SuperCoach NBL 2024: Who to buy, hold and sell for Round 18

It’s time to rage trade! These are the players you should consider buying, holding and selling in your SuperCoach NBL side for round 18.

It doesn’t matter if your team is charging or flopping.

Benny, Banksy and Boydie – the Basketball Blokes – are here to assist with tips to help you rebound.

These are the players you should consider buying, holding and selling in your SuperCoach NBL side for round 18.

SELL

Sell of the week: Jaylin Galloway (SYD) $154,300 FWD

Whilst there are a few Kings we could have toppled as the sell of the week; it’s turned into genuine rage trade territory with Galloway. Having averaged 28.6 SuperCoach points per game at 1.08 points per minute to start the season, Galloway was arguably the pick of the season to start the year before injuring his shoulder. In his 2nd game back from injury, he promptly played over 20 minutes and had 27 SuperCoach points, which was just enough to have us feeling confident heading into the Kings’ awesome schedule. During that time, he averaged just 16 SuperCoach points at .68 points per minute. To crown his place as the sell of the week, he missed the last game with a shoulder injury. Sell Gall!

Other players to consider selling

Sydney Kings players

The Kings only have single-game rounds for the rest of the season. Jaylen Adams, Denzel Valentine, Jonah Bolden and Jordan Hunter can all be traded out. When deciding what order to remove these players, consider their price and position eligibility as these factors may be useful in future round trades also.       

South East Melbourne players

The South East Melbourne Phoenix also have single-game rounds remaining so I have listed them here as schedule-based sell candidates. However, I believe the 3 highly owned players in Creek, Gak and Ayre can be held this week. 

Jaylin Galloway is an important sell. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

BENNY’S BREAK EVENS

Each week Benny will list some of the notable Break Evens for the week ahead – players with low Break Evens are set to rise in price while high Break Evens indicate a looming price drop. Sign up to SuperCoach Plus for the full list of Break Evens plus more stats and tools to help your team.

• Todd Blanchfield (-4, 1 game)

• Lachlan Olbrich (-1, 1 game)

• Milton Doyle (59, 2 games)

• Jordon Crawford (67, 2 games)

• Trey Kell (67, 2 games)

• Isaac Humphries (75, 2 games)

HOLD

Hold of the Week: Bryce Cotton (PER) $457,100 GRD

The highest owned player in all of SuperCoach had an up and down week en route to 66 SuperCoach points for the round. He was predictably dominant against an understrength Phoenix, but was held by the Hawks for a 2nd time this season. He is currently the 3rd most traded out player at the time of writing; so, we want to mount the case to hold him. Firstly, only 2 teams have a double-game round this week and each of those teams finish with consecutive single-game rounds. For this reason, Cotton is certainly startable on a single and most of the competition will be doing as such. Cotton averages 40 SuperCoach points per game against his opponent this round so far this season; and outside of a few players that play 2 matches this round, are you certain they will outscore Cotton despite an extra game? Importantly, Perth plays a double-game round in the final round of the season so you are going to want Cotton back. Is it worth the 2 trades it will cost if you move Cotton on this round? There is no need to be bold, just hold.   

Other players to consider holding

Mitch Creek (SEM) $403,200 FWD

Much like Cotton, on form Mitch Creek is a player worthy of starting on a single this week. The case to sell is that he plays against Melbourne United where he has scores of 18, 24 and 25 SuperCoach points in prior match-ups this season. Both SEM and United are in different situations compared to prior contests; with United being less dominant and Creek now being a one man show for the Phoenix. With a Break Even of 19 you need to be asking yourself if you think you can get 30 SuperCoach points out of Creek? If so, hold for one more week. 

Ben Ayre (SEM) $196,000 GRD and Gorjok Gak (SEM) $161,000 FWD/CTR   

Both Ayre and Gak have been beneficiaries of the injury plagued Phoenix roster. Gak has averaged 18 in his last 6 since returning from injury and taking the starting role in Alan Williams’ absence. Ayre has averaged 20 over the same period with an oft missing and never 100% Gary Browne in and out of the line-up. Both remain good bench options for the rest of the season and are not high priority trades this week. 

Ben Ayre is a sell. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

BANKSY’S BARGAINS

Each week Banksy will rank his favourite cheap players (under $200k) regardless of schedule. 

1. Ben Ayre (SEM) $196,000 GRD

With Gary Browne and Abdel Nader sidelined, Ben Ayre took full advantage. With added opportunity, Ayre produced 65 SuperCoach points across the round to finish as the 6th highest scorer for the week – just one point shy of Bryce Cotton! Playing 30 and 32 minutes in each of SEM’s two games, Ayre had the hot hand scoring 23 actual points in each game after hoisting up a huge 34 shot attempts across the round. Whilst Browne and Nader continue to sit, Ben will continue to score, and although SEM’s doubles have come to an end, BA is currently scoring at a rate twice his current price.  

2. Owen Foxwell (SEM) $129,900 GRD

Another beneficiary of the undermanned Phoenix roster was Owen Foxwell. After just one game of more than 17 minutes this season, he played 48 minutes from the bench across SEM’s two games, producing 54 SuperCoach points, ranking him 13th for the round. Monitor the health of Browne and Nader this week.

