We’re going to have to remember this lesson for the future because it is bound to come up again…

Don’t pick players that played competitively during the offseason. Or, at the very least, carefully consider the pick before making it.

You might wonder why I might offer that crazy suggestion considering the fact that most of the top Fantasy players were ON one of those teams.

Here is why…

Other articles have alluded to this, but not necessarily from a Fantasy NBA perspective. A good example is Dave D’Alessandro’s recent article from the Sporting News that I found on Yahoo Sports entitled FIBA tourney put Grizzlies in a world of Hurt. He names all of the reasons that the tournament has hurt franchises and put coaches’ jobs (e.g. Mike Fratello) in jeopardy.

He didn’t add the fact (although he could have) that it has also changed the booming Fantasy Basketball industry. I haven’t yet lost significant players to injury, but the decreased play of Elton Brand at the beginning of the season was very noticeable.

I’m one of the lucky ones, though.

Pau Gasol, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, and Yao Ming, anyone? Just to name a few.

That’s not to mention reduced output from other players that, thankfully, have not yet been injured.

Look at the injuries and who they are happening to. Read the Alessandro’s article and see how it has affected marquee players in the past.

Maybe it’s just as well for Gilbert Arenas owners that their boy wasn’t there.