Skip to main content

15 Moves to Make Before the Fantasy Basketball Trade Deadline

15 Moves to Make Before the Fantasy Basketball Trade Deadline

The time is fast approaching to make last-minute deals in fantasy basketball leagues with the standard Yahoo! trade deadline set for Feb. 28. There’s been a lot of movement around the NBA in the wake of the trade deadline and some notable injuries. With just a couple weeks to go before the trade deadline, let’s take a look at some moves you should make to get your rosters in order for the final leg of the season. Here are some players to acquire or trade away before the fantasy basketball trade deadline.

Buy: Caris LeVert (SG/SF – BRK)
LeVert returned to the Nets on Feb. 8 after missing 42 games due to a dislocated foot. In three games back, he’s seen his minutes rise from 15 to 30 and a start in the Nets’ most recent game. In that span, he’s averaged 9.7 points, 5.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals. Those are relatively modest totals, but LeVert should see his minutes rise moving forward, and his fantasy value will spike by season’s end. Pick him up or make a trade now — he shouldn’t cost much.

Sell: Al Horford (PF/C – BOS)
Horford heads into the All-Star break white-hot, averaging 20.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 6.5 assist, and 2.5 steals in his last two games. Unsurprisingly, those pumped up stats have coincided with the absence of Kyrie Irving (knee). Irving should be back after the break, and Horford’s value will likely take a big hit. It’s worth mentioning that one of Horford’s recent big games came against Joel Embiid, a center he’s schooled in recent meetings. Horford hasn’t looked himself this season, and his season averages in points (12.7), rebounds (6.8), and assists (4.0) are all below his career averages in those categories. Sell high on the 11-year vet.

Buy: Marquese Chriss (PF/C – CLE)
Chriss was acquired by the Cavs just before the Feb. 7 trade deadline, and he’s already carved out a solid role for Cleveland. In just four games with his new team, Chriss has averaged 14.3 points and 6.3 boards on 53.7 percent shooting from the floor, 56.3 percent from deep and 80.0 percent from the charity stripe. He shouldn’t be too tough to nab, and he’ll provide solid fantasy returns, especially given the injury-prone nature of the Cavs’ frontcourt this season.

Sell: Chris Paul (PG – HOU)
Paul has looked sharp since missing 17 in a row with a hamstring injury, posting his third triple-double in a row heading into the All-Star break. Paul, however, is unlikely to finish the season playing in all the remaining games. He’s averaged only 64 games played per season over the last three years, succumbing to a litany of injuries. It would be smart to trade him while his value is highest in order to get a huge return.

Buy: Myles Turner (C – IND)
Turner has made a solid name for himself this season as a viable Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Over the past month, he’s the 13th-ranked player in Yahoo! standard leagues, averaging 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, and 1.4 steals. He leads the league in blocks per game and is shooting over 50.0 percent from the floor. Turner has been solid but under-the-radar, doing the dirty work on a blue-collar Pacers team. You may be able to get him for much less than what he’s actually worth which would be a very smart move.

Sell: Kenneth Faried (PF/C – HOU)
Clint Capela (thumb) should be ready to go on Feb. 21 when the Rockets get together again after the All-Star break. He’ll return to the starting lineup and send the “Manimal” back to the bench after a magical run. Sell high if you can before Capela’s return.

Buy: Lou Williams (PG/SG – LAC)
Williams, a former Sixth Man of the Year, has averaged nearly 20.0 PPG in 26.1 minutes with Tobias Harris, so his scoring average and minutes will certainly rise now that Harris is a 76er. Williams is one of the best players in the league at heating up and taking over a game, and he’s averaged 37.5 points and 7.0 assists in his final two games before the All-Star break. Make a trade for Williams before the deadline, and get used to big scoring nights on a semi-regular basis.

Sell: Anthony Davis (PF/C – NO)
Davis and his agent Rich Paul demanded a trade out of New Orleans but unfortunately, no deals were made before this season’s deadline. Davis will finish the season as a lame duck, and the Pelicans want to protect their prime trade asset so they can maximize his value in the offseason. Due to probable backlash from the NBA front office and player’s union, Davis won’t be shut down completely, however, his minutes and games played will be significantly reduced. Take this from Woj:

That’s a tough pill to swallow for Davis owners, but he can still be a valuable trade chip in fantasy leagues just on name value alone. Target owners who may not be aware of his minutes reduction, those who need help at PF/C positions, or those who simply overvalue AD. Trading him now will seem like a hard move to make, but it’s a necessary one for rest-of-season success in fantasy basketball leagues. Just don’t give him away for peanuts. This is still one of the premier superstars in the league we’re talking about.

