Wednesday's main NBA slate on DraftKings classic runs nine games: MIA @ ATL, WAS @ CLE, CHA @ DET, PHI @ IND, ORL @ TOR, NYK @ CHI, HOU @ MIL, GSW @ MIN and DEN @ NOP. Rosters are built against the $50,000 salary cap, and the slate locks at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Nikola Jokic (DEN) is the headliner at $12,000, with a ceiling of 107.7 and a DraftKings average of 57.5. He is the priciest player in our model's top group and the one with the most room to run. Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIA) sits at $10,200 with a 76.3 ceiling and a 55.1 average, while Josh Giddey (CHI) at $7,900 carries a 79.6 ceiling, the second highest among our top plays. Jamal Murray (DEN) is $8,500 with a 68.0 ceiling, which makes Denver the team to watch. Tyrese Haliburton (IND) is $8,400 with a 74.5 ceiling, but he carries a Q tag from DraftKings.
The value plays are where our model gets creative. DeAndre Jordan (NOP) costs just $3,200 and has a 67.2 ceiling against a 17.9 average. Rayan Rupert (PHI) is $3,600 with a 60.5 ceiling, far above his 3.1 average. Ryan Nembhard (DEN) is the cheapest of the group at $3,000, with a 42.2 ceiling. Those three free up cap room for the stars.
Several DraftKings status tags are worth checking before lock. Anthony Edwards (MIN), Paolo Banchero (ORL), Alperen Sengun (HOU), Kawhi Leonard (TOR), Kon Knueppel (CHA) and Ivica Zubac (IND) all carry OUT tags, and Yaxel Lendeborg (GSW) is tagged Q.
Our model's top lineup uses $49,200 of the $50,000 cap. It runs Jordan Poole at PG for $3,500, Rayan Rupert at SG for $3,600, Cameron Johnson at SF for $4,400, Scottie Barnes at PF for $8,300 and Nikola Jokic at C for $12,000. Bennedict Mathurin fills G at $4,200, LeBron James takes F at $7,400, and Andrew Nembhard rounds out UTIL at $5,800.
Lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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