Basketball Pickups: Dario Saric still has value
By Raphielle Johnson
Days with a limited number of games can be good for rolling the dice on a player with a low rostered percentage, especially at the beginning of the week. If it works out, great; if not, days remain to make up for a subpar performance. In the case of Warriors forward/center Dario Saric (30% Yahoo), he continues to provide value despite the consistent presence of Kevon Looney and the recent emergence of Trayce Jackson-Davis. Saric finished Monday's 120-114 loss to Denver with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 20 minutes off the bench.
While Jackson-Davis, who finished with eight points, three rebounds, and one assist in 15 minutes, has been the "shiny new toy" over the last two weeks, Saric remains Golden State's best available (Draymond Green has center eligibility) center regarding fantasy ranking. Being able to play the four or the five, based on the matchup, ensures that Saric will be a valuable part of the rotation and a reasonably safe option for managers looking for deep-league options.
Also of note for the Warriors was Moses Moody (4%) falling out of the rotation, with Andrew Wiggins returning from an illness. Fantasy managers weren't willing to hop on the Moody bandwagon while Wiggins was out, and rightfully so, as he was still coming off the bench. Look for that four percent number to drop even more over the next 24 hours.
Let's look at a few more of Monday's top pickups, beginning with two players rostered in more than 40% of Yahoo leagues.
Grayson Allen (43%)
Allen had one of the best games of his career in Phoenix's loss to Dallas, scoring 32 points and matching his career-high with eight 3-pointers. He's been close to a top 75 player in 9-cat formats this season and should be rostered in a higher percentage of Yahoo leagues. Bradley Beal (ankle) only began individual on-court work last week, so his return to action may not be close. At a minimum, Allen should be rostered until Beal returns, especially with the Suns playing three more games during Week 10.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (46%)
Due to the light game schedule, Oubre makes the cut despite being rostered in more than 40% of Yahoo leagues. While one would not expect Tyrese Maxey to shoot as poorly as he did in the 76ers' loss to Miami, the absence of Joel Embiid meant more scoring opportunities across the board. Oubre was one of the biggest beneficiaries, shooting 9-of-16 from the field and finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and six 3-pointers in 40 minutes. Should Embiid remain sidelined for Wednesday's game in Orlando (he didn't make the trip to Miami), Oubre would have some staying power in standard leagues.
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Taurean Prince (20%)
Prince has been providing 6th-round value in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks, averaging 13.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 3.6 3-pointers per game. He had another solid outing in Monday's loss to the Celtics, tallying 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and five 3-pointers in 39 minutes. Prince has hit at least two 3-pointers in eight consecutive games, reaching double figures in points on seven occasions. The Lakers may not play again until Thursday, but that matchup with the Hornets kicks off a stretch of three games in four days to end Week 10.
Derrick Jones Jr. (18%)
While Luka Doncic was the headliner in Dallas's win over the Suns, and rightfully so, Jones's night shouldn't be overlooked. He chipped in with 23 points while accumulating three rebounds, one assist, and three 3-pointers in 35 minutes. "Airplane Mode" is in the midst of the best offensive season of his NBA career, showing that he's got more in his toolbox than electrifying dunks. Also, Jones will be in the starting lineup once Kyrie Irving (heel) is cleared to return. Before Monday's game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said that the team's planned starting lineup once Irving returns will be Doncic, Kyrie, Jones, Dante Exum, and Dereck Lively II.
Rui Hachimura (15%)
Hachimura didn't produce the most robust stat line in the loss to the Celtics, finishing with 12 points, three rebounds, and two 3-pointers. But he played 29 minutes and wasn't bashful offensively, with only Anthony Davis finishing with more shot attempts than Hachimura's 14 (LeBron also attempted 14 shots). Rui's played 29 minutes or more in three straight, hitting double figures in each outing. He's a better option in points leagues than those of the category variety due to the lack of assists and defensive stats.
Chimezie Metu (1%)
With Jusuf Nurkic (personal reasons) away from the team for a second straight game, Metu produced the best effort of his NBA career despite coming off the bench. He finished the Suns' loss to Dallas with 23 points, 19 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers in 34 minutes, replacing Drew Eubanks in the starting lineup to begin the third quarter. Whether or not Metu has value moving forward depends on Nurkic's availability, and he's expected to rejoin the team on Tuesday. Few managers streamed Metu on Monday outside of 30-deep leagues, so don't beat yourself up if you failed to do so.
Mo Bamba (1%)
Even with the Embiid, as mentioned above, back in Philadelphia due to his sore knee, Bamba wasn't on many people's streaming radars entering the matchup with Miami. But spot starter Paul Reed landed in early foul trouble, and Bamba produced his best line of the season. Shooting 7-of-8 from the field, he finished with 18 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three 3-pointers in 26 minutes. If Embiid cannot play in Wednesday's game against the Magic, maybe Bamba will get another opportunity to contribute. That said, the risk far outweighs the reward regarding streaming him, even though Wednesday is a six-game day.
