This seems a rather interesting week to watch the San Antonio Spurs. Not only because they figure to be involved in a trade or two by Thursday's deadline -- #freeThaddeusYoung -- but also because I want to see if C Jakob Poeltl continues his ascent into solid scorer, if SF/PF Keldon Johnson decides he wants to consistently rebound and if rejuvenated C Zach Collins can stay on the court. Hey, the Spurs may trade Poeltl, too, thinking he is not a big part of the future. Anyone except for awesome PG/SG Dejounte Murray may be available.
Poeltl continues to be one of my favorite fantasy basketball stories of the past few months, as the Austria native finally breaks out in his sixth NBA season. Poeltl dumped 21 points on the Houston Rockets on Friday night and has scored 18 or more points in five of his past six contests. He has a clear role in fantasy circles for his rebounding, blocking of shots and field goal percentage, and continues to improve. Now is the right time to trade for Poeltl in fantasy, and whether the Spurs move him or not, his numbers may continue to rise.
Shocking as it may be, Collins may be the key to whether Poeltl is on the move. You recall Collins, right? The Gonzaga kid was a top-10 pick by Portland a few seasons ago, but staying healthy became a problem and then Collins missed most of the past two seasons with a major ankle injury. He scored 10 points against the Rockets in his season debut, grabbed seven boards and hit a 3-pointer in his 13 minutes. Sure, trading for Collins this early in his comeback seems overly risky, but I added him in a very deep league just in case he breaks out. He has the skills, but as we always say in fantasy, durability is a skill as well.
The Spurs are likely not winning an NBA title anytime soon, but they currently roster four legit fantasy options. Murray is the obvious star, top 15 on the Player Rater, and a likely second round pick in this fall's drafts. Derrick White is a capable third-tier fantasy point guard. Poeltl is the underrated center. Then there is SF/PF Keldon Johnson. The Kentucky product scored 28 points on the Rockets. He hit three 3-pointers. He even hauled in seven rebounds. For the season, however, he averages only 6.1 RPG, and since January began, it is barely five per game. Perhaps Murray and Poeltl steal them all. Johnson should be averaging 18 PPG and 8 RPG. Alas, he is not.
How should a fantasy manager react to the Spurs?
Murray is great. Poeltl is under-the-radar great. I think White and Johnson are a bit overrated statistically, but they have their collective place. White cannot accumulate as many points and assists as we would like in this offense, but he really should contribute more steals and 3-pointers. Watch the Spurs play and opportunity is there. Johnson is inconsistent, a bit of an underachiever. Perhaps that changes soon. He is, after all, only 22.
As for Young, buried in coach Pop's bench, he has to go somewhere this week and for those of us in deeper formats, it figures to matter. Young had a good run as a versatile fantasy option last season, a sneaky source of assists and steals and he hits his field goals. If he is still a Spur after the Super Bowl then, eh, move on. If he is the sixth man on an actual contender, though, watch out.
Time to trade in thoughts on the Spurs for the latest edition of the Trade Index. Stay tuned to the news through the league's trade deadline, because value will be changing in the fantasy world, too.
Trade for
Chris Duarte, SG, and Isaiah Jackson, PF, Indiana Pacers: Someone has to play for this club and after the Caris LeVert trade it seems clear Duarte and Jackson will pile on the minutes and key numbers. We could see upward of 18 PPG for Duarte the rest of the season, with 3-pointers. Remember, Duarte is not a normal rookie, whatever that means. He entered the league a mature 24 years old, and he defends, too. Jackson is a shot blocker and rebounder and while he missed all but a few seconds of last week with a sprained ankle, which was a big problem in weekly formats, keep him around. Even if PF/C Domantas Sabonis sticks around, the team may simply "rest" him periodically or long-term because they can.
Norman Powell, SG/SF, LA Clippers: As my colleague Eric Moody adeptly noted on Friday... Amir Coffey, we hardly knew ya. Powell has to move into the starting lineup soon and for an offense crying for a take-charge scoring option, this may be only the beginning of his scoring. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are not returning soon.
Trade away
Jalen Green, SG, Houston Rockets: One of the top picks in the NBA draft remains a work in progress, and fantasy managers trying to contend should aim to move him for a more reliable, consistent producer. Green has scored a bit more lately, and shown aggressiveness in getting to the free throw line, and that is nice, but he remains a reckless shooter from the field, and turnover prone.
Bobby Portis, PF/C, Milwaukee Bucks: It is hard to believe how good this journeyman has been this season, scoring and rebounding at career bests, but it is also hard to acknowledge this continues to this level. Trading is about value. Portis should be universally rostered, but he averaged 13.3 PPG in January. It is 23.7 PPG so far in February. Portis certainly cannot continue to drain 61% of his 3-pointers, as he is in early February returns. In addition, there is at least talk that Brook Lopez may return during the next month from a back injury. I like Portis, but now may be a wise time to cash in.