Thursday’s trade deadline did not lack eyebrow-raising moves, as Minnesota sent Andrew Wiggins to Golden State in exchange for D’Angelo Russell and Detroit essentially gave Andre Drummond to Cleveland for pennies on the dollar. The Clippers and Heat also made moves Thursday, with L.A. acquiring Marcus Morris from the Knicks and Miami completing the three-team deal that netted them Andre Iguodala. Michael Gallagher put together a list of fantasy winners and losers on deadline day, and if you want a rundown of every deal Matt Stroup has you covered with his live blog.
There were five games on the schedule Thursday, including Houston’s win over the Lakers and Milwaukee’s handling of Philadelphia. Giannis Antetokounmpo did the usual for the Bucks, while Robert Covington showed why he’ll be even more valuable fantasy-wise in his Rockets debut.
Knicks 105, Magic 103 — With Marcus Morris having been traded to the Clippers, the Knicks had a hole to fill in the starting lineup. Frank Ntilikina received the nod, and he failed to take advantage of the opportunity. In 14 minutes he tallied two points, one rebound and one assist. As good as it would be to see young players such as Ntilikina, Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson to get more minutes as New York is nowhere near the playoff chase, all three need to earn those opportunities. And none did Thursday night. Knox went scoreless, missing all five of his shots and contributing two rebounds in 16 minutes, and Robinson accounted for six points, four rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in 19 minutes.
Robinson still has value because of what he brings to the table defensively and as a rebounder, but the other two aren’t even worth considering for your fantasy team. The good news with regard to the Knicks youngsters is that RJ Barrett was able to make his return from a sprained right ankle. He played 18 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points with three rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer. You have to think that once he shakes off the rust, Barrett will be in that starting spot that was filled by Ntilikina. If you were able to stash Barrett as he worked his way back, good for you.
The veterans earned their chances, and they were ultimately the reason why the Knicks won. Julius Randle shot 10-of-16 from the field and finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocked shot in 30 minutes. Taj Gibson added 19 points, five rebounds and one block, while Elfrid Payton posted a line of 15 points, four rebounds, nine assists, seven steals and one three-pointer. Payton’s provided 10th-round value in nine-category formats this season, and he’s rostered in just 51 percent of Yahoo leagues. He’s worth a long look if you’re in need of assists and steals. Reggie Bullock (three rebounds, three assists and one steal) and Wayne Ellington (one rebound and four 3-pointers), whose name has been mentioned as a buyout candidate, scored 12 points apiece.
Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon both had solid nights for the Magic. Vucevic shot 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line, scoring 25 points with eight rebounds, three assists, one steal, three blocks and three 3-pointers in 34 minutes. He’s providing third-round value in nine-cat and fourth-round value in eight-cat this season. As for Gordon, who hasn’t been much of a fantasy asset this season, he tallied 16 points, four rebounds, five assists, one steal and two 3-pointers in 34 minutes. They were two of the four Magic starters that scored in double figures, with Markell Fultz (four rebounds and six assists) and Evan Fournier (three rebounds, one steal and two 3-pointers) scoring 16 points apiece.
Neither Terrence Ross nor Michael Carter-Williams shot the ball well, as the were a combined 6-of-22 from the field, but they both filled their respective stat lines. Ross, who was also 1-of-8 from three, finished with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocked shots, with MCW accounting for seven points, two rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Carter-Williams, who’s been a borderline top-100 player in both eight- and nine-cat over the last two weeks, is worth a look in deeper leagues. [[ad:athena]]
Pelicans 125, Bulls 119 — New Orleans took care of Chicago, but they closed the game out with their All-Star forward on the bench. Brandon Ingram was limited to 21 minutes by a sprained right ankle, with the team’s training staff opting to shut him down for the night. Ingram finished with 15 points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals and two 3-pointers. Should he have to miss any more time, with New Orleans returning to action Saturday, J.J. Redick, Josh Hart and even E’Twaun Moore stand to see their minutes increase.
