Austin Rivers, Los Angeles Clippers: Points, 3-pointers
Remember when dropping Rivers was a legitimate question? Odds are it’s something you can’t forget if that’s a move you made considering the regret you’ve had since.
It was toward the end of November in which there was a bombardment of inquiries as to what to do with the scuffling guard, and that’s when it happened. On November 22, just before tables were stuffed with turkeys and all the fixings for the Thanksgiving holiday, the omniscient sage we all know and love as Dr. A told you to keep Rivers on the roster.
Well, I certainly hope you listened, especially since it was just five days later in which Blake Griffin was lost indefinitely.
Since that time, Rivers has gone on to average 19.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 steal, and 2.8 3-pointers on 57-of-120 (47.5%) shooting, including 22-of-50 (44%) from distance. With his minutes steadily in the 30-35 range and no real challenge for playing time even with Milos Teodosic (foot) on his way back, Rivers should be rostered and started in all formats.
Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn Nets: Blocks
About six weeks ago, I penned a positive outlook for Allen based on circumstance and potential. Since that time, things have changed, with Jahlil Okafor’s arrival being the most significant development, and the big man does not quite hold the same appeal he did to begin his rookie campaign.
Allen has been a focus of a lot of recent questions directed at the Rotoworld crew, and that’s for good reason since the Okafor acquisition has only complicated matters. And while potential is cooler, production is cooler, and the Nets didn’t trade for Okafor just to see how he looks in the team’s colors.
Even before “The Oak Tree”—feel free to run with that nickname—was a member of the Nets, Allen’s “step in the right direction” over the last five games saw him average just 7.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks on 15-of-21 (71.4%) from the field. On top of that, Allen saw 20-plus minutes in just two of those five contests, and it’s hard to envision a scenario where that number rises given the playing time coming to Okafor.
In short, while Allen’s per-36 defensive numbers—1.3 steals and 2.1 blocks—will make some raise an eyebrow, the opportunity just doesn’t look like it’s there for the Texas product to make a real and lasting impact. Unless you’re in a really competitive league with an absolutely barren waiver wire, it makes sense to evaluate your options.
Editor’s Note: Looking for an edge in your fantasy leagues? The NBA Season Pass provides weekly projections, rankings, the popular Pickups of the Day column, exclusive columns and customizable stat options. It’s the extra tool that can take your fantasy basketball teams to the next level.
Nikola Mirotic, Chicago Bulls: 3-pointers
The emergence of Lauri Markkanen means things have changed in regards to Mirotic’s potential ceiling on this Bulls team, but that doesn’t mean ThreeKola is without use or should be left floating on waiver wires. It really depends on the structure of your team and what you need to elevate your ceiling. Too often, fantasy GM’s pick up players based on name recognition, transaction trends, or what I call “vacuum value,” which is just a player’s overall standing in that particular format. That’s the wrong way to look at it when assessing who to pick up, so be warned that Mirotic—like all true specialists—is not for you unless you specifically need what he brings.
Although Mirotic is going to be limited upon his initial return and doesn’t figure to see a ton of playing time regardless given the current construction of Chicago’s frontcourt, the veteran is capable of getting hot in a hurry as we saw on Saturday with five triples and 19 points in just 20 minutes of action. There is also a very real downside to Mirotic as well and we experienced that frustration last season, and the potential for things to get even more complicated exists with Markkanen and Bobby Portis in the mix.
With Mirotic on a “two-year deal”—which is a true one-year deal with a sweet team option attached—the Bulls would be wise to showcase Mirotic and move him sooner rather than later in order to alleviate a still uncomfortable situation, and more importantly, extract a future asset for a rebuilding team in exchange for a player who doesn’t figure to make his long-term home in Chicago.
Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz: Steals, 3-pointers
It might feel like the only player on the Utah roster currently exceeding fantasy expectations is the electric Donovan Mitchell, but just because Ingles doesn’t deliver performances that jump out of the box score doesn’t mean he should be overlooked.
Some couldn’t believe when Utah re-signed Ingles to a $52M deal—especially given it was before the Jazz knew Gordon Hayward’s free-agent fate—but Ingles has been providing all season, and his five-game snippet thus far in December is a sample of what he’s capable of doing for your squad: 12.6 points, 3.4 boards, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.0 3-pointers on 44.7% from the floor, including 42.9% from behind the arc.
Here’s a fun fact: Ingles (71) enters week nine with more 3-pointers than specialists like Kyle Korver (68), Ryan Anderson (66), and J.J. Redick (58). Want another? Ingles also has more steals (32) than Khris Middleton (30) and Josh Richardson (28).
Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets: Steals
LeVert has been a popular pickup over the last week due to his recent performance, but we still don’t know what we can really rely on him to sustain with the exception of one categorical contribution: steals.
Although his production has been all over the map, LeVert has averaged 13.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.0 3-pointer, and 2.1 turnovers over his last seven games, giving fantasy GM’s in a variety of formats varying levels of incentive to put him on the roster.
Despite LeVert finally starting to reward some who have believed in his long-term potential, it’s important to remember that D’Angelo Russell (knee) will cut into this picture in the not-so-distant future. That means I wouldn’t be adding LeVert for a short-term gain in order to risk long-term consequence later, especially in formats where there are only a specific number of add/drops for the season and/or have a FAAB for the duration of the season.
