RADIO
Aidin Ebrahimi looks at four risers and four fallers from the fourth month of the 2024-25 NBA season after the craziest trade deadline in NBA history!
Welcome back, RotoBallers, to the fourth edition of my monthly fantasy basketball risers and fallers series for the 2024-2025 season!
The craziest trade deadline in NBA history is now behind us, and we're getting ready for the All-Star break. If things haven't gone your way yet in your fantasy leagues, don't lose hope! Every month, I'm here to help you assess the value of some players who are seeing major production swings during the year.
With that being said, let's look at the risers and fallers from the fourth month of the NBA season.
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Fantasy Basketball Risers: February
Jalen Green - G, Houston Rockets
It might be hard to believe, but Jalen Green has just turned 23 years old, or as he likes to call it, the "Jordan year." After his first couple of seasons in the league, Green looked like he was on track to be the Rockets' savior, but his production dipped in his third year due to a big mid-season slump.
Jordan Year for @JalenGreen 🥳 pic.twitter.com/pWbUXvmI4C
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) February 9, 2025
In the offseason, he signed a three-year, $106 million contract extension with the Rockets, a move that was criticized by some pessimistic fans. Green failed to silence those critics at the start of the season, averaging 19.4 points a night on 40.8% shooting from the field in his first 33 games.
But despite dealing with some minor injuries, he hasn't missed a game this season and kept on playing through his slump. His commitment has paid off big time, as he has averaged 24.8 PPG on 45.4% shooting from the field and 40.1% from three in his last 20 games.
He's now the scoring leader of a dangerous Rockets team that can make some noise in the playoffs.
Amen Thompson - F, Houston Rockets
Sticking with the Rockets, let's talk about Amen Thompson. Thompson is quickly becoming one of the scariest players in the NBA, similar to Kawhi Leonard after he won the 2014 Finals MVP with the San Antonio Spurs.
Thompson is turning into a Kawhi-type defender and is slowly developing his offensive game to become a force on both sides of the ball. Here are their stats from their sophomore seasons.
Yeah, Rockets fans should be very excited. Their last 18 games should excite them too. Despite going through good times and bad times (a five-game winning streak and a six-game losing streak), Thompson has balled out, putting up 17.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3.6 stocks (steals + blocks) per game in that span.
When he finally figures out how to shoot the three-ball effectively, the NBA will be in big trouble.
Austin Reaves - G, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers made arguably the biggest trade in NBA history, bringing in Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. The Lakers had five games without Davis or Doncic but won all five thanks to Austin Reaves' efforts.
Reaves averaged superstar numbers in that span, putting up 26.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists a night while shooting 46.3% from the field and 38.5% from deep.
This includes a career-high 45-point performance performance against the Pacers in the game before Luka Doncic's Lakers debut. Speaking of Doncic's debut, Reaves proved he's a seamless fit alongside Luka and LeBron James, scoring 22 points in a win against the Jazz.
Guerschon Yabusele - F/C, Philadelphia 76ers
Guerschon Yabusele's return to the NBA is a classic feel-good story. Drafted 16th overall by the Celtics in the 2016 draft, he didn't get much playing time on a contending Celtics squad.
He only played 548 total minutes for Boston and received more attention for his muscles than his actual play on the court. But when the Celtics gave up on him, Yabusele didn't give up on himself and became a star for Real Madrid.
After winning a EuroLeague with Los Merengues, he shined in the 2024 Olympics, winning the silver medal with France. His performances caused the Sixers to sign him to a one-year contract, and he's doing everything to earn a big extension in the offseason.
Yabusele has put up 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds a night while shooting 56.9% from the field and 43.6% from three in his last 10 games, and the Sixers are reportedly very pleased with the French star and are hoping to keep him after this year.
Fantasy Basketball Fallers: February
Keldon Johnson - F, San Antonio Spurs
De'Aaron Fox is now a San Antonio Spur, ready to form a deadly duo alongside Victor Wembanyama. Other young players such as Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan will be there to help them become contenders for many years to come, while veterans such as Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes are still key parts of the squad.
Keldon Johnson 100% needs to be on a new team next season.
— Himbanyama🔑 (@KingKe3_) February 11, 2025
This leaves Keldon Johnson as the odd man out, which is a shame considering how talented he is as a scorer. But since he doesn't offer much else, his role has reduced dramatically.
He averaged 22.0 PPG as a 23-year-old but has put up just 8.9 points a night in his last 12 games. Things have gotten even worse for him since the Fox trade, as he has logged a measly 15.2 minutes per game.
Johnson still has two more years left on his deal, but things won't get much better for him unless he's traded.
D'Angelo Russell - G, Brooklyn Nets
We now move on to another former franchise star who is no longer the star he used to be. D'Angelo Russell led the 2018-19 Nets to the playoffs and made the All-Star team, but his return to the Nets has been nothing short of a disaster.
The man who once put up 21.1 points and 7.0 assists a night for the same franchise is now putting up the worst numbers of his career. D'Lo has averaged 14.0 points and 4.8 assists in his last 10 games and has an effective field goal percentage of 42.8, the third-worst mark in the league among players with 100+ shots in that span.
Mark Williams/Jusuf Nurkic - C, Charlotte Hornets
This isn't about what these two players have done on the court, but off it. After trading away Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, the Lakers suddenly needed a good center, and they got their man when the Hornets decided to trade Mark Williams to LA for a package centered around Dalton Knecht.
The Hornets decided to get Jusuf Nurkic to replace Williams. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Williams' trade was rescinded after he failed his physical with the Lakers.
The Hornets are now trying to protest this decision and this messy situation means that both players are now in limbo. It's still unclear what's going on with Williams. Is he hurt? Will he play for them this season? What about Nurkic?
Moussa Diabate scored 21 points as the starting center on February 10, so will the Hornets stick with him as the starter? It's an all-around mess of a situation.
Kyle Kuzma - F, Milwaukee Bucks
Kyle Kuzma just had one of his best games of the season, scoring 21 points while going 6-9 from the field in a loss to the Warriors. However, he still had a plus/minus of -7 and turned the ball over twice without recording a single assist.
KYLE KUZMA IS BACK. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hmlZUF6V52
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) February 11, 2025
His first two games in Milwaukee were disastrous, as he went 9-26 from the floor and 4-14 from deep. He has had a positive plus/minus only four times in the 2025 calendar year, and his fit with the Bucks' system is questionable at best.
Don't be surprised if he has more bad games and gets benched for Bobby Portis, as his lack of floor spacing, playmaking, and defense will make things harder for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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