RADIO
The G League has infiltrated the NBA!
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets both tapped into their top G League performers after the All-Star break and it’s significantly changed the makeup of the two teams this past week. The moves have opened up some intriguing fantasy targets for both season-long and dynasty leagues.
The four players below have been scooped up in most leagues over the past week due to their breakout performances, but if they’re still out there or if their managers have made them available, now might be the time for you to make a move.
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Kevin Porter Jr. (SG/SF, HOU)
There’s a decent chance that Houston Rockets guard/forward Kevin Porter Jr. could be the biggest breakout star of the 2020-21 fantasy season. Not only has he been one of the Rockets’ top scorers since the All-Star break, but he’s been filling the stat sheet and looking like a complete, well-rounded point guard in the process.
Porter made his 2020-21 season debut last Thursday after getting called up from the G League. Over his four games since the call-up, he’s averaged 18.3 points, 8.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.5 threes per game while logging 34 and a half minutes per game. He dropped a season-high 27 points against the Utah Jazz last Friday.
Porter is a natural ball-dominant guard. At 6’4”, he’s the ideal size for a modern NBA point guard. He’s a score-first type of point guard, but he’s a great creator and passer as well.
He’s in a great situation right now with a Houston team that’s in flux and in need of promising assets for the future. He has as good of a chance as anyone on their current roster to be a prime component of the team’s rebuild.
If you’re in a dynasty league and you’re looking for someone who could be a potential stud in a year or two if all works out, look no further than Porter.
Aleksej Pokusevski (SF, OKC)
7-foot Serbian forward Aleksej Pokusevski was recalled from the G League after the All-Star break and he has seen substantial playing time ever since. Through four games in March, Pokusevski is averaging 11.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 threes per game while seeing 32 minutes per contest.
He dropped a career-high 23 points on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies, knocking down 5-of-8 shots from downtown:
Aleksej Pokusevski goes for a career-high 23 PTS (5 3PM), 10 REB in the @okcthunder W! #NBARooks x #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/1BSQsZP7Ad
— NBA (@NBA) March 14, 2021
Pokusevski is an extremely intriguing talent. He has a natural, quick-release jump shot and he’s very fluid and agile. He’s great at creating with the ball in his hands and he’s a solid passer as well. There’s no question he’s going to need to add some muscle over the years. He’s listed at slightly under 200 pounds on most sources. He turned 19 in December, so he should be able to fill out over his time in the NBA.
Oklahoma City was a great landing spot for Pokusevski because the team can afford to allow him to develop while the team is in the midst of its rebuild. The two biggest keys for him – other than putting on some weight of course – are his shot selection and shooting consistency. He’s shooting just 27.7% from the field this year. The team has certainly given him the green light and that has had both positive and negative results. This past Saturday we saw the negative side when he shot just 2-for-11 from the field and 0-for-6 from three.
He has a chance to be a fantasy regular in the coming years if he can fend off the competition that the Thunder bring in. His greatest assets are likely to be points, rebounds, assists, threes and free throws. He’s a perfect 8-for-8 from the line this year.
Tomas Satoransky (PG/SG, CHI)
Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan shook up the team’s starting lineup on Sunday and the team has won both of its games since then. He moved Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr. to the bench while promoting veterans Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky into the starting five.
In his two games with the starting five, Satoransky has averaged 11.5 points, 7.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 threes per game per game while shooting 53.3% from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the line.
Satoransky has a career field goal percentage of 47.3%, while his teammate, second-year point guard Coby White, has shot 40.2% from the field throughout his career. Satoransky gives the team more steady, reliable play at the point, albeit with less breakout potential than White.
The Bulls are a team that is very much looking for an identity. The team has a roster that’s loaded with potential, but very little of it has been realized and some of it seems to be falling out of favor quickly.
Satoransky is signed on through next year and should provide for a steady veteran presence on the team while it goes through this transition. He’s a strong source of assists and steals whenever he gets enough playing time and he should also provide solid threes and good percentages.
Moses Brown (C, OKC)
Along with Pokusevski, the Thunder also recalled 7’2” center Moses Brown from the G League after the All-Star break. He’s been seeing significant playing time and has proven to be one of the team’s best rebounders and shot-blockers.
Over his past four games, Brown is averaging 12.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 60% from the field and 80% from the line. The highlight over that stretch was his first career double-double against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. Brown shot 9-for-16 from the field and notched 20 points to go along with 16 rebounds and five blocks.
Brown is 21 years old. He spent one year at UCLA, then went undrafted in 2019. He went on to make his NBA debut with the Portland Trail Blazers last year, then signed a two-way contract with the Thunder this past offseason.
While not nearly as lanky and skinny as his teammate Pokusevski, Brown is a slim center built in a JaVale McGee type frame. He’s got a chance to be a strong rebounder and shot-blocker in the league, but it’s unlikely he’ll offer much more. He’s offensive game is pretty limited outside of a few feet from the rim. He’s also struggled to stay out of foul trouble. He fouled out of his past two games.
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