Fantasy Basketball Pickups: Nick Richards is worth the risk

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In addition to an 11-game slate on the busiest day of Week 12, fantasy basketball managers were also gifted a trade to assess. In dire need of help at the center position, the Suns acquired C Nick Richards (26% rostered, Yahoo) from the Hornets in exchange for Josh Okogie and three future second-round picks. The Suns were already light on draft capital due to the deals made to acquire Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and they now have even fewer picks at their disposal.

However, they’ve added a player in Richards who can provide the rebounding and rim protection the current rotation lacks while not needing to have plays run for him offensively. While there were opportunities for him to shine in Charlotte, it was clear that first-round pick Mark Williams was the team’s center of the future (and present). The move to Phoenix makes Richards well worth the risk in fantasy leagues, even if he isn’t a lock to flourish.

As for the centers already on the Suns’ roster, it’s fair to wonder if this is the end of the road for Jusuf Nurkic. While currently out due to an illness, he picked up DNP-CDs in the last two games he was available for. Rookie Oso Ighodaro offers a higher fantasy upside than Mason Plumlee, but the play of those two (especially in Tuesday’s loss to the Hawks) did not inspire confidence. Richards is expected to be the starter in Phoenix, and if he can hit the high 20s in minutes consistently, he can have value in 12-team leagues.

As for Okogie, he’s in an interesting spot. Charlotte’s current rotation wings are Josh Green and Cody Martin, and neither has been consistently productive. Does that mean Okogie will be allowed to compete for playing time? Or does Charlotte look to see if they can add draft capital to their coffers by moving Okogie to a playoff team before the February trade deadline? In the short term, he didn’t do enough in Phoenix to merit being added now, but keep an eye on him.

Let’s look at some of Wednesday’s top fantasy pickups:

PF/C Santi Aldama (46%), Memphis Grizzlies

Aldama was outstanding at the beginning of the season, providing reliable fantasy value whether he started or came off the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy-basketball-pickups-nick-richards-074045192.html

Author : NBC Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-16 07:40:00

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