The fantasy playoffs are close, and for some, the deadline has passed. For others, trades still may be in the picture as you look to make that final postseason push. That's why I have created the 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball Week 21 Buy Low-Sell High.
If you're new to my weekly segment, this article comes out every Friday. I go over players that I feel you should target or move on from. But not every player will be in the same tier. I divide them into groups to help you better understand who I would prioritize as a target. They are split into three sections: buy/sell of the week, main buy/sell targets, and other players to buy/sell.
As it is with most things, context is important. I normally determine my selections based on 9-category leagues, also called 9-cat. If you are in a points league, this may still help, but I cannot guarantee it. If you're unsure or have any fantasy basketball questions in general, you can reach out to me on Twitter @GreysonAdams907, or click the link here to get to my page.
Disclaimer: All statistics for the 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball Week 21 Buy Low-Sell High were made before games on Thursday, February 23rd. Things may change in only a day! So be on the lookout.
2022-23 Fantasy Basketball Week 21 Buy Low-Sell High
Buy of the Week: Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
“I mean I think we are actually playing good, one game doesn't mean that we are a bad team but I think we have a weaknesses like everything has weaknesses…just to get better in that weaknesses that's going to be the goal before the playoffs” Nikola Jokic tn pic.twitter.com/lBjeYAQFmE
— Tatiana (@Tatianaclinares) March 9, 2023
The last four games for Jokic have been some of the worst of the season for him. And yet, two of them were triple-doubles and the other two were near triple-doubles. Despite this, he's not scoring at his normal rate, his efficiency hasn't been the same, and he has zero steals in these games. It's a major dip for him, and he ranks just 55th over the last week on a per-game basis according to Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball 9-cat rankings.
This is the only time I feel like Jokic has been a buy this season. The triple-doubles are nice of course, but he doesn't look as dominant all-around. Managers may doubt what they have in him, and would likely accept a trade if it involved Giannis and another solid player, for example.
He's still ranked number one on the season, and this lull in his production won't stick. Buy him now before he returns to his MVP form.
Main Buy Target
Dorian Finney-Smith, SF/PF, Brooklyn Nets
Dorian Finney-Smith’s scoring progression pic.twitter.com/AHccKad9R3
— Jake (@SuperiorNBA) February 26, 2023
Finney-Smith, also known as DFS, has been an overall disappointment after being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the Kyrie Irving trade. Since being traded, he's shot just 33% from the field and 23% from three. His steal numbers have also dropped. He's averaging just 0.5 per game, his lowest since 2017-18 when he wasn't a starter.
For DFS, going from a heliocentric team led by Luka Doncic to a more free-flowing Nets team with no star is a big adjustment. The acclimation period can take some time, but Finney-Smith is an excellent defender and a good three-point shooter. His numbers should improve down the stretch as Brooklyn continues to mesh and improve. He's a viable low-end player for your fantasy team
Other Players to Buy
Xavier Tillman, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies
Xavier Tillman last 3 games:
v. LAL 18/11/2 52.9% FG
v. DEN 12/7/4 100.0% FG
@ PHI 8/12/2 33.3% FG
🚨The Grizzlies have depth🚨 pic.twitter.com/9rYVQIx7tu— Willis Orr (@WillisMemphis) March 1, 2023
It was just reported that Steven Adams is out for the remainder of the regular season. This is a big shift from previous reports and means that Tillman will continue to see big minutes for the Grizzlies to finish the year. His stats aren't normally anything eye-popping, but he's a solid guy to have, putting up mid-round value.
Sell of the Week: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG/SG, Oklahoma City Thunder
Status note: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal) expected to have his minutes managed for remainder of season, per coach Daigneault
— FantasyLabs NBA (@FantasyLabsNBA) March 5, 2023
Gilgeous-Alexander, or SGA for short, has been phenomenal all season. He's ranked 2nd on the season by Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball in 9-cat leagues. Unfortunately, SGA suffered an abdominal injury and while he has returned, the reports are that he will be on some restrictions to end the season.
This wouldn't really be a big deal if it wasn't for Oklahoma City's remaining schedule. the Thunder finish off the rest of the season with three more back-to-backs right in the middle of the fantasy playoffs. That is three guaranteed zeros from SGA in that short time period, a huge blow when you're hoping to raise your ceiling during the postseason.
SGA has tremendous value, and those not as keen on the NBA schedule will likely not realize what's in store for them when trading for him. Use his value to make a big splash trade and bolster your team for the playoffs.
Main Sell Target
James Wiseman, C, Detroit Pistons
James Wiseman has been showing some good flashes since his trade to the Detroit Pistons. The big man out of Memphis was a highly sought-after prospect, going second overall in the 2020 draft. This is really the first time he's shown any promise of fulfilling his draft capital. And unfortunately, it's unlikely to last.
Wiseman's first few games in Detroit saw him playing about 20-25 minutes. More time opened up with both Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart going down to injury, which is when the fantasy production started to come. Despite this, his overall stats remain unimpressive.
Above is the headshot plot of every power forward and wing when it comes to stable post-up points per possession (or PPP) and total rebounding impact, courtesy of Bball Index. These two statistics are very important concerning big men. You want a big who can score in the post and grab boards, making them as effective as possible. Wiseman, circled in red, is near the bottom in each of these categories. Not a good sign.
Duren is now set to return and Stewart will also likely return sometime soon. Wiseman should see his production take a hit. Duren is simply the more talented player and is younger too. It would make the most sense for the Pistons, a tanking team, to develop Duren as much as possible to close out the year.
Moving Wiseman now will get you the most value you can from him. The frontcourt is going to get a lot more crowded very soon.
Other Players to Sell
Delon Wright, PG/SG, Washington Wizards
The Delon Wright minutes yesterday were very impressive
7 points
6 boards
11 assists and 0 turnovers!
3 steals 🔒Pretty much everything and anything you want in a 2-way connector piece
Never forced anything, it's beautiful to watch pic.twitter.com/qG0ChGJTD7
— wizzy (@youngwizzyDFS) March 3, 2023
Wright has been a terrific player for fantasy managers recently. He's been elite for both steals and assists and hasn't been a negative anywhere else. This is the perfect time to sell him, as Monte Morris has just returned. He'll eat into his minutes, reducing his production closer to what you saw midseason. Wright will still have value, but it won't be the same as it has been recently.
That concludes my 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball Week 21 Buy Low-Sell High. Be sure to check back in next week for the next edition!
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