In this article, we will look at a handful of notable performers from around the league, mostly focusing on players who seem to be breaking out with improved trends. We will also touch on some trade news and injury news that opens up new opportunities for fantasy managers to discover value.
Trade news
Nick Richards was traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. The move is likely to result in a significant boost in Richards’ fantasy value, as he looks to be in line for a more substantial role with his new squad. After an underwhelming start to the season and the inability to establish a rhythm around Jusuf Nurkic, the Suns seem to be ready to give Richards a shot at the starting role, as he is expected to pick up his first start on Monday. Richards already turned in 21 points, 11 rebounds and a steal in 29 minutes of action during his debut with the Suns on Saturday. On the contrary, it might be time for managers to move away from Nurkic, especially if requiring results in the short term.
Injury trouble
Brandon Miller suffered ligament damage to his wrist in an injury sustained during a win over the Jazz on Wednesday. He is expected to miss at least a few weeks of action, which is tough news for a Hornets squad that was just recently as close to full health as they have been all season. In the absence of Miller, fantasy managers can look to Nick Smith, Cody Martin, Josh Green and Seth Curry as players that are in line for more opportunities.
Notable performers
Onyeka Okongwu opened the week with a 22-point, 21-rebound performance in the Hawks’ win over the Suns on Tuesday, which marked his first 20-point game since the season opener. The backup big man followed up with two more double-doubles to close out the week, racking up an average of 18.3 points, 15.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks over three games. Despite coming off the bench, Okongwu has shown periods of dominance over the last couple of seasons. He could soon find himself in a larger role, especially if Clint Capela gets dealt, which would make him a consistent big-time contributor. Nonetheless, he is still deserving of a roster spot and could be a good trade target on the low, in anticipation of a stronger finish to the season.
Amen Thompson began the week with three impressive outings, before missing the Rockets’ final game on Sunday. He averaged 16.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.7 blocks over the three games played, and he is averaging 15.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.8 blocks over his last 10 appearances, which includes nine starts. He should continue to deliver extreme value while handling extra responsibility in the absence of Jabari Smith.
Jalen Green is coming off one of his best weeks of the season, as he averaged 32.5 points on blistering 60.6 percent shooting, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists over four games, including a season-high 42-point display on Monday. After an inefficient start to the campaign, Green is shooting the ball much more efficiently lately, including hitting 50.5 percent over the last 10 games, which is a major improvement over his season average of just 43.8 percent. Any managers that had been able to snag Green at reduced value in a trade, playing off his slow start, are looking like geniuses right about now.
After previously hitting the 20-point mark just twice this season, Scoot Henderson surpassed 20 points in three of his four games played last week. He opened the week with a season-high 39-point performance in a loss to the Nets on Tuesday. His next outing was a more modest effort, but he turned in 21 points, five rebounds, 11 assists, a steal and three blocks in a loss to the Rockets on Saturday. Henderson was rewarded with his third start of the week on Sunday, and he led the squad to their first win in six games, as he racked up 25 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and two steals to top the Bulls. The Trail Blazers have a lot of depth in the backcourt, which seems to be interrupting Henderson’s ability to establish a great rhythm, but if he could secure a more significant and consistent role, he is showing that he could potentially put up top-tier numbers.
Mark Williams has been working his way back from an injury that kept him out for the first month of the season is starting to look like his old self, with some monstrous performances recently. Williams only had two games last week but made the most of the opportunity, beginning with one of his best outings of the season, as he turned in a season-high 31 points to go with 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in a win over the Jazz on Wednesday. He then followed up with 19 points and a season-high 19 rebounds in the next game, on Friday. Williams could quickly climb to be one of the most dominant centers in the league based on these numbers. However, it will all come down to his ability to stay healthy. It might be too late to find the big man on waivers and after last week, it will be difficult to pry the big man away in a trade.
Jamal Murray delivered one of his best weeks of the season, beginning with a season-high 45-point scoring effort in a win over the Mavericks on Tuesday. He also hit the 30-point mark a second time in four games on the week, after doing so only once previously this season. Murray has proven to be capable of massive scoring outbursts in the past but has been relatively tame thus far on the campaign. However, he has plenty of time to catch a rhythm and could easily push his average of 20.1 points per game through the second half of the season. It might be challenging for fantasy managers to negotiate a trade for Murray after last week, but if he has another lull in his production, it could be the perfect opportunity to target a player who tends to raise his play as the stakes get higher towards the end of the season.
Kawhi Leonard has played in five games since making his season debut on January 4, and he is averaging 13.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocks over that span. He delivered a season-high 23 points in a blowout win over the Nets last Wednesday, and he closed the week with a 19-point effort in a win over the Lakers on Sunday. Leonard is far from playing at his full potential but having played in five of the Clippers’ last seven games, it would be fair for managers to start paying closer attention to when he might be a viable option for the active roster. Anyone who held onto Leonard this long is unlikely to let him go in a trade at this point, but it is likely to still be a bumpy road ahead for the enigmatic talent that is Kawhi Leonard.
