Fantasy Hoops: Ping-Pong Hopefuls
We’ve reached a point in the 2017/18 season where some front offices are facing a fork in the road, with one clearly preferable long-term path for their franchises’ futures. Several of the clubs that find themselves atop our Reverse Standings have already begun to look past this season and into the future. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of these bottom-dwellers from a fantasy perspective.
The Kings are one club that has started to focus on the long-term view. The team’s plan is to sit at least two veteran players in every remaining game this season. The group of veterans includes George Hill, Kosta Koufos, Garrett Temple, Vince Carter, and Zach Randolph. 
While the initial reaction is that all these vets lose value (and they do overall), there’s an opportunity to be found in Sacramento’s strategy. With two-plus players sitting out, it means the other players in the rotation are getting more run.
Hill, for example, stuffed the stat sheet in 37 minutes of action against the Jazz on Wednesday, as Carter and Temple watched from the sidelines. Hill accumulated 20 points, five assists and four rebounds and three steals in the loss and he should continue to be a fantasy contributor in games he plays.
Hill (available in over 77% of ESPN leagues) and Randolph (available in over 37%) are the only players of the bunch who should be considered for a roster spot in season-long leagues, and if I had to pick one, I’d take Hill over Randolph going forward. I have no problem giving Randolph one of my rotating spots at the end of the fantasy roster where players are added and dropped based on whether their teams play on a given night — I’d worry more about losing Hill in those daily shuffles.
Yet, any of the five Kings veterans could give you a spot start on nights they are suiting up. It’s going to be frustrating to keep track of who’s playing and who’s not, but there’s an edge to be had for those who take on the headache.
Here’s more from the league’s ping-pong hopefuls:
- The Magic—owners of the worst record in the league—are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline and that could impact many of their players’ values. Evan Fournier, one of many Southeast Division players who could be on the move, is reportedly being shopped.
- Nikola Vucevic has been out of the Magic‘s lineup since late last month and his absence is giving Elfrid Payton more control of the offense. Payton has a usage rate of 22.9 since Vucevic went down (compared to just 20.2 prior) and he’s seeing an uptick in points (16.1 vs. 11.3) and shooting percentage (54.2% vs. 50.2%). The point guard is also seeing a spike in assists, rebounds, and steals. With restricted free agency looming for Payton, Orlando figures to listen to any offers for him.
- Dewayne Dedmon, who’s available in roughly 77% of ESPN leagues, is averaging 8.4 points and 8.2 rebounds since returning to the court for the Hawks. Dedmon is a solid streaming option, though as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors noted this week, he’s a candidate to be traded before the deadline.
- Ersan Ilyasova is also a candidate to be dealt, meaning there’s a chance that the Hawks‘ frontcourt opens up and rookie John Collins gets more opportunity down the stretch. Collins is available in over 65% of ESPN leagues.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic is owned in just under 30% of ESPN leagues, but that figure needs to be higher. The rookie is expected to continue to get steady minutes for the Kings, and he should be able to make the most out of his opportunities. Bogdanovic did just that against the Jazz on Wednesday, scoring a career-high 25 points.
- Tyson Chandler signed a four-year, $52MM deal with the Suns back in the summer of 2015 and it seems like a tradition that every year the team takes his playing time and redistributes it to the team’s youngsters. That hasn’t happened quite yet in the 2017/18 season, and Marquese Chriss‘ hip ailment – which figures to keep him out for a matter days, if not weeks – contributes to the delay. Chandler remains an asset in the rebounds department, averaging 11.2 during the month of January (eighth-most in the league) and he should be available (as he is in over 88% of ESPN leagues) for those who need help in that category in Roto leagues.
- Missed an earlier edition of Fantasy Hoops? Check out the entire series here.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Friday morning. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Central Notes: Jordan, Bucks, Pacers, James
The Bucks remain interested in acquiring DeAndre Jordan and it was reported last week that Milwaukee was the team most likely to land the center. However, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link) hears that the Bucks are no longer the frontrunners for Jordan’s services. The scribe did not specify which team is the most likely to acquire the 29-year-old.
Jordan can become an unrestricted free agent if he turns down his player option, which is worth slightly over $24.1MM, and he has been the subject of trade rumors with the Clippers having an up-and-down season. He’s currently nursing a left ankle injury and has missed the team’s last three contests.
Any team looking to make a deal for the center will likely want to see him come back at full strength before pulling the trigger on a trade and with this season’s early trade deadline (February 8), time is ticking.
