Fantasy Hoops: Mirotic, Gasol, Hollis-Jefferson

Nikola Mirotic has thrived since returning to action, posting 19.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest while shooting 57.1% from the field. Since Mirotic’s debut this season, a Bulls team that won three of its first 23 games has gone 4-0, and the franchise recognizes the power forward’s value.

“He does a lot of little things that don’t show up in the box score,” coach Fred Hoiberg recently said. “He’s in the right spot defensively, he’s in a stance, he knows where to be, he understands the game plan.”

Chicago led our reverse standings for much of the first quarter of the season and though the Bulls insist they’re not tanking, Mirotic’s success may only provide them with further motivation to ship him elsewhere when he becomes trade-eligible on January 15. We heard earlier in the week that the Bulls were gauging Mirotic’s value on the market and his stock likely only improved after a 29 point, 11-for-18 performance against the Jazz on Wednesday night.

Don’t expect Mirotic to continue with this level of production. Two of his four games, including the Utah contest, came with rookie Lauri Markkanen sitting out, so Mirotic is unlikely to maintain his current 25.4 usage percentage. When Markanen returns, Mirotic should still remain involved in the offense, especially if the Bulls are showcasing him for a trade, as I alluded to in a previous edition of Fantasy Hoops. However, expect a cutback in production to occur. That, along with the chances of him being dealt elsewhere, makes Mirotic a sell-high candidate despite that fact that many fantasy players likely just picked him up.

The list of players I would target include Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, Darren Collison, Al-Farouq Aminu and Spencer Dinwiddie. These are all players I have in the tier above Mirotic, but they could be undervalued in your leagues for various reasons.

Marginal moves can sometimes be key to turning teams around — just ask former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie (who should be an Executive of the Year candidate) or current Nets GM Sean Marks, both of whom have done a great job finding value in the margins.

If your season isn’t going as planned, identifying players to buy low and sell high on could be your way to turn it around. And for those who just enjoyed Mirotic’s great week of play, another opportunity awaits.

Here’s more notes and analysis from around the league:

• The Hawks have been one of the best match-ups for opposing centers, allowing the most rebounds and third-highest field goal percentage to opposing fives over their last 10 contests. Target Marc Gasol, despite the high sticker price, in daily contests tonight.
• The Heat will take on the Hawks on Monday, and center Bam Adebayo could be a player to target for that contest. Adebayo has had mixed results as a fill-in for Whiteside, but if the $98MM man doesn’t return to the over the weekend, Adebayo becomes an intriguing, super-cheap option to consider in daily.
• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has seen an increase in usage since the Nets shipped out Trevor Booker. Having attempted 10.2 shots per game before the Jahlil Okafor trade, RHJ has attempted 12.5 since then. He may lose some touches once Okafor debuts, but the combo forward contributes in enough categories to remain a fantasy asset.
• Cavaliers point guard Jose Calderon deserves some attention after scoring a season-high 17 points against the Lakers on Thursday. That performance followed up a 14-point, four-assist showing against the Hawks, in which he hit four shots from behind the arc and added a steal. He’s far from a must-add, but Calderon could be useful as a spot starter in season-long leagues and he’s a nice low-price option in daily, especially on Saturday against a Jazz team that has allowed opposing point guards to shoot 46.0% from the field (23rd in the league) over its last 10 games.

Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.

Statistics are current through Friday morning. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.