Ok. I’m never beating Rabbit in a freestyle battle with rhyming skills like in my title, I know. Maybe my Dad was right, it’s time to hang up the mic for good, it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, but Parents just don’t understand. My hip-hop name was MC Ice Trey. Booking the YMCA rec room on seniors discount day to perform my edgy, in-yo-face raps was a disaster, and yet it was the height of my career. Who knew the Canasta league would be filled with so much rage? Still, I like to think I spit the truth to that old white group.
So, maybe I don’t know how to flow, but I do know how to dribble and dime, amirite? That’s not true, either. I’m a 2 dribble max, pick and pop player, at best. What you CAN take to the bank is that there is fantasy fools gold glittering in them thar hills, and you gotta know when you have itI was never on the Caron Butler bus, which appears to have been a very quick bus route, so I’m not exactly revealing any nuggets here. That said, I’m still high on Jonas Valanciunas, as I said in my “bold predicitions” article, despite his minor injury currently. What I’m saying here, gentle reader, is that some players who look dope early on are the fantasy equivalent of “good from far, far from good” types (Butler), while others are starting slow, but have much more to offer you, the type you bring home to your Nonna/Bubby/Gram Grams (JV). What’s our mantra here? Buy low, sell high, chikka chikka, what?? (my written imagery of record scratches right there). So throw yo hands in the air, and wave ’em like you just don’t care, and if you wanna learn who to buy and sell, somebody say: “Oh yeah!!” Sorry. I’ll cut that out.
BUY:
Nerlens Noel PF, C
I wasn’t too sure about this kid coming into the season, not in terms of skill, but in terms of his ADP projections. I wouldn’t have drafted him in the 5th round (maybe 6th if you were lucky), because of injury concerns. But I’m convinced, he is going to be a naaasty rim protector. So when the rook with injury worries gets injured 5 games into the season with a minor ankle tweak,which is nothing to be afraid of, it’s the time to use a guy exceeding his ADP, like say a Jordan Hill, to take Noel off the cat who did burn pick 5 on him. Noel’s line of 7.5/6.5/2.5/2/2 is not even where I expect him to be, in, say, 4-6 weeks, which is why you go and get him now, while he’s on the IR.
Jimmy Butler SG, SF
“Then I saw your face, now I’m a believer!” Hardly the song for a hardened MC like Ice Trey, but it’s appropriate. I think Jimmy is for realzies. And with Derrick Rose in and out of the line up, Jimmy’s the man. Won’t give you many 3s, but he’s doing everything else, and doing it well. What can you get for him? Jrue Holiday? DeMar DeRozan? I don’t know if anyone would bite on either of those, but Butler’s numbers are certainly comparable to them at the moment.
Russell Westbrook PG, Kevin Durant SF, PF
I put these two together, as we all know what’s what, in the butt with these cats. Tremendous talent, game changing talent, but can you wait? KD is closer than Russell, but close is, best case, December. Westbrook isn’t even going to be evaluated until 4 weeks from now. You may be out of it by then, which is always the worry. I have received a number of questions from nervous owners of both of these cats, I have KD in one league, so I know how it feels. But if you can weather the hamstringing of having one of these dudes on your bench, they will be amazing in the second half, into the playoffs. Frank, one of our faithful readers, was offered Jimmy Butler for Westbrook. Fair offer, But if you can get Russ for a Jimmy Butler, do that deal!
Perry Jones SF, PF
I know, it’s three Thunder players in a row, but you gotta take the opportunities where they present themselves. Jones is also a buy low injury fella. This recommendation comes with a bit of a warning, as Jones suffered a knee contusion on Wednesday. He reportedly walked out on his own, so I don’t expect the injury to sideline him for long, as they desperately need help in OKC. He won’t be worth much after KD and Westbrook come back, but he’s a good streamer until them, or worth dumping some other disappointment off your roster for. Additionally, he’s only owned in half of yahoo leagues, so he’s a good get if it’s for free.
Chris Copeland SF, PF
Truth be told, he’s little better than a streamer, but he’s only owned in 42% of yahoo leagues, so chances are you can get him off the waiver. I realize he is only slightly more than a ThrAGNOF, but his upside may translate to more, given the dearth of guards/wings on the Pacers. Maybe you can get lucky, and deal a Brandon Jennings or Norris Cole for him, both of whom Ice Tray thinks are wiggity whack!
SELL:
Jordan Hill PF, C
Yahoo had Hill at 121, and he’s playing like a top 50 player, at 15/9/1.8/.2/1.6, with a nice 53% FG, and 78% FT, with 1.2 turnovers. Will that continue? Probably not, but there isn’t much standing in his way in terms playing time reduction which is at the 30 minute mark thus far. You should net something much better than his cohorts hovering around his ADP, or package him with another piece to net a top 30 guy, like, say Paul Millsap?
Kevin Love, PF, C
Kevin is dope, we all know that, so don’t think I’m down on him. But we buy low, sell high here, correct? And, while Love is uncanny in his nose for boards he can single handely win the category for you, he has yet to register a block, he didn’t register a steal in 2 of his 4 games and his FG% is… meh. I would move him for a James Harden, or if you were very lucky, Stephen Curry. Do with that what you will.
Carmelo Anthony SF, PF
If you happen to listen to the Razzball podcast, you would have heard Slim and JB discussing this very issue. And to those who cry “redundancy!” when seeing it here in my article, I give you my incredulous face, like Mutombo after being called for any foul, ever, only you can’t see my face. But trust me. I was going to write about it in this smelly little article, and they stole my crib notes and talked about it first. I’m definitely telling Mom. If you didn’t listen to the podcast, A) why not? and B) ignore the above paragraph, and start fresh from here: Anthony is a superstar, without a doubt, but he isn’t playing the PF anymore, which is why his boards are down from last year. His dimes are up, along with turnovers, mitigates the gains there. I feel like points are the easiest category to stream, so if you have him, consider trading for a Serge Ibaka or Kyle Lowry. Not sayin’, just sayin’…
Klay Thompson SG,SF
Klay is macking a brand new contract, and boy, is he earning it. He’s shooting the lights out, but there’s no way he keeps 53% 3pt up, and it’s unlikely that he keeps 92% FT as well. So this is a classic sell high guy, and shooting for a John Wall, or Damian Lillard would be a step up.
Draymond Green SF, PF
David Lee is out once again, which will give Dray burn as starter for the foreseeable future. And he’s running with it. But who knows how long Lee is out for, thereby boosting Green’s value? No, really, I’m asking you, ’cause I have no clue. And uncertainty should be avoided, so trade high, good reader! Whatever you get, the player should be substantially higher in ADP than Green.
Ersan Ilyasova SF, PF
He’s a complete bust. How the once mighty have fallen. Two years ago he was fantasy gold, now he’s a turd, from a fantasy perspective. He has topped 18 minutes only once in 5 games, and even that 26 minuted performance was a dud. This is not “sell high” advice, this is a “give up, cut ties, move on” recommendation. If you haven’t dropped him yet (he’s still 47% owned for some reason), you have unaddressed abandonment issues stemming from your childhood, get help for that, and ditch the guy they’re calling the worst contract in the NBA.
Ok hoops fans, that’s all there is for now, may all your shots fall true!
