Fantasy Basketball Buy Low Sell High Week 20

Most NBA trade deadlines have passed. All of my players I am qualifying as sell high buy low should either be on the waiver wire and should be off your team or someone you should keep an eye out that could be hitting the wire soon. With the second half of the NBA season beginning after a less than stellar all-star break, some teams are in full out “tank mode” which means some bench players are being hoisted into starting roles. Some are producing, some are not.

Sell High

F Kawhi Leonard, SAS

This Kawhi situation is beyond absured. The doctor’s have actually given Kawhi clearance to come back, but Kawhi has the final say for when he is actually ready to come back. Leonard has only played nine games this year. Kawhi is argued to be a top 5 player in the NBA, being a two time defensive player of the year while at the same time, averaging well over 20 PPG. A couple days ago Coach Gregg Poppovic was interviewed and stunned everyone when he said “I’d be shocked if he (Kawhi) came back this year.” So I don’t know, this is a very risky situation because Kawhi healthy is easy first round pick production. But, I have him in one of my other leagues, and for as much research as I have done on this, I just don’t see Leonard coming back. What makes this so strange is the doctors have actually given him the OK to come back but Leonard I guess just doesn’t think he is ready. There are two ways to approach Kawhi currently in fantasy. Option one, you could drop Leonard thinking he isn’t going to return and grab a player of value off of the wire to give your team production. Option two, stash Leonard by putting him on IR (if your league has one), or by just putting him on the bench just in case he returns.

My biggest issue with all of this is there have been conflicting reports released about the Spurs relationship with Leonard. From what I have read, I don’t see Leonard coming back or staying in a Spurs uniform for long. In my opinion, I am most likely dropping Kawhi there is just too much information to think he is going to come back and produce especially with the fantasy basketball season coming to a close so quickly.

F Marquese Chriss, PHX

Chriss had a lot of hype surrounding him coming out of the University of Washington. A big who can stretch the floor, along with rebound and protect the rim, not to mention he’s 6’10. I would expect a player of that profile to instantly produce. Chriss is a very weird fantasy player, mostly due to the fact that he is one of the Suns franchise pieces that they are looking to build around. Chriss is a very exciting player when you watch him, along with Booker, and Len. The Suns are a very exciting team, however Chriss’s fantasy value, is just boring. He doesn’t do enough he throws a couple double-doubles like he did last week, however you just can’t rely on that to stay up. I think if you have Chriss on your team, I think it’s about time you got rid of him. As I said before, Chriss does have some breakout games, just not enough to keep on your roster. In my opinion, Marquese Chriss is a sell high.

F Wilson Chandler, DEN

Wilson Chandler is an uber athletic forward out of the University of Depaul who plays for a young and upcoming Denver Nuggets team. Chandler himself, not that young sitting at 30. Chandler the past 4 games has been playing amazing including last night’s performance of 18 points and 16 rebounds against the Spurs. The past 4 games Chandler is averaging 18 PPG and 7.75 RPG. However, the Nuggets have a major piece set and ready to return. His name, Paul Millsap. The four time all star has had wrist surgery and is ready to come back in the next week or so. When this happens, Chandler’s role will disapear almost completely. With young productive players such as Will Barton, Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic, Trey Lyles and Gary Harris. I just don’t see Chandler’s value increasing or even staying at what it is now.  In my opinion, Chandler needs to be dropped, I would look at some producers who are going to stay in the starting lineup.

Buy Low 

G David Nwaba, CHI

Nwaba is a very interesting player. Extreme athleticism, lockdown defender, not much of a shooter and can get to the lane almost at will. Nwaba was on the Los Angeles Lakers G-League team last year and made some splashes in some highlight reels. With Nwaba’s 38 inch verticle he can do more than hold his own. Nwaba spent his college years at Santa Monica University and then transfered to Cal Poly. Wasnt named first team or second team in the Big West Conference. Heck, he wasn’t even an honorable mention. Nwaba went undrafted and was picked by the LA Defenders, the Lakers G-League Affiliate. I remember watching this kid play against the Hornets late on a saturday night. The Lakers were in Tank mode and through Nwaba in the starting lineup and Nwaba completely shut down one of the better point guards in the league, Kemba Walker.

As the season came to an end Nwaba did all he could but his contract was eventually let go. The offseason hit and it looked like Nwaba’s career was over, until the Chicago Bulls purchased his contract. Nwaba would come off the bench for the rebuilding Chicago Bulls and after the all star break Nwaba actually was given the starting job, with the goal in the Bulls mind of losing more games. Since Nwaba has been starting he’s averaged 14.3 PPG along with a solid 8 RPG, as a guard! Last night Nwaba led the Bulls in minutes played with 39. Nwaba is a fantastic add his ceiling actually is pretty high. He can almost be certain to rebound and get you a solid amount of steals. But, I would ride Nwaba’s scoring streak as well. Considering he’s only taken in 9% of leagues. Nwaba is a great add.

G Dennis Smith Jr. DAL

Dennis Smith has taken the entire NBA world and flipped it upside down. With comparisons to Russell Westbrook the young rookie has done more than produce this season. However, Smith Jr. is still a rookie which is explaining his ups and downs currently. Smith is coming off of a seven point performance against the Utah Jazz. To be completely honest, if Dennis Smith Jr. is on your waiver wire, you need to add him immediately. The entire offense runs through Smith, he is averaging 14 PPG along with just under 5 APG and just under 4 RPG. Smith is a bonified stud. I just added Smith in one of my other leagues and I couldn’t have been happier when I added him. I suggest you add Smith as soon as possible. Yes, he is having a rough stretch but you can fully expect him to pick it up as the Mavericks are most likely to feed Smith Jr. as the year comes to a close.

F/C Lauri Markkanen, CHI

Markkanen has caught everyone by suprise. I knew the kid was going to be good coming out of Arizona, the 7 foot big who shoots the three better than a handful of veteran bigs. Markkanen achieved a very eye catching acolade earlier in the season, being the fastest player in NBA history ever to make 100 three pointers in a season. Markkanen is without question the center piece of the Chicago Bulls, other than Zach LaVine. But, expect the rookie to play big minutes down the stretch as the Bulls coaching staff is pretty much throwing any young piece out there for big minutes. Markkanen the past two games has only had 3 Points. Which might scare fantasy owners, because its not his usual 22 and 8 that we have seen almost all year. I recieved Markkanen in a trade recently and have been a little worried the past couple of games, but you have to remember that this kid is 20 years old. There are going to be many chances for Markkanen to produce so if he is available you should definitley add him because I believe his production is going to sky rocket the second half of the year.

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