The Pelicans didn’t lack for fantasy stars in this one, either. Zion Williams shot 9-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from the foul line, finishing with 21 points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one blocked shot. There have been questions asked regarding Williamson’s proficiency as a perimeter shooter, but it really doesn’t matter when you take all 11 of your shots within three feet of the basket. Redick, Hart and Nicolo Melli all reached double figures off the bench, with Redick accounting for 18 points, one rebound, five assists and three 3-pointers in 23 minutes. Melli and Hart scored 12 points apiece, with the former also tallying three rebounds, three assists, two steals and two 3-pointers and the latter going for seven rebounds, six assists, two steals and three 3-pointers.
Over the last month Hart has provided sixth-round value in nine-cat formats, and he’s still rostered in just 38 percent of Yahoo leagues. Given his production as a rebounder and defender, while also averaging just under two 3-pointers per game, that percentage should increase. Jrue Holiday (three rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one three-pointer), Lonzo Ball (three rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, one block and three 3-pointers) and Jaxson Hayes (five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block) scored nine points apiece, with Derrick Favors (15 rebounds, one assist and one block) and Moore (two 3-pointers) scoring eight points each.
Chicago stood pat at the trade deadline, despite many believing that Thaddeus Young could be a useful player for teams looking to improve their rosters with an eye towards the postseason. Young started Thursday’s game and played 31 minutes, scoring 11 points with six rebounds, one assist, three steals and one three-pointer. He’s currently rostered in 53 percent of Yahoo leagues, and over the last month he’s provided ninth-round value in nine-cat.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 22 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer, with Chandler Hutchison accounting for 16 points, eight rebounds, one assist and two steals. I wouldn’t pick up Hutchison right now, but given the fact that Chicago isn’t likely to make a run at a playoff spot he’ll likely continue to play at least 30 minutes per night. Four of the five reserves that saw action scored in double figures, which included a stunning performance by Adam Mokoka. He played just five minutes but didn’t miss a shot from the field, scoring 15 points (6-of-6 FGs) with three 3-pointers. Mokoka isn’t worth picking up, but his late flurry was entertaining to watch.
Ryan Arcidiacono, who seems to be listed as probable for every game, played 25 minutes and posted a line of 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and three 3-pointers. Coby White (14 points, six rebounds, nine assists and two 3-pointers) and Shaq Harrison (11/3/2/1 with one three-pointer) also scored in double figures. Even though he’s coming off the bench White is still approaching 30 minutes on most nights, with the absence of Kris Dunn (MCL sprain, right knee) freeing up additional minutes. That should continue to be the case moving forward. Tomas Satoransky posted a line of nine points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer, and he remains worth holding onto in standard leagues.
Bucks 112, 76ers 101 — Giannis Antetokounmpo posted another monster stat line in this one, finishing with 36 points, 20 rebounds, six assists, one steal and one three-pointer. The lone issue for him was his three-point shooting, as he went 1-of-7, but the reigning MVP shot 12-of-18 inside of the arc and was also 9-of-12 from the foul line. Khris Middleton added 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three 3-pointers, with Eric Bledsoe (14 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and one three-pointer) also scoring in double figures.
With George Hill still out as he recovers from a hamstring injury, Donte DiVincenzo has been of even greater importance to the Milwaukee rotation and his fantasy value has increased. He played 24 minutes Thursday night, posting a line of eight points, seven rebounds, one block and two 3-pointers. He’s had more productive nights with regard to the numbers, and for the season DiVincenzo has been a top-100 player in nine-cat formats. His stock might drop a little once Hill returns, but DiVincenzo should be rostered in more than just 21 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Pat Connaughton added six points, two rebounds and a block in 16 minutes off the bench, while starters Wesley Matthews (eight points, four rebounds, one assist, one block and two 3-pointers) and Brook Lopez (four points, two rebounds, two assists and three blocks) had a greater impact on the game than their numbers would indicate. Matthews can be left on the waiver wire, as there are better choices out there when looking to fill out a roster. The same goes for Robin Lopez, even though he contributed nine points, three rebounds, one assist, two blocks and two 3-pointers in 20 minutes off the bench.
