Fantasy 30: Promising news on Oladipo, Jokic, DeRozan
To help, I’ve done the work for you and compiled a look at the most fantasy-relevant news and notes for all 30 teams around the league.
Atlanta Hawks: Not as many fantasy leagues incorporate the turnover category these days, but for those that do, it’s worth paying attention to players who chronically turn the ball over. Leading the league this season is Trae Young (4.9 TOPG), but in Young’s case, fantasy managers can live with the high turnovers when he puts up 29.7 PPG, 9.2 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 3.5 3PG. On a separate note, Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce noted Wednesday that it will be weeks before Clint Capela (heel) is able to make his Atlanta debut.
Boston Celtics: Athletic big man Robert Williams III is nearing a return to the court after being sidelined since Dec. 6 with a left hip bone edema. He practiced fully with the team on Thursday, and Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has mentioned March 1 as a target date for Williams’s return. While Williams is expected to play only10-15 MPG, there could be games when he cuts into the minutes of Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter.
Brooklyn Nets: Oh no, not again, Kyrie! According to this story from Tuesday’s New York Post, “the shoulder injury that cost Kyrie Irving two months has flared up again, potentially putting the rest of his season in question.” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson added: “He’s still having issues with his shoulder. He is going to see a specialist this week. That’s about all I can tell you. I don’t expect him to be available for Thursday.” If at any point Irving is shut down for the season, Spencer Dinwiddie would become a top-50 fantasy option the rest of the way. Editor’s note: Irving will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder, Nets general manager Sean Marks said Thursday.
Charlotte Hornets: Malik Monk may have been the topic of trade rumors leading up to the deadline, but the 22-year-old shooting guard stayed put in Charlotte and, based on how he played leading up to the All-Star break, there is reason to be optimistic going forward. Monk, a first-rounder in 2017, scored 17 points or more in each of the last four games before the break and averaged 2.5 3PG in that span. Add him to the list of streamer candidates any time you need points and/or 3s.
Chicago Bulls: A foot injury has limited Otto Porter Jr. to nine games this season, and he has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Hornets, but the versatile swingman went through a full practice on Tuesday and is nearing a return to the court. Wendell Carter Jr. (right ankle) also made it through most of Tuesday’s practice and is expected to return soon as well. After Thursday, the Bulls play back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Lots of changes in Cleveland, obviously, with John Beilein stepping down as coach and Andre Drummond just getting started with his new franchise. One thing to watch closely in the weeks ahead is the play of Tristan Thompson, who started fast this season but crashed a bit in the weeks leading up to the All-Star break. In Thompson’s first two games with Drummond on the roster, he averaged 22.5 MPG, 17.0 PPG and 8.5 RPG.
Dallas Mavericks: When Willie Cauley-Stein was traded to the Mavericks, there was some thought that he would retain just as much fantasy value as he had with Golden State, where he put up 7.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.1 SPG and 1.2 BPG in 23.0 MPG. That has not been the case at all. In fact, Cauley-Stein has no place on fantasy rosters right now; he has played just 12.3 MPG in his nine games with the Mavs. Oddly enough, he is still on 42.9% of fantasy rosters in ESPN leagues.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic mentioned that he has lost 20-25 pounds since the start of the season, which would explain his early season struggles and consistent improvement ever since. In fact, Jokic has improved his scoring every month of the season: 15.0 PPG in October, 15.8 PPG in November, 20.8 PPG in December, 23.4 PPG in January and 27.0 PPG thus far in February.
Detroit Pistons: The buyout of Reggie Jackson leaves the Pistons very thin at point guard, which is the latest blow on a team that traded away its superstar — Drummond — and already has Blake Griffin sidelined for the remainder of the season. Without Jackson, Pistons coach Dwane Casey has mentioned that Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk could play point guard, with Bruce Brown shifting to the shooting guard spot. Keep an eye out for that development.
