The All-Star break was both good and bad. It was a nice reprieve from the grind, but the inactivity drove me so crazy that I started having thoughts such as this: Free throws should be banned and replaced by a hockey-style advantage for any infractions. Boredom is the root of all evil, y’all. Anyways, we are back and I’m honored to be answering your mailbag questions this week.

Are there any waiver wire steals post All-Star break who are widely available in most leagues? Do you have any breakout candidates after buyouts or trades? — Andrew A.

The three who came to mind are Shaedon Sharpe, Matisse Thybulle and Dennis Smith Jr. Sharpe is rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues and he should get plenty of run with Anfernee Simons out for a while. Over the past five games, he’s averaged 25.6 minutes, 11 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks and 1.8 treys while shooting 52% from the field, 42% from downtown and 100% from the line. The athleticism is off the charts and he’s only 19 years old, so it’s well within the range of outcomes that things click and he shows some things to finish out this season.

Thybulle is rostered on 24% of teams on Yahoo. He was acquired from Philadelphia in the Josh Hart trade. Thybulle is a defensive savant but with obvious offensive limitations. He’s a career 32% shooter from downtown, but he’s converted 44% of his makes with Portland — small sample size alert! The important thing is that he’s started and played 27 and 30 minutes, respectively, in the two games since being acquired. I’m not a Cam Reddish guy and Thybulle helps a Portland squad that is 27th in defensive rating. There’s risk, though, because he may not hit the open shots and could eventually get relegated to the bench.

Smith Jr. is rostered on only 9% of Yahoo teams. This is more of a speculation play. The Hornets have 17 wins on the season. The Pistons have 15, while the Spurs and Rockets have 14 and 13 wins, respectively. So, the Victor Wembanyama shadow is still within view, offering shade from the rays of Ls. That’s a long-winded way of saying that it’s possible that Charlotte shuts down LaMelo Ball at some point. If so, then DSJ could thrive. In 12 games as a starter this season, he’s averaged 30.9 minutes, 10 points, 4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2 steals.

Outlook on Jalen Duren for his career? (Keeper) — Ryan D.

I loooooooooove Duren. He entered the league as the youngest player at 18 years old but he was able to fit right in. Being 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds with a 7-foot-5 wingspan and 42-inch vertical leap helped for sure, but he’s been a force at both ends of the court. Is he still raw? He is, but as he gets more experience, he will learn the nuances of the game. The IQ and awareness look fine so far, and he’s shown that he’s a willing and capable passer, but what will the offensive upside be? I think that’s the biggest question.

Through 51 games, Duren is averaging 8.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks. The only other 18- or 19-year old to have comparable numbers was Dwight Howard back in 2004, when he averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds and 1.7 blocks at the age of 19. When Cade Cunningham returns to the mix, Duren’s going to be a tremendous lob threat for him.

Now, the big elephant in the room is the acquisition of James Wiseman. There is so much unknown with this situation that it could play out in a couple of ways: they continue to split the center minutes right down the middle, Duren takes over, Wiseman becomes the man, or one of the two gets traded. The Pistons exercised Wiseman’s option for next season at $12.1 million but he’s a restricted free agent the following year. Duren won’t be a restricted free agent until 2026 and he will make $6.4 million during his 2025 season if the Pistons pick up the option. I lean towards the scenario of each getting around 24 minutes per game next season, then Wiseman getting traded, which opens up the runway for Duren.

Ben Simmons was dropped in my league. Is he worth a spot for a playoff-contending squad? His numbers recently have been abysmal. — Vince M.

Friends don’t let friends pick up Simmons. Yes, we are friends. In the last four games before the All-Star break, Simmons received 20, 17, 13 and 21 minutes of run, respectively. Playing time is half the battle, and it looks like he’s losing that. Even when he was receiving 30 minutes of run, things weren’t great, so keep him on the wire to rot away. If the playing time and usage rate somehow pick up, though, then I’d have some interest, but I’m not holding my breath for that scenario to play out.

Stan! Other outlets are reporting that Devin Vassell might be shut down for the year. Is that really a possibility? — Gregory P.

For sure. When the injury initially happened, I didn’t think he would come back. What’s the motivation for the Spurs? They are trying to improve their odds for Wembanyama. In addition, they have liked what they’ve seen from Malaki Branham, so it makes sense to keep giving him playing time to develop and gain experience.

