We really should not be so surprised that longtime Denver Nuggets SG/SF Will Barton is among the top 75 on the ESPN Player Rater and just outside the top 50 in points league scoring. After all, someone has to produce on the Nuggets after league MVP C Nikola Jokic, and it appears it will not be your bust of a fourth-round pick SF/PF Michael Porter Jr. His season might be over due to a back injury. PG/SG Jamal Murray (knee) might play later in the season, he might not. Someone has to help Jokic. Barton is doing just that.
Barton is 30 now, but thanks to those missing around him, he is earning a career high in minutes, field goal attempts, 3-pointers, assists and scoring. Myriad players are more statistically versatile, but it is hard to complain about a late-round draft pick -- if he went at all! -- averaging 16.6 PPG with 2.4 3-pointers, especially because he is at 17.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 4.4 APG in November! The dominant Jokic does everything better, of course, but Barton is no longer the fellow you simply add for a few weeks when you have injuries. His numbers warrant an active roster spot. He remains available in 33% of ESPN standard leagues, but trading for him makes sense, too.
Is it possible there is only one Nuggets player worth trading for? Barton is not someone we covet, really, but for those wondering if his unusual numbers will continue, they should. Our game is about value, and his is rising. Sure, the dominant Phoenix Suns blew out the injury-riddled Nuggets on Sunday night. Barton had a rough night, missing 11 of 15 field goal attempts, but still, 15 field goals matters. Perhaps it creates a buy-low chance. Who else can score here? PF Aaron Gordon is fine but inconsistent. PG Monte Morris is a statistical disappointment. A pair of "J Green" fellows start (Jeff and JaMychal, though it is annoying to follow along in box scores) but neither do so much. Barton has great opportunity!
The other big news of a potential season-ending injury over the past week came from the Cleveland Cavaliers, with clarity on the knee injury to PG/SG Collin Sexton. He had surgery, and he is done until next season. Move on. PG Ricky Rubio continues to pile on numbers, even as he misses so many field goals, and we watch to see if there is another obvious winner. Universally rostered PG Darius Garland, for sure, but perhaps SF Isaac Okoro, SF Cedi Osman or someone else. PF Kevin Love is still there, if you forgot. Injuries create chances for others.
OK, here is the latest episode of the Trade Index! Happy Thanksgiving and hope your trades do not turn out to be turkeys!
Trade for
Cade Cunningham, PG/SG, Detroit Pistons: On the surface, he still misses so many field goal attempts, and he is a turnover machine, but there are so many positives, too. Like his triple-double versus the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night! Cunningham still has some rough numbers, but they will improve. He is a mature floor leader who could be averaging 18 PPG, 7 RPG and 7 APG really soon. Do not wait to get him as he appears to be the rare rookie we can count on!
Jalen Brunson, PG, Dallas Mavericks: PG Luka Doncic will return from his ankle injury soon, but did you know Brunson has solid numbers as a reserve, too? He is at 12.7 PPG and 5.0 APG off the bench, with solid shooting. What if Doncic gets hurt again and Brunson gets to run the team long term? Then we have a potential top-25 player, as Brunson averages 22.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 6.6 APG starting. Incidentally, that is not too far from what Doncic does.
Jusuf Nurkic, C, Portland Trail Blazers: It was hard to get much read on Nurkic after he missed most of the 2019-20 season and was a bit erratic last season. Even now, Nurkic is not scoring much because he is not getting many shots, only 7.5 field goal attempts per game, well below normal. That figures to rise as his minutes rise. Nurkic at least looks healthy. He rebounds. He steals. He makes the shots he takes. I think it is reasonable to think Nurkic averages more like 15 PPG from here on out.
Trade away
LeBron James, PG/SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers: Hear me out. This has nothing to do with the Sunday night elbow that incited an unfortunate melee. James turns 37 soon. He scores less, rebounds less and passes less than past (and all) seasons, all potentially due to the arrival of PG Russell Westbrook. James already missed several weeks because of a strained abdominal muscle, and the team will continue to be cautious and sit him out when there is any sense of injury. Do we get 60 games this season? Myriad triple-doubles? I have concerns.
Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors: Yep, another icon makes the list. Look, our game is about value. Thompson is already rostered in 83.9% of ESPN standard leagues. Perhaps he returns before Christmas and lights things up, but then again, what do you think Thompson really is as a fantasy asset? He scores and hits 3-pointers. He does not rebound much. He rarely accrues assists. Expect limited minutes when he does play, and plenty of skipped games, too. Thompson's value is high based on his good name, and it drops as soon as he debuts with 12 points in 18 minutes, with 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Look, I am rooting for Thompson, and the league is better for him being in it and healthy, but be realistic, too. I probably lead this column with Thompson and expound on this in about three weeks, by the way.
More information needed
Ivica Zubac, C, Los Angeles Clippers: This is an underrated player, one averaging 10.2 PPG and 8.4 RPG, while hitting 65% of his field goals. We can count on him to play and produce on a consistent basis. What is the worry? Well, Serge Ibaka is finally back playing. Isaiah Hartenstein is pushing for more minutes, too. Zubac plays only 25 MPG, and if we can count on it staying in that range, then he is a nice option for a final active roster spot or two.