Fantasy Basketball Player Rankings & Projections
2010 Shooting Guard Preseason Preview
Kobe Bryant
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1. Dwayne Wade - Miami
2009 was the fantasy season where Dwayne Wade
re-proved
that he could stay healthy for an entire season. Along the way,
he posted career highs in points, assists, steals, blocks, 3-pt%
and games played. He even was a legitimate contender in the MVP
race for the better part of the year. Wade has lacked an outside
shooting game throughout his career, but he has taken strides towards
becoming a rounded guard. But even without the perimeter shooting,
he led the league in ppg. It will be tough to improve on his 2009
numbers, but he will be counted on more in 2010 with the departure
of Shawn Marion. He's the clear No. 1 shooting guard, if he goes
without injury.
2009 Statistics:
30.2 Pts - 5.0 Reb - 7.5 Ast
2010 Projection: 31.1
Pts - 4.9 Reb - 7.2 Ast
2. Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles
Finally, Kobe proved that he didn't need Shaq to win a championship
with Los Angeles. Still, that doesn't grant him our top spot among
point guards. Actually, the Lakers improvement in recent years may
have cemented Kobe's legacy, but ultimately hurts his fantasy value.
He played in all 82 regular season games, but on a per-game basis,
he hasn't played fewer minutes since 1998, resulting in fewer points
and assists. Granted, it has helped his efficiency, as he posted
his highest field goal percentage since Shaq was in Los Angeles.
And, with Kobe, you know what to expect. Bryant will show up and
play almost, if not all of the games - he isn't a health risk, even
at age 30. And he should be good for his standard 25 ppg, 5 rpg,
5 apg in '10 as he continues to perform on a level of his own.
2009 Statistics:
26.8 Pts - 5.2 Reb - 4.9 Ast
2010 Projection: 26.2
Pts - 5.3 Reb - 5.1 Ast
3. Brandon Roy - Portland
Here's a shooting guard that will be drafted one tier below Kobe
Bryant, yet could give you the same productivity. Brandon Roy has
gotten progressively better each of his three seasons, and should
continue to be an elite guard in '10. Listed at 6'6", Roy has
the ability to score in the paint and grab plenty of rebounds. Plus,
his 48% from the field shows that he is doing so efficiently. The
2007 Rookie of the Year will increase his value by using his size
to get to the free throw line - and he dishes out a fair amount
of dimes for a young shooting guard. He is already a superstar caliber
player; he should be drafted in the second round.
2009 Statistics:
22.6 Pts - 3.9 Reb - 5.1 Ast
2010 Projection: 24.6
Pts - 4.2 Reb - 5.3 Ast
4. Joe Johnson - Atlanta
Having been the star in Atlanta for the last four seasons, Joe
Johnson has not disappointed, scoring at least 20 ppg every season.
His leadership was finally rewarded in 2008 when he led the Atlanta
Hawks to their first playoff berth in nine years. Entering his
ninth season in the league, Johnson is one of the better, and
safer picks for the shooting guard slot. He'll be good for 20
points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists on average every night, and he
has been relatively healthy throughout his career. And as his
team matures, it should only increase his assist total. Add his
lights-out 3-point shooting to the mix, and JJ is one of the top
tier shooting guards available.
2009 Statistics:
21.4 Pts - 4.2 Reb - 5.8 Ast
2010 Projection: 21.6
Pts - 4.1 Reb - 6.0 Ast
5. Kevin Martin - Sacramento
The 6'7" shooting guard from Western Carolina doesn't have
the rebounding/assisting skill set, but ranks among the top scorers
of the league. Martin has battled injuries during his short career,
including an ankle injury that kept him out for a brief part of
2009. But Martin came back strong, scoring 50 points in a loss immediately
after the injury. Expect more of the same from Kevin Martin in the
2010 season. There will be a slight risk in drafting him as he has
seen his fair share of injuries - and at a young age. But in terms
of shooting, Martin has shot over 40% from behind the arc in the
last two year. And with 24.6 ppg last season, he proved that he
is ready to be the main scorer in Sacramento, giving him some potential
to grow this year.
2009 Statistics:
24.6 Pts - 3.6 Reb - 2.7 Ast
2010 Projection: 25.4
Pts - 3.9 Reb - 3.1 Ast
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6. Vince Carter - Orlando
It's tough to be optimistic about Vince Carter moving to Orlando
when he had averaged 20 ppg every season that he was in New Jersey.
But the shooting guard/small forward position played by Carter is
perfect for filling the void left by Hedo Turkoglu. With his backboard
shattering dunks aside, Vince is actually one of the league's more
talented athletes. He has the rebounding skills of a small forward,
and the shooting and passing of a shooting guard. It might be tough
for Vince to put up 20 ppg with so many offensive weapons in Orlando,
but that doesn't mean he still isn't one of the better fantasy options
out there.
2009 Statistics:
20.8 Pts - 5.1 Reb - 4.7 Ast
2010 Projection: 19.4
Pts - 5.2 Reb - 4.3 Ast
