Fantasy Basketball Players to Watch after the Deadline
This year’s NBA trade deadline was one of the craziest we have ever seen.
Several key players got dealt, including Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo. Both should definitely shake up the Eastern Conference playoffs in the second half of the season.
Here’s some players to look out for following the deadline.
Terrance Ross, Orlando Magic
The main story from the deadline was the fire sale of the Orlando Magic. Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier were all traded away and Ross was believed to be in rumors as well.
Despite the Lakers being interested in him, Ross stayed put and is now one of the top options in a very different Orlando squad. Ross averages the most points of any player currently on the Magic roster and he’ll most likely be the leader of the squad as well.
Ross has missed the past five games due to injury but is set to return to the floor this weekend. He’s only owned in 44.7% of ESPN leagues and averages 16 points per game, a stat which is bound to go up on a bad Orlando team.
Kelly Olynyk, Houston Rockets
Another situation where a player is stuck on a bad team, Olynyk was a part of the Oladipo trade that sent him to the Rockets. Back in Miami, he was stuck behind all-star Bam Adebayo receiving few minutes, but now, his role should increase as a backup power forward/center.
Sure he’s got Christian Wood to work behind, but there’s a chance the two could play together with Wood being more of a power forward than a center. Olynyk has always been one of the better big men off the bench when he was in Miami, where he has also been one of the better perimeter shooters among big men, making 36.5% of threes in his career.
Olynyk is only available in 21.5% of ESPN leagues, but if he becomes a starting center on a bad Rockets team he could be a sneaky pickup.
Jordan Poole, Golden State Warriors
Let’s talk about someone not necessarily impacted by the deadline but finds himself on a hot streak. Poole has thrived in the point guard role with Steph Curry out, as he has averaged over 20 points per game in the month of March.
His best performance came against the Grizzlies where he put up 26 points and 5 assists. Poole has been a lock for double-digit points every time he hits the floor, yet he’s only owned in 35.6% of ESPN leagues.
Even when Curry returns, Pools has made a legit case to receive more minutes whether it be as a sixth man or playing alongside Curry at the two.
Logan Bourandas is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.
