FANTASY BASKETBALL

NBA TRADE DEADLINE (5 GUYS MUST OWN)

By Muntradamus

BEAST DOME NATION.

The NBA Trade Deadline came and went, and once again there is enough movement in the league where there is basically a brand new set of guys that can make a day and night difference in your Fantasy League that is almost guaranteed to be sitting on the Waiver Wire. If you have any questions about the players on this list, feel free to comment in the comment section below.

#1 D.J. AUGUSTIN (G)

With Elfrid Payton gone, D.J. Augustine gives you guaranteed starting PG Minutes to close out the NBA season. D.J. not only gets a good handful of assists every single game. He is capable of scoring 15+ Points every single night with good 3PTM and an excellent FT%. There is no downside to DJA and he is a player that can put up PG#3 quality numbers instantly for your squad. Currently owned in 24% of Sportsline leagues, DJA should be at least at 80% owned by the end of the week if not 100%.

#2 TRISTAN THOMPSON (F/C)

Tristan goes from being a future Daddy with Khloe Kardashian, to now being a focal point of the Cavs moving forward. Yes Kevin Love going down really opened the door, but with the Cavs trading away Jae Crowder and not bringing in a True Center at the Trade Deadline means Tristan is now a player who should see 30+ Minutes a night. The Cavs depend on Tristan to clog the lane for pretty much the entire night and pick up every easy basket he can get. While he is not a sexy option, he is a pretty reliable Double-Double Machine who should see those type of numbers the rest of the way until Kevin Love returns. Which may not be till very late. Even so, Kevin Love offers no Paint Control on Defense, making Tristan a guy to grab if you need a Center. Currently owned in 35% of leagues.

#3 JEFF GREEN (F)

Jae Crowder is gone, Derrick Rose is gone, Dwayne Wade is gone. The three people that take away the most from Jeff Green. Crowder starts in front of him, while Rose and Wade dominate the 2nd unit with touches. Jeff Green should be the starting PF for the rest of the season, and playing along side LeBron James more frequently in the rotation should lead to a HUGE Boost in confidence. Jeff Green is the type of player who can score 15+ Points with 7+ Rebounds every single night. Green is a BEAST type of player and LBJ will look for him to step up the most out of all the Cavs that are currently on the roster. Currently owned in 10% of leagues, Green should be owned in at least 75%+ moving forward.

#4 LARRY NANCE (F)

Nance goes to Cleveland as the main difference maker off the bench for the Cavs. Larry will have a lot of talent around him off the bench from Jordan Clarkson to Rodney Hood, but Nance will see a lot of minutes for the Cavs. He is arguably a better defender than Tristan Thompson and a far better defender than Jeff Green. Nance cannot only jump out of the gym, but he is an excellent passer who will get a lot of assists. The best part about Larry’s game is his ability to get steals and blocks, and with the Cavs struggling on Defense down low so much, Nance should have an opportunity to see 30+ Minutes a night giving him a decent chance for a lot of Double-Double’s along with Steals and Blocks. Great Sleeper addition in all leagues, currently owned in 48% of leagues. That number should reach 75+ easily.

#5 EMMANUEL MUDIAY (G)

The Sleeper of all Sleepers, Emmanuel Mudiay gets new life going to the Knicks. Mudiay was looking better than D’Angelo Russell his Rookie Season and the sky was really the limit for the young star. The Nuggets did not run their rotations right at all, and next thing you know Mudiay was barely seeing the court at all as the Nuggets prefer to run without a true PG making Jokic the main decision maker on offense. The Knicks do have a surging Trey Burke, a veteran in Jarrett Jack, and a Rookie who is looking more like a BUST in Frank Ntilikina. However Mudiay has the most talent of the three and if he finds a way to see 25+ Minutes a night which is possible, you can get a PG who should see 15+ Points and 5+ Assists every single game. He is currently owned in 24% of leagues, that number could increase rapidly if Mudiay finds a way to get those minutes.