Here are some other notes from the Central Division:
- Pacers president Kevin Pritchard is thrilled with the trade that netted the team Victor Oladipo, as Clifton Brown of the Indianapolis Star passes along.“From our perspective, we targeted Victor and [Domantas Sabonis]. It wasn’t by chance. They are two young players we wanted. Victor has been like a breath of fresh air. What’s that saying, High tide lifts all boats? That’s what he’s been for us,” the executive said. Indiana owns a record of 24-20 this season and is in the thick of the Eastern Conference’s playoff race.
- The Cavaliers need to trade for a rim protector, Bill Livingston of The Cleveland Plain Dealer contends. Livingston names Jordan as a player who would help Cleveland with their defensive woes.
- LeBron James, who is expected to turn down his player option worth over $35.6MM and become a free agent at the end of the season, may be having his most impressive season to date, Nate Wolf of NBAMath contends. Wolf crunches the numbers and also finds that LBJ is having the best season ever for anyone at the age of 33.
Pistons Notes: Trades, Tolliver, Bradley
The Pistons continue to evaluate trade opportunities and with the injuries piling up, it’s easy to understand why.
Reggie Jackson, who is expected to return after the All-Star break, remains out of the lineup with an ankle ailment. Stanley Johnson‘s hip is sidelining him, and Luke Kennard and Avery Bradley are both dealing with nagging injuries too.
Detroit began the season with 14 wins in its first 20 games, but it hasn’t enjoyed as much success lately — the team is currently clinging to the conference’s eighth seed with a record of 22-21. Still, there is no sense of urgency in making a transaction and the earlier-than-usual trade deadline isn’t causing any major changes to the team’s strategy.
“I don’t think [the volume of trade discussions] picked up any more,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said (via Rod Beard of the Detroit News). “[GM Jeff Bowers is] always talking to people and people are calling. I don’t think it’s changed a whole lot.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The Pistons used their bi-annual exception to bring Anthony Tolliver aboard this past summer and the veteran has contributed more than expected, Beard notes in the same piece. On a one-year, $3.3MM deal, Tolliver may hold decent trade value and the scribe wonders if the power forward will be dangled as a “sweetener” in a bigger deal.
- Bradley, who played through a groin injury tonight against Toronto, will see a specialist on Thursday about the ailment, Beard relays on Twitter. The shooting guard will be a free agent at the end of the season.
Nets Granted Disabled Player Exception
The league has granted the Nets a $6MM disabled player exception for the loss of Jeremy Lin, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (Twitter link). Lin ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee on opening night.
Organizations which receive a disabled player exception can use it to sign a player, but it must be a one-year pact. Teams can also use a DPE to trade for a player who is in the final year of his deal. Brooklyn’s exception, along with the Pelicans’, which was also granted today, will expire on March 12.
Brooklyn is under the salary cap by approximately $3.6MM and nearly $24MM below the luxury tax line, so the franchise won’t have any reservations about using the exception should the right opportunity arise.
Pelicans Granted Disabled Player Exception
The league has awarded the Pelicans a $2.75MM disabled player exception because of the injury to Alexis Ajinca, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com tweets. Ajinca had surgery on his right knee back in October and is expected to miss the entire 2017/18 season.
While the exception gives the 23-20 Pelicans the ability to add another contributor, their financial situation will make them think long and hard about taking on additional salary. New Orleans is approximately $706K below the luxury tax and roughly $1.29MM below the hard cap, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (ESPN Now link).
Disabled player exceptions are rarely used, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors notes in our glossary entry explaining them. However, it does give the team some flexibility should an advantageous deal present itself.
Trevor Ariza, Gerald Green Suspended Two Games Each
The NBA is suspending Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green for “aggressively entering” the Clippers’ locker room earlier this week, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).
Chris Paul and James Harden will face no discipline. Wojnarowski (Twitter links) adds that interviews with 20 people from the locker room incident were conducted. It was determined that Paul and Harden tried to be “peacemakers,” attempting to defuse the situation. The scribe also adds that Blake Griffin will not be suspended.
The pair of Rockets wings will miss the team’s games against the Wolves and Warriors this week. Golden State is the only team ahead of the Rockets in the Western Conference standings, while the Wolves own the fourth spot in the conference, sitting just three games behind Houston.
Ariza will lose approximately $103K as a result of the two-game suspension, while Green will lose roughly $19.K. The Rockets will receive a credit of slightly under $61K against the luxury tax, Bobby Marks of ESPN.com explains (Twitter link). The team now sits roughly $2.56MM below the luxury tax threshold.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/16/18
Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
8:54pm:
- The Warriors have assigned Damian Jones to their G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, the organization announced in a press release. Jones appeared in one game with Golden State this season, with most of his play coming in the G League. In 26 games with Santa Cruz, Jones has averaged 15.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 2.1 APG while shooting 68.6% from the field.
