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With Friday being the first day after the NBA trade deadline, teams were bound to be shorthanded. But there were some who had the opportunity to get a look at their newest acquisitions, which helps provide some clarity for fantasy managers looking to make sense of things. Also of note was the schedule itself, with there only being seven games played ahead of a loaded 12-game slate on Saturday. Without further ado, let’s get into the Daily Dose.
Hornets 141, Pistons 119
Just over 24 hours after he was traded, Montrezl Harrell made his Hornets debut in Detroit. As was the case in Washington the energetic big man came off the bench. And he was productive, recording a line of 15 points, six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one blocked shot. The only negative for managers who have Harrell rostered (75% Yahoo) was his foul shooting, as he made just one of five attempts. Harrell played 22 minutes and so did starting center Mason Plumlee, who finished with a line of seven points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and one blocked shot. He’s still rostered in 53% of Yahoo leagues, but that number may decrease due to Harrell’s arrival.
The other player to keep an eye on in Charlotte’s big man rotation is P.J. Washington, who was exclusively a power forward Friday night. He played 29 minutes, accounting for 13 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and three 3-pointers. According to Cleaning the Glass, 85% of Washington’s minutes this season have been played at the center position. Look for that percentage to decrease by a significant margin with Harrell in the picture. LaMelo Ball (31/5/12/4 with seven 3-pointers), Miles Bridges (25/4/3/2 with two 3-pointers), and Terry Rozier (25/10/11/4 with three 3-pointers) all had big nights, with Rozier tallying his first career triple-double. The only negative here was Bridges’ turnover count, as he racked up six.
The good news for Detroit was the fact that Cade Cunningham was back in action after missing five games with a right hip pointer. He only played 22 minutes, shooting 5-of-13 from the field and recording a line of 12 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, and two 3-pointers while also committing six turnovers. Detroit is off until Monday, which is a good thing for Cunningham. Following the game, he said that there are certain moves that “cause discomfort and pain.” Given the hip issues that Killian Hayes had to deal with last season, it feels safe to expect the Pistons to exercise caution with Cunningham. His return meant that Hamidou Diallo was back with the second unit, and he accounted for 16 points, seven rebounds, and three steals in 27 minutes. Shooting 8-of-14 from the field, Diallo was as shocking 0-of-6 from the foul line. Rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues, his value takes a major hit with Cunningham back. At best, Diallo is a deep-league player.
Detroit’s perimeter rotation will be worth watching for the remainder of the season, as there are a few veterans mixed in within this young group. Cory Joseph played just 20 minutes due to a facial injury, which opened the door for Hayes. And he had one of the best nights of his NBA career to date, putting up 11 points (5-of-9 FGs), three rebounds, 12 assists (career-high), one steal, and one 3-pointer in 28 minutes. Hayes is still having issues with consistency, especially as a shooter, but his name is one to file away as non-contending teams shift towards getting their younger players as much time as possible. He’s only rostered in 9% of Yahoo leagues, and now would be a good time for deep-league managers with a spot to play with to roll the dice.
Saddiq Bey (25/4/3/2/1 with three 3-pointers) had a good night offensively, while fellow starters Isaiah Stewart (15/12/1/0/2) and Jerami Grant (15/3/3/0/2 with one 3-pointer) also scored in double figures. Grant, who played 27 minutes, feels like a shutdown candidate…or at the very least, the Pistons eventually cut his minutes in order to further evaluate some of their younger players.
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Cavaliers 120, Pacers 113
All three of the players that Indiana acquired from Sacramento made their debuts, with Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield starting, and Tristan Thompson coming off the bench. We’ll get the latter out of the way first, as there is no reason for any manager to consider rostering Thompson. He played 15 minutes, accounting for two points, four rebounds, and one assist. What opened the door for him was the combination of Goga Bitadze (0/1/1/1/1 in 10 minutes) playing poorly and Isaiah Jackson (11/1/0/3) exiting after 12 minutes due to a sore right ankle (the same one that he sprained nine days ago).
Bitadze did start, so hopefully, he’ll get the opportunity to redeem himself Sunday afternoon when the Timberwolves visit. If you’re looking to add a Pacers forward to your roster, it needs to be Oshae Brissett, who started and put up a double-double (18/11/3/0/2 with three 3-pointers) in 38 minutes.
