Part 2 of the Collector’s Corner: NBA 2020-21 Preview takes a look at some of the NBA trading cards — past and present — you should be collecting.
We’re about a week into the 2020-21 NBA season, and it’s a good time to preview some of the possible breakouts – or just some big jumps from guys we already know about – in the trading cards market this year.
In this preview (Part 1 was a product review), we’ll look at some of players to target as they take the stage on the most marketable of courts in the NBA. I’ve included some links to eBay sales of the players I’m covering.
Tim Duncan – I heard there’s a debate raging online about whether Tim Duncan was a better player than Anthony Davis. While the book isn’t closed on AD, Duncan is in my Top 10 all-time NBA, and he might be Top 6 or 7, if we really want to get into the level of talent he faced and how competitive those Spurs teams were in the playoffs. Duncan’s trading cards are still undervalued. His Topps and Fleer rookies are way too cheap considering his significant NBA HOF legacy.
Shaquille O’Neal – Shaq rookies, plentiful because they were produced in the early-to-mid 1990s, are easy to find sharp and some are worth buying raw to get graded. It’s a long wait right now at PSA, but Shaq remains in the spotlight as a pop icon and entertaining NBA analyst. Grabbing his cards won’t set you back a ton and locating his more valuable inserts from that era could be especially lucrative. I’ve linked to the most recent sold prices, but do a search for those same cards currently and if you see a deal.
Kevin Durant – Durant won consecutive Finals MVPs before the devastating Achilles rupture in the 2019 NBA Finals, and he’s been off the radar for over a year. He’s got the length and sharpshooting ability to rebound well and he’s great buy right now as he tries to bring a title to Brooklyn.
Devin Booker/DeAndre Ayton – The addition of Chris Paul should improve the prospects of all the Suns players, from their veteran guards to third-year center Ayton. These are talented players who should see a bump in their production and trading card value.
More Veterans to Buy Low: Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, Joel Embiid, Kristaps Porzingis
These established players could have big years in 2020-21 and make their mark once again in the playoffs, when we can see huge jumps in prices after stellar performances.
Some Veterans to Sell: Jamal Murray, Anthony Davis, Aaron Gordon, Jimmy Butler, Hassan Whiteside
These guys see spikes in popularity after big games, but I’m not bullish on the long-term value of their cards – be it health, attitude, too much hype or just a limit on their popularity. Another get in, get out scenario where you can buy low and sell after a monster stat line or two.
If we look at investing in developing NBA prospects like cash game vs. GPP, it might help in building realistic expectations and projections. GPP-investments can be the players who aren’t highly touted (represent more risky, long-term investments) but can be bought cheaply. Cash game types include established (or simply heavily hyped) players like Ja Morant, Rui Hachimura and Kevin Porter Jr.
Jayson Tatum – It may seem weird to classify him as a “developing” player, but he apparently grew two more inches in the past summer – a little joke that got a bit out of hand once it hit the rumor mill. Seriously, though – Tatum may have grown a couple inches (from 6’8” to 6’10”) since he was first drafted in 2017, but the main thing that’s grown tremendously in that time is his game. He’s a more consistent shooter and much better defender, and his cards are still more affordable than some of the other superstars in the league.
Zion Williamson & Ja Morant – Zion still has some defensive issues handling true bigs in the post, but he’s an offensive superstar and there’s no telling the kind of stat lines he’ll post when his shot improves a bit. There’s not TONS of room for short term turnaround value, but like Amazon stock, he’s a grower. As for Ja – the ankle sprain appears to be a 3-5 week thing, so if you see his process drop in the coming weeks, pick up his stuff. You won’t regret it once he hits the floor again.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – The guy fills it up – a true talent with all the right tools to be a perennial All-Star, and he has solid work ethic and attitude. His rookie cards are still very affordable. His 2018 Silver Prizm rookie in a Gem Mint PSA 10 is selling for about $1,000 to $1,300, but you can buy the card raw for about $200-$300.
P.J. Washington – He’s seen increased playing time in the first three games of the new season, and he’s already got one double-double. His stuff is still pretty cheap and we could see a big jump soon.
Tyler Herro – He’s still a streaky performer who offers very little in the way of ancillary stats when the shots aren’t going down, but his cards are still selling well and he’s still “a bucket” – especially in crunch time. I doubt his trajectory will be one of steady growth – more a few jumps where you want to get in and get out – and do it all over again once it’s playoff time.
R.J. Barrett – Barrett is a talented offensive player who may have gone No. 1 in the 2020 draft, but his future is mired in New York with James Dolan’s Knicks for the time being. The good thing? Tom Thibodeau runs short rotations, so he’ll see plenty of court minutes to help fill up the scoring column this season.
Cameron Johnson – We’re just starting to se what he’s capable of at both ends of the floor. He’s a great shot and the addition of CP3 to this team can only help his chances at more exposure. A great long-term buy and still super cheap.
