Welcome to the Fantasy Vibe Check, your place to vent about the highs, lows and head-scratchers of the NBA and fantasy basketball.
Check out who I’m vibing with and let me know in the comments or @DanTito what you felt kind of about fantasy basketball.
🙌 I’m excited about Jalen Williams getting four-position eligibility
Last week, I wondered about Jalen Williams, that Jalen Williams was gaining center eligibility. I’m excited to report that Yahoo made J-Dub the only player in fantasy basketball with four-position eligibility on Monday. Fantasy managers can now start Williams at SG, SF, PF and C. It’s no fluke, either — the Thunder are 3-1 since installing Williams as their new starting center and he’ll continue to hold it down until Isaiah Hartenstein (hand) is ready to return.
The interesting part about Williams gaining center eligibility is that, according to Cleaning the Glass, he has now recorded more possessions at center (179) than at shooting guard and forward combined (176). So it begs the question, should Williams even be a starter at shooting guard or small forward? Yahoo doesn’t remove eligibility once it’s granted, so fantasy managers who have Williams will reap the benefits of being able to move him fluidly through their lineups.
The last players I can remember to get four-player eligibility were LeBron James and Boris Diaw (return), so this is a rare occurrence that could end up being a cheat code similar to Marques Colston getting TE eligibility in fantasy football in the day
🤞 Fingers crossed for some players coming back from injury
— Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) practiced with the Celtics’ G-League squad, the Maine Celtics, on Monday and was recalled by the Boston Celtics after practice.
Porziņģis has been out of commission since the NBA Finals after undergoing surgery to repair a torn retinaculum and a dislocated posterior tibial tendon in his ankle in June. It was a rare injury, and hearing that he has moved on to the next phase in his recovery is a positive sign that he is trending toward a return to action.
There was no official date, but the Celtics and Porziņģis were targeting a return around mid-to-late December. Even on a slight limitation, getting Porziņģis back to fantasy ranks will boost anyone who has been hiding him since Draft Night.
— Dejounte Murray (hand) returned to practice on Monday, and according to Pelicans HC Willie Green, Murray did some shooting and on-court work but has not yet been cleared for contact. However, seeing Murray back with his teammates and getting shots is what fantasy managers want to hear after losing Murray after just one game this season. Murray had a four to six week recovery timeline, and we’re about 3.5 weeks into the process. Barring any setbacks, Murray should be back around the first week in December.
— Tyrese Maxey (hamstring) is reassessed on Tuesday. The Sixers point guard led the league in minutes played before straining his right hamstring against the Clippers on Nov. 6. Maxey was expected to miss at least two weeks, so the Nov. 19 evaluation is consistent with the communicated timeline.
The Sixers (and fantasy managers) need Maxey back. Philly is 1-5 without him, and their offense looks terrible as Joel Embiid and Paul George continue to find their footing from injuries with this new-look Sixers team.
Those who list the hottest rookie in basketball, Jared McCain, may have to consider selling high given Maxey’s imminent return. However, I wouldn’t be crazy if you kept him, as it looks more and more likely that he will continue to be an offensive threat in this rotation.
🤔 I’m confused about the fantasy basketball schedule in Week 7 and Week 8
Looking ahead, those in standard Yahoo leagues will note that when Week 7 arrives, it will be a two-week scoring period from Monday, December 2 to Sunday, December 15. The NBA schedule will be in flux during that period because we do. Don’t know the participants or seeds for the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup tournament.
Here is the breakdown of the number of games played by teams in Week 7:
Teams playing six games (15): Bulls, Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Heat, Hornets, Kings, Lakers, Magic, Nuggets, Pacers, Pelicans, Suns, Timberwolves and Warriors
Teams playing five games (10): 76ers, Bucks, Grizzlies, Jazz, Knicks, Mavericks, Pistons, Raptors, Spurs and Wizards
Teams playing four games (5): Scissors, Nets, Rockets, Thunder, Trail Blazers
Here is the breakdown of the number of games played by teams in Week 8:
Teams playing three games: Kings, Pelicans
Teams playing two games: 76ers, Bucks, Bulls, Celtics, Cavaliers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Heat, Hornets, Jazz, Knicks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, Pistons, Raptors, Rockets, Spurs, Suns, Thunder, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Warriors and Wizards
There is an overwhelming difference in the number of games played across Weeks 7 and 8. The Emirates NBA Cup championship is one reason for the few games in Week 8. There are no games on December 16, 17 or 18 . December 16 is gone. day in preparation for the Emirates Cup Championship game on December 17th, and then there is another one-day break from basketball until it returns on December 19th.
Week 8 is December 19-22 – Thursday to Sunday. Given the wide disparity in games across Week 7 through Week 8, there is an opportunity to make schedule adjustments to more evenly balance the number of total games played during this three-week period.
