Fantasy basketball rest-of-season rankings: Week 13
NBA trade chatter is beginning to heat up ahead of the league’s Feb. 8 trade deadline, which should have fantasy basketball owners on high alert.
These next few weeks are often when championship-contending fantasy squads come together. Unlike the NFL’s trade deadline, which rarely features big names on the move, the NBA is known to have some fireworks in early February. Not only does a trade affect the fantasy value of the players directly involved, but their respective teammates also stand to benefit or suffer from each move.
If, for instance, Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic finds himself in a new uniform come mid-February, Bobby Portis could experience a late-season surge right as the fantasy playoffs roll around. Mirotic’s owners, meanwhile, may not be able to count on him as the consistent contributor he’s emerged as since returning from his facial fracture. That’s just one example of how a player’s fantasy fate could change at a moment’s notice between now and Feb. 8.
In the meantime, players’ stocks are otherwise soaring or plummeting as usual due to all of the typical reasons—injuries, changes in a team’s rotation or scintillating play of late. Here’s a look at how the rest-of-season rankings stack up for those in nine-category formats. Below the rankings, you can read about some notable risers and fallers from the past week.
2017 Fantasy Basketball Rankings powered by FantasyProsECR ™ – Expert Consensus Rankings
Julius Randle, PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers: It may be short-lived, but Randle’s fantasy value is back on the rise now that head coach Luke Walton re-inserted him into the Lakers’ starting lineup at the end of 2017. Over his past seven outings, the fourth-year big man averaged 17.6 points on 56.0 percent shooting, 10.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks in 27.4 minutes, good for top-100 value during that span. Randle’s spot in the starting lineup—and on the Lakers’ roster, for that matter—is by no means secure, as ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that the team is open to moving him, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. between now and the NBA’s Feb. 8 trade deadline. Fantasy owners should take this opportunity to sell high on Randle before it’s too late.
Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs: Head coach Gregg Popovich incited a temporary panic Sunday when he announced Leonard had a “partial tear” in his left shoulder prior to Sunday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the Spurs don’t “think the injury is serious following the initial diagnosis,” according to ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright, which suggests he could be back sooner than one would initially expect. Prior to the latest setback, Leonard had begun to round into form, churning out 21.3 points on 42.0 percent shooting, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.0 steals, 1.7 triples and 1.3 blocks in 28.9 minutes over his three most recent games. This may be your last buy-low opportunity for Leonard on the year, as he takes a minor tumble outside of the top 20 due to his uncertain timetable.
Jamal Murray, PG/SG, Denver Nuggets: In early November, we advised fantasy owners to scoop up Jamal Murray if he was floating around on your league’s waiver wire despite his slow start to the season. His performance over the past few weeks justified that stance. Since Dec. 12, Murray has averaged a sizzling 20.3 points on 47.7 percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.8 triples and 1.1 steals in 34.3 minutes, putting him just outside of the top 25 on a per-game basis in nine-category leagues over that span. With Emmanuel Mudiay having fallen out of Denver’s rotation, there’s no reason to believe the Blue Arrow will slow down anytime soon. He’s looking like a potential top-50 rest-of-season value.
Will Barton, SG/SF, Denver Nuggets: Let’s stay in Denver, where Barton’s fantasy stock has taken a tumble as of late. Over his past 13 games, the 27-year-old swingman has averaged only 11.2 points on 37.6 percent shooting, 5.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 triples in 29.5 minutes, putting him outside of the top 125 on a per-game basis in nine-category leagues during that span. Barton missed a game in mid-December due to a lower back contusion, so he still may be hobbled by that, although he’s no longer listed on the Nuggets’ injury report. On the year, he’s still a cheap source of middle-round value, but fantasy owners may want to consider selling high on him based on his previous output, especially since Paul Millsap’s eventual return could further slice into his production.
Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Sacramento Kings: Cauley-Stein made an appearance in our weekly waiver-wire watch in mid-December, as he appeared to be on the precipice of shaking off his inconsistent first month-and-a-half. Lo and behold, since returning from a three-game absence, the third-year big man has churned out 14.2 points on 51.6 percent shooting, 7.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.4 blocks in 28.7 minutes, putting him just outside of the top 150 on a per-game basis in nine-category leagues. With the Kings spiraling toward the bottom of the Western Conference standings, WCS figures to get even more burn as the season progresses, giving him possible top-100 rest-of-season upside.
Next: NBA Power Rankings: How high can the Thunder climb?
Mike Conley, PG, Memphis Grizzlies: Fantasy owners who have been clinging to Conley since he went down with Achilles soreness in mid-November couldn’t have been thrilled to hear the latest non-update Friday. While meeting with reporters prior to the Grizzlies’ 102-100 loss to the Washington Wizards, Conley said there’s still no definitive timetable for his return, according to Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com. He did say he intends to return at some point this season, but the lack of clarity nearly two months removed from his initial absence doesn’t bode well for that happening anytime soon. If your league doesn’t have an IR spot and you’re in a tough battle for playoff positioning, Conley is no longer a must-hold in 10- or 12-team leagues, as he’s likely to be reintroduced slowly and could be in danger for setbacks moving forward.
All ownership percentages via ESPN.com. All average draft position info via FantasyPros. All rankings via Basketball Monster are based on nine-category leagues and are current heading into Wednesday, Jan. 10.