Kendrick Nunn – The Herro hype kind of killed some of the chatter about how good Nunn really is, but I think this guy might even be better than Nunn, especially when you consider how inexpensive his cards are right now. He’s still mired on the bench and seeing only 8-12 minutes in the full-strength Heat rotation, but injuries happen and so can hot streaks for young players who can score as well as Nunn.
More 2019-20 rookie cards to buy: Darius Bazley, Keldon johnson
Buy and stash: Talen Horton-Tucker, Dylan Windler
Anthony Edwards – There will be some inconsistent nights and stat lines but he’s in a decent spot for rookie production and he’s carrying the No. 1 pick status for another 11 months.
James Wiseman – He’s going to be a frustrating player to own in DFS because he’s committing too many dumb fouls, but the upside is there and so is the playing time if he can stay on the floor.
Cole Anthony – Talent evaluators I trust really like him, and there’s a clear path to playing time for a PG with scoring upside. He’s already making the most of his minutes on the floor.
Ghost and Michael discuss NBA 2020 Offseason Preview! The trades that have already happened and ones we would love to see go down. Why does everyone hate LeBron? Where do Russ and Harden end up? We also check out the NBA Draft and discuss the top 3 picks included what does Golden State do with their #2 overall pick!
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In this column, I’ll highlight five NBA DFS 2/26 difference-makingplays in GPPs, from studs with a huge upside to value plays who could hit8x-10x.
These are risky plays who won’t always make the most sense forcash game builds, so buyer beware!
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The main draw toward Melton in this matchup is necessity – both for the Grizzlies and our salary purposes in DFS. Somebody has to defend these Rockets guards, and Melton – standing just 6-3 but sporting a wingspan over 6-8 – is a well-known defensive commodity who sometimes plays big minutes for the Grizzlies when needed. The entire Grizzlies rotation is depleted, so we can look for a full game stack in this one, with two or three players from each side. If you’re more interested in other games on this slate, then Spencer Dinwiddie (PG/SG/G/UTIL) is a viable spend-up option in a favorable matchup at Washington.
Harden’s shot has been heating up, and he’s got a legitimate 80-point upside tonight. If you’re unsure about Westbrook’s sore thumb, then he’s an even safer play. On a night with five (5!) NBA games featuring Vegas totals of 229 and up, the Houston-Memphis game comes in at the highest: 237.5. There is some blowout concern, but we could see massive raw scoring and value in this game if we’re fearless. Non-believers can pivot to Jimmy Butler (make sure he’s playing) in a revenge game vs. the T-Wolves, or play one of the much cheaper but still high-priced, high-upside SG available, including Devin Booker (the Suns have already ruled out Kelly Oubre, which helps his usage rate) or Bradley Beal in a plus matchup vs. the Nets.
The price on Covington keepsincreasing, but I just love what he brings to this Houston team on both ends ofthe floor, and he’ll be active tonight in what should be the highest-paced gameof the slate. We can find some value to stack on the Memphis side with either theversatile but frustrating Dillon Brooks (SG/SF/G/F/UTIL) as a large-field GPPrisk-reward play or Josh Jackson (SF/PF/F/UTIL), forced into bigger minuteswith the injuries to Brandon Clarke and Jaren Jackson, Jr. The chalkier pivotwill probably be Tobias Harris, especially on FanDuel where he’s just $6,600,or Gordon Hayward against his old team the Jazz – if you’re into the revenge narrative.
Gordon makes for an interesting GPP play tonight because of his high price (up to $1,800 from just $5,900 on DK at the start of February) and 60-point upside in this matchup. The Hawks have a very difficult time containing versatile forwards like Gordon, so we could see a ceiling game from him tonight. He’s far from a sure thing to hit even 6x, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take given his recent floor. We can stack up bargain option DeAndre Hunter, who’s been playing through an ankle injury but keeps cranking out 30-point DK performances or spend up to Julius Randle in a plus matchup against the woeful Hornets.
With LaMarcus Aldridge out for tonight, I’ll likely alternatemy Poeltl ownership with San Antonio PF Trey Lyles under the assumption that onlyone of the two will go off. Poeltl and Lyles both have 10x upside tonight, so I’llhave shares of both in GPPs. I originally was going to recommend JonasValanciunas here, but it’s entirely possible that he doesn’t see that much timeon the floor with the Rockets running a slew of shorter, faster forwards outthere instead of an actual five-man. JV is worth a shot in low-stakes multi-entry,but I’m wary of Gorgui Dieng getting big minutes as he’s more of a viable PF/Cthan a classic big. If you fade Julius Randle, then Mitchell Robinson is a worthwhileoption, but playing both rarely seems to work out, even against a team that’s asterrible at defending bigs as the Hornets.
