After a two-game slate on Tuesday, fantasy managers had 12 contests to work with on Wednesday. And there were certainly some standouts who have low rostered percentages, including three who played in the Cavaliers-Nets matchup in Brooklyn. We’ll start with one of Cleveland’s key offseason additions, Max Strus.
With the team’s need for perimeter shooting laid bare in their playoff loss at the hands of the Knicks, Cleveland added Strus via sign-and-trade. And if his first official game is an indication of what’s to come, Strus has to be added to fantasy rosters immediately. Playing 39 minutes, he put up 27 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal, one blocked shot, and seven 3-pointers, shooting 9-of-17 from the field. Should fantasy managers expect this kind of production from Strus on a nightly basis? No, as Darius Garland (hamstring) will eventually be back to full strength, and Jarrett Allen (ankle) will make his return to the lineup.
But within this offense, there will be no shortage of quality looks for Strus, and he showed why the Cavaliers went as far as they did to sign him in the summer. As of Thursday morning, he was still rostered in just 35% of Yahoo leagues, and that number should continue to rise with the Cavaliers having two more games to play this week.
Let’s take a look at a few more of Wednesday’s top pickups, sticking with players rostered in fewer than 40% of Yahoo leagues:
Cam Thomas (36%)
Strus may have produced a robust stat line in the thriller in Brooklyn, but Thomas set a record. He scored 24 points in 13 first-half minutes and would finish with a game-high 36, which is the most scored by a bench player in a regular season opener in NBA history. Thomas, who can go into “feels like leather” mode offensively, shot 13-of-21 from the field and 8-of-11 from the foul line, supplementing the 36 points with three rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 25 minutes.
While we’re only working with a one-game sample size, it appears that Nets coach Jacque Vaughn trusts Thomas after giving him inconsistent minutes last season. While Thomas was on the court in crunch time (as was Dennis Smith Jr.), starters Spencer Dinwiddie and Ben Simmons were on the bench.
Jalen Johnson (26%)
The Hawks suffered a disappointing loss in Charlotte, but Johnson’s performance was the silver lining in that cloud. Playing 29 minutes off the bench, he put up 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, and one 3-pointer, soothing 9-of-13 from the field. Despite coming off the bench, Johnson appears well-positioned to break out, as there’s a clear need for a power forward within the rotation after John Collins was traded to the Jazz this summer. And with De’Andre Hunter getting his season off to an inauspicious start, it may not be long before folks clamor for Johnson to replace him in the starting lineup...if they haven’t started to do so already.
Dereck Lively II (38%)
Given how he was handled during the preseason, many expected the Mavericks rookie to be in the team’s starting lineup in San Antonio. Of course, Jason Kidd decided to go with Maxi Kleber instead...and all that did was delay the inevitable. Lively may not have been the most-discussed rookie in this game, but he was certainly on the minds of fantasy managers once it ended.
Lively played 31 minutes off the bench, putting up 16 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one blocked shot, and appears to already have good chemistry with Luka Doncic in the two-man game. Maybe Kidd tries to slow-play this and continue to bring Lively off the bench, but the rookie is still worth adding to your rosters if he’s available. And frankly, he should have been drafted in enough leagues to keep him from making this list.
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Cole Anthony (21%)
Orlando laid down a 30-point beating on the Rockets, and it was Anthony who led the way offensively, putting up 20 points along with eight rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer in 24 minutes. Despite his coming off the bench, there’s value to be had here, as starters Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs aren’t great perimeter shooters. Managers in deeper leagues shouldn’t hesitate to add Anthony, and those in standard leagues needing points should consider making the move, even if Anthony can be inefficient.
Grant Williams (17%)
It’s a bit surprising that Williams was rostered in fewer than 20% of Yahoo leagues, as he was one of three players penciled into the Mavericks’ starting lineup when training camp began. Yes, he’s sharing the court with Luka and Kyrie Irving, but the enhanced role (compared to what he had in Boston) represents a great opportunity for Williams to show what he can do consistently.
He played 35 minutes against the Spurs, tallying 17 points, six rebounds, one block, and four 3-pointers, shooting 6-of-11 from the field (4-of-8 3-pointers). You’d like to see a little more production defensively, but the 3-point opportunities are what stand out here. He’s a career 38% shooter on 2.7 attempts per game; with the playing time he’ll get in Dallas, Williams could average close to the eight shots he got up on Wednesday at a minimum.
Isaac Okoro (7%)
We’ve been down this road before with Okoro, so he should really only be considered in very deep leagues right now. But his performance against the Nets as Jarrett Allen’s replacement in the starting lineup should not be overlooked. He shot 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, one block, and two 3-pointers.
Instead of using him at the three, maybe serving as a small four would be best for Okoro right now. And with Allen not having a concrete timeline for return from his ankle injury, there’s room within the rotation for the Cavaliers to use Okoro in this role. Does he have to be added? No, as one game doesn’t erase a full track record, but fantasy managers should keep an eye on Okoro.
