We’re just 45 days away from the final day of the 2024-25 NBA regular season. Frantic races for playoff positioning and NBA Play-In Tournament rights are underway in both conferences.
For fantasy managers vying for a playoff berth, the clock is ticking. Perhaps a trade can make the difference between an unfruitful season and taking home some hardware in April.
Check out the latest fantasy basketball expert consensus rankings
Fantasy Basketball Trade Advice (Week 18)
Trade For
Since returning from a foot injury that kept him out for over two weeks, OG Anunoby has seen steady increases in minutes and production.
The forward’s first game back was a five-point outing across 27 minutes in Cleveland’s blowout win over the Knicks on February 21st. Two days later, Anunoby saw 35 minutes and scored 10 points. Then, on Wednesday, he played 42 minutes and posted a fantasy point total 24% greater than his season average.
See what it would take to get Anunoby now that you know he’s progressing well from injury.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Higher: Paul George (F – PHI)
Trade Away
It’s inherently valuable to roster fantasy players who have something to play for as the season winds down — especially so for star players. In Ball’s case, his Hornets have been outscored by (brace for it) 145 points in their last four games, bringing their record to 14-43. Ball appeared in two of those games and scored a combined 18 points on 4-of-23 shooting from the field.
In somewhat good news, the young guard is on pace to play over 50 games for the first time in three years. However, bear in mind Ball hasn’t played a game in March or April since the 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament. *Alarm intensifies*
Trading Ball isn’t even selling low, it’s getting something for him while you still can.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Lower: James Harden (G – LAC), Kyrie Irving (G – DAL), Jalen Williams (G – OKC)
Trade For
Not familiar with Toumani Camara? He may as well be the Thompson twins’ long-lost triplet.
The 24-year-old Camara does everything the Thompsons do but with less media attention. In his last 20 games, Camara is posting 12.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game. Except for assists, those numbers are greater than Ausar Thompson‘s over the same span. Thompson is rostered in 65% of Yahoo! leagues while Camara is rostered in 48%.
Camara’s numbers in his last 20 aren’t a far cry from Amen Thompson‘s season average line of 14 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.7 stocks per game, either.
Camara is a hidden gem that may cost next to nothing to acquire.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Higher: Jabari Smith Jr. (F – HOU), Zaccharie Risacher (F – ATL), Guerschon Yabusele (F – PHI)
Trade Away
Jaden McDaniels (SF, PF – MIN)
This “trade away” label can also be applied to Jaden McDaniels’ fellow Minnesota big man Naz Reid. Both have been enjoying some of the best basketball of their careers in recent weeks with Donte DiVincenzo, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle sidelined.
DiVincenzo seems the closest to returning among the three. Coach Chris Finch said of Gobert and Randle: “We don’t anticipate either of them in the near-near future but they’re both going in the right direction.”
Finch has been fielding eight-man rotations with McDaniels in place of Gobert and Reid for Randle with the recent injuries. In turn, McDaniels and Reid have been among the top 45 in fantasy points per game over the last month.
Don’t immediately spring for a trade here, but play the situation by ear.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Lower: Draymond Green (F – GSW)
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