for those who need help at point guard.
Kaiser: I expect Larkin to emerge as the starting point guard, making him a must-add in all fantasy leagues. Though Larkin isn't a big offensive player, he racks up assists and steals and is also shooting 46.3 percent from 3-point range this season. As long as he can stay healthy, Larkin has a good chance to average more than one steal and one 3-pointer per game over the rest of the season.
Carpenter: I'm not all that excited about Larkin's statistical upside -- he averaged just 6.4 PPG, 0.3 3-PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 SPG and 30.7 MPG in 22 starts last season -- but he has been averaging nearly identical numbers in 19.2 MPG this season, so with a starting gig his to take, he is worth adding to see whether he is ready to take his game up a notch. Surely, he should be able to come close to Jack's numbers this season: 12.8 PPG, 1.0 3-PPG, 7.4 APG, 1.1 SPG and 32.1 MPG.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine has totaled 12 points over his past three games and has missed his past seven 3-pointers. Should fantasy owners cut or hold him?
McCormick: LaVine is a classic streaming asset for season-long leagues. He's the guy we will all own at some point during the season. If an injury to Ricky Rubio opened up steadier usage and minutes, he'd be of more immediate interest, but LaVine seems destined to provide borderline 10-team value with a role that caps out shy of 30 minutes at this stage. I would be fine moving on from LaVine for stronger streaming assets, like Larkin, for example.
Kaiser: Normally, this is the type of player I wouldn't hesitate to cut, but with Rubio's history of getting injured, this is a situation where I'd continue to hold on to LaVine as long as possible. Two things here: There's a decent chance that the second-year guard turns things around, and if Rubio gets injured, LaVine's minutes will skyrocket along with his fantasy production.
Carpenter: LaVine is right on the bubble for me. I love his potential as a starter, but as long as Rubio and Andrew Wiggins remain healthy and locked in at the 1 and 2, LaVine is going to be a sixth man. History suggests that Rubio will miss more action this season, which makes me want to hold on to LaVine if possible in leagues with deeper benches. On the other hand, his production this season as a reserve -- 12.3 PPG, 0.8 3-PPG, 2.9 APG, 2.9 RPG and 0.5 SPG -- is limited enough that I wouldn't hesitate to drop him for a player with a starting gig, like Larkin or Ish Smith.
Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic made his season debut over the weekend, playing limited minutes (5 and 15, respectively) in his first action since undergoing knee surgery in May. Available in more than 75 percent of ESPN leagues, is Nurkic worth adding to fantasy rosters now?
McCormick: With Nikola Jokic and Joffrey Lauvergne also in the mix for meaningful minutes, this could be a frustrating frontcourt mix. That said, Nurkic appears to be a key prospect for the franchise. A trade would ideally facilitate more clarity, but with such a share in place I'm adding Nurkic only in leagues of at least 12 teams or 10-teamers with deep and demanding roster scenarios.
Kaiser: Nurkic is certainly worth adding. His minutes are only going to increase, and there's no reason to think he can't equal his rookie stats of 6.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 17.8 minutes per game. Even with Jokic and Lauvergne playing well this season, Nurkic is the guy slated to start and be the Nuggets' primary center going forward. One thing to be aware of, however, is that his poor free throw shooting was minimized by him taking only 2.1 trips a game to the line last season, whereas he has attempted 6.5 free throws in just 9.5 minutes per game in his first two games back. If he continues to get to the line more frequently, his poor free throw shooting could be an issue.
Carpenter: During the offseason, when he was expected to be ready for the start of the season, I projected him for 10.9 PPG, 9.6 RPG and 1.7 BPG with weak percentages (45.8 FG%, 64.9 FT%). That was before his recovery lingered an extra couple of months and before Lauvergne and Jokic proved worthy of minutes this season, so those numbers may be his ceiling for 2015-16. He was the 16th pick in the 2014 draft, and the Nuggets have big hopes for his long-term potential, so I expect that he will take over the starting gig sooner than later. Add him now if you have room and need a big man. In shallower leagues, I'd wait to see an impact box score or two before picking him up.
What is the top piece of advice you recommend for fantasy owners as we enter the new year?
McCormick: Continue to grind and be proactive. The Will Bartons will still show up going forward. Sometimes I've been burned by cutting a guy a bit early by being a bit aggressive on the wire, but over the larger sample, being active and attentive to surging players is a positive pursuit. You don't land the next Rudy Gobert or Hassan Whiteside by trusting your 14th-best player. As Billy Madison would say, you gotta go out there and find that dog.
Kaiser: Find five or six categories to dominate, and align your roster in a way that allows you to do so. It doesn't make sense to have Whiteside and no other shot blockers, or Rajon Rondo and a team full of scorers who don't pass the ball. If you're going to try to win a category, you need to approach it full speed ahead.
Carpenter: We are coming up on the midway point of the season, which means there is plenty of time for you to turn your team around if you are struggling. Give your squad a complete review and determine which players you must keep, which players are prone to injury and should be dealt, which categories you sell off to make up ground in weak categories, whether you're ahead or behind in games played by each position in roto systems, etc. Then get active and don't be afraid to make bold trades to shake up your roster.