Wednesday’s 11-game NBA slate gives us plenty of options, with injuries already creating opportunities for several inexpensive players. These three stand out for their paths to minutes and ability to contribute across multiple categories.
You don’t want to grab too many high-end players, as that will leave the rest of your lineup bare. We’ll take a look at some bargain pickups ahead of today’s matchups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Zone Special [$100K to 1st]
PG Dennis Schroder, Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets ($3,700)
Schroder has a path to an expanded role with Coby White (calf) and Kon Knueppel (hamstring) unavailable for Charlotte’s opener. He averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 2.7 RPG in 24.2 MPG last season. The depleted Charlotte backcourt gives him an opportunity to take on additional minutes and playmaking responsibilities.
His assists provide a useful source of fantasy production, particularly since he shot just 40.5% from the field last season. Even if his shot isn’t falling, he’ll be able to find ways to rack up FPTS. Charlotte can lean on his ballhandling while White is sidelined, making the potential starting assignment more meaningful than a simple bump in playing time. At $3,700, Schroder is an appealing option if he gets the expected start against Brooklyn.
C Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors ($5,000)
Nic Claxton’s hamstring injury puts Smith in line to start at center against the new-look Toronto Raptors, giving him an opportunity to build on last season’s production. Smith averaged 10.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 0.8 BPG in just 20.7 MPG, so a larger workload would give him more chances to accumulate rebounds and stocks.
Smith also shot a healthy 37.3% from three-point range, adding perimeter scoring to his fantasy appeal. I’m not expecting a ton of attempts from beyond-the-arc, but his spacing is nice regardless.
Nic Claxton will be reevaluated in two weeks, making this an opening for Smith to establish himself in the starting lineup. At $5,000, it’s a decent spot to see if Smith can return value on his salary, which seems likely.
PF/C Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers ($4,500)
Green’s capable of doing many things on the court on both sides of the ball. He won’t explode for many 15+ point nights, but his ability to impact the game and stuff the stat sheet in different ways still makes him an instrumental piece of the Warriors’ system even if he isn’t as effective as he used to be. He averaged 8.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, and 0.6 BPG in 27.5 MPG last season, showcasing his versatility. Additional time at center could put Green closer to the basket for rebounding opportunities while preserving his role as a passer. His modest scoring limits his appeal as a pure offensive upside play, but the combination of assists, rebounds, and stocks is hard to turn down at his price point.