In this column, I’ll highlight five NBA DFS 2/22 difference-makingplays in GPPs, from studs with a huge upside to value plays who could hit8x-10x.
These are risky plays who won’t always make the most sense forcash game builds, so buyer beware!
Tired of losing money on your NBA DFS and Sportsbook? Sign up today and become a winner whileturning your passion for sports into a second stream of income!
I don’t know why Luka’s price has actually dropped a few hundred bucks on DK, but we’ll welcome that. Both James Harden (@UTA) and Trae Young (on the other side of this matchup and stackable) are more expensive today and have lower floors and ceilings tonight. Doncic fills up the stat sheet and also has a better shot at triple-double bonus than the aforementioned NBA DFS ballers. If you’re drawn to Russell Westbrook as a pivot I wouldn’t mind much – he’s got a very winnable matchup with Utah, and is stackable with Mike Conley, who should be a full go for the second half of a back-to-back where he rested yesterday. But Luka remains the best player over $10K on this six-game slate.
With Luka and Porzingis out, there’s a whole lot of value opening up for the Mavs (and Hawks, in that Trae’s upside is now a tad higher). DFS, Maxi Kleber and Tim Hardaway are all solid plays, as is probable starting PG Jalen Brunson who’s just $5K on DK. And with Jimmy Butler (personal) out, one of Goran Dragic or Kendrick Nunn should have a big game.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a ceiling game from Dinwiddie, who’s assumed full control as the main scoring guard in the absence of Kyrie Irving. He’s added some salary in the past few days but remains a solid GPP play in an exploitable matchup. If he can get some shots to drop, there’s no reason he can’t go for 55-60 DK points tonight. I like Terry Rozier’s diminished price on the other side of this game (he’s eligible at PG/SG/G and UTIL), and Jimmy Butler appears to be the most viable pivot, as he’ll be looking to lead the Heat to victory following a loss to Atlanta on Thursday. If you don’t have the money for Butler, Jordan Clarkson is a solid value in an up-tempo game against the Rockets where he could be asked to play bigger minutes. UPDATE: With Jimmy Butler out, Zach Lavine ($8,900) is starting to look more and more like a solid play at SG if you want to pivot from Dinwiddie.
We saw Kristaps Porzingis and Luka go nuts last night, and that’s certainly a team stack that appears to have a better correlation than some other stud combos we’ve seen (LBJ-AD/Harden-Westbrook come to mind as not quite as appealing in DFS). We could see the Mavs give Kristaps a bit of a break tonight and allow Finney-Smith, (whose initials – DFS – are perfect for our purposes here) to flourish against a fast-paced Hawks team that turns the ball over quite a bit. The price on DFS is very affordable (just $4K on FD and a lock there considering what he could do defensively) and there’s 8x upside in this matchup. Possible pivot Kevin Porter Jr. might garner lower ownership after his ejection last night, and I don’t mind Kevin Huerter as a game stack option on the other end. UPDATE: DFS and Hardaway are even better plays with both Luka and Kristaps out. Duncan Robinson get s abump for the Heat with Butler out.
If there’s a way to fit Giannis and key elements of the DAL-ATL game in your lineups tonight, great – but I’ll be looking for some value at PF, and Crowder makes sense in the $4-5K range. He got off to an impossibly slow start on Thursday night and finished with just 25.5 DK points in 23 minutes, but if he sees 30+ minutes against the Cavs there’s no reason he can’t go for 7X or more. For a few more DK dollars you can spring for Thaddeus Young on a Bulls team that’s short a few big bodies, and Robert Covington is also still affordable in that same price range. UPDATE: Add Kleber to the mix at PF. Crowder could also see more usage with Butler out.
Allen got almost no run on Thursday night (zero real-life points and 1.5 DK points in 13 minutes) and the Nets opted to pit veteran center DeAndre Jordan against Joel Embiid (the new Eurostep king). But the price on Allen is now a measly $4,300 and should see 20+ minutes against the Hornets, who will feature Cody Zeller and P.J. Washington (both $4,700 and PF/C eligible on DK). If we hear anything about Allen getting dropped from the rotation before lock we should stay away, but I have no qualms about taking advantage of the affordable price on Allen and taking a fearless foray into the land of the weak Charlotte bigs tonight. If I had the money I would go right back to the well on Bam Adebayo, but I won’t have much left after rostering Luka and some of the other guards in most of my GPP builds. UPDATE: For the minimum price on DK at just $3K, Boban Marjanovic could go nuts in a starting role, and log 15-20 minutes even without the nod. The Mavs are woefully low on bigs, especially if Willie Cauley-Stein remains out.
In this column, I’ll highlight five NBA DFS 1/31 difference-makingplays in GPPs, from studs with a huge upside to value plays who could hit8x-10x.
These are risky playswho won’t always make the most sense for cash game builds, so buyer beware!
