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Posted: Thursday January 10, 2008 6:09PM; Updated: Thursday January 10, 2008 6:09PM

New! Fantasy Basketball Mailbag!

The fantasy football season is over, so The Wiz is shifting his focus from the gridiron to the hardwood

Laugh if you want, but Chris Kaman is one of the most productive centers in all of fantasy land.
Laugh if you want, but Clippers center Chris Kaman is one of the most productive centers in all of fantasy land.
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Welcome to the FIRST EVER fantasy basketball mailbag. Well, almost a mailbag. We don't have any questions yet.

So, this week, we'll just be looking at who in the NBA is hot, and who in the NBA is so not hot, that some would even say they're cold.

Then start sending in your questions! I'll be answering the best one's every Friday.

WHO'S HOT

Chris Kaman, C, Los Angeles Clippers ($9,800,000)

Among centers, Nuggets C Marcus Camby has been fantasy basketball's top scorer since Christmas Day in fantasy points per game. The second highest scorer? It's not Yao; it's not Shaq. It's Kaman. The fifth-year center is having a breakout year, taking over in the paint with All-Star teammate Elton Brand sidelined. Kaman is third in the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots.

Jose Calderon, G, Toronto Raptors ($7,900,000)

When starting point guard T.J. Ford went down with a serious neck injury on December 12, Calderon went from one of the NBA's best back-up point guards to simply one of the NBA's best point guards, period. Since Ford's injury, Calderon has averaged 9.4 assists, fourth-best in the NBA to go along with 14.5 points per game. And amazingly, he averaged just 1.5 turnovers per game in that span -- Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and Deron Williams have all averaged twice as many turnovers.

Andrew Bynum, C, Los Angeles Lakers ($8,400,000)

Reason Number 53 that Kobe Bryant would be a terrible general manager: He was upset when Bynum wasn't traded last winter. The Lakers held onto their 20-year-old center, and this season he has emerged as a true force in the paint. Since securing a starting job in early December, Bynum is fourth among centers in scoring (15.9), sixth in rebounding (10.5), and fourth in blocked shots (2.4).

John Salmons, F, Sacramento Kings ($7,800,000)

Salmons has been Sacramento's savior in 2007-08. With star guards Mike Bibby and Kevin Martin suffering injuries, Salmons has stepped up and done a little bit of everything: 19.0 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 3.7 assists per game since stepping into the starting lineup a month ago. As long as Bibby and Martin are out, Salmons should keep on producing.

WHO'S NOT

Kevin Durant, F, Seattle SuperSonics ($10,500,000)

Durant has shown flashes of superstardom, but the lack of a veteran supporting cast has weighed heavily on the rookie this season. He's averaging an impressive 19.9 points per game, but Durant is shooting just .409 percent from the field, and an awful .295 percent from three-point range. He isn't rebounding much (just 4.4 per game), and is turning it over three times per game. And now, he's dealing with an ankle injury. It's pretty clear that Durant will be an All-Star one day, but you'll want to wait until he finds his groove in the NBA before putting him on your fantasy roster.

Shaquille O'Neal, C, Miami Heat ($15,750,000)

This season has been a nightmare for the Heat, and Shaq has been no exception. Playing through a series of injuries, Shaq is averaging a career-low 14.0 points per game. And he's been out since December and there's no telling when he'll come back.

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