Ty Lawson looks to capitalize on the 'Melo trade.
With teams making moves at the trade deadline, a lot of players are dealing with life on a new team. These trades will certainly affect a player’s value in the real world, but in fantasy basketball land the changing of a team will almost always have a significant effect on a player’s value. We will talk about a couple of those affected players in this week’s Risers and Fallers list.
Let’s get started.
Fantasy Basketball Week 19 Risers
Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets, Point Guard
With Raymond Felton coming to town (via the Carmelo Anthony trade), many figured the starting job would simply be his. Well it looks like Felton isn’t getting the starting job after all; it looks like its Lawson’s to lose. In his first game as starter since the Melo trade, Lawson had a great game, going for 21 points, seven assists, six steals, five rebounds. We will have to see what Lawson does in his next few starts, but if he keeps this up his owners certainly will be pleased. With Coach George Karl having so much confidence in Lawson, he may just be a top fantasy basketball guard the rest of the way.
Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia 76’ers, Small Forward
Leading the team in field goal percentage, Young’s averages for the season are 12.2 points, 5.1 rebounds per game. Young has increased his numbers over the last four games to 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. What is so good about Young’s recent play is that he isn’t doing it with increased playing time; he’s still at his standard 25 minutes per game average. If Young can keep these numbers up over the next few games, he will be a must add for anyone in need of a forward. With those kinds of numbers with limited time, the upside will be far too great to leave on the waiver wire. Add him if you need to take a flyer on a forward, either way you need to keep a very close eye on him.
Carlos Delfino, Milwaukee Bucks, Small Forward
Another small forward that is playing well these days is Carlos Delfino, so well he must be mentioned on the list this week. He has flirted with a double-double in three of his last four games, and gone for over 20 points in two of his last five games. His averages in his last five games are 17.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals. Since he is a starter, he is probably sitting on someone’s bench, but if he isn’t, he is another forward that has way too much upside to be on your waiver wire and should be on your fantasy basketball squad. Delfino is another forward to keep your eye on.
Week 19 Fantasy Basketball Fallers
Baron Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers, Point Guard
Imagine waking up one morning in the city you were born and raised in, only to find out you are headed to the city with the worst team in the NBA. I forgot to mention, you would be moving from sunny California to snowy Cleveland. That alone would put anyone on the faller’s portion of this list, but for Baron Davis we may have to give him the award for “Faller of the Year”. This article is about fantasy basketball and its player, but we must remember that although highly paid professionals, these athletes are people just like you and I. The effect that this move will have on Davis, who has family (an ailing grandmother who he is close to), a movie production company and a history of problems with the Cavaliers’ head coach Byron Scott, may lead to fantasy doom. Davis was one of the hottest guards in fantasy averaging 17.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists in his last nine starts. But now we have to wonder how well he will react to this trade. With Daniel Gibson, Ramon Sessions Manny Harris, all competing with Davis for time at the point guard position, if you are a Davis owner, you should be very worried. An unhappy Baron Davis is not good for any team, fantasy for reality.
Arron Afflalo, Denver Nuggets, Shooting Guard
Another player affected by the Melo trade is Afflalo. With Raymond Felton having such a good year with the Knicks (who play the same type of up-tempo offense that the Nuggets do), you have to wonder if a backcourt of Felton and Lawson is in the near future. Afflalo is 6’5” and a great defensive guard, but we all know the Nugget’s aren’t too concerned with defense. Even if Afflalo doesn’t lose his starting job, if Felton stays and plays for the Nuggets (there are rumors he may be bought out if he doesn’t fit in), you can expect Afflalo’s playing time to take a hit. Don’t drop him of course, Felton may not cut into his time severely, but if you are an AA owner, you have to keep a close eye on this situation.
Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers, Center
Bynum really hasn’t taken off since he returned to the Lakers back in December. A few good games here and there, but he hasn’t double-doubled in his last ten games. In fact his averages in the last five games are not worth owning, just 6.5 points and 7.7 rebounds. Now, of course you don’t drop someone with so much talent as Bynum, but starting him in your fantasy basketball lineup is a real difficult question. Bynum has scored single digit points in four straight games; he has single digit rebounds in eight out of his last ten games. With numbers like these, Bynum is a faller and should be on everyone’s bench right now.
