Fantasy Basketball: Week 17 Buy Low Sell High

This week in the NBA was one of the craziest I have ever seen. I can assume more insane unexpected moves are going to continue to be made so if you expect to win your fantasy basketball league, you should pick these guys up, or get as far away from this player as you possibly can.

Sell High

G Buddy Hield, SA

I honestly don’t think anybody saw this coming, but this week Buddy Hield is on my sell high list. The Sacramento Kings are going through a complete rebuild, and have made it known that their younger players are going to play most of the games as the season winds down. Players like, DeAaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Willie-Cauley Stein values go up because of the minutes. However, Buddy Hield has not stepped up to expectations. He has always been able to score and is one of the better young three-point shooters in the league, however, he isn’t scoring, and that’s really all he does. Don’t expect any rebounds, assists, steals or blocks out of Hield. He is a strictly two category player, he contributes three-pointers made and points. That’s it, and when he’s going through a tough stretch like he is now his fantasy value is almost nothing. If you have Buddy Hield on your roster try and move him, and if you can’t get anything for him, it wouldn’t be too crazy to put him on the wire.

Sell High

G Marcus Smart, BOS

Honestly, never really been a fan of Marcus Smart. He is a solid perimeter defender but never had much fantasy value. I was a big fan of his at Oklahoma State but he really hasn’t brought the scoring he had at in college towards the NBA. On January 23rd after a loss to the Lakers, Smart punched a picture frame hanging on the wall and had a laceration on his hand that will sideline him for two weeks. Smart in college had always been known for his off the court antics and ever since that incident his name has been brought up in trade talks. Which is why he is on my sell high list.

Smart this season only averages 10 PPG which is not great, along with 3 RBG and just over four and a half assists per game. I believe Smart’s assists are coming from playing with guys such as Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, and Jaylen Brown. If he gets traded and is put on a non-contending team, his fantasy value could disappear completely. My advice, if you haven’t already is get rid of him ASAP.

Sell High

G Tim Hardaway Jr. NYK 

Hardaway Jr. was brought to New York on a 4 year $70 million dollar contract last year and the Knicks had expected him to be a solid second option to Porzingas. Hardaway has always been an above average shooter and a great fantasy player if you need points and threes due to his usual consistency. However, his consistency has dropped as of late averaging 9 PPG over his last 5 games including a 1-14 (0-9 3PT) versus the Milwaukee Bucks ending with 6 points.

There has been a direct downfall for Hardaway for more than a month now and before your trade deadlines hit, get Hardaway off your team but get something in return, this may be a cold streak so I think he may be too good to put on the wire. I absolutely believe you can get a player in return however for Hardaway.

Buy Low

G/F Danilo Gallinari, LAC

One of the most underrated players in the NBA in my opinion. This man has always been able to score. His 6’10 frame, with an automatic jumper and the ability to create his own shot, makes him almost unguardable.

His last two years in Denver he averaged 19 PPG and 18 PPG. He has always been able to score unfortunately he has been out almost the whole season since being added to the Clippers. However, he is back and scoring in high numbers again. His first three games back he’s averaging 22.3 PPG, along with 6.3 RPG. Gallinari is going to be the number one offensive option the rest of the way for the Clippers, even more so if DeAndre Jordan is dealt which is most likely going to happen. Gallinari is one of those guys if he is available on your waiver wire and you add him he can easily be a major contributor towards winning you a championship.

Buy Low

G Mario Hezonja, ORL

Hezonja was the 5th overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Croatia. At first, he looked to be another European basketball bust. However, it might turn out to be that Hezonja just never got a chance to get on the court. Much like the Nets, the Magic are also going through a rebuild and building around young pieces such as Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon.

Gordon has had hip issues and will miss the dunk contest, he has also missed 5 straight games. Hezonja has stepped in and gone crazy averaging 16 points per game in the past four games while averaging close to two steals per game. Hezonja is a straight scorer, don’t expect much production out of the other major categories, other than three-pointers made and points. Expect Hezonja to play up to the all-star break, and possibly after. As of now, Hezonja is a good add considering he was previously owned in only 5% of leagues.

Buy Low

C Jarret Allen, BKN

The Nets are one of the worst franchises in the NBA and have very few pieces other than, Jahlil Okafor and DeAngelo Russell, however, a new interesting piece has emerged from the shadows in the rookie center, Jarret Allen. Allen was a late first-round draft pick last year out of the University of Texas and has proved to be a rebounding machine as well as a rim protector.

Allen has been playing out of his mind his past 7 games including a 16 point, 12 rebound game against the Philadelphia 76ers and the rebounding machine that is Joel Embiid. I believe Allen is a good pickup in deeper leagues, the man is going to get nothing but playing time because the Nets have nobody else. Allen is a smart add if you’re looking for points, rebounds, and blocks. Very productive big man if you’re weak in that position.

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