The Fantasy Basketball Vibe Check: 2 new injuries are really messing with our modes

Welcome to the Fantasy Vibe Check, your place to vent about the highs, lows and head-scratchers from the NBA and fantasy basketball.

Check out who I'm vibing with, and let me know in the comments or @DanTitus about what's got you feeling a type-of-way about fantasy basketball.

😵‍💫 I’m salty that Franz Wagner will miss time

One of the best value picks in fantasy, Franz Wagner‘s ascension up the NBA ranks has been among the best developments in the game. He’s been a top 10 player in 9-cat leagues and top 20 in points leagues this season — an easy favorite for Most Improved Player after being on pace to put up career numbers in nearly every category. To see him suffer an oblique injury when he’s playing at an all-NBA level objectively sucks. What's even more maddening is that he suffered the same oblique injury that has sidelined Paolo Banchero for the past 23 games.

The silver lining? Banchero told Marc J. Spears that he plans to return around Christmas. The team will be without its top two players for only a couple of weeks. In the meantime, we can expect to see a lot of Jalen Suggs and Goga Bitadze. Suggs and Bitadze had 33% and 26% usage rates last game, respectively, so that was just a glimpse of what to expect. Suggs is already universally rostered, but Bitadze should be added in all leagues (34% rostered). Meanwhile, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (25%) is a good streaming option in 12+ leagues.

Since it's NBA cup week, Wendell Carter Jr (29%), Anthony Black (5%) and Cole Anthony (8%) are options if you’re looking for more production on a lighter Tuesday slate. However, I’d choose fringe Bucks players like Gary Trent Jr. (8%) over them because I have the Bucks winning and advancing. Still, Wagner’s injury opens up more opportunities to everyone until Banchero returns.

The Magic built one of the best defensive units in basketball, so this will be an important stretch for the role players to step up IRL and fantasy with their two stars are sidelined.

🫣 I’m cautiously optimistic about Scottie Barnes

Just as I was getting over my Franz saltiness, Scottie Barnes sustained an ankle injury midway through the third quarter in Monday night’s clash with the Knicks. Barnes inadvertently stepped on Karl-Anthony Towns’ foot going for a rebound and looked like he was in considerable pain.

He would eventually limp to the locker room on his own, but he didn’t return to the game.

Barnes missed 11 games earlier this year with an orbital bone fracture, making this ankle injury increasingly frustrating. However, Raptors HC Darko Rajaković shared that Barnes’ X-rays were negative and that he would get more imaging on Tuesday. Getting clean X-rays is a promising start, so we'll await the results and the projected timeline for his return.

While Barnes is sidelined, RJ Barrett will become more of a point-forward again with more opportunities available for Gradey Dick (48%), Kelly Olynyk (20%), Davion Mitchell (4%) and Ochai Agbaji (20%). At 4% rostered, Davion Mitchell is an underrated fantasy contributor. In 11 games without Barnes this season, Mitchell is averaging 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.1 steals across 31 minutes per game.

😁 I’m excited about the Emirates NBA Cup

I’m looking forward to the start of the NBA Cup on Tuesday night. If not for the Wagner injury, we would’ve had eight entertaining and star-studded teams competing for the in-season championship. The Magic can put up a fight, but stopping Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard without their top players is a tall ask. Still, the East has the Knicks, Hawks, Bucks and Magic and the West sports the Rockets, Warriors, Thunder and Mavericks.

Must-watch matchup: (4) MAVERICKS AT (1) THUNDER — TUESDAY, 9:30 P.M. ET (TNT)

OKC has the best record in the Western Conference and has dominated most of the season, leading the NBA in point differential per game (+11.9) and defensive rating. SGA and Jalen Williams are playing at All-NBA levels and Isaiah Hartenstein hasn’t missed a beat since returning from his thumb injury. Dallas’ record is underwhelming, but they’ve had some tough losses in the clutch. Luka Dončić and Kyrie and the health of the supporting cast are trending up, making Dallas a real threat to win the NBA Cup.

If you think OKC will move on, pick up players like Lu Dort (22%) and Cason Wallace (10%). If you like Dallas, Spencer Dinwiddie (14%) and Quentin Grimes (8%) are your best bets, but I don’t love them.

Must-watch matchup: (3) WARRIORS AT (2) ROCKETS — WEDNESDAY, 9:30 P.M. ET (ESPN)

The Warriors beat the Rockets on December 5, extending their consecutive win streak against Houston to 15 games. The Rockets haven’t beaten the Warriors since February 20, 2020. I think the streak ends here and we’ll see the Rockets advance. This matchup features two top-five defenses plus some electric bucket-getters with crazy athleticism, so it won’t disappoint.

Tari Eason, 48% rostered, is still recovering from a concussion, but if he’s active on Wednesday, make sure he’s not available on waivers. For Warriors who are under 50% rostered, Buddy Hield (45%), Kevon Looney (7%) and Gary Payton II (1%) are options if you think the Warriors advance to the semifinals.