Fantasy Basketball: Players to target in trades
Jalen Brunson had 15 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds in his first game with the New York Knicks.
The NBA season is officially back, as we saw two of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference and two of the more star-studded and controversial teams in the Western Conference.
Each and every Wednesday, we will be providing players that you should not only look to acquire via trade but also players you should look to trade away.
Since – at the time of this writing – we are dealing with a sample of, well, two games, we will base the values on the below players on their preseason value.
Going forward, we’ll adjust that with the data that we’ve seen so far and build in potential trade scenarios for those you should look to acquire and those you should look to move.
Let’s get to it, and happy NBA season.
Trade For:
Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF, C – MEM)
Jackson was hard to rank heading into the season since he underwent right-foot surgery in June. It’s hard to bet on bigs coming back at a high level right away from foot surgery, but Jackson seems to be ahead of schedule with his progression.
Head Coach Taylor Jenkins said that he expects Jackson to participate in 5-on-5 drills soon, putting him ahead of his potential January return.
What’s more, before the Grizzlies’ preseason games, Jackson was part of the on-court pre-game team session that the Grizzlies do. He was jumping like a guy who was about to play 30 minutes. He looks healthy, and the window to get him cheap will be small.
Rudy Gobert (C – MIN)
This is an opportunity to cash in on the offseason narrative around the Gobert deal. So many people were making fun of the Timberwolves for the number of Draft picks they gave away that can slip into our minds as fantasy players. But don’t be confused here. The deal has nothing to do with the immediate future but rather 2024 and 2025, as well as how it will work in the playoffs.
But because of that, people seem to be fading Gobert a bit, and while he will lose out on some rebounds to Karl-Anthony Towns, the elite defensive and rebounding numbers will still be there for him. The center position thin, so if you can get him at any discount at all, do it.
Jalen Brunson (PG – NYK)
Speaking of the new Knicks guard, don’t be surprised if there is an early discussion about Brunson not being what the team envisioned. Brunson will lead the team and be the first true point guard they’ve had in some time, but he’s not a guy who will go out and average 20 points per game. That’s not his game, and that’s not what the Knicks want him to be.
If that narrative starts to happen, look to acquire him. He’s going to be a really good fantasy option this year, especially if you need help in assists and off-position boards.
Isaiah Hartenstein (C – NYK)
The Knicks made a concerted effort to address their center depth this offseason by retaining Mitchell Robinson via an extension and signing Hartenstein as a free agent.
The Knicks have misused Robinson over the extent of his career, and in some ways, it makes sense, as he hasn’t been the beacon of health and hasn’t developed offensively.
My prediction is that Hartenstein out-earns Robinson this year and will usurp him from the starting and closing lineups for the Knicks. With the center position being so thin, you can get Hartenstein now for cheap before his value soars.
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Mike Maher is an editor and content manager at FantasyPros and BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive, follow him on Twitter @MikeMaher