Philadelphia’s rotation wasn’t full for this one, as James Ennis was traded to Orlando and new additions Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III have yet to join the team (and Trey Burke was waived to clear another roster spot). Also worth noting here is that Josh Richardson is close to making his return from a strained left hamstring. The three players that have the most to lose due to the new additions and Richardson’s return are Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz. Milton started Thursday night, playing 24 minutes and finishing with eight points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one three-pointer. His fantasy prospects weren’t good to begin with, and they’ll take another hit once Burks and GRIII are worked into the rotation.
Thybulle’s defense, as he tallied two steals and two blocks against the Bucks, will likely keep him in the rotation but the lack of consistent offense has made him a tough play in most leagues. Korkmaz played 28 minutes off the bench Thursday, scoring 12 points with three rebounds, one assist and two 3-pointers. He isn’t worth holding onto once Richardson gets back into the swing of things. As for the 76ers’ biggest contributors, Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris combined to attempt 49 of the team’s 99 shots on the night. Embiid was 6-of-26 from the field, finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, one block and three 3-pointers, with Harris scoring a team-high 25 on 10-of-23 shooting. He was also responsible for seven rebounds, four assists, one steal and five 3-pointers. Add in Al Horford (15 points, six rebounds, one assist, one steal and five 3-pointers), and three players attempted two-thirds of the team’s shots.
Harris and Embiid haven’t shot the ball all that well recently, with both hovering at about 42 percent from the field over the last two weeks. Add in the limited defensive production, and as a result neither have been as impactful fantasy-wise as they can be. Ben Simmons, on the other hand, has threatened top-25 status over the last two weeks. He finished Thursday’s loss with 11 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one blocked shot … but he was just 5-of-6 from the field. Brett Brown has some things to figure out with his rotation, most notably who gets the shots and where, if Philadelphia is to be the team many expect them to be when the postseason rolls around.
Blazers 125, Spurs 117 — For the second straight game an opponent managed to avoid getting lit up by Damian Lillard. However unlike Denver, which blew out the Blazers Tuesday night, San Antonio was unable to take advantage of this as Portland’s supporting cast played much better basketball. Lillard still got his, as he finished with a line of 26 points, two rebounds, 10 assists and three 3-pointers, but Hassan Whiteside, Carmelo Anthony and C.J. McCollum all put up solid-to-excellent stat lines. Whiteside was dominant in the post, scoring 17 points with 23 rebounds, one assist, one steal and four blocked shots in 36 minutes. Anthony added a line of 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four 3-pointers, with McCollum finishing with 19 points, three rebounds, six assists, one block and two 3-pointers.
Whiteside has provided first-round value throughout the season, and while he’s still capable of the occasional stinker he’s a must-have in standard leagues. Since getting off to a good start to begin his time in Portland Anthony has tailed off some, as he’s shooting just over 40 percent from the field over the last month. That, along with the limited production from three and on the defensive end (this isn’t a surprise), are the reasons for the slippage. He’s still worth having however, given his position within the Portland rotation.
Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons also scored in double figures, with Trent (who also dished out four assists) shooting 6-of-7 from three and finishing with 18 points and Simons adding 10 points, one rebound, one assist and two 3-pointers. Over the last month Trent, who’s rostered in one percent of Yahoo leagues, is just outside of the top-100 in nine-cat. He’s definitely worth a look in deeper league given his current play, especially if there’s a need for three-pointers (2.4 per game).
