For all of the fantasy basketball nuts out there, this is arguably the most exciting part of the year. As fantasy playoffs approach for head-to-head leagues and things are finally starting to fall into place for those doing rotisserie, player performance becomes just as important as ever.
Let’s dive into the fantasy values of the Los Angeles Lakers, who you might want to hold on to and who you might want to deal.
Holds
On a young team technically still fighting for a playoff spot, the Lakers have plenty to offer in terms of fantasy upside. Here are the Lakers that should be held onto for the remainder of the season.
Brandon Ingram
Averages in the last week: 19 points, 57.1 percent shooting, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block, one 3-pointer
We should take this one with a grain of salt, because these averages come from just one game. Since then, he has been battling a groin strain and will be reevaluated in a week.
Regardless, one game can show just how much Ingram can contribute to the box score. Assuming the injury isn’t serious, Ingram should be a stud the rest of the way and demand the ball more than anybody on the team.
The young Kevin Durant comparison has a lot of weapons to offer. Unless an owner needs production immediately, riding out the injury and deploying him when healthy will definitely be advantageous.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Averages in the last week: 17.3 points, 54.3 percent shooting, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 2.7 3-pointers
Pope is known for his streaky play, but has actually been ridiculously good lately. While the rebounds and percentages won’t be this good the rest of the way, everything else should hover around what it is right now.
There were plenty of rumors that he would get less playing time in order to develop the younger guys, but considering he’s only 25 years old and the departure of Jordan Clarkson, he has been getting big minutes.
He should be a solid source of steals and triples the rest of the way, with a dash of inconsistency.
Julius Randle
Averages in the last week: 23.7 points, 54.8 percent shooting, seven boards, 1.3 steals
The departure of Larry Nance Jr. has helped Randle in a big way. He has been as dominant as ever lately.
After a slow start to the season, he should be in for a big finish and will definitely help out anyone’s fantasy team.
Honorable mention: Kyle Kuzma
Drops and Deals
Depending on the size and competitiveness of your league, these are the players that could possibly be dropped or dealt in the near future:
Brook Lopez
Averages in the last week: 12.7 points, 51.7 percent shooting, four boards, one steal, one block, 1.7 3-pointers
While these numbers are not horrible by any means, this is sadly some of the best of Brook Lopez that we have seen this season. His days of knocking down multiple triples per game and consistently contributing to the blocks category have come to an end in Los Angeles, and the maintenance days are inevitable for one of the older Lakers.
If you can sell high on him after a decent week, it wouldn’t be the worst idea.
Isaiah Thomas
Averages in the last week: 23 points, 38.6 percent shooting, 6.7 assists, 2.7 3-pointers
While the points appear to be nice, the percentages and lack of defensive stats are not a whole lot to write home about. Thomas has not accumulated a single steal in his past five games. His defensive efficiency is hurting fantasy owners more than helping.
Unless you are taking percentages and only need points and a handful of assists for your team, Thomas probably isn’t your guy.
What about Lonzo?
Lonzo Ball
Averages in the last week: 12 points, 46.2 percent shooting, five rebounds, 6.7 assists, three steals, 3.7 3-pointers
Don’t worry, Lonzo Ball has not been forgotten.
Ball seems to lie somewhere in between the two categories listed above, as he is truly a surprise on most nights. Against the Blazers, for example, he was underwhelming with 10 points and not much else. However, he had an 18-7-11 line with six 3-pointers a few nights before against the Spurs.
As a rookie, inconsistency may as well be his middle name, and that is why he may be tough to hold onto. On the other hand, the upside is there and he can usually be treated as a poor man’s Russell Westbrook (inefficient with lots of stats across the board).
The 3-pointers are not sustainable, but everything else could definitely increase slightly. If you are a risk-taker in need of lots of stats across the board who can deal with inefficiency and inconsistency, Ball is the perfect player for you.
Conclusion
A lot can happen in the basketball world, especially on a streaky team like the Los Angeles Lakers. Every fantasy owner is different and has certain needs for their particular team.
But as a whole, the above analysis is a fair prediction of what the rest of the season could look like for each of the mentioned players. For those entering playoffs soon, best of luck, and may the best baller win.
Featured image from LA Times
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