Deandre

Ayton

Ayton and Walker exited Friday’s game prematurely, which will be their last action of the season. Duop Reath, Kris Murray, Dalano Banton, and Justin Minaya are among those who can absorb those minutes. Ayton entered the season with top-50 fantasy expectations and largely lived up to them, even if the production did not translate into winning. As for Walker, his value did not increase until after the Blazers were hit hard by injuries.

Ayton played 23 minutes before exiting, finishing with six points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Walker only played 14 minutes, tallying nine points, five rebounds, and one blocked shot. If Ayton and Walker aren’t available for Sunday’s season finale, Duop Reath, Dalano Banton, and Kris Murray are three players who could be asked to shoulder heavy workloads.

Another game, another double-double for Ayton, who has recorded one in six straight games. Some teams may have shut down Ayton by now, but Portland is shorthanded due to injuries. That may protect his value for the final two games of the season. And it will be two more opportunities to improve his chemistry with Scoot Henderson, who hit double digits in assists for the second straight game. Henderson finished with 18 points, three rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers in 40 minutes. The turnovers (nine) will be an issue; hopefully, that doesn’t carry over into 2024-25.

Ayton continues to produce gaudy stat lines as Portland plays out the string. He’s recorded a double-double in five straight games, scoring 30 or more on two occasions. As long as the Blazers don’t shut him down, Ayton will continue to have these nights to end the season. And it limits Duop Reath’s value to managers whose leagues are still active. While he was productive on Tuesday, tallying 12 points, five rebounds, one assist, and two 3-pointers, Reath only played 12 minutes. Portland has three games remaining, beginning with the Warriors on Thursday.

Ayton has been masterful in five games since returning from a four-game absence, and he dominated the Celtics in this one. Ayton has averaged 23.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals across his last five, and he’s provided top-25 fantasy hoops value in that span. The Blazers are wildly thin in the frontcourt, and Ayton should continue to see monster opportunities for the final week of the season.

Ayton has scored 30 points or more in four games this season, one shy of his total as a member of the Suns in 2022-23. What’s also encouraging for the Blazers and fantasy managers is that he has established solid chemistry with Scoot Henderson. Over the past two weeks, both have provided top 100 per-game value in 8-cat formats, with Ayton being a top 40 player. Henderson shot 8-of-14 from the field on Friday, scoring 19 points with three rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 30 minutes. Look for Portland to take advantage of their partnership on Sunday when they visit Boston in their final game of Week 23.

Ayton recorded his second straight double-double and 28th of the season on Wednesday. Providing 5th-round per-game value in 8-cat formats over the past three weeks, productivity is not a concern for managers who have Ayton rostered. Availability is, even though he has played in each of Portland’s last three games. Given Portland’s place in the standings, Duop Reath (seven points, three rebounds, and one 3-pointer in 11 minutes) remains relevant in deep leagues despite not seeing much action as Ayton’s backup. The schedule may give Ayton managers hope, as the Blazers play two more games in Week 23 but will not have to deal with a back-to-back.

Ayton has scored 20 points or more in seven of his last nine outings, and he recorded his second double-double in four games on Monday. Availability, or lacking it, has minimized Ayton’s margin for error regarding fantasy value. While he has provided 4th-round value in 9-cat formats over the past three weeks, he’s only appeared in seven games. Ayton can produce some gaudy stat lines the rest of the way, but he isn’t a lock to be available night in and night out.

Ayton returned to the lineup on Friday, and the individual production was solid. However, it wasn’t enough to keep the Blazers from suffering their second 60-point loss of the season. At this point in the season, Ayton is Portland’s best fantasy option, but only if the availability isn’t in question. His return on Friday pushed Duop Reath to the bench, and the rookie finished with six points and two rebounds in 14 minutes. He’s worth holding onto, as there’s no telling how Portland will handle Ayton’s availability moving forward.

Ayton and Thybulle will both be back after multi-game absences, which is a bit surprising for the tanking Blazers. Ayton’s return should push Duop Reath back to the bench, while Jabari Walker has already been reported as the starter in place of the injured Toumani Camara.