Fansided

Fantasy basketball: three buy-low candidates up front

By Tyler Aliperto

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 23: Mitchell Robinson #26 of the New York Knicks swings from the rim after making a slam dunk during the second quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden on January 23, 2019 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 23: Mitchell Robinson #26 of the New York Knicks swings from the rim after making a slam dunk during the second quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden on January 23, 2019 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 15: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls looks on with Lauri Markkanen #24 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the LA Clippers on March 15, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 15: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls looks on with Lauri Markkanen #24 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the LA Clippers on March 15, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Buy Low:

Lauri Markkanen

The former Arizona Wildcats’ star and third-year NBA player Lauri Markkanen has really seen his numbers drop in a way that not many, if anyone at all, expected them to this season.

The Chicago Bulls’ forward is averaging career-lows in points per game (14.2), rebounds per game (6.8), field goal percentage (37.8 percent), and 3-point percentage (32 percent) while putting up nearly four less shot attempts per game than he did last year.

While many fantasy owners may find these statistical drops across the board to be extremely frightening and a cause for panic given Markkanen’s ADP of 41, this is the perfect time for savvy fantasy owners to swoop in and swing a trade that may look like a steal later in the year.

Got a fantasy owner who may be living too much in the present and is expressing frustration at Markkanen’s slow start? Offer them a combination of players who you feel are overachieving and can’t keep up their current pace or who may lose minutes once a rotation player comes back from injury/suspension.

If your roster is good enough that you can handle the possibility that it might take a few more weeks for Markkanen to find his shot, then why not see if an opposing owner overvalues someone like Aaron Baynes’ hot start without DeAndre Ayton or Evan Fournier’s current role as the first option until Nikola Vucevic returns?

Whoever the players are on your roster who you feel are overachieving or bound to lose minutes in the near future, its worth attempting to sell them to in order to roster Markkanen when he inevitably returns to his 18.7 point, 9 rebound per game averages.

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