The NBA returns Thursday from the All-Star break, mercifully putting an end to our time without basketball games. While there haven't been any games that have counted the last few days, there have still been plenty of questions on the minds of fantasy managers.
Let's get right into the submissions for this week's mailbag column.
What are your thoughts on Kyrie Irving? I'm fighting for a spot in my head-to-head league and I see that he will only be eligible to play in 1-2 games a week going forward. Should I cut bait or wait another week or two to see if the vaccine mandate is lifted? I have to bring Cameron Payne off of IR, or I could add Jaxon Hayes. - @ShawnJMcFarland
This question came in before the report Wednesday that the mayor of New York City plans to phase out the vaccine mandate, "in the coming weeks." On the surface, that seems to be encouraging. At the very least, Irving could be available to play in home games by the time the NBA playoffs roll around.
The problem is, if you're this fantasy manager and fighting to make the playoffs, can you afford to wait maybe two or three weeks for the mandate to be lifted? At this point, you have to do whatever it takes to make the playoffs, so if you need to drop Irving to fill out a competitive roster, it is what it is. However, if you can find a way to hold onto him, he could be a difference-maker if you do indeed reach the playoffs.
Should I drop Devin Vassell, Jaxson Hayes or Isaiah Stewart for Cameron Payne in a points league? - @jtory79
The one piece of big news that did come during the All-Star break is that Chris Paul (thumb) is going to be out 6-to-8 weeks. His loss is a huge one for the Suns, who will likely ask Booker to handle the ball more, and provide even more scoring.
In terms of who will fill Paul's minutes, Payne is the leader to replace him in the starting five. However, he hasn't played in a month because of a wrist. There have been conflicting reports about when he will return, but we know that he will at least be out Thursday. Aaron Holiday will likely start until Payne is healthy, then shift to a bench role.
With Paul being out for so long, even if Payne misses a few more games, he's still someone who is worth adding. Despite only averaging 20 minutes a game this season, Payne has provided 10.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 three-pointers per game. If he plays closer to 30 minutes a game for a month, or more, he could be a very valuable waiver wire addition.
In terms of who to drop for him, don't drop Vassell. Stewart is at least still starting for the Pistons, although their frontcourt is a bit crowded with Marvin Bagley III now in the fold. It's close, but I'd drop Hayes, who is on a more fluid situation with a Pelicans team that was buyers at the trade deadline.
Would you rather have Jarred Vanderbilt or Steven Adams? - @WESYAP
If you're rostering Vanderbilt, it's for his rebounding prowess. Although he's playing a modest 26 minutes per game, he's still averaged 8.8 rebounds. He's not much of a scoring threat with his 10.9 percent usage rate, and he's only averaging 0.7 blocks, so his upside is somewhat limited. A silver lining, though, is that he's also provided 1.5 steals per game.
Like Vanderbilt, Adams doesn't provide much scoring. Still, he's been great on the boards, putting up 9.6 rebounds per game. However, the biggest boost to his fantasy appeal is his average of 3.2 assists per game. Since he's already been more productive on the glass, when you add in his assist numbers, I'll give the edge to Adams.
With the return of Derrick Rose coming soon, should I drop Kemba Walker for him in my categories league? - @soccernewsx
To be fair to our reader, his question was submitted before the new broke Wednesday that Walker and the Knicks have agreed that he will not play again this season. He is still under contract for next season, but the Knicks will look to trade him over the summer. With that in mind, dropping him is a must.
Rose, who has been out since the middle of December with an ankle injury, is expected to return once the Knicks resume play Friday. However, expect him to be on a minutes limit for at least a little while. Even when he was healthy, he's only played 25 minutes per game this season.
There could be better options on the waiver wire to fill your roster spot after dropping Walker. For example, I'd rather add Reggie Bullock, who is still available in 68 percent of Yahoo leagues. Across his last nine games, he's averaged 17.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 three-pointers for the Mavericks. Expect him to be locked into a prominent role down the stretch. Aaron Holiday is available in 86 percent of leagues, while Payne is available in 57 percent of leagues.
Should I drop P.J. Washington for Lauri Markkanen in my 12-team category league? - @TurksWrld_
Washington was thrust into a prominent role right out the gate, averaging at least 30 minutes in both of his first two seasons in the league. However, with the Hornets improving their depth during the offseason, he's only logged 25 minutes per game this season. That's resulted in him being ranked 130th overall on a per-game basis in nine-category leagues. He's also been helped by Gordon Hayward's ongoing ankle injury -- if not for that, his stock would be a bit lower.
Markkanen has missed the last month with an ankle injury, although his return appears to be imminent. He's provided more of a scoring punch than Washington has, averaging 13.6 points and 2.0 three-pointers per game. His role in the offense could be lessened, though, with Caris LeVert now in the fold. To be honest, these two players are very similar in terms of their fantasy appeal.
I'll give a slight edge to Markkanen based on his remaining schedule. The Cavaliers still have 24 games left, including three weeks in which they play at least four games. The Hornets only have 22 games left and two four-game weeks.
