This week's mailbag addresses the massive injuries to LeBron James and LaMelo Ball, the frustrations that come with rostering Jabari Smith, the future of Jalen Duren, and the status of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is suddenly not playing for the Thunder.
Let's begin with a multi-part answer to a series of questions regarding the Lakesr and Hornets.
1. How about Dennis Schroder as a pickup with LeBron James (foot) out for three weeks? He has a better playoff schedule than Dennis Smith Jr. in Charlotte, too. - Ricardo Llorens (@llorens_ricardo)
2. Jarred Vanderbilt had a fantastic game against the Mavericks. Can he benefit from LeBron's injury? - Illgobbo (@Illgobbo)
3. Who do you think gets the bump in usage in Charlotte with LaMelo Ball's broken ankle? Kelly Oubre or Dennis Smith Jr.? - mark joseph angeles (@SephMark)
Answer: With both LeBron and LaMelo Ball (broken ankle) out indefinitely there are going to be several fantasy beneficiaries on their teams. And as you can see, the first three questions this week evolve around those injuries. Here's how I would rank potential pickups:
1. Dennis Smith Jr. (17.9% rostered in ESPN leagues)
2. Kelly Oubre (69.5% rostered in ESPN leagues)
3. Dennis Schroder (28.9% rostered in ESPN leagues)
4. Jarred Vanderbilt (31.3% rostered in ESPN leagues)
4. Troy Brown (0.5% rostered in ESPN leagues)
In short, DSJ is the guy. He's still available in a bunch of leagues and is averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists,
This week's mailbag addresses the massive injuries to LeBron James and LaMelo Ball, the frustrations that come with rostering Jabari Smith, the future of Jalen Duren, and the status of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is suddenly not playing for the Thunder.
Let's begin with a multi-part answer to a series of questions regarding the Lakesr and Hornets.
1. How about Dennis Schroder as a pickup with LeBron James (foot) out for three weeks? He has a better playoff schedule than Dennis Smith Jr. in Charlotte, too. - Ricardo Llorens (@llorens_ricardo)
2. Jarred Vanderbilt had a fantastic game against the Mavericks. Can he benefit from LeBron's injury? - Illgobbo (@Illgobbo)
3. Who do you think gets the bump in usage in Charlotte with LaMelo Ball's broken ankle? Kelly Oubre or Dennis Smith Jr.? - mark joseph angeles (@SephMark)
Answer: With both LeBron and LaMelo Ball (broken ankle) out indefinitely there are going to be several fantasy beneficiaries on their teams. And as you can see, the first three questions this week evolve around those injuries. Here's how I would rank potential pickups:
1. Dennis Smith Jr. (17.9% rostered in ESPN leagues)
2. Kelly Oubre (69.5% rostered in ESPN leagues)
3. Dennis Schroder (28.9% rostered in ESPN leagues)
4. Jarred Vanderbilt (31.3% rostered in ESPN leagues)
4. Troy Brown (0.5% rostered in ESPN leagues)
In short, DSJ is the guy. He's still available in a bunch of leagues and is averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.5 three-pointers on 43.7% shooting in 30.9 minutes in 12 starts this season. I have a feeling he's going to go off to close out the season and Charlotte's remaining weekly schedule is: 4-2-4-3-3. That two-game week is a potential playoff killer but if you can add DSJ, you have to do it.
Oubre is already rostered in most leagues but if he's available, you should grab him. Oubre had 18 points, five boards, two steals and three three-pointers on Monday night.
Schroder is going to be helping to fill in for LeBron going forward, while D'Angelo Russell is currently out with an ankle injury. Schroder had 10 points, 10 assists and a triple on Tuesday, and Russell is likely out again on Wednesday. The Lakers finish 3-4-3-3-4 and Schroder should also be added everywhere.
Vanderbilt went off for 15 points, 17 rebounds, four steals and a three-pointer on 6-of-8 shooting on Sunday and then fell apart on Tuesday by hitting just 1-of-6 shots for four points. He did have eight rebounds, a steal and a block in that one and should be primed for a big finish down the stretch. Don't let a few shaky games scare you away.
Brown started and played 26 minutes on Tuesday but hit just 1-of-8 shots for two points and three rebounds. Brown hasn't scored more than six points in five of his last six games but should have plenty of opportunities to improve going forward. He's not a must-have player, but might be worth grabbing if you have some dead weight on your roster. I'm guessing he'll have a big game against the Thunder on Wednesday. OKC is the third-worst defensive team in the league since December.
What do you think about Khris Middleton's performance since returning from injury? Do you think he'll reach 30 minutes per game this season again? What about next year? - Illgobbo (@illgobbo)
Answer: Middleton has played in just 19 games this season and topped 30 minutes in one of those. He's averaging just 13.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.4 three-pointers in 21.4 minutes per game this season. Most of those numbers are his lowest in 10 years, yet the Bucks haven't missed a beat, winning 15 straight games and sitting on a 44-17 record, good for the best record in the entire league.
Sadly, the Bucks simply don't need Middleton to be a beast with guys like Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen, Jevon Carter, Joe Ingles, Jae Crowder and Bobby Portis all chipping in. I'm afraid Middleton's best days are behind him and expect him to perform similarly the rest of the way. And when it comes to next year, he's simply going to be a flier after the middle rounds in terms of fantasy.
Is Jabari Smith a drop? Guy has been shooting 28% over the last month and is dragging down my team's field goal percentage. - HouZedyaH (@TheRealAguirre)
Answer: He's actually shooting over 37 percent for February, but I hear you. He's scored in single digits in two straight games, has just one double-double this month and has generally been a flop this season. But he also scored in double figures in four straight games and in seven of eight prior to his last couple of duds, and the Rockets finish up 3-4-4-4-3, schedule-wise, this season.
