In the 2005-06 season, Amare Stoudemire missed most of the year with injury and Boris Diaw came from nowhere to become a breakout fantasy star. He averaged 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.7 combined blocks/steals and shot 52.6% from the field while gaining multi-position eligibility (especially the coveted center). In the 06-07 season, Stoudemire returned and Diaw's value went through the floor. He stopped playing center (thus eventually losing his center eligibility), his numbers fell off across the board, and he became the proverbial "you don't want to cut him, but you can't afford to play him" guy.

This season had been looking like a worse version of the last one for Diaw, with averages of 8.1 points, 4.5 boards, 4.0 assists, .5 blocks, and 45.3% FG shooting all representing lows since he became a Sun three seasons ago. Then the Suns made the big trade of Shawn Marion for Shaquille O'Neal last week, and suddenly things began to look up for Diaw. When you look at his situation, Diaw makes a very interesting second-half sleeper candidate. Consider these three facts:

• Because he started at center when Stoudemire missed some games in the fall with knee soreness, Diaw has regained center eligibility in most leagues.
• In 18 games as a starter this season, Diaw has averaged 11.9 points, 5.8 boards, 5.1 assists, 1.84 blocks/steals, 50.5% shooting from the field and 78.8% shooting from the line.
• Marion had played more than 70% of the minutes available in Phoenix, while O'Neal had played less than 40% of the minutes available in Miami.

What this tells us is that Diaw still has the same game that he had in 05-06 when he gets the minutes, that Diaw now has the multi-position/center eligibility back that made him more valuable in 05-06, and that there should be a lot more playing time available for him for the rest of the season with O'Neal on the team as opposed to Marion.

With this in mind, Diaw's 19-point (9-for-12 FG)/eight rebound/five assist/three block/one steal performance on Thursday night against the Mavericks looks a lot more enticing than just another of the fluke performances that he has dropped this season. I am not saying that you should consider Diaw golden and expect games like this every night, especially once Shaq gets back on the court. But what I am saying is that he is more valuable now than he was two weeks ago, and if you have the opportunity to get him for less (in one shallow league I'm in I just picked him up off the FA wire) then you should seriously consider it.