Fantasy basketball managers are pushing for the playoffs. Just like teams in the NBA, they are also searching for ways to solidify their rosters through trades. The deadline is fast approaching, so let us take a look at five players that should be moved this week.
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Buy
It is the perfect moment to make a move to acquire these three players.
Nikola Vucevic (ORL – PF/C)
Vucevic’s numbers are down a bit on the season, but the 23 games since he returned from injury tell a different story. He is averaging 19.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks in 32.1 minutes of action over that period. Expect the seven-footer to continue that production down the stretch.
Vucevic currently ranks 57th on the FantasyPros Player Rater, but he should be a top-35 option moving forward. That bakes in some wiggle room to make a trade. Try any player ranked outside the top 40 and get a nice value for Vucevic.
Buddy Hield (SAC – SG)
Hield continues to take small steps forward in production that go unnoticed. His rebounds, assists, steals, and 3-pointers made are up slightly from a season ago. He is also playing significantly more minutes.
Hield has shot poorly to start the year, but that should improve down the stretch. That could force him closer to 22 points per game with nearly four 3-pointers made. Hield currently rates 44th on the Player Rater but could push into the top-35 after the All-Star break.
Buy Hield at his value now and expect a bit of extra production down the stretch.
Evan Fournier (ORL – SG/SF)
Fournier continues to be an underrated fantasy option. He is averaging 18.8 points, 2.6 3-pointers made, 2.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steal per game for the season. That and solid percentages places him 53rd on the Player Rater.
The 27-year-old does not get that kind of respect, though. Fournier had an ADP of 123. Most are valuing him as a player that can barely crack the top 100. Fournier is better than that which creates a buy-high opportunity.
Look to acquire him for any player ranked outside the top 75, and get a nice bargain on your team down the stretch.
Sell
Some players have reached the apex of their value and should be traded away before their stock begins to slip.
Devin Booker (PHO – PG/SG)
Booker has been an absolute monster lately. He has scored over 30 points in five of his last six games. Since Dec. 27, Booker is averaging 31.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.8 3-pointers made per game. That is on 52.8 percent from the field and 92.5 percent on his free throws.
The incredibly hot stretch has pushed Booker to fourth on the Player Rater. The 23-year-old is an incredible scorer and should make his first All-Star team, but now is the time to sell in fantasy.
Booker continues to improve, which should be no surprise, but he has not stayed healthy for the last two seasons. He was limited to 54 and 64 games respectively in that time. Booker had already played 44 this season. There are no guarantees, but it is a reason to worry.
Trade him now for another top-10 option with a bit more safety down the stretch.
DeMar DeRozan (SAS – SG/SF)
DeRozan is another player dominating 2020 so far. Since the calendar flipped, he is averaging 26.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.1 steals on 56.0 percent shooting from the field and 91.0 percent on his free throws. The Spurs’ wing is playing tremendously.
It has pushed him to 16th on the Player Rater, but it looks a bit unsustainable. DeRozan is hitting 53.4 percent from the field on the season but is a career 45.6 percent shooter. Playing for Pop can give a boost, but I doubt that number sticks.
The Spurs could also move him at the deadline or fall out of the playoff race and want to play younger talent. While that is undetermined, selling DeRozan for any top-25 player seems like good business.
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Tyler Watts is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @tylerpwatts.