Trade deadline week is finally here, with teams having until 3 PM Eastern on February 8 to finalize those transactions. While there’s always the buyout market to consider after the deadline, this week tends to force fantasy managers to make even more adjustments on the fly than usual. Also, this is Super Bowl week, meaning Week 16 will culminate with a light two-game slate. Let’s look at the Week 16 schedule breakdown and some of its key storylines.
Week 16 Games Played
4 Games: ATL, BKN, CHA, CLE, DAL, GSW, NOR, PHI, SAC, TOR
3 Games: BOS, CHI, DET, HOU, IND, LAC, LAL, MEM, MIA, MIL, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHO, SAS, WAS
2 Games: DEN, MIN, POR, UTA
Week 16 Storylines
– Which path will Joel Embiid take with his recovery?
The reigning MVP injured his left knee during Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors, with Jonathan Kuminga landing on his leg while diving for a loose ball. Already dealing with soreness in that knee, Embiid is said to have suffered a meniscus injury. While The Athletic reported on Saturday that the issue is a displaced flap, the 76ers haven’t offered any details regarding the injury or the recovery path that Embiid will take. Reportedly, a decision on whether to go the rest/recovery or surgical procedure route will be made on Monday.
Either way, Embiid will miss time; it’s just a matter of how much. In the immediate future, Paul Reed remains the fantasy pickup, with Mo Bamba as the backup center. However, the lingering question is how Embiid’s injury will impact Philadelphia’s approach to the trade deadline. One would assume that Daryl Morey and company will be very active in addressing the loss of Embiid, impacting the fantasy values of the entire rotation for Week 16 and beyond.
– Now’s a good time to hop onto the Ayo Dosunmu bandwagon
Another significant piece of injury news dropped on Saturday, as the Bulls announced that Zach LaVine will undergo season-ending surgery on his right foot. The trade rumors surrounding him will cease, as he can’t help any hopeful contender this season. But what will this news do to the trade prospects of Alex Caruso or DeMar DeRozan? It can be argued that moving rotation players for…
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