The trade deadline is here! Today! And even though we had a few trades already go down, more are sure to proliferate through the league office. Hopefully the NBA has faster fax machines than the NFL. I mean, seriously on that Elvis Dumervil thing?! BREAKING NEWS! The Heat trade LeBron James to Cleveland for Anthony Bennett, but the trade was sent just over a month too late. Reports indicate it was sent on April 1st. Hah! Sent from some hooligan named David Stern… You’ve been punked Adam Silver! Back to reality, we’ve seen Marcus Thornton get traded to the grandpa Nets for Jason Terry and Reggie Evans and Steve Blake get all his fantasy value decapitated Hershel-Walking Dead style by getting shipped to the Warriors for Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks. The takeaways thus far is you can cut Blake in virtually all leagues, and in deeper leagues I actually think Reggie Evans could start at some point as the Kings 4. Jason Thompson is one of the many rumored on the trading block which would open up that role. I’m not saying Evans would play 30 minutes or anything, but could maybe average 8 boards a game while doing nothing else in the typical Evans fashion. So when I say deeper leagues, I mean deeeeeeper. We’ll recap the rest of the trades in tomorrow morning’s piece as well as in the comments throughout the afternoon to help with your fantasy moves. Here’s what else went down in NBA action:
Ricky Rubio – His stats took a roofie-oh for a bit there in January, but going nuts now! Career-high 17 assists last night for 6/7/17/2/0 with only 2 TOs. Buttttt 2-10 from the field and 2-6 from the stripe. Teach this guy the fundamentals of B.E.E.F.! Maybe they’d have to change the acronym to C.A.R.N.E. for the translation. CARNE could stand for… Control, Accentuate, Release, Neck, Eyes? I need some better ides for that…
Kevin Love – Love is in the air! 42/16 with 5 treys. Flip Saunders said Love will stay in Minnesota, but don’t we all need love?! Love to the Charlotte Hornets for Anthony Tolliver, put it on the board!
Paul George – Broke out of his mini-slump with a huge 35/11/2/3/1 line with 3 treys. Did have 7 TOs though. “I see what Kevin Durant is doin’ and I’m gonna copy!”
George Hill – Still quietly productive after spending most of the season just quiet. 13/6/1/1/1 with two treys.
Roy Hibbert – Didn’t say “Yo, what up J-Shot?” a single time last night. Yeah that means get a block. Wise man say “if you have to explain your jokes, they’re not funny”. That’s why I ignore wise men! And if those same wise men are saying they’re at all worried about Hibby, you put them on ignore.
Glen Davis – Came out with a sore Achilles. After the game, his Achilles said in an interview, “My god, of course I’m sore with all this weight I’m supporting!”
Victor Oladipo – Only 18:27 on the court last night. The fantasy community collectively shuns Orlando. 4/4/4/0/0 with no TOs. So that’s something! And we’re all crossing our fingers the Magic get a deal done moving either Jameer Nelson or Arron Afflalo or something.
Tobias Harris – We’re nearing the time when Harris took off last year! And 19/7/3/2/1 in a near rainbow with 2 treys definitely reminds us! Hoping he can keep it up.
Tristan Thompson – 16/14/0/1/0. It’s fine, it’s usable, Slim still scoffs.
Andray Blatche – Of course I was watching this game with “JB-is-right-Slim-is-wrong” colored glasses, but Enes Kanter and the interior Jazz D was soft. Soffffffft! 25/6/1/1/1 shooting 11-20. Huge game for Blatche, but man, so many of his points were easy putbacks and wide open dunks. It was the Jazz people. I’m not seeing any consistency coming.
Jarrett Jack – Amidst all the trade rumors, rainbow lines it up! 10/6/6/2/2 with a trey in 34 starting G minutes. Dion Waiters sat with a knee injury he got last night and C.J. Miles had to exit with an ankle sprain. All the sudden Cleveland has no depth! No trade for you, Jack-searching teams!
Anthony Bennett – Shot 2-8, but did go 7/9/1 in 16 minutes. Nothing I’m caring anything about in fantasy for this year, but he might actually be a sleeper next year. We’ll have to see how the Cavs front court plays out…
Andre Drummond – Couldn’t handle the Bobcats this time! 8/6/0/1/0 in 33 minutes. Just a rough game for the Pistons and big Dre, nothing to worry about.
Will Bynum – 14 Pts and 8 Asts out of nowhere, as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been completely extradited out of the rotation. You may scoff at me like Slim and his TT hate, but I’ve actually liked Bynum when he’s been given minutes. 20+ in three straight and all of them deep-league usable games. Could do worse…
Kyle Singler – … like starting and playing Kyle Singler 30 minutes a game. 29 last night for 10/0/0/1/0. He’s a big reason no KCP either. Such a waste.
Kemba Walker – The dimebag was kind last night! 24/5/16/2/1 with three treys in a near rainbow. What’s funny is…
Ramon Sessions – … also had a dimebag with 10 even. 28 minutes for Sessions who is still playing decent off the bench, but of course nothing usable in 12-teamers. I do lift an eyebrow at this one though…
Patrick Patterson – Another start, but only 22 minutes to Amir Johnson‘s 27 and Tyler Hansbrough‘s 25. Amir and Pit Pat both flirted with rainbows, with Amir going 9/3/4/2/1 shooting 4-6 and Pit Pat 5/6/1/2/1 with a trey. Can both stay relevant as fringe 12-team options? Looking a little fishy given the split, but it does help that…
Jonas Valanciunas – … is absolutely done fantasy-wise. I’m cashing in what little chips I have. 2/2/0/0/1 in a horrendous 22 minutes. Joakim Noah is a tough matchup for him, sure, but with all 3 of the main PFs healthy, it’s time to move on in even 12-teamers. I know drastic, but I’m swan diving. I’m base jumping. I’m trust falling. Catch me waiver wire, catch me!
