Big names are in the news. Carmelo Anthony (knee surgery) is out for the season. Goran Dragic is suddenly on the trading block. Kevin Martin also wants a trade or a buyout. The Kings have another new coach, as George Karl enters the revolving door. He’s rumored to covet Arron Afflalo, who is almost certain to be moved before the trade deadline.
A host of other players will change teams soon, sending ripples (if not shock waves) through traditional fantasy leagues and forcing us to be on our toes in DFS.
After that long but entertaining week off, the NBA returns on Thursday night with two excellent games between playoff contenders from the West. Contests at DraftKings are now open, so let’s take an advance look at the salaries and make a few early selections.
Plays of the Day
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With a win over Dallas, the Thunder can move into a tie for eighth place with the setting Suns. Kevin Durant $10600 and Russell Westbrook $10600 are deservedly the highest-priced players on the board. KD made only a token 10-minute appearance in the All-Star game, so he is extremely well-rested. WB scored 41 points in 26 minutes and earned the MVP in that Sunday spectacle. In their last ‘real’ game, against a tough Memphis defense, the dynamic duo combined for 50 points in a surprisingly easy romp.
We know Steven Adams (hand) is out and Kendrick Perkins $3000 is not a fantasy asset. That means rookie Mitch McGary $3800 and/or veteran Nick Collison $3000 will get plenty of minutes off the bench. It also means that Tyson Chandler $6700 will be the best big man on the floor — assuming he’s fully recovered from a Feb. 9 ankle sprain that caused him to miss the Feb. 11 game.
Rajon Rondo $6600 (facial fracture) is expected to play, possibly wearing a mask. His shooting was horrible even before the injury, but he does contribute in other categories. Dirk Nowitzki $6700, Monta Ellis $7400 and Chandler Parsons $6600 are the best Mavericks to target; J.J. Barea $4800 and Devin Harris $4600 are now sharing backup duties and their salaries climbed while Rondo was out.
The nightcap has San Antonio visiting the Clippers. Since Blake Griffin had minor elbow surgery, DeAndre Jordan $7800 has become a force, with consecutive 20-20 games. He earned 65.25 FPTS in Dallas Feb. 9 and 62.5 against the Rockets last Thursday. Houston tried the “hack” approach (Jordan was 12-26 from the line) but he still scored 24 PTS, with 20 REB, 2 BLK, 3 STL and most importantly, a W. Chris Paul $9800 has also stepped up his offensive game in Blake’s absence. The other Clips to consider are Jamal Crawford $5400, J.J. Redick $3300 and possibly Spencer Hawes $3900, if he can avoid foul trouble.
Tim Duncan $7400 should be able to feast on Hawes, Kawhi Leonard $7500 is capable of big numbers and Tony Parker $4900 is a tempting price. In the final game before the break, Danny Green $4700 hit five 3-pointers, grabbed eight boards, blocked two shots and dropped four dimes. He could be a difference-maker in a wide-open affair. Manu Ginobili $4600 leads the deep second unit but it’s never easy to predict the Spurs’ rotation. For example, if Aron Baynes $3000 starts at C, Tiago Splitter $3000 might be asked to score off the bench. Boris Diaw $3000 is the wild-card; he played 27 minutes when these teams last met.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | R. Westbrook $10600 | Chris Paul $9800 | Tony Parker $4900 |
| SG | Monta Ellis $7400 | Danny Green $4700 | J.J. Redick $3300 |
| SF | Kevin Durant $10600 | Kawhi Leonard $7500 | Matt Barnes $4300 |
| PF | Tim Duncan $7400 | Dirk Nowitzki $6700 | Boris Diaw $3000 |
| C | DeAndre Jordan $7800 | Tyson Chandler $6700 | Nick Collison $3000 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.