Golden State Warriors: Jordan Poole saw a more prominent role as a ball-handler in the games leading up to the All-Star break, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that the rookie first-rounder will remain the team’s starting point guard and serve in a “secondary playmaking” role next to Draymond Green. Poole began the season mostly as an inefficient 3-point shooter but after a trip to the G League appears more confident handling the ball and taking it to the hoop. This is a development worth watching, even if it means less playing time out of Ky Bowman.
Houston Rockets: Eric Gordon (left shin) is questionable for Thursday’s game against the Warriors. The time off from the All-Star break is sure to have helped Gordon’s injury, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be available against the league’s worst team. If Gordon cannot go, Austin Rivers, Ben McLemore and Danuel House Jr. will see additional minutes.
Indiana Pacers: Good news for fantasy managers with Victor Oladipo. On Wednesday, it was announced that Oladipo will no longer have a minutes restriction. While Oladipo will still not be available in the second of back-to-backs, he can be expected to play more than 30.0 MPG when he does play, which says something, considering that he never reached 30 minutes in any of the seven games he played upon returning from injury.
LA Clippers: Marcus Morris Sr. was having a career-best season with the Knicks and as great as the trade to the Clippers might be for his chances at winning a championship, it comes at a cost to his production on the court. In his first three games with the Clippers, he has averaged 11.0 PPG and 5.7 RPG, a considerable drop, at least in terms of scoring from the 19.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG he averaged in 43 games with the Knicks. Don’t expect that to change on this loaded Clippers roster.
Los Angeles Lakers: The rumor mill continues to turn regarding the Lakers and their interest in free agent guard J.R. Smith. Even if the 34-year-old veteran does ink a deal with the Lakers, though, he doesn’t figure to have much fantasy impact. He played just 11 games last season with the Cavaliers, shooting 30.8% from 3-point range, and the 3-ball is supposed to be his greatest asset on the basketball court.
Memphis Grizzlies: Newly acquired center Gorgui Dieng is a player to watch during the rest of the regular season. Dieng has always been capable of stuffing the stat sheet and shooting a high percentage from the field and the free throw line, and now that he’s out of Karl-Anthony Towns‘ shadow, he could have more minutes available as the backup to Jonas Valanciunas, who has never logged a huge amount of minutes. Dieng played 13 minutes in his Grizzlies debut on Feb. 12, finishing with 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 block and 1 3-pointer. He is available in 96.3% of ESPN leagues.
Miami Heat: Tyler Herro (right foot) is out for Thursday’s favorable matchup against the lowly Hawks and is without a timetable to return. With the rookie shooter sidelined, more scoring falls to Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson, the latter of whom can also help fill the void from 3-point land. Robinson ranks fifth in the league with 3.5 3PG this season.
Milwaukee Bucks: In his first seven NBA seasons, Khris Middleton never had a true shooting percentage higher than 57.7 (set in 2017-18). This season, undoubtedly the best of his career, Middleton has taken things to a totally new level as a shooter, posting a 62.4 TS%. That has also contributed to a career-best 21.97 PER. Middleton can help carry fantasy teams with his efficiency (50.1 FG%, 90.2 FT% and 43.8 3FG%) and just might be the league’s most underrated player.
Minnesota Timberwolves: A model of durability during his first four NBA seasons, Karl-Anthony Towns has missed 18 games this season and is due to miss quite a few more. Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders announced Wednesday that Towns is out indefinitely due to wrist injury suffered in the final game before the All-Star break. Earlier this season, when he had a sprained left knee, the Timberwolves were tight-lipped about a timeline and he ended up missing 15 games. This could be a big blow to fantasy teams that have KAT. Stay tuned.
New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson has a 25.48 PER through his first 10 NBA games, which is a very impressive number. This guy is a game-changer. From a fantasy standpoint, though, he is a much better option in points leagues than category leagues; his 22.1 PPG and 7.5 RPG make up the bulk of his value, while his 0.4 3PG, 0.7 SPG and 0.4 BPG are all below average for a power forward. And his 65.4 FT% also hurts, considering how often he gets to the line (7.8 FTA).
