Fantasy 30: Andre Drummond leads latest trade buzz
Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young (right thigh) missed Wednesday’s game and is listed as questionable for Friday’s game against Oklahoma City. He made it through parts of Thursday’s practice, which is an encouraging sign that he might be available against the Thunder, but if Young can’t go, it will force the Hawks to lean heavily on newly acquired Jeff Teague to run the point. Teague was limited to three points in 25 minutes in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers, though he did rack up eight assists.
Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum limped off the court toward the locker room in the third quarter of Wednesday’s win over the Grizzlies and was diagnosed with a right groin strain. The good news is that it doesn’t sound like it will keep the Celtics’ rising star out for long. “It didn’t sound like it was too bad,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the game. “I’m not too concerned about it.”
Brooklyn Nets: DeAndre Jordan (finger) has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Lakers, which means another night that Jarrett Allen will need to play extended minutes. Allen, who carries an impressive 20.90 PER into Thursday, has averaged 9.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 2.5 APG and 2.5 BPG during the past two games without Jordan. Kyrie Irving (hamstring) is cleared to return to the court against the Lakers after missing Monday’s game.
Charlotte Hornets: There aren’t a ton of reasons to be excited if you’re a Hornets fan this season, but rookie lottery pick PJ Washington is one of them. The No. 12 overall pick last June, Washington ranks eighth among rookies in scoring (12.6 PPG), fifth in rebounding (5.5 RPG), seventh in steals (37) and third in blocks (35). After years of missing on lottery picks, the Hornets appear to have a keeper in Washington.
Chicago Bulls: Otto Porter Jr. (foot) shed his walking boot but remains without a firm timetable for a return, according to the Chicago Daily Herald. It will take him time to train and get back into game shape, and with the All-Star break a few weeks away, it’s likely the Bulls will look at mid-February as the most optimistic of return dates for Porter.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Only the Wizards have a worse defensive efficiency than the Cavs this season, having allowed 113.2 points per 100 possessions (Washington, 113.4). Guess which two teams face each other on Thursday night. You got it: the Cavs and the Wiz!
Dallas Mavericks: With Dwight Powell (Achilles) out for the season, a report in The Ringer indicates that the Mavericks are interested in acquiring Andre Drummond from the Pistons. Drummond is one of the top fantasy players this season, so a move to any other team likely only hurts his fantasy value, so this is worth watching closely. Drummond is expected to decline his player option this summer and become an unrestricted free agent, so he could very well be a rental for the Mavs or any other team that trades for him.
Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. (back) missed Wednesday’s game against the Rockets, which is concerning, given his history of back trouble, but there’s no denying the excitement surrounding the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 draft. In the four games leading up to Wednesday, Porter averaged 16.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG and 2.3 3PG. Porter is finally in the rotation and is a must-add in all fantasy leagues; he is still available in 48.7% of ESPN fantasy leagues.
Detroit Pistons: Drummond (lip/tooth) was injured in Monday’s game and missed Wednesday’s contest against the Kings, but the star center is seeing a dentist on Thursday and could be cleared to play in Thursday’s game against the Grizzlies. Drummond leads the league with 15.7 RPG this season and is posting career highs in scoring (17.3 PPG) and blocks (2.1 BPG).
Golden State Warriors: D’Angelo Russell has suffered through numerous injuries during his first season with the Warriors, but not all the news is bad. Russell, still only 23, has also managed to put up career highs with 23.4 PPG, 3.4 3PG and 78.7 FT%. Enjoy it while it lasts, because with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson returning next season, shots won’t be nearly as easy to come by for Russell in 2020-21 if he’s still on the team.
Houston Rockets: Some fantasy leagues, like mine, include double-doubles as one of the categories — and if you haven’t tried it, you should. This wrinkle adds value to players like Houston’s Clint Capela, who is tied with Luka Doncic for seventh in the league with 27 double-doubles this season after finishing ninth in the NBA last season with 45.
Indiana Pacers: Malcolm Brogdon (eye/head) took a blow to his left eye in Wednesday’s game against the Suns, and there is concern that he might have suffered a concussion. He is iffy for Friday’s game against the Warriors, and if he can’t play, it will be up to Aaron Holiday and T.J. McConnell to handle the point guard duties.
LA Clippers: According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, the Clippers are actively exploring the trade market for “dependable size as well as potential wing depth.” Memphis’ Andre Iguodala and Minnesota’s Robert Covington are among the possible trade candidates being mentioned, and this is something to watch closely in the weeks leading up to the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline.
Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers could be without Anthony Davis (glute) on Thursday against Brooklyn. He is listed as questionable, but with this being the first back-to-back for Davis since returning from the tailbone injury, there is a very real chance that he could be rested against the Nets. Plan accordingly.
Memphis Grizzlies: In a three-game stretch this past week, unheralded guard Dillon Brooks scored 24, 26 and 31 for the Grizzlies while making 13 3s in that stretch. Now, he’s not a huge contributor defensively. He doesn’t dish out many assists or grab tons of rebounds. But if you’re looking to stream for points or 3-pointers, Brooks should be near the top of your list. He’s available in 51.8% of ESPN fantasy leagues too.
Miami Heat: After a strong start to the season, rookie Tyler Herro had been slumping of late with less than 10 points in three of his past four games before Wednesday’s game against the Wizards. That’s where the poor Wizards defense came into play — Herro snapped out of his slump in a big way with seven 3s in route to 25 points, the most he had scored since Dec. 8. This could be a needed confidence-builder for the first-year pro.
