The 10 turnovers committed by Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin on Monday probably did not overshadow the double digits in the three other categories that he amassed -- it is an historic quadruple-double! -- but for some fantasy managers it is a reminder that there is a modest cost for those who handle the basketball the most.
Turnovers matter for most formats, and while it would never lead someone to avoid stars like Griffin, NBA leader (by a lot!) James Harden and likely Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic (who is predictably piling them on as well), it is nice to find a player who, well, handles the ball cleanly.
Charlotte Hornets power forward
Nobody is rushing out to add Williams today, but if it were 12 points per game with six boards, and these meager turnovers, you would think about it, right? Williams boasts a better 30-day Player Rater ranking than fellow power forwards Aaron Gordon, Dario Saric, Wendell Carter Jr. and quite a few others.
For those looking for more numbers and low turnovers, one-category options like New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (blocks) and San Antonio Spurs forward Marco Belinelli (one of many hitting 3-pointers) jump out, mainly because they rarely handle the ball. The first double-digit scorer per game permitting fewer than a turnover per game is Knicks guard Damyean Dotson, currently dealing with a shoulder injury.
The real winner here is Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb, who is averaging 15.0 points and 5.6 rebounds with strong steals, 3-pointers and shooting -- and just 25 turnovers in 29 games. Hey, another Hornet? Is this a theme? Why yes, yes it is. The Hornets commit 12 turnovers per game, the fewest in the league, and only the Memphis Grizzlies rank better in turnover differential.
I do not think we should gloss over this. Sure, point guard Kemba Walker might be the lone Hornet rostered in all fantasy leagues, with swingman Nicolas Batum and Lamb the others rostered in half of leagues, but when I watch basketball, I do not enjoy seeing a team give the ball away. Oh, I watch so many Philadelphia 76ers games and get frustrated when Ben Simmons seems to prefer the fancy pass rather than the accurate one, and we credit Joel Embiid for making inroads in turnovers but still, the 76ers make a ton of mistakes. Not like the Atlanta Hawks and their rookie point guard do, but when I watch the Hornets, they take care of the basketball.
I still regard Lamb, No. 77 on the season Player Rater but available in too many fantasy leagues, as one of the underrated options out there. Williams certainly has a role in deeper formats. Center Cody Zeller is averaging nearly 20 fantasy points per game in the past fortnight and needs more attention. Rookie Miles Bridges has a future. The Hornets can probably stick around in the Eastern Conference playoff race because all it takes is a .500 record, and perhaps you watch the team solely for Walker's brilliance. Well, sometimes I get tired of turnovers, too, both in real life and fantasy, and Lamb and Williams help in that respect.
Briefly, as for others thriving to avoid turnovers and playing enough to matter, Pistons guard Langston Galloway, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Sacramento Kings forward Justin Jackson, Phoenix Suns forward T.J. Warren and several Denver Nuggets, including Monte Morris, Malik Beasley and injured Gary Harris, shine in this respect. Landry Shamet and Jimmy Butler of the Sixers are among the top 20 in turnover percentage as well, and so is new Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr., acquired over the weekend in the awkward Trevor Ariza trade. Perhaps Oubre moves on again, but there is statistical upside here.
Other NBA thoughts
-- Griffin was on my "do not draft" list prior to the season, and so far that designation looks ridiculous. He is scoring more than 25 points per game, which would be a career best if it continues, the 9.1 rebounds are his most in five seasons and the 3-pointers are great. Yes, he turns the ball over, but my preseason concern was not so much about the numbers (well, the assists are down but still good). It is about health. Griffin last played in more than 67 games in 2013-14. You bet that concerns me! In that respect, little has changed except for when Griffin does get hurt, losing these fantastic numbers will hurt more. And yes, if he plays in 75 games, I will admit the error of my ways.
-- Fantasy managers probably did not take much notice of Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie until he lit up the Philadelphia 76ers for 39 points last week and then signed a three-year contract extension that had many scratching their heads. Dinwiddie is the most added player in ESPN standard leagues and for good reason. He was a bench player in Detroit, and even now he has started only three of 31 games, though there is considerable argument that he is better than wild shooter D'Angelo Russell, who takes a ton of shots, but is not so efficient. Invest not only because he is playing well, but because there is major upside.
-- Just about every time the Grizzlies have a game, I get notified that point guard Mike Conley is a game-time decision, and I wrote about this annoying phenomenon and Conley's value last week. On Monday, Conley and his sore hamstring finally missed a game, and the Golden State Warriors pasted the Grizzlies. Perhaps it would have happened anyway. Do not panic. We knew Conley was not going to play in 82 games. Can he play in 72? I am good with that.
-- Cannot say I was pleased at what Kings coach Dave Joerger did on Monday, benching his starters in the second half. Hey, some of us in the fantasy world need De'Aaron Fox, Willie Cauley-Stein and others to produce numbers, and what happened was unprecedented and not cool. Fox scored 25 points in three of four games entering play, and then he played only six minutes and did nothing. Not cool.
-- Lou Williams has missed four games with a hamstring injury, and the LA Clippers have been losing, but do not blame Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari. The youngster to watch here is shooting guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as he is getting minutes and they should continue. He does not add much in categories other than points and perhaps steals, but there is upside. As for Williams, expect another missed week and try to keep him rostered.
-- Annoying, obsessive Trae Young update: The rookie might actually shoot like 38 percent from the field this season. Not from 3-point range, but overall. That is scary and worse than turning the ball over five-plus times per night. I thought he would do better than this. Young does have 10 assists in two of three games, and I pushed aside trade talk in a keeper league mainly for that reason, but this is a tough option to rely on in a weekly head-to-head league. It is easier in season points formats.