Fantasy Basketball Busts

2009 Fantasy Basketball Busts

Fantasy basketball busts are the opposites of fantasy basketball sleepers.

Busts are the guys you should avoid in your draft, especially because many of them are going to be high on other managers' priority lists. Reasons for a bust prediction are myriad--injury concerns, dropoffs in stats, placements on new teams, or a gut feelings.

The following five players are surefire 2009 fantasy basketball busts. If you lose your league because you skipped on one of these guys, blame me.

But believe me, that isn't going to happen. These guys will stink.

1. Richard Jefferson is an example of a player who may be a bust based on a trade move. Richard Jefferson's presence will improve the San Antonio Spurs' performance. Maybe they can get booted out of the playoffs and return next year to win the championship again, thanks to RJ.

But is Jefferson going to be that extra boost the Spurs are looking for (getting few touches being squeezed out of heavy points scoring), or is he going to be an integral part of a team that already has thee tight knit big game performers?

Jefferson's presence on the Spurs as a third or even a fourth wheel behind Duncan, Ginobili and Parker will lead to smaller stats and a bad attitude. Jefferson won't be in San Antonio for long. Jefferson's shooting percentage will shoot up, but most of his other stats, including PPG, will all but disappear. Don't draft Jefferson unless you need a sixth man.

2. Andre Miller- Portland was soundly criticized for acquiring Andre Miller in the offseason. Andre Miller's PPG and plenty of other big stats are never going to be as high as they've been in the past. He is an average player who puts in a steady but weak supply of fantasy work every week.

Miller's stats will suffer in 2009 and 2010 thanks to his inability to shoot the ball from a distance. And he'll have to shoot long shots because of Brandon Roy’s ability to draw double teams. Even though Roy's stats are dropping, teams are still going to double him up.

Miller won't have his hands on the ball as often, so he'll also lose out in the assist category.

He's on a better team, and Portland's little guy Steve Blake will chomp up at least a few of Miller's minutes of PT.

Miller's not a bad player, but he isn't at his peak. His presence on the Trail Blazers earns him the title of a fantasy basketball bust.

3. Allen Iverson- I love Allen Iverson, and I hate putting a former MVP on my list of 2009 busts.

Iverson doesn't let his size get in the way of his playmaking ability. Iverson is an elite player. Iverson will be recognized in the Hall of Fame.

But look at last season's numbers. He played in only 57 games. He had the worst PPG average of his career. He was kryptonite to NBA owners league wide.

It's a miracle Memphis picked him up, but there's no doubt he'll be a starter. But Memphis has OJ Mayo (a young Allen Iverson), Rudy Gay (who doesn't share offensive opportunities), and Zach Randolph (who offers less assistance than a Wal Mart greeter.

Iverson's stats will dip. Allen Iverson's time as a must-own fantasy player was three seasons ago.

4. Jermaine O’Neal- Jermaine O'Neal's won't be a factor this season. But don't forget that this guy picked in 2003-2004.

O'Neal will play more than 40 games this season. In fact, he'll play LOTS of games for a team other than the Miami Heat.

Jermaine O'Neal has the option of entering free agency, and who knows what will happen if he does.

If he can stay healthy for the Heat, he'll average 12 PPG, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. That makes him an okay backup player.

Jeremaine O'Neal will be in free agency limbo, or he'll play for a team that won't use him properly. If you want a pure value guy, draft O'Neal. But don't get angry when he sits out half the season in free agency.

5. Shaquille O’Neal- Don't be fooled by a "comeback season" in Phoenix. Phoenix is the best franchise in the NBA in terms of keeping players healthy and injury free. Shaq had a team of doctors and microsurgical robots keeping his body at peak performance.

Now that he's in Cleveland, you'll start to see the wear and tear of years of throwing your weight around and winning championships.

Remember how injury prone the Shaq of Miami was? It will only be worse this season.

The Big Galacticus will miss a ton of games this season. He'll suit up for no more than 49 games and average somewhere around 12 PPG.

Don't forget that Zydrunas Ilgauskas is beloved by Cleveland fans and coaches, and he'll demand plenty of PT when Shaq manages to stay healthy.

Don't pull the trigger on Shaq-fu.