It’s Thursday, and you know what that means.

Buy low-sell high is one of the oldest terms in fantasy, but it’s more involved than that. You have to look at the “low” and “high” of it to make sure you’re maximizing value. We can also buy the player, but question the team and role that they are in when it comes to maintaining the pace that they are on.

Most importantly here, with any call you make, you have to be willing to lose the deal or accept that you made the wrong call. It happens all the time when we think we are selling at the highest value, only for that player to buck the trend and play like a stud going forward.

Now that you have an idea of what to expect for this column week to week, let’s get to the players for the final time of 2021.

Have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve, everyone!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Buy

Deni Avdija (WAS – SG/SF)

Over the last two weeks, Avdija has returned 10th round value for fantasy managers (using a 12-team structure). A lot of that has been due to the health and safety protocols that the Wizards have been dealing with, but it’s the type of audition and opportunity that Avdija – and Washington – needed.

They’re invested in him as a piece of the future, of course, being their 2020 first-round pick. During the two-week stretch, Avdija has averaged 11 points, six boards, three assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

That’s more than enough to keep him a fixture in the rotation moving forward where he should play in the mid-20s for minutes per game.

Hamidou Diallo (OKC – SG/SF)

The Pistons can’t buy a win, and they also can’t keep guys on the court. Heading into the week, Frank Jackson was a guy I was going to put here, but he went down with an ugly ankle injury last night. 

So let’s shift gears to Diallo instead, shall we? He scored 31 points in Wednesday’s win, which is great, but that’s not why he’s here. He’s here because it’s the second straight big-scoring game he’s had, as he dropped 28 points his last time out. 

The Pistons need scoring, and they don’t have enough depth – even when healthy, and especially now – to justify keeping Diallo off the court. He’s been playing more than 30 minutes per game since December 19, and he’s done more than enough to earn 26-30 minutes per game moving forward. 

Ömer Yurtseven (MIA – C)

This is a Yurtseven fan account, and I’m happy to write about him whenever I can. 

I’m fully, fully buying into him as long as Bam Adebayo is out, and so far as the lone center on the team in the last two games, he’s returned fantastic value.

Yurtseven has recorded two straight double-doubles, going 16/15 and 10/14 in back-to-back games. 

There’s talent here, and he’s a must-start player until Bam returns. After that, he’s a wait-and-see for how he’s used.

Sell

Aaron Wiggins (OKC – SG/SF) I’m torn on Wiggins and if I’m buying or selling. I think I’m ultimately selling on his season-long appeal, though, but I reserve the right to flip-flop over the next few weeks.

On one hand, his production has come while Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Darius Bazley have been out. On the other hand, it’s not like the Thunder are absurdly loaded with players that can stand in the way of Wiggins contributing.

This is one that I’m buying for the short term, but selling for the long term until I see how it shakes out. 

Derrick White (SAS – PG/SG)

I really, really like White, and he’s a must-roster and must-start player no matter what. But he’s the 26th player in fantasy to date, something that we haven’t seen from him in the past. Top 50? Sure, I’ll buy it. 

But at this rate, I’m dangling him on the trade block to see if there’s a manager out there who will overpay because they are in desperate need of production right now.

What’s more, Dejounte Murray is in the midst of a breakout season, and once he returns from the league’s health and safety protocols, White will take a step back, albeit a small one. 

Remember, the key here is to sell high. If someone isn’t overpaying for White, hold him.

Buddy Hield (SAC – SG/SF)

Hield has enjoyed a nice bounceback season for the Kings and fantasy managers alike. He’s been a top 60 player for the better part of December, but he’s seen his minutes and usage take a hit over the last three games, and in two of those games, he failed to score more than three points.

The Kings are getting healthier, which means Hield’s value will continue to go down – unless Sacramento can pull off the long-awaited trade that sends Hield elsewhere.

For now, though, he’s a sell, because we aren’t going to bank on the Kings doing the right thing for once.

Join the BettingPros Discord Chat for Live Betting Advice

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts

Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners — or head to more advanced strategy — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread — to learn more.

Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.