It took a while to get acclimated to the new offense, but Jason Richardson is blossoming into a fantasy star in Charlotte. It started in December and has carried over into January, when Richardson has averaged 24.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.0 bpg and 2.5 3pg. While J-Rich could be described as a sell-high, his poor start still suppresses his overall numbers, and his recent hot streak is for real. Over the last 30 days, no player in the league has averaged more 3-pointers per game (3.2) than Richardson.
Speaking of slow starts, Lamar Odom was a guilty party as well. Since he was coming off shoulder surgery during the offseason, the sluggish start could be expected, but his current career-low of 2.7 apg is concerning. Still, with Andrew Bynum expected to miss the next eight weeks with a knee injury, Odom is going to have to be more aggressive on the offensive side of the ball as well as on the boards. While his scoring remains down, Odom is averaging 11.2 rpg, 4.2 apg and 1.3 bpg this month, showing flashes of his previously dynamic self. Few other fantasy players offer his versatility, so make some offers before it's too late.
Over the last month, only six players in the NBA are averaging more blocks per game than Erick Dampier (2.5). He's also shooting a respectable 70.2 percent from the field during that time span. Still, only deep leagues should consider him.
After a lackluster campaign last year, Brad Miller worked hard over the offseason, and the results are obvious, as the big man is enjoying a fine bounce back season. One of the best passing centers in the game, Miller's assist and rebound numbers are likely here to stay. However, with Kevin Martin back, and Ron Artest and Mike Bibby soon to follow, a decrease in scoring is likely, making Miller somewhat of a sell-high candidate. Fellow Kings John Salmons and Francisco Garcia also qualify, but for them, it might very well be too late.
Kenyon Martin is injury-prone and isn't as explosive as he used to be following multiple knee surgeries, but he's someone who currently belongs on all fantasy rosters. Teammate Nene is dealing with a serious health issue, meaning K-Mart is going to get all of the minutes he can handle. Before a staph infection sidelined him Tuesday, Martin had seen 35-plus minutes of run in consecutive contests, and he offers rare steal/block potential. Fellow Nugget Anthony Carter also offers under the radar fantasy value, especially if you are in search for help in assists and steals.
While his defense still needs work, Rashad McCants is developing into a legitimate scorer. Over the last five games, he's averaging 21.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.2 apg and 2.0 3pg, while shooting better than 50 percent from the field. With his recent inclusion into the starting five, his fantasy relevance may be here to stay.
Pau Gasol has been a disappointing fantasy commodity this year, but certainly not since the calendar turned. During January, the big man has averaged 24.4 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 2.9 apg and 1.9 bpg. The slow start can at least partially be blamed on the different offensive system installed by the new coaching staff, but if the past seven games are any indication, it's going to be an excellent fit. Trade rumors continue to swirl, but Gasol should be a top-15 fantasy player from here on out no matter what uniform he's wearing.