Jimmy Butler’s suspension has ended, and he’s not on the Heat’s injury report. This situation is incredibly complicated, and it’s unclear how Coach Spoelstra will handle Butler’s return. Will he start? Will he play 34 minutes or come off the bench for 20? The relationship between Butler and Spoelstra has been strained, and there are questions about Butler’s commitment and impact on the team.
From a fantasy perspective, it’s a tricky situation. If you have Nikola Jovic, it might be worth holding onto him. However, the outlook for Khris Middleton is uncertain. Terry Rozier’s value is likely to decrease with Butler’s return. The situation is messy, and it’s hard to predict how long Butler will last before potentially being traded, suspended again, or sidelined with an injury.
NBA Tanking Reaches New Heights
The Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers are taking tanking to a whole new level. The Jazz have been sitting players like John Collins, Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler for various reasons. While I understand the incentives for tanking, the odds of getting the number one pick are not high. The NBA has been cracking down on teams resting healthy players, but these two franchises seem to be pushing the boundaries.
As a fantasy analyst, I’ve been advising people to avoid high picks from these teams due to the risk of shutdowns and reduced playing time. It’s frustrating to see this level of blatant tanking, especially when it impacts fantasy basketball managers.
The Memphis Grizzlies are another team to watch, with Ja Morant constantly appearing on the injury report. While they’re not tanking like Utah and Portland, Morant’s frequent injuries are concerning for fantasy managers.
In other news, Donte DiVincenzo is out with a toe sprain for the Knicks, which could lead to increased minutes for Mike Conley. However, I wouldn’t rush to add Conley in most leagues.
For more insights and a deeper dive into these topics, tune into the Locked On Fantasy Basketball podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast:
• Nick Richards’ fantasy value and potential impact
• Grayson Allen’s recent performance and roster considerations
• Waiver wire trends and most added/dropped players
