
Even with LaMelo Ball (ankle) back in the lineup, Smith Jr. was able to maintain his recent run of success. Over their last four games, Smith Jr. is averaging 21.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.8 threes per game. He's still available in 85% of Yahoo leagues despite being a top-75 player over the past week. They still have one more game this week and five during the next matchup, which is spread across two weeks because of the All-Star break.
The Hornets' roster is severely shorthanded after the trade deadline, and the team will run out a new starting five. New additions Jusuf Nurkic and Dalton Knecht aren't yet ready to debut, but both could see heavy usage once they're cleared to play.
Charlotte is without its top two point guards, as LaMelo Ball and Vasilije Micic have been sidelined by sprained ankles. Simpson will make his first career start, and the Hornets' lack of available guards makes him a player worth streaming in deep leagues. Isaiah Wong may also see more minutes against the Bucks.
Not only did Smith notch his first 20-point game of the season, but he matched his career-high with 24 points. Rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues, the second-year guard has been ranked outside the top 200 in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks. Poor shooting has been the issue, with Smith shooting 37.0% from the field, but he shot the ball well on Monday. The opportunities he'll have with Brandon Miller done for the season will make Smith worth the risk for some fantasy managers, mainly in points leagues.
Smith shot a solid 5-of-8 from beyond the arc on Saturday, and the 19 points equaled his tally from his previous four games. While the opportunities have been there for the second-year guard after Brandon Miller's season-ending wrist injury, the production has been inconsistent. Managers who can afford to deal with Smith's inconsistency should hold onto him for a little longer. However, those who need to rack up wins to make their league's playoffs may need to move on, even after Smith's solid showing against the Hornets.