The Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have started to pull away from the pack in the NBA Western Conference and while the Cleveland Cavaliers might be the fourth-best team in the association at this point there is absolutely no doubt that they are still the class of the Eastern Conference. However, there is still a lot of basketball to play and while a number of players struggled throughout the first half of the season there is still a lot of time for them to step up and play to their potential the rest of the way regardless of which team they play for. Here is a look at four great buy-low fantasy trade targets to break out in the second half of the NBA season after suffering through first half funks.
LaMarcus Aldridge
San Antonio Spurs
Aldridge is the biggest free agent signing in the history of the Spurs’ franchise and one that sent shockwaves throughout the rest of the NBA when it became clear he would be the superstar that would help San Antonio make one more championship run this season and help lead them in to the future. However, Aldridge has struggled since leaving the Portland Trail Blazers, as he has averaged 16.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Part of the issue has been the adaptation process joining one of the deepest and most talented teams in the NBA and part of the issue is that there is only one ball to go around and a number of stars that need their touches on the roster, but the bottom line is that Aldridge clearly has the potential to be better and it will be on him to break out of his first half funk and shine the rest of the way and most importantly come playoff time when they will need him the most. He’s one of the better fantasy trade targets.
Timofey Mozgov
Cleveland Cavaliers
Mozgov was one of Cleveland’s best players during last year’s run to the NBA Finals when injuries had completely ravaged their roster but he seems to have run out of gas with some terrible numbers so far this season. Mozgov has averaged just 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and while there is no doubt that the talent is there he could be approaching the end of the line with the Cavaliers. Mozgov is set to command a big pay day when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer and after having his role reduced with Cleveland this year he could be moved to a contending team that could really benefit from adding him to their lineup. Mozgov really struggled in the first half but don’t be surprised if he breaks out of that funk in the second half regardless of whether it happens for the Cavaliers or any other team.
Wesley Matthews
Dallas Mavericks
When Matthews signed a massive four-year, $70-million in the offseason, the deal was immediately criticized for being too much money over too long of a term for a player coming off a torn Achilles but he has averaged 12.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game over the first half and he has the potential to be even better moving forward. Matthews is still only 29-years-old and he has shown flashes of his potential at times throughout this season. Time will only make Matthews stronger and more confident as he continues to work his way back from the injury and after struggling somewhat in the first half he is primed to break out with a strong second half for Dallas.
Dwight Howard
Houston Rockets
Howard was among the several Rockets’ players that has struggled out of the gates this season. While he has been in somewhat of a funk throughout the first half, he is too talented to continued to struggle the rest of the way. Howard has already proven he can turn back the clock with some excellent numbers recently, including 17.5 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per game over the last month of action. If he can continue to put up those types of numbers throughout the second half, it will help to make the fans forget about his first-half funk as Houston rounds in to form in time for what could be a deep playoff run with Howard and James Harden leading the charge.
