RADIO
Adam King discusses what to do with several NBA players in Fantasy Basketball Leagues this week. (February 2)
G'day RotoBallers! We are just a week away from the NBA trade deadline, meaning player values could be about to shift. With the All-Star break also just around the corner, managers need to be firming up their playoff rosters. 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 16 of the fantasy basketball season.
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Miles Bridges, F - Charlotte Hornets
Baller Move: Sell High
Off-court issues aside, Bridges has been a real difference-maker this season. Managers everywhere were able to grab him with their last pick or even off waivers in many situations. He has been the 37th-ranked player across the season, bumping up his production over the past two weeks to land inside the top 15 in nine-category leagues. During that time he has averaged 23.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks, and 3.1 three-pointers in 39.4 minutes per game.
Granted, a lot of his recent production has come without LaMelo Ball or Gordon Hayward. Mark Williams remains without a timetable for his return, something that also needs to be factored in when evaluating what Bridges has been doing of late. With that said, Bridges and Ball have been able to build nice chemistry during their limited time on the floor together. The eventual return of Ball should not slow Bridges all too much.
Although it is unclear what his future holds, what is clear is that the Hornets are prioritizing him right now. With the option to decline any trade destination, Bridges is going to dictate if and when he is moved. Until that point, he should be able to continue logging significant minutes for a team with very little to play for, once again. With a relatively clear path to minutes, while he is someone to consider selling, holding him shouldn't end in regret. Before making any decision, do keep in mind the Hornets are one of only a few teams who have a two-game week during the fantasy playoffs.
Jalen Green, G - Houston Rockets
Baller Move: Sell High
Green is one of the easiest sell-high targets this season. Outside the top 170 for the year, he has been on a tear of late, putting up top-25 value over the past two weeks. In those seven games, he is averaging 24.6 points per game to go with 6.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.4 triples. If we condense our focus to the past seven days, we have ourselves the third-ranked player in standard leagues. If that's not an outlier, I don't know what is.
Basically what we have here is a guy who has hit a hot patch on the offensive end, while others around him have seen their production dip. His numbers in the past two weeks are between 20 and 40 percent better than his season numbers. He has scored at least 29 points in four of the past five games. He has grabbed double-digit boards in three of the past four games, representing his only double-digit rebound performances in the past two years.
Given people are likely to be skeptical when it comes to his sustainability, the fact he can be a volume scorer does work in his favor. A lot of fantasy managers are drawn to the points category, something Green can typically provide, even when the rest of his game regresses. If you could shift him for any top-80 player, I would seriously consider making that move.
Tyler Herro, G - Miami Heat
Baller Move: Buy Low
After a strong start to the season, Herro was forced to the sidelines for an extended period due to an ankle injury. Since returning, he has been unable to recapture the form that saw him score at least 22 points in six consecutive games, also falling just one assist short of recording a triple-double. He has been outside the top 130 over the past two weeks, compiling averages of 17.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 0.4 steals, and 3.7 three-pointers, shooting just 42.1 percent from the field.
The Heat had lost seven straight games before their victory against Sacramento on Wednesday, during which Herro had scored fewer than 20 points in all but one game. Something working in favor of managers trying to acquire Herro is that the arrival of Terry Rozier might appear to have hurt Herro's value. Whether this is the case remains to be seen.
Although Herro might not be able to return to his early season form, he should be able to move back inside the top 100 without too much trouble. A small bump in efficiency will see his scoring increase, while some luck on the defensive end should result in his steal numbers edging closer to 1.0 per game. If you can sell the fact that Rozier is going to significantly impact Herro, you might be able to snatch him away for a borderline top-90 player.
Jalen Duren, C - Detroit Pistons
Baller Move: Buy Low
Although he has recorded three double-doubles in the past five games, Duren's overall production has been a little underwhelming. He has been outside the top 100 over the past two weeks, averaging 12.7 points and 12.8 rebounds, shooting 59.3 percent from the floor and 75.0 percent from the stripe. On the surface, this is about what you would expect from Duren on a nightly basis. However, it's a different story on the defensive end of the floor. In fact, he has recorded a total of four blocks over the past 12 games, adding three steals. Less than ideal for a center.
The Pistons obviously have very little to play for this season, an all too familiar situation in Detroit. With that said, Duren has established himself as their center of the future, meaning they should want to see what he can do on the floor alongside both Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. This bodes well for his ROS value, assuming he can stay relatively healthy for the remainder of the campaign.
There isn't a whole lot of meat on the bone when it comes to buying low on Duren, given his ceiling is likely in the top-60 range. The path to value would require managers to over-emphasize the fact he is only averaging 0.5 combined steals and blocks over the past two weeks. If you can also push the storyline that he could be a shutdown candidate, parting ways with any top-100 player would be a wise move.
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