I will avoid deeply discussing the major topic of last week in the NBA, which is none other than the arrest of both Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups by the FBI for alleged illegal gambling, by leaving it to just that in general maybe the professional sports leagues embracing gambling was a bad idea and we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg of that, since gambling is becoming so heavily correlated with both professional and college sports in the USA and the whole world.
I will however discuss in great detail the ultimate highlight that Jaylen Brown provided against the Knicks. No it is not a thunderous dunk. Neither a flashy pass or an ankle-breaking dribble.
It is his “hair”, leaving an imprint of OG Anunoby, just as the commentator says “Brown fades away”. Talk about impeccable timing…
Regarding last week’s suggestions, I will give myself a pat in the back, as almost all my buy suggestions have been spot on. VJ Edgecomb exploded into the league and is already looking like a league winner, so I hope you capitalized on the early add window, while Jonathan Kuminga seems vastly improved and is definitely worth the add I recommended last week. Finally, Tre Jones has also been awesome in the absence of Coby White, so enjoy his production while it lasts, and Cason Wallace has been mediocre, but I still believe in his defensive impact as the season progresses.
Buy
Amen Thompson: Amen was overhyped in drafts and with good reason, as the absence of Fred VanVleet promised more playmaking duties and usage in his third season in the league. His start however has been extremely slow and despite the presumed usage increase indeed materializing, the defensive stats have disappeared and his fg% is also lacking. If his owner is growing desperate, now is the perfect time to try and get him at a discount, because he is clearly too talented to struggle that much, especially on the defensive end.
Kon Knueppel: Brandon Miller is still getting tests and second opinions on his hurt shoulder so it looks like an issue that will keep him out for weeks rather than days. Enter Kon Knuepel, the no4 pick in this year’s draft, who started both games sans Miller and averaged 5 triples and a steal. His value is currently a bit limited to points and triples, but the opportunity is there in the short term, so he is a must add in my book (27% owned).
Ryan Kalkbrenner: The latest starting 5 in what feels like an eternal carousel for the center position in Charlotte, Kalkbrenner is not as much of a must add like his fellow rookie teammate mentioned above, but is getting 27 minutes per game and producing traditional big man stats. His per game value is boosted by shooting an unsustainable 90% from the field but despite this I would give him a chance if your team is in need of a big man (21% owned).
Sell
Aaron Gordon: If I gave you 10 guesses on who is currently ranked 11th in per game value, I am sure you would fail to guess that it is the man himself, Aaron Gordon. Boosted by a huge 50 points, 10 triples game, it is obvious that his value will not get any higher as the season progresses, so I would attempt to include him in a package to make an upgrade for a consistent top70 player.
Bradley Beal: How the mighty have fallen…Once a top15 fantasy player, Beal’s move to the Clippers has been a disaster to his fantasy value, as he is averaging only 20 minutes per game due to their deep rotation. Combine this with increased injuries, as he is currently slated to miss the next game with back issues and it becomes apparent that he has no place in fantasy rosters, despite still owned in 80% of yahoo leagues.