Paul Millsap – Such a G. 21/11/4/3/1 with a trey. What a find he’s been.
Jeff Teague – Sprained his ankle and had to leave early. Walked off under his own power, so doesn’t seem too serious. Shelvin Mack might get a spot-start though, and is worth a gamble in deeper leagues if you have a stream spot.
Cartier Martin – Started at the 4 instead of my boy Mike Scott. Neither did anything, but c’mon, it’s Cartier Martin! He makes Anthony Tolliver look active on offense!
Jrue Holiday – He’s gonna be back within a week, it’ll be 4-6 weeks, this report is unsubstantiated, this one isn’t by the team, let’s call the whole thing off! Still like him over Eric Bledsoe as a stash.
Anthony Davis – 14/10/2/2/5 = rainbow. Or = rainbrow?
Tim Hardaway Jr. – 16/3/2/1/0 with three treys. The poster boy of ThrAGNOF delivers again!
Raymond Felton – It’s ugly, but 5/6/8/0/1 and is putting up Patrick Beverley-like numbers with more assists. Patrick Beverley is like, “hey, wtf did I do to you JB?!”
Iman Shumpert – Sprained his MCL. That’s one way to kill your trade value! He must not want to sell his I <3 NY shirts. Probably out multiple weeks.
Carmelo Anthony – Rainbow! 42/4/2/3/2 in a take-over-the-game sort of… game.
Jared Sullinger – Not the best 26 minutes, but 11/8/1/0/2 with a trey. I still like him for the stretch run. Over a scrub like the Luminescent Lithuanian for example…
Rajon Rondo – 18/7/10. He’s back!
Gerald Green – 17/5/1 with 5 TOs and two treys. The ebb has now reverted to flow.
P.J. Tucker – Somebody wake up the pajamas! 10/11/6/3/0 and no TOs. Slim has liked him a smidge more than me, but I feel like we’ve both liked him more than most places. Dub-dubs in 3 of 4, 5+ dimes in 2 of 4, 3+ Stls in 2 of four, can really do it all. Probably on the outside looking in of a 12-teamer, but-must own deeper than that. Dropping Valanciunas for him? Maybe.
Joe Johnson – Hit four treys, but damn, the quietest 27/2/6/3/0 game I can remember. No TOs makes it even that much better, but I’m still not a Johnson guy. And now they have Marcus Thornton to camp behind the arc as well…
Alec Burks – Is just such a dynamic slasher. Kinda like Freddy K! 23/6/3 but 4 TOs. Did rack up an 8-9 FT performance and buried his only trey. He’s just one last push into being a big breakout. I was impressed last night and think he’ll be a big sleeper for me next year.
Jeremy Evans – I know we don’t really care about a boards-only performance, but man, he looked solid crashing the glass and had a nice putback and-one. 13 boards in 20 minutes and really needs to get into the starting line-up. Let’s get more trades goin’!
Trey Burke – Looked pretty good at the eye level. 14/3/10. Only topped 5 Asts twice in the previous 8, but I think he’s coming back around and hit two treys last night. Given in 7 attempts but who’s counting?!
Patty Mills – Patty’s Pub is open late hours! Huge 29-point game to stay sizzling with a 29/3/2/2/0 line and a trey. Remember when Pop started Nando De Colo? 4 minutes for De Colo. Mills is a temporary pickup while hot for some cheap scoring. Last time I did some cheap scoring was when I snuck into the sorority house during homecoming week. Cha-ching!
Danny Green – Another line reminiscent of 12-13. 16/7/1/1/3 with three treys. Kawhi Leonard was yet again close to returning, so not huge on him keeping it up.
Damian Lillard – 31 Pts with no LaMarcus Aldridge. If you’re in weekly leagues, you’re going to love this week from Damian. Games against Utah and Minnesota to round out the week. Slim, you better crush it in REL!
Dorrell Wright – Started at the 3 instead of starting Nicolas Batum and Thomas Robinson. If you were a reader last year, you know I love Thomas Robinson. “Why can’t I quit you!” Still, T-Rob got 23 minutes for 10/9. In deep leagues where you can make a move, he will bring ya somethin’ in the L.A. absence.
Draymond Green – #OccupyDraymondGreen! Last time we checked in he was 1% owned and now it’s 2% We are the 98%! Glad I could help financial equality on this one, even if only by a single percent… 12/8/2/2/0 in 28 minutes and is playing like a guy to grab in anything deeper than 12.
Omer Asik – 7/12/1 in 23 minutes. Sad we still have to talk about Asik, but hey, today could be a big day for him!
Kendall Marshall – Obviously a must-own most likely for the remainder of the season. 20/1/16/3/0 and vaults to the top of everyone’s add list with Steve Blake shipped out.
Jordan Farmar – With Steve Nash old and out, Farmar was the only other PG option last night and had 4 dimes to 6 TOs in 20 minutes. Yikes.
Jodie Meeks – While I’m not ready to say “must-own” in all leagues, pretty damn close. A guy we’ve liked for a while now. 19/1/2/1/0, his patented 2 treys, and when this is your first shot back, you know you’re feeling good!
Next Game: TNT Overtime baby! And it’s the bigun. MIA @ OKC in my most anticipated game of the year so far. Be sure to hop onto TNT OT during the game and tweet me @jbgilpin if there’s any typos! Hah!
