Julian

Strawther

Strawther hasn’t been able to make much of a fantasy impact this season, but he has played well recently. He he scored in double figures in three straight games, and he was able to provide numbers without hitting a triple in this game, which is the strongest aspect of his game. Strawther isn’t a player to consider rostering in standard leagues at this time, but if he ever gets the chance to move into the starting unit, even if it’s only for one game, he’ll be worth picking up.

Denver should once again have both of these starters available as they look to get a second straight win. Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson likely won’t get a chance to move into the starting lineup for this game.

Strawther exploded for 18 points and five stocks in 33 minutes in his last game. The young wing made up for Peyton Watson’s poor shooting night and could continue to play a featured role if Aaron Gordon is ultimately ruled out again.

The Nuggets played Saturday’s game without Aaron Gordon, which opened up a place in the starting lineup for Watson. Unfortunately, he didn’t offer much value and was ultimately removed from the lineup in crunch time for Julian Strawther. Strawther played 33 minutes off the bench, finishing with 18 points (7-of-13 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), three rebounds, two assists, three steals, two blocks, and two 3-pointers. If Gordon remains sidelined for Sunday’s game in Atlanta, Strawther may be a better deep-league streaming target than Watson based on their performances against the Wizards.

While Strawther’s season-long fantasy value remains well off the radar in most leagues, he’s worthy of consideration when Denver is without one of its top scorers for points and 3-pointers. Over the last week, Strawther has averaged 12.0 points and 2.5 3-pointers per game. The overall value isn’t good, but he can be a fill-in specialist in deep leagues while Nikola Jokic (personal) is away from the team. That said, category league managers should be prepared to take a hit in the field goal percentage category.

Murray remaining sidelined is unsurprising; after Saturday’s win over Utah, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the point guard could be out for 5-7 days. Russell Westbrook started against the Jazz but didn’t offer much value, especially with the poor efficiency. Fantasy managers looking for a deep-league option would be wise to consider Julian Strawther due to his perimeter shooting ability.

With Jamal Murray (concussion protocol) sidelined, the Nuggets needed others to step up on Saturday. Strawther was one of those who answered the call, scoring a season-high 19 points and knocking down three 3-pointers. Rostered in three percent of Yahoo leagues, he’s ranked just inside the top 200, so managers can take a “wait and see” approach with Strawther. Add him to your watchlists.

While it seems like Christian Braun is locked in as Denver’s starting shooting guard, Strawther continues to make a strong case. He had 21 points on Sunday before this 33-point explosion. Even if Strawther ends up in a reserve role, he should still see plenty of minutes. In that case, he won’t be a reliable option in standard leagues, but the 22-year-old should be a solid source of 3-pointers either way. We’ll see if his recent performances help him move into the starting unit.

While Christian Braun (11 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer in 30 minutes) appears on track to lock down a place in the starting lineup, there’s room for Strawther to contribute consistently in the Nuggets rotation. He shot the ball well on Sunday, and the defensive stats were also solid. The key to Strawther potentially offering reliable value in deep leagues will be his defense; if he can hold his own on that end of the floor (especially with Peyton Watson sidelined), Julian will get consistent playing time.

Unsurprisingly, Denver will keep all three guys around for at least one more season. They are all set to see significant roles this season, with Braun or Strawther likely to start at shooting guard.