It’s time we delve into the stock charts of Fantasy Basketball for the Week of December 4! So far, it’s still Boston and Philly at the top of things, Minnesota is still in the top three net rated teams, but we have to acknowledge that the Orlando Magic are the second seed in the East. Absolute craziness.
My favorite difference between the NBA and the NFL is that there is a game every single night. You have a rough night in fantasy basketball? Ok, that’s fine. Get over it! Tonight is a new night! That said, it can be tough to stay up to date on the entire league’s dealings, injuries, role changes, and performances.
That’s where our NBA Fantasy Basketball Hype Report comes in! Every Sunday, we’ll give you two players you should be buying low on (either via trade or waiver wire), and two players you should be selling high on (dropping, trading, or benching). When it comes to fantasy sports, FantraxHQ will always have your back! Let’s get into NBA Week 7’s Hype Report.
Fantasy Basketball Buy Low, Sell High
Buy Low
Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs, PG/PF
He’s rostered on 16% of teams, and that’s truly a travesty. But not for you! You get a chance to get in early. Before the world realizes that Victor Wenbanyama isn’t the only person on the Spurs’ roster. There are a lot of reasons Sochan is an interesting player (like shooting one-handed free throws last year because his numbers were better like that), but for fantasy purposes, he’s interesting because he’s now being deployed as the starting point guard of this team. This has been a success in my eyes, as he’s had 24 assists in his last five games, 21 rebounds, and 76 points. All that while playing over 30 minutes per game in four of his last five games. Further, the flexibility to be able to put him in your guard or forward spots, shouldn’t be ignored. If this role continues, he’ll be 50% owned by the end of this week. Don’t delay!
Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic, C
I mentioned them for a moment in the intro, but the Orlando Magic are a fascinating team right now. They have been in a directionless rebuild for quite some time now, acquiring multiple players with the same skillset, that also play the same position, and just watching how things unfold (Fultz, Suggs, Anthony, etc). While I think they’ve mismanaged their rebuild, their record is not luck by any stretch. The Magic have the 4th best defense in the entire NBA. That’s all effort. Kudos to Orlando. Especially considering that they’ve done it all without their best Center in Carter Jr. I imagine he’ll be eased into action, but rumor has it that he’s getting close to returning. He’s only 40% rostered at the moment, and that’s far too low for a player that 13/9/2 for his career. Pick him up now, and stash him in an IR spot, if you must.
Sell High
Coby White, Chicago Bulls, PG/SG
I won’t get hurt again. Every year Coby White goes on a ridiculous run where it looks like he’ll never miss a shot again. He seems to be on that run at the moment. He’s scored 23+ in four of his last six games. But at the end of the day, he’s going to be the fourth option on this Bulls team. You can’t expect a 4th option to score 23 points in an NBA game. Not now. Not ever. He’s 33% owned right now, and that’s probably low for what his production has been, but this won’t last. I’ve been burned too many times before. If he’s on your roster, it may be wise to use him as a carrot for a deal you want to get done. Strike while the iron is hot.
Kyle Lowry, Miami Heat, PG
Jimmy Butler said it best. The Heat are exactly where they don’t want to be. Mediocre all around. Defense is middle of the road. Offense is middle of the road. Pace is slow. Injuries are frequent. I’d be shocked if a move wasn’t made before the trade deadline to get some energy injected back into this team. The most likely spot for an upgrade is at point guard. That would mean Kyle Lowry’s stock would fall. Considering he’s been a top-15 fantasy point guard option this year, you could get a decent haul for him if you were to hit the eject button right now. He’s averaging 9/4/4 on 30 minutes per game, but he has steals upside, three-pointers made upside, and points upside whenever the Heat go through stretches of dramatic injury issues. There would be a small, but valuable market for Lowry in every fantasy league.