I'd hang onto him and hope they let him do his thing and try to finish a lost season on a high note. The Rockets have lost 10 straight games and will play the Spurs, who just snapped a 16-game losing streak, on Saturday and Sunday. The Spurs' defense is invisible and I'm guessing Smith will bounce back in both of those games. Hold him until those two happen and if you want to drop him after that, feel free. But I'd hang onto him if you've got him for the schedule and upside, if nothing else.
Who would you cut out of Jaden McDaniels, Al Horford and Cam Thomas in 9-cat? - Sebastian (@nastibasti)
Answer: McDaniels was averaging 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.3 three-pointers in February before going off for 20 points, six rebounds, a steal, a block and two three-pointers on Tuesday. Horford is averaging 9.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.5 three-pointers in February, and Thomas was averaging 25.7 points and 2.3 three-pointers in February before Tuesday's 0-for-7, two-point dud. Thomas scored 22 points in back-to-back games before Tuesday's disaster and the Celtics are getting production out of Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Mike Muscala. I think the 36-year-old Horford is the odd man out and he's the guy I'd drop out of these three options.
Who would you rather have for the rest of the season (9-cat): Gordon Hayward or Jerami Grant? - Sebastian (@nastibasti)
Answer: Hayward has been ballin' for the Hornets lately, scoring between 16 and 27 points in each of his last six games. They're tanking and Hayward is injury prone, so the Hornets don't have much incentive to play him down the stretch. But with no LaMelo around and his strong play of late, Hayward might be worth rolling out there each night.
Meanwhile, Grant had 24 points and five boards on 5-of-17 shooting on Tuesday and was averaging 16 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 three-pointers in February before Tuesday's big game and is also worth hanging onto. I think if I had to pick one player to drop it would be Hayward, simply because the Blazers have something to play for. But in an ideal world, I'd hold both of them for now. Especially since both the Blazers and Hornets play four times in the upcoming week.
Is the Jalen Duren experience over? With Marvin Bagley back and James Wiseman playing well, are his minutes and usage in serious jeopardy? - Sebastian (@nastibasti)
Answer: Duren has scored a total of 10 points over his last three games and the guys you mentioned are both getting a ton of minutes and playing well. So yeah, it looks like the dream is over, especially since the Pistons will continue to give Wiseman a lot of minutes to see what they have heading into next season. Duren might not be done yet, but his minutes have been decreasing and Bagley and Wiseman are playing well. I'm fine with moving on from him.
Any end-of-season stashes you'd recommend, especially for tank-a-thon teams? - Aa (@aa_2k2k)
Answer: Here are some guys who could go on a silly-season tear down the stretch:
Talen Horton-Tucker - Utah Jazz
Aaron Nesmith - Indiana Pacers
Jordan Nwora - Indiana Pacers
Austin Reaves - Los Angeles Lakers
Lonnie Walker - Los Angeles Lakers
Tari Eason - Houston Rockets
Josh Christopher - Houston Rockets
TyTy Washington - Houston Rockets
Isaiah Joe - OKC Thunder
Dario Saric - OKC Thunder
Blake Wesley - San Antonio Spurs (Malaki Branham hurt on Tuesday)
Shaedon Sharpe - Portland Trail Blazers
Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander done? What is Dennis Smith Jr.'s ceiling? Is Kris Dunn actually back? Should we try to stash Devin Vassell? - andrew (@dsilvamandrew)
Answer: A loaded question from an old friend! SGA (health protocols, ankle/abdomen) will have missed four straight games if he sits out on Wednesday, but the No. 13 Thunder are still just 3.0 games behind the No. 7 Mavericks and 1.5 games out of a play-in opportunity. If they do want to make the playoffs, which is a big if at this point, SGA will be back and will try to get them there.
I don't know if he's done or not, but the Thunder play four games next week and you simply have to hang onto him until Monday in case he's going to play next week. If he's ruled out at any time between now and the start of next week maybe the dream is dead, but I think the Thunder are going to keep fighting until the end. I'm not dropping the No. 1 player in fantasy.
DSJ could average 14 points and eight assists the rest of the way. He's not going to hit many three-pointers but the rest of his game should be solid. He's averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.5 three-pointers on 43.7% shooting in 30.9 minutes in 12 starts this season and, as I said above, I think he's going to finish strong. If you were able to grab him when Ball went down, he should pay off.
Dunn had 11 points in 26 minutes on Tuesday and scored 15 points with eight assists on Saturday. Both of those games came against the defense-less Spurs and the Jazz are currently without both Jordan Clarkson (thumb) and Collin Sexton (hamstring). If both of those guards continue to miss time then, yes, Dunn might be back. But he's only played in three games this season and I won't trust him if either Clarkson or Sexton are back any time soon.
Malaki Branham (hip) was injured on Tuesday, which could clear the way for a Vassell return to prominence. Then again, Vassell gives the Spurs a better chance to win games and they just wrapped up a 16-game losing streak on Tuesday night. Vassell hasn't played since Jan. 2 and is recovering from knee surgery. My thinking is that even if he returns to action, the Spurs are going to be careful with him the rest of the way.
The Spurs still have to tank to ensure a bottom-three finish in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes and I just don't see Gregg Popovich and the Spurs' brass rolling him out there for too many minutes the rest of the way. Vassell's a guy I'd monitor closely going forward but unless you have an IR spot to stash him in, I'd leave him on waivers for now.
