Did you pick up Khris Middleton? With his return from a torn hamstring set for Wednesday, adding him in the last few weeks has been one of the most obvious moves anyone could make in Fantasy this season. It didn't take an expert to see that.
Middleton is a really good player. His national profile isn't terribly high, but he has been a key piece for the Bucks, coming off a season where he averaged 18.2 points, rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo might have had higher high's, but Middleton also might have been the Bucks' best player last season.
And yet, having said all of that, I think you should trade him. Right now. Before he plays his first minute of the season. Am I crazy? Maybe.
Middleton's emergence as the Bucks' most reliable player last season was something of a surprise, but it made sense. Antetokounmpo was still very much a work in progress, still trying to figure out how to harness those lanky limbs and incredible athleticism into something like an actual basketball player. Jabari Parker was even further off, a solid scorer who was still working on the rest of his game. The Bucks desperately needed Middleton's combination of playmaking last season.
This season, however, they've started to figure some things out. Antetokounmpo has blossomed into some un-Godly combination of Magic Johnson, Grant Hill, and David Robinson, and Parker has begun to blossom into the go-to scorer for the Bucks, averaging 20.2 points on 48.9 percent shooting, and even extending his range consistently beyond the 3-point line for the first time. Add in newcomers Malcolm Brogdon (42.2 percent on 3-pointers, 4.2 assists per game) and Matthew Dellavedova (35.4 percent, 5.4 APG), and the need for what Middleton brings to the table looks a bit less desperate than it did in the beginning of the season.
That doesn't mean the Bucks aren't going to lean on him, of course. Brogdon and Dellavedova are filling a solid role, but with their limited center rotation and Antetokounmpo's real deficiencies as a shooter, another player who can spot up or create in a pinch is always welcome. Assuming he is healthy.
That might be the even bigger risk here. When Middleton initially suffered his torn hamstring, he was given a six-month timetable, which put him out until at least March. He is, instead, returning less than five months removed from the surgery, which makes me wary. Sometimes, players can return from injury quicker than expected without issue, but this feels a lot like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist last season, who rushed back from his shoulder injury, only to suffer a recurrence of that injury after just seven games.
There's no guarantee of that, but there's also no guarantee Middleton returns at 100 percent or even hits that point before long. This is a long layoff, and it's asking a lot for him to step back into the rotation and play at a high level. As we've seen this season with players like Chandler Parsons or Derrick Favors, there's no guarantee that a return goes smoothly.
So, you should look to trade Middleton right now, because there's a chance his value is never higher than it is right now. He was a fourth or fifth-round pick before the injury, and there might be someone in your league still willing to view him that way right now. And while Middleton can certainly be that good, there are a lot of risk factors working against him right now.
If I have Middleton right now, I'm looking to move him for someone like Jae Crowder or Otto Porter in a Roto league, or LaMarcus Aldridge or Dennis Schroder in a H2H points league. Middleton might end up better than all of them, and he's found money at this point. However, if you have the chance to turn him into a more sure thing, I think it's the right move these days.
Update: Jabari Parker's injury changes everything. Okay, not everything. Middleton will still likely be worked back in, and he still carries significant injury risk, given his unexpectedly quick return from the injury.
However, concerns about his role and his place in the Bucks' pecking order largely melt away. He should be the team's No. 2 option moving forward, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him step into the starting lineup next to Tony Snell on the wings pretty soon, with Antetokounmpo sliding up to power forward full time.
Parker's injury increases Middleton's upside, and increases his chances of hitting that upside. That alone could make him worth holding on to. However, it doesn't necessarily change my thoughts on the risk Middleton carries in terms of injury. If anything, this makes Middleton an even bigger boom-or-bust play, and you have to decide for yourself whether he will be worth the risk in the long run.
