Week 4 of the NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule is here, and the NBA’s message is clear: get out and vote. What this means for us is the schedule is STOCKED throughout the week, but with zero games on Tuesday to give us time to cast our ballot (we typically don’t vote at night when games are being played, but you get the sentiment). Due to the schedule, streaming will not be as valuable on the ‘low’ nights (Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday) so this is a great week to take inventory and target players that may be frustrating their general managers. To start, let’s look at players that have earned their “buy low” and “sell high” tags for the week. Look for opportunities to spin your high valued players for a player with higher potential. Then, check out the schedule and streamers for the week. In addition, work the waiver wire for the additions noted below. Let’s take a look.
NBA Fantasy Trade Targets
Buy Low:
- Kawhi Leonard (buy very very low)
- John Collins (role is fluctuating nightly)
- Darius Garland (still finding his legs)
- Rudy Gobert (blocks are down)
- Zach LaVine (still finding his legs)
Sell High:
- Jrue Holiday (Middleton return looming)
- Buddy Hield (is this sustainable?)
- Tobias Harris (76ers will eventually become healthy)
- CJ McCollum (Ingram is back, does he lose his assets?)
- Mike Conley (the bottom could drop out at any time)
While you work the trade market, don’t forget to optimize your lineups for this week. Here is the schedule and streaming options for week 3:
This week’s schedule:
- Monday (11/7): 15 games
- Tuesday (11/8): 0 games
- Wednesday (11/9): 13 games
- Thursday (11/10): 4 games
- Friday (11/11): 8 games
- Saturday (11/12): 8 games
- Sunday (11/13): 7 games
Teams with 4 games this week:
BOS, TOR, NOR, NYK, CLE, DEN, MEM, SAC, DAL, UTA, DET, LAL, CHA, OKC, BKN, MIN, PHI, WAS, POR, ATL
Teams with 3 games this week:
MIL, MIA, PHO, GSW, LAC, SAS, IND, CHI, HOU, ORL
Fantasy Streamers – Optimize your Streaming:
When we talk about streaming, think of designating your final roster spot that rotates each week to tease categories based on your match-up. Adding just a few games can make a big difference if done properly. While fringe streamers can help you, they can also hurt you if you are not careful.
The following teams offer the best schedules to maximize your games played. Depending on your league the players available will vary, but the players below should be available in most 12- or 14-team formats.
Philadelphia 76ers (M/TH/SAT/SUN)
- De’Anthony Melton (PG/SG): Add Melton everywhere. With Harden out and with a spike in usage, Melton absolutely roasted across categories. Melton won’t be an elite scorer, but he will contribute across every other category. He has a great schedule this week, and a fantastic role for the next 15 games or so with Harden on the bench.
Washington Wizards (M/TH/SAT/SUN)
- Monte Morris (PG): Morris has underwhelmed a bit as the starter in Washington, but his value is in his assists. If you need a boost in that category this week and Morris is available, grab him off your wire. He will pitch in a few rebounds and threes as well.
- Will Barton (SG/SF): As you scan your waiver wire, you are probably getting excited about the Will Barton from Denver. Same guy, different time. Barton’s stats are muted across the board in Washington, but in deep leagues and in a pinch, he can provide points, rebounds, and assists albeit inconsistently. You could do worse as a streamer. If you need games this week, Barton can at least give you an advantage without hurting you in categories.
- Rui Hachimura (SF/PF): Hachimura puts up empty lines. He scores the ball, grabs a few rebounds (but everybody does) and that is about it. However, in deep leagues, Rui’s scoring can be valuable, and is certainly capable of routine double-digit scoring days. Deploy him in deeper leagues.
Free Agents to add:
Royce O’Neale (BKN, SF/PF): Kyrie is in limbo and O’Neale is stepping up in a big way. Acquired via a first-round pick this summer, O’Neale is stepping up for the Nets. He is involved in every facet and contributes threes, rebounds, assists, and defense. If he is available, get him now.
Isaiah Hartenstein (NYK, PF/C): Do you remember how effective he was for the Clippers last year? Well, it’s his time to shine in New York. He is starting with Robinson hurt, and even when Robinson returns, look for Hartenstein’s role to continue to grow. Hartenstein is everything we want from our fantasy bigs: Points, rebounds, blocks, FG%.
Chris Boucher (TOR, PF/C): Toronto is missing a few players (FVV, Siakim) and there is usage available. Boucher is happy to fill it. He provides a unique line from the center position, adding threes and blocks.
Larry Nance Jr. (NOP, PF/C): Off the bench, Nance’s roll is slowly increasing as a do-it-all forward. His minutes are coming at the expense of Jonas Valanciunas, but he is proving he can provide his usual unique stats across rebounds, assists, steals, and FG%.