Let’s take a look at some trade candidates in season-long ESPN points leagues as well as some DFS insight for Thursday night.
Trade For
- Pascal Siakam – It might be difficult to swing a deal for Siakam, who is averaging 50.1 points per game in ESPN leagues. Through eight games, Siakam is seeing a lofty bump in usage rate this season (30.4%), which is leading to career-highs in points (25.6), assists (7.9), and rebounds (9.6). His turnovers have stayed stagnant and while his FG percentage has dipped since last season (49.4% vs. 47.7%), it’s really a result of an increase in shots from behind the arc. Chatter about Siakam, 28, taking yet another step forward in his career was part of the reason I predicted that the Raptors would get the No. 1 seed in my annual 48 Bold Predictions piece. I have the power forward as the No. 6 overall player in ESPN points leagues while ESPN has him at No. 12. Either way, it could be an opportunity to trade for a fantasy superstar without paying an outrageous cost.
- Desmond Bane – The buy-low window for Bane has likely passed but the shooting guard continues to reach new heights. His 21.7 PER and 27.9 usage rate through seven games played are both career bests and there’s no reason to think he won’t continue to have success (although Bane did play one game without Ja Morant). Bane is averaging 41.4 points per game in ESPN points leagues (including 41 in that contest without Morant in the lineup) and he’s No. 29 overall on my Top 300.
- Devin Vassell – The Spurs guard is currently sidelined with a knee ailment but it doesn’t appear to be serious. Prior to the ailment, Vassell was averaging a career-high in points (19.8), assists (4.5), usage rate (23.9), and PER (16.7) albeit through a small four-game sample size. Vassell won’t be a sexy acquisition for your fantasy team, though he’s expected to continuously take on more responsibilities on a team that ranks second in the league in Pace. The buy-low window here could close within a few weeks.
Trade Away
- Donovan Mitchell – Yes, he’s been electric, averaging the sixth-most fantasy points per game on the season. However, there are reasons to believe Mitchell may cool off. Darius Garland joined him on the court on Wednesday night against the Celtics and while Mitchell’s numbers may appear consistent in the duo’s first contest, it took a fourth-quarter hot streak for Mitchell to get all of his. This could be a situation of hot hand-cold hand and with the Cavaliers playing at the league’s second-slowest PACE, I’d rather move Mitchell if I could garner the right offer.
Thursday Night DFS
- Orlando has the best mark in terms of allowing fantasy points per game to the shooting guard position through eight games per Hashtag Basketball and the Magic host the Warriors on Thursday night. Proceed with caution regarding Klay Thompson (assuming he plays on the team’s first night of a back-to-back).