What do you think of Malaki Branham’s ROS upside? Will he hold down enough minutes on the tanking Spurs to justify holding on to? — Adam B.

I like Branham a lot. Since the Spurs called him up from the G League, he’s been a staple in the rotation, playing around 20 minutes per game. Recently, that number has spiked up due to all the injuries, particularly to Tre Jones. Jones has played in one of the last seven games, and in that contest, Branham slid down to shooting guard and played 28 minutes. Branham has improved his game and I think the Spurs want to continue developing him. If Devin Vassell returns, then that would be a detriment for Branham, but I don’t see the motivation for the Spurs to bring him back.

Do you think Kevin Love will have value in 12-team category leagues? Something like 2-3 threes and flirting with a double-double each night? Sounds like he should be getting some decent minutes, so here’s to hoping. — Allison B.

I think some Love will float through the air in Miami. I’d put him around 20 minutes per game. I wouldn’t have him averaging a double-double but he will have his share of those games. A couple of treys per night sounds about right. I don’t think he garners a high usage rate and Miami is 28th in offensive pace, so the environment isn’t the most fantasy-friendly. He should have utility, though, but remember the old adage: Love hurts.

Is Lonzo Ball worth holding in keeper formats? — John H.

I’m out on Lonzo. There is just too much uncertainty for me. When I read things like, no one understands why his knee isn’t healing after having surgery a year ago, it’s time for me to cut losses. Hope is not a strategy, and he’s young enough that someone could be willing to take the risk. That said, we all have different risk tolerance perspectives so make sure any decision aligns with yours.

In a 9-cat, H2H keeper league, is Walker Kessler worth holding on to long-term, or are you worried this is flukish? — Timothy H.

Definitely not flukish. We have yet to see his ceiling, in my humble opinion. During his final season in college, he recorded the highest block percentage ever recorded in the NCAA. He is not a lumbering big man, and he possesses enough agility to not get played off the floor. During the offseason, there were multiple articles about how teammates and coaches raved about his intangibles and willingness to learn and be a sponge.

Who’s a must-grab on the Bucks in the wake of Giannis’ injury? — Vince M.

Unless Bobby Portis, who could be returning back soon, is available, I don’t think there’s a must-grab player for Giannis. Newly acquired Jae Crowder should see significant playing time but I have doubts that he plays 30 minutes a night, as Pat Connaughton and Joe Ingles will be in the mix since Mike Budenholzer has played small at times this season. Even if Crowder gets 30 minutes, something that hasn’t happened since 2016, he’s still fairly limited from a fantasy perspective. He’s a career 34% from downtown and will get some steals and grab some rebounds, but that’s about it.

ROS: Jarred Vanderbilt or Nick Anderson? Marcus Smart, De’Anthony Melton or Tre Jones? ( Punting 3s with a Jokic/DeRozan anchor) — Simon C.

Nick Anderson? Giving me flashbacks to the 1995 Finals! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! I assume you mean Kyle Anderson. Anyways, I initially preferred Vanderbilt because I had concerns about Anderson if Karl-Anthony Towns returned to the mix. Well, there is no guarantee that Towns returns and, even if does return to a reserve role, I think I now prefer the more well-rounded fantasy game of Anderson, despite the possibility of slightly fewer minutes played per game.

Out of the triumvirate of Smart, Melton and Jones, it’s Smart for me, without question. His role is the most secure and he’s going to play the most minutes per game. And minutes are half the battle. Yo, Joe!

I love the Jokic, punt-3 build. The Jokic/DeRozan pairing is “chef’s kiss.” Good luck in the playoffs.

In a 9-cat, H2H league, would you rather keep Derrick White or Cam Johnson? — Mc M.

This is a tough one and depends on roster construction. With the Celtics getting back to full strength, White is going to play around 5 less minutes per game than Johnson, and that’s huge because minutes are half the battle. Yo, Joe! So, Johnson will provide more raw points and treys. In addition, most leagues have playoffs starting in Week 20, and the Nets have one of the best schedules, playing a combined 11 games during Weeks 20-22.

