X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

NBA Trade Reaction: How The Kristaps Porzingis Deal To Dallas Affects The Fantasy World

The Mavericks and the Knicks made a trade on Thursday that involved Kristaps Porzingis and Dennis Smith Jr. among several other pieces. Daniel Benjamin reacts to the trade and examines how the deal affects the teams going for forward.

The Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks got together and worked out a blockbuster deal that centered around youngsters Kriztaps Porzingis and Dennis Smith Jr. on Jan. 31. While an official winner won't be declared for a few years, the deal looks to be beneficial for both teams at first glance.

Porzingis will head from "The Big Apple" to "Big D" along with Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee. Meanwhile, the Knicks received DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, and two future first draft picks (2021 and 2023). It is possible the draft picks actually won't be conveyed to New York until 2022 and 2024, depending on whether or not the Hawks receive the Mavs' 2019 pick that they are owed as part of the Trae Young trade.

There are many questions to decipher in evaluating this trade. The first question: why would two teams that have struggled the last few years already be willing to give up on two recent high draft picks? The simple explanation is that both of the major players in the deal wanted out of their situations and both teams were likely to make major roster changes this upcoming offseason anyways. The key to the trade may ultimately end up being whether the Knicks can come up with a star free agent acquisition or have both the draft picks turn out to be lottery selections. The Mavs win the deal if Porzingis becomes the star that everyone thinks he can be.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Trade Impact: The Mavericks

The big question for this year, and really for the future, is how strong is Porzingis' knee. The 23-year-old has been out since tearing the ACL in his left knee on February 6th of last year, and there is a strong possibility that he does not play at all this season. Plus, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Porzingiz has not yet committed to the franchise long-term, meaning that is possible that he accepts the Mavs' qualifying offer this summer and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2020.

With Smith now gone, Luka Doncic will once again likely see more time at point guard. Doncic, who missed his second game of the season on Thursday due to an ankle injury, is the franchise's all-world rookie. The 19-year-old has spent most of his time on the court this season at shooting guard, although he has also spent time at point guard (12 percent) and small forward (six percent). Regardless of his position, he will have the ball in his hand as much as possible. Doncic leads all rookies with 20.4 points a game and is second with 5.4 assists.

If Doncic does move over to start at point guard, it will essentially make Jalen Brunson and Devin Harris irrelevant in fantasy basketball once again as Burke will become the main backup. Not that either Brunson or Harris had much value anyways, though both had their moments this year with all the injuries that the Mavericks have suffered.

Burke will likely fill the role that the injured J.J. Barea did, meaning Burke will be counted to bring instant offense off the bench while also being the primary playmaker when he is in the lineup with Doncic. Burke is an electric scorer when he is hitting shots and is a better shooter than Barea. The 26-year-old was having a fantastic season off the bench while also earning occasional spot starts for the Knicks, averaging 11.8 points, and 2.8 assists over 20 minutes in 33 appearances. He produced one double-double and scored in double-figures 19 times, which includes topping 20 points on four occasions. Burke will be an unrestricted free agent this year.

Hardaway will step in immediately at shooting guard and is an upgrade over Matthews despite struggling most of this season shooting the ball. Hardaway is averaging career-highs in points (19.7) and three-pointers (2.5) while tying his season-best mark in assists (2.7).  The 26-year-old has topped the 20-point mark on 25 occasions this year, which includes topping the 30-point mark six times. He should be able to improve his shooting percentage with the Mavericks as they have more offensive weapons than the Knicks, so the floor should be better spaced which will allow him to create better shots for himself.

Lee's role is a little bit of an unknown.  The 33-year-old hasn't played much this season, but he is a "3-and-D" guy so he could find a spot at the end of the Mavericks rotation. It is possible that he and Dorian Finney-Smith will share time as the main backup at shooting guard and small forward. So, don't expect him to see more than 10-to-15 minutes for the time being.

Harrison Barnes, who has been very good this year, could see a drop in offensive production with the additions to the team. However, his rebounding numbers could get a little boost without having Jordan beside him, controlling the boards. Dwight Powell, Maximilian Kleber, and Salah Mejri could see a bump in playing time with Jordan gone. Fantasy owners should wait to see how things play out before running to the waiver wire to grab any of those three players.

