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Spencer Aguiar looks back at Week 14 of the 2019-2020 NBA season, including fantasy basketball risers, fallers and takeaways from each night of action.
Welcome to the RotoBaller NBA Recap. In this feature, we will highlight one key fantasy basketball takeaway from each night during the past week. These viewpoints can be both positive and negative and will hopefully help to provide insight into different roster moves you should consider making.
Fantasy basketball has a lot of moving pieces with all the different scoring settings that are possible to play under, so I will always do my best to spotlight where players gain or lose value in certain game types.
Without further ado, let's get right into the 14th week of the season and try to figure out how to take advantage of what we saw transpire.
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Monday, January 20th
Eric Bledsoe Continues Struggles On Monday
It has been a tough past week for Eric Bledsoe, who provided his third straight game of nine or fewer points on Monday night.
If you are a Bledsoe owner, you obviously won't be thrilled about the recent production you have received, but patience is key when dealing with mid-to-high-end players during a slump. The 30-year-old is still ranked inside the top-75 in nine-category leagues and is one of the better buy-low options on the market right now.
Bledsoe isn't the same dominant scorer he once was with Giannis Antetokounmpo in charge of the offense, but his efficiency and ability to stuff stat across the board shouldn't be overlooked. I'm always a proponent of attempting to acquire good players when they hit a lull, so see if you can't steal Bledsoe away for cheap.
Tuesday, January 21st
Maxi Kleber Should Be Owned in Standard Leagues
Maxi Kleber returned to his bench role on Tuesday but played 32 minutes on the night, scoring eight points to go with five rebounds, one assist and two blocks.
I assume Kleber was dropped in most leagues once it was announced that Kristaps Porzingis would be returning to the lineup, but the German should be made a top priority with Dwight Powell suffering what is likely a season-ending Achilles injury.
Kleber's nine-category potential has him as a top-75 player because of his ability to hit threes and create blocks, which is a combination that is very difficult to come by in fantasy. I assume we are going to have to deal with some ebbs-and-flows nightly, but I love adding unique two-way production out of my power forward/center.
Wednesday, January 22nd
Zion Williamson Electrifies New Orleans
Zion Williamson made his NBA debut against the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 22 points with seven rebounds, three assists, five turnovers and four three-pointers in 18 minutes of action.
After scoring just five points in the first three quarters, the rookie exploded in the fourth with 17 straight points for the Pelicans. While Williamson's upside is obvious, we do still have an issue when it comes to minutes per game.
It is going to be a while before head coach Alvin Gentry unleashes the top pick in this year's draft for anything more than short bursts of playing time, and that can be a killer for fantasy squads that aren't able to acquire the production needed with limited minutes. Williamson has a bright future ahead of him, but I'd be looking to sell high in non-dynasty leagues.
Thursday, January 23rd
Trevor Ariza's Move To Portland Opens Up Room For Fantasy Production
Trevor Ariza's trade out of Sacramento should be moved as a favorable move for him. The Kings possessed one of the most crowded rotations at forward, and the new addition from the Trail Blazers will be a welcoming sight for them, as the team features one of the thinnest forward rotations in the league.
Ariza struggled to find much production this season in Sacramento, averaging 6.0 points, 4.6 boards, 1.6 dimes, 1.1 steals, 0.2 blocks and 1.3 treys in 24.7 minutes per game, but the opening in Portland does give him 12-team appeal if he can lock down 30 minutes a night.
Ariza got off to a fast start in his first game on his new team Thursday, playing 36 minutes and scoring 21 points. If you are looking for threes, steals or scoring, the 34-year-old is worth a gamble that he can keep his statistical return at a high level.
Friday, January 24th
Jarrett Culver Is Replaced In The Starting Lineup
Well, it looks as if Josh Okogie will see a short-term boost for the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the team decided to play the second-year player over Jarrett Culver on Friday night. Okogie didn't do Culver any favors in regaining his role quickly by scoring 17 points in 32 minutes, but the team also didn't select the rookie top-10 overall to watch him come off the bench.
Culver is going to provide a handful of boom-or-bust outings this season, but I still believe he remains a hold in all 14-man and up leagues. The Timberwolves could be active in offloading players during the trade deadline, and I'd hold steady until we get better clarity on this situation.
