The following ten veterans enter the 2007-2008 season with the stars aligned in their favor.  Some of these players are in their contract years, when athletes are known to turn up their effort in order to negotiate for as many dollars as possible after the season.  A few of these players find themselves on new teams and project to get more touches and minutes than usual.  Others are in the same old place, but their new surroundings will demand more from them.  Here are my best guesses at ten players who will have the best seasons of their careers.

1. Corey Maggette – 2007-08 will likely be Maggette’s last as a Clipper.  Although he and Coach Mike Dunleavy have had their differences, Dunleavy has little options to replace Elton Brand’s scoring (Brand tore his Achilles and will likely miss the majority of the season).  Maggette is a career 15.3 ppg player and is a versatile scorer.  15.3 points may not seem impressive until you understand he has averaged just 28 minutes per game, often coming off of the bench.  From 2003 thru 2005, Maggette saw legitimate starters minutes.  In those two seasons he averaged 21.5 points, 6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and a steal.  Now 27 and playing for a contract, Maggette will use his increased role to maximize his value.

Best Season:  04-05 – 22.2 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.1 spg, .86 FT%
07-08 Projections:  24 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.3 spg


2. Rashard Lewis – Lewis’ signing has been under much scrutiny this off-season and it’s unlikely he has not noticed.  Lewis averaged a remarkable 19.8 ppg while playing as the second option to Ray Allen.  Now as the clear-cut offensive focus under head coach Stan Van Gundy, look for Lewis to have his best season yet and maybe his best ever.  He will see more touches and shot opportunities than ever down in Orlando.




Best Season:  06-07 – 22.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.4 apg, .39 3FG%
07-08 Projections:  26.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, .37 3FG%


3. Ricky Davis – With KG and Mike James gone, the T-Wolves need somebody to score their points and you can bet Ricky Davis will jump on that opportunity during his contract year.  Davis has always been a dynamic scorer but this will be his first year as the man.  There is a great amount of potential on the roster, but until it emerges into NBA talent, look for 20 points a night from Davis.




Best Season:  05-06 – 19.4 ppg, 5.1 apg, 4.5 rpg
07-08 Projections:  22.3 ppg, 4.2 apg, 4.3 rpg  


4. Pau Gasol – Just in case anyone forgot about Gasol, he is arguably the third best seven-footer in the NBA behind Yao Ming and Dirk Nowitzki (Duncan and Garnett are both listed at 6’11”).  After playing just 59 games last season, he is fully healthy and has a supporting cast built to maximize his impact.  A slew of pass-first point guards, accurate perimeter shooters, interior depth, an exodus of big men from the Western Conference and the addition of best friend Juan Carlos-Navarro are all factors in what should be Gasol’s best season yet.


Best Season:  06-07 – 20.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.1 blk
07-08 Projections:  22.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.0 blk


5. Jason Williams – Williams is coming off of a string of below-expectations seasons.  This summer while Miami Heat President Pat Riley was courting free-agent PG Maurice Williams, Jason confronted his coach and told him that he was the man for the job.  He enters the season healthy and no longer has Gary Payton around to share time with but rather free-agent acquisition Smush Parker.  More importantly, this is his contract season and there will be plenty of teams looking for a capable PG next summer.  With Dwyane Wade’s health in question, Williams will get more touches and more shots this season.  If the Heat make the playoffs, it will follow Jason Williams’ best season.

Best Season:  01-02 – 14.8 ppg, 8.0 apg, 3.0 rpg, 1.7 spg, .38 FG%
07-08 projections:  15.6 ppg, 8.4 apg, 2.7 rpg, 1.5 spg, .41 FG%


6. Chucky Atkins – Atkins was brought into Denver this off-season to assume the starting point guard role for the high-scoring Nuggets.  Many observers have said that he is not the right man for the job, but the only thing certain is that he will be the man for the job.  Atkins joins his seventh team, this time coming off a strong season.  Playing on the high-octane Nuggets, he should pile up assists with the best of them.  Sure his defense is not that great, but defense doesn’t win fantasy leagues.



Best Season:  06-07 – 13.2 ppg, 4.6 apg, .38 3FG%, 27.5 mpg
07-08 Projections:  12.8 ppg, 7.0 apg, .41 3FG%, 33.3 mpg


7. Drew Gooden – Anderson Varejao may not return which opens up an even further increased role for the five-year veteran.  After getting to the championships last season, Gooden will have the motivation to give his best effort night in and night out.  By now, he has a good grasp of Coach Mike Brown’s offense and with the anticipated decline of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Gooden should see more shots than ever.




Best Season:  04-05 – 14.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 0.9 blk, .49 FG%, .81 FT%
07-08 Projections:  16.3 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 1.2 blk, .51 FG%, .81 FT%


8. Ben Gordon – The 6’3” marksmen never did see his expected contract extension from the Bulls this summer.  His scoring, assists and rebounds have increased in each of the past three seasons and you can bet that he will strive to keep that streak in tact during his 4th year.  The Bulls expect to compete for a championship, but they will need to amp up their offense in order to make that a reality.  Gordon’s their best shooter and should be on the court more than his 33 mpg of last season.  The Bulls have also talked about using Gordon to back-up PG Kirk Hinrich which should boost his assist totals.


Best Season:  06-07 – 21.4 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.1 rpg, .41 3FG%
07-08 Projections:  23.3 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.6 rpg, .42 3FG%


9. Tyson Chandler – Chandler is playing with the new found confidence he gained as a result of playing with the league’s best over the summer.  Although the 25 year-old began to come into his own while posting 34 double-doubles last season his best is yet to come.  With a healthy Chris Paul, David West and Peja Stojakovic around him, Chandler should be able to get free in the post. 




Best Season:  06-07 – 12.4 rpg, 9.5 ppg, 1.8 blk, .62 FG%
07-08 Projections:   12.8 rpg, 11.1 ppg, 2.5 blk, .61 FG%


10. Udonis Haslem – Haslem has made a bigger impact in the league than any scouts ever expected.  Now with a questionable Wade and declining Shaquille O’Neal, Haslem will see his biggest role yet.  One of the hardest workers in the league will post his best numbers yet in 2007-08.





Best Season:  04-05 – 10.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, .54 FG%
07-08 Projections:  14.5 ppg, 10.7 rpg, .55 FG%


Photos Courtesy of espn.com