Ryan

Arcidiacono

Arcidiacono was a throw-in in the Bojan Bogdanovic deal, but he isn’t expected to remain with the Pistons. He will have a chance to sign elsewhere, but he isn’t going to find a place that allows him to provide value in any fantasy format.

Grimes is a talented young guard who fits well with Detroit’s timeline, but Fournier, Arcidiacono and Flynn could be moved or released. If they stay with Detroit, they’ll likely get little to no run off the bench. Grimes should see an expanded opportunity with the Pistons, but this move is from one guard-heavy team to another, so it remains to be seen what his role will be.

Arcidiacono isn’t in the rotation when healthy, so his availability will not impact fantasy basketball. However, with the Pistons boasting the NBA’s worst record, he could see some mop-up time if the Knicks take care of business.

Arcidiacono isn’t in the rotation when healthy, so his availability will not impact fantasy basketball.

Neither player is injured, but they’ll both miss the Knicks’ first preseason game. No official reason was given, so Tom Thibodeau may just want to get a longer look at some other players. Hart played well for the Knicks last year and Team USA this summer and should be selected in the later rounds of drafts. On the other hand, despite adding to New York’s long list of Villanova players, Arcidiacono isn’t going to do much in fantasy hoops.

New York has taken another step in their quest to create a Villanova theme team. Arcidiacono joins Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson in New York, though Arcidiacono did start last season with the Knicks before being traded to Portland. He won’t impact fantasy, but it is cool to see them try and get the band back together.

The Blazers had to waive Ryan Arcidiacono in order to make room for Williams. Portland is embracing the tank at this point, so Williams should play a large role over their final five games of the season. He averaged 14.4 points in the G-League this season, so he could provide enough value to be worth streaming in standard leagues that are still going.

With Arcidiacono initially listed as doubtful for Friday’s game, his absence was expected. Skylar Mays will get the start at point guard in his Pacers’ debut. Given the lack of experience with his new teammates, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for streaming options.

Reddish got a DNP-CD on Wednesday against the Kings, and he’s not expected to be available Friday for the rematch. Portland should continue to lean heavily on Shedon Sharpe for the remainder of the season, with guys like Nassir Little and Kevin Knox picking up plenty of extra minutes. Ryan Arcidiacono is also doubtful Friday, so Portland’s backcourt rotation will be dangerously thin.

The writing has been on the wall for a few days now, so fantasy managers should not be surprised by this. That said, this is still a significant blow, as Lillard has been a top-10 player in 9-cat formats. While Ryan Arcidiacono has been the starter with Lillard sidelined, Keon Johnson has a higher upside as far as fantasy is concerned. In Monday’s loss to the Pelicans, Johnson played 31 minutes off the bench and finished with 20 points, three rebounds, six assists, and three 3-pointers. Fantasy managers needing guards would be better served to add Johnson than Arcidiacono.