Former NBA fan-favorite Manute Bol died today in a Virginia hospital, where he was being treated for severe kidney trouble and a skin condition known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. He was 47 years old.

Bol, one of the tallest NBA players ever at 7′7″, was as widely known for his charisma as his shot-blocking prowess. In his ten-year career Bol played for Washington, Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami, and amassed over 2,000 blocked shots over his career. I’ll never forget this iconic picture of him standing alongside Mugsy Bogues, the shortest player in NBA history.

After his 10-year career in the NBA, Bol dedicated his life to serving as an activist for numerous causes for his war-ravaged nation of birth, Sudan. He eventually founded Sudan Sunrise, a humanitarian group that promotes reconciliation in an attempt to end violence in Sudan. On the Sudan Sunrise website, Executive Director Tom Prichard posted a note about Bol’s death saying “Sudan and the world have lost a hero and an example for all of us.”

What will you remember most about Manute Bol?

The Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings kicked off what is likely to be an exciting offseason of transactions and free-agent signings with a three-player trade. The trade was a swap of disgruntled players who longed to be elsewhere, as the 76ers traded their starting center Samuel Dalembert to the Kings in exchange for Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes.

The acquisition of Dalembert adds some much needed rebounding and shot-blocking to the Kings, who haven’t had a legitimate center since Brad Miller. Dalembert’s ability to block shots should pay some dividends for the Kings as they will be able to find more opportunities to push the ball and get out in transition.  Dalembert also is a nice addition Kings’ steadily improving front line. Along with Carl Landry and Jason Thompson, the Kings now have a compelling and versatile trio of bigs, all with different skill sets – allowing them to tinker a bit to get an edge in their matchups or needs in any given game. While Dalembert has a hefty contract (over $13 mil), he is in his final year, so the Kings aren’t locked in longterm if he doesn’t pan out in their system.

The 76ers get back two serviceable players in Nocioni and Hawes. Nocioni will bring more toughness, experience and veteran experience to the Sixers frontcourt. While he hasn’t been happy in Sacramento, often losing playing time to their younger, developing players, he still might not find his dream role in Philadelphia. Andre Iguodala and Thaddeous Young will both see the court before Nocioni, but he could also see some time backing up Elton Brand at the power-forward spot as well.

In Hawes the Sixers get a young and versatile seven-footer, with a sweet outside shot for a big man. He was also the leading shot-blocker for the Kings last season, so they will get some of the inside presence they lost by trading Dalembert back. Still, Hawes struggles when matching up with stronger players (which is frequently the case), and he has struggled with maintaining consistency. He is a player who still has a great deal of room to develop, and he should play an integral role for the Sixers next season.

While I think that the Kings received the best player this deal, change can be a very healthy thing for any team who has a player who doesn’t want to be there.

Happy New Year! I spent the last day of 2009 as any NBA blogger should: watching basketball on TNT. My favorite play of the night was easily this two-handed fast-break dunk that Thaddeus Young threw down on Rasual Butler. I love the bounce in his step, and the quick elevation – but most of all, I love the stank he puts down on this dunk. Watch his head rock back as if he has dunk-induced whiplash.  Here’s to an even “Noisier” 2010.

The NBA released its latest All-Star votes status update today, which should continue to fuel the debate on whether fans should have a full say on who the All-Star starters are. All had seemed right in the last All-Star update, as Steve Nash was paired alongside Kobe Bryant as the top vote-getters for Western Conference guards. However, this recent update has Nash falling to third amongst West guards, and placed Tracy McGrady back in the projected starting lineup with 649,563 votes.

While McGrady is only 1,005 votes ahead of Nash, it’s a surprising development. True, McGrady has returned to action, delighting T-Mac fans with an awe-inspiring 3 points, 1 assist and 0.8 rebounds per game. Nash, on the other hand, has only been the catalyst for the Suns 21-12 start and averaged 18 points and 11 assists per game. The result? Nash has turned to a viral campaign of self-deprecating humor to influence fans to cast their votes for him.

Also a bit of a surprise is Allen Iverson’s continued popularity in fan voting. He is currently second behind only Dwyane Wade for Eastern Conference guard voting, and is about 150,000 votes ahead of Vince Carter (the next closest East guard). While Iverson has been somewhat productive this season, averaging 15.4 ppg, he has only appeared in 10 games this year. I don’t know how many players have been retired for a significant portion of the season and have still made the All-Star team, but it just might happen this year.

