Week 15 is here. Boy it feels like I was just introduced to you all as your new fantasy expert. Well that was now fifteen weeks ago, how time flies.

Alas, we are all currently doing one of three things as you read this: Sitting on the top of the fantasy ladder, lumbering around the middle of the table somewhere, or lagging behind dead last holding up the competition.

Whichever you may be, as long as you’re still having fun enjoying yourself playing a great fantasy game then I urge you to stick at it!

Trust me, if you stick on, and stay till the end, where ever you finish you will have achieved something.

Many players don’t last a full season (which is incredibly disappointing for guys like me) and hang up the sneakers before the 4^th quarter.

Well we’re only heading to half time right now, the All-Star break is a couple of weeks away and that’s when you get your well deserved break.

Anyway, enough of the motivational speeches, and on to the hard facts which is what you’re really here for anyway!

NBA Trade Special

With the Rudy Gay, Memphis/Toronto/Detroit trade taking place this week, I bring you a special column to this week’s article.

The aftermath of the trade! Who to pick up, who to hold, who to let go, and who to watch as they could now benefit from the movement.

Pick Up/Hold/Trade for:

- Amir Johnson (TOR): With Ed Davis out of town, Valanciunas still making his way back into heavy minutes and Bargnani still trying to get himself match ready, Johnson makes himself a great short term investment.

- Rudy Gay (TOR): Now the prime time player in Toronto. It’s make or break for him in his new uniform.

You either got to give up a bit for him in a trade or hold him. It’s risk it to get the biscuit type of thing here.

He’s either going to turn into a 30ppg player on a solid basis, or he’ll fall into his shell and go back to a 14-15ppg player grabbing a few rebounds here and there. You be the judge.

- Jose Calderon (DET): Had not much to go to in Toronto when all their players were out (besides DeRozan). Fell out of the stats land as he was going back to single digits and Lowry became the starter again.

Jose now gets the reins in Detroit and look for him to use his bigs. Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe should be loving their new PG as his ability to find them the ball will be a wonderful thing to watch.

Drop/Trade Away:

Ed Davis (MEM): Will now fall out of the rotation in Memphis as their bigs are their strong point. He’s a player for the future kind of thing for the Grizz, so they don’t really care how many minutes he plays this season.

Watch:

Charlie Villanueva (DET): With Prince and Daye now out of the rotation, this could leave some room for Charlie V to slot in and find some minutes.

Earlier in the season when he did find the court, he made the most out of it so this one’s one to watch.

DeMar DeRozan (TOR): I’ve place DeRozan on the watch list as a factor to see if he declines.

With Gay now in Toronto it means that the ball could be in DeMar’s hands a lot less, which doesn’t pan well for him. Just keep an eye out for him if he declines.

My Add/Drops

Added: Andre Drummond

Dropped: Ed Davis

As you will see from what’s to come, I played around with the same few players this week adding and dropping.

Drummond was the first to be picked up as I had to quickly let go of Davis as soon as I picked him up. I had let go of Drummond last week for I think the same player anyway, so it was basically a straight swap back once I heard the news of Davis being shipped to Memphis.

Added: Andrew Bogut

Dropped: Jose Calderon

During this period of time I found Bogut was still on the free agency list and I was keen to pick him up, however I really didn’t know who to let go.

I made the decision on Jose Calderon (this was during the transfer period of the Gay trade) due to the unknown fact of what was going on with Jose. Don’t fear, I pick him back up in the next deal.

Added: Jose Calderon

Dropped: Glen Davis

I then found out that day that Big Baby had broken his foot and was gone for the year. Guess it made my decision easier as to who I let go for Bogut.

However, I was still stressed out that I wasn’t going to get Calderon back off waivers. Luckily enough for me, I don’t think anyone was aware I had dropped him yet, so I could quickly recover.

Trade Proposals

Send: Jameer Nelson

Receive: Kyle Lowry

The same day of the Gay trade (I think you’ve got the idea that as soon as the trade happened, everyone is on the move fantasy wise), I tried to nab Lowry using Nelson’s high trade value.

Unfortunately my opponent was aware of Lowry’s sudden increase in value and realised what I was up to. Smart move mate.

Send: Jameer Nelson

Receive: DeMar DeRozan

This one I wanted no part of as I knew that DeRozan would now be a massive risk after the trade. I happily decline here.

Send: Greivis Vasquez & Jameer Nelson

Receive: Dwight Howard & Evan Turner

Was not liking this trade proposal either, which ended it being declined.

Howard is way to injury prone right now and Turner wasn’t enough of a compensation for him especially when I’m throwing away my two best point guards, who are in fine form themselves.

Studs (Stats are Last 7 Days)

Danilo Gallinari: 24ppg, 5rpg, 3 three’s a game, 3.3apg, 1.7bpg, 52%FG.

James Harden: 22.3ppg, 6.3rpg, 6apg, 1.3spg, 51%FG.

Thaddeus Young: 20ppg, 10rpg, 2.3spg, 2bpg, 54%FG.

David Lee: 18ppg, 14.3rpg, 7.8apg, 51%FG.

Paul Pierce: 15.7ppg, 11.3rpg, 7apg, 45%FG.

Kobe Bryant: 17.3ppg, 10.5apg, 8.5rpg, 44%FG.

Duds (Stats are Last 7 Days)

Mario Chalmers: 6ppg, 3.3apg, 1.7rpg.

Matt Barnes: 3.5ppg, 2rpg, 1.5apg, 37%FG.

Jordan Crawford: 5.3ppg, 1apg, 1.3rpg, 29%FG.

Jared Dudley: 13.3ppg, 3.3rpg, 1apg.

Pick Me Ups

Andrea Bargnani (TOR): Coming back from an elbow injury, Bargnani is one to watch as he could only be a good pick up for a short period of time.

Being on the trade market, he basically could go anywhere which means he could go to a team where he is useless and won’t get anything on the stat sheet.

However, with the time he still has left in Toronto, he should  still be a solid option in deep leagues and can do the job knocking down the deep ball.

Maurice Harkless (ORL): Harkless is a nice up-and-comer for the rest of this season. With Glen Davis out of the picture, along with the rest of the Magic’s season, expect coach Vaughn to be playing a lot of his rooks.

Harkless is well respected in O-Town and will be one to watch for the coming weeks.

Andrew Bogut (GSW): A tad late on this one (sorry guys, that’s what happens when I only have a weekly piece and can’t give you quick updates.

However if you are looking for quick updates for the NBA head to Everything NBA on facebook: www.facebook.com/enbanews). Bogut can be a nice pick-up heading into the second half of the season.

He should be highly sought after in all leagues. He gives you points, rebounds and a block or two in the process. Pick him up now, and play through his easy minutes schedule.

Nate Robinson (CHI): While Kirk Hinrich continues to be sitting on the sideline in street clothes, Nate the great is the one to pick up.

Another short term option here, but he should be #1 on your list if you’re the type of player that picks up and throws away quite often.

Andrew Bynum (PHI): This one is an easy one to explain. Another risk it to get the biscuit type pick up, however if you want him, you’ve got to go early.

Ride out the final weeks of him on the sideline and hope that you reap the rewards. Those knees can be a tricky thing to handle though, so be careful.

How are you going in your league? Tell us about your best/worst pickups this week

Photo Credit: Nathan Denette/Canadian Press