San Antonio getting nights of at least 20 points from DeMar DeRozan (21 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals) or LaMarcus Aldridge (20/8/4/2/1 with two 3-pointers) never comes as a surprise. However Trey Lyles surpassing that mark does, and on Thursday he had his best game of the season. Playing 34 minutes, Lyles posted a line of 23 points (9-of-11 FGs), 10 rebounds, two steals and four 3-pointers. He starts in order for the Spurs to get improved offensive spacing, and in this game he was at his best. While Lyles had a night that shouldn’t be overlooked, he should be left on the waiver wire until he produces (maybe not at this level) on a more consistent basis.
Derrick White (15 points, one rebound, three assists and one block) and Patty Mills (14/2/2 with two 3-pointers) had solid nights off the bench, while Bryn Forbes scored 11 points and made two 3-pointers. Dejounte Murray struggled mightily, finishing with four points (1-of-7 FGs), four rebounds, five assists and one steal. Murray’s worth holding onto because of his production in non-scoring categories, while Forbes should be left alone. Mills and White are both better options in deeper leagues.
Rockets 121, Lakers 111 — With the Lakers devoting much of their defensive energy to stopping James Harden (14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one three-pointer), he attempted just 10 shots on the night. But it didn’t matter, as Russell Westbrook went off for 41 points and the supporting cast stepped up as well. Westbrook shot 17-of-28 from the field and 6-of-8 from the foul line, and he supplemented the point total with eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and one three-pointer. Eight turnovers meant that his nine-cat fantasy line took a hit, but not by much. It’s also worth noting that Westbrook became the third player in NBA history to hit the career benchmarks of 20,000 points, 7,000 assists and 6,000 rebounds (LeBron James and Oscar Robertson being the others).
In total six Rockets scored in double figures on the night. Eric Gordon (15 points, two rebounds, one assist and five 3-pointers) snapped out of his shooting slump, going 5-of-8 from three after missing all 12 of his attempts in the game prior. Danuel House (13/1/3/1/1 with two 3-pointers) and P.J. Tucker (11 points, six rebounds, one block and three 3-pointers) were also in double figures, as was the newest addition to the Rockets’ smaller rotation. Robert Covington looked like a very good fit Thursday, playing 30 minutes and accounting for 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, two blocks and four 3-pointers. Given the lack of a true center in Houston’s rotation, Covington stands to be a fantasy stud for the remainder of the season due to his three-point shooting and defensive versatility.
Anthony Davis posted a robust stat line, as he tallied 32 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocks in 40 minutes. The lone issue for him was the right index finger sprain that he suffered late in the second quarter. Add this to the list of injuries that he’s played through this season. LeBron added 18 points, nine rebounds, 15 assists, two steals and one three-pointer, with Avery Bradley (one rebound, four assists and three 3-pointers) and Danny Green (two rebounds, three assists, three steals and three 3-pointers) scoring 15 points apiece. Houston’s smaller lineup rendered centers JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard ineffective, as the played a total of 20 minutes (16 for McGee, four for Howard) on the night.
While the fantasy value of the centers took a major hit in this matchup, that wasn’t the case for guard Alex Caruso. He played 27 minutes, scoring 12 points while also tallying four assists, one steal and two 3-pointers. Caruso was far more effective on both ends than Kyle Kuzma (four points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal), who struggled mightily when he was asked to defend in space.
And there was a noteworthy sighting in the stands Thursday night, as Darren Collison took in the action (and sat with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss). His name has been mentioned in connection with the Lakers quite often recently, and with Rob Pelinka not making a move ahead of the trade deadline Collison is an appealing option should he decide to come out of retirement. The addition of Collison would sink the value of both Caruso and Rajon Rondo, but provided he isn’t too rusty his ability to create and hit perimeter shots would give the Lakers second unit a much-needed boost.
Friday’s Schedule (all times Eastern)
Dallas at Washington, 7 PM
Memphis at Philadelphia, 7 PM
Atlanta at Boston, 7:30 PM
Detroit at Oklahoma City, 8 PM
Toronto at Indiana, 8 PM
Houston at Phoenix, 9 PM
Miami at Sacramento, 10 PM
Portland at Utah, 10:30 PM
