Every week within the NBA is its personal story — filled with surprises, each constructive and destructive — and fantasy soccer managers should determine what to consider and what to not consider transferring ahead. Maybe we may also help. If any of those ideas come true … do not be stunned!
Do not be stunned if … Utah Jazz C Jusuf Nurkic averages 10 RPG this season
There was unlucky breaking information on Wednesday, because the Jazz introduced beginning C Walker Kessler wants surgical procedure for a torn labrum and his season is over after 5 video games. Kessler is a big-time rebounder and shot blocker, and his absence actually hurts in roto/classes codecs, the place it’s so exhausting to seek out somebody that does every of these issues. Kessler was scoring 14.4 PPG (simply a profession excessive), getting steals and even his terrible free throw share was now not an issue, as he was at 70%.
Nurkic is nearly the one heart left on the crew, and whereas we must always word this crew is OK with tanking once more and should not care if they’ve an inexpensive heart, that is an skilled 7-footer who has averaged double-digit rebounds in 4 prior seasons, together with the current 2023-24 marketing campaign with the Suns. What occurred final season? His manufacturing cratered as he earned fewer minutes in a reserve position, one he was unaccustomed to serving. Now 31, Nurkic stays an enormous physique and he can nonetheless rebound. He is not taking pictures effectively, is not attempting to dam pictures, however he ought to rebound whereas he’s wholesome.
In the meantime, rely me in as somebody who needs to see what faculty and G League star C Oscar Tshiebwe might do with cheap NBA alternative and minutes. Tshiebwe averaged 15.1 RPG and 13.7 RPG his two seasons at Kentucky, profitable myriad awards, however he went undrafted by the NBA as a result of he’s solely 6-foot-8. He averaged 17.1 PPG and a league document 19 RPG for the Utah Jazz G League crew, the Salt Lake Metropolis Stars final season. Why not give him an opportunity? I doubt Nurkic can common a double-double within the NBA at this level. Might Tshiebwe? Let’s discover out!
After a considerably tumultuous summer season as a consequence of his distinctive contract standing as a restricted free agent, Grimes is off to an incredible begin with the 76ers, getting into Wednesday averaging 17 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 5 RPG and 1.3 SPG, all profession highs. What’s most stunning is the 31.6 MPG. Grimes comes off the bench and nonetheless he ranks No. 65 in minutes per recreation, whereas the subsequent reserve in minutes is Miami Warmth SF/SG Jaime Jaquez Jr. at 29.4 MPG. Final season’s prime sixth man, Boston Celtics PG Payton Pritchard, averaged 14.3 PPG in 28.4 MPG.
The shocking 76ers, missing SF/PF Paul George (knee) and with C Joel Embiid (knee) accessible solely a number of the time, characteristic three guards on the court docket a lot of the time. After they hit pictures, they’ll compete. To date, they’re competing.
ESPN BET has Grimes with the fourth-best odds for the sixth man award at +1200, which is cheap as a result of Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder PG Ajay Mitchell, Portland Path Blazers PF Jerami Grant and Jaquez Jr. are additionally taking part in effectively. (My preseason choose was Minnesota Timberwolves C/PF Naz Reid, who’s sixth in odds.) Mitchell has related numbers to Grimes, however for one of the best crew within the sport. Grant scores, however he does little else (so what else is new?). Jacquez rebounds and passes, however he doesn’t hit 3-pointers and possibly can not shoot 60.3% from the sector for lengthy.
Grimes stays accessible in additional than 50% of ESPN commonplace leagues. If you’re holding off on including him since you worry Paul George will eat into his minutes and manufacturing, effectively, try what number of video games George performed final season (41). With Grimes and McCain supporting star PG/SG Tyrese Maxey and rookie SG VJ Edgecombe, that is one of the best guard rotation within the league. Don’t anticipate Edgecombe to proceed averaging almost 40 fantasy factors per recreation, however Grimes is a safer wager.
Do not be stunned if … Brooklyn Nets C Nic Claxton leads his crew in fantasy factors
Staying within the Atlantic Division, issues are usually not going so effectively with the Nets, which sought their first victory on Wednesday at Indiana. What has stood out to me, not less than statistically for fantasy functions, is how Claxton, who averaged 2.2 APG final season (and that was a profession excessive!), is main the Nets at 3.4 APG this season. Claxton is scoring extra, however rebounding and blocking much less, and he has 12 assists over the previous two video games. That is odd, particularly for a 6-foot-11 participant that does not precisely possess Nikola Jokic or Domantas Sabonis passing abilities.
That is additionally not prone to proceed, nevertheless it does not imply Claxton traders ought to panic. The aggressiveness on the offensive finish (scoring) could proceed, as a result of Claxton at all times had it in him to be extra of an offensive presence. Now that the crew is so stripped down, tanking for BYU F AJ Dybantsa or one other prime prospect, he’s taking extra pictures and attending to the foul line at a profession fee as effectively. He’s taking pictures a tragic 57% from the road, however nonetheless, the Nets and fantasy managers need extra total influence. Why cannot Claxton common 16 PPG, 8 RPG and higher than 3 APG? That works!
The rationale why Claxton is getting these assists is as a result of no person else is. All these rookies at level guard are struggling, together with lottery choose Egor Demin (additionally from BYU), who I invested in a number of occasions, and am attempting to be affected person. We will see. SG/SF Cam Thomas is once more scoring 24 PPG, however he has stopped doing every thing else (not that he was doing a lot else earlier than). How can anybody averaging 31.6 MPG fall wanting 2 RPG? SF/PF Michael Porter Jr. is scoring and rebounding (8 RPG), although he has reached 20 factors in solely two video games. He could common like 17-18 PPG and 6.5 RPG this season, which is okay however nonetheless underwhelming, I suppose. The door is open for Claxton, nonetheless accessible in 32% of ESPN commonplace leagues, to have his profession season.
The Pelicans are proper there with the Nets and Washington Wizards on the backside of the league, already looking forward to the NBA lottery. In what has grow to be an unlucky annual theme, PF Zion Williamson (hamstring) is already damage, and somebody should choose up the scoring slack. Quantity shooter SG/PG Jordan Poole is not taking pictures a lot or taking pictures effectively. SG/PG Dejounte Murray (Achilles) could return in January, or he could not. Williamson managed to carry out in 30 video games final season. None of this stopped overly optimistic fantasy traders from making Williamson a fourth-round choose in ADP. Not good.
Regardless, Murphy’s total numbers getting into Wednesday did not shine, however he began slowly, together with a pair of video games towards the Nuggets and Celtics by which he scored seven factors in every, and shot a mixed 4-for-19 from the sector and 1-of-9 on 3-pointers. That is not Murphy, who averaged 21.2 PPG final season, whereas ending 51st in 3-pointers, regardless of collaborating in solely 53 video games. He hit 5-of-10 3-pointers in every of the subsequent three video games, The minutes are there, and the pictures will probably be there. He must be averaging 25 PPG on this crew. Maybe that begins quickly.
Murphy is not probably the most sturdy participant himself, averaging simply fewer than 65 video games over his first 4 seasons, but when he can keep on the court docket, he ought to sail previous 200 3-pointers and maybe rank among the many prime 10 in complete 3-pointers. That definitely would support a fantasy crew.