6:59pm:
- The Bucks have recalled Jabari Parker from the Wisconsin Herd, according to the team’s Twitter feed. The former No. 2 overall pick has yet to play in an NBA game this season, though it was previously reported that he hopes to return to the court before the All-Star break.
- The Thunder have assigned Dakari Johnson to the Oklahoma City Blue, according to the team’s website. The center made one G League appearance earlier this season where he scored 21 points and nabbed 11 rebounds.
J.J. Redick To Miss Time With Leg Injury
J.J. Redick suffered an injury to his left leg against the Raptors on Monday which forced him to leave the game early. X-rays came back negative, but an MRI conducted on Redick earlier today revealed bone edema and a small crack in the fibular head of his leg.
As a result of the injury, Redick will remain sidelined. He’ll be re-evaluated in 10 to 14 days, according to a team press release.
The Sixers play in seven games over the next 14 days, seeing the Bucks twice as well as the Celtics, Grizzlies, Bulls, Spurs, and Thunder once apiece. Philadelphia is currently sitting outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture with a record of 20-20.
Latest On Nikola Mirotic
How much longer will Nikola Mirotic remain on the Bulls? It sounds as if the team is in no rush to deal the power forward, with a source telling Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times that the organization will continue to be patient with the trade market, leaving “ample time” for potential buyers to make offers.
The Jazz, Pistons, and Blazers have been linked to Mirotic, with Utah appearing to be the most serious suitor. The two teams discussed a Mirotic-Derrick Favors swap, though it’s unclear if Utah is willing to offer any additional compensation in the swap. Chicago’s front office has “made it clear” that it desires a first-round pick in exchange for the 26-year-old.
It was previously reported that Mirotic, who’s now eligible to be dealt, may like the idea of playing for the Jazz. He has the ability to veto any trade, though he claims he’s not getting involved in trade discussions at this time.
“I didn’t talk to [the Bulls’ front office recently],” Mirotic said. “Probably my agents are talking, so I don’t know so far what’s going on, but I know my name is going to be out there. I’m doing my job, and I’m sure they’re doing their job, and we’re both going to do what’s best for the team.”
The Bulls have thrived since Mirotic returned to the lineup, going 14-5 in the games he has played. The power forward is averaging 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 45.0% from downtown this season.
Fantasy Hoops: Heat, Parker, Fultz, Rockets
We’re at the halfway mark in the 2017/18 regular season and Hoops Rumors wants to help you dominate in both season-long and daily fantasy leagues. Here are some notes and analysis from around the NBA:
Check your waiver wire for Tyler Johnson (available in over 80% of ESPN leagues). The Heat combo guard is dealing with a pinched nerve, but with Dion Waiters expected to miss the remainder of the season, Johnson becomes a must add. Over his last 11 games played, the 25-year-old is averaging 15.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest.- Heat swingman Josh Richardson becomes even more valuable if Waiters does, in fact, miss the rest of the season. Over his last six games, Richardson is averaging 14.2 points, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while knocking down 1.7 shots per night from behind the arc.
- Bucks forward Jabari Parker is making progress and is expected to return before the All-Star break. Although he’s owned in over 30% of ESPN leagues, his talent warrants a higher ownership percentage.
- Is it time to pick Markelle Fultz back up? I’m bearish on his game, but the No. 1 overall pick apparently looked good in five-on-five drills earlier in the week. For those who don’t need immediate production and have a roster spot to spare, the Sixers guard worth an add.
- Eric Gordon has benefited since James Harden exited the Rockets‘ lineup with a hamstring injury. The shooting guard is averaging 23.2 points per game (16th in the NBA over that stretch) on nearly 19 shot attempts per contest (13th in the league) since the game in which Harden suffered his injury. Gordon isn’t the only player to benefit from The Beard’s absence. Both Gerald Green and Clint Capela are seeing their fantasy stock rise, as we noted in last week’s edition of Fantasy Hoops. However, now might be the time to trade any of the three, as these next couple weeks will likely be the high point for each of their season-long values.
- Gordon is a good daily play tonight against the Suns. Phoenix has allowed the second-most points and sixth-highest field goal percentage to opposing shooting guards this season.
- Devin Booker is also a good play tonight, as no team has allowed the opposing shooting guards to make a higher percentage of their shots than the Rockets have this season.
