Welcome to the Fantasy Vibe Check, your place to vent about the highs, lows and head-scratchers from the NBA and fantasy basketball.
Check out who I’m vibing with, and let me know in the comments or @DanTitus about what’s got you feeling a type-of-way about fantasy basketball.
🚿 No, LeBron James is not washed
The internet is already yapping about Father Time catching up to 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 going through a crazy drought from three, too, going 0-24 over his last four contests. There was an airball, bricks barely grazing the rim and some missed bunnies in the paint; it was dreadful to watch, and while some folk’s takeaway was that he’s washed, I came away with the man is damn near 40, and he’s tired. In fantasy terms, this is a prime spot to buy low.
Context matters. The Lakers played five games in seven nights, with James averaging 33.6 minutes per game during that stretch. 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 dude literally just put numbers on the board, and people think he doesn’t have it anymore? Make it make sense.
The Lakers need another ball handler to reduce James’ workload. In the meantime, I expect we’ll see him play fewer minutes to preserve his health for the long run. His efficiency is down, but there’s still an opportunity to course-correct by settling for fewer jumpers, driving and drawing more fouls. Despite the slight scoring dip, he’s still averaging over eight rebounds and nine assists, so make a move and trade for LeBron while he’s at his version of rock bottom.
😩 The Pelicans are crashing out
The Pelicans’ season is over. It’s a wrap. Finito. Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum are all heading out the door whenever 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 standard, shooting just 38% from the field despite being 45% shooter in his career. Fantasy managers would prefer he get back to his 2022-2023 form, where he shot 48% from the field, but that’ll be hard to replicate as he’s poised to get more volume with all the injuries around him.
In nine games, Murphy ranks 110th in 9-cat leagues, and most of his decline in value has come from his inefficiency on above-the-break 3s and the restricted areas. Murphy has shot at least 60% on two-point FG attempts the last two seasons and this year, he’s at 48%. He’s also been a 38% 3-point shooter and sits at 31% thus far. Even though the Pelicans are bad, Murphy is better than what he’s showcasing, and that presents another buy-low opportunity.
Murphy’s attempting five more shots per game and going to the line more frequently. He has been consistent with his career averages across the other categories enough to see that he’ll be 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 expand the further the season goes left.
🗣️ It’s time to buy Desmond Bane
My man is recovering from an oblique injury, and while the criticism is fair, considering he’s been a shell of himself, fantasy managers are writing him off far too quickly. If anything, they should feel better about the situation, considering the Grizzlies are winning games despite his poor shooting.
He’s playing just 27 minutes a night, so it’s clear that the Grizzlies’ coaching staff is easing him back into his usual role. When Bane’s been on the floor, the shooting volume has decreased by about three shots per 36. However, Bane’s assists and stock numbers are on par with those of his past few seasons, with his rebounding rate pacing at a career-high level.
He has to knock off the rust and coming out of 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 is struggling from beyond the arc and the restricted areas. He’s typically not a great finisher near the rim, but he is money from the mid-range and out. With more minutes and the Grizzlies one of the hottest teams in the league. Don’t wait ’til Bane breaks out to trade for him; the time is now.