We are about a third of the way through the fantasy basketball season, so fantasy owners should know by now which stats they need and which stats they can afford to trade away. There have been several key injuries in the NBA recently, which have had a significant impact on the fantasy landscape across the league.
If you are looking to improve your roster by making a trade, here are some players to consider targeting.
Montrezl Harrell, Los Angeles Lakers
Harrell was a beast off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers over the previous two seasons, however, he has gotten off to a relatively quiet start in his first season with the Lakers. The big man is averaging 13.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game. That means that is scoring five fewer points, grabbing one less rebound, and swatting .4 fewer blocks per game this season than he was last year with the Clippers.
So why should fantasy managers target Harrell? Well, it’s pretty simple. Harrell’s role was already going to increase after Anthony Davis was ruled out for 2-3 weeks with a calf strain, however, now Davis is expected to miss at least a month. That means that Harrell’s usage rate and minutes are going to increase exponentially.
In nine games in which Harrell has played at least 28 minutes, he is averaging 17.7 points, 7.1 boards and 1.2 blocks. With Davis out for the foreseeable future, Harrell could very well see close to 28 minutes per game, which means his statistical output will be on the rise. Fantasy owners who currently own Harrell may be frustrated with his lackluster performance thus far. Put a few feelers out there to see if you can get the veteran big man at a discounted price.
Verdict: Buy
CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
McCollum was absolutely dominating before suffering a significant foot injury on January 16. He is not expected back until mid-March, but he should pick up right where he left off when he returns. The sharpshooter was averaging a whopping 26.7 points and 4.8 threes per content before going down with the injury. He was shooting efficiently as well, knocking down 47.3 percent of his attempts for the field and 84.4 percent of his shorts from the charity stripe.
Verdict: Buy
Kelly Oubre Jr., Golden State Warriors
Oubre has been a beast in the month of February. After a very sluggish start to the season, Oubre has found his way in Golden State. He has scored at least 23 points in three straight outings and has four straight contests with at least two steals. So long as he continues to post defensive stats, he should continue to serve as a solid option in the fantasy basketball world. In the month of February, Oubre is providing third-to-fifth round value. Target him now before his stock rises too much.
Verdict: Buy
