This article is part of our NBA Barometer series.
GUARDS
Gaining Value
Shabazz Napier, BRO: Napier has seen an uptick in playing time with the Nets cycling through some injuries to starters. That's led to the 2014 first-round pick logging between 23 and 33 minutes in five straight games, and to tallies of between 10 and 32 points. Napier has been solid as both a rebounder and facilitator, as well, during that stretch, averaging 4.8 assists and 3.4 boards. While Joe Harris returns Wednesday night, Napier's elevated playing time could persist given his ability to fill both backcourt spots.Derrick White, SAN: White has reclaimed starting point guard duties and is thriving, as he's rattled off six straight double-digit scoring tallies. He's been especially locked in from the field, shooting an eye-popping 76.2 percent from the floor over the last five games. While his rebounds (3.0 RPG) and assists (3.4 APG) numbers remain modest, they should continue climbing if White keeps hold of the top job moving forward, which seems likely. Over the past 14 days, White ranks just outside the top-50 in CBS leagues.
Norman Powell, TOR: A shoulder injury wiped out more than a month of Powell's season, but he's been productive since returning. The 2015 second-round pick has posted double-digit point totals in five of his first 10 post-injury games, while topping 22 minutes in six of those contests. The fourth-year veteran is a proven three-point shooter and is capable of offering serviceable per-minute rebounds and assists production. While his minutes will be
GUARDS
Gaining Value
Shabazz Napier, BRO: Napier has seen an uptick in playing time with the Nets cycling through some injuries to starters. That's led to the 2014 first-round pick logging between 23 and 33 minutes in five straight games, and to tallies of between 10 and 32 points. Napier has been solid as both a rebounder and facilitator, as well, during that stretch, averaging 4.8 assists and 3.4 boards. While Joe Harris returns Wednesday night, Napier's elevated playing time could persist given his ability to fill both backcourt spots.Derrick White, SAN: White has reclaimed starting point guard duties and is thriving, as he's rattled off six straight double-digit scoring tallies. He's been especially locked in from the field, shooting an eye-popping 76.2 percent from the floor over the last five games. While his rebounds (3.0 RPG) and assists (3.4 APG) numbers remain modest, they should continue climbing if White keeps hold of the top job moving forward, which seems likely. Over the past 14 days, White ranks just outside the top-50 in CBS leagues.
Norman Powell, TOR: A shoulder injury wiped out more than a month of Powell's season, but he's been productive since returning. The 2015 second-round pick has posted double-digit point totals in five of his first 10 post-injury games, while topping 22 minutes in six of those contests. The fourth-year veteran is a proven three-point shooter and is capable of offering serviceable per-minute rebounds and assists production. While his minutes will be somewhat capped as long as Danny Green remains healthy, Powell appears to have carved out a steady rotation spot moving forward. It will be worth noting how the addition of Patrick McCaw impacts Powell's role, however.
ALSO GAINING VALUE: Austin Rivers, HOU
Losing Value
Tyler Johnson, MIA: Johnson has been a valued member of the Heat backcourt for multiple seasons, but he's currently in a bit of a slump and has also seen a slight playing time reduction the last two games. Johnson is averaging just 7.2 points on 35.7 percent shooting over his last five contests. That includes an 0-for-11 mark from three-point range over his last three games. Johnson played less than 20 minutes (19 and 17, respectively) in back-to-back games for the first time all season Sunday and Tuesday -- another reason for at least mild concern.FORWARDS
Gaining Value
Andrew Wiggins, MIN: Wiggins' 40-point, 10-rebound explosion against the Thunder on Tuesday is what's drawing headlines, but he'd taken his production up a notch prior to that contest. Wiggins had also gone off for 31 and 28 points in two of the three previous games, with the latter figure coming in Thibs' last game at the helm. The former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 21 shot attempts over the last four games, a notable spike from his 15.9 season-long figure.Chandler Hutchison, CHI: The production isn't anything to write home about just yet, but the path to a starting job has been cleared for Hutchison. The 2018 first-round pick is now the No. 1 option at small forward in the wake of Justin Holiday's trade to the Grizzlies, and he's logged over 20 minutes in all three games since the calendar flipped to 2019 . An above-average shooter in college who's also a solid rebounder, Hutchison is a name to monitor in the second half as the Bulls march toward the lottery.
Gerald Green, HOU: An injury to Eric Gordon and the recent absence of James Ennis have both helped increase Green's playing time, and the veteran has parlayed that into some respectable, across-the-board numbers. Green has six double-digit scoring efforts in the last eight games, and he's shooting 54.5 percent over the last four contests. That latter stretch includes a pair of outings with six made threes, underscoring the value Green offers as a potent source of offense off the bench.
ALSO GAINING VALUE:Josh Jackson, PHO; Mario Hezonja, NYK