What’s your take? Being an event that is more or less for fan entertainment, should the All-Star game continue to allow fan voting to determine the starting lineups for the game? Or should we see the All-Star game as an honor that is only reserved for the most deserving of players? The current system incorporates a mixture of both, but it is clear that the fan vote doesn’t always align with the players who should be starting (or even participating) in the All-Star game.

This Week’s Fantasy Sleepers:

Marreese Speights, Philadelphia 76ers - Speights is back in the lineup after missing 14 games due to a partially torn MCL. Although the 76ers were planning on bringing him along gradually, he has been just too good to keep off of the court. In his three games back he has averaged nearly 20 points and 8 rebounds per game, including a season-high 28-point performance Saturday night against the Clippers. Although Speights still isn’t in the starting lineup, he is playing solid minutes off of the bench and is occasionally seeing minutes late in the game in lieu of Samuel Dalembert or Elton Brand. As he works him back into playing shape, he should be playing at an even higher level. Dalembert’s numbers have dropped considerably since Speights returned to action so his fantasy value is certainly in question at this point. If you had to choose between these two for frontcourt help right now, go with Speights.

Omri Casspi, Sacramento Kings - The Kings continue to tinker with their starting lineup in the absence of Kevin Martin. While Donte Greene had received his shot as the starter for most of December, the Kings have recently replaced him in the starting lineup with Casspi. Although just a rookie, Casspi has shown that he is an aggressive player on both ends of the floor, and has been an impressively reliable three-point shooter. Casspi has started the past three games for the Kings, logging over 30 minutes in each of those games and eclipsing the 20-point mark twice. The Kings also won two of these three games, which should play into Casspi’s continued inclusion in the starting unit. As long as Kevin Martin is out of action, Casspi should be a legitimate fantasy option.

Jerryd Bayless, Portland Trail Blazers - Bayless had a career high 29 points last Thursday against the Phoenix Suns. While he followed it up with a lackluster 10-point performance against the Magic, it should be noted that he did play more than 30 minutes in the game. Coach Nate McMillan loves the energy and intensity that Bayless brings to the game, and often relies on him to change the tempo of the game. The play of Andre Miller and Steve Blake has been inconsistent, and with several key players going down with injuries this season, Bayless is now getting his chance. Bayless’ job when he comes in the game is to look to score, which he does efficiently by taking it hard to the rack and knocking down mid-range jumpers. It  is important to note that he generally won’t get you more than three or four assists or rebounds on any given night, but if you need a scoring boost in your backcourt then take a good look at Bayless.

Rasual Butler, Los Angeles Clippers – Need a three-point shooting threat on your team? Butler should be available amongst free-agents in your league. In the past four games, Butler has nailed 10 three-pointers, including a five-trey game last week against the Timberwolves. While he isn’t starting, he is getting major minutes for the Clip-show and routinely gets more than 30 minutes of floor time. Like Bayless, Butler is a bit one-dimensional, but the three-point shot is not a category that should be undervalued in your league.
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Fantasy Question from A Stern Warning: If Tracy McGrady found himself traded to New York, how do you see his fantasy value in D’Antoni’s system?

NBA Noise: With Tracy McGrady, I think it all comes down to minutes and conditioning. In his four games back in action this season, McGrady has never played more than eight minutes a game. Putting all Rick Adelman conspiracy theories aside, I don’t think that McGrady is close to his old self physically. He doesn’t have the same lateral quickness that we’re accustomed to seeing from him, and he’ll need to work on his overall conditioning to have the wind to be an effective player again. Given the Knicks’ up-tempo style of play and McGrady’s current physical status, I don’t think he’d be a major fantasy option for the Knicks right away. A healthy McGrady in D’Antoni’s system, under the bright lights of the Garden, would likely translate into some impressive fantasy numbers, but he just isn’t ready yet. If McGrady works himself into legitimate playing shape, he’ll be a contributor on any team he’s on. I just wouldn’t think about adding him to my team until he is playing at least 25 minutes a game. There are just too many good options that are deserving a spot on your fantasy roster before adding T-Mac.