Haliburton and Hield had more impactful debuts for the Pacers, with both playing 40 minutes. Haliburton shot 9-of-15 from the field, finishing with 23 points, three rebounds, six assists, three steals, and four 3-pointers. He did commit six turnovers, but that likely had more to do with Haliburton needing to get used to his new teammates more than anything. And he hasn’t been a high-turnover player during his brief NBA career, either. Hield shot 6-of-17, accounting for 16 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and four 3-pointers. If Hield’s going to get into the mid-30s in minutes, especially with Malcolm Brogdon (Achilles) without a timeline for return, that will be great for those who have him rostered.
And it appears that there’s no need to worry about Chris Duarte, either. He started and played 37 minutes, accounting for 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and four 3-pointers. His usage will take a hit due to the additions, but Duarte will be fine otherwise. Rostered in 61% of Yahoo leagues, he’s provided 3rd-round value over the last week. Do not hesitate to pick up Duarte if he’s sitting on your league’s waiver wire.
Caris LeVert returned to Indiana for the first time since being traded, and he was a big reason why the Cavaliers were able to come back. Scoring eight points in the final frame, LeVert finished with 22 points (10-of-19 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), two rebounds, five assists, three steals, one block, and one 3-pointer in 36 minutes. And this was his first start as a Cavalier, filling the playmaking role that would normally belong to Darius Garland (back). Until Garland returns, Dean Wade remains a starter, and in 21 minutes he accumulated 13 points, three rebounds, two steals, and two 3-pointers. There’s no need to stream him in any league, but Friday’s effort was nice to see.
The question for Cleveland is who else moves back to the bench once Garland and Lauri Markkanen (ankle) are back in action. Or would J.B. Bickerstaff bring Markkanen off the bench? Isaac Okoro (10/1/3/0/2 in 33 minutes) may be the one to watch here, and his defensive capabilities may be what keeps him in the starting lineup. That being said, there isn’t a great deal to be had in the way of fantasy value. Certainly worth a look in deeper leagues as a starter, but that’s about it. Jarrett Allen (22/14/1/1/1) was dominant in the middle, while Rajon Rondo (17/7/6/3 with two 3-pointers) had his best game since joining the team. Rondo played 33 minutes off the bench and should be streamed until Garland returns.
76ers 100, Thunder 87
Philadelphia’s newcomers have yet to join the team, so the home team was a bit shorthanded Friday night. As a result, there isn’t much to be taken from this one as far as future fantasy value is concerned. Furkan Korkmaz (5/1/4/1) started and played 29 minutes, and it’s safe to assume that there will be even less reason to consider him once James Harden arrives. As for the backup center role, Paul Reed (6/7/0/2/2) was productive in his 13 minutes on the floor, but his upside doesn’t match that of the departed Andre Drummond. Joel Embiid (25/19/4/1/5 with one 3-pointer) was just 8-of-25 from the field, and he’s likely to average at least 35 minutes per night moving forward (he was at 33.0 per game entering Friday).
Tyrese Maxey (24/5/2 with two 3-pointers) may be the player that fantasy managers are most worried about once Harden begins playing. The good news is that he’s a 40% shooter from three, which will come in handy on a team that has to account for the exit of Seth Curry. However, this is a good time for managers who have Maxey rostered to see what they can get for him in a trade. Also of note on the perimeter was the return of Shake Milton (4/4/2), who logged 29 minutes in his first action since January 3. Milton isn’t worth streaming, even if Harden isn’t able to play immediately due to his hamstring injury.
We’re officially on Aleksej Pokusevski watch, and the Oklahoma City forward came through with another solid performance Friday night. Shooting 7-of-11 from the field, he finished with a line of 15 points, six rebounds, one assist, one block, and one 3-pointer in 30 minutes. If Pokusevski can get 25-30 minutes per night, there’s a lot to like heading into silly season. But the unpredictable nature of the Thunder rotation is what makes him difficult to fully commit to. Like many other teams, Oklahoma City will play four games during the upcoming “double week,” with three of the opponents currently out of playoff contention. That is reason enough for deep league managers to gamble on Pokusevski.
Derrick Favors (16/9/0/1/3) had one of his best games of the season, but it feels like fool’s gold, as he is a prime shutdown candidate later this season. Darius Bazley (14/15/1/1/1 with two 3-pointers) is still rostered in 44% of Yahoo leagues, which is way too low for him. He and Kenrich Williams (7/10/4/0/1) are both worth picking up, with the latter being more of a deep-league option.
