NBA: Hot Properties

Andrew Bynum's mid-range auto rookies are still on the rise, despite him being injured since mid-January. It was first reported that Bynum would return in time for the playoffs, but now he's expected to be back on the floor in a couple of weeks. Bynum's 05-06 SP Authentic Auto #'d 1299 has risen for the 4th straight month, averaging $87.73 in March, up from $82.44 last month. His SPx Auto/Jsy #'d 1499 has experienced a similar, consistent upward movement, averaging $97.10 in March, up from $88.77 last month. His high-end auto rookies seem to be flattening out in value, with his Exquisite Collection Auto/Patch #'d 225 selling for around $670 ($673 last month).

I'm personally shocked that Bynum's been able to maintain this increasing level of value without even playing! When he returns, if he can pick up where he left off, I expect his SPA & SPx rookies to start averaging in the $100+ range very quickly.

Deron Williams' auto rookies are up across the board in March, with his 05-06 SP Authentic Auto #'d 1299 averaging $52.38 ($42.52 last month), his SPx Auto/Jsy #'d 750 at $72.46 ($61.04), his Exquisite Collection Auto/Patch #'d 99 at $873.30 ($693), and his Ultimate Collection Auto #'d 250 at $104.99 ($78.01). Williams has led his Jazz on a great run, improving their record from 17-16 at the end of December to their current 47-25, placing them in the #4 seed for the playoffs (not to say that that couldn't easily change with how tight the race is in the West this season).

Williams will be a top 3 NBA PG for the next decade plus, and his card values have room to grow, based on current price levels.

Jordan Farmar has been one of the hottest players in the hobby this month. He's really stepped up his game to help his short-handed Lakers stay on track for the playoffs. Watching him play, you can really see how much he's grown & matured. His scoring has increased to 9.3 ppg (4.4 ppg last season) in just 5 more minutes playing time per game. His contributions go beyond just purely stats, and collectors have obviously picked up on that. Some of his average TAC values for March are: 06-07 SP Authentic Auto #'d 999 - $28.96 ($11.07 last month), SPx Auto/Jsy #'d 1199 - $36.02 ($23.74), Bowman Chrome Auto - $29.77 ($25.25), E-X Auto #'d 899 - $18 ($9.77), and Exquisite Collection Auto/Patch #'d 225 - $171.28 ($134.83).

I've always felt that Farmar had great potential, but I didn't expect him to become a hobby-hit for a couple more years. I guess circumstances can really put a player to the test. It's really impressive to watch guys like Farmar & Sasha Vujacic taking advantage of their increased playing time.