The end of the NBA regular season is right around the corner. After Wednesday night's monster slate, every team will have 10 or fewer games remaining.
As we prepare to put a bow on our first 82-game campaign since 2018-19, let's take a look back at some key injuries that shaped the fantasy season and highlight the players who emerged because of their teammate's extended absences.
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Lillard's abdominal injury may have completely changed the Blazers' franchise. A first-round pick in the vast majority of fantasy leagues (7.0 Yahoo ADP), Lillard has only played in 29 games and has been ruled out for the rest of the season. With his injury in mind, the Blazers tore things down at the trade deadline, moving CJ McCollum in a deal with the Pelicans and offloading Robert Covington and Norman Powell to the Clippers.
Lillard's injury – and the trade of McCollum, specifically – opened up an opportunity for Anfernee Simons to take on an expanded role. He moved into the starting five on a permanent basis in January, filling that role for a 27-game span. He couldn't have played much better, averaging 23.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 4.4 three-pointers per game, while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 86.6 percent from the charity stripe. Unfortunately for those who added him, he's missed eight straight games with a quadriceps injury and might not take the floor again with the Blazers tanking.
The question is, can
The end of the NBA regular season is right around the corner. After Wednesday night's monster slate, every team will have 10 or fewer games remaining.
As we prepare to put a bow on our first 82-game campaign since 2018-19, let's take a look back at some key injuries that shaped the fantasy season and highlight the players who emerged because of their teammate's extended absences.
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Lillard's abdominal injury may have completely changed the Blazers' franchise. A first-round pick in the vast majority of fantasy leagues (7.0 Yahoo ADP), Lillard has only played in 29 games and has been ruled out for the rest of the season. With his injury in mind, the Blazers tore things down at the trade deadline, moving CJ McCollum in a deal with the Pelicans and offloading Robert Covington and Norman Powell to the Clippers.
Lillard's injury – and the trade of McCollum, specifically – opened up an opportunity for Anfernee Simons to take on an expanded role. He moved into the starting five on a permanent basis in January, filling that role for a 27-game span. He couldn't have played much better, averaging 23.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 4.4 three-pointers per game, while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 86.6 percent from the charity stripe. Unfortunately for those who added him, he's missed eight straight games with a quadriceps injury and might not take the floor again with the Blazers tanking.
The question is, can Simons keep up that kind of production next season? Even if Lillard returns, he could start alongside him with McCollum gone. If Lillard is traded, then Simons all of a sudden becomes one of the primary players who the team decides to build around. If Lillard stays, much of Simons' outlook will depend on who the Blazers sign or trade for this summer. Either way, expect the 22-year-old to be a popular target during draft season – and rightfully so.
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
With the high likelihood that Kawhi Leonard (knee) was going to miss most, if not all, of the season, George found himself shooting up fantasy draft boards heading into the season. He stormed out of the gate by providing 25.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.9 three-pointers over his first 21 games. However, an elbow injury would rob him of what could have been a very special season. He's only appeared in 26 games total and might not even be ready when the Clippers reach the playoffs.
The loss of George, in addition to Leonard, meant that a ton of shots attempts would be available for other, non-All-Star-level teammates. The two players who received the biggest boosts have been Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris. Morris, who averaged 13.4 points across 26 minutes per game last season, has posted 15.9 points over 29 minutes per game. He's also dished out 2.2 assists per game, which would be the second-highest mark of his career.
Meanwhile, Jackson has provided 16.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.3 three-pointers per game, although his 39.4 percent shooting from the field has made him more valuable in points leagues than in roto formats.
Both Jackson and Morris are under contract with the Clippers for next season, but it will be difficult for them to match their current production if Leonard and George are healthy. Morris would likely see the biggest decline since the position he plays could mean that he sees fewer minutes than Jackson would.
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Davis has the talent to be a league-winner for fantasy managers, but he can also tank any chances of winning a title with his injury history. It's been much more the latter this season with him playing in only 35 games. He's currently out with a foot injury, and even if he does return before the NBA playoffs, it will be too little too late for managers who are in the fantasy playoffs.
Unlike the situations with Lillard and George, there haven't been any huge fantasy winners because of Davis' absence. That's one of the main reasons why the Lakers have struggled to win games with him out. If there is one player who at least became slightly more fantasy relevant, it would be Malik Monk. He's been given more opportunities to start when Davis is out, and he's averaged 16.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.9 three-pointers per game in that role. He'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so he might be able to cash in.
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Beal only played in 40 games for the Wizards before being sidelined with a wrist injury. But even when he was healthy, he was a disappointment. His average of 23.2 points per game would be great for most players, but considering he provided at least 30.5 points per game in each of the last two seasons, it was a significant letdown.
With their leading scorer gone, a massive hole opened up within the Wizards' scoring attack. That void was filled primarily by Kyle Kuzma, who has put up 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 blocks and 2.3 three-pointers across 20 games since Beal was ruled out for the season.
As good as Kuzma has been, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take a step backward next season. Not only will Beal be healthy, but the Wizards also added Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline. With those two in place, the Wizards could also look to bring in additional players and make a push for a playoff spot, which could take further shot attempts away from Kuzma.
OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors
Two significant injuries over the course of the season have limited Anunoby to a total of just 42 games. While his shooting percentage has declined, he was on pace for a career-year with averages of 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.4 three-pointers per game. With Pascal Siakam missing the start of the season, the Raptors have rarely been at full strength.
If there is a bright side to the Raptors' injury issues, it's that rookie Scottie Barnes was immediately thrust into a prominent role. He's shown all the makings of being a big-time difference-maker in fantasy, providing 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.8 three-pointers per game. The sky's the limit for Barnes, so if you want to draft him next season, be ready to pay a premium price.
Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks
Lopez injured his back in the first game of the season and wasn't able to take the floor again until just over a week ago. While he's not the fantasy option that he once was, he does have a unique skill set for a center in that he can rack up both blocks and three-pointers.
The main reason that Lopez was added to this list was because of the impact his absence had on Bobby Portis, who entered the season with the expectation of serving as a backup at power forward and center. Thrust into the starting five, Portis has taken full advantage of his opportunity, putting up 15.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers in 29.0 minutes per game. He's also been an asset with his efficiency, shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 75.2 percent from the charity stripe.
Portis has a player option at $4.6 million for next season, so with his breakout he'll almost certainly decline that and look to cash in on the open market. Lopez is under contract for one more season with the Bucks, so if Portis were to return to the team on another discount deal, he might have to shift back to a reserve role. His fantasy value will largely be determined by where he ultimately lands, so stay tuned.
