Samuel Dalembert... once a pre-season sleeper pick that I was ever so proud of, now a guy struggling to hold value in a 12-team league. Chalk another one up to the volatile nature of fantasy basketball. And, yes, this one nearly puts a tear in my eye.
Dalembert began the year as a legitimate top-40 fantasy player. In 30 mpg, he was averaging close to a double-double, 3 blocks and solid percentages. Add the rarity of center eligibility, Philadelphia's strong h2h playoff schedule, Philly's anemic bench and injury concerns to Chris Webber, and Dally was one of the most coveted centers in the fantasy basketball. Oh, how things have changed.
Dalembert missed three games at the end of February with a sprained ankle and, quite simply, has not been given an opportunity to regain that starting role. Instead, Cheeks has inserted Steven Hunter into the lineup, while playing small - with Webber at the 5 - a little more often too. So, while Salmons, Ollie, Korver and Hunter have gained a little more fantasy value over the last few weeks, Dalembert owners have a sour taste in their mouths. A sudden drop in value - 14 minutes per game, and averages of 2.8 PTS, 3.3 REB, 0.1 AST, 0.2 STL and 0.9 BLK - tends to do that.
So, the question of the day... What on earth do you do with Dalembert now?
If you have a first-round bye in your h2h league, you certainly do not drop him. Why? 1-8. That's Philly's record over the last 9 games - albeit without Iverson in 4 of them. Although Hunter has been impressive as of late on the offensive end (shooting 50%+ from the field in each and every one of his games), he's still averaging a mere 5.4 rebounds per game since being inserted into the starting lineup. Philly is due for a lineup shakeup, and Dalembert could be given an opportunity to start again. With wire talent springing up more later in the NBA season, you can afford to wait closer to that 2nd playoff week to decide whether Dally is still worth dropping.
If you need more immediate help (i.e. struggling to make the playoffs or Dally's struggles continue on into the first week of the playoffs (and you don't have a bye), the first option to consider is streaming (add/dropping) another roster spot to gain some games played. Obviously, it would help alleviate the space that Dalembert is currently taking up on your roster. If you feel that you need more of a boost to give yourself a chance, by all means let go of Dalembert.
If Cheeks would just go ahead and start Dally - and his 10 million per year contract (until 2011) - fantasyland wouldn't have to sort through this dilemma, though. And if that early-February, Hunter-to-the-Hornets trade didn't get rescinded, we wouldn't have had this problem either. Oigh... help the freaks out, Cheeks. Free Samuel Dalembert!
