The All-Star break begins on Thursday and fantasy basketball managers should plan accordingly. Use the time normally reserved for setting your lineup and analyzing pickups to assess your squad’s needs and how to improve. Then, head out on the trade market for an upgrade.
Making a move at the right time can be key in winning your league. Here are five players fantasy managers should think about moving during the All-Star break.
Check out our Week 11 dynasty trade value chart
Buy
Three players fantasy managers should attempt to acquire in Week 11.
The Celtics are struggling, but Jayson Tatum is not. The 22-year-old All-Star averages 25.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. His percentages are down slightly, but the roster around him is partly to blame. Boston has to play two traditional big men because they do not have other options.
The return of Marcus Smart after the All-Star break will be massive. The Celtics could add a piece or two before the trade deadline too. Tatum is not going to allow Boston to miss the playoffs. Expect a monster second half from the 22-year-old star.
He currently sits 34th on the FantasyPros Player Rater after having an ADP of 12 overall. Tatum should be a top 25 player for the remainder of the season, so buy accordingly.
Kristaps Porzingis (DAL – PF/C)
It has been a slow start to the season for Porzingis. He missed the first nine games recovering from offseason meniscus surgery. The Mavs were wrecked by health and safety protocol issues for a few weeks following his return. They are finally healthy and their elite offense is returning.
Do not look now, but KP is displaying some improved efficiency. He averages 20.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks on 46.9 percent from the field and 85.9 percent on his free throws. The Unicorn could improve every counting stat if he stays healthy.
Porzingis sits 109th on the Player Rater in part because of the missed time, but he is still well-below his ADP of 46. He could be a top 30 player for the rest of the season. Try to acquire him for someone outside the top 50 by playing up the trade rumors and talk of his defensive struggles. It could be the move that wins you a championship this season.
Oladipo has struggled since joining the Rockets. His numbers are down virtually across the board as he is shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 29.7 percent on his threes. The fact that he has missed eight of the 22 games since going to Houston has not helped and is a contributing factor to his rhythm within the offense and team.
The 28-year-old guard may never return to his All-Star form, but he offers fantasy managers a unique blend of stats. He can average 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He may hurt your percentages, but he offers a ton of counting stats.
Oladipo sits 138th on the Player Rater which is well below his ADP of 62. He should be a top 75 player for the remainder of the season. Fantasy managers may be able to get him on the cheap. He has the upside to be a top 40 player if everything breaks right and the 28-year-old can stay healthy.
Sell
Here are two players to trade away during Week 11.
Murray is red hot heading into the All-Star break. Over his last seven games, the Nuggets star is averaging 31.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 4.9 3-pointers made, and 1.0 steal per game on 57.9 percent shooting from the field and 90.0 percent on his free throws. Those numbers won’t last but fans saw Murray take off inside the bubble. It pushed his ADP up to 33 this year.
Now could be the perfect moment to sell. Find someone who thinks bubble Murray is his new level and play the hot streak as a reason he will be a top 20 player going forward. Murray sits exactly 33rd on the Player Rater but could regress a bit as he is shooting career-best percentages across the board this season. Sell high.
Michael Porter Jr. (DEN – SF/PF)
Porter Jr. was part of the hype train team entering the season. His performance inside the bubble pushed his ADP to 57 overall. Fantasy managers seemingly forget he missed his entire rookie season and was limited to 16.4 minutes per game last season in part because of worries about his back.
Porter Jr. just doesn’t have it all there for fantasy either. He offers nothing in assists and his defensive stats could be problematic as well. MPJ is 98th on the Player Rater and will struggle to crack the top 75. Fantasy managers could sell him on name value and get a more consistent option moving forward.
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Tyler Watts is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @tylerpwatts.