This article is part of our NBA Barometer series.
GUARDS
Gaining Value
Mike Conley, MEM: Conley is always a focal point of his team's attack, but he's kicked it into another gear recently amid trade rumors. The veteran has racked up over 20 points in five straight games, his second-longest such stretch of the campaign. The surge has largely been the byproduct of efficient shooting, as Conley has found the net on 50 percent of his attempts in that span. It's also worth noting the boost in scoring has done nothing to curb his production as a facilitator, as the 31-year-old has dished out between seven and 11 assists in six consecutive contests. It's still possible Conley could be onMonte Morris, DEN: Jamal Murray has now missed six straight games with an ankle injury, an absence that Morris has parlayed into a boost in his overall production. The second-year guard actually began his surge even prior to Murray's current sabbatical, as he'd scored in double digits in three straight games off the bench from January 19-25. He's averaged 18.3 points, 7.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals over the last four games, seeing extended minutes as the starting point guard. Morris is draining 62.2 percent of his shots over the last nine contests, and while Murray appears to be nearing a return, Morris was already enjoying a significant, second-unit role prior to the injury.
ALSO GAINING VALUE: Malik Beasley, DEN; Frank Jackson, NOP
Losing Value
Dion Waiters, MIA: WaitersGUARDS
Gaining Value
Mike Conley, MEM: Conley is always a focal point of his team's attack, but he's kicked it into another gear recently amid trade rumors. The veteran has racked up over 20 points in five straight games, his second-longest such stretch of the campaign. The surge has largely been the byproduct of efficient shooting, as Conley has found the net on 50 percent of his attempts in that span. It's also worth noting the boost in scoring has done nothing to curb his production as a facilitator, as the 31-year-old has dished out between seven and 11 assists in six consecutive contests. It's still possible Conley could be onMonte Morris, DEN: Jamal Murray has now missed six straight games with an ankle injury, an absence that Morris has parlayed into a boost in his overall production. The second-year guard actually began his surge even prior to Murray's current sabbatical, as he'd scored in double digits in three straight games off the bench from January 19-25. He's averaged 18.3 points, 7.0 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals over the last four games, seeing extended minutes as the starting point guard. Morris is draining 62.2 percent of his shots over the last nine contests, and while Murray appears to be nearing a return, Morris was already enjoying a significant, second-unit role prior to the injury.
ALSO GAINING VALUE: Malik Beasley, DEN; Frank Jackson, NOP
Losing Value
Dion Waiters, MIA: Waiters is playing modest minutes in the Heat's deep guard rotation, and he's been struggling with his shot when he's been out there. The veteran sports a 24.4 percent success rate from the floor over the last five games, a stretch during which he's gone just 5-for-25 from three-point range. With the likes of Tyler Johnson, Dwyane Wade and Wayne Ellington ahead of him on the depth chart, there doesn't seem to be much of a path for added opportunity in the immediate future, unless Miami makes a trade to alleviate the backcourt logjam.FORWARDS
Gaining Value
Jonathan Isaac, ORL: Healthy after an injury-marred rookie season, Isaac is getting better the more he plays. The 2017 first-rounder still has a ways to go as a shooter, but he's consistently provided solid production across the stat sheet while holding down the starting small forward spot. With Jonathon Simmons missing multiple games of late with an abdominal injury, Isaac has stepped up with four straight double-digit scoring efforts, as well as a pair of double-doubles. Also a threat for multiple steals and blocks anytime he sees a full workload, Isaac is already offering excellent, multi-category value that could vault to another level if his shooting improves even modestly.Kenrich Williams, NOP: Williams is a recent beneficiary of the Pelicans laundry list of injuries leading up to the trade deadline. E'Twaun Moore remains sidelined with a quadriceps issue, which has opened up the starting small forward role for Williams in place of the ineffective Solomon Hill. Williams has logged at least 30 minutes in four straight games, hauling in between eight and 16 rebounds in those contests while also turning in a pair of double-digit scoring efforts. The rookie wing is also averaging 3.0 assists per game during that stretch and is shooting close to 50 percent from the floor, despite a 3-for-13 clunker in his most recent game. Williams appears set to hold down a starting role for at least a few more games, and he could end up having longer-term value depending on how the Pels' roster looks after the deadline.
ALSO GAINING VALUE: Wayne Selden, CHI; Jake Layman, POR
Losing Value
E'Twaun Moore, NOP: Moore is currently set to miss fifth straight game due to a quad bruise, and he's also struggled in the last three games he's managed to suit up for. The veteran wing scored in single digits in those contests while playing relatively limited minutes. Plus, Williams' success over the last four games as the starting small forward could leave Moore in a second-unit role upon his return to health, and it appears Williams will have at least one more game to make his case.ALSO LOSING VALUE: Al-Farouq Aminu, POR
CENTERS
Gaining Value
DeMarcus Cousins, GSW: Cousins made his long-awaited season debut Jan. 18, and it hasn't taken long for him to start looking like his old self. He's still yet to play more than 25 minutes, but the ultra-talented big man already has a 20-point effort, a double-double and both multi-steal and multi-block tallies on his resume. Naturally, he'll eventually log more playing time and the rise in production will follow.Cousins' track record with extended minutes is beyond reproach, and even on a team with as many high-usage options as the Warriors, he's still expected to see ample opportunity in the team's fast-paced attack. To that end, it's worth noting that despite the minutes cap thus far, Cousins is already averaging 11.1 shot attempts per contest, and his usage rate sits at 28.1%, down just 3.8 percentage points from last season.
Dwight Powell, DAL: DeAndre Jordan's surprise exit to the Big Apple opens up the starting center job to Powell for the time being. A more versatile option than position mate Salah Mejri, Powell should be able to secure a role that affords him minutes in the mid-20s, at a minimum, on the majority of nights moving forward. He logged 24 minutes apiece in the Mavericks' first two games without Jordan, putting up 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.5 blocks per contest. Powell does take the occasional three-point attempt, but his primary value should come from his work on the boards and around the rim. He's logging 65.5 percent of his scoring in the paint this season.
ALSO GAINING VALUE: Hassan Whiteside, MIA
