While it feels like an eternity since we've watched basketball, the return of the NBA is just over a week away.
It's certainly going to be unique playing within the bubble in Orlando, but teams are now starting their final preparations on what they hope will be a run towards the playoffs. In terms of fantasy basketball, we do have some playing time situations that are worth discussing heading into the restart.
Brooklyn Nets
Let's starts off with one of the teams that has been hit the hardest by injuries and COVID-19. The Nets are going to look like a shell of themselves with Kyrie Irving (shoulder), Spencer Dinwiddie (illness), DeAndre Jordan (illness) and Taurean Prince (illness) all out. Even Wilson Chandler opted out of the season, and, of course, Kevin Durant (Achilles) will not be available. Based on the current standings, the Nets will still be in position to make the playoffs, but it's going to be ugly if they get there.
The two players who should see the most significant increase in production are Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen. LeVert should see all of the scoring opportunities he can handle, and Allen could be a walking double-double with tons of blocks if he can play at least 30 minutes a night. Joe Harris has averaged 31 minutes a game before the shutdown and already has a career-high 17.9 percent usage rate. With so many scoring opportunities up for grabs, don't be surprised to see that number increase. Harris could be a monster source of three-pointers given he's already averaging 2.4 triples per contest.
In terms of under-the-radar players, Rodions Kurucs is set to start at power forward. With averages of 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 three-pointers per 36 minutes, he could provide value.
At point guard, Chris Chiozza may be the leading candidate to start ahead of veterans Tyler Johnson and Jamal Crawford. Crawford likely won't log heavy minutes at this stage of his career, but Johnson could be a threat to Chiozza's playing time. Still, in the later rounds of a fantasy draft, Chiozza is someone to at least have on your radar.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards are right up there with the Nets in terms of their roster being a mess. Bradley Beal (shoulder) is the big hole that they'll have to try and fill. His 33.8 percent usage rate is the fifth-highest mark in the league. To make matters worse, Davis Bertans decided to opt out as he prepares to enter free agency. If there is a bit of good news, it's that Thomas Bryant has returned to practice after having previously tested positive for COVID-19.
Two names immediately jump off the page as players who should be busy with Beal out. The first is Shabazz Napier, who averaged 12 points, 4.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.6 three-pointers across 15 games with the Wizards. The other is Troy Brown, a second-year forward who averaged 15.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.2 three-pointers across a five-game stretch in January in which Beal was forced to sit out.
With Bertans on the sidelines, Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner should be busy up front. Wagner has proven valuable when given extended playing time. Across 14 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes this season, he's averaged 13.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 0.9 three-pointers. While he should come off the bench behind Hachimura and Bryant, playing at least 20 minutes a night could certainly be in the cards.
Portland Trail Blazers
Finally, we have a situation in which there is a position battle because a team's health has improved. Jusuf Nurkic (leg) was close to returning before the season was paused, so now the added time off has only helped his cause. He was a monster for the Blazers last season, averaging 15.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks before breaking his leg in March.
The Blazers replaced him this season with Hassan Whiteside, who has also been stellar with averages of 16.3 points, 14.2 rebounds and a whopping 3.1 blocks per game -- not bad for a player initially viewed as a last-ditch band aid.
Part of the reason for Whiteside's increased production has been an uptick in minutes. This is only the second season of Whiteside's career in which he has logged at least 30 minutes a night. With regard to the situation at center, two things are true: First, Whiteside is highly unlikely to average 30 minutes a night for the rest of the season. Second, Nurkic isn't going to play anywhere near as much as he did last season because he's been out for so long and because of Whiteside.
This situation is ideal for the Blazers and their hunt to make the playoffs, but it deals a blow to both players' fantasy upside.
Los Angeles Lakers
For the Lakers, the battle to watch is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope versus Alex Caruso. The Lakers have a more specific position battle in place since the majority of their roster is still intact. The key pieces they'll be missing are Rajon Rondo (thumb) and Avery Bradley, who decided to opt out.
Rondo's surgery should force him to miss the rest of the regular season, but he's expected back early in the playoffs. Bradley's absence initially set up a battle between Caldwell-Pope and Caruso for minutes at shooting guard. Expect Caldwell-Pope to start, but Caruso is now set to play minutes as a backup at both guard spots. Neither will likely have a high usage rate playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but both could still provide added value.
Caruso has somewhat of a cult following, but be sure to temper your expectations, even with his potential for an expanded role. He's averaged 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 three-pointer across 22 games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes.
Toronto Raptors
Keep an eye on Marc Gasol vs. Serge Ibaka up front. If any player needed this extra time off, it was Gasol (hamstring). He had missed 16 of the Raptors last 17 games before things were shut down. Now healthy, and noticeably slimmer, he'll have to overtake Ibaka for the starting center job.
Ibaka has thrived as a starter this season, averaging 18.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers across 27 games. The key is he averaged 32 minutes a night in that role, compared to just 23 minutes a game when coming off the bench.
As impressive as Ibaka has been, Gasol is likely to reclaim the starting center job. However, he's only averaged 28 minutes a game this season, which is the lowest mark of his career. The Raptors might be even more judicious with his minutes to try and keep him healthy for the playoffs, so while Ibaka is likely to take a step backward with his production, it might only be a small one.
