NBA Trade Deadline: Fantasy basketball winners and losers

The NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone, and it is a prime time to look at how the fantasy basketball landscape has changed as a result. So, let’s take a look at the biggest winners and losers from all of the action Friday.

Fantasy trade deadline winners

Kevin Porter Jr - The news came out after the official trade deadline, but Victor Oladipo (more on him later) was moved to Miami, and the only guard returning was Avery Bradley.

Oladipo was taking a ton of shots in Houston, so there is plenty to go around now.

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There is no guarantee Porter starts; it could be Sterling Brown or Bradley for defense, but he is sure to see more minutes than if both Oladipo and John Wall were still there, and if Wall has his knee surgery, the floodgates could open.

Robert Williams III - The Celtics traded away Daniel Theis in what looked like a cost-cutting move, acquiring Moe Wagner in the process.

Wagner is worse than Theis, so this move seems to give Williams an excellent pathway to play over 20 minutes per night and perhaps be a starter.

That depends on how Boston views Tristan Thompson, not Williams’ value, which ad been see-sawing, feels a lot higher and more consistent now.

Wendell Carter Jr. - Carter goes from being benched in Chicago to Orlando’s likely new starting centre.

He always seemed stifled in Chicago, and a fresh start could be what he needs to realise his potential.

Even if he doesn’t get to 30 minutes a night, coach Steve Clifford could do some exciting things with Carter, the same way he unlocked Nikola Vučević this season. I would make sure Carter isn’t on the wire.

OG Anunoby - With Norman Powell on the way out, Anunoby has a chance to move up the offensive pecking order.

Yes, Gary Trent Jr. arrives, but Anunoby should establish himself as the superior player, and we got glimpses of that Thursday when he exploded in a higher usage role.

Terrence Ross - The Magic lost Aaron Gordon, Vučević, and Evan Fournier; who is taking the shots?

Ross is not shy, so when he returns from injury, he could sport the highest usage rate of his career, scoring a bunch, hitting some threes and putting up many fantasy points, even if he remains on the bench.

Also, watch for RJ Hampton, Chuma Okeke, and Otto Porter Jr. in Orlando.

Fantasy trade deadline losers

Aaron Gordon - Gordon moves from a role in Orlando where he was the backup point guard and starting, decent usage forward, into a Denver team where he isn’t going to run a thing.

Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokić, Will Barton, Monte Morris, and Facu Campazzo are all going to get those playmaking chances, while Gordon is likely more going to be a defensive wing stopped rather than a big offensive initiator.

While the minutes may stay the same, I just don’t see Michael Malone giving him the same role he had in Orlando.

Victor Oladipo - Oladipo was cavalier in his shot selection this season, especially in Houston, where he knew the team had nothing to play for.

He looked bad most nights. Now, he heads to Miami.

Will he even start? Probably over Kendrick Nunn, but the big minutes and big usage seems like it will be a thing of the past, and he may only be a 28-30 minute player with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Goran Dragić having sizeable roles, to say nothing of fellow trade acquisition LaMarcus Aldridge or Tyler Herro.

Thaddeus Young - Young was starting for the Bulls, but with Vučević in town, he could very easily slide back to the bench.

I guess the Bulls could and probably should bench Lauri Markkanen, but regardless Vučević is going to play more than Carter did, and some of that will come off of Young’s minutes.

He already saw a slight downtick in production, and I think it may get hurt even more here.

Evan Fournier - Like now former teammate Aaron Gordon, Fournier moves from a role where he was a top guy in the offense to a player who likely doesn’t start or finish games for the Celtics.

Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown will be ahead in the offensive pecking order, while Marcus Smart is the team’s best playmaker, so I expect Fournier to lose playing time, shot attempts, and assist opportunities.

Delon Wright - not technically a trade deadline deal, happening right at the end of Thursday’s games; Wright going to Sacramento hurts him.

He was the Pistons’ starting point guard, while in Sacramento, he is behind De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton in terms of ball-handling responsibilities.

Cory Joseph was playing about 23 minutes a night, and while Wright should exceed that, the opportunities to put up substantial numbers won’t be as high as it had been on the flailing Pistons.

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