The NBA Trade Deadline was active with a bunch of deals going down. Now we are left to sort out the impact on affected teams and to try to figure out when the newly acquired players will suit up with their new squads. For the most part, I’m going to assume that anyone traded over the last couple of days will not play on Friday night’s eight-game slate until told otherwise. It is a great-looking slate on the NBA hardwood with a ton value potential and six games with a Vegas total over 220 points. It should be another high-scoring DFS night!
Note that some of the stats referenced in this article are my custom DvP calculations that combine both season and last five games data along with blending similar positions production allowed together.
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One Stud
Anthony Davis (PF/C – NO): $11,200 vs. MIN
Anthony Davis was not dealt at the deadline on Thursday and is expected to play on Friday against the Timberwolves. He reportedly could sit out some games over the rest of the season on back-to-backs and might get his minutes reduced somewhat when he does play. All of that said, I expect him to come out with a vengeance on Friday night. Davis has averaged 29.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in two previous matchups with the Wolves, and we all know that he has a lot more upside than that.
The NBA Trade Deadline was active with a bunch of deals going down. Now we are left to sort out the impact on affected teams and to try to figure out when the newly acquired players will suit up with their new squads. For the most part, I’m going to assume that anyone traded over the last couple of days will not play on Friday night’s eight-game slate until told otherwise. It is a great-looking slate on the NBA hardwood with a ton value potential and six games with a Vegas total over 220 points. It should be another high-scoring DFS night!
Note that some of the stats referenced in this article are my custom DvP calculations that combine both season and last five games data along with blending similar positions production allowed together.
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
One Stud
Anthony Davis (PF/C – NO): $11,200 vs. MIN
Anthony Davis was not dealt at the deadline on Thursday and is expected to play on Friday against the Timberwolves. He reportedly could sit out some games over the rest of the season on back-to-backs and might get his minutes reduced somewhat when he does play. All of that said, I expect him to come out with a vengeance on Friday night. Davis has averaged 29.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in two previous matchups with the Wolves, and we all know that he has a lot more upside than that.
Core Plays
Karl-Anthony Towns (C – MIN): $10,000 @ NO
If you are not comfortable using Davis, or if you just want to stock up on the Wolves/Pelicans matchup, then Karl-Anthony Towns should be high on your list Friday night. Towns has dominated the Pelicans this season, averaging 26.7 points and 20.0 rebounds in three previous meetings. The Wolves don’t have many options on the offensive end given all of the backcourt injuries (more on that later), which give Towns a high floor. The Pelicans have been generous to opposing big men this season, allowing increased scoring (+4.5%), rebounds (+2.9%), and assists (+11.7%).
Lauri Markkanen (PF/C – CHI): $7,000 @ BKN
Lauri Markkanen was already on a roll for the Bulls, and now they have traded away their depth behind him with Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker shipped out of town. Markkanen has scored 30 points in back-to-back games and played 41 minutes in his last outing. Over his last five outings, he has averaged 22.6 points and 13.2 rebounds while putting up 44.5 DraftKings points per game. Next up for Markkanen is a favorable matchup against a Nets frontcourt that has given up increased production in points (+4.5%), rebounds (+12.5%), and assists (+7.5%).
Hassan Whiteside (C – MIA): $6,800 @ SAC
Hassan Whiteside is hard to trust, which is why I might not have the guts to roster him in cash games despite all the signs pointing to a strong game on Friday. He dominated the Kings in an earlier meeting this season when he put up 16 points, 24 rebounds, and five blocks. He has three straight double-doubles and is coming off a big game where he scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. It is not a surprise that he put up big rebounding numbers against the Kings in his last meeting since they allow an increase of 15.4% in rebounds to centers this year. Now, the question is, do you have the guts to play him in cash games?
Jeff Green (SF/PF – WAS): $5,300 vs. CLE
Jeff Green is playing great right now for the Wizards. He has scored at least 20 points in four straight games while putting up at least 31 DK points in each of those outings. His salary remains depressed for a favorable matchup against the Cavaliers, who have allowed increase scoring to opposing forward this season. Another 20-point night should be in the stars for Green as long as the Wizards’ new frontcourt additions don’t suit up yet.
Value Plays
Collin Sexton (PG – CLE): $4,500 @ WAS
Collin Sexton is coming off a 27-point effort in his last game while logging 42 minutes against the Celtics. With all of the moves the Cavaliers made at the trade deadline, he should see big minutes and get a lot of shot attempts again on Friday against the Wizards. He has fared well against the Wizards in three previous meeting this season, averaging 21.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for 31.4 DK points. The Wizards have allowed increased production across the board to PGs this season, and Sexton should take advantage on Friday night.
Dion Waiters (SG/SF – MIA): $3,900 @ SAC
The Heat kept busy at the trade deadline by trading away guards Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington. This should allow Dion Waiters to start getting more reliable minutes in Miami’s rotation, either in the starting lineup or off the bench. Waiters has played at least 26 minutes already in two of his last three games and has been clamoring for more playing time recently. He shot better in his last game and should get that chance to put up or shut up in a favorable matchup against the Kings on Friday. I think he puts up big points.
Luke Kennard (SG/SF – DET): $3,500 vs. NYK
Another team that traded away a bunch of their depth on the wing, the Pistons moved Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson. Their departures should free up more minutes for Luke Kennard, who has typically produced double-digit points when getting at least 22 minutes. Over his last six games when playing at least 23 minutes, he is averaging 16.3 points while knocking down a total of 16 three-pointers. He’ll face a Knicks team that has allowed the fifth-highest field goal percentage and seventh-most three-point attempts to SGs this season.
Isaiah Canaan (PG – MIN): $3,000 @ NO
The Timberwolves may be without four different point guards on Friday with Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose, Tyus Jones, and Jerryd Bayless all potentially out against the Pelicans. That would leave only Isaiah Canaan, who was just picked up four games ago, to man the point. He put up a solid game on Thursday with 13 points and six assists in 21 minutes and could build on those numbers with minutes in the 30s against the Pelicans, who have allowed a small uptick in production to PGs in points, assists, and steals this season.
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Brad Richter is a Featured Writer and Correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.