Who needs Kyrie? Edmond Sumner taking over

Saturday’s nine games featured way too many injuries, which is never something that anyone wants to see. However, those injuries did allow for new players to step up off the bench and deliver some great performances. Edmond Sumner and Cam Thomas combined for 71 points to lead a 22-point comeback over the Wizards despite all of the drama surrounding Kyrie Irving’s trade demands. If you want to see where Kyrie could end up, check out Zak Hanshew’s column where he analyzed what every team could trade for Irving, if they had a need. If you want to see who to pick up to replace the injured players, you came to the right place.

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Edmond Sumner- 2%

When everything seemed to be going well for the Nets, Kyrie Irving demanded a trade out of the blue and then missed Saturday’s matchup with the Wizards due to right calf soreness. Reports from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith suggest that Kyrie may hold out if he’s not traded, which means Sumner could be in for a large workload. He set a new career-high for points on Saturday with 29 and should be the starting point guard until either Irving is back in the lineup (seems unlikely) or Ben Simmons returns to the lineup (whenever that is).

Cam Thomas- 13%

With four rotational wings out for the Nets on Saturday and Seth Curry and Markieff Morris exiting early with injuries, Thomas saw an extended role in this game, which allowed him to score a career-high 44 points and add in five rebounds, five assists and four 3-pointers. The Nets may have to make some unexpected moves at the trade deadline, which could free up minutes for Thomas. He hasn’t been able to provide much other than points for the majority of the season, but a larger role consistently could do wonders for his value.

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Josh Green- 5%

With Luka Dončić out on Saturday, Green got the start and finished with 12 points, one rebound, four assists and one steal. Luka will miss Monday’s game in Utah at least, which means that Green will receive at least one more starting nod.

Gabe Vincent- 6%

Vincent got the start on Saturday with Kyle Lowry out of the lineup due to left knee soreness. Lowry is set to be evaluated when the team returns to Miami, which means an update should come either Sunday or Monday. Lowry’s role has diminished lately, and there’s no guarantee he is even available for Wednesday’s matchup with the Pacers. Vincent finished with a 7/3/1/3 line and should provide steals and threes as long as he’s the starter.

Ty Jerome- less than 1%

Stephen Curry exited early from Saturday’s game due to a knee injury. Though initial X-Rays were negative, he is set to undergo an MRI on Sunday. Whether it’s a long absence or only a few games, Jerome should play an increased role off the bench and be a reliable source of assists and 3-pointers as long as Curry is sidelined.

Christian Braun- 1%

In Saturday’s matchup with the Hawks, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left early with a right ankle sprain. That allowed Braun to play 32 minutes off the bench and finish with 10 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. He appears to be the logical replacement in the starting unit if KCP misses time.

Deni Avdija- 49%

Kyle Kuzma’s early exit due to a left ankle injury allowed Avdija to play 34 minutes off the bench and finish with a 23/6/3/4 line and four 3-pointers. He’s not widely available, but if Kuz misses time, Avdija will benefit greatly.

Isaiah Hartenstein- 37%

I’ve included Hartenstein in three straight Pickup of the Day columns and will continue to do so until he’s rostered in at least 50% of Yahoo leagues. He has been a seventh round asset in 9-cat leagues over the past two weeks. He comes off the bench, but Tom Thibodeau plays him more than Jericho Sims. Until Mitchell Robinson is back in the lineup, Hartenstein needs to be on your roster.

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