This article is part of our FantasyDraft NBA series.
Each week, RotoWire will provide value plays for your daily fantasy basketball lineups on FantasyDraft. Users have a salary cap of $100,000 to select a lineup comprised of three guards, three forwards/centers and two utility players. Due to the NBA All-Star break, this week's edition will only cover players from Wednesday and Thursday.
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The target for each player to reach value is 2.5x the player's salary. If a player costs $10,000 against the cap, expected value is 25 fantasy points.
Pau Gasol ($16,100)
With Nikola Mirotic (appendectomy) and Jimmy Butler (knee) out, and Derrick Rose potentially limited by soreness, Gasol will be asked to carry a massive offensive load for the Bulls if they hope to hang with Atlanta on Wednesday. The big man won't have to worry about conserving energy with a week off from competitive basketball looming, so expect a performance similar to his 57.5-fantasy point game Monday under similar circumstances.
Markieff Morris ($11,600)
Morris' spats with ex-head coach Jeff Hornacek were well documented, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the mercurial forward has been more productive under Earl Watson's stewardship. In four games since Hornacek's firing, Morris is averaging 41.4 fantasy points per game while clearly demonstrating a superior effort level. Fantasy prices don't have a built-in gauge for personal relationships, so it's not surprising that Morris has been significantly outproducing his target value over that span and should continue to do so.
Evan Turner ($10,400)
Tuner has been terrific lately, topping 29.5 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games despite carrying an expected value of just 26.0. He could be in line for a few extra minutes on the wing Wednesday if the Celtics opt to limit Jae Crowder so his ankle injury doesn't flare up right before the break, but Turner's recent productivity suggests he makes for a fine play even if he only sees his regular allotment of playing time. The former second overall pick's ability to dish out dimes and grab rebounds allows him to deliver consistently strong value even when his scoring is off.
Gordon Hayward ($12,900)
Hayward has been paving the way for the Jazz's recent success, playing at least 38 minutes in each of the last five games of their current seven-game winning streak. Utah's leading scorer should once again shoulder a massive offensive load Wednesday against the Pelicans, which should lead to a productive outing against the NBA's 24th-ranked defense. With averages of 20.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this month, Hayward's across-the-board contributions make him a smart option for his reasonable price tag.
Notable Injuries
Marc Gasol (foot), Out Indefinitely
Gasol will miss at least a few weeks after leaving Monday's game against Portland with a fractured foot. Ryan Hollins should see more playing time in Gasol's stead for now, but Memphis could opt to trade for a center if they don't think Hollins can handle the role on his own.
Jimmy Butler (knee), Out 3-to-4 Weeks
Butler has been ruled out until the beginning of March, which was a bit surprising given that he reportedly started feeling better as recently as Tuesday. His absence creates a void in Chicago's offense, and Pau Gasol is the logical choice to fill it with Derrick Rose playing through soreness and Nikola Mirotic missing due to an appendectomy.
Tyreke Evans (knee), Week-to-Week
Evans will be held out through at least the All-Star break, meaning he won't return until Feb. 19 at the earliest. Expect Norris Cole and Bryce Dejean-Jones to keep starting for the Pelicans, with Jrue Holiday carrying significant scoring and distributing loads off the bench.
Festus Ezeli (knee), Out At Least Six Weeks
Ezeli is slated to miss at least six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday. While the big man isn't one of Golden State's major pieces, his absence could mean more playing time for Andrew Bogut, who has played well when given extended minutes this season. Alternatively, wings Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala could see a boost in value if the Warriors opt to fill Ezeli's minutes with more small-ball lineups.
Brandon Knight (groin), Week-to-Week
Updates on Knight's condition have been few and far between, indicating that he may not be ready to go immediately after the All-Star break. With the Suns well out of playoff contention, they don't have much reason to rush Knight back considering his absence has meant big minutes for developing guards Devin Booker and Archie Goodwin.
Kobe Bryant (shoulder), Questionable
Bryant played through a questionable designation Monday, so chances are he'll be out there against LeBron James and the Cavaliers on Wednesday. A bum shoulder can't be good for Kobe's already-shaky shooting percentage, though.
