Max Christie is coming on strong for the Dallas Mavericks, while players like Domantas Sabonis and Deandre Ayton are not living up to the hype these days.
With the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline looming, moves that you make now in your fantasy leagues could pay big dividends as the season starts to wind down.
Here are some smaller names of players heating up and some bigger names of guys who are struggling or not fitting in with their teams.
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Risers
Max Christie, SG, Dallas Mavericks (19.2% rostered in ESPN leagues)
Christie was just a throw-in in the trade that sent him and Anthony Davis to Dallas in exchange for Luka Doncic last year, but it’s been Christie who has been playing and productive for the Mavericks. Meanwhile, the oft-injured (and currently injured) Davis appears to be on his way out of town at the trade deadline.
Christie has cooled off in his last two games, hitting just 7-of-23 shots (1-of-12 from downtown), but was having a pretty solid January until then. He scored at least 21 points in his previous four games and had become a source of points, 3-pointers, steals and rebounds while shooting it very well from both the field and the free throw line. Even after his recent shooting woes, Christie has averaged 17.0 points while playing 32.2 minutes per game this month, shooting 47% from the floor and 90% from the free throw line.
Dallas is currently 4.5 games out of a play-in spot and all signs point to them missing the playoffs. Christie will turn 23 on Feb. 10 and the Mavericks have no reason to rest him down the stretch, so he has a good chance of becoming a silly-season hero. He is worth picking up in most formats and leagues, and is especially intriguing in points leagues.
Sam Hauser, SF, Boston Celtics (14.2% rostered)
Hauser has quietly come on this season for the Celtics and while a lot of his fantasy value is tied to 3-pointers, he’s also been scoring, rebounding, stealing the ball and shooting it lights out from everywhere. Over the course of January, he’s averaging 13.9 points, 0.9 steals and 3.8 3-pointers while shooting 51% from the floor.
Jaylen Brown is banged up, Jayson Tatum (Achilles) is talking about not playing this season and the Celtics are cruising into the playoffs, likely as a top-3 seed in the East. It would make sense for the Celtics to give their stars more rest down the stretch in hopes of a championship, meaning players like Brown and Derrick White should get some nights off and limited minutes at some point, while players like Hauser, Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Luka Garza could all flourish as the regular season starts to wind down.
Like Christie, Hauser might be more attractive in points leagues, but if managers are looking for 3-pointers, they can’t go wrong in picking him up and running with him.
Dylan Cardwell, C, Sacramento Kings (6.2% rostered)
Cardwell doesn’t score a lot of points, but unlike the aforementioned players, he is putting up across-the-board production for the Kings and could be even better as the season winds down with Sacramento possibly blowing the team up at the trade deadline.
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Dylan Cardwell elevates for the big-time block
Dylan Cardwell elevates for the big-time block
For the month of January, he’s averaged only 5.0 PPG but also 8.5 RPG and 1.5 BPG on 60% shooting in 21 minutes per game. Maxime Raynaud has hit a wall and Sabonis’ name is a popular one in trade rumors, so the undrafted Cardwell has a chance for an expanded role the rest of the way. He’s not a good free throw shooter (38% in January), but doesn’t shoot enough of them for it to matter much. For the month, he’s only attempted eight free throws in 13 games.
The Kings have only 12 wins on the season and are not going to make the playoffs, and if Sabonis is moved at the deadline, Sacramento could look to develop Cardwell and give him unlimited minutes. I that happens, he should rack up a ton of rebounds and blocks, to go along with his stellar field goal percentage. He’s already worth a look in deeper leagues and could end up being a late-season fantasy hero if the Kings turn him loose.
If you need a center, give Cardwell and look and keep a close eye on him once the trade deadline passes.
Fallers
Domantas Sabonis, PF/C, Sacramento Kings (99.6% rostered)
Sabonis hasn’t been great since returning from a meniscus tear in his left knee that cost him 27 games, putting up 12.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.3 blocks and 0.1 3-pointers while shooting 68% from the line in seven January games.
His lack of steals, blocks and threes makes him a bit of a fantasy liability with today’s big men doing more of those things and there’s a decent chance he could be headed for a new team at the trade deadline. And if he goes to a team with an established center, it could be a rough ride for his fantasy managers.
Even if he goes to a team in need of a center, the numbers haven’t been great as he continues to work his way back from the knee injury, and it’s no sure thing that they improve the rest of the way.
Sabonis’ name is big enough you can still likely trade him for more than he’s actually worth, so I’d recommend floating his name in trade rumors and try to get a player or two in return that is more likely to help your team with well-rounded stat sets.
Ivica Zubac, C, LA Clippers (92.1% rostered)
The Clippers are hanging onto the final play-in spot in the West and Zubac has played a ton of minutes over the last two seasons, averaging 32.8 minutes last season and 30.8 in 2025-26. His scoring (14.6 PPGA) and rebounding (10.9 RPG) are down this season along with the rest of his numbers, and the Clippers have Brook Lopez available to give him relief off the bench.
I’m concerned that Zubac has played 23 or fewer minutes in three of his last four games and I’m nervous that it’s becoming more of a trend than a fluke. Given that the Clippers are 9-1 over their last 10 games, this doesn’t bode well for Zubac, either. Zubac has averaged just 24.8 minutes in his last four games.
I can see the Clippers limiting his minutes down the stretch in hopes of making a deep playoff run and possibly giving more playing time to Lopez as a result. There’s no reason to panic on Zubac, but if he’s on your roster and you are concerned, he’s a player that can easily be dealt for a younger player on a different team that doesn’t have to compete with players like James Harden and Kawhi Leonard for shots.
Deandre Ayton, C Los Angeles Lakers (71.2% rostered)
Ayton got off to a nice start in L.A. this season but has really cooled off over the past couple of months, as he averaged just 10.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.9 blocks in January.
Austin Reaves has been out since Christmas with a gastrocnemius strain, but is set to return to action any day now, which might make it even tougher for Ayton to get touches, shots and rebounds. Sometimes it simply seems as if Ayton is disinterested and disengaged, and it’s becoming harder to tell the difference between him and his back up, Jaxson Hayes.
Hayes has averaged a season-high 18.6 minutes in January, while Ayton’s 26.1 minutes this month are his lowest of the season. While I don’t expect Hayes to take over starting duties any time soon, Ayton’s managers have to take a close look at his poor production over the last two months and ask themselves if he’s worth having on the roster, especially in smaller eight-team leagues.
I consider Ayton to generally be a hold in 12-team formats and his trade value isn’t high enough to bring back much in return. But if you have center depth and find a more appealing player on the waiver wire that can help your team, dropping Ayton for him probably isn’t a crazy notion at this point.