Buy: Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF/C – MEM) and Delon Wright (PG/SG – MEM)
With Marc Gasol now a Raptor, Jackson has quickly been given an uptick in minutes and an expanded role on offense. He’d been highly productive before the Gasol trade, and outside of Mike Conley, Jackson looks like the primary scoring option for the Grizzlies. He should provide sneaky-good value to fantasy owners down the stretch.

Wright has averaged 7.7 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in three games with the Griz, but he may shoulder more of the workload as the season continues to tailspin for Memphis. Headed to the draft lottery, the Grizzlies will likely give some extra playing time to their young players and new additions and not push franchise star Mike Conley to play too many minutes.

Sell: Nikola Mirotic (PF/C – MIL)
The addition of Mirotic makes a great Bucks team even better with his floor-stretching abilities. However, Mirotic has been dealing with a recurring calf injury for most of this season, causing him to miss games while in New Orleans. The Bucks have cruised to 43-14, the No. 1 seed in the East, and the best record in basketball. They’ll likely keep Mirotic under wraps until April or at least keep him on a minutes restriction. He’ll be a key component to the playoff picture, but he’s not going to provide much fantasy value.

Buy: Bobby Portis (PF/C – WAS)
Portis has been a valuable addition to the Wizards, providing Washington with a reliable scoring option in the frontcourt.  He’s averaged 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds on 53.6 percent shooting from the field in his four games in Washington, averaging more minutes than starting center Thomas Bryant. Portis should supplant Bryant in the starting five sooner than later, and it’s a great idea to trade for him before his role increases and his fantasy value skyrockets.

Sell: Marc Gasol (C – TOR)
Gasol’s role as a starter has come to an end (at least for now) in Toronto. In his three games as a Raptor, Gasol has averaged only 20.0 minutes per game compared to his 33.0 in Memphis. His points (10.0), rebounds (6.3) and assists (1.7) have all declined on a per game basis since crossing the border. Gasol, much like the aforementioned Mirotic, should play a pivotal role in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but he won’t return nearly the value he had in Memphis. Trade him for bench depth or a risk/reward player with upside before the trade deadline.

Buy: Otto Porter Jr. (SF/PF – CHI)
After signing a huge four-year/$106 million contract with the Wizards last year, Porter Jr. has mostly come off the bench this season. He gets a fresh start in Chicago where he has started all four games. He’s averaged a healthy 22.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on a very efficient 62.1 percent shooting from the field since arriving in the Windy City. Get Porter on your team as soon as possible.

Sell: Ben Simmons (PG/SF – PHI)
Simmons — a triple-double machine and one of the best all-around producers in the NBA — has seen his production sharply decline in four games since Tobias Harris was acquired from the Clippers. Simmons has averaged 13.5 points, 6.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals — all well below his season averages. He’s also turned the ball over 4.8 times per game — well above his season average. The Sixers’ point/forward won’t put up such mediocre numbers moving forward, but it’s unlikely he returns to his pre-Harris production. He’s Yahoo!’s 326th-ranked player over the last 14 days. If you can get a haul for him based on his name and early-season production, make the deal.

Zachary Hanshew is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.

More Articles

Bracket Strategy 2024: Tips & Advice To Win NCAA March Madness Pools

Bracket Strategy 2024: Tips & Advice To Win NCAA March Madness Pools

fp-headshot by PoolGenius | 14 min read
Monday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Lauri Markkanen, Tyrese Hailburton, Domantas Sabonis (3/18)

Monday’s NBA Sleeper Picks Player Predictions: Lauri Markkanen, Tyrese Hailburton, Domantas Sabonis (3/18)

fp-headshot by Raju Byfield | 2 min read
NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (3/18)

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (3/18)

fp-headshot by Joel Bartilotta | 1 min read
NBA Player Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (3/18)

NBA Player Prop Bet Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (3/18)

fp-headshot by FantasyPros Staff | 2 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

4 min read

Bracket Strategy 2024: Tips & Advice To Win NCAA March Madness Pools

Next Up - Bracket Strategy 2024: Tips & Advice To Win NCAA March Madness Pools

Next Article