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Welcome to Rotation Watch, Rotoballers! Each week, this article will highlight the players that are gaining minutes in their team's rotation. Fantasy managers want to roster the players that are accumulating stats and racking up the playing time. They want to avoid the players falling out of favor and watching the action from the sidelines.
There was a small NBA trade over the weekend. The New York Knicks acquired Derrick Rose and reunited with his former-Head Coach Tom Thibodeau in the Big Apple. Trading for Rose causes an even more enormous logjam for the Knicks' backcourt with Elfrid Payton, Immanuel Quickley, Austin Rivers, and Alec Burks all competing for touches and minutes. Things will eventually shake out, but Quickley's rising appeal in smaller leagues may have to be put on hold until New York figures out its rotation.
So without further ado, let's start searching those box scores from Feb. 1 to Feb. 7 and look for those hidden gems that grabbed the minutes to help your fantasy basketball team achieve the ultimate prize: a championship. These suggestions are the cream of the crop, and if you ever need an extra slice of advice, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut, and I'll happily talk about some fantasy basketball with everyone.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including NBA Writer of the Year, Best NFL Series, MLB Series, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win more with RotoBaller! Read More!
NBA Playing Time Changes
Kendrick Nunn - PG/SG, Miami Heat
Season: 26.5 Minutes per Game
Week 7: 31.5 Minutes per Game
Miami is suffering from a rash of injuries to their backcourt, with Goran Dragic (ankle) and Avery Bradley (calf) on the sidelines right now. Those injuries open up playing time for Nunn, and he is tallying useful fantasy numbers with his opportunity. In Week 7, Nunn started two games and recorded 20.5 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and three three-pointers per contest.
His teammates won't have extended absences, but the sophomore guard's performances encourage his long-term outlook for this campaign. Nunn is on the waiver wire in 60 percent of Yahoo leagues, and he is a viable streamer in Week 8 until the Heat's lineup returns to full health.
Week 8 update: Nunn recorded 11 points, two rebounds, three assists, and three triples in Tuesday's game versus the New York Knicks. He has matchups with the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz in Week 8 to continue this current run of form.
Gary Trent Jr. - SG/SF, Portland Trail Blazers
Season: 17.5 Minutes per Game
Week 7: 31.5 Minutes per Game
C.J. McCollum (foot) has been out of the Portland Trail Blazers lineup for almost a month, but it hasn't sunk their team's 2020-21 season-long hopes. Which's mostly in part to Gary Trent Jr. stepping up and becoming CJ-lite for his team. Since entering the starting lineup on Jan. 25, the third-year wing is averaging 20 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and a monstrous 4.4 threes over seven games.
Somehow, he is only rostered in 56 percent of Yahoo leagues, and that number needs to keep rising until McCollum returns. Points, threes, and steals are never bad to have too much on your fantasy basketball roster, and Trent offers those up on a nightly basis.
Week 8 update: Trent provided a well-rounded fantasy night on Tuesday against the Orlando Magic with 15 points, six assists, four rebounds, one steal, and three triples. The Trail Blazers play three games in four nights, starting on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, and Trent can boost you to a Week 8 win with his counting stats.
Josh Jackson - SF/PF, Detroit Pistons
Season: 23.6 Minutes per Game
Week 7: 30.7 Minutes per Game
First off, Happy Birthday, Josh Jackson! The now 24-year old is enjoying a mini-breakout in the Motor City, and his playing time is growing after Derek Rose was traded to the New York Knicks last week. The fourth-year forward remains in a bench role for the Pistons, but in Week 8, he averaged nearly 31 minutes per game and used that time productively. In his three games, Jackson tallied at least 22 points twice and scored a season-high 28 points on Saturday versus the Los Angeles Lakers. For the week, the No. 4 pick in the 2017 draft averaged 20.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, one steal, one block, and 3.3 three-pointers.
He's been added in 26 percent of Yahoo leagues since Monday. The birthday boy is enjoying a mini-breakout in his fourth year in the league, and now is the time to join the Josh Jackson party before the guest list gets full.
Week 8 update: Jackson recorded 13 points and two threes on Tuesday in a win over the Brooklyn Nets. He's now scored at least 11 points with two or more three-pointers in five-straight contests.
Juan Toscano-Anderson - SF/PF, Golden State Warriors
Season: 20.7 Minutes per Game
Week 7: 33.4 Minutes per Game
When Kevon Looney went down with an ankle injury last week, there were not many options to turn to on Golden State's roster. Fortunately, fantasy managers can insert Juan Toscano-Anderson into their lineups and enjoy his counting stats. Over his previous five games, the second-year forward is averaging 10.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 three-pointers per contest. The California-native is also shooting 57.9 percent from the field and 60 percent from three-point land. Unfortunately, JTA will turn back into a pumpkin once Looney and James Wiseman (wrist) return to the Warriors rotation, but, for now, fantasy basketball managers should roster him and enjoy his useful contributions to their lineups.
Week 8 update: JTA started both games in the back-to-back series versus San Antonio and averaged 9.5 points and 9.5 boards.
Jakob Poeltl - C, San Antonio Spurs
Season: 21.5 Minutes per Game
Week 7: 27.8 Minutes per Game
LaMarcus Aldridge (hip) will remain out of the Spurs lineup for Week 8 after receiving a pain-reducing injection on Tuesday. This opens the door for three more starts for Jakob Poeltl. He deserves them after stringing together three tremendous stat lines before Tuesday night's contest versus the Warriors. The 25-year old averaged 11.7 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks per contest in nearly 31 minutes of action. Last night's game was not ideal, but Aldridge's injury update keeps Poeltl in the streaming conversation for the rest of Week 8 and possibly Week 9 if his fellow big man does not respond well to the treatment. Poeltl won't help you catch your opponent in points, but his rebounding and shot-blocking ability should get him on more rosters towards the end of this week.
Week 8 update: Poeltl opened Week 8 with his second double-double of the campaign but faltered on Tuesday with four points and five rebounds against the same Warriors unit he dominated the night before.
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