Fantasy Basketball Trade Targets: Buy Low on De’Aaron Fox & Deandre Ayton
Fantasy Basketball Trade Targets: Buy Low on De’Aaron Fox & Deandre Ayton
As the calendar flips to January 1, 2026, fantasy basketball managers are officially navigating the "dog days" of the NBA season. With the midway point approaching, reactionary trading often spikes, creating windows of opportunity for savvy managers to capitalize on recent slumps and injury frustrations. Two prominent names currently seeing their stock dip are San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox and Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton.
De’Aaron Fox has been a polarizing figure since arriving in San Antonio at last year’s trade deadline. While the potential of a Fox-Wembanyama pick-and-roll remains tantalizing, the on-court chemistry has been inconsistent. Fox is currently enduring one of the coldest shooting stretches of his career, averaging just 12 points on sub-40% shooting over the last two weeks of December. His recent single-digit scoring outings against Washington and Atlanta have panicked managers who drafted him expecting top-30 value. However, the volume is still there. Fox remains the primary perimeter creator for the Spurs, and his usage rate suggests a regression to the mean is inevitable. Buying him now—likely for a top-60 player—could be a league-winning move once his jumper stabilizes.
Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton presents a different buy-low case in Los Angeles. After being bought out by Portland and signing with the Lakers in the offseason, Ayton was expected to anchor the frontcourt defense. Instead, nagging knee and back injuries have limited his availability, frustrating managers who need consistent center production. When active, Ayton has been effective, posting solid double-double numbers and providing the rim protection Los Angeles desperately needs. The risk here is health, not talent. With the Lakers fighting for playoff positioning in a crowded Western Conference, they will need to lean heavily on Ayton down the stretch. If you can acquire him from a frustrated manager tired of checking the injury report, you gain a high-floor center with top-40 upside for the fantasy playoffs.
Summary: Ignore the recent box scores and trust the proven track records. Both Fox and Ayton are prime candidates for a second-half resurgence.
As the calendar flips to January 1, 2026, fantasy basketball managers are officially navigating the "dog days" of the NBA season. With the midway point approaching, reactionary trading often spikes, creating windows of opportunity for savvy managers to capitalize on recent slumps and injury frustrations. Two prominent names currently seeing their stock dip are San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox and Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton.
De’Aaron Fox has been a polarizing figure since arriving in San Antonio at last year’s trade deadline. While the potential of a Fox-Wembanyama pick-and-roll remains tantalizing, the on-court chemistry has been inconsistent. Fox is currently enduring one of the coldest shooting stretches of his career, averaging just 12 points on sub-40% shooting over the last two weeks of December. His recent single-digit scoring outings against Washington and Atlanta have panicked managers who drafted him expecting top-30 value. However, the volume is still there. Fox remains the primary perimeter creator for the Spurs, and his usage rate suggests a regression to the mean is inevitable. Buying him now—likely for a top-60 player—could be a league-winning move once his jumper stabilizes.
Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton presents a different buy-low case in Los Angeles. After being bought out by Portland and signing with the Lakers in the offseason, Ayton was expected to anchor the frontcourt defense. Instead, nagging knee and back injuries have limited his availability, frustrating managers who need consistent center production. When active, Ayton has been effective, posting solid double-double numbers and providing the rim protection Los Angeles desperately needs. The risk here is health, not talent. With the Lakers fighting for playoff positioning in a crowded Western Conference, they will need to lean heavily on Ayton down the stretch. If you can acquire him from a frustrated manager tired of checking the injury report, you gain a high-floor center with top-40 upside for the fantasy playoffs.
Summary: Ignore the recent box scores and trust the proven track records. Both Fox and Ayton are prime candidates for a second-half resurgence.
