This fantasy team you’ve assembled is still settling into place, like the foundation of a new building. As someone who knows nothing whatsoever about construction beyond my adventures in Ikea assembly, it stands to reason that if the foundation isn’t sound, if the footprint is comprised of poorly poured concrete, the building won’t stand. Or maybe it will, I haven’t the foggiest clue. But in terms of your squad, I proudly assert that I am marginally less out of my element. Look at it this way: we all need to take these early weeks as seriously as the later ones, particularly for securing those cumulative stat categories, if we wish to compete for a championship, right? So I say, perhaps recklessly, that even entering week 3, improving your foundation should be everyone’s goal, particularly those employed in the concrete business. Check out these cornerstones I’ve poorly stuck into this analogy:
BUY:
Ryan Anderson PF, C
I could easily put Anderson in the sell column, as he has injury concerns. But because of that, his price should, theoretically, be lowered. For a stretch 4, he has registered almost a block and steal a game (5 in 6 games in both cats), to go with 15.7/6.7/1.2 with 2 treys per, and decent percentages for a guy who lives outside of the paint. Consider this: he plays almost all his minutes alongside Anthony Davis, who will keep him open on offence all game long. It’s all about if he can stay healthy, so are you a riverboat gambler, or a safety-first kind of player? Because Anderson is more about the former than the latter. He’s not a saviour, to be sure, but giving up 6-7 round talent for him? I’d be very happy with that.
Brook Lopez C
I have routinely in the past put Brook as a sell each year I’ve been writing this smelly little article, I believe. Because he’s always injured, coming off an injury, or about to be injured. But when he’s on the court, he’s an offensive force. He got injured recently, stepping on an opponent’s foot, but it’s not supposed to miss many, if any games. As I write this, he’s a game-time decision, and that may spook Lopez’s current owner, and allow you to buy low. He has put up 20.4/7.7/1.4/0/1.8 thus far, with good percentages, but you better have an IR position in your league, because injury is not a question of if, but when. His stats put him at a top 30 range, but you shouldn’t pay any more than a 55-60+ player for this brittle old battle-axe.
Karl-Anthony Towns C
He has been a wonderful, if not expected, revelation for the Timberwolves, playing just about 30 minutes which is fantastic for a rook, first overall notwithstanding. Towns has averaged 15.2/9.6/1.2/.2/3 over his first 5. This is not a buy low recommendation by any stretch, but if you’re going to pry him away from his owner, now will be the time, as I predict it will only get better for this future blue-chip cat, and he has additional value if you’re in a keeper league. For what it’s worth, he has stumbled in 2 of his 5 games in stats other than blocks, so there’s a thin chance you can parlay that into a lower price. Look at it this way: as good as the Brow was in his rookie campaign, if you traded for him in his rookie campaign, whatever you paid, it was worth it. The price for Towns isn’t going down from here, is what I’m saying.
Monta Ellis PG, SG
There are times where I lament having only one day a week to offer my brain droppings to the Razzball faithful. You, gentle reader, may have missed the true buy low point for our scooter riding hero. He was shooting an abysmal 30-ish percent for the year, below his actual watershed level, and while not a true point, he wouldn’t have hovered at 3 dimes per. He’s had better performances lately, but I still believe he’s a good buy low candidate. Do with that what you will.
J.J. Hickson PF, C
This is just a waiver pick up if you need big stats. Jusuf Nurkic and Joffrey Lauvergne, besides both possessing names that are difficult to spell, are both hurt, and JJ put up 19/13/1/0/3 in his last game in 30 minutes, shooting .633, and he’s currently 3% owned. Ride him while he’s hot. Er, warm. Warmish? Warmish.
SELL:
Jared Sullinger PF, C
Things have picked up for Sully in the last couple games, after a ho hum start. In his last 3 games, he has gone13.3/9/2.3/1.3/1.3, shooting 2 treys per game. The inconsistency is my concern, and so I say kick some tires using this hot(ish) streak as the trade bait.
Deron Williams PG
DWill has been playing well in the last 3 games, posting later middle round value with a 15.7/3.8/3.8/1/0 with 1.3 threes and very low turnover rate of 1.3 per game, playing 31 minutes a game. Which is astounding, because he’s all kinds of banged up. Both calves and his knee is are wonky, and while he’s playing through it right now, he’s a high risk for being shelved. I realize that this isn’t exactly selling from a strong spot, but he isn’t going to get higher, and will very possibly drop lower than his current value.
C.J. McCollum PG, SG
I bet if you drafted CJ, you are ecstatic with his performance of late. I wouldn’t have predicted this output from someone with a preseason ADP of 82 (JB wasn’t buying it, had him ranked at 117). He’s posting 21.6/4.3/3.3/.9/.2 with 2.6 3pts per, with a very guard-sexy 47% shooting for the season thus far. There is no indication that this will slow down, so hold him if he makes you happy, be the little spoon. But if you want to turn a late round acquisition into a early mid-round talent, you wouldn’t be selling any higher than this, I think.
That’s all for now, kids. May all your shots be nothing but net!
