This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
With the trade deadline looming, DFS slates will be incredibly volatile for the next two days. If you're firing up lineups for Wednesday's six-game slate, the statuses of recently traded players and the minute-by-minute developments throughout the day require maximum vigilance. At the time of publishing, we have no clue how recently traded guys like Domantas Sabonis or Caris LeVert will shake out, and we know even less about trade developments that may come to light. We've heard rumors of impending moves with Russell Westbrook, Harrison Barnes, Jusuf Nurkic and many others. This article will serve no one if we choose to make educated guesses in these spots, so I will focus on certain plays and imply where there might be emerging value.
SLATE OVERVIEW
CLE (-6) vs. SAS O/U: 217
CHI (-1.5) @ CHA O/U: 228.5
TOR (-9.5) @ OKC O/U: 208.5
MIN (-9.5) @ SAC O/U: 232.5
UTA (-2.5) vs. GSW O/U: 219.5
LAL (-7.5) @ POR O/U: 225.5
The CHI/CHA game is a haven for those trying to avoid tonight's variance. Both teams play fast and operate with tight rotations, and there's no indication that either team will be very active at the deadline. While the options for both teams will be exceedingly popular, some players will be too good to pass up. Your tricky spots lie with Portland, Sacramento and Cleveland. While we need to be vigilant across the board, it's essential to find out what's happening with recently traded players before clicking away with these teams.
INJURIES
CLE Caris LeVert (trade) - QUESTIONABLE
CLE Darius Garland (back) - QUESTIONABLE
We could see LeVert and Garland play tonight, but LeVert would likely be a sixth man off the bench. It's necessary to keep close tabs on this duo, but Brandon Goodwin ($4,800) will be the beneficiary if both guards are out.
CHI Ayo Dosunmu (concussion) - OUT
With Dosumnu sidelined, the door is open for Coby White ($4,500) to maximize his output against the Hornets.
CHA Gordon Hayward (ankle) - OUT
CHA Cody Martin (Achilles) - OUT
These injuries tighten Charlotte's rotation even further, and we'll point out some very chalky spots for the Hornets later in the article.
OKC Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle) - OUT
SGA remains out, so Ty Jerome ($4,100) and Tre Mann ($4,700) will continue filling the gap in the backcourt.
MIN D'Angelo Russell (lower leg) - PROBABLE
This tag is self-generated because I think the team may elect to sit Russell on this back-to-back. Keep an eye on the situation, and pivot to the starters if he's out.
SAC Richaun Holmes (personal) - OUT
SAC Marvin Bagley (ankle) - OUT
SAC Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield - TRADED
The Kings could make more moves, but Chimezie Metu ($4,300) and Davion Mitchell ($5,700) are relatively safe pivots.
GSW Klay Thompson (rest) - OUT
More opportunities should emerge for Jordan Poole ($6,900) with Thompson taking a breather.
UTA Rudy Gobert (calf) - OUT
This situation continues to confound, so much so that it might be best to avoid it altogether. Hassan Whiteside ($6,000) and Udoka Azubuike ($4,600) are canceling each other out at present, but it's still reasonable to take a stab at either player.
ELITE PLAYERS
I've already mentioned the DFS gold mine present for Chicago and Charlotte, and my favorite play of the night is there as well. LaMelo Ball ($8,400) carries a ridiculously low salary, and the tight rotation practically guarantees that he'll see 40 minutes. DeMar DeRozan ($10,500) is a tad expensive, but Zach LaVine ($8,000) could emerge as a great option in his first game back. As we will outline in a bit, these three players are not the only options available for this game.
As it stands, LeBron James ($10,800) and Anthony Davis ($11,200) are off the injury report and are in an excellent spot against the short-handed Trail Blazers. Even though Davis is more expensive, I like him a bit better than LeBron in this spot.
We round out the elite section with two very viable guards in Stephen Curry ($9,500) and Fred VanVleet ($8,500). Curry's cold shooting has lowered his salary to a more appropriate level, and VanVleet is historically undervalued. Both players are in exploitable spots tonight.
Also consider: Pascal Siakam, TOR ($10,000) @ OKC
EXPECTED CHALK AND CORE TARGETS
Donovan Mitchell, UTA ($8,800) vs. GSW
With Gobert out, Mitchell is in line for a ton of usage and unlimited opportunity to meet value at this salary. Mitchell's four steals helped to bolster his 32-point effort to 60-plus FDFP in his second game back. His floor is a little low for this salary, but the upside is clearly there.
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($8,100) vs. MIN
We should stick to just DFS talk, but the recent trade for the Kings is worth discussing. Many are divided on who got the better end of this trade, and I'm probably in the minority by saying that the Kings got the better deal. While the loss of a player like Haliburton stings, he's proven to be a continual thorn in the side for Fox, who is unable to play to his full potential with a dynamo like Haliburton playing alongside him. One can almost envision Fox telling the higher-ups that he wanted Halubrton gone. He now has the chance to get the magic back. There's nothing standing in his way now.
Jusuf Nurkic, POR ($7,700) vs. LAL
Could Wednesday be Nurkic's last night in a Portland uniform? Given the recent proclivities of the management, anything is possible. With owner Paul Allen looking like someone who is avoiding the luxury tax, Nurkic could be gone by Thursday, but if he's active tonight, the big man is easily Portland's best chance for success. He's on a four-game double-double streak and he should be able to get his fifth straight against the Lakers.
Miles Bridges ($7,200), Terry Rozier ($6,400) and Kelly Oubre ($6,1000), CHA vs. CHI
A simple look at a gameflow chart shows you how tight Charlotte's rotation is. All three of these guys have 40-minute potential written all over them, and despite their impending popularity, I can visualize an instance where I isolate this game and stack it. Bridges is especially cheap, but Rozier and Oubre are also favorably priced. Ball is hard to fade, but going this route could be your best path to value for Charlotte.
Also consider: Josh Giddey, OKC ($6,800) vs. TOR, Evan Mobley, CLE ($7,000) vs. SAS
VALUE PLAYS
My favorite value plays from the injury section are Coby White, Chimezie Metu and Jordan Poole.
Darius Bazley, OKC ($5,500) vs. TOR
Bazley's lines have jumped around a bit, but it's hard to find a player in this salary range with more potential. His rebound totals almost always salvage a poor shooting night, and with their starting center sidelined, he should emerge as one of the Thunder's top performers on the glass.
Zach Collins, SAS ($3,500) @ CLE
Welcome to the popular punt play of the night. Even though Jakob Poeltl is playing very well and Gregg Popovich is notoriously unpredictable, it looks like Collins will get an extended look in what may be a lost season for the Spurs. He managed 27 FDFP in his season debut, and it doesn't take a math genius to see how that total absolutely crushed relative to his salary. If you find yourself elite-heavy, he could really help out your salary cap.
Also consider: CJ Elleby, POR ($3,900) vs. LAL
