There are fewer than two weeks remaining in the NBA regular season, so some fantasy basketball managers in dynasty formats might already have their sights set firmly on the future. With that in mind, let's discuss some young players to consider trading for in that format, as well as a few declining stars who could be shipped out to kickstart a rebuild-on-the-fly.
Players to Trade For
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Sengun was selected with the 16th pick in the 2021 Draft and didn't exactly land in an ideal situation – at least for redraft purposes – for his rookie campaign. With Christian Wood locked in as a starter, Sengun has logged just 20 minutes per game. However, he's still shown significant upside, averaging 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
Sengun is a unique talent who could become one of the best passing big men in the entire league. Comparing his upside to what Nikola Jokic has become isn't fair, but Sengun could still work his way into one of the top fantasy centers in short order. He, not Wood, is the center the Rockets will build around, so this might be one of your final chances to acquire him for what won't amount to be a king's ransom.
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks
Despite already having Clint Capela in the fold, the Hawks selected Okongwu with the sixth pick in the 2020 Draft. With such an established big man in front of him, Okongwu logged just 12 minutes per game during his rookie season while battling injuries. Much of the same appeared to be destined for him this season, until Capela missed time with injuries of his own. Okongwu showed plenty of promise when filling in, putting up 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over six games as a starter.
The Hawks have had a disappointing season, and even though they will make the play-in tournament, they might look to shake up their roster during the offseason. Don't be surprised if one of the primary players they try to trade away is Capela. Okongwu has a bright future, and he has the potential to be a significantly more well-rounded fantasy asset than Capela.
Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks
It's disappointing that Quickley has only logged 22 minutes per game this season, despite the Knicks lack of talent at point guard. The good news is, he's finally started to play more as the season comes to a close, averaging 26 minutes over the last 16 games. He used his added minutes to provide 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 three-pointers per game during that stretch.
If Tom Thibodeau remains the coach of the Knicks next season, Quickley might continue to struggle to find his way into a starting role. However, he's shown that he can be productive when given an opportunity. Whether it's for the Knicks or another team, expect him to eventually become a starter in the NBA. When he does and plays 30 minutes per game, he could be a difference-maker in fantasy.
Bones Hyland, Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets look to have found themselves another gem late in the draft. They selected Hyland 26th in the 2021 Draft, adding him to a deep team that likely wasn't going to afford him with a lot of playing time. He had several DNP-CDs early on and didn't play more than 23 minutes in a game until the middle of December. However, it's become clear that he can shoot from behind the arc. Across just 19 minutes per game, he's averaged 1.9 three-pointers.
Playing time for Hyland might not become more readily available for him next season when Jamal Murray is back in the fold. Trading for Hyland in fantasy might require more of a long-term plan, but it could pay off. Monte Morris has two seasons left on his contract, and Will Barton only has one year left at $14.3 million. If the Nuggets let either of them go, Hyland could see a significant increase in playing time. Or, if Denver wants to make a push for a championship, Hyland could be dealt to a rebuilding team for a veteran who can help the Nuggets win now. No matter how you game it out, Hyland's future is bright.
Players to Trade Away
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
The Bulls have fallen flat down the stretch, which has put a damper on DeRozan's dark-horse MVP case. However, there's no question that he had an extremely valuable fantasy season. He's averaged a career-high 27.7 points per game, to go along with 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 0.9 steals. Even with his lofty usage rate, DeRozan has been able to shoot 50.3 percent from the field, to go along with his 87.2 percent shooting from the charity stripe.
This has been a best-case scenario campaign for DeRozan, who will be 33 years old at the start of next season. He still likely has a few good years left in him, but the question is: can he maintain this level of production? With that being unlikely, now could be a good time to sell-high on him in dynasty, especially if you're looking to start a rebuild.
Julius Randle, New York Knicks
Randle hasn't been a total disappointment this season when you consider his averages of 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.6 three-pointers per game. He's also stayed healthy in a year when several big-time stars have missed a ton of time. However, his production represents a big step down from last season, when he broke out with 24.1 points and 2.3 three-pointers per game. The biggest reason for his decline has been his lack of efficiency, as Randle is shooting 41.1 percent from the field and 75.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Randle's best season might already be behind him. And much of his success can be attributed to the Knicks having very limited talent around him. As the season nears its end, the relationship between Randle and the organization looks to be souring, so his future in New York could be up in the air this summer. There's a good chance he'll never recapture the heights of 2020-21, so dealing him sooner than later could pay dividends.
Christian Wood, Houston Rockets
Wood couldn't have landed in a better spot when he signed with the Rockets prior to the 2020-21 season. He's immediately stepped into huge minutes on a bad team that plays at a fast pace. Although his scoring has come down from the 21.0 points per game that he provided last season, he's still providing 17.9 points, to go along with a career-high 10.1 rebounds. While he's one of the league's most damaging free throw shooters (4.9 FTA/G, 62.3% FT), Wood is a strong points-league option.
Looking at the Rockets' future, however, the writing is on the wall. Sengun is the center of the future, and they aren't anywhere near close to competing for a playoff spot. It would behoove Houston to give Sengun more run – something that will almost certainly happen next season once his conditioning improves. Wood has one year left on his contract at $14.3 million. If he's not traded, it's unlikely that the Rockets would sign him to an extension as they eventually shift away from a multi-year tank.
While fantasy managers who roster him might have missed his peak by one season, his value is still high enough right now that he should net a valuable return.
