RADIO
G'day RotoBallers! For many, the fantasy playoffs are only a matter of weeks away. If you are still able to make trades in your league, now is the time to try and make a move. While we aren't quite there in terms of the silly season, getting ahead of players being rested or 'shut down' could be a viable trade strategy. If you can execute a trade at this time of the season, both managers can walk away feeling validated and in a better spot ahead of the playoffs.
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 19 of the fantasy basketball season.
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Victor Wembanyama, C - San Antonio Spurs
Baller Move: Sell High
First things first. This is no reflection on my opinion come next season. For those wondering, my opinion is that Wembanyama will be the No. 1 pick in fantasy drafts. However, when narrowing our focus to the remainder of this season, that opinion shifts ever so slightly. He has been the best player in fantasy over the past two weeks, averaging 22.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 3.0 steals, 4.8 blocks, and 2.4 three-pointers. Those numbers are laughable, especially given he has played only 54 games in his career.
Based on what we have seen over the past few weeks, his arrow is firmly pointed up. On a per-game basis, he could very well be the No. 1 player down the stretch. Where the doubt starts to creep in is when we try to gauge how many games he plays over the final six weeks. The Spurs are simply playing for lottery balls at this point, meaning they could start to lean into their fringe options a little more. It is clear Wembanyama is not a fan of sitting out games, but when all is said and done, it's not his decision to make.
If you have Wembanyama on your roster, now might be a good time to try and execute a trade. This might not technically be a sell-high given you would want to try and get an equivalent player in return. While we usually can't provide a list of targets, there are only a few players you should consider when making the move. In my opinion, the only players worth targeting are Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and maybe Anthony Davis. Failing that, just sit back and enjoy the rest of the season, especially as you are going to have to secure a top-three pick to have any chance at rostering him next season.
Collin Sexton, G - Utah Jazz
Baller Move: Sell High
I'll be the first to admit that I was not super high on Sexton coming into the season. Outside of some sporadic scoring, I saw him as someone who could be added to the back-end of 12-team rosters, likely to be sent to the waiver wire on more than one occasion. He has certainly surpassed my expectations, averaging 20.4 points, 5.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.2 three-pointers in 27.2 minutes per game over the past month.
He has hovered around the top 100 thus far, providing efficient scoring on reasonably high volume. However, it has been his ability to contribute across other categories that has perhaps been the biggest surprise. If and when his shot is not dropping, he has maintained value thanks to serviceable contributions in both the assists and steals column. He has recorded three double-digit assist games this season, a facet of his game that has to this point been questionable at best.
Collin Sexton had his 26th game of 20+ points this season vs the Hawks
The Collin Sexton turnaround season has been fun to watch pic.twitter.com/bTJGPLjwI9
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) February 28, 2024
Although it does appear as though he might be able to maintain his current numbers, the Jazz are a team that could shift their focus at some point. Not unlike Wembanyama, Sexton's total value over the final weeks could fall short when compared to his per-game value. If you could shift Sexton for a top-60 asset on a team with a more assured direction, it could end up being a sneaky move heading into the fantasy playoffs.
Coby White, G - Chicago Bulls
Baller Move: Buy Low
Not unlike Sexton, White has been able to put together a season full of positives. With averages of 19.3 points to go with 4.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.8 three-pointers, he has been the 87th-ranked player in nine-category leagues. Although he was seen as a viable late-round target in drafts, his production to this point has exceeded what was expected.
However, over the past two weeks, White has seen his shooting numbers fall off a cliff. Despite averaging 15.0 points per game during that time, he is shooting a woeful 26.1 percent from the field, dragging his overall value outside the top 140. Meanwhile, his peripheral numbers have increased, averaging 5.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.0 steals. A lot of fantasy managers are still drawn to the scoring column when analyzing value, neglecting to view the bigger picture.
If you suspect this is the case in our league, now might be a good time to try and acquire White. As soon as his shooting regresses to the mean, which it will, he should comfortably return to being a top-80 player. Not only that, but if his scoring increases and he can maintain his supporting production, he could even be a top-50 asset down the stretch. While this is a best-case scenario, what he has been able to do this season should provide you with enough confidence to make the move where possible.
Mikal Bridges, F - Brooklyn Nets
Baller Move: Buy Low
Bridges was viewed by many as a top-30 asset coming into the season, based largely on what he was able to do after being traded to Brooklyn during the 2022-23 season. Unfortunately, for anyone who bought into the hype, it's been a mostly underwhelming season.
Across 59 games, Bridges has been the 81st-ranked player, averaging 20.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.5 triples. After three straight seasons of being a top-50 player, Bridges has underperformed thus far, causing headaches for a lot of fantasy managers.
In what has been a poor season, things have gone from bad to worse over the past two weeks. During that time, he has been barely a top-200 player, averaging 13.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steals. Not surprisingly, his struggles have coincided with the team's win/loss record, having lost eight of their past 11 games. With only 23 victories for the season, the Nets currently sit outside the play-in picture.
Nice set from Brooklyn, movement for Mikal Bridges. Screen gets him in the paint, catch at the top, flies off Schroder and gets a handoff. Forces defense to chase, nice drive and kick. pic.twitter.com/mzE3m289ns
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) March 1, 2024
While tanking might seem like a viable option for Brooklyn, the fact they do not own their draft pick could result in a postseason push. To do this, they are going to need Bridges to replicate what he was able to do down the stretch last year. Given his recent performances, managers could very well be willing to offload him for pennies on the dollar. If you could give up nothing more than a top-100 player in a trade, the reward certainly outweighs the risk.
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