For some, the fantasy basketball playoffs are in action. For others, they’re on the doorstep.
If you’re still battling through the final stages of the regular season, let’s try to put the finishing touches on your championship contender. Above all else, maximize acquiring players on teams who have something to play for into April.
It’s week 20 of the fantasy basketball trade advice column. Let’s dive in.
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Fantasy Basketball Trade Advice (Week 20)
Trade For
Devin Booker (PG, SG – PHO)
It’s hard to imagine a more appealing last-second trade candidate than Devin Booker. Phoenix is squarely in the NBA Play-In Tournament mix and would certainly like to close the three-game gap separating them and the sixth-seeded Lakers.
By his own standards, Booker has had a somewhat quiet season for a surprisingly improved Suns team that heavily relies on him, Dillon Brooks and Collin Gillespie for offense. Dillon Brooks‘ recent legal trouble and broken hand leaves behind a sizable gap in production.
Booker had missed some time with a hip injury, but he seems ready for a healthy final stretch after averaging 22 points across 63 minutes in the Suns’ last two games.
Players Ranked Higher to Trade For Him:
Trade Away
Pascal Siakam (C, PF, SF – IND)
As Indiana’s race to the bottom continues, its incentive to play its former All-Star lessens
Pascal Siakam has played in two of the Pacers’ last eight games as he’s dealing with a wrist injury. Thankfully for his fantasy managers, he’s averaged 29.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and two assists in them.
Trusting the Pacers — and other tanking teams like them — to put forth their best lineups every night is imprudent. If you roster Siakam, try to get ahead of this while you still can.
Players Ranked Lower to Trade Him For:
Trade For
Scottie Barnes (C, PF, SF, SG – TOR)
Scottie Barnes is as safe a fantasy player as any. His absurd ability to generate steals and blocks goes along nicely with his strong rebound and assist numbers. Barnes’ scoring is, and has been for a while, his ceiling raiser.
At the moment, however, Barnes is scoring at a below-average rate relative to the rest of his season. After a dominant five-game stretch in mid-January that saw him post 24.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and eight assists per game, Barnes has crossed the 20-point threshold just twice since. Barnes’ recent rebound figures are down, as well.
The fifth-year forward is healthy, versatile and his defensive exploits provide him with a great fantasy floor. His scoring and rebounding should bounce back in no time.
Players Ranked Higher to Trade For Him:
Trade Away
Nikola Vucevic (C – BOS)
Nikola Vucevic‘s numbers in his first 11 games in Boston have been just about what you’d expect of a player of his age and skillset on a team like the Celtics. The veteran big man is averaging 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, two assists and 0.8 blocks in 23.5 minutes per game since joining his new squad.
Unfortunately for Vucevic, his production and minutes have waned in the last three games, and the shocking news of Jayson Tatum‘s return likely negatively impacts his stock.
Vucevic has almost exclusively been the backup to Neemias Queta as is, and should Tatum return in a bench role, it’s tough to see Vucevic putting up better numbers than he already is.
Players Ranked Lower to Trade Him For: