The 2015-16 NBA season is underway and while there are players that have overachieved and players that have underachieved, so far it’s important to remember it is still very early and a lot can still change. See: Houston Rockets. A lot of their players have been lousy for fantasy purposes but they just canned head coach Kevin McHale. That means we should see a turnaround in some of their performances. On that note, here’s a look at the best buy-low candidates in the NBA right now:
Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Shooting Guard
Thompson’s 15.5 points per game average this season is down 6.2 from last season’s 21.7 points per game average but it’s important to consider two important aspects of this year’s numbers when evaluating his value. First of all, the Warriors have absolutely blown away some of their opponents, which led to Thompson spending more time on the bench rather than padding his point totals in close games. For example, in the Warriors first four games this season, Thompson played 26 minutes or less in each. That will change.
Second, Thompson has dealt with nagging back stiffness and that has led to the coaching staff being extra careful with how they have used him. Thompson is a unique talent that can do a bit of everything. It is only a matter of time before he heats up again so he could be a player that is worth targeting as a buy-low traded candidate.
Monta Ellis, Indiana Pacers
Shooting Guard
Indiana acquired Ellis to provide a spark for their offense the way he did with the Dallas Mavericks and while he has struggled early on, it will only be a matter of time before he turns things around. Ellis has averaged 13.3 points, 5.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game through 11 contests but he averaged 18.9 points, 4.1 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 80 games for Dallas last season, so there is reason to be optimistic about his start. Ellis has raised his assist and rebound totals early on so the only area he has struggled is scoring and threes. He averaged 1.0 threes in Dallas last year but is down to 0.6 right now. It’s only a matter of time before Ellis finds his rhythm with his new teammates and becomes more comfortable with the Pacers. If someone in your league is willing to dump him, go get him.
Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs
Shooting Guard
There were some obvious concerns that the Spurs would have too many potential contributors to be a reliable source for fantasy talent this season and that’s proven to be the case with Danny Green. Kawhi Leonard has been a beast with LaMarcus Aldridge, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan all contributing at a quality level. That’s left Green on the outs as one player that has struggled early on. He’s averaged just 7.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists this season. His average points is down 4.6 from 11.7 points per game last season while his three-point shooting is down from 2.4 threes made per game to 1.3. The most important stat could be his minutes per game which is nearly identical to last season’s average at 28.3. That’s a good sign. Green has started all 11 games for San Antonio and ranks third on the team in minutes per game behind only Leonard and Aldridge, so if they’re going to use him a lot, he’s going to get fantasy points.
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Marcin Gortat, Washington Wizards
Center
Gortat’s point and rebound totals are down from last season but the good news is that he is still averaging 27.9 minutes per game. Also, consider that he is playing next to a player that is regarded as an injury risk in Nene. Gortat dominated down the stretch last season and he finished last year with averages of 12.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, so now might be the time to target him as a player worth trading for as a buy-low target. The dynamic hasn’t really changed in the Wizards frontcourt, so look for him to get going.
