Basketball Pickups: Multiple options emerge in Portland

The "silly season" is in full swing in the NBA. While some teams are jockeying for playoff/play-in tournament positioning, others know their season will end on April 14. One of those teams is Portland, which dropped to 19-51 with its loss to the Clippers on Friday. Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton were among those sidelined for the game, while Anfernee Simons exited during the third quarter with an apparent knee injury.

Those absences open things up for other players on the roster, and there may not be much motivation to make the established players available for all 12 of the team's remaining games. Three players who stand to benefit are Jabari Walker (10% rostered, Yahoo), Kris Murray (9%), and Duop Reath (6%). Murray and Reath were in the starting lineup against the Clippers, while Walker was the first big man off the bench.

Murray had his best offensive game of the season, scoring 21 points while accounting for seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, and three 3-pointers in 36 minutes. While Reath's production (13/3/2/2 with two 3-pointers) was modest, he did enough for fantasy managers to avoid thoroughly regretting their decision to stream him. Walker (14/8/3/1 in 28 minutes) offered a bit more despite coming off the bench. All three players could have tangible fantasy value moving forward, depending on what happens with Grant and Ayton.

Let's look at a few of Friday's other top pickups:

Payton Pritchard (33%)

The Celtics were shorthanded again, with Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum among the players sidelined for their matchup with the Pistons. That opened things up for Pritchard, who finished the blowout victory with 20 points, two rebounds, nine assists, and four 3-pointers. With Boston visiting the Bulls on Saturday, that's another game in which Pritchard would be a relevant streamer. Sam Hauser (14/4/1/1 with four 3-pointers in 24 minutes) had a good night off the bench, but his recent ankle injury could make him a prime candidate to sit out Saturday's game.

Jake LaRavia (14%)

The Grizzlies ended their four-game losing streak with a win over the Spurs on Friday, with LaRavia among the contributors. He played 28 minutes off the bench, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one 3-pointer. He shot 8-of-9 from the foul line, boosting the point total, but LaRavia has played at least 24 minutes in his last ten appearances. Given the length of Memphis' list of injured players, he'll have value for the remainder of the season, even if he stays in a bench role. Scotty Pippen Jr. (18/3/2/4 with two 3-pointers) had a big night, but we'll need to see a bit more from him, as Friday's game was his second since the All-Star break.

James Wiseman (13%)

Returning to Celtics/Pistons, Jalen Duren was a late scratch due to a back issue. Enter Wiseman, who produced a stat line of 24 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in 37 minutes. There weren't any defensive stats, but the scoring and rebounding were excellent. Isaiah Stewart is done for the season, and the upcoming schedule isn't great regarding Duren's potential availability. After hosting the Pelicans on Sunday, Detroit visits the Knicks on Friday. Will Duren be available for both games? And if so, would the Pistons allow him to take on a full workload? Wiseman should be strongly considered as a potential fantasy pickup, especially after his performance against the Celtics.

Gradey Dick (10%)

Toronto stopped harboring ambitions of reaching the play-in once Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl were ruled out for the rest of the season. Gary Trent Jr. was the most recent rotation player to hit the bench due to injury, which opened the door for Gradey to emerge as a worthwhile fantasy pickup. Shooting 8-of-15 from the field, he scored 21 points with five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and four 3-pointers in 33 minutes. Playing time and scoring opportunities won't be an issue for the rookie wing, especially with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley away from the team for personal reasons.

Naji Marshall (6%) and Jose Alvarado (3%)

Friday's game against the Heat was the first for New Orleans since Brandon Ingram injured his knee during Friday's loss in Orlando. Trey Murphy was already rostered in well over 70% of Yahoo leagues, so he would not be someone most fantasy managers would be able to add. That can't be said for Marshall or Alvarado, and both played well in the Pelicans' 23-point victory. Marshall finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one 3-pointer in 23 minutes, while Alvarado (17/7/6 with four 3-pointers) played 31 minutes. Ingram will be sidelined for at least two weeks, boosting Marshall and Alvarado's values.