Fantasy managers and NBA fans saw a trade go down over the weekend. Trevor Ariza moved to the Washington Wizards for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers on Dec. 15. Consider it the kickoff of what should be a wild ride until the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
The Suns decided to waive Rivers, but the other two players made their debuts on their new teams on Wednesday evening. Ariza played 36 minutes and figures to be standard league relevant until Otto Porter Jr. returns from his injury. Oubre Jr. played 26 minutes and is likely more in the streaming class in standard leagues.
Expect plenty more trades that could alter fantasy values, though. How can fantasy managers react properly to those moves?
One, always have at least one roster space available to add a player who potentially gains value. That may mean making a two for one trade to free up a place.
Two, take a flier and see what happens. It is fine to take a swing and miss for a few days. That is how you catch some unexpected value at this time of the season.
Three, watch the minutes more than the production. It is important to remember that the men who get traded are adjusting to a new situation, so their stats may be a bit slow to trickle in. If the player is getting massive minutes that is a sign that his value will be worthwhile on his new squad.
Expect to read plenty more about real life trades in the coming weeks. Fantasy managers can make some deals to improve their roster as well, so here is a look at four players to move for this week.
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Buy
Here are two players that fantasy managers should be looking to acquire in a trade to boost their position in the standings.
Khris Middleton (SG/SF – MIL)
Middleton remains a fantasy stud, but his play has been down recently. He averaged over 20 points per game last season and had an ADP of 33 for this year. That was arguably too low after for the Bucks wing.
In the month of December, Middleton is shooting 31.0 percent from the field, 30.6 percent on three-pointers, and 71.4 percent on free throws. He has missed two games, and the rest of his stats in his seven times on the court are down as well. Fantasy managers are panicking, but the shooting should return in short order.
Middleton is shooting more three-pointers this season, though. His attempts sit at 7.0 per game up from 5.0 last year. That will push his field goal percentage down slightly, but Middleton should be a 44-plus percent shooter for the year.
Expect the stats to be back in no time, and Middleton to be a top-30 player on the year. Buy him low now and reap the rewards for the Bucks wing.
Joe Ingles (SG/SF – UTH)
Ingles remains an underrated fantasy asset in his own right. His ADP of 88 was easily 30 spots too low heading into the season. The counting stats are holding steady for Ingles, but the shooting is down. He is shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from three which is well below his career averages.
The recent shooting is worse. Ingles is shooting just 40.6 percent in December. His 58.3 percent on free throws and 36.1 percent on 3-pointers are also significantly down. Consider it just a cold spell, though.
The Jazz wing should see some increased value from last season too. He is taking an extra shot attempt per game. That should only boost his scoring when the percentages even out.
Ingles should push top-50 value for the season. Given his ADP and current form, he is likely valued significantly lower than that, making it the perfect time to acquire the Australian.
Sell
Here are two players fantasy managers should attempt to sell because their value should never be higher.
LaMarcus Aldridge (PF/C – SAS)
Aldridge may be a surprise name for this article, but hear me out. He had an ADP of 29 after a fantastic season that saw him score 23.1 points per game a year ago. That production was unlikely to continue for the 33-year-old, though.
Aldridge is having another stellar season. His 9.4 rebounds per game are his highest in the last four years. The 2.2 assists are a five-season high, and the 18.9 points per game on strong efficiency are making Aldridge a worthy value.
It is worth noting that he is shooting 60.8 percent from the field in the month of December. That includes scoring 21.6 points with 1.3 blocks and 0.7 steals for the month. Those are numbers that Aldridge cannot sustain.
The Spurs big man is likely playing at the top of his value right now, and managers would be wise to trade him away. Acquiring players like Rudy Gobert, Marc Gasol, or Middleton for Aldridge seems like a fantasy winning move at this time.
Kyle Kuzma (SF/PF – LAL)
Kuzma is also having a red-hot month of December. He is scoring 22.8 points per game on 51.0 percent shooting from the field and 90.0 percent on his free throws. Kuzma is also producing 7.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks in those nine games.
The second-year forward is playing more minutes because of Brandon Ingram’s absence. He is also taking on a larger offensive workload with Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee missing time. That is not going to sustain as all three players appear to the verge of returning.
Kuzma is often an overrated fantasy asset as well. He had an ADP of 71, thanks to playing for the Lakers and being a hefty scorer. Kuzma produced 1.0 steals and blocks combined last season. That is not much help and when fantasy managers add in less than two assists per game, the statistical profile sinks quickly.
They should look to capitalize on Kuzma’s value at its current peak and trade the Lakers forward away for any player inside the top-75. Managers will not regret the decision.
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Tyler Watts is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @tylerpwatts.