Moses

Brown

Brown signed with the team in mid-November and saw a few minutes off the bench early on, but he never played enough to impact fantasy basketball. He didn’t see the floor at all over their last two games, and now he’ll be looking for a new team.

Experienced fantasy managers know Brown’s ability to provide value in limited minutes. That was the case on Sunday, as he scored 15 points on 75% shooting from the field while recording a blocked shot. Brown isn’t a must-add by any means, but he’s worth watching due to Rick Carlisle’s willingness to go deep into his bench.

Brown was in training camp with the Knicks on an Exhibit 10 deal but was waived just before the start of the season. Injuries in the frontcourt have decimated the Pacers. James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson are out with season-ending Achilles injuries, and a calf injury has sidelined starter Myles Turner. If Turner is sidelined for an extended period, Brown may be able to provide value in deep leagues.

Brown logged less than 10 minutes per game for Portland last season, and he joined the Lakers for the Las Vegas Summer League without landing a deal. He’ll now compete for a roster spot in New York with a front court depth chart that includes Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa, among others.

Ayton played 23 minutes before exiting, finishing with six points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Walker only played 14 minutes, tallying nine points, five rebounds, and one blocked shot. If Ayton and Walker aren’t available for Sunday’s season finale, Duop Reath, Dalano Banton, and Kris Murray are three players who could be asked to shoulder heavy workloads.

Brown has been cleared to return after missing nearly two months, giving the Trail Blazers another option in the frontcourt. With Deandre Ayton (hand) sidelined, there will be rotation minutes available to Brown. How much he plays also depends on the productivity of Duop Reath and Jabari Walker, who have sometimes provided deep-league streaming value this season.

Initially diagnosed with a sprained wrist, Brown will now undergo surgery to address a non-displaced fracture. A timeline for his return to game action will be determined after the procedure. As for the Trail Blazers’ center rotation, Duop Reath should be rostered until Deandre Ayton (right knee tendinitis) can return from his injury. Ibou Badji has also picked up minutes at center, but Reath is the choice.

Ayton and Brown remain sidelined for another game, with the former having missed six straight. Depending on what happens with Jabari Walker, who’s questionable with a sore left knee, the Trail Blazers will be left to rely on Duop Reath and Ibou Badji in the middle. Reath is the better streaming option for managers needing frontcourt help.

Ayton has missed Portland’s last five games due to tendinitis in his knee, and Friday will make six. With Brown also ruled out, the Trail Blazers will be light on available centers. Ibou Badji will likely remain in the starting lineup, but Duop Reath offers a higher fantasy upside, even if he comes off the bench.

Brown had been starting at center, and Ibou Badji will start in his place. Though Brown had been starting, he hadn’t played more than 16 minutes as a starter. Badji will fill the center minutes alongside Duop Reath and Jabari Walker.