Thursday’s DraftKings NBA main slate features only three games. The Cavaliers will be visiting the Hawks, the Kings will take on the Pelicans, and the Grizzlies will face the Trail Blazers. Injuries are already playing a significant role in the young season, with Keegan Murray and Shaedon Sharpe among the notable players sidelined for tonight. Let’s take a look at three affordable options who have the potential to outperform their salaries.
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 $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
SG/SF Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans ($6,600)
LaVine’s off to a hot start this season, and he’s averaging 39 FPTS. His salary feels a touch low for a player with his current production, especially against a winless Pelicans team that has allowed a whopping 122 PPG through four games.
LaVine is putting up 27.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 3.3 APG across 36.1 MPG, taking a healthy 17.3 FGA per game. He recently dropped 37 against Memphis on Sunday, and he’s scored at least 22 points in all of his games this season. He’ll continue to pour on the offense in search of the Kings’ first win on the season. Even if his 52.2% FG cools off, his shot volume and playing time make him an appealing option tonight against a weak NOLA team that’s in the second half of a back-to-back. And that’s not to say that he’ll fall off a cliff; he’s averaging north of 50% shooting for a full season before. It’s a contract season for LaVine, and he has incentive to show that he still has plenty of juice left in the tank.
PF/C Robert Williams III, Portland Trail Blazers vs. Memphis Grizzlies ($4,200)
Robert Williams has always been a per-minute monster, but this season he’s been especially tantalizing, averaging 9.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 1.0 BPG in only 18.1 MPG, translating to approximately 1.38 DraftKings fantasy points per minute. He’s been instrumental in the Blazers’ undefeated start to the season, and he was particularly impressive against the Lakers on Tuesday, producing 14 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and a block in just 21 minutes.
His playing time has increased from 15 to 18 to 21 minutes across his first three appearances, and he’s already averaging 25 FPTS. There are still concerns about his limited role behind Donovan Clingan, but Williams’ ability to rack up rebounds and defensive statistics gives him an excellent opportunity to outperform his modest salary tonight as the Blazers hunt for their fourth W.
SF Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers ($4,700)
Wells has established himself in the Grizzlies’ lineup, averaging 14.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 1.5 SPG in 28.9 MPG through four games, producing 26.2 FPTS per game. His best all-around performance came against Sacramento on Sunday, when he dropped 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 33 minutes.
Wells is also letting it fly from deep, attempting 4.5 three-pointers per game and converting an impressive 50% of them while he’s averaging nearly 29 MPG. He’s attempted at least seven shots in every appearance, and his role is secure enough that we can bank on another near-30 minute workload tonight for him to outperform his salary..
