The 2015-16 NBA season is less than a week away, and RotoBaller is here to help you succeed in the upcoming fantasy basketball season.  Today we take a look back at some of the players who changed teams in the offseason, and the impact this might have on their fantasy value.

 

How Will These Players on New Teams Do in 2015-16?

While LeBron James, Kevin Love, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard -- among others -- all stayed put, the 2015 NBA offseason saw a plethora of big names relocate to new cities.

LaMarcus Aldridge was -- among players who changed teams -- the holy grail of the 2015 offseason. Playing in a proven system in San Antonio with intelligent, unselfish players could turn the former Trailblazer big man into a full blown superstar.

However, the focus of this article is on some of the more mid-level players whose change of scenery should benefit them -- or, in one case, hinder their 2015-'16 production.

 

Ty Lawson (PG, HOU)

Lawson will not have to be the man in Houston, where he can thrive as a second or third scoring option. His assist totals are likely to go through the roof, with James Harden and Trevor Ariza on the wing and Dwight Howard down low. Everyone on the team, including Harden -- if it's even possible -- should improve from playing alongside a quality point guard, but Lawson should be the greatest beneficiary of the change. This could be the year in which Lawson makes the leap into the elite point guard category.

 

Lance Stephenson (SG, LAC)

Stephenson inexplicably struggled to find his rhythm in Charlotte, shooting just 38% on 550 shots (after shooting 49% on 870 shots in 2013-'14). However, moving to Los Angeles and playing alongside a point guard like Chris Paul could help him get back on track. Paul can feed scorers in a way no other player can, so Stephenson should see plenty of quality scoring chances on a consistent basis. Stephenson, along with the rest of the Clippers, should benefit greatly from Paul Pierce's presence in the locker room.

 

Tim Hardaway Jr. (SG, ATL)

The move from the Knicks to the Hawks can be a game-changer for Tim Hardaway Jr. The Hawks work the ball around better than almost any team in basketball, and the Knicks, well, have Carmelo Anthony.

Playing alongside point guard Jeff Teague and fellow sharpshooter Kyle Korver will open up space on the floor for Hardaway. The loss of DeMarre Carroll will allow Hardaway to collect quality minutes. Now that he is in a healthy situation, Hardaway could have the breakout season many expected him to have last year.

 

David Lee (PF, BOS)

Lee's most important contribution to the C's will be his leadership, as he is one of just two Celtics with more than five years of NBA experience -- including head coach Brad Stevens. Beyond that, he should fit better into Brad Stevens' offense than he did in that of Steve Kerr. As a result, he should re-gain most of his minutes and, if all goes well, his stats. Leaving Golden State should be good for Lee's career, and Boston is a great place for him to hit the reset button.

 

Greg Monroe (C, MIL)

Monroe was expected to join the Knicks this offseason, but instead signed with the rebuilding Bucks. Monroe had his most efficient seasons when he played center, before Andre Drummond came to Detroit. Monroe shot over 50% from the floor in each of his first two seasons in the league, but has yet to reach that mark since. Perhaps the move to Milwaukee, where he can once again play the center position, will change that. The Bucks have a strong nucleus of young talent, and Monroe's skillset and veteran leadership can help lift the team to the next level.

 

Kendall Marshall (PG, PHI)

Marshall has been presented with yet another fresh start--this time in Philadelphia. Marshall has shown promise in the little opportunity he has gotten since coming into the league, but injuries and questionable roster fits have prevented him from establishing himself. The 76ers signed him to a 4-year contract, displaying the trust they have in the young playmaker. Once he's recovered from ACL surgery that may keep him out for the first month of the season, Marshall should have no trouble beating out the competition at point guard, and can provide a lot of value for his low cost.

 

Al-Farouq Aminu (SF, POR)

The Blazers lost Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, and Nicolas Batum in the offseason, but broke the bank on a couple of potential breakout candidates -- Ed Davis and Al-Farouq Aminu, both of whom should get their shot at a larger role. The latter of the two is expected to be the undeniable starting small forward in Portland, so the opportunity will be there. In 2012-'13, the year in which he started the most games and saw the most minutes per game, Aminu averaged a career-high 7.3 points per game on a career-high 47.5% shooting. Assuming he starts the large majority of Portland's 82 games this year, Aminu should be able to improve on those numbers.

 

Rajon Rondo (PG, SAC)

Rondo had his fair share of locker room issues, and that very well may continue in Sacramento. But it's been a long time since he has played alongside a big man as talented as DeMarcus Cousins. Since the decline, and then departure, of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Rondo has been surrounded by an underwhelming cast of characters. With scorers like Cousins, Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore in Sacramento, Rondo may once again return to playmaking dominance. The former Celtic point guard surpassed 11 assists per game three years in a row -- leading the league in two of those seasons -- but has not eclipsed 10 assists per game in each of his last two years. In his new environment, Rondo's assist totals should definitely improve.

 

DeMarre Carroll (SF, TOR)

Carroll got paid in the offseason to the tune of a 4-year, $60 million contract with the Raptors. While the money is great, he is clearly heading to an organization in a worse situation. Toronto is still a playoff team, but the Hawks worked the ball around better than almost any team in the league last year, and Carroll benefited greatly from that. The Raptors have a somewhat crowded perimeter, especially if foreign phenom Bruno Caboclo debuts this season. While Carroll should help the Raptors in a big way, it seems unlikely that the Raptors return the favor -- at least not in the same way the Hawks did.

 

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