In my longest running league, a salary based dynasty NBA league, one special team has managed to build and maintain a roster that consists of Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming, LeBron James and Elton Brand.  A pretty nice foursome to start every season with (though of course most owners in the league look on in disgust every draft night asking why that team even receives more picks).  Well earlier this week the breaking news for that team evolved around KG - was he going to Beantown, would it affect his stats, etc., etc.   At the end of the day that owner is much more a Celtics fan than Wolves, so the trade was good both for his fantasy team and for his everyday fan life; a rare occasion.  That was early in the week.  The end of the week results in Elton Brand rupturing his achilles with most likely his season in doubt.  Now that is fantasy sports.  On top of the world in one game, or one moment, at the bottom the next.

In most leagues a season ending injury at this point of the year, the offseason, really isn’t that big a deal.  Noone like losing a top 20 player to draft, but no team is harmed either.  But in keeper or dynasty leagues it is a different story.  Suddenly one of your longtime franchise players is going to miss an entire year.  That is going to eat up a roster spot for the season, or your going to have to suffer the pain of dropping a key player.  A tough decision for anyone, and you really need to evaluate where that player is in their career, as compared to how they should respond when they return from injury.  In most cases, keeper or not, the player is dropped.  Elton Brand is still young enough that you could justify holding him, but with young Clipper power forwards just waiting to steal some of his minutes and impress, it is a risky move keeping him and hoping he is the same player when he returns.  On my team, Brand would be dropped. 

 SILVER LINING

With every injury there is normally one silver lining, and that evolves around determining which player is going to get the minutes made available.  Will it be split across multiple players benefitting noone, or is there a player picking bench splinters out of his ass that is ready to step in and shock the fantasy world. 

In Clipper land it could be an interesting situation.  On draft night the Clips, in normal fashion, took somewhat of a questionable pick in Al Thornton.  Not that Thornton was questionable at that point, but he appeared to be stuck behind Brand in the lineup, with that not changing anytime soon.  Enter Injury.  Enter Thornton.  Suddenly with available minutes on a young team which loves to get up and down the floor, and probably won’t contend without Brand, Thornton could have major impact as a rookie as he will be asked to develop on the court rather then in practice.   Learning on the court is safe if the team feels it is not playoff bound, and safe means lots of shots and stats.

The other player who will benefit is Corey Maggette.   Just when Maggette appeared to be looking like he would be losing fantasy importance last season, as he was sent to a 6th man role, he emerged near the end of the year with good game, after good game (with often just sick fantasy stats).  He has always been able to drop 25 PPG and get to the line, but injury after injury has made him a very inconsistent player in the fantasy world.  Well this season he will most certainly be looked at as the go to player, and should own the Clipper offense.  His assists will stay at near zero, but look for his other stats to skyrocket… IF … he can stay healthy.

NO LUCK 

The Clippers management must question why they have a franchise sometimes.  Two years ago they appeared like one of the best up and coming teams as they finally made the playoffs and had a winning season.  Then last year they struggle early as Sam Cassell and Livingston can’t seem to get in synch in the rotation, and then as Cassell goes down to injury opening the door for PG minutes, Livingston has one of the most gruesome looking knee injuries ever.  That pretty much wrapped up the Clippers season at that point, though the fought to within a game of the playoffs.  With yet another lottery pick on the roster, this season was suppose to start like last year never existed.  Well now, one month away from training camps, their best player ends his season…. It’s like they need to slogan their own name…  You’ve been Clippered.