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By Answerman

The Answerman is the unofficial, unauthorized, unrelenting, uncompromising, unpaid, unlicensed, uneducated though highly effective advice columnist at Insidehoops.com. He also dabbles in matters of the heart. He is here to Answer all your questions.

OK readers, lets clean out the INBOX:

Dear Answerman,

I am offered Ricky Davis for Jamal Crawford. I am not thinking about doing this deal but would like to pick your brain if I should counter-offer E. Jones for R. Davis. Davis does more assist, my weakest cat. together with steals.

The Davis Situation

Dear Davis,

If you read my columns last year you would know that I am a huge Ricky Davis fan. However, some things have become abundantly clear this year. P.Silas’ system does not allow R.Davis to: 1) handle enough to get assists; 2) cheat enough to get steals; or 3) shoot enough to get his points.

On the rare occasion that R.Davis has taken it upon himself to get his stats, Silas has benched him in favor of players who run his system. The most important stats a fantasy player can give you are Games and Minutes. R.Davis’ are disappearing.

If you can move R.Davis for an Eddie Jones, Jamal Crawford, or other mid-range guard, consider yourself lucky and make the trade. Barring a real-life trade, Davis’ value is minimal.

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Dear Answerman,

I'm in a head-to-head league, and one team in my league is absolutely stacked. I want to know how to improve my team, and beat that team. I think you are the only guy that can help me.

Stacked

Dear Stacked,

Not that its easier to win in a Head to Head league, but it is easier to win on any given week. All you have to do is pay attention to the team you have to beat. By this point in the season, your opponent has established his strong categories and (naturally) his weak categories.

Once you know that, everything else is cream cheese. You can always find a 1.5 steals, blocks, or 3’s guy to give you that category for the week. Sign the guys you need for that week, and take your victory lap.

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Dear Answerman,

Answerman, I would just like to say I was very impressed with your response. More than the content factor, I was just hoping my email would make it into your column on inside hoops and I could see it there. The advice was also very helpful.

JM

Dear JM,

I have mixed emotions about this e-mail. On the one hand, I got a nice compliment from a reader. On the other hand the compliment was from a reader so deranged that he dreams day and night of having his e-mail posted in my column.

Thoughts?

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Dear Answerman,

I’m in a Fantasy League, 20 teams, head-to-head format, with 12 players on each team. So pretty much anyone whose anyone has already been picked up. What I'm looking for is possible expenditures on my team that I can use for trade bait and what you think I could get in return.

Going Deep.

Dear Going,

I specifically chose this e-mail because of the depth of his league. As a general rule, I never join a league that goes more than 150 players deep (allows 12 teams X 12 players). Once you go past that depth, your league becomes a Sausage Factory.

For those uninitiated, a Sausage Factory is a party/club/bar which is so stocked with men that you wind up competing with 5 guys for the same girl, who isn’t even that hot. In Deep’s league, you wind up fighting over Charlie Ward, who is not hot.

Anytime, I find myself at a Sausage Factory, I take a look, turn around and walk away. Apply the same priciples to choosing a league.

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Dear Answerman,

Hey what's up? So I've read your article about trades, and I do agree with it.... BUT I may be able to get Kevin Garnett so I'm thinking about doing a blockbuster. I’m in 1st place and want to stay that way.

He offered Garnett for Pierce and Odom which I won't do. He's also offered I'm thinking of offering Pierce/Odom/Wade/Carter/Williams/Curry/Lenard or Hughes for KG/Martin/Iverson/B.Miller/A.Miller/and a Scrub so the #s work

Blockbuster.

Dear Block,

Another nice compliment from a deranged reader. He could’ve had Garnett for Pierce and Odom. This is a simple, three person trade in which he gets the best player. If you read last weeks column, you know this is a good trade.

Instead he wants to do Pierce/Odom/Wade/Carter/Williams/Curry/Lenard or Hughes For KG/Martin/Iverson/B.Miller/A.Miller/ and a Scrub. This is a 14 person trade - with one player unnamed. Its a 1st place team trading half of his team to a non-1st place team.

My only Answer, in addition to last week’s column on trades, is to keep it simple. Try to get the best player possible by offering as little as possible. Like my dad always told me, Keep It Simple, Stupid.

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As a final matter, I want to openly campaign for Sam Cassell on the West All-Star team. Sam is the #2 scoring point guard and #2 passing point guard in the West. On top of that, Cassell has been a top point guard on some very good teams and has never gotten his recognition.

I know that Stephon Marbury and Kobe Bryant have both earned your votes, but please understand that without your votes, the league coaches will put them both on. The same cannot be said for Sam Cassell.

Give your vote some power Vote for Sam Cassell.

Remember, any questions, write the [email protected]