Press conferences tend to be a bit boring, especially during the modern days, but the alien Victor Wembanyama is apparently here to change even this aspect of the game. After eliminating the Thunder in the NBA Cup semi final, he had some subtle words for his opponents.
It is an interesting discussion from him but the most intriguing bit is calling the Spurs basketball ethical – “I’m just glad to be part of something that’s growing to be so beautiful — pure and ethical basketball.” Is this a jab towards the Thunder who have been long accused of benefiting from generous whistles and permissive officiating ? Is it something entirely different that came from his offseason work with the monks? We shall see as the season progresses, but honestly this is a quote that could have easily been generated by Greg Popovich himself.
Regarding last week’s suggestions, the trio of Neemias Queta, Anthony Black and Kyle Filipowski had good if unremarkable weeks, while on the Sell front, Cam Johnson is averaging 37 minutes and doing absolutely nothing with them, so he remains a clear drop in my book.
Buy
Marvin Bagley III: I can’t believe I am recommending Bagley for fantasy purposes but the reality is that Alex Sarr’s injury has given him the opportunity to provide solid big man stats, so he is an add at least for the short term. Just beware that he can be a bit hit or miss, providing huge performances followed by absolute duds. And always remember the Kings picked him ahead of Luka Doncic in 2018 (20% owned).
Dean Wade: It is a weird fantasy week with the NBA cup yesterday and just 2 games today, so we should look to extract as much value as we can in terms of games played. That’s where Dean Wade comes into play with a game today and on Friday. He started due to Evan Mobley’s injury and should be a solid source of rebounds and steals, so feel free to add him and then stream his spot after Friday to get the maximum value of that roster spot (4% owned).
Jordan Walsh: Do I feel confident suggesting a player with 12 usage for the season ? Absolutely not. However, Jordan Walsh has earned himself a significant role for the rebuilding Boston Celtics, starting fro them during the last month and averaging 10 points, 5.7 rebounds and most importantly 1.6 steals. His playing time can go away in a heartbeat and he is not closing games, but you can do a lot worse than taking a chance on him and seeing how it plays out (26% owned).
Sell
Lauri Markkanen: Despite having no hype in this year’s drafts, Lauri Markkanen has shattered expectations with a remarkable bounce back season, ranking 14th in per game value and having missed a single game all season. Despite his performance the Jazz are tanking as expected, so I fear for his long term availability, especially during fantasy playoffs. His last game was a 33 point, 16 rebounds and 4 steals masterpiece, so there is no better time to try and exchange him for a top20 player that has a higher chance to be active in March.
