This definitely throws a kink in the plans of fantasy GM's everywhere, as Mr. Love was already being counted on for a solid 20 - 10 and a most righteous-looking beard this season. Aren't you glad the league draft is THIS Saturday and not the last?
Wipe away your tears, fans of K-Love, Timberwolves, and Old-school big men, there are still plenty of players to look to for the same production that we have grown accustomed to . For your fantasy-playing analysis, I've provided a list of players who could most likely replace Kevin Love in the three areas he has been leading the league in.
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- LaMarcus Aldridge:
- Points: Stays-the-same, probably peaked in this area of play with his back to back years of ~21 ppg. Great percentages from the field and the free throw line make him comparable to Love.
- Rebounds: Up - By virtue of the fact that 8 rebounds a game is way too skimpy for a franchise poward foward, he should improve. Probably not by much, so either tank this category or pick up some other overachievers.
- Facial hair: Stays-the-same, Would think someone who has played his whole career in hipster Portland would learn to groom himself up a cooler-look. He's reached the ripe-age of 27 now, which is quite senior in the NBA nowadays, so don't hold your breath on him making any changes in this area.
- Al Jefferson:
- Points: Down, Tyrone Corbin is having the team play a more fast-paced tempo now that they have young leapers and shooters. Marvin Williams, Derrick Favors, Randy Foye, and Mo Williams will take a good number of shots and points from him. Don't count on him to get up to the nearly 20 point avg from last year.
- Rebounds: Stays-the-same, although he'll have a much improved Enes Kanter backing him up, AJ's love (see what i did there) for the boards will keep him around the almost 10+/game clip he's averaged for the past 6 years.
- Facial Hair: Stays-the-same, according to Media Day photos, Al Jefferson who has looked like he is 40 since he was 20, still looks like he's 40.
- Anderson Varejao:
- Points: Up, Steadily improving in offense every year since he's come into the league. Looked like his improved jumper wasn't a fluke with the way he shot this summer at the Olympics. Hasn't been healthy consistently for 2 years, but if healthy, expect this stat to improve.
- Rebounds: Up, was playing out of his mind before he got injured. With raw Tyler Zellar backing him up, he'll get the bulk of the minutes and have plenty of opportunities to improve on this category.
- Facial Hair: Down, A whole summer with Nene and he learned nothing.
- Paul Millsap:
- Points: Down, Buyer Beware here as the addition of the Williams', will mean more long three pointers / less possessions for Millsap.
- Rebounds: Stays-the-same, As his minutes have increased since the departure of Boozer, Millsap's rebounds have steadily increased. I want to believe that Millsap is going to cross the bridge into elite rebound-dom, but there is an tall, dark, athletic Derrick Favors in the way.
- Facial Hair: Up, looks like Millsap is working on that chinstrap look that he's adopted from his front-court mates. Worth noting that the front-court of Williams, Jefferson, Millsap could be known as the three Mustache-teers.
- Greg Monroe:
- Points: Up, Made a huge jump last year and should be counted on to shoulder more of the scoring load as he progresses into 3rd year. Only area of caution is that his first name is Greg and he plays center.
- Rebounds: Up, Should rebound better for someone with his length and athleticism. Chalk this up to the fact that the Pistons rebound worst than everyone besides Nets, Warriors, Bobcats and suprise-Celtics. Maybe he's prone to peer pressure. Regardless, the team and Greg should both improve this year.
- Facial hair: Up, Finally growing out that thick-grown-man style beard in favor of sparse one he had as a rookie. May it be noted that G-money has my approval for Love-likeness for all 3 categories.
- Ersan Ilysova:
- Points: Up, I'm going to make some of you guys angry for revealing Milwaukee's best kept secret. If you want someone who can contribute from outside like Klove, Ersan's your dude. He probably won't shoot 45% again from threes, but totally conceivable that he surpasses his ppg average from last year.
- Rebounds: Stays-the-same, This is the maddening area for the fantasy owners of Ilysova, cause he'll have games of 15 and follow it up with 2. Mathematically, his average will be about the same, but his day-to-day inconsistency might be too much grief to be worth it.
- Facial Hair: Stays-the-same (still got nothing). On one hand, glad he doesn't look like his Turkish countryman, Hedo Turkoglu, but on the otherhand, he already has the James Franco look down so why not grow a gnarly stache?
- Kenneth Faried:
- Points: Up - Had an energetic freshmen year, but was still trying to feel out how to use those cannon calves of his around the basket. This should improve although not as much as the next category.
- Rebounds: Up - As the muscle to Anthony Randolph's svelte-ness, he'll get the nod from Karl whenever they need to control the boards from the pf position.
- Facial Hair: Stays-the-same (for now), As long as he connects that pencil-stache he has with the sturdy goatee he has going, I like the promise he has in developing a robust forest. Word is that he and Koufos have been working out a lot together so hopefully he hasn't been picking up grooming habits from Kosta.
- Nikola Pekovic:
- Points: Stays-the-same, don't think that Pekovic will be getting any additional plays drawn up for him with Love out, but he'll get the same amount of put-backs and lay-ins around the basket.
- Rebounds: Up, Pekovic should improve on his 7.4 average last year. Ask Dahntay Jones about him. You cannot count out a man with tattoos of medieval warriors holding swords on his biceps and calf to not grasp this opportunity (or more rebounds) with those giant Christmas ham hands of his.
- Facial Hair: Up, another year of American culture should teach him to improve on that Vlade Divac look he's got going.
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