Fantasy Basketball Buy Lows - Week 5

By Brian Cho
Fantasy Basketball Staff Writer 

In fantasy sports,  the difference between winning an losing is often a well timed trade that enables an owner to acquire a player for less than what they are worth. In this article, we will highlight some buy low candidates that if acquired for the right price they could help lead you to a championship.



Ersan Ilyasova: The biggest bust in fantasy hoops thus far, however things might be changing soon as Ersan contributed across the board Saturday night in 30 minutes of action (his 2nd most minutes all season). While the steal and two blocks are signs of encouragement, he continues to struggle with shooting the ball. With career percentages of 44% and 78% from the field and the line, there is no way he continues to shoot 32% and 43% this season. Keep in mind that Ersan is capable of providing solid second round value when playing at a high level. No one on the waiver wire can return that much production when they’re playing extremely well.

Ty Lawson: Lawson is off to a disappointing start and has yet to break out because of his shooting slump, but he is too talented not to. He’s quietly averaging 7.5 assists and 2 steals this season while shooting 39% from the field and 59% from the charity stripe (career 49% and 77%). Don’t be afraid to make an offer for the elite point guard.

Ty Lawson was the 19th best player in fantasy last season, due to his elite percentages

Klay Thompson: Here is another player struggling to score and his lack of defense does not make matters any better for the second year guard. Thompson is averaging 15 ponits, 3.6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 treys while shooting 37% from the field. There’s a chance that some owners in leagues are fed up with his poor shooting habit, but much like Lawson, Klay’s value will skyrocket once he gets his shot back. As long as he’s starting and getting all the minutes he can handle, he remains a buy low candidate. His upside is too great to pass up.

DeMarcus Cousins: In just over 30 minutes this season, Cousins is averaging 16 points, almost 10 boards, 2 dimes, 1.5 steals on 43.5% field goal shooting and 66.7% free throw shooting. The low percentages were expected, but I was hoping he’d average more points. It’s a shame he’s not able to stay on the court for his normal minutes because he is a fantasy monster when on the court. He was ejected in the third quarter against the Utah Jazz on Saturday and ended the night with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Throw an offer if you’re willing to deal with his immaturity all throughout the season.

DeMarcus Cousins is still learning to be a NBA player on and off the court, but his upside is massive

Some other good buy lows: Josh Smith, Paul Millsap, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, Marcus Thornton