Need fantasy hoops advice? Have a fantasy hoops question? Send me an email at sholdren@gmail.com and your question could be featured on NBA Noise!

In fantasy basketball, success is often determined by how nimble you are. How willing are you to scour the free-agents for a diamond in the rough. How close do you pay attention to injuries and roster changes? This regular series will help to take the guess work out of who you should have your eye on for some of the deeper fantasy leagues.

Erick Dampier, Dallas Mavericks - It wasn’t all that long ago that Dampier claimed he was the second-best center in the league behind Shaquille O’Neal. However, over the past few years Dampier really hasn’t been a fantasy option unless you were in the market for a serviceable rebounding presence. Given this fact, there’s a good chance that Dampier is available in your league. Most people probably consider him an afterthought at this point especially given his two-week hiatus for mysterious health issues. While he had an average night tonight (8 pts. and 8 rebs.), it’s difficult to refute his dreamy fantasy stat-lines in the previous two games. Dampier dropped a 20-point, 17-rebound, 2-block game against Miami on Friday and followed up that amazing performance with a 14-point, 18-rebound, three-block performance against Charlotte on Saturday. To make Dampier even more appealing, the guy shoots a ridiculous 71% from the field as most of his shots are dunks and shots right around the hoop. If you are in need of some help in the middle, don’t hesitate to pick up Dampier.

Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers - Holiday hadn’t played since Dec. 2 because of a strained right rotator cuff, but he made his return to the Sixers’ lineup on Friday against the Rockets where he saw limited action. But as the Sixers begin to tinker with their lineup with the addition of Allen Iverson, Holiday got the start tonight against the Warriors and capitalized on the opportunity. Tonight’s line for Holiday: 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. I’ll take that any night from my point guard. The most telling aspect of his night though, was that he played nearly 39 minutes. This would indicate that Eddie Jordan is comfortable with Holiday in the lineup, and this being their first win in the past 14 games I would expect Jordan to keep this successful lineup as long as it keeps working. While Holiday is likely only suitable for deep leagues, he could be a decent add/drop player if your league calls for it. It should also be noted that the return of Louis Williams looms (January), but you still have some time to take advantage of  Holiday’s sweet numbers while you can.

Tyler Hansbrough, Indiana Pacers – Over the past few weeks, Hansbrough has used his relentless hustle and effort to increase his minutes and gain the trust of coach Jim O’Brien. While he still isn’t averaging a ton of minutes, Hansbrough has found a way to be an active contributor on offense. As he gets comfortable with his increased role, we’ll continue to see him increase his FG% and points – and we already know he’s an active rebounder. Over the past four games, Hansbrough has averaged 15 ppg, 7 rpg, and over one steal per game. As long as Danny Granger is out, we’ll continue to see notable contributions from Hansbrough.

Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies – While there was a stretch of this season where Conley may have been rotting away on most free-agent lists, times may be changing for the Grizzlies’ point man. He was a risky addition as a timeshare with Allen Iverson, and still questionable when Memphis added Jamaal Tinsley for help in the backcourt. Those worries have subsided for Conley, as he has officially been handed the reigns and has logged major minutes for Memphis over the past six games (aside from their blowout win over Miami). Although the Grizzlies lost to the Celtics tonight in a competitive contest, it’s no secret that Memphis is a team on an upward swing. They have won four out of their last six games, and Conley has played a huge role in those wins (including two 20-point games). As long as Conley continues to lead Memphis to solid wins, you can expect him to contributing at a pace worthy of adding him to your fantasy team.

Mike Miller, Washington Wizards – I don’t suggest that you go out and pick up the injured Miller right now, but certainly keep an eye on him. While he has been out of action since November 22 with a calf injury, he is nearing return and is expected to join the Wizards during their upcoming West Coast trip. When he was healthy, Miller was consistently getting 35 mpg, was a solid 3-point threat, and was a surprisingly efficient rebounder. Give him a few games back in the lineup to see how he’s progressing, but definitely keep him on your radar for a potential add in the near future.

Need fantasy hoops advice? Have a fantasy hoops question? Send me an email at sholdren@gmail.com and your question could be featured on NBA Noise!