Fred VanVleet, Bilal Coulibaly and Chris Paul are just three of several names brought up in Tuesday's podcast with special guest Kelin Mark. Please send your questions for future mailbags to me on Twitter at @Docktora so we can keep this column fun and packed with questions.
Fred VanVleet's steals have gone from 1.8 last season to 0.6 this year. Is this the new reality now? Timmy_GER (@Timmy_GER) - As a boss I really didn't get along with (at all) from 20 years ago once told me, "perception is reality." While I'm still not exactly sure what she was trying to tell me in relation to my job performance and the clothes I was wearing, FVV's steals are down, and they may or may not return to form. But I think the key is that the Rockets are playing winning team basketball, and VanVleet simply isn't the focal point of the offense like he was in Toronto. More sharing of the ball, as well as offensive and defensive responsibilities, has meant fewer steals for FVV and his fantasy value is suffering as a result. He's still a fifth-round fantasy player, but his scoring, rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage are all down a bit, and he's just not the center of attention for his new team. Not to mention the fact he's soon to be 30 years old. It is what it is, unfortunately.
Trade: Dejounte Murray and John Collins for Jalen Brunson and Jusuf Nurkic. Who wins? Luda (@christer5) - Murray is a slightly more complete fantasy player than Brunson, and the two big men are virtually tied in value this season. Therefore, I'm giving the edge to the Murray/Collins side of this trade. Having said that, it's extremely fair, and I will challenge anyone who vetoes that trade to a duel on the town square at noon.
I've finished last in my league for three straight years. Should I find a new hobby? Basil (@TeslaFilipino) - First of all, thank you for one of the best mailbag questions I've ever seen. If you love being perpetually frustrated, maybe you should take up golf. My advice would be to forget about trying to win and just draft teams full of players you love so that you'll at least have something to smile about at the start of the season. But fantasy hoops is supposed to be fun, and we need more traditional players, not fewer. Keep trying, change your strategy, and have fun with it. Fantasy sports are a great distraction from real life. And in another sort of golf-related analogy, a bad day playing fantasy hoops is better than a good day without it. (A bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work).
Are Aaron Gordon's peripheral numbers for real or will they regress? HarrumffGames (@HarrumffGames) - Gordon's rebounds, assists, steals and blocks are all up slightly from last year, and he's clearly found a home in Denver. He gets along well with his teammates, the fans love him, and the coaching staff is using him to the best of his ability, so I think they're here to stay.
Do you think Bilal Coubaly is worth stashing all season in 14-team points leagues? Dave O (@MartyFunkhawser) - In a 14-team league, the answer is yes. He's just 19 years old, and the two-win Wizards are going nowhere. He's only going to get better, and I love that he has already shown us the ability to hit triples, steal and block. Of course, it all depends on who you'd drop him for, but I love Coulibaly and would think he'd be worth holding in that league all season as long as he can stay healthy.
Any opinion on Dyson Daniels? Philip Jones (@FreeStratos) - Color me intrigued, give me Jordan Hawkins for now, and say goodbye if and when C.J. McCollum returns to the court. I wish he was a better shooter and a more consistent player, but I'm not holding him in 12-team leagues, despite a few very promising games.
Is Chris Paul a sell-high player? Cody (@_ZachMamba69 - I'm not really sure, but I think so since he's closing in on 39 years old. But he has looked very good this season and takes some of the heat off Curry to focus more on scoring than facilitating with games on the line, which is crucial. But in terms of fantasy, I'd say yes — it's time to think about moving on and seeing what you can get for him.
Is Jalen Johnson for real? Mark slatkavitz (@mslacked) - Absolutely! He totally passes the eye test, as well as the stats test, on most nights.
Would you add Scoot Henderson or Buddy Hield in a points league? Stevén James (@RealSteveDubya) - Mark Hernandez (@makrhernz) asked a similar question - I'm out on Scoot until further notice. Hield had a huge game on Tuesday when he surprisingly started and then backed it up with a monster on Wednesday that featured a season-high 31 points, five assists, two steals, a block and seven three-pointers. Everyone was wondering how he'd fit in and whether or not he'd buy in to coming off the bench for the Pacers, and I think we've got an answer after his last two games. And, yes, I'm aware of how bad he looked last Tuesday and Sunday when he scored a total of five points and saw his minutes dip. Hield looks like someone who believes what Rick Carlisle is selling, although now might be the ultimate time to try to trade him after his two best games of the season.
What are your expectations of Bojan Bogdanovic this season? 80 percent of last year? Bball2022 (@Bball202223) - Eighty percent might be pushing it, and he's pushing 35 years old. I'm not expecting much, and the Pistons' priority should be playing the young guns from night-to-night, making Bogdanovic a bit of an afterthought.
Which Players are your biggest surprises so far? Illgobbo (@Illgobbo): Best surprises: Cam Thomas and Zion Williamson's ability to stay healthy (as I knock on wood).
Worst surprise: Although It wasn't a surprise at all, it looks like Ben Simmons is set for another season of massive disappointment. Cade Cunningham's low ranking is also a bit of a surprise to me, mainly because I'm a sucker for offensive stats and cool names.
Andrew Nembhard & Buddy Hield & T.J. McConnell and a first-round pick for Pascal Siakam. Who says no? CC (collegeprof123) - I'm a dysfunctional human trade calculator, but this looks great to me for the Pacers. And if they had Siakam, they'd be a real threat to win the East.
Keyonte George or Trey Murphy rest of season? Jonathan Kav (@Jonathankav1) - Keyonte George for the win, please.
Drop Xavier Tillman in 14 teams, nine cats? I have Scoot Henderson and Markelle Fultz on the IL already. Joâo Penetra (@ExT8) - Yes. Drop him and don't look back. Especially since it's the Santi Claus time of year.
Is Obi Toppin good at basketball? Jim Rose (@jimmyr0se) - I'm not sure, but he's a great in-game dunker and has now scored in double figures in four of his five last games. I think the Pacers like him, and he's playing at a pretty high level right now, minus the nearly nonexistent blocks. I especially like the fact he's played at least 34 minutes in three of his last four games. I think the Pacers like him, which is good enough for me.
Enjoy your one-day break from the NBA and watch some football and eat a turkey leg for me. Oh, and nap. Take several naps.
