Fantasy Basketball: Pascal Siakam, Josh Hart highlight top buy and sell options for Week 13

We’re nearing the end of Week 12 of the 2021-22 NBA season. A Covid-19 outbreak placed many players in health and safety protocols around Christmas time, but the outlook is starting to improve early in 2022. Some players seem ready to thrive in the new year, while others will continue to decline. We’ve identified five players worth pursuing or trading ahead of Week 13.

So who should Fantasy managers try to acquire? Here are five options to consider buying or selling.

Five to buy

Buy High

• Pascal Siakam: The Toronto Raptors have won four straight games, and “Spicy P” has been a big part of their hot streak. He’s thrived as a small-ball center over his past three games with averages of 27.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists while shooting 52.9 percent from the field. He’s logged 37.4 minutes per game since returning from health and safety protocols and should remain highly productive.
  
  

• Josh Hart:  Hart’s always been more of a tweener, and his undersized swingman’s versatility should help him hover around the top 15 among Fantasy shooting guards. December was Hart’s best month yet. He averaged 16.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on 60 percent shooting in the final month of 2021. He’s off to a strong start in 2022 with averages of 14.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists through three contests. He’s notched six double-doubles in his last 10 games, and reinforcements won’t be coming anytime soon with Zion Williamson stepping away from the team to rehab.

Buy low

• Malik Monk: Monk was one of my favorite waiver-wire targets and category boosters this week, so it only makes sense for me to bring him up here. The Los Angeles Lakers wing is still rostered in less than 50 percent of CBS leagues, so you might be able to get him off the waiver wire while he’s running hot. Monk cleared health and safety protocols on Christmas Day and has averaged 20.7 points per game on 56.6 percent shooting during that span. He’s made 3.3 3s per contest on 45.5 percent shooting. He’s established himself as a featured option and can be valuable in points and Roto leagues.

Five to sell

Sell high

• Harrison Barnes: Barnes is a borderline top-10 small forward in points leagues, but is trending in the wrong direction. The Sacramento Kings wing has seen his scoring, rebounding and assist numbers drop with each month. He averaged 14.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in December after averaging 23.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in November. His offensive contributions have dropped while Tyrese Haliburton has blossomed. Barnes’ availability has value, but he peaked far too early in the season and seems sure to slide down the rankings.
  
  

Sell low

• Evan Fournier: Fournier started his first season with the Knicks on a high note but seems poised to finish outside the top 20 among small forwards. The 29-year-old wing has averaged less than 13 points per game since November and provides little to no support as a playmaker or rebounder. While he can knock down shots from the perimeter, his efficiency is dropping. Moving him for a category booster or player who’s on the rise could benefit your Fantasy team in the long run.