So yesterday I was scrolling through Twitter, right? Suddenly my phone blows up with alerts – Spurs traded for Rob Dillingham. My first reaction? Loudly cursing at my phone screen. I’d just finished planning my fantasy hoops rookie draft strategy last week, and Dillingham was high on my list!
Where My Head Was At Before the Trade
Okay, gotta rewind. I spent weeks watching Kentucky games, you know? Dillingham flashed serious bucket-getting vibes. Fast handles, could pull up from anywhere. My fantasy brain saw immediate scoring punch. I figured he’d land on a team needing instant offense off the bench, maybe get big minutes right away. Put him near the top of my rookie cheat sheet for points leagues. Simple.
Seeing the Spurs Pop Up
Then BAM. Spurs. My brain started buzzing. First thing I did? Pulled up the Spurs’ roster page on my laptop. My eyes scanned down the guard spots:
- Devin Vassell – Solid starter, locked-in minutes.
- Tre Jones – That steady floor general type.
- Blake Wesley – Still figuring it out.
- Stephon Castle – Just drafted him high, a BIG guard they probably see starting someday.
- Malaki Branham – Needs to show way more.
Plus, you got Wemby needing the ball, Sochan doing a bit of everything… felt crowded. My gut sank. Where does a tiny scoring guard like Dillingham fit in THAT picture? Minutes seemed way harder to find now.
Digging Deeper Into What This Means
Grabbed a coffee, sat down hard. Time to really think fantasy-wise.
First thought: Pop don’t play rookies heavy minutes unless they’re crazy good or crazy needed. Wemby was both. Is Dillingham? Maybe talent-wise, but fit-wise… Spurs already got ball-handlers and scorers they’re developing. So maybe he starts off slow? Coming off the bench behind Tre Jones even?
Second thought: Spurs play slow. Real slow. They walk the ball up. Dillingham thrived in Kentucky’s faster pace, quick shots early in the shot clock. Can he adjust? Probably, but maybe not immediately. Might hurt his scoring bursts.
Third thought: Defense. Spurs preach it. Dillingham… let’s just say defense wasn’t his calling card. Pop ain’t gonna put him out there if he’s getting cooked. Gotta earn trust. Could mean his minutes are unstable early on. Fantasy nightmare!
I scribbled this all down in my notebook, talking to myself like a madman: “Slower pace… crowded backcourt… Pop’s rotations… defense…”
How I’m Shuffling My Plans Now
Felt a bit defeated. My perfect fantasy rookie target just got complicated. Took a breath. Time to adjust.
- Rookie Draft Stock: Knocked Dillingham down a few pegs in my personal rankings. Probably after other guys like Castle (who benefits from this!) or Reed Sheppard now.
- Redraft Leagues: Forget drafting him as a sleeper starter. Maybe grab him super late if he falls, stash him on the bench. Wait and see if he cracks the rotation. Points ain’t everything if he ain’t playing.
- Patience Factor: Marked a BIG mental note: He’s a long-term play now, not instant fantasy gratification. Spurs develop guys. Could be really good in Year 2 or 3, but Year 1? Probably bumpy.
- Buy-Low Watch: Added him to my “Watch” list. If he struggles early, maybe his fantasy manager panics. Could swoop in cheap later if I see signs Pop trusts him.
So yeah, that trade threw a wrench into things. Makes the Spurs more interesting long-term for sure, but for my fantasy teams right now? It’s a headache. Gotta be smart, gotta be patient. What can ya do? Fantasy basketball keeps you on your toes. Back to scouting!
