RADIO
Looking to trade your way to fantasy stardom? Or you just aren't sure what to do with your guy who is completely over or underperforming?
If you're looking to get another opinion on who to target in a trade as a buy-low target or you own either Nikola Vucevic or Goran Dragic and you're wondering what to do with them, you're in the right place.
Here are our Sell High and Buy Low candidates for Week 5 of the NBA season, right here at RotoBaller.
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Buy Low, Sell High Advice for Week 5
Are You for Real, Nikola Vucevic?
Let me start off by saying I love Vuc! He is one of the better centers in the league, has no apparent weakness from a fantasy perspective and has been consistently providing value to his owners for years. Furthermore, he is beasting lately with averages of 17.1 PTS with 0.6 3PM on 51.5 FG% and 66.7 FT%, 11.6 REB, 2.9 AST, 0.7 STL, 1.6 BLK and 2.0 TO in 30 minutes per game in the last two weeks.
And he is even better if we take a look at his stats this whole season so far. He is getting his owners 18.1 points with 0.8 triples on 54.6% from the field and 75.9% from the line, 10.9 boards, 3.5 dimes, 1.1 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.2 blocks in just over 29 minutes. This has him ranked in the top-10 on Yahoo.
Now, as much I love Vooch, I don't think he can keep this level of performances up. Especially the FG%, since he is shooting a WHOOCHing 44.0% from three-point territory. But it's not really his production that makes me think Nikola is a good sell-high candidate. It's more the "off court" stuff.
First of all, Vucevic has been rumored to be on the trading block for this Orlando team for a long time. Orlando has a young core and is supposedly looking to build around their star Aaron Gordon and become a contender in a few years time. Vuc doesn't fit in those type of plans. Also, the Magic have drafted a prospect at the five-positon Mohamed Bamba in the last draft. That doesn't really bode well for Vucevic's outlook in Orlando. I can easily see his minutes dip to about 25, and maybe even get rest days if Orlando is out of the playoff picture. Or he could get traded to another team and his value will greatly depend on his new location.
Secondly, Nikola has been struggling with some injuries in the past and that is a constant threat to his value. His most serious one was the hand fracture that required surgery about a year ago that had him sidelined for around 20 games. Luckily, fractures are usually not a recurring thing so he should be in the clear there, but nevertheless, it's a bit of a risk.
If you own Vucevic and agree that his stock could fall later on in the season, you would be wise to try and get a safer player of similar quality in return. I would probably be inclined to part with Vooch if an offer of a guy like Tobias Harris, Khris Middleton or perhaps John Wall was on the table.
Baller Move: Sell high
Time to Panic on Goran Dragic?
Dragic is a great fantasy player, a true veteran leader of the Heat and a constant provider for his fantasy owners. And he is very durable. Dragic hasn't missed more than 10 games in a season since his days in Houston back in 2011-12.
He is off to a slow start this season and it's gotten even worse in the last 2 weeks. In this period Goran has averaged just 12.5 PTS with 1.5 3PM on 33.3 FG% and 90.9 FT%, 2.8 REB, 4.3 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.3 BLK and 3.0 TO in 28 minutes per game. Furthermore, he has been dealing with some knee issues and has missed three of Miami's last five games. He returned on Nov 10 against Washington and produced a serious dud with no points on 0-of-7 from the field, two boards, three assists, one steal and three turnovers in 21 minutes.
With Jimmy Butler going to Philadelphia and the trade saga behind Miami and Dragic, who was rumored to be a potential part of the trade, the Dragon can finally devote himself fully to on-court activities.
And the Heat really need him to get back to his old self if they are going to make the playoffs. They are currently sitting on 5-7, one win below the eight seed in the East. And you can be sure that Eric Spoelstra will be looking to compete, especially with Wade being back in Miami for probably his last season, and guys like James Johnson and Hassan Whiteside not getting any younger.
If you can get away with Dragic for an offer of someone like Harrison Barnes, Brandon Ingram or Trevor Ariza, I would run, not walk!
Baller Move: Hold or buy low