If you want assists, though, White will provide a few more per game despite the fewer minutes of run. Boston’s playoff schedule also isn’t bad with 10 combined  games. One last thing to consider is that White has a higher ceiling than Johnson if the Celtics suffer injuries in the backcourt again. He’s been a Top 20 player over the past seven games while averaging 36.7 minutes per contest.

What are D’Angelo Russell’s prospects now that he’s with the Lakers? Assists up, but usage rate down? — Art B.

In the one game that all of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell started together, Russell garnered a 27.2% usage rate and went for 21 points and 7 assists. That game was a blowout, though. I think the way it will usually play out is that Russell will primarily be a spot-up shooter alongside LeBron and AD. He’s converting 39% of his catch-and-shoot attempts from downtown this season. When LeBron needs a breather, that’s when Russell becomes the initiator and navigates pick-and-roll action more. So, both the usage and assists will take slight hits but the points and treys likely won’t deviate much from before.

Which players would you most be trying to move right now due to rest and workload concerns down the stretch? Any chance Bulls like DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine make the list if CHI falls another game or two out of contention? — Allison B.

I mentioned Vassell and Ball above as players I have concerns about getting shut down. Bojan Bogdanovic is another candidate. I really have no idea what the Pistons are doing, but maybe they are playing 3D chess while I’m staring at an Othello board. I like the DeRozan and LaVine mentions. Falling out of contention is definitely a possibility and I could see Chicago shutting both down. Another thing that could provide motivation for selling them is the Bulls schedule during the fantasy playoffs. During Weeks 20-22, Chicago plays 2, 3 and 4 games, respectivly. There are nine teams that play 11 games during that stretch, while 15 teams play 10 games.

Who is your deep dynasty league stash? Any G leaguers? — Paul K.

Not sure how deep these are, as everything is relative, but I like Max Christie and Neemias Queta. I was going to write up Dalen Terry, but he’s played 27 and 15 minutes, respectively, for the Bulls in the past two games and is probably too good for this section.

Christie was selected with the 35th overall pick by the Lakers in the 2022 NBA Draft. He’s 6-foot-5, 190 pounds and has played in 35 games with the Lakers this season. He’s more of a 3-and-D wing player, so he won’t be creating offense for others, but he’s a good shooter, defends well and cleans the glass. There have been nothing but positive words regarding his work ethic and desire to improve from both teammates and coaches. The Lakers have had success mining second-round players recently, and Christie could be the next in the lineage.

As for Queta, I just want to be a part of the Quetaverse. I kid, I kid. Queta is 7-foot, 245 pounds and was selected by the Kings with the 39th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He’s only played a total of 25 minutes with the Kings, as Domantas Sabonis, Chimezie Metu and Richaun Holmes are all ahead of him on the depth chart. He’s been feasting in the G League, though. Queta has excellent athleticism and moves well on the court. His footwork down on the block would make Baryshnikov nod approvingly, while he is an able and willing runner in transition. He’s more of a rim-running/occupy-the-dunker’s-spot big man, so he won’t be making it rain from downtown. That’s OK because in the Quetaverse, we are just witnesses.

Harrison Barnes, Gabe Vincent, Lu Dort, Cam Reddish or Malik Monk for the ROS? — Larry W.

I’m not a Cam Reddish guy, so he gone. Mehrrison Barnes is, well, the name says it all. Lu Dort can provide treys and steals but the efficiency will always be an issue. Since returning from injury, he has yet to exceed 24 minutes in any of the three games. Malik Monk is a microwave off the bench so he will rarely get to 30 minutes a game, but he’s a good option if you want points. I’d roll with Gabe Vincent for now. The shooting efficiency is also an issue but he’s playing a ton of minutes in lieu of Kyle Lowry, who is supposed to return back soon, but I’ll believe that when I see it. Roll with Vincent then re-evaluate things if/when Lowry returns to action.

Which three of the following players has the biggest upside for next year in a keeper/ dynasty league: Jeremy Sochan, Aaron Nesmith, Talen Horton-Tucker, Malaki Branham, Collin Sexton, Kyle Kuzma, Walker Kessler, Cam Johnson, Lauri Markkanen, Alperen Sengun, Kevin Porter Jr., Tari Eason, Jalen Duren, Lonzo Ball? — Ioannis H.

Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and Jeremy Sochan.

(Top photo: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports)