2023-24 Fantasy Basketball Buy or Sell: Friday, December 22

December 22, 2023

Adam King discusses what to do with several NBA players in Fantasy Basketball Leagues this week. (December 22)

G'day RotoBallers! We head into the Christmas break with plenty happening around the league. Of course, this means there is also a lot happening across the fantasy landscape. As we start to think about the fantasy playoffs, now is the time to start looking at your strengths and weaknesses. Trading players is a great way to lean into what your team is good at, affording both managers a chance to walk away feeling validated.

However, executing a trade can be harder said than done. Not all managers love the idea of a trade, especially if they believe they will be the attempted target of a fantasy heist. Ensure you know your league and who might be willing to consider a player swap. While the option does exist, I recommend not having a league veto system. Ensure your commissioner is knowledgeable and transparent, and allow them to dictate trade decisions.

With all that out of the way, here are our current sell-high and buy-low candidates as you prepare for Week 9 of the fantasy basketball season.

Derrick White, G - Boston Celtics

Baller Move: Sell High

White has been on a tear of late, putting up first-round value over the past month. He is averaging 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.4 blocks, and 3.2 three-pointers during that time. Despite the addition of talent during the offseason, White has managed to increase his production across the board. He has been arguably the most consistent player on the Celtics' roster thus far, providing elite numbers on both ends of the floor. To the surprise of many, it's been Jrue Holiday who has had to take more of a backseat. He was never going to be able to replicate his numbers from Milwaukee, but the stellar play of White has pushed him even further down the pecking order.

White has been someone fantasy analysts have been monitoring closely since his time in San Antonio. He has always had a fantasy-friendly game but was never able to put it together consistently. He is arguably the best shot-blocker from the guard position in the league, while also providing elite wing defense. An improved passing game, coupled with a reliable three-point shot, has culminated in what we see before us.

The question is whether this is sustainable, and if not, just who is the real Derrick White? Given he is a perfect fit alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, we can rest assured his minutes aren't going anywhere. Even if his production scales back, which it likely will, he should still maintain top-50 value moving forward. Anyone looking to sell him should be seeking a top-20 player in return.

Tyler Herro, G - Miami Heat

Baller Move: Sell High

After an ankle injury cost him 18 games, Herro returned with a bang earlier in the week. He has scored 25 and 28 points in each of his first two games since returning, putting up borderline top-30 value in the process. With Jimmy Butler on injury watch already, Herro is likely to be the focal point on offense, at least for the time being.

As we have seen already this season, it's a role that he should thrive in moving forward. He has scored at least 20 points in eight of his 10 games, with one of those games being the one in which he injured his ankle, limiting him to just eight minutes. He is currently averaging a career-high 23.6 points per game, a number that feels sustainable given the lack of prolific scoring options on the Heat roster.

TYLER HERRO ON A HEATER 😱pic.twitter.com/BBgok6o9nL

— Heat Nation (@HeatNationCP) December 21, 2023

With that said, it is unlikely he will maintain top-30 value for the remainder of the season. Outside of scoring, Herro doesn't offer a ton of upside, especially on the defensive end. He is a decent rebounder from the guard position, but his assists are inconsistent, to say the least.

When healthy, the Heat are going to be able to use Herro as a decoy, especially as opposing defenses become more accustomed to him being the primary option. He will almost certainly return value when compared to his ADP. However, if you are looking to cash in on his recent outburst, moving him away for a third-round player is a viable maneuver.

Jimmy Butler, F - Miami Heat

Baller Move: Buy Low

Butler has been a little underwhelming to begin the season, barely inside the top 50 over the opening two months. Over the past two weeks, he ranked outside the top 110, averaging 19.8 points per game to go with 5.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 three-pointers.

If there is one thing we know about Butler, it's that he will almost undoubtedly find his form at some point. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, that could come during the fantasy playoffs, or even beyond that. Although he has yet to miss significant time this season, random injuries are beginning to pop up on the injury report. Now aged 34, there is a chance one or two games turn into four or five games at some point, impacting his overall fantasy appeal.

His per-game numbers should get back to where we need them to be, especially when he finds some rhythm on the defensive end. However, the Heat have unearthed several young pieces this season, perhaps affording Butler a chance to take a backseat, more so than he has in the past. With that said, they need him to be leading from the front should they wish to make some real noise this season.

If you can deal with potential rest on a seemingly ongoing basis, Butler makes for a strong buy-low target. He didn't suit up against the Magic in their most recent clash, making this a prime opportunity to strike. If you get the sense his manager might be frustrated, throw out a top-50 player and see if that is enough to entice a trade.

Alperen Sengun, C - Houston Rockets

Baller Move: Buy Low

Although his per-game numbers remain steady, Sengun's playing time over the past week has raised more than a few eyebrows. He has exceeded 31 minutes only once in the past six games, with head coach Ime Udoka referencing his lack of defense as an issue. This was somewhat of a concern coming into the season, especially after the Rockets openly targeted Brook Lopez during the trade period.

Over the past two weeks, Sengun has been outside the top 120 in standard leagues, averaging 16.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.0 blocks. As mentioned earlier, his numbers remain strong with the concern being that his playing time is down during that time.

Alperen Sengun is having himself a night. pic.twitter.com/psN4McCCXw

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) December 21, 2023

Jabari Smith Jr. is starting to look more like the player we had been hoping for, affording the coaching staff some flexibility when rolling out a closing lineup. With Smith able to play at the center position, Tari Eason can easily slide at the four, resulting in Sengun moving to the bench. With that said, Sengun's upside on the offensive end should mean that he is not simply going to be taken out of the closing lineup whenever the game is close.

He could very well get back to 32-33 minutes per night in no time, meaning this is a sneaky opportunity for managers to go hunting for a bargain. Given the fact we have seen him utilized sporadically in the past, nervous managers may be willing to part with him for a more assured fantasy asset, albeit one with a lower ceiling.