With the season-ending injury to Bledsoe, all guards in Phoenix get a boost. I’d look at them in the order of Booker and then Warren, based on how the minutes have played out so far. It’s also worth mentioning that PJ Tucker has been getting big minutes of late, and although his usage rate is low, the amount of playing time may dictate a pickup. Unfortunately, none of these options come close to replacing the production of Bledsoe, if you lost him. The good news is, he’ll probably come at a discount again next year, although that’s little consolation…
I would also expect other players in Phoenix, like Leuer and Knight, to pick up some of the scoring slack for the rest of the year. It looks like Markieff isn’t going to see any playing time until he’s moved, so he makes for an exceptionally risky stash.
Noteworthy Performances and Pickups:
- Omri Casspi – SF/PF – 58% – I mentioned him a few weeks ago, when he was at 14% ownership. Since then, he has put up tremendous value, and should not be on the wire in any league. If he’s still out there on any of your wires, stop reading this and pick him up! PLEASE!! His recent barrage – 9 treys against the Warriors – has made him a popular pickup the last couple days. However, his numbers before that outing were sneaky good, as well.
- J.J. Barea – PG/SG – 26% – Deron Williams has been out the last few, and Barea has capitalized. JJ has led Dallas to 3 straight wins, as well as adding some eye popping numbers to the stat-sheet. D-Will is likely back soon, but Barea may be worth a stash, given Deron’s injury history.
- Ish Smith – PG – 54% – I’m a little late to the party here, but this just a PSA to say that he needs to be owned everywhere. Philly doubled it’s win total with Smith at the point, and with no competition, he should put up very solid numbers.
- John Henson – PF/C – 13% – Monroe and Jabari have been very cold lately, so it’s only natural that Henson be given a shot. With the playing time, he’s been dominating in the blocks column. Who knows how long it will last, but he’s a great streamer if you need blocks.
- Paul Pierce – SF/PF – 19% – Not a great option, but if you need 3s, The Truth should be a solid source while Blake is sidelined. Plus, the PF eligibility makes for some nice Thragnof out of the big man spot.
- Jeff Green – SG/SF – 39% – Jeff has been shooting the ball well lately, while putting up his usual, solid, multi-cat lines. A boring add, but solid guaranteed production.
Have a great new year Razzzballers! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @RazzWired for updates between Thursdays!
