Fantasy Basketball: Dealing With Injured Stars
In what has been a fantasy basketball year relatively free of major injuries, the tide has started to turn in an unfortunate direction.
Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant has been diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, and while it’s clear that he will miss a good amount of time, many are speculating that he’s done for the year.
Portland Trail Blazers star LaMarcus Aldridge has a torn ligament in the thumb on his non-shooting hand, and though he’s putting off surgery, it’s a precarious situation situation at best for fantasy owners.
The Charlotte Hornets’ Kemba Walker and New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony both sat Saturday with knee soreness. The Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade is a candidate to do so basically any night, and the entire San Antonio Spurs roster should be considered day-to-day for rest purposes.
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So, as the fantasy playoffs near, how can owners either replace these stars in the event they are shut down, or at least ease the pain of the night-to-night “questionable” designation? You’re certainly not dropping any of the injured guys (excluding Bryant) until it’s clear that they’re being shut down for the year, and you need a backup plan for stars that may sit a few games.
Luckily there is talent available, and it’s sitting on your waiver-wire.
Put Pick Your Guards Up
Kobe Bryant, although it hasn’t been officially announced, is likely done for the season. Even if by some miracle he is able to come back for a few token games at the end of the year, he’s’ not worth holding onto from a fantasy perspective. So, as you cut bait with what was likely a high draft choice, how can you replace his production?
Well, you can’t really. But there are a few candidates to see increased run in the wake of his injury.
The main guy to keep an eye on is rookie Jordan Clarkson. He’s shown some scoring potential, is long enough to grab rebounds and generate defensive numbers, and plays point guard so there should be decent assist numbers there if he gets run. He started over Ronnie Price on Friday as Jeremy Lin was the recipient of a healthy DNP – Coach’s Decision.
Over the long haul, Clarkson has the opportunity to be an asset if the Lakers do the right thing and give him the minutes.
Other, admittedly less inspiring, candidates on the Lakers roster include Ronnie Price, Wayne Ellington, and Nick Young. But the former two are limited in what they can offer offensively, and Young may not be available via free agency at this point of the fantasy basketball season.
Another option is Carmelo Anthony’s teammate, Langston Galloway. Galloway is a rookie guard that has played the majority of the season in the D-League, but he’s playing a ton of minutes as the Knicks’ off-guard, and provides a little bit of everything for fantasy purposes. When Carmelo sits, Galloway is one of their best players on the court, and he could be a sneaky add in all sized leagues as we move along.
The last guard I want to highlight is rookie Dante Exum. He has been extremely quiet thus far this season, but is now starting for the Utah Jazz. He should be able to contribute some scoring, assists, and what has probably been his best category as a starter: three-pointers.
Exum is extremely talented, so the upside with him is huge, but the Jazz aren’t great offensively and he’s still an extremely young rookie. He’s in flier status right now.
Start Looking Forward
LaMarcus Aldridge played on Saturday after opting to delay thumb surgery, which is a boon for fantasy basketball owners. However, if the injury is aggravated, he may opt for treatment on the thumb, and that certainly is a possibility given the position he plays and where he’ll find himself on the court.
One option is to go with a handcuff approach and scoop up Thomas Robinson if you have the roster spot. Should Aldridge end up sitting out or missing any games, Robinson looks like he’ll be the best play.
While it’s clear he doesn’t factor into the team’s plans going forward, which could lead to some sporadic minute distribution, he is the most talented option behind Aldridge. He would have double-double potential if he fell into big minutes.
Brandon Bass is seeing some decent run right now, and he could end up being a nice piece for deeper leagues. Whether the team is showcasing him for a trade or simply playing him because they have no other choice, he’s a candidate to post low-end double-double stats while going for some fairly big games for what you’ll pay for him.
If you are in a deeper league and you need post players, you could probably do worse.
The final player to look at, Brandan Wright, is a speculative pickup that will pay dividends if the Suns part ways with Miles Plumlee. He was brought in for cheap, but he’s a legit rebounder/shot blocker that has shown that he can be valuable in even limited minutes. If he is able to carve out a serious role with the Suns, Wright will be worth owning for his efficient numbers with a dose of shot blocking.