It’s not technically Week 8 yet; the Emirates NBA Cup will be running through this week and concluding on Tuesday, December 17th in Week 8. In the meantime, we’ll take a look at a shorter Week 7.5, of which some teams will only play one game.
Since last week, things haven’t gone much better for the bottom feeders in either conference. The 3-19 Wizards have just one win in their last 10 games, while the Jazz and Pelicans are tied for last in the West, with just five wins apiece. It’s been a true nightmare season for New Orleans, who presumably had playoff aspirations at the beginning of the season with such a strong roster, but they’ve been rendered useless by injuries, much like the Memphis Grizzlies of last season.
The Thunder still sit atop the West, with the Grizzlies, Rockets, and Mavericks trailing closely behind. In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers still hold a 1.5 game advantage over the second seed Celtics, with the Magic and Knicks trailing behind. I don’t anticipate the Magic staying in this spot for much longer; a brutal oblique injury to Franz Wagner will leave them shorthanded and in certain free fall. Good thing you don’t need to worry about the same fate. We’ve got you covered here at DK Network.
We’re shooting the Three Lists of Threes today for your weekly dose of fantasy tips: Buy-lows, sell-highs, and streams.
Here are some sell-highs we can consider.
Sell ’em
DeMar DeRozan, SF/PF, Sacramento Kings
DeRozan’s arrival in Sacramento has boosted the Kings’ offense as expected so far, taking them from last season’s 13th ranking to this season’s 6th. But the results have not been good. The Kings are sitting at 12th in the West with a 12-13 record, having won four out of their last 10 games. And DeRozan looks like the same player as he did in Chicago; it seems that Sacramento has adjusted their playstyle to suit DeRozan’s. His usage is unchanged from last season’s 25.7%; it’s now 25.5%. Nearly all of his stats are similar, except for his steals, which is keeping his 9-cat value afloat.
I’m not seeing a high ceiling here. I’d be comfortable moving DeRozan for another top-50 asset as I don’t anticipate his steals staying high. He’s in a new situation, so you never know, but DeRozan is 35 years old and his game isn’t going to improve much from here on out.
Dennis Schroder, PG, Brooklyn Nets
Schroder is having a resurgent year on the nets, averaging 18.6 PPG with 6.5 APG. He’s averaging a career-high 33.9 minutes per game in his current situation – bolstered by Cam Thomas’ injury – and is enjoying a healthy 24.3% usage rate. We’re probably looking at Schroder’s absolute ceiling. The Nets are not in position to go anywhere or do anything with a 10-14 record in the East. Funny enough, this is actually good for 8th seed. I’m skeptical whether Schroder will remain on this team after the trade deadline, and I’m also skeptical how much run he’ll get later this season as the Nets start the tank.
Brandon Miller, SG, Charlotte Hornets
Miller is in a different situation as a young, second-year player with an unknown ceiling. He’s loving life right now having just inherited LaMelo Ball’s green light. Miller’s usage this season has increased from 23.9% last season to 28.3%. Over the past five games, his usage rate has skyrocketed to 33.58% accommodating 22.6 FGA and 28.6 PPG. He’s attempted 13.8 shots from three and is letting it fly, hitting 37.7%. The Hornets are 1-4 over these last five games, and it’s clear that Miller, while improving rapidly, is not primed to solo carry this team yet. His scoring output is tremendous, and his value is high right now. I don’t doubt Miller’s usage even when Ball is healthy, but for now, it’s worth shopping him around to see who will pay up for the young wing.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Showdown $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st] (NYK @ TOR).
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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