Devean George

George made headlines last season as he vetoed the initial Jason Kidd trade. Apparently Mark Cuban didn't hold a grudge as he re-signed the veteran to a two-year deal. George provides versatility and solid defense on the court but is too inconsistent to be a contributor on a fantasy team.

George has always been a "glue guy" for the teams he's played on, playing tough defense and doing the little things on winning teams. However, these skills don't often translate to fantasy, and George's averages of 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game make him unrosterable. George's injury history is also cause for concern as a balky knee severely limited him last year. George may get the occasional match-up-related start, but his contributions are generally those that cannot be measured in the box score.

George has seen his numbers dip precipitously since the salad days of the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, and was brought into Dallas as a veteran bench presence, and nothing more. George should receive no fantasy consideration at this point in his career.

George is traditionally more of a small forward but he'll need to assume the role of backup shooting guard this season because the Lakers have a glut of small forwards, even after trading Caron Butler. George will spell Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom. And, along with Luke Walton, Slava Medvedenko and Bryant, he is one of four Lakers familiar with head coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense. Still, it'll be tough for George to find time on the court because it'll mean either Odom or Bryant will have to sit as a result.

George should begin the season as the backup to Butler at the small forward position. However, don't expect George to take a backseat to Butler all year without putting up a fight. Depending how Butler molds into the Lakers' new offense, George might find himself on the court frequently and has a legitimate shot of taking over the starting gig from Butler.

George will start because of Rick Fox's foot injury, though George's scoring average won't be much better than usual because he is still the fifth option on a stacked starting lineup. Still, he's in line for good minutes, so look for his rebound, assist and steal numbers to get a bump. Also, he could find himself open for more threes as teams double down on the Lakers' stars.