NBA Daily Punts: December 20, 2013
When I start building my lineups, I like to look for a few low salary options that should have no trouble exceeding value. On most days, there will be a few injuries that open up opportunities for players who don’t typically see big minutes. A change in a teams rotation or a particular match-up can also be the cause of a value play emerging. As we all know, NBA injury news continues to pour in as the day moves along and is not usually made official until close to tip-off, so be sure to sign up for our NBA alerts and check out the RotoGrinders Twitter Feed leading up to roster lock.
In order to be considered a “punt,” a player must meet Bargain Bin Baller status on either Fanduel (5500), Draftstreet (9000) or Draftkings (4500). I will typically make a note of which site a particular player is best suited for.
Guards
Brandon Knight – He’s been very up-and-down this season, but his highs can win you a GPP. Larry Drew can be a fantasy owners worst nightmare at times, which makes Knight risky on a nightly basis, but the match-up with Cleveland makes it a risk worth taking. Kyrie Irving has never been much of a defender, but both he and Dion Waiters are game-time decisions for tonight. Knights value would take a slight dip in that scenario, but he should still be able to pay off his FanDuel (5300) and DraftStreet (under 10K) salary regardless.
Nick Young – With Kobe on the shelf, Swaggy P will have a much bigger role in the Lakers offense. He might not step into the starting lineup tonight, but Young is still the Lakers swingman with the most upside. Even with Kobe playing big minutes in the Lakers last game against Memphis, Young still played over 30 minutes and will continue to do so as LA’s best true scorer outside of Pau Gasol. Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry are also in play tonight, but Young is the guy I trust the most here.
Jarrett Jack – This pick hinges on the health of Kyrie Irving, and if Uncle Drew has to sit out tonight, Jack would be one of the top value plays on the board. Dion Waiters is also in danger of missing this one, which would open up a ton of minutes for JJ. Jack has been playing well even in limited minutes, so this one is pretty simple; if Kyrie sits, get Jack in your lineups.
Also receiving consideration: George Hill, Patrick Beverley, Mario Chalmers
Forwards
Jordan Hill – While his last game may have been a complete dud (how in the world do you rack up 4 fouls in 8 minutes?), but the Lakers need him to bounce back tonight against a really tough Minnesota interior. Hill has shown some promise this year, and had a strong stretch of games a few weeks ago, but was relegated back to the bench and disappeared for a little while. The former Arizona Wildcat should see big minutes and is a double-double threat as long as he can avoid the stupid fouls.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – The Alphabet has moved into the starting lineup with the Bucks struggling to find a consistent rotation, and the team seems excited about the rookie’s potential. Milwaukee is still dealing with a few injuries and they know they aren’t contenders this year, so why not see what they have in their young players? He got off on the wrong foot in his first start, picking up a few early fouls and found himself on the bench, but he stepped up big in the second half and Larry Drew was apparently happy with what he saw out of Antetokounmpo. He’s still just 4K on DraftKings and is priced at 4200 on FanDuel (at shooting guard), so feel free to roll him out if you want to spend big elsewhere in your lineup.
Also receiving consideration: Corey Brewer (especially on DraftStreet; just 7.5K), Paul Pierce, P.J. Tucker, Channing Frye (GPP only)
Centers
Jonas Valanciunas – I’m not a big fan of any of the cheap options at center tonight, but Valanciunas has a decent shot to exceed value tonight. Dallas is 26th against the center position on the season, and they really don’t have any interior defenders that scare me. With value emerging at other positions, this is probably a night to spend a little heavier at center, but J-Val is always in play as a GPP option now that Rudy Gay is out of town.
Andrew Bynum – It pains me to list Bynum here, but the match-up with Milwaukee is almost too good to ignore, and he’s actually be playing pretty well lately. Bynum is obviously not playing huge minutes, but with two days to rest between games, he should see a little more run than usual. You’d obviously be taking a risk rostering him, but the upside is there against the team ranked dead last at defending centers.