Welcome to the Fantasy Vibe Check, your place to vent about the highs, lows, and headaches of the NBA and fantasy basketball.
Check out who I’m vibing with, and let me know in the comments or @DanTitus what reminds you of fantasy basketball in some way.
🚿 No, LeBron James is not washed
The internet is already screaming about Father Time catching up with LeBron. In last night’s ugly loss to the T’Wolves, James finished with 10 points (4-16 FG, 0-4 3PT, 2-4 FT), eight rebounds, four assists and six turnovers in 31 minutes. He’s also going through a crazy drought of three, going 0-24 in his last four games. There was an airball, rocks barely grazed the rim and a few missed bunnies in the paint; it was horrible to watch, and while some people said he was washed, I came away with the guy who is damn near 40, and he is tired. In fantasy terms, this is an excellent place buy low.
Context is important. The Lakers played five games in seven nights, with James averaging 33.6 minutes per game during that span. He played 36 minutes the night before in a win over Utah, dropping 27 points (12-28 FG, 0-9 3PT, 3-3 FT) with 5 boards, 14 assists, 2 blocks and 3 turnovers. Was it against an inferior opponent? Yes. But the guy literally put numbers on the board, and people think he doesn’t have them anymore? Make it meaningful.
The Lakers need another ballhandler to reduce James’ workload. In the meantime, I expect we’ll see him play fewer minutes to preserve his long-term health. His efficiency has dropped, but there is still an opportunity to correct course by settling for fewer jumpers, driving and making more mistakes. Despite the slight dip in scoring, he’s still averaging over eight rebounds and nine assists, so act and trade for LeBron while he’s on. are version of rockbottom.
😩 The Pelicans crash
The Pelicans’ season is over. It’s a shawl. Finito. Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum are all headed out the door when the right trade comes in, leaving Trey Murphy III and a few key building blocks to pick up the pieces. Murphy is playing below his level, shooting just 38% from the field despite shooting 45% for his career. Fantasy managers would prefer him to return to his 2022-2023 form where he shot 48% from the field, but that will be difficult to replicate as he is about to gain more volume with all the injuries surrounding him.
Through nine games, Murphy is ranked 110th in 9-cat leagues, and most of his decline in value has been due to his inefficiency on 3s above the break and restricted areas. Murphy has shot at least 60% on two-point FG attempts over the past two seasons and is at 48% this year. He is also a 38% 3-point shooter and is at 31% so far. Even though the Pelicans are bad, Murphy is better than what he shows, and that presents another buy-low opportunity.
Murphy still tries to shoot five times per game and goes to the line more often. He’s been consistent enough with his career averages in the other categories to see him being better than his ranking suggests in the future. He’s a foundational piece for the Pels, so fantasy managers should take advantage of his struggles, knowing his role will only increase as the season continues.
🗣️ It’s time to buy Desmond Bane
My husband is recovering from an oblique injury, and while the criticism is fair as he has been a shadow of his former self, fantasy managers are writing him off far too quickly. If anything, they should feel better about the situation as the Grizzlies are winning games despite his poor shooting performance.
He’s only playing 27 minutes a night, so it’s clear the Grizzlies coaching staff is moving him back into his usual role. When Bane has been on the floor, shooting volume has decreased by about three shots per 36. However, Bane’s assists and stock numbers are similar to those of recent seasons, with his rebounding pace at a career-high level.
He needs to shake off the rust and after Sunday’s win over the Pacers, I see signs of life. In 30 minutes, Bane finished with 16 points (7-15 FG, 2-8 3PT), 6 rebounds, 6 dimes, 1 steal and 1 turnover. Like Murphy, Bane struggles from beyond the arc and restricted areas. He’s not usually a great finisher near the rim, but he’s money from mid-range and beyond. With increased minutes, the Grizzlies are one of the hottest teams in the league. Don’t wait for Bane to break out and trade for him; the time is now.
