RADIO
Adam King discusses what to do with several NBA players in Fantasy Basketball Leagues this week. (January 19)
G'day RotoBallers! With the trade deadline inching closer every day, the window in which to make moves is getting smaller and smaller. For anyone aspiring to feature in their fantasy playoffs, a trade could prove pivotal, and narrowing your focus is a viable strategy. If you can execute a trade at this time of the season, both managers can walk away feeling validated.
However, executing a trade can be harder said than done. Not all managers love the idea of a trade, especially if they believe they will be the attempted target of a fantasy heist. Ensure you know your league and who might be willing to consider a player swap. While the option does exist, I recommend not having a league veto system. Ensure your commissioner is knowledgeable and transparent, and allow them to dictate trade decisions.
With all that out of the way, here are our current sell-high and buy-low candidates as you prepare for Week 13 of the fantasy basketball season.
D'Angelo Russell, G - Los Angeles Lakers
Baller Move: Sell High
Barely inside the top 100 this season, it's fair to say that Russell has been underwhelming. Despite modest averages of 15.7 points to go with 6.1 assists and 2.2 three-pointers, Russell has even popped up in discussions regarding his 12-team status. After falling out of the starting rotation about a month ago, some good fortune has afforded him a second chance. He has played at least 36 minutes in three straight games, averaging 27.3 points, 5.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 4.3 triples.
The Lakers are looking to get their season back on track after a less-than-ideal start. Since returning to the starting lineup, the Lakers have won two of their past three games, both coming against sturdy opposition in Oklahoma City and Dallas. Russell's production has had a lot to do with it, providing the team with a much-needed offensive threat not named Anthony Davis or LeBron James.
The question now is whether or not Russell can sustain his recent production or whether he will regress to what we saw earlier in the season. He is a proven fantasy asset, especially when it comes to points and assists. Given the sample size, there is reason to believe he can push his way inside the top 80. However, his role remains clouded, something that is going to have a direct impact on his ability to put up numbers moving forward. there is a chance he falls outside the top 100 as well, making him a somewhat risky hold. If he can cobble together another strong performance, it would be a wise move to try and offload him for a top 70 player.
Jalen Williams, F - Oklahoma City Thunder
Baller Move: Sell High
After a slow start to the season, Williams has been on fire of late. The 17th-ranked player over the past two weeks, he is averaging 21.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.8 three-pointers on 65.5 percent shooting from the field and 80.0 percent from the line. His shooting splits have been wild in that time, having shot at least 70 percent in half the games. He also has at least seven assists in half the games, an element to his game that we have seen him flash before.
The Thunder have made it clear they are here to stay, currently occupying second place in the Western Conference standings. Williams' ability to play both ends of the floor makes him an invaluable piece, ensuring his role is here to stay.
Although the shooting is almost certainly unsustainable, Williams did shoot over 52 percent from the floor during his rookie season. He also had multiple double-digit assist games, much like he has this season. This implies that while his production is likely on the high side, playing as a secondary playmaker is something he is very comfortable doing. With that said, if anyone is willing to part with a top-20 player to acquire Williams, it would be a deal worth considering. Come the end of April, this could very well be seen as the high point in his season in terms of fantasy value.
Miles Bridges, F - Charlotte Hornets
Baller Move: Buy Low
Despite missing the first 10 games of the season, Bridges has picked up where he left off in the 2021-22 season. He currently ranks just outside the top 50 in standard nine-category leagues, averaging 20.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.2 three-pointers in 36.6 minutes per game. He has a very fantasy-friendly game and given most managers will not have a lot invested in him in terms of draft capital, it's fair to say he has been a sneaky difference maker.
However, a dip in his defensive production over the past two weeks has seen him fall outside the top 90. The return of LaMelo Ball has taken some of the shine off what Bridges has been doing, presenting managers with an interesting conundrum. At this point, we don't know what the Hornets' plans are when it comes to Bridges' future in Charlotte. A well-documented off-court history means his spot in the rotation beyond 2023-24 is unclear. Cobbled together, we have an overwhelming sense of uncertainty.
Taking everything into consideration, managers could go either way on Bridges. With that said, his playing time has been one thing that has remained consistent, hovering around 36.0 minutes per game. Until we see the minutes head in the wrong direction, it's reasonably safe to assume they are going to continue to roll him out there on a similar basis. If you too believe he can replicate what he has been doing, offering up a top-90 player makes a lot of sense, given we know Bridges can go through stretches of top-30 value.
Chet Holmgren, C - Oklahoma City Thunder
Baller Move: Buy Low
Despite putting together one of the best rookie seasons we have seen in recent memory, Holmgren has slowed down over the past two weeks. While he is the 13th-ranked player for the season, over the past two weeks he sits outside the top 60, compiling averages of 17.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.3 three-pointers. When compared to his season numbers, he has been slightly down across the board.
He has failed to score more than 20 points in each of the past five games while grabbing fewer than 10 rebounds in 10 consecutive contests. One issue for Holmgren is that his team is strong enough to be able to cover for any shortcomings he might have on any given night. Both Williams and Josh Giddey have stepped up during that time, taking a lot of the pressure off Holmgren. This is a wonderful position for the Thunder to be in but it does not always lend itself to consistent production.
Victor Wembanyama continues to gain a lot of headlines with his mindblowing performances, shifting some of the early-season hype away from Holmgren. If his manager is positioned precariously at the moment, it might be a good time to try and strike with a sneaky buy-low offer.
Despite a few ups and downs, Holmgren's floor is likely to be around the top 30 when all is said and done. There isn't a lot of meat on the bone when it comes to trade value but if you could get him for a top-40 player, it should end up being a solid ROI.
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