The NBA season is officially back, as we saw two of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference and two of the more star-studded and controversial teams in the Western Conference.
Each and every Wednesday, we will be providing players that you should not only look to acquire via trade but also players you should look to trade away.
Since – at the time of this writing – we are dealing with a sample of, well, two games, we will base the values on the below players on their preseason value.
Going forward, we’ll adjust that with the data that we’ve seen so far and build in potential trade scenarios for those you should look to acquire and those you should look to move.
Let’s get to it, and happy NBA season.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet 
Trade For
Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF, C – MEM)
Jackson was hard to rank heading into the season since he underwent right-foot surgery in June. It’s hard to bet on bigs coming back at a high level right away from foot surgery, but Jackson seems to be ahead of schedule with his progression.
Head Coach Taylor Jenkins said that he expects Jackson to participate in 5-on-5 drills soon, putting him ahead of his potential January return.
What’s more, before the Grizzlies’ preseason games, Jackson was part of the on-court pre-game team session that the Grizzlies do. He was jumping like a guy who was about to play 30 minutes. He looks healthy, and the window to get him cheap will be small.
Trade Away
The Celtics are going to miss Williams, as they lack the interior defensive depth without him. He’s likely to miss about two months after his knee surgery, which should put him on track to return in late December.
So like Jackson, he’s someone to acquire, right?
Not so fast.
As much as he’s missed, the Celtics will take their time with his return. And as we’ve seen in the past, Time Lord has struggled to stay healthy. It seems like a 2021 Zion Williamson situation all over again where we are hoping that “this will be the week,” but the week never arrives.
I’d look to flip him if someone is optimistic.
Trade For
This is an opportunity to cash in on the off-season narrative around the Gobert deal. So many people were making fun of the Timberwolves for the number of draft picks they gave away that that can slip into our minds as fantasy players. But don’t be confused here. The deal has nothing to do with the immediate future but rather 2024 and 2025, as well as how it will work in the playoffs.
But because of that, people seem to be fading Gobert a bit, and while he will lose out on some rebounds to Karl-Anthony Towns, the elite defensive and rebounding numbers will still be there for him. Center is thin, so if you can get him at any discount at all, do it.
Trade Away
Spencer Dinwiddie (PG/SG – DAL)
This one hurts because Dinwiddie is one of my favorite NBA players. But we put that aside here when talking about fantasy value.
With Jalen Brunson out of the picture, Dinwiddie will have a chance to step in and lead the Mavs’ offense alongside Luka Doncic. But expecting Dinwiddie to step in and have the same type of production is where we are having the disconnect.
We have a less efficient player from the field and is more of a complementary piece than a No. 2 player for a team that we saw Brunson morph into last year.
I like Dinwiddie as a late-round guy, but don’t fall into the “Brunson at a discount” narrative.
Trade For
Jalen Brunson (PG – NYK)
Speaking of the new Knicks guard, don’t be surprised if there is the early discussion about Brunson not being what the team envisioned. Brunson will lead the team and be the first true point guard they’ve had in some time, but he’s not a guy who will go out and average 20 points per game. That’s not his game, and that’s not what the Knicks want him to be.
If that narrative starts to happen, look to acquire him. He’s going to be a really good fantasy option this year, especially if you need help in assists and off-position boards.
Trade Away
I feel this will be the one I regret the most, but there is someone in every league who LOVES Giddey. And he’s really, really good!
But I’m concerned about him not only being shut down early – that’s an early-2023 problem – but also his lack of jump shot. The talent is there, and the rest of the game is super fantasy-friendly. But if someone values him as a top-50 player, I’m OK moving him in the right package.
Trade For
The Knicks made a concerted effort to address their center depth this offseason by retaining Mitchell Robinson via an extension and signing Hartenstein as a free agent.
The Knicks have misused Robinson over the extent of his career, and in some ways, it makes sense, as he hasn’t been the beacon of health and hasn’t developed offensively.
My prediction is that Hartenstein out-earns Robinson this year and will usurp him from the starting and closing lineups for the Knicks. With the center position being so thin, you can get Hartenstein now for cheap before his value soars.
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Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.
