Sorting through a busy trade deadline
Due to the many trades made on or before Feb. 7, the fantasy landscape is changing. Now is one of the most important times to pay attention to your fantasy league because players are entering new teams, roles and situations. Here are the biggest deals made before the trade deadline and the implications that go along with them.
Marc Gasol loses paws, gains claws
The Memphis Grizzlies sent away center Marc Gasol to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for center Jonas Valanciunas, point guard Delon Wright, small forward C.J. Miles and a future second-round pick. Toronto is hoping to make a finals push with Gasol, while Memphis is officially ending their “Grit and Grind” era so that they can rebuild. Gasol’s scoring output will likely take a dip, moving from the second option in Memphis to the third, fourth or even fifth option in Toronto. It will be interesting to see if Gasol can outperform Serge Ibaka, his new frontcourt partner, for the rest of the season.
In Memphis, point guard Mike Conley should see an increased usage rate. Valanciunas may finally get some playing time at, but he has to return from injury first. Memphis also obtained shooting guard Avery Bradley from the Los Angeles Clippers and sent away shooting guard Garrett Temple and power forward JaMychal Green. In general, it’s going to be interesting to see how this roster shakes down in the coming weeks. I would look out for Valanciunas, Bradley and forward/center Ivan Rabb.
Tobias Harris creates 76ers’ big four
The Clippers traded forward Tobias Harris, along with center Boban Marjanovic and power forward Mike Scott to the Philadelphia 76ers. In return, they received point guard Landry Shamet, forward Wilson Chandler, four future draft picks and center Mike Muscala, who was later traded across town to the Lakers in exchange for center Ivica Zubac and forward Michael Beasley. Harris’ production might take an overall dip, but he could see an increase in efficiency. I don’t foresee any substantial fantasy players coming out of the Clippers’ lineup as a result of this trade, but Zubac is worth keeping an eye on if he gets a chance to start.
Mavs part ways with Barnes
Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes was playing in a game when he found out that he was traded to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings sent power forward Zach Randolph and small forward Justin Jackson to the Mavericks in the deal. I don’t expect Barnes’ value to move much as a result of the change. He’s been the second option all year, and now he’ll be the second or third option on a much better offense. Jackson has potential, but I don’t expect him to get much more time in Dallas than he did in Sacramento. Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber will absorb most of the minutes, and the current temperature in Dallas favors Kleber.
Wizards and Bulls trade prospects
The Wizards traded small forward Otto Porter Jr. to Chicago for power forwards Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis and a future second-round pick. So far, it looks like Porter’s value is going to be relatively unchanged. Who really piques my interest in this trade is Parker. When the Bulls fired head coach Fred Hoiberg, Parker’s minutes took a huge hit. Now on a new team, he gets a much-needed fresh start. Parker and Portis were both heavily involved in their first two games. Parker scored 20 in the second game, and Portis scored 30 in the first. Both players are worth speculative adds for the time being.
Other notable trades
Power forward Nikola Mirotic was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Milwaukee Bucks. While he may fit in well with his new team, his overall production will likely drop now that he’s on a playoff contender. Former first-overall pick point guard Markelle Fultz was traded from the 76ers to the Orlando Magic. The Magic will try to give him a fresh start, but I want to see some positive production before I add him. It’s also possible that his injury keeps him from playing another game this season. The Portland Trail Blazers acquired shooting guard Rodney Hood from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Wade Baldwin, Nik Stauskas, and two future second-round picks. Hood had a great opportunity in Cleveland. He figures to be one of the first players off the bench in Portland.