RADIO
Trade deadlines are fast approaching. The time is ticking away, and if you don't make a move now, you might not get the chance to. Of course, don't let the heist misguide you. Have a cool head and let the ticking clock impact the judgment of your trade partners.
If a player of yours is hot right now, it might be the perfect timing to swap him for a better, less hot one. If you can trade him for a player who should have a bigger role going forward and even fits your team better there is no time like just before the fantasy playoffs to get all your ducks in a row!
Here are our Sell High and Buy Low candidates for Week 18 of the NBA season, right here at RotoBaller.
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Buy Low, Sell High Advice for Week 18
Are You for Real, Kyle Lowry?
It's hard to imagine at this point that there were 20 PG eligible players picked ahead of Kyle during this season's fantasy drafts. I was ecstatic when I got him at picks #53 and #60 in two of my leagues. His ADP was 56.4 and he is destroying it by posting top-30 value on the year.
He has been even better lately with four straight double-doubles (points and assists) and a triple-double in his last outing. During this time he is scoring 21.8 PTS with 3.3 3PM, 6.8 REB, 11.0 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.7 BLK and 4.0 TO while shooting 50.8% from the field and 85.7% from the line. This has him flirting with top-10 value.
While I do agree that Lowry is a great player and equally good fantasy asset, if you can flip him for the right price it could turn out to be a wise move. Lowry never averaged more than 9 assists over a course of a season, and he is a career 42.3% FG shooter, so his current production is unsustainable. Furthermore, Lowry has already missed 12 games so far, and has been known to get hurt or rested late in the season. He missed 17 or more games in two of his last three seasons.
A top-25 guy would be enough for me to give him up if the team fit is there of course. Guys like Ben Simmons, Nikola Vucevic and Kemba Walker should provide safer, if not higher value for the rest of the season, so if an offer like that was to roll around, I would be reluctant to turn it down.
On the other hand, Lowry plays 11 games during the period of Week 22 - Week 24 so if your playoffs fall in his period as well, it's not a bad idea to keep him either, if you trust his health.
Baller Move: Sell high
Time to Panic on Jaren Jackson Jr.?
JJJ ended up in single-digit scoring in two of his last three games. Even though he did double-double in that third game, that's still ugly to see. His averages over this period are 9.3 points with 1.0 three-pointers on 29.0% from the field and 70.0% from the charity stripe, 6.0 boards, 1.0 dimes, 0.3 steals, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 turnovers in 28 minutes per game. He is just barely clinging on to top-200 value with these stats.
With JJJ being healthy and Memphis nothing to play for but the development of their youth, he should continue to see around 30 minutes per game, which so far during this season was enough for him to return close to top-50 value. I see him getting back to this kind of stats sooner rather than later.
Jackson is a big who shoots threes and gets both steals and blocks, so he can have a great role, especially on teams that are punting FG% and/or assists.
If you see him fitting well with the rest of your team and what you're trying to do, his 11 games during Weeks 22, 23 and 24 could come in handy in the fantasy playoff battles.
I would have a difficult time offering a guy inside the top-70 for JJJ after his recent slump (unless he fit my team much better of course). Giving up a Terry Rozier, Dejounte Murray or a red-hot Larry Nance Jr. would come quite easy for me on the other hand.
Baller Move: Hold or buy low
