Name of the Night 2/12 - Bol "Bol Bol" Bol

Before I really go deeper on Bol, it is important to recognize a few things about him as a player. Firstly, he is not a good player in real life. I am sure that this statement alone will cause much debate, but in my eyes, him getting minutes means that Budenholzer has officially run out of ideas and is just grasping at anything that might stick. Secondly, while Bol is not good, he produces fantasy value at a rate unlike many other players on the wire, and is definitely worth a shot in the dark.

The most ideal part of Bol's fantasy profile comes from his shot blocking ability, especially coming from a non center position. In the four games he has received heavy minutes this week, Bol is averaging an insane 3.3 blocks per game (Wemby is averaging 3.8 on the season for reference), and has catapulted himself into becoming one of the most ideal shot block candidates in the league. With him in the starting lineup, the Suns are starting three 7 footers (KD is 7 feet tall, I don't care what he says otherwise), and the goal is definitely to try and make up for their shortcomings at the center position with extra size. Budenholzer was one of the first to pioneer the modern double big set up in Milwaukee with Giannis and Lopez, and the duo of Bol and Richards projects to be a Temu version of the concept. This leaves plenty of opportunity for Bol to help from the weak side and provide rim protection to a Suns team badly needing the skill set. As long as Bol remains a starter or heavily featured player, he projects to be an anchor in blocks, unrivaled by basically any other waiver player (Clingan maybe, but the point stands).

Bol flashes intrigue on the other end of the court as well, producing a ton of offensive output not expected from a player of his frame. He is scoring 16 points a night over the last week while also turning in 2.3 triples over that span as well. The Wemby comparisons with him hold some weight, as Bol was the first player to really gain fame in the archetype (very tall, equally skinny big man with guard skills). While the three point output is higher than we have seen from him at any point in his career, he has always been a confident shooter, and can take advantage of the added defensive focus on both Durant and Booker to take better three point looks. Perhaps the most concerning part of his offensive play has come in the form of his usage, which sticks out at an unreasonably high 22%. It is difficult to see this level of usage stick with the offensive trio of Durant, Booker, and Beal all demanding shots, but until proven otherwise, Bol will keep doing his thing. He is actually shooting a career low 47% on the season so far (likely due to less paint points that come from playing center), but if Budenholzer does opt for him as a stretch 5 option over Richards/Plumlee, he could easily raise his value even more.

In short, Bol is the picture of a must roster player when given any semblance of opportunity, and he is more than definitely getting that chance right now. Is this a long term change? Unlikely, as the Suns are now 1-3 with him receiving heavy minutes (not exactly a shocker, he is a terrible player outside of fantasy). However, Bud is clearly desperate to make anything work, and Bol is the only big on their roster with any ability to space the floor. While it is a bit out of left field, Bol is currently a must roster player due to upside alone. While the chance of Bol remaining an elite rest of season hold is low (again, bad players rarely retain heavy roles on playoff hopeful teams), players with his upside are worth the gamble every time.

Strong Cats: BLOCKS, Threes, Rebounds, Turnovers, Points

Weak Cats: Assists, Field Goal Percentage, Free Throw Percentage

Add Priority: ⭐⭐⭐⭐★

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