Tired of losing money on your NBA DFS and Sportsbook? Sign up today and become awinner while turning your passion for sports into a second stream of income!
Brunson is alock-and-load in all formats with Luka Doncic (out Friday, ankle) not travelingwith the team and possibly out for multiple games. There’s still reason to becautious, because we just don’t have a lot of data with Luka off the court thisseason – just a couple of games in December. In that small sample, we sawincreased usage for both Brunson and Kristaps Porzingis – two players I’ll be focusingon in GPPs.
He’s flourishingwith Zion Williamson in the lineup as he did when Anthony Davis was with thePelicans, and this is a dream matchup for this hardworking combo guard. Therewill be plenty of chances at both ends for Holiday to contribute and haveanother huge game where he registers 7x or more value. You could start off alineup with Brunson and either Westbrook or Jams Harden, add in Holiday, andstill have over $5,500 per on DK to fill out your Forwards, center and utilityspots.
The price hascome up on Ariza, but with Carmelo Anthony already ruled out, there’s still aclear path to 7x or more with Ariza playing against his old team in the StaplesCenter. The Lakers would be remiss not to focus their defensive efforts onstopping Damian Lillard, so expect a few more shots for the veteran defender anda busy day on both ends. Plenty of DFS folks will scoff at the new prices andlook elsewhere, and I’ll be fearlessly investing in another 35+ DK points at anaffordable price. There’s even a way to get the aforementioned players withboth Ariza and LBJ and still have $4K per if you want to take a crack at some stars/scrubsbuilds in multi-entry GPP.
With Jaren Jackson Jr. suspended for a game following the fracas in the Garden on Wednesday night, we could see Clarke (also center eligible) getting the start against Zion and the Pels – making him a top-notch tournament play given his immense upside and point-per-minute fantasy efficiency. This is a game we’re going to need exposure to, and Clarke fits our GPP builds if he’s in the starting five and getting over 25-30 minutes. If you need even more value, Giannis Antetokounmpo is out again.
**UPDATE: With Brandon Clarke now listed doubtful to play on Friday, we can pivot to more Jonas Valanciunas and Jae Crowder. And since Clint Capela is not going tonight for Houston, we can use a lot more Isaiah Hartenstein, who is minimum salary on DK at just $3,000 and will be matched up with Porzingis.
We’ve discussed plenty of high-priced guys in the Fearless Five so far, but if you want to roster a guaranteed low-owned, huge-upside center and find some value elsewhere, I think tonight could be the night for Whiteside to shine. The matchup is a terrible one on paper, but we could a few more minutes – and points, blocks, and rebounds – from the Blazers center in a tough matchup against the Lakers and their big frontcourt. The red number matchup is guaranteed to scare off the cautious DFS masses, and this is one of those nights where 55+ DK points are definitely in play.
In this column, I’ll highlight five NBA DFS 1/24 plays that could be the difference in GPPs, from studs with a huge upside to value plays who could hit 8x-10x.
These are risky NBA DFS1/24 plays who won’t always make the most sense for cash game builds, so buyerbeware!
Tired of losing money on your NBA DFS and Sportsbook? Sign up today and become a winner while turning your passion for sports into a second stream of income!
The tide is shifting, and Russell is becoming the heart and soul of the Rockets in games where James Harden’s shooting touch isn’t there. He’s a near-lock for a triple-double in just about any matchup, and he should easily dominate the T-Wolves feeble backcourt with his high-energy play. We’re looking at a somewhat risky floor given the blowout factor, but if he plays the fourth quarter then 60-70 points seem doable.
Huerter gets a huge usage bump if Trae Young is out again, but at this price, he’s a fine play regardless. The definition of a high-upside, high-risk GPP play, Huerter throws in a dud once in a while and is an injury-prone but very active player who excels in all aspects of the game. Use him sparingly if you’re tentative, and heavily if you’re fearless!
When Malcolm Brogdon isout, the first guy I look for is Warren, but I’m interested in a few Pacerstonight. I don’t expect ownership to be through the roof given the red numbernext to the matchup, but Warren will assume more of a scoring role and see increasedusage. Seeing him get 45-50 DK points is well within reason, so I’ll haveplenty of shares in GPPs.
Siakam’s price is affordable, and though he’s struggled a bit inhis return from injury, this is a get-right spot against a weak Knicks frontcourt.If you’re looking for a PF with 7x or 8x upside who could break the slate, thisis the guy. There’s some risk, but Siakam makes for a fine GPP play in afavorable matchup.
I’ll be mixing in shares of both Sabonis and Myles Turner, alternating them in GPP lineups because I’m not sure who will be the one to rack up the frontcourt points against the Warriors. There should be plenty of scoring and both seem like a lock for double-digit rebounds. But the prices for both men are far too low given the matchup and the glaring fact that one of the Pacers’ main scoring options is out.