New York Knicks: While there is talk of new Knicks addition Maurice Harkless possibly requesting a buyout in order to join a contender, Harkless told the New York Post that he hasn’t initiated any talks of that with his agent. While this could still happen, it sounds like there is at least a chance that Harkless could be a part of the Knicks’ rotation for the rest of the season, which would impact players like RJ Barrett, Reggie Bullock and Kevin Knox II. Stay tuned.
Oklahoma City Thunder: As pointed out here, Dennis Schroder‘s 27.3 percent usage rate is the fourth highest of his career, but his 4.0 APG is the second lowest of his career. Why less passing? Because he’s shooting the ball so well. Schroder’s 57.6 true shooting percentage dwarfs his previous best of 53.3 set in 2016-17.
Orlando Magic: D.J. Augustin hasn’t played in a game since Jan. 13 due to a left knee injury, but the veteran point guard was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice and may play in Friday’s game against the Mavericks. Augustin’s days as a starter are likely a thing of the past in Orlando with Markelle Fultz now entrenched in the role of lead point guard, but he could still have value as a streamer for fantasy managers who are chasing assists.
Philadelphia 76ers: Josh Richardson has been a fantasy disappointment this season, seeing a drop in his scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and 3s. That being said, he returned from a hamstring injury to play in the last three games before the All-Star break and is still a versatile contributor in all the categories listed above. He also happens to be available in 37.8% of ESPN fantasy leagues.
Phoenix Suns: Frank Kaminsky III has been sidelined for nearly two months due to a right patella stress fracture, but the offensive-oriented Suns big man remains out and is without a clear timetable for a return. Dario Saric and Aron Baynes will continue to be the main frontcourt options for the Suns, aside from Deandre Ayton, for as long as Kaminsky remains out.
Portland Trail Blazers: Trevor Ariza has logged a heavy workload in his first 11 games as a member of the Trail Blazers, averaging 31.5 MPG. In the process, he’s gone back to being the defensive force he was in year’s past, recording 1.7 SPG while chipping in as a secondary scorer and rebounder. After being somewhat of an afterthought in Sacramento, Ariza is back on the fantasy radar for fantasy managers who need to stream for steals.
Sacramento Kings: Jabari Parker is set to make his Kings debut on Thursday night against the Grizzlies, but fantasy managers should temper any expectations. Parker has played in just one game during the past two months, and it’s going to take some time for the offensive-minded power forward to get back into basketball shape.
San Antonio Spurs: DeMar DeRozan missed the final two games before the All-Star break due to back spasms, but the layoff has him healed up and ready to go. “I’m perfect,” DeRozan said Wednesday. “I’m back. No problems. No issues … Last couple of days, I’ve felt great. Best I’ve felt all season.” The Spurs are battling the Grizzlies, Trail Blazers and Pelicans for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs, and to have any shot, they’re going to need DeRozan to come up big down the stretch. Expect big minutes for the smooth swingman the rest of the way.
Toronto Raptors: Even after the long layoff from the All-Star break, Raptors swingman Norman Powell (broken finger) remains out indefinitely. He is due to be re-evaluated next week, meaning Powell likely won’t be back until early March at best. Useful in fantasy for his efficiency (49.8 FG%), steals (1.3 SPG), and 3-point shooting (2.0 3PG), Powell has nearly doubled his previous career high in scoring (8.6 PPG) by putting up 15.3 PPG in this, his fifth, NBA season.
Utah Jazz: How about the season Bojan Bogdanovic is having in his first year with the Jazz. Bogdanovic is putting up career highs in points (21.0 PPG) and assists (2.1 APG), while tying career-highs in rebounds (4.1 RPG) and 3-point percentage (42.5%). He is also playing the most minutes of his career (33.3 MPG), making him one of the biggest surprises of the season in fantasy hoops
Washington Wizards: The re-evaluation of Thomas Bryant‘s stress reaction in his right foot went well, but even if the efficient big man is able to return to the court, there is concern about his production for the remainder of the season. Bryant averaged only 19.2 MPG in nine January games, and once his minutes started to ramp up at the end of the month, he lasted only four games before the foot became a problem. Even if deemed healthy, his minutes could be limited for the rest of 2019-20.