3. Todd Blanchfield (ILL) $127,400 FWD/GRD

Coming off a season high 25 minutes of game time against the Breakers and a season high 24 SuperCoach points against Perth last round, Blanchfield has averaged 17.5 SuperCoach points over his last 4 whilst priced at 11. A great bench downgrade option that will still net you points down the home stretch. Along with the Breakers, the Hawks have the best schedule remaining over the last four rounds with three doubles to come.

4. Mantas Rubstavicius (NZ) $182,600 FWD

He was here last week and remains as he continues to get it done whilst regularly seeing 20 plus minutes of court time in most games. Following a tougher game against the JackJumpers, Mantas posted 28 SuperCoach points against Illawarra and is now averaging 19 per game over his last 10. Like Blanchfield, Mantas has the bonus of three doubles over the last four rounds, making him an ideal bench downgrade candidate. 

5. Gorjok Gak (SEM) $161,000 FWD/CTR

Despite a foul impacted round for Gorjok, he still managed to eclipse his price finishing with 41 SuperCoach points across round 17. Despite the score being less than expected last week, the fact remains that he will have the increase in opportunity over these last three weeks with Alan Sauce Williams on ice for the remainder of the season. 

Bryce Cotton remains a strong buy. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

BUY

Buy of the Week: Trey Kell (NZ) $378,700 GRD

Adelaide are one of only 2 teams, Tasmania being the other, on the double this week and with Kell’s form he is our best buy of the week, something we might not have thought we would be saying at the start of this season. And although Trey’s season didn’t start off too exciting for SuperCoach purposes, boy has he made up for it over the last few rounds. Averaging 41 SuperCoach points over his last 7 games including that 69 SuperCoach point triple double game a few weeks ago, and no score under 33 in that run of games, he is the most in-form player on a double this week. Despite his somewhat expensive price now he is the one and surely will get at least a mention on Banksy’s captains this week.

BOYDIE’S BEST BUYS

With just Adelaide and Tasmania on the double this week those looking to win their league finals game or maximise their overall ranking will be looking to these two teams for their trade ins for the week so let’s focus on those 2 teams for something different.

1. Milton Doyle (TAS) $308,000 GRD

Now some might question Milton being at the top of our buy list, apart from our best buy Kell of course, and they kind of have a point as Doyle is averaging 27.7 SuperCoach points for the season which isn’t outstanding but solid. Doyle is averaging 30.2 over his last 5 games though and has scores of 38 and 36 against Adelaide who are one of his opponents for the round. His other opponent this round is Cairns who he has both his highest score of the year of 46 and his lowest score of the year 7 against.

2. Jordon Crawford (TAS) $275,600 GRD

More controversial again is Jordon Crawford at number 2 coming off a score of 7 in Rd 17, yes that’s right 7! But with scores of 34 and 35 v Adelaide and 34 and 26 v Cairns earlier this season, and a season high of 48 earlier in the season, we like Crawford’s ceiling this week at a discounted price compared to other options.

3. Isaac Humphries (ADL) $339,200 CTR

A couple of weeks ago Ice (Isaac) was looking like the best buy for this round but the 16 SuperCoach point game in Round 17 has thrown us off a little. Is this just a blip and Ice will be back to his 4-game average of 37 SuperCoach points in the 4 games prior to Round 17? Who knows? If you need a centre, he is probably the pick as he did have 39 SuperCoach point game in that 4-game run v Sydney, one of Adelaide’s opponents this week. Although his previous 17 v Sydney and 24 and 16 v Tassie, their other opponent this round does not fill us with confidence.

4. Will Magnay (TAS) $280,600 CTR/FWD

A 36 SuperCoach point game in Round 17 v NZ has got us up and about for Big Will Magnay this round, not only that but a 3-game average of 30.6. A 16 v Brisbane a couple weeks ago is scaring us a little bit to bump him up the order for the buys of the week. Red flag for Big Will is his 5 and 17 SuperCoach point games v Adelaide, one of Tassie’s opponents this week.

5. Gorjok Gak (SEM) $134,500 CTR/FWD

With Alan ‘Big Sauce” Williams out for the rest of the season the minutes are there for Gorjok and he didn’t disappoint his owners in Round 16 with 44 SuperCoach points, well above his 11.8 SuperCoach point average across his injury interrupted season. A great downgrade option to spend some cash elsewhere for SuperCoach finals rounds.

If you want to look ahead of this round then we think you need to be looking at the following guys:

1. Zylan Cheatham (NZ) $270,400 FWD

2. Sam Froling (ILL) $348,200 FWD/CTR

3. Will McDowell-White (NZ) $206,300 GRD

4. Gary Clark (ILL) $354,600 FWD

5. Parker Jackson-Cartwright (NZ) $354,300 GRD

6. Bryce Cotton (PER) $457,100 GRD  

Originally published as SuperCoach NBL 2024: Who to buy, hold and sell for Round 18