Spurs 136, Hawks 121
Dejounte Murray was already a fantasy stud, providing 1st-round value in 9-cat formats. The Spurs’ decision to trade Derrick White to the Celtics will only enhance the All-Star point guard’s value, as evidenced by his explosion in Atlanta. Murray finished with 32 points (11-of-18 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), 10 rebounds, 15 assists, four steals, and two 3-pointers. Oh, he also accounted for just one turnover. It’s fair to wonder if Murray can crack the top-5 by the season’s end, provided he not be put on the shelf at some point.
Another beneficiary in the White trade is Devin Vassell, who Gregg Popovich expects to be in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future. Vassell shot 9-of-13, scoring 20 points with five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 28 minutes. Only rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues, Vassell is a must-add at all levels. Joshua Primo (13/2/3/0/1 with three 3-pointers) may wind up spending less time in the G League than originally anticipated, as the rookie continues to make strides. He isn’t an automatic pickup right now, but he’s a player that fantasy managers need to keep an eye on. Keldon Johnson (26/5/5 with three 3-pointers) and Doug McDermott (13/3/1/2 with three 3-pointers) shot the ball well, while Jakob Poeltl (12/5/3/1/3 with one 3-pointer) chipped in with a full stat line.
Atlanta had a rough go of it from an injury standpoint. John Collins (4/3/1) aggravated a heel injury and was limited to 21 minutes, while Delon Wright (7/3/1/3 with one 3-pointer) tweaked his ankle. Add in Lou Williams (hamstring) being held out despite the Hawks listing him as available, and the Hawks could be down multiple rotation players for Sunday’s game in Boston. Trae Young (18/4/11/1 with two 3-pointers) and Clint Capela (13/11/0/0/1) logged double-doubles for the home team, and the former could be asked to do even more of the heavy lifting if Wright and Williams can’t play Sunday. Bogdan Bogdanovic (23/5/4/2 with five 3-pointers) has been a 6th-round player over the last two weeks and should be rostered in more than 81% of Yahoo leagues.
Celtics 108, Nuggets 102
One of Boston’s new additions was available on Friday, with Derrick White performing well off the bench. In 28 minutes, he tallied 15 points, six rebounds, two assists, and three 3-pointers, shooting 6-of-12 from the field. Ime Udoka wasted no time fitting the versatile White into his rotation, with the Celtics playing just eight players in Friday’s victory. Fantasy managers who have White (who played the final 17 minutes) rostered should hold onto him, given Boston’s lack of depth. He’ll get into the high-20s in minutes on a consistent basis, which is enough time for White to preserve his fantasy value. Marcus Smart (22/5/7/5 with two 3-pointers) remains the starter and played 39 minutes, and the versatility of both he and White affords Udoka the ability to have them on the court at the same time.
Daniel Theis was on the bench but did not dress out. He should be available for Sunday’s game against the Hawks, pushing Boston’s rotation out to nine. Theis is a better fit for what Boston wants to do on both ends of the floor than Enes Freedom was, hence the decision to acquire him from the Rockets. Theis is highly unlikely to become a fantasy asset in Boston, as the Celtics are still relying on Robert Williams (15/16/2/2/3) and Al Horford (9/11/3/0/3 with one 3-pointer) in the post. Jayson Tatum (24/6/5/3 with one 3-pointer) and Jaylen Brown (12/7/4/3) had tough nights shooting the ball but still managed to produce in multiple categories.
Moving to the Nuggets, this was a disappointing night for fantasy managers and DFS players alike who decided to play Bones Hyland. With Monte Morris (concussion) sidelined, the rookie appeared to be well-positioned to excel in the starting role. Michael Malone had other ideas, playing Hyland (10 points, two rebounds, and one 3-pointer) 18 minutes while Facundo Campazzo (14/4/3/1/1 with three 3-pointers) logged 28 off the bench.
Denver visits Toronto on Saturday, and given the schedule, there isn’t much harm in holding onto Hyland for one more game if you rushed out to pick him up on Friday. However, keep your eyes open for possible replacements. As for Campazzo (4% rostered), he’s worth adding ahead of Saturday’s jam-packed slate. Nikola Jokic (23/16/11/0/2 with three 3-pointers) didn’t have a great night, shooting 9-of-20 from the field and finishing one turnover tie of a quadruple-double that no player wants to have. Aaron Gordon (17/6/2/3) missed all five of his 3-point attempts, but he’s still providing 6th-round value over the last two weeks.