Point Guards
Player | ROTO | H2H |
Russell Westbrook | 38 | 48 |
James Harden | 44 | 43 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | 41 | 33 |
Stephen Curry | 42 | 32 |
Isaiah Thomas | 32 | 32 |
John Wall | 24 | 27 |
Kyle Lowry | 28 | 24 |
Kyrie Irving | 26 | 24 |
Damian Lillard | 20 | 24 |
Kemba Walker | 22 | 22 |
Eric Bledsoe | 22 | 22 |
Jeff Teague | 22 | 20 |
Goran Dragic | 16 | 18 |
Ricky Rubio | 19 | 16 |
Jrue Holiday | 17 | 16 |
CJ McCollum | 23 | 15 |
Mike Conley | 14 | 14 |
D'Angelo Russell | 9 | 13 |
Dennis Schroder | 8 | 13 |
George Hill | 11 | 10 |
Reggie Jackson | 6 | 10 |
Elfrid Payton | 5 | 9 |
Chris Paul | 9 | 7 |
Deron Williams | 3 | 6 |
Derrick Rose | 3 | 6 |
Marcus Smart | 7 | 4 |
Eric Gordon | 7 | 4 |
Darren Collison | 7 | 4 |
Jeremy Lin | 4 | 4 |
Tyreke Evans | 3 | 4 |
Raymond Felton | 3 | 4 |
T.J. McConnell | 5 | 3 |
Yogi Ferrell | 4 | 3 |
Patrick Beverley | 6 | 2 |
Shooting Guards
Player | ROTO | H2H |
James Harden | 44 | 43 |
DeMar DeRozan | 19 | 25 |
Jimmy Butler | 25 | 24 |
Andrew Wiggins | 9 | 16 |
CJ McCollum | 23 | 15 |
Nicolas Batum | 14 | 15 |
Devin Booker | 10 | 14 |
Klay Thompson | 19 | 13 |
Bradley Beal | 13 | 11 |
Dwyane Wade | 9 | 11 |
Victor Oladipo | 12 | 8 |
Dion Waiters | 8 | 8 |
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 11 | 7 |
Tyler Johnson | 7 | 5 |
Seth Curry | 7 | 5 |
Wesley Matthews | 7 | 4 |
Marcus Smart | 7 | 4 |
Eric Gordon | 7 | 4 |
Evan Fournier | 5 | 4 |
Jeremy Lin | 4 | 4 |
Gary Harris | 8 | 4 |
Khris Middleton | 7 | 3 |
Avery Bradley | 8 | 3 |
Lou Williams | 6 | 3 |
JJ Redick | 6 | 3 |
Kent Bazemore | 5 | 3 |
Austin Rivers | 4 | 3 |
Patrick Beverley | 6 | 2 |
Small Forwards
Player | ROTO | H2H |
LeBron James | 33 | 36 |
Kevin Durant | 44 | 33 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | 41 | 33 |
Kawhi Leonard | 34 | 24 |
Jimmy Butler | 25 | 24 |
Paul George | 28 | 22 |
Jabari Parker | N/A | N/A |
Andrew Wiggins | 9 | 16 |
Gordon Hayward | 16 | 15 |
Nicolas Batum | 14 | 15 |
Carmelo Anthony | 9 | 14 |
Markieff Morris | 12 | 9 |
Harrison Barnes | 8 | 9 |
Otto Porter | 19 | 7 |
James Johnson | 11 | 7 |
Jae Crowder | 15 | 6 |
Marcus Morris | 4 | 6 |
Wesley Matthews | 7 | 4 |
Trevor Ariza | 9 | 4 |
Marcus Smart | 7 | 4 |
Thaddeus Young | 12 | 4 |
Evan Fournier | 5 | 4 |
Danilo Gallinari | 6 | 4 |
Ben Simmons | 3 | 4 |
Robert Covington | 12 | 3 |
Kent Bazemore | 5 | 3 |
Austin Rivers | 4 | 3 |
Tobias Harris | 5 | 2 |
Al-Farouq Aminu | 5 | 2 |
Power Forwards
Player | ROTO | H2H |
Nikola Jokic | 31 | 27 |
DeMarcus Cousins | 23 | 26 |
Anthony Davis | 28 | 25 |
Paul George | 28 | 22 |
Kevin Love | 23 | 21 |
Draymond Green | 27 | 19 |
Blake Griffin | 12 | 19 |
Paul Millsap | 19 | 18 |
Jabari Parker | N/A | N/A |
LaMarcus Aldridge | 14 | 13 |
Myles Turner | 21 | 9 |
Joel Embiid | 17 | 9 |
Markieff Morris | 12 | 9 |
Harrison Barnes | 8 | 9 |
Otto Porter | 19 | 7 |
Julius Randle | 5 | 7 |
James Johnson | 11 | 7 |
Kristaps Porzingis | 12 | 6 |
Serge Ibaka | 14 | 6 |
Marcus Morris | 4 | 6 |
Gorgui Dieng | 13 | 6 |
Dirk Nowitzki | 7 | 5 |
Wilson Chandler | 5 | 5 |
Trevor Ariza | 9 | 4 |
Thaddeus Young | 12 | 4 |
Ersan Ilyasova | 5 | 4 |
Danilo Gallinari | 6 | 4 |
Derrick Favors | 3 | 4 |
Marvin Williams | 7 | 3 |
Nerlens Noel | 8 | 3 |
Tobias Harris | 5 | 2 |
Al-Farouq Aminu | 5 | 2 |
Centers
Player | ROTO | H2H |
Karl-Anthony Towns | 36 | 31 |
Nikola Jokic | 31 | 27 |
DeMarcus Cousins | 23 | 26 |
Anthony Davis | 28 | 25 |
Al Horford | 22 | 17 |
Andre Drummond | 15 | 17 |
Marc Gasol | 20 | 15 |
Mason Plumlee | 11 | 14 |
Hassan Whiteside | 17 | 13 |
DeAndre Jordan | 14 | 13 |
Brook Lopez | 15 | 11 |
Rudy Gobert | 17 | 10 |
Myles Turner | 21 | 9 |
Joel Embiid | 17 | 9 |
Dwight Howard | 9 | 9 |
Nikola Vucevic | 9 | 8 |
Steven Adams | 15 | 7 |
Marcin Gortat | 10 | 6 |
Greg Monroe | 9 | 6 |
Dirk Nowitzki | 7 | 5 |
Cody Zeller | 7 | 4 |
Tristan Thompson | 6 | 4 |
Derrick Favors | 3 | 4 |
Nerlens Noel | 8 | 3 |
Jonas Valanciunas | 7 | 3 |
Willy Hernangomez | 4 | 2 |