Believe it or not, we're already a month into the NBA season. While we are starting to get some clarity on players and their fantasy value, there are still plenty of question marks around the league.
Let's answer some of the questions that were submitted for this week's column and try to shed some light on a few murky situations, while also discussing a big trade proposal.
Should I cut bait on Kevin Porter Jr. yet in a H2H categories league? He fills a lot of boxes, but he's been terrible with percentages and turnovers. - @DBarnard413
Porter is much more valuable in points leagues than roto leagues because of the damage he's done in percentages and turnovers. Not only is he shooting just 36.3 percent from the field, but he's shooting 63.8 percent from the charity stripe. That's limited him to an average of just 12.7 points per game.
His assists have been valuable at 5.1 per game, but a lot of that has been offset by his average of 4.2 turnovers. If you have room on your bench, it might not be a bad idea to hold onto him given that he did shoot 42.5 percent from the field last year. However, if you need help now, he's not likely to become an overly efficient player, and turnovers should remain a problem, so dropping him isn't a crazy idea.
When does the Ben Simmons issue get resolved? - @diesl42
Let me get out my crystal ball for this one. In all seriousness, this situation seems to be dragging on with no end in sight. Simmons clearly has no interest in playing for the Sixers ever again, but the organization is intent to hold onto him. If they seriously think they will change his mind, they are delusional.
In all likelihood, this finally ends in a trade. However, with everyone in the league knowing that Simmons wants out of Philadelphia, trade offers might not be great. I could see this dragging on until at least after Christmas, if not even closer to the trade deadline. Ultimately, I think the Sixers blink first and trade him.
I'm trying to trade for Kevin Durant in a points league. I offered Damian Lillard and Gordon Hayward, but my offer was rejected. Would it be too much to add either DeMar DeRozan, Deandre Ayton or Al Horford instead of Hayward? - @TMoose4l
No shortage of big names to mull over here. Remember, fantasy sports are also supposed to be fun. If you want Durant and have to slightly overpay to add him to your team, do it. However, don't go completely nuts and ruin your chances of winning your league.
With that in mind, there's no way I'm adding either DeRozan or Ayton to Lillard to acquire Durant. DeRozan is having a masterful season as one of the focal points of the Bulls' scoring efforts and Ayton is a walking double-double.
I'd be fine with adding Horford to this deal and cashing in on his hot start. Is it a slight overpay? Probably. However, he's starting to come back down to earth. After logging at least 10 rebounds in each of his first six games, he's averaged 6.7 rebounds over his last six contests.
Note: After our Twitter discussion, this fantasy manager followed up his question and said he was ultimately able to trade Lillard and Horford for Durant and Dennis Schroder. He was able to acquire his guy, add a valuable piece in Schroder, and hold onto both DeRozan and Ayton. Nice move.
In a points league, would you prefer Marcus Smart or Talen Horton-Tucker? - @ClutchCityAg
Not too pumped about either option here. The addition of Schroder has hurt Smart, who is only averaging 9.5 points and 5.1 assists despite an extended absence from Jaylen Brown (hamstring). He's shooting a dreadful 34.6 percent from the field, so while we don't care about that in a points league, it's noteworthy because he needs to cash in on the few opportunities that he has. His usage rate is just 15.0 percent.
With all of that being said, I still prefer Smart, although it's a close call. Horton-Tucker has looked good since returning from injury and he's a promising young player. However, when the Lakers are healthy, they have a lot of depth, so playing time and shot attempts might not be plentiful for him on a night in, night out basis.
Is it safe to drop De'Anthony Melton now? I can pick up Chris Duarte for him. - @jtory79
Let's focus more on Melton here, rather than Duarte. Duarte has his own issues, including some nagging injuries of late. With the Pacers starting to get healthy, he's scored nine or fewer points in three of his last five games.
At this point, is Melton someone to drop? Unless you play in a pretty deep league, the answer to that is yes. With Dillon Brooks back, Melton has been moved into a reduced role. He hasn't topped 19 minutes in any of his last three games, leaving him with averages of 4.0 points and 1.3 assists during that stretch. Desmond Bane has surpassed him in the pecking order, so it will likely take an injury to someone else from the team for Melton to be fantasy relevant again.
