Atlanta Hawks

Three Burning Fantasy Basketball Questions (Feb. 10)

Published Feb. 10, 2016 5:09 p.m. ET

foxsports

Every week, D.J. Foster will tackle three burning questions in the Fantasy Basketball world. Topics for today: Life without Marc Gasol, potential shutdowns and trade deadline chatter.

1. Marc Gasol is out for the season. What do I do now?

Marc Gasol will be sidelined for 4-6 months with a broken right foot, which means you can drop him in all re-draft leagues. It's a tough break for Gasol owners, as his assists (3.8 a game) and free throw percentage (82.9 percent) always gave Gasol sneaky value across the board at the center position. Gasol is a guy who takes nothing off the table, and you can't afford to lose someone like that.

Finding a replacement along those lines can be difficult. Gorgui Dieng is a great option, but he's owned in 70+ percent of most leagues. Robin Lopez isn't a stud, but he'll quietly put up solid numbers in every category if he's available.

On the lower-owned spectrum, Alex Len is a decent stash. Phoenix has nothing to play for and will want to get him court time. There's always the chance that Tyson Chandler is shipped to a contender, as well, leaving a bunch of minutes for the talented big man to fill.

Again, you won't be able to replace a guy like Gasol and keep cruising at the same speed. It's probably not a bad idea to look for guys like Dieng who won't hurt you in any category, though, so you don't see much of a drop-off if you're holding onto a top spot.

2. Who are some candidates to be shutdown the rest of the season?

It's a little early for that, but not too early. We tried to warn you last week about Tyreke Evans, who is debating on whether to go under the knife on his right knee yet again. That would take him out for the year. Try and sell him now and hope that you're trading him to an owner who has his head in the sand.

Who else is a candidate to get surgery and shut it down? Jimmy Butler is slated to miss the next three or four weeks with a strained knee, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Bulls pulled the plug on the season at some point while he's out. The Bulls are barely above .500 as it is, and that's with Butler doing nearly all of the heavy lifting. I don't trust Derrick Rose to keep the Bulls afloat, and Pau Gasol is always a threat to miss time. I would sell on Butler right now as well.

Brandon Knight could be unlikely to return this year. He's been dealing with a groin injury all year, and Phoenix has very little to gain by trotting him out there before he's absolutely 100 percent. Knight could put up big scoring numbers as Phoenix's top option should he return, but I'm no optimistic.

If Kevin Martin isn't dealt at the deadline, he probably won't play much for the young Timberwolves. If Brook Lopez gets nicked up, the Nets won't hesitate to shut him down, either.

Essentially, any star player or banged up veteran for a non-playoff team is at risk. The players who have proven to be prone to injury (like Lopez, Anthony Davis, etc.) are at an even greater risk. Tread cautiously.

3. Which player do you think will benefit the most from a potential deadline deal?

In my mind, it's Atlanta Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder. There's been talk of the Hawks blowing up their core altogether, but even barring that, it seems unlikely that Atlanta will play out the year with Jeff Teague and Schroder both on the team.

Atlanta seems much more likely to commit to Schroder. He's younger, cheaper, controllable and has a higher ceiling. The Hawks staff has had plenty of time with Teague, and it's pretty clear that it's just not going to work out at an elite level. Schroder has his flaws and can play out of control, but he's earned his chance.

As the point guard in an offense where he'll have plenty of touches, especially if Al Horford or Paul Millsap are dealt as well, Schroder's arrow is pointing way up. Per 36 minutes he's averaging 18.3 points and 7.9 assists with 4.9 boards, 1.7 threes and 1.7 steals. That's a fantasy stud, even if the percentages and turnovers will burn you a bit.

There will be nights where he'll frustrate you with mistakes, but he's one of the most exciting young players in the league.