Just 11 days removed from the NBA’s opening night, teams and players are still trying to find their identities and mesh. With that, the start of the season represents the period where overreactions and hot takes fly fastest. And it’s crucial to use that to your advantage as a fantasy player. It takes weeks, maybe months for teams to truly hit their stride.
Week two and the start of the In-Season Tournament! Let’s get into it.
Check out the latest fantasy basketball expert consensus rankings
Fantasy Basketball Trade Advice (Week 2)
Trade For
Acquiring Maxey before James Harden was traded would’ve been ideal, but it’s still early on enough to hop onto the hype train – which may go off the rails very soon.
Through four games, Maxey is averaging 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on stellar shooting splits. Better yet, he’s turned the ball over just four times in this young season. The fourth-year guard seems destined for an All Star selection and as that hype train keeps chugging along his price will only become greater. Go get him while you still can.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Higher: Jordan Poole, Kristaps Porzingis, Deandre Ayton
Trade Away
Unfortunately for Hield, he finds himself on a Pacers roster that really spreads its minutes out. Seven players are averaging more than 20 minutes per game and only Tyrese Haliburton averages more than 30. Hield, averaging 21.8 minutes per game, hasn’t started any of Indiana’s first four games and he certainly appears dispensable. Who knows if the guy who’s always involved in trade rumors will be on a new team by the winter.
Save yourself the uncertainty, and deal him to someone in need of a wing.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Lower: Derrick White, Ben Simmons, Malcolm Brogdon
Trade For
If Grayson Allen‘s recent performances have been any indication of what a star guard can do in this Suns lineup, then the injured Beal should have a great year. Allen is currently setting career-highs in points, assists, rebounds, and minutes per game while shooting the second-most threes and third-most field goals of his career, albeit on a five-game sample size.
Beal likely relegates Allen to the bench upon his return and takes a bit to find his rhythm. Trading for Beal now means doing so at a very fair price because it certainly seems like Phoenix’s offense will give him the chance to thrive once he’s acclimated.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Higher: Jordan Poole, Jrue Holiday, Josh Giddey
Trade Away
Scottie Barnes‘ incredible start to the season has effectively capped Poeltl’s ceiling thus far. While he’s started every game, Poeltl is averaging less minutes than Gary Trent Jr., who started once, and just four more minutes than Precious Achiuwa. When Darko Rajakovic wishes to go small, Poeltl is phased out.
Averaging 9.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in six games, Poeltl still maintains value in fantasy but he’s caught on a team filled with interior scorers. Perhaps include him in a two-for-two deal that nets you an upgrade at center and a high-upside potential gem while also giving up a player at another position.
Players to Trade Him For Who Are Ranked Lower: Jusuf Nurkic, Jalen Duren, Mitchell Robinson
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