I didn’t make the title possessive. That’s the lede joke.
And welcome to my weekly basketball article, where I jump off the hype train and look for players that might provide value to you. If you’ve been reading my weekly articles on the basketball side, here’s how I’ve done so far: Donte DiVincenzo = hit (still in the top 100, playing 25+ minutes and breaking 30 mins this week); Jarrett Allen = home run (in the top 60, playing time through the roof), and Dillon Brooks = walk (Grizzlies got Covid and everything got messed up). What’s with the baseball references in the basketball article? ENYWHEY. The point is, I’ve been giving some low-key players for your fantasy basketball needs, and hopefully this will continue with this week’s pick, Cameron Johnson of the Phoenix Suns.
Availability: Cam Johnson is rostered in 35% of Yahoo leagues, and was drafted after the 150th spot in most leagues in the pre-season. He’s more available than you on a Friday night after wolfing down garlic fries.
Usage: Cam Johnson has started the last two games a team after coming off the bench to begin the season, a change that Monty Williams had intimated for a while and finally put into action. On a team with Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, and Devin Booker leading the way, you would expect the Suns to be a bit higher ranked than 18th in the league in scoring. Enter wingman Cam Johnson…not as a wingman, but, you know, like that friend you need to help you after downing the all-you-can-eat jalapeno bites. When Cam’s on the court, he’s got a 20% usage rate, which is very respectable given the competition for the ball.
On/Off: Here’s the stat worth noticing: Cameron Johnson is currently 2nd in On/Off rating by 538’s RAPTOR system (trailing John Collins) and has an overall +21 on/off rating according to Basketball Reference. You know what Jae Crowder’s on/off rating is? -15.6. That’s a negative sign there, just in case you skipped middle school algebra. Indeed, the 24-year-old Hammerin’ Cameron is good for the Suns team, while the 30-year old Crowder is, well, crowding the court.
Fantasy Relevance: With plus value in FG%, 3PT%, and points on a per-36 minute rate while also adding some rebounds and nearly a steal per 36 minutes, Cameron Johnson is a great support candidate on your fantasy team. He’s available in most leagues and demonstrating an immense utility to a team that is expected to compete this year. According to reports, the starting job is “his to loose.” I always hate that phrase because it justifies a time share and passes the blame. Imagine your boss telling you, “Your promotion is yours to lose.” Way to build people up, coach! Hammerin’ Cameron’s got eligibility at small forward in Yahoo leagues and has even taken some time at center, which might sneak him into a three position-eligibility depending on how the rest of the season shapes up. Which is all to say: here’s a player that is ready to shoot up the charts in value, so get in on the ground floor now. If he doesn’t pan out, there’s almost nothing lost in terms of cost to your team.
Have an awesome week and let me know what questions you have in the comments!
