It’s been two weeks since our last trade value chart, and it’s been quite an eventful 14 days. Stephen Curry broke his hand and is out until at least February. Gordon Hayward fractured his hand and is out at least six weeks, and John Collins got slapped with a 25-game suspension. Injuries have piled up across the board, and De’Aaron Fox (ankle) will be out at least three to four weeks. Myles Turner (ankle) has missed seven straight contests, while Mitchell Robinson hasn’t taken the court since Nov. 6 with a concussion. Kyle Lowry (thumb) is out at least two weeks, Jeremy Lamb (ankle) has missed four straight, and Otto Porter Jr. (foot) remains on the shelf for at least one more game.
With all of the injuries and suspensions we’ve witnessed less than a month into the NBA season, it could be more important than ever to make a trade. If you’re anything like me, you love to trade — it’s the best part of playing fantasy sports. Trading really allows you to dig in as the general manager of your imaginary squad and improve your team. In my friends and family points league, it seems like there’s a trade at least every other day (if not every single day), and I can’t see either of my brothers-in-law without talking trade and trying to strike a deal. The trade market is a funny thing, though. It’s fluid and constantly changing, week-by-week and sometimes, game-by-game.
That’s why every other week, I’m going to bring you a trade chart that breaks down the value of the top players in fantasy basketball by assigning them a number. That number can be used to make a comparison with other players to decide if you’re making a fair trade. A simple one-for-one trade of Karl-Anthony Towns (50) for Anthony Davis (50) is dead even. If you want to make a two-for-two deal, simply add the players’ values together. A blockbuster deal involving a package of D’Angelo Russell (42) and Andre Drummond (46) could be swapped for James Harden (47) and Pascal Siakam (42) as the value of both packages is very similar.
Obviously, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all list of trade values, as league size, available roster spots and team needs all come into play when evaluating a potential trade. If you can fill a roster spot that needs attention or improve in some weak categories, then making the deal makes sense, even if you feel like you’re overpaying. Disclaimer for this week’s edition: There will be some big risers and fallers here, as the first trade value chart was based on just a few games without many injuries or suspensions to take into account. Big movements are unlikely to occur at such a rapid rate as the season progresses, but early-season projections and values tend to be a bit more fluid. Bear with me!
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk trade! Here are the current trade values as we make our way through Week 4 of the NBA season:
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Guard
D’Angelo Russell has risen rapidly over the last two weeks and jumps significantly in this edition of the trade value chart. With Stephen Curry out of action indefinitely, D’Lo returned from his brief absence to explode for a ridiculous 34.0 points, 8.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals, while knocking down 4.0 triples in his last four outings. Clearly, he’s an elite option moving forward, which is why his value jumps by 20 points here. James Harden has boosted his fantasy stock with some huge scoring nights, while Luka Doncic remains tied atop the group of guards thanks to his well-rounded play.
Rookie Ja Morant will be the most valuable fantasy rookie by season-end, thanks to his ability to contribute across the stat sheet. RJ Barrett is in the running with him for that honor, though he’s primarily a scorer, limiting his overall value. Malcolm Brogdon, Jrue Holiday, and Kemba Walker all get significant boosts thanks to great play over the last couple of weeks, while De’Aaron Fox and Kyle Lowry take a hit due to injuries. Evan Fournier, Kendrick Nunn, Jordan Clarkson and Dillon Brooks make their first appearances because of the value they carry for the rest of the season. Stephen Curry has been removed from this chart, because I don’t believe he’ll play again this season.
Forward
John Collins falls from grace here, as he was slapped with a 25-game suspension. Jabari Parker has balled out in his absence, accounting for his rise up the trade chart. Kawhi Leonard’s “load management” issue has already reared its ugly head, and the superstar takes a very small dip in value, with the thought that he’ll miss a dozen or more games the rest of the season. Zion Williamson continues to fall in value due to his extended absence and the need for fantasy players to roster players who will be on the court in the near future. Kevin Love has played like he’s back in Minnesota, and Domantas Sabonis has been on an absolute tear as the primary option in Indiana’s frontcourt. Jonathan Isaac has been a multi-category stud, and I underestimated his value in the first edition of the trade chart. All three of these guys rise significantly.
Blake Griffin makes his appearance after making his season debut earlier in the week, though he’ll likely have his playing time monitored closely — at least in the short-term. Otto Porter takes a hit thanks to a foot injury that’s forced him out of action. Julius Randle is playing in a crowded frontcourt, and Aaron Gordon has underwhelmed this season. Both players’ values decrease here. Jayson Tatum has played well of late, and with Gordon Hayward (hand) out a while, he should see his opportunities increase. TJ Warren’s recent scoring explosion moves his needle this week, as well.
Center
Player | Current Value | Previous Value | +/- |
Karl-Anthony Towns | 50 | 50 | – |
Andre Drummond | 46 | 38 | +8 |
Nikola Jokic | 45 | 42 | +3 |
Joel Embiid | 44 | 46 | -2 |
Bam Adebayo | 38 | 33 | +5 |
Nikola Vucevic | 32 | 33 | -1 |
Clint Capela | 26 | 28 | -2 |
Rudy Gobert | 23 | 26 | -3 |
Tristan Thompson | 23 | N/A | N/A |
Hassan Whiteside | 23 | 20 | +3 |
Thomas Bryant | 22 | 28 | -6 |
Montrezl Harrell | 22 | 27 | -5 |
Wendell Carter Jr. | 20 | 27 | -7 |
Jonas Valanciunas | 17 | 20 | -3 |
Brook Lopez | 15 | 17 | -2 |
Myles Turner | 15 | 27 | -12 |
Deandre Ayton | 12 | 28 | -16 |
Ivica Zubac | 10 | N/A | N/A |
Dwight Howard | 10 | 10 | – |
Mitchell Robinson | 10 | 26 | -16 |
Aron Baynes | 10 | N/A | N/A |
Bobby Portis | 8 | 18 | -10 |
Jarrett Allen | 8 | 14 | -6 |
Marc Gasol | 6 | 14 | -8 |
Cody Zeller | 6 | N/A | N/A |
DeAndre Jordan | 6 | 10 | -4 |
The discrepancy among the “best” and the “rest” is most noticeable among centers. The top four players at the position haven’t changed, and there’s not much movement in value with this group. These are the most elite players by far, but they’ve separated significantly from the pack. Bam Adebayo rounds out the top five thanks to his continued excellence in most categories.
Myles Turner takes a hit, as he’s missed plenty of time with an ankle injury, and Mitchell Robinson’s on-court production has been far from elite, given his relatively low minutes and a crowded cast in New York’s frontcourt. Deandre Ayton remains suspended, but with so many injuries around the league, he doesn’t carry a lot of value as a trade target quite yet. Hassan Whiteside gets a boost thanks to the dearth of talent in the Blazers’ frontcourt around him. Tristan Thompson jumps in thanks to the best play of his career to start the season, and he looks like one of the best values at his position in fantasy.
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Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.