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Dumpy · 09-11-2006, 06:14 AM

Does anyone read Steve Alexander's column on rotoworld? A few weeks ago he reviewed players that are entering their contract year. He had a list of "studs" and "sleepers." Here is his #2 sleeper among potential free agents:

Quote:

2. Jake Tsakalidis – Grizzlies – Free Agent

I have to admit, I’ve been sleeping on Tsakalidis this summer, which isn’t really surprising given his history of not doing much and my general dislike for big, slow and bad white centers. And when I heard that Stromile Swift was livid about heading back to Memphis (in the Shane Battier trade), I hardly even gave Jake a second thought. But he’s a solid defender and had some big games when given minutes last season. Lorenzen Wright is good as gone, so if the Grizzlies don’t want to play Pau Gasol at center, which would almost force them to also start rookie Alexander Johnson at power forward, Jake could see a lot of minutes this year. And he knows he needs to produce if he wants to get paid next summer. If you add it all up, he’s a big-time sleeper center this season, so keep your eye on him in camp.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/fea...rticleid=24773

That's right, rotoworld loves Big Jake! The previous week, Steve wrote:

Quote:

Rookie PF Alexander Johnson wasn’t taken until the middle of the second round, which was disappointing in my eyes. Then he bounced between the Pacers and Blazers before finally landing in Memphis. Jerry West is in love with Johnson, and recently said there was someone taken very high in this draft that he would not trade Johnson for. I’m reading that player to be the Hawks’ Shelden Williams, who looked like a disaster waiting to happen in the summer league.

Johnson is a throwback, an old-school enforcer who means business in the paint. The Grizzlies re-acquired Stromile Swift to play center, but he’s still refusing to return the Grizzlies’ calls and Pau Gasol may be forced to start at center. If that happens, Johnson is in line to start at power forward and is the most promising obscure sleeper pick you’ll find in fantasy hoops this season.

No mention of Jake at all. (this was before Gasol got injured, obviously). What happened? Why did Steve change his tune?

Why, becuase Dumpy e-mailed him! Over, and over. Singing Jake's praises. And yes, I convinced him that Jake could start at center and receive significant minutes, explained that Jake was tremendous when given a chance to play regularly last year, revealed that the Jake-Pau combo was the most efficient player pair last season for Memphis. Showed his rebounding and shooting percentage figures, and opposing center effective field goal percentages when he was in the game. All in all, I think I made a believer out of Steve Alexander.

Let Tsakamania commence!

But now you can truly thank me for bringing attention to the gentle giant. Vote Dumpy for best poster in the Nets forum! Time is running out--voting closes today, September 11.

http://www.basketballboards.net/foru...d.php?t=300777

This message brought to you by Vote Dumpy '06.

Zuca · 09-14-2006, 08:38 PM

I think that if Tsaka was in Eastern Conference, he could be a dominant force in the middle.

**Cinco de Mayo** · 10-25-2006, 08:14 PM

I think Rotoworld might wind up being slightly off on this one.

Zuca · 11-25-2006, 08:40 PM

Seeing how lower minutes Tsaka is playing, and I still think that in Eastern Conference, he can turn into a dominant player at the middle, here is my new trade idea involving him Stro, obvious (and the loved-hated Q Rich idea)

Memphis trade Dahntay Jones to NY; Brian Cardinal to GS; Stro and Tsaka to Washington;
Washington trade Brendan Haywood, Michael Ruffin and Calvin Booth to Memphis;
NY trade Q Rich to Memphis and Jerome James to GS;
GS trade Adonal Foyle and Zarko Cabarkapa to NY;

NY waive Kelvin Cato, so Wizards sign him for the minimum to replace Booth as the third stringer C.

Memphis: Haywood is a major improvement over Stro (at least in C position). Booth could play the same garbage minutes that Tsaka is playing this season, while Ruffin could play the actual Cardinal lower minutes. Q Rich, say what you want, is a major overall improvement over Dahntay. And didn't "kill our cap" at all, since Cardinal salary is also big. And Q Rich is more of a difference maker (positively) than Cardinal (as much I like him)

W's: Cato replaces Booth (no major change here). Stro can play like an athletic PF, which is a thing that W's didn't actually have (Blatche is still too young) and is a big improvement over Ruffin. Tsaka can replace Brendan as the backup C with no major loss.

NY: Decrease cap size, baby! Foyle may have a bigger contract than Jerome James, but also have a lot of attitude and is a good lockerroom presence. Oh, and is more defensive focused than James at all. The other 2 players have EXPIRING CONTRACTS (Zarko and Dahntay), Zarko is a shooting PF-SF that will be in the end of their bench, while Dahntay is a good defender for their 2nd unit.

GS: They want to trade Foyle. JJ in GS will be better than Foyle for the opposite reason. He have a more polished offensive game, and at worst, will be like Foyle (garbage minutes and especific matchups). Cardinal is a high energy guy that deserves more minutes. At least with their injuries, there is no reason that he can't be used for them...

**Cinco de Mayo** · 11-25-2006, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zuca

Seeing how lower minutes Tsaka is playing, and I still think that in Eastern Conference, he can turn into a dominant player at the middle, here is my new trade idea involving him Stro, obvious (and the loved-hated Q Rich idea)

Memphis trade Dahntay Jones to NY; Brian Cardinal to GS; Stro and Tsaka to Washington;
Washington trade Brendan Haywood, Michael Ruffin and Calvin Booth to Memphis;
NY trade Q Rich to Memphis and Jerome James to GS;
GS trade Adonal Foyle and Zarko Cabarkapa to NY;

NY waive Kelvin Cato, so Wizards sign him for the minimum to replace Booth as the third stringer C.

Memphis: Haywood is a major improvement over Stro (at least in C position). Booth could play the same garbage minutes that Tsaka is playing this season, while Ruffin could play the actual Cardinal lower minutes. Q Rich, say what you want, is a major overall improvement over Dahntay. And didn't "kill our cap" at all, since Cardinal salary is also big. And Q Rich is more of a difference maker (positively) than Cardinal (as much I like him)

W's: Cato replaces Booth (no major change here). Stro can play like an athletic PF, which is a thing that W's didn't actually have (Blatche is still too young) and is a big improvement over Ruffin. Tsaka can replace Brendan as the backup C with no major loss.

NY: Decrease cap size, baby! Foyle may have a bigger contract than Jerome James, but also have a lot of attitude and is a good lockerroom presence. Oh, and is more defensive focused than James at all. The other 2 players have EXPIRING CONTRACTS (Zarko and Dahntay), Zarko is a shooting PF-SF that will be in the end of their bench, while Dahntay is a good defender for their 2nd unit.

GS: They want to trade Foyle. JJ in GS will be better than Foyle for the opposite reason. He have a more polished offensive game, and at worst, will be like Foyle (garbage minutes and especific matchups). Cardinal is a high energy guy that deserves more minutes. At least with their injuries, there is no reason that he can't be used for them...

Now that is a trade I would love for Memphis...

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