Fantasy Basketball Buy, Sell, or Hold: Zach Lavine and Robert Williams III

Trading in fantasy basketball can help you improve your team in the short, as well as in the long term. More than that, it's just plain fun. Negotiating with your mate, going back and forth with offers, and hopefully, reaching a mutually beneficial agreement in the end.

It's not always easy to find the right deal that both parties could agree upon, so using the current form to your advantage could be helpful for you to get a deal done, and perhaps even get the most out of it.

Here are our current Sell High and Buy Low candidates for the NBA season, right here at RotoBaller.

Zach LaVine

Famous for his dunking ability and victory in the 2016 NBA Dunk Contest, Zach Lavine actually has much more to offer as a player. His play style relies a lot on his athleticism, but he combines it beautifully with quick dribble moves and finesse near the basket. In addition, he is one of the league’s best three point shooters, making 38.6% of his attempts throughout his career. His skills have been recently recognized, as he made the All-Star game in 2021 and 2022.

While he has continued his strong performance this year, he has seen a slight dip in his stats. Over his last two years, he averaged 25.8 PTS, even when playing alongside fellow All-Star DeMar DeRozan. However, he only averaged 22.2 PTS on 45.2 FG% over his first 32 games of the 2022-2023 season. These stats are more than enough to put him among the top 40 in fantasy basketball, but it isn’t quite what fantasy managers have hoped for him.

Zach Lavine has been returning to his usual form as of late, though. Since the start of 2023 until January 13, Lavine has been averaging 29.1 PTS on a scorching 48.9 FG% and 41.1 3FG%. In his most notable game during this hot streak, Lavine hit 11 out of 13 3-point attempts on his way to an impressive 41 points. 

Because of his significant increase in scoring output over his last few games, Lavine is a perfect sell high candidate. His recent shooting percentages are unsustainable for him based on his shooting percentages over his career, and he will likely see a drop in scoring in his upcoming games. Try to see if you can package him with another player to get a star who has decreased value right now like Devin Booker.

Baller Move: Sell High

Robert Williams III

One of the main reasons for the Boston Celtics’ postseason success last year was Robert Williams III. Of course, All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the young squad in scoring, but Williams was the team’s core on defense. Not only is he a solid rebounder but he creates havoc by disrupting shots in the paint. Last season, he averaged 2.2 BLK, ranking him second in the entire league. Williams’ great defensive stats make him a valuable asset in all fantasy leagues. 

Following his great run in the playoffs last year, Williams underwent an arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, forcing him to miss the first 29 games of the season. Fantasy managers that drafted him hoped he would come back in the same form as last year.

Unfortunately, Williams has not been able to do that yet. Through his 13 games this season, he’s been averaging 7.6 PTS, 7.8 REB, and 1.3 BLK. This statline is definitely respectable and enough to give him a stable role in the Celtics lineup; however, it is a significant drop from his stats of 10.0 PTS, 9.6 REB, and 2.2 BLK. Why is his production so much lower this year?

After a major surgery, it takes time for players to ramp up back to full intensity of play. Having a invasive procedure done on you can require a long recovery time. For Williams, whose production heavily relies on rebounds and blocks, he needs to jump a lot, which can put excessive stress on his knees. As a result, he is most likely playing cautiously until he is able to trust his body again. This is also probably the reason why he is only averaging 21.7 minutes per game compared to 29.6 last year. 

If fantasy managers want to reap the full benefits of drafting Robert Williams III, they will require patience. The young center is still in the process of reintegrating himself back into the roster. Hold onto him until he is playing solid minutes before you decide whether you want to trade him. If the Williams owner in your league is frustrate with his current level of play, try to get him at a discounted price.

Baller Move: Hold/ Buy Low