The Specialists: Robert Covington's Revenge
Buying low and selling high is a game I especially like to play when dealing with categorical pursuits, and you can really manipulate the landscape when utilizing that strategy.
In this week’s column, Robert Covington’s stock is back on the market, Gorgui Dieng is again for sale and discussions of what to do with fringe players like Tony Allen and Gerald Green on your fantasy roster.
Robert Covington, G/F Philadelphia 76ers: Points, 3-Pointers, Steals
Between the volatility of Philadelphia’s rotations as well as the fact that Robert Covington has difference-making potential across the box score, I’m not sure why anyone fell out of love with the RoCo. This is the same player who was being called the waiver wire gem/draft steal of the season less than two months ago, and the type of talent he has displayed at the NBA level doesn’t simply evaporate overnight.
Over his last three games, Covington has averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.7 triples on 45.7% shooting. The Sixers need better offensive production on the wing than what they’ve received this season, and Covington can answer the call for a team that needs both athletes and shooters—Covington is both—to space the floor for their twin towers.
Gorgui Dieng, F/C Minnesota Timberwolves: Steals, Blocks
Over the last 30 days, Gorgui Dieng has not even been a top-100 player. Outside of an approximate three-week stretch in December where Dieng was turning in productive box scores, Gorgui has produced like a Corgi in a field of ferocious animals. Including Sunday’s game—in which Dieng was aided by GTP, better known as garbage time production—the big man has averaged just 4.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, a steal and 1.1 blocks. The blocks number is especially deceiving since Dieng had six of those swats in 32 minutes vs. OKC on January 12, and that’s the only time he’s exceeded 30 minutes since 2016 began.
Dieng just hasn’t been the player that he was drafted as before the season started, and you should really only be holding at this point if you need to find some discount defensive stats in the bargain bin. Drafting him over guys like C.J. McCollum, Rajon Rondo, Jae Crowder and Kristaps Porzingis has to sting.
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Tony Allen, G/F Memphis Grizzlies: Steals
Tony Allen’s role in the fantasy landscape is as a low-ceiling specialist, but he’s enjoyed easily his best month of the season in January with averages of 10.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.5 turnovers on 50.8% shooting. It’s not a coincidence that Allen’s production is growing as he gets more regular minutes, and although the Grizzlies have gone 5-3 this month since TA’s role has increased, it’s also not a coincidence that he’s doing more without Mike Conley (Achilles) in the lineup. He’s the type of player I’d pick up on a team that was set in steals and include in a two-for-one deal for an owner dealing with injuries in order to upgrade the long-term ceiling of my roster.
Jahlil Okafor, C Philadelphia 76ers: Points, Field Goal Percentage
Jahlil Okafor has been trending in the right direction with 20-plus points in three of his last five games, and he’s shot the ball well during that stretch with averages of 19.6 points and 6.8 rebounds on 60.3% shooting. He’s not doing anything else for your fantasy team with just seven total assists, three blocks and four steals compared to nine turnovers over that stretch of time, so you really are going to need him to score the rock consistently and efficiently if Okafor is going to bring real value.
Although the Sixers have every incentive to play Okafor big minutes as they try to determine his fit alongside Nerlens Noel, his January averages in shot attempts (13.1), rebounds (5.6) and blocks (0.6) all represent Big Jah’s worst showing of the season in those categories. The big difference? He’s shooting 61.9% this month after two straight months hovering around 45%. The arrival of Ish Smith has changed things for the entire Sixers team, and I’m not ready to believe Okafor’s newfound efficiency is sustainable just yet.
Gerald Green, G/F Miami Heat: Points, 3-pointers
Gerald Green has played a larger than expected role in the Heat’s rotation for most of the season, but I put him in the same category where J.R. Smith resides when it comes to fantasy basketball. When things are going well, it’s the right move to sell high without looking back.
In Green’s place, January has been his most efficient month of the season, and if you can move him in a trade as a side piece in a deal that nets the steak and not the potatoes of a meal, you’ve made the right move. You can find another source of cheap triples and points on the waiver wire.
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