3 Must-Add Points League Players Following the NBA Trade Deadline

The much-anticipated NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and while it may have felt underwhelming on the surface, it quietly reshaped the fantasy landscape—especially for points league fantasy basketball adds. Instead of splashy win-now moves, several teams made it clear they’re prioritizing development and future assets.

The Wizards, Jazz, and Pacers grabbed headlines, but many of the players involved were either injured or landed on teams firmly in tank mode. As a result, stars like Jaren Jackson Jr., Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and Ivica Zubac are unlikely to see heavy workloads—if they play at all—down the stretch. With ping-pong balls in mind, these franchises are positioning themselves for a shot at elite prospects like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer.

For fantasy managers, this shift creates opportunity. As rotations thin and minutes consolidate, a handful of players emerged as clear winners following the deadline—making them prime points league adds during the fantasy basketball silly season.

While a few surprise names could surface as tanking teams experiment, it’s best to act on what we know right now. With that in mind, here are three must-add players in points leagues who can help carry your team the rest of the way.

3 Must-Add Points League Players

1) Jalen Smith – Chicago Bulls

Jalen Smith fantasy managers were jumping for joy the moment Nikola Vučević was traded—especially with Chicago not bringing back a true center in return. That move immediately positioned Smith as the Bulls’ only reliable big man.

While Chicago did trade for Nick Richards at the eleventh hour, he doesn’t move the needle. Smith remains the biggest winner of the NBA trade deadline. On a tanking Bulls team focused on development, Smith is staring at a massive minute load for the rest of the season.

The guard rotation in Chicago is crowded, making it difficult to confidently project a breakout there. If I’m planting a flag, I still like Jaden Ivey’s upside and explosiveness as a long-term piece alongside Josh Giddey—but that’s more speculative.

Editor’s note: This was written before Jaden Ivey’s season debut.

The center situation, however, is crystal clear. There is no real competition for minutes, and Smith should get all the run he can handle—assuming Chicago doesn’t outright rest key players for lottery odds.

Smith should be added everywhere in points leagues without hesitation.

In the four games this season where Smith has played 30+ minutes, he’s averaged:

• 13.3 points

• 9.8 rebounds

• 2.0 assists

• 2.1 three-pointers

• 1.0 steal

• 1.0 block

• 48.7% field goal percentage

That’s across-the-board fantasy production you simply can’t ignore.

2) Jarace Walker – Indiana Pacers

If you’ve read any of my recent work, you already know I’m all-in on Jarace Walker for the rest of the season.

The Pacers sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings makes Walker a prime silly season candidate, especially with the inevitable shutdowns looming. Pascal Siakam resting down the stretch would immediately open up 30+ minutes per night for Walker.

In the seven games Walker has played 30+ minutes this season, the 23-year-old has averaged:

• 17.0 points

• 5.1 rebounds

• 3.9 assists

• 1.0 steal

It’s hard to imagine him playing fewer than 30 minutes consistently the rest of the way as Indiana shifts its focus to next season. It wouldn’t surprise me if Andrew Nembhard starts taking games off, and while Aaron Nesmith could finish the year, the Pacers already know what they have in him.

That opens the door for Walker—and even deeper names like Johnny Furphy and Quentin Jackson—to soak up meaningful minutes.

The Pacers could be a goldmine during silly season. We just need to let the dust settle to see who rises. My money is firmly on Jarace Walker, and he should be added in all points leagues.

3) Tre Johnson – Washington Wizards

While Tre Johnson has missed the past three games with an ankle injury, the Texas product had started 16 straight games prior to that absence.

During that stretch, the 19-year-old averaged:

• 15.3 points

• 3.1 assists

• 2.6 three-pointers

• 2.4 rebounds

• 1.2 Stocks

The Wizards didn’t select Johnson with the sixth overall pick to keep him on the bench. At just 19 years old, he’s going to get all the run he can handle—especially with Khris Middleton gone and both Trae Young and Anthony Davis unlikely to make a meaningful impact the rest of the season.

This should be the Tre Johnson show, alongside other young players I like such as Bub Carrington and Justin Champagnie.

In the six games Johnson has played 30+ minutes, he’s averaged:

• 16.8 points

• 2.5 rebounds

• 3.3 assists

• 3.0 three-pointers

That’s fantasy gold in points leagues. I fully expect Johnson to return to a 30-minute role quickly once healthy.

If you have an open IL spot, stash him now. He’s eligible after missing three games, and this is the kind of move you make before the breakout—not after.

Make the move now and thank me later.

Conclusion

While the NBA trade deadline didn’t deliver blockbuster excitement, it clarified something far more important for fantasy basketball: where the minutes are coming from. As teams shift toward development and lottery positioning, opportunity becomes the driving force behind late-season value—especially in points leagues.

Jalen Smith, Jarace Walker, and Tre Johnson all check the most important boxes for points league fantasy basketball adds: secure roles, expanding minutes, and production that translates directly to fantasy scoring. These are the types of players who swing leagues during silly season—not because of name value, but because of timing and opportunity.

As the regular season winds down, fantasy managers who stay proactive gain the edge. Track the rotations, anticipate rest days, and don’t wait for breakouts to become obvious on the box score.

Silly season rewards preparation. Make the move before your league mates do.