 

The Knicks

The trade for New York was all about the future. According to ESPN's Ian Begley, the Knicks will have more than $70 million in cap space this upcoming offseason. But how successful the Knicks will or can be luring one or two key free agents will be discussed ad nauseam, later on, I'm sure.

For now, Smith is the point guard of the present and future for a franchise that is desperate for a star. While the 21-year-old isn't a star, he is an electrifying athlete who can deliver big performances. He posted his second career triple-double against the Knicks on Wednesday as he compiled 13 points and 10 rebounds along with a career-best 15 dimes. The second-year player, who had gotten off to a strong start to the season, has played well over his last four appearances. Smith will have all the opportunity to show what he is capable of doing the rest of the season as he and Kevin Knox will be counted on heavily.

Although there was some talk that the Knicks would buy out both Matthews and Jordan, that doesn't seem to be the case now. Regardless, neither player is in the team's future plan and both players are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.

It will be interesting how much the Knicks will play Matthews. With the team really not interested in winning, it would behoove them to give most of the playing time to Allonzo Trier and Damyean Dotson at the two. Both Trier and Dotson have shown flashes of their potential this season, but they are limited. Trier has a little more upside than Dotson, although both are serviceable fantasy players if they receive starter minutes. Emmanuel Mudiay is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury and is expected to be out at least another week. Mudiay could play alongside Smith when he does return.

Matthews really does not provide much more than scoring and three-point shooting. So, if he is not the starter, fantasy owners can drop him.

Jordan can be effective with the Knicks and provide New York what he did for Dallas, which was rebounding and rim protection. His arrival pretty much means the end of Enes Kanter's tenure with the Knicks as Mitchell Robinson will likely be the primary backup and second-year pro Luke Kornet possibly also seeing some time.

Frank Ntilikina also appears to be a loser in the trade. Ntilikina is currently dealing with a groin injury and is out for at least another week.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jacob Cowing

Could Handle Gadget Role in San Francisco
Jayden Higgins

to Start for Texans Right Away?
Sauce Gardner

Agrees to $120.4 Million Contract Extension
Marvin Mims Jr.

Could be on Track for First 1,000-Yard Season
Jaylen Johnson

Chargers Place Jaylen Johnson on PUP List
Dereck Lively II

Undergoes Right-Foot Surgery Tuesday
Kendrick Bourne

Kayshon Boutte Fighting for Final Spots
Isaiah Collier

Logs a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Monday
DeMario Douglas

Kyle Williams "Locks" for Receiving Corps
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Finalizing Massive Extension
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Colts Expected to Ease Anthony Richardson Sr. Back in
Devin Carter

Posts 17 Points Versus Suns
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 17 Points in Summer League Loss
Terry McLaurin

Undecided on Whether he Will Report to Training Camp
Colston Loveland

Says his Shoulder is 100 Percent
Harrison Ingram

has Impressive Outing Against Jazz
Sam Williams

has Potential to be Elite Edge Rusher
Shemar Stewart

Considering Going Back to College?
Jahmyr Gibbs

Lions Want Jahmyr Gibbs "More Involved" in Passing Game
Jordan Addison

Could be Facing Three-Game Suspension
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Kyle Filipowski

Records 35-Point Double-Double Against Spurs
Kel'el Ware

Dominates Against Celtics
Kon Knueppel

Gets Going Monday
Matas Buzelis

Puts Up 28 Points in Win Over Pacers
Reed Sheppard

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
Paul George

Undergoes Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Najee Harris

Likely to Miss Time at Start of Training Camp
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Collin Morikawa

Misses The Cut at Genesis Scottish Open
Hideki Matsuyama

Finishes Tied For 13th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooks Koepka

Finishes Tied For 32nd at LIV Andalucia
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For 34th at Genesis Scottish Open
Jason Day

Misses The Cut at John Deere Classic
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Cam Taylor-Britt

has Benefited From Addition of Al Golden
Rome Odunze

Could Take Off in Year 2
RJ Harvey

to Get "Significant" Work in Broncos' Passing Game
Jackson Powers-Johnson

More Comfortable Heading into Year 2
Luke McCaffrey

In Line for Larger Role?
Joel Embiid

Participating in Partial Basketball Activities
Victor Wembanyama

Officially Cleared to Return After Blood-Clot Recovery
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column