There was a time when Herbert Jones provided a lot more fantasy production than he is now. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Special to Yahoo Sports
With the NBA trade deadline just a matter of hours away, it’s time for fantasy managers to prepare for one of the most important waiver wire periods of the entire season. While it remains to be seen how many names will ultimately be on the move, the deadline is an annual indication of which path certain teams will take, as well as an opportunity for meaningful roster and rotation shake-ups.
With that in mind, fantasy managers in competitive leagues should be focusing on flexibility ahead of the deadline. Even if you’re satisfied with your current roster, the deadline could unlock opportunity for a number of players who haven’t necessarily been on the fantasy radar through the first half of the season.
Ensuring that your roster is versatile enough to make an addition or two is key, so here are a handful of players to consider dropping should a waiver wire prize or two become available in your league.
Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers (52% rostered)
Dating back to late-December, Mathurin has been on a solid run of efficient scoring, putting up 16.4 points per game on 49/39/81 shooting. If you’re in need of scoring, Mathurin is a justifiable hold, but Tyrese Haliburton is back and starting to see more minutes, which could limit Mathurin’s opportunities going forward. Haliburton jumped up to 29 minutes Tuesday night vs. Houston, while Mathurin sat out with an illness. We know Mathurin will still have his boom nights as a scorer, but he provides little else in terms of fantasy value, adding just 3.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game with negligible defensive stats. In points leagues, that places him as a borderline-top-150 fantasy option.
Saddiq Bey, Atlanta Hawks (50% rostered)
Bey is in the midst of a decent scoring run, so he’s by no means a must-drop, especially in deeper leagues, but the Hawks are a team that could see a roster shake-up at the deadline. Beyond that, Bey’s fantasy value is extremely scoring and three-point-dependent, and he’s been…
..
