NBA Fantasy Mailbag: Trade offers and waiver questions for Dec. 16
Rudy Gobert’s future in Minnesota, among other topics, came up in this week’s mailbag.
This week, I reached out on Twitter to help fantasy basketball managers with any questions they might have. Without further ado, let’s get to the task at hand and start answering them.
Should I try to sell high on Rudy Gobert before Karl-Anthony Towns returns? Gobert has been putting up better numbers since Towns’ injury, but his blocks seem to have dried up. – @Threenout1
The Towns and Gobert pairing got off to a rocky start. It’s not all that surprising, as the duo tried adjusting to playing in such a big lineup. Overall, Gobert’s numbers are still good at 14.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He has started to heat up with Towns out, providing 17.8 points and 15.2 rebounds over the last five games. Strangely enough, he is only averaging 1.2 blocks per game this season, including 1.0 blocks over the last five games. He has averaged at least 2.0 blocks in each of the last eight seasons.
If Gobert isn’t racking up blocks in bunches, his fantasy value takes a significant hit. Once Towns returns from injury, Gobert could again see his other stats take a hit. It’s a good idea to shop him around your league now to see if you can capitalize on his hot streak with a trade that improves your roster.
Should I trade Terry Rozier and Evan Mobley for Jimmy Butler and Jaren Jackson Jr.? – @WESYAP
This is a heck of a risky trade. The Butler and Jackson side has the highest upside. Jackson is having a stellar season, putting up 17.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 3.3 blocks and 1.8 3-pointers per game, all while shooting 51.1% from the field. Butler has been equally impressive, averaging 21.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 52.5% from the field.
The problem with the Butler and Jackson duo is that they both frequently miss time. Butler has appeared in fewer than 60 games in each of the last three seasons, and he has already missed 11 games this season. Jackson has had similar issues, topping 60 games just once in his career and being limited to just 12 games this season. This would be a slam-dunk move if these two were more reliable on the injury front. However, with how often they get hurt, I prefer the safer combination of Rozier and Mobley.
Steven Adams, Marcus Morris and Torrey Craig are all available on waivers. Which should I prioritize adding? My droppable guys are Lonnie Walker, and maybe Jalen Duren. – @FantasyQsLive
First of all, I’m holding onto Duren. He has looked great since moving into the starting lineup, averaging 6.7 points, 14.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over three games. Now that Cade Cunningham (shin) is out for the season, it makes sense for the Pistons to see what they have in Duren and continue to play him in a larger role.
Dropping Walker is fine. He’s averaging 15.7 points and 2.0 3-pointers per game, but he provides little production everywhere else. Of the players in this trio, I prefer Adams, especially if you need a big man. He has remained a steady presence in the middle for the Grizzlies, putting up 8.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 60.4% from the field.
Received a trade offer. Should I trade Paul George and Bobby Portis for Royce O’Neale and Karl-Anthony Towns? – @dylansub
Given the big names involved, I asked for more context for this trade. This fantasy manager also has Joel Embiid, Myles Turner, Jusuf Nurkic and Robert Williams III on his roster. That’s a lot of talented centers, so adding to the position with an injured Towns isn’t necessary.
An interesting note for this trade is how well Bobby Portis has played again this season. Even with Brook Lopez back and healthy, Portis has averaged 14.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 3-pointers. He might be one of the most underrated players in fantasy.
At this point in the season, are there any players that I should target on waivers or in trades that will see increased playing time after the trade deadline? – @DaglesBagels
With the Hornets battling injuries, they find themselves with one of the worst records in the league. That could make them sellers at the trade deadline, with Mason Plumlee being an attractive center option for contending teams. If he were to get dealt, Nick Richards could see a significant boost in production. Across 11 games in which Richards has logged at least 20 minutes, he has averaged 12.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks.
The rebuilding Spurs could also look to move their starting center Jakob Poeltl. If that were to happen, Zach Collins could take over at the position. He has been starting with Poeltl out with a knee injury, and he has responded by averaging 9.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 52.3% from the field over his last six games. Collins did sit out Wednesday against the Trail Blazers with an ankle injury, but it doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue.
The Jazz are a team that could shake things up. After getting off to a hot start, they have started to come back a bit in the standings. They entered the season with the look of a rebuilding team following the trades of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. Not only did they receive a lot of draft picks in those deals, but they also brought in quality depth. Should they continue to fall down the standings, Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk are three veterans who could be available via trade. If Olynyk were to be dealt, Walker Kessler could step into a starting role. He has already started to play more lately and has been valuable, averaging 10.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks over his last seven games.
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