This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
The day before the trade deadline brings plenty of action, with 18 teams set to take the floor. Since players could be on the move, monitoring for news throughout the day will be essential before finalizing your lineups. As things currently stand, here are some players to target on Yahoo, as well as a few to possibly avoid.
GUARDS
Tyler Herro, MIA vs. IND ($27): Kyle Lowry (knee) is set to miss at least the next three games, leaving the Heat without one of their primary ball handlers. Herro was busy with him out in their last game against the Bucks, scoring 24 points on 24 shot attempts while also dishing out six assists. The Pacers have played at the fourth-fastest pace in the league, which should afford Herro even more opportunities to contribute.
Donte DiVincenzo, GS at POR ($17): The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry (knee) for a while. Unless they want to part with some of their young players like James Wiseman and Moses Moody, they don't have many appealing assets to make a trade. That means they will likely continue to rely more on DiVincenzo, who scored 29.3 Yahoo points over 28 minutes with Curry out Monday against the Thunder.
Guard to Avoid
T.J. McConnell, IND at MIA ($21): Tyrese Haliburton has not been eased back into action in his return from injury, playing at least 31 minutes in all three games. He even played both games of a back-to-back set. McConnell has played 19 minutes or fewer in all three games, scoring no more than 18.5 Yahoo points in any of them. His salary needs to come down a lot more before it's even worth considering him in DFS again.
FORWARDS
Kristaps Porzingis, WAS vs. CHA ($38): The Wizards continue to deal with injuries. Bradley Beal (foot) and Kyle Kuzma (ankle) are questionable for this game, so if either or both of them don't play, Porzingis will be left with a ton of shot attempts. Even if the pair do play, this is still an excellent matchup for Porzingis, considering that the Hornets have the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league.
Eric Gordon, HOU vs. SAC ($19): Gordon remains a popular name in trade rumors. With the Rockets in the early stages of a rebuild, he doesn't fit into their long-term plans. This is a perfect showcase opportunity with Kevin Porter Jr. (foot) still out. Porter's absence has contributed to Gordon scoring at least 34.0 Yahoo points in four straight games.
Forward to Avoid
Al Horford, BOS vs. PHI ($16): Playing time is not an issue for Horford. Over his last 13 games, he has averaged 32 minutes. However, he is barely involved in the Celtics' offense, which resulted in him averaging just 8.0 points during that span. Gordon has a much greater role for the Rockets right now, and his salary is only three dollars more, so it's difficult to make a case for rolling with Horford in DFS.
CENTERS
Pascal Siakam, TOR vs. SA ($37): The Raptors could swing this trade deadline if they decide to move some of their starters. If Siakam is still in uniform for this matchup, he could feast against a Spurs team with the worst defensive rating in the league that could be missing some of their starters. Really, the only concern with Siakam is he could see added time on the bench in the fourth quarter if the Raptors race out to a big early lead.
Daniel Gafford, WAS vs. CHA ($18): Gafford has been a steady contributor for the Wizards, scoring at least 27.0 Yahoo points in five of his last seven games. He even had an outburst against the Pelicans, scoring 54.4 Yahoo points. This is an excellent matchup for him because the Hornets struggle on defense and have allowed the second-most rebounds per game in the league.
Center to Avoid
Christian Wood, DAL at LAC ($31): After missing eight straight games with a thumb injury, Wood returned Monday against the Jazz. Despite the Mavericks' lack of depth because of the Kyrie Irving trade and Luka Doncic (heel) being out, he only played 19 minutes off the bench. Irving should be available for this game, and with the prospect of Wood again playing limited minutes, he's too risky at this salary.