Milwaukee Bucks: Reports surfaced this week that the Bucks would consider trading starting point guard Eric Bledsoe. Since then, the team has vehemently denied the rumor. “We have not talked to any teams about trading [Bledsoe], since the day that we traded for him,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst told Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. “And I think it’s evident, pretty strongly, in the fact that we extended Eric, what he means to us. The fact that we currently have the best record in the NBA, had the best record last year in the NBA, he’s an All-NBA first-team defender and a guy that we feel strongly should be an All-Star for the Milwaukee Bucks this year. We have not had those conversations, and we are not going to trade Eric Bledsoe.”
Minnesota Timberwolves: Change is a part of life, but in fantasy circles, sometimes it’s the worst thing that can happen — particularly when it comes to a top player. That being said, any fantasy manager with Karl-Anthony Towns is probably more than fine with Towns staying in his current role as a member of the Timberwolves. And judging by the latest comments by the team’s president of basketball operations, Gersson Rosas, that’s going to be the case. “Karl-Anthony Towns is as untouchable as they come,” Rosas said. “He’s the best player on our team and he’s the guy we’re building around. Everything we do is to help him become the best player and to help us become the best team we can be. He’s a special talent that we’re going to do anything possible to help him achieve his highest potential.”
New Orleans Pelicans: Jahlil Okafor has been a serviceable streaming option at times this season, particularly whenever Derrick Favors has missed time, but with Favors healthy again, rookie center Jaxson Hayes showing promise and Zion Williamson now on the court, the opportunities are going to be slim for Okafor. He was a DNP-CD in Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs, and that could very well be a common occurrence going forward.
New York Knicks: According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, some in the Knicks organization see Charlotte’s Malik Monk as a trade target worth pursuing. Monk, the No. 11 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, has disappointed so far in his pro career after leaving Kentucky. This season, the third-year shooting guard has averaged 8.4 PPG in 19.3 MPG for the 15-30 Hornets, which says a lot in and of itself.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Chris Paul‘s $44.2 million player option for 2021-22 is a major obstacle for the Thunder if they want to move the 15-year pro in a trade, but not surprisingly, Paul says he isn’t going to give up that option at this stage in his Hall of Fame-caliber career. “No chance. That’s not happening. Nope,” Paul told Sports Illustrated.
Orlando Magic: Markelle Fultz dislocated his left ring finger in Wednesday’s game against Oklahoma City, but the injury won’t prevent him from playing Friday against the Celtics. That’s great news for the Magic and for Fultz, who has averaged 14.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.6 APG and 1.2 SPG during the past 10 games. These numbers — along with an impressive 48.1 FG% — make Fultz a more valuable fantasy point guard than bigger names like Bledsoe.
Philadelphia 76ers: The 76ers announced Thursday that Josh Richardson (left hamstring) will be sidelined 2-3 weeks. This opens the door for more playing time for Furkan Korkmaz and extended minutes for rookie Matisse Thybulle, who has proved to be the defensive maven the team expected when they landed him in the first round of last summer’s draft. The 76ers have also reportedly inquired about acquiring Oklahoma City’s Danilo Gallinari.
Phoenix Suns: Aron Baynes showed what he could do when Deandre Ayton was suspended during the first two months of the season, and with the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline rapidly approaching, he’s a player who could be coveted around the league. Marc Stein of The New York Times tweeted this week: “Andre Drummond and Steven Adams are the big-name bigs available, but among the most intriguing is Aron Baynes. The Suns are not shopping Baynes, league sources say, but they have also not ruled out moving him before the Feb. 6 deadline if a team meets their trade price.”
Portland Trail Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic (leg) is generating some attention after participating in his first full practice of the season on Wednesday. But how close is he to returning from the devastating leg injury he suffered last season? According to a story in USA Today, the Blazers still aren’t expecting Nurkic to make his season-debut until after the All-Star break. If that holds true, the earliest Nurkic would play this season is the Feb. 21 home game vs. New Orleans.
Sacramento Kings: The biggest nightmare for fantasy managers is having the player who can’t seem to stay on the court. This season, like last season, one of the main culprits is Marvin Bagley III. The second-year forward certainly has talent and a lot of promise, but he missed Wednesday’s game due to left foot soreness — his latest ailment — and has played in just 13 of the Kings’ 44 games this season after logging 62 games as a rookie last season.
San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray gets more hype than Derrick White in the Spurs’ backcourt, but lately White is outproducing Murray in terms of scoring and assists. In fact, White has averaged 16.0 PPG and 6.7 APG during the past three games, logging just under 27.0 MPG. That being said, Murray is on 61.5% of rosters in ESPN fantasy leagues, while White is on only 38.3%.
Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet does a lot of things well on the basketball court. He scores (18.5 PPG). He distributes (6.8 APG). He makes his free throws (83.6 FT%). But two areas where VanVleet has separated himself in this, his fourth NBA season, are in 3-point shooting and steals. He has surpassed his previous high of 1.8 3PG by a wide margin this season — he’s currently at 2.8 3PG — and he’s done the same with steals, going from a previous high of 0.9 SPG to 2.0 SPG this season. If you can find any way to acquire VanVleet in a category league, do it.
Utah Jazz: Mike Conley is easing his way back into the Jazz rotation after missing a month due to a hamstring injury, but his production is very poor for someone who is on 64% of fantasy rosters in ESPN leagues. In his three games since returning to the court, Conley has averaged 8.3 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 1.0 APG and 1.0 SPG in just 17.3 MPG. We’re now right around 45 games into the season, and if you’re still waiting for Conley to turn it around, it’s past time to move forward with a better point guard option.
Washington Wizards: Rui Hachimura (groin) hasn’t played in a game since Dec. 16, but the latest news is encouraging. The rookie lottery pick out of Gonzaga has been cleared for “all activities” but needs to get back into game shape before returning to the court. In 25 games this season, the power forward has put up 13.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG and shot well from the field (48.2 FG%) and the free throw line (85.2 FT%).