Trade deadline week is finally here, with teams having until 3 PM Eastern on February 8 to finalize those transactions. While there’s always the buyout market to consider after the deadline, this week tends to force fantasy managers to make even more adjustments on the fly than usual. Also, this is Super Bowl week, meaning Week 16 will culminate with a light two-game slate. Let’s look at the Week 16 schedule breakdown and some of its key storylines.
Week 16 Games Played
4 Games: ATL, BKN, CHA, CLE, DAL, GSW, NOR, PHI, SAC, TOR
3 Games: BOS, CHI, DET, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHO, SAS, WAS
2 Games: DEN, MIN, POR, UTA
Week 16 Storylines
– Which path will Joel Embiid take with his recovery?
The reigning MVP injured his left knee during Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors, with Jonathan Kuminga landing on his leg while diving for a loose ball. Already dealing with soreness in that knee, Embiid is said to have suffered a meniscus injury. While The Athletic reported on Saturday that the issue is a displaced flap, the 76ers haven’t offered any details regarding the injury or the recovery path that Embiid will take. Reportedly, a decision on whether to go the rest/recovery or surgical procedure route will be made on Monday.
Either way, Embiid will miss time; it’s just a matter of how much. In the immediate future, Paul Reed remains the fantasy pickup, with Mo Bamba as the backup center. However, the lingering question is how Embiid’s injury will impact Philadelphia’s approach to the trade deadline. One would assume that Daryl Morey and company will be very active in addressing the loss of Embiid, impacting the fantasy values of the entire rotation for Week 16 and beyond.
– Now’s a good time to hop onto the Ayo Dosunmu bandwagon
Another significant piece of injury news dropped on Saturday, as the Bulls announced that Zach LaVine will undergo season-ending surgery on his right foot. The trade rumors surrounding him will cease, as he can’t help any hopeful contender this season. But what will this news do to the trade prospects of Alex Caruso or DeMar DeRozan? It can be argued that moving rotation players for additional draft capital would do the Bulls better than looking to earn the 9th or 10th seed in the East.
As for the fantasy impact, not much changes. Dosunmu, who recently moved into the starting lineup due to Patrick Williams joining LaVine on the sideline, is worth committing to, even though the Bulls only play three games during Week 16. Williams is unlikely to return before the All-Star break, and the return of Torrey Craig should not negatively impact Dosunmu’s minutes or fantasy outlook. If the Bulls decide to move other rotation players, rookie Julian Phillips is someone to keep in mind for the post-All-Star break stretch run.
– Thursday’s nine-game slate includes multiple teams that have been the focus of trade rumors
Trade deadline day will be fun for fantasy managers, depending on how quick they are to their leagues’ waiver wires. Eighteen teams will be in action that night, so some players stand to be ruled out due to pending trades. Among the teams who will be playing and have players who’ve been the subject of trade rumors are Detroit, LA Lakers, Memphis, Portland, San Antonio, and Utah. Guys like Alec Burks, Jordan Clarkson, and Kelly Olynyk haven’t been elite fantasy options, but they’ve all been productive and are capable of helping a playoff-bound team. The same can be said for Jerami Grant and Malcolm Brogdon in Portland, and there are also players like Dejounte Murray or Bruce Brown who have come up in trade speculation, but their respective teams (Atlanta and Toronto) don’t play on Thursday.
– Timberwolves and Jazz will be done with Week 16 by Thursday
This isn’t good news for fantasy managers who have stars on these two teams rostered. In the case of Minnesota, Week 16 means only two games of Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley. As for Utah, Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton are the most notable fantasy options that will offer diminished value simply because of a lack of games played during Week 16. One team to consider in the quest for alternatives is Sacramento. The Kings play four games during Week 16, including a Super Bowl Sunday matchup with the Thunder. Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk are rostered in 61% of Yahoo leagues, while Harrison Barnes comes in at 45%, and all three have been top-75 players in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks, according to Basketball Monster.
– Will some critical minutes restrictions be lifted during Week 16?
Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) and Cleveland’s duo of Darius Garland (jaw) and Evan Mobley (knee) have recently returned to game action. Still, each remained on a minutes limit at the end of Week 15. Will that change during Week 16? Fantasy managers certainly hope so, especially in the case of Haliburton, who has been one of the most productive players in fantasy basketball this season. The good news for managers who have him rostered is that, while Indiana plays three games during Week 16, there are no back-to-backs. As for Cleveland, a four-game week could become three for Garland or Mobley due to a midweek road back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday against the Wizards and Nets. If the Cavaliers were to give their stars a night off, that matchup with Washington might be the one due to how poorly the Wizards have played this season.
– Denver and Portland have brutal fantasy schedules
Not only do the Nuggets and Trail Blazers only play twice during Week 16, but the first game for both teams isn’t until Thursday. That may not impact much for the Nuggets, as the team doesn’t have any fringe fantasy options outside of Peyton Watson or Reggie Jackson, and their value is dictated by the availability of players ahead of them in the rotation. Portland’s a little different. In addition to the Brogdon trade chatter, Jabari Walker has struggled recently but played well for most of January. Also, Scoot Henderson has kicked things up a notch regarding his consistency; how much will the time off impact him? None of these players are must-rosters by any stretch, but the schedule stands to impact their value in deeper leagues negatively.
Light Game Days
Sunday: 2 Games
BOS vs. MIA
SAC vs. OKC
Week 16 Back-to-backs
Sunday (Week 15)-Monday: CHA, LAC, TOR
Monday-Tuesday: BKN, DAL
Tuesday-Wednesday: MIA
Wednesday-Thursday: CLE, DET, GSW, SAS
Thursday-Friday: DEN, LAL, MIL
Friday-Saturday: ATL, CHA, HOU, NOR, PHI, TOR, WAS
Saturday-Sunday: OKC
Sunday-Monday: None