Bulls 134, Timberwolves 122
Ayo Dosunmu (concussion) was back in action, and the rookie did not have a minutes restriction. He started and played 42 minutes, finishing with 14 points, four rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, and two 3-pointers. Dosunmu is a must-roster player for as long as the Bulls are without Lonzo Ball (knee) and Alex Caruso (wrist). His return moves Coby White back to the bench, and after being relatively quiet during the first three quarters, he exploded in the fourth. White scored 18 in the final stanza, finishing with 22 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and six 3-pointers in 29 minutes. Rostered in 42% of Yahoo leagues, White has been a 10th-round player over the last two weeks. He’s in a similar category as Dosunmu, deserving to be rostered until the Bulls’ perimeter rotation is once again whole.
Also flourishing on Friday was Javonte Green, who matched his career-high with 23 points while also accounting for four rebounds, one assist, and three 3-pointers. While it would have been nice to get some defensive production from Green, you’ll certainly take a 10-of-13 night from the field. He’s rostered in 32% of Yahoo leagues, and his positional eligibility (PG/SG/SF) makes Green an attractive fantasy target. And Saturday’s matchup with the Thunder sets up to be one in which he can build on Friday’s performance. DeMar DeRozan (35/6/6/1) and Nikola Vucevic (26/8/7 with two 3-pointers) led the way for the Bulls, more than making up for Zach LaVine (12/4/6/0/1 with one 3-pointer) shooting 5-of-14 from the field.
As for the Timberwolves, there were no major changes to their rotation. Jaylen Nowell was a DNP-CD after playing no more than 13 minutes in any of the four games prior, and he hasn’t been on the fantasy radar since D’Angelo Russell (18/1/3/1 with two 3-pointers) returned to action. Anthony Edwards (31/6/8/0/1 with three 3-pointers) and Karl-Anthony Towns (27/8/8/2/1 with one 3-pointer) led the way offensively, while Malik Beasley (11/4/1/1/1 with two 3-pointers) has cooled off since going through a stretch in which he scored 18 points or more in three straight games. Also, Jarred Vanderbilt (6/3/1/1) continues to struggle, with Chris Finch saying after the game that his defense is the reason why his minutes have decreased recently. Hold onto Vanderbilt for now, but managers who have him rostered will want to keep an eye on his playing time.
Jazz 114, Magic 99
Utah was once again without Rudy Gobert (calf), which meant another game for the two-headed monster that is Udoka Azubuike and Hassan Whiteside. And both played well, with Azubuike (12/7/0/0/1) making all six of his shots in 21 minutes, and Whiteside (15/18/1/0/2) recording his first double-double since January 26. Whiteside is the better option of the two with Gobert sidelined, as he’s provided top-25 value over the last week. But don’t sleep on Azubuike, who is worth a look in deeper leagues where Whiteside may have already been claimed. Donovan Mitchell (24/7/1/3 with three 3-pointers) shot just 6-of-19 from the field but was able to make up for that with a 9-of-10 night from the foul line. Like Whiteside, he has been a top-25 player over the last week.
Mike Conley (8/3/5/0/2 with two 3-pointers) and Bojan Bogdanovic (7/7/3/1 with one 3-pointer) had disappointing nights offensively, as they combined to shoot 5-of-22 from the field. Utah needs those two, who have shot 32.4 and 35.7 percent, respectively, over the last week to get back on track. The eventual return of Gobert, a player that opposing teams have to respect in the two-man game, should help there.
Looking at Orlando, their rotation did not undergo any changes after the trade deadline, with Gary Harris (8/2/1/2 with one 3-pointer) and Terrence Ross (11/2/3 with three 3-pointers) staying put. They played 29 and 25 minutes, respectively, off the bench, so they’re in Jamahl Mosley’s plans for the time being. As for Robin Lopez, he was a DNP-CD for the second time in the last three games. So long as Wendell Carter Jr. (22/9/2/0/1 with one 3-pointer) and Mo Bamba (16/8/2/0/2 with two 3-pointers) are healthy, Lopez is going to have a hard time when it comes to earning minutes. With that being the case, it’s fair to wonder if he and/or the Magic will entertain the possibility of a buyout.
Cole Anthony (18/6/5/1 with three 3-pointers) shot the ball well, going 6-of-12 from the field and 3-of-3 from the foul line, but he also committed seven turnovers. He’s been a top-75 player over the last week, despite averaging 4.3 turnovers per game. If he can get that area under control, there’s no reason why he can’t stick in the top-100 for the remainder of the season.
