Top NBA Pickups for Week 2

Here's a look at about 25 players that might be available in your league. Draymond Green has become a must-own player and is helped by the hamstring injury David Lee is dealing with. Follow me on Twitter by clicking here.

Point Guards

Donald Sloan IND 45% owned - With George Hill’s return still a great, unsolved mystery, Sloan should continue to run the point for several more weeks. And given how well he’s played, Hill could have a tough time getting his job back. Sloan is averaging 15.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.9 3-pointers on the season. The only remaining question is why isn’t he owned in more leagues?

Avery Bradley BOS 58% - Bradley had a bad night last Saturday when he scored just six points, but has scored 32, 16, 11 and 13 points in his four games since. He’s averaging 15.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.5 3-pointers in 30.5 minutes per game. He also has a strong hold on the starting shooting guard job, but should qualify at point guard in your league.

Mo Williams 23% & Zach LaVine 6% MIN – Ricky Rubio is going to miss several weeks and maybe a couple months with a severely sprained ankle. LaVine, somewhat surprisingly, was the starter on Saturday night and had five points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a 3-pointer in 26 minutes. Williams came off the bench for a disappointing two points, four rebounds, five assists, two steals and a 3-pointer in 22 minutes. Williams has scored five or fewer points in four straight games, but appears to be a better option than LaVine if you’re looking for a Rubio replacement.

Norris Cole MIA 15% - Cole went through a three-game funk recently where he scored a total of seven points and hit 3-of-15 shots. But he’s still starting at point guard over Shabazz Napier and Mario Chalmers, and bounced back for 11 points, six dimes, two steals and a 3-pointer on Saturday night. I still don’t trust him, but he hasn’t lost his job just yet.

Aaron Brooks CHI 21% & Isaiah Canaan HOU 2% - Obviously, when Derrick Rose and Patrick Beverley are playing, these two guys aren’t worth using. But when they’re out, Brooks and Canaan have been very solid fill-ins and can be extremely useful in daily leagues. Brooks has come off the bench in all seven games, but has been the primary fill-in for Rose and is averaging 13 points and five assists, as Rose has missed four of those. Canaan has made four starts and is averaging 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.8 3-pointers in them.

This list assumes players like Tony Wroten and Reggie Jackson are already owned. If they are available, they should be at the top of your list.

Shooting Guards

Courtney Lee MEM 51% - Lee was just heating up when he suffered a concussion that cost him two games. Since then, he’s been hot, scoring 22, 17 and 11 points in his last three games. On the season, Lee is averaging 15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.4 3-pointers, and is locked into the starting shooting guard job for the Grizzlies.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 24% - KCP scored seven points on Oct. 29 but has been feeling it since then. He’s scored 11, 10, 20 and 19 points in each of his last four games and is averaging 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 3-pointers on the season. And over his last two games, those numbers leap to 19.5 points and 3.5 3-pointers.

Jeremy Lamb OKC 17% - Lamb made his debut on Saturday and hit 8-of-15 shots and a 3-pointer for 17 points, three rebounds and a block. He simply has to get minutes for a depleted OKC team right now, but could easily end up with an obscure role off the bench once the walking wounded are back. Lamb should be reliable for the next three weeks or so.

Tim Hardaway Jr. NYK 15% - Hardaway has started in two straight games and is averaging 17 points over his last three. He’s hit 10 3-pointers and hit 18-of-39 shots over those three games and is getting 27 minutes a game right now. If the minutes stick, Hardaway could end up being a great pick up.

Nate Robinson DEN 5% - Robinson has hit double figures in three straight games and his minutes limit has been lifted. He had his best game of the season on Friday with 14 points, five assists, a steal and two 3-pointers, while Ty Lawson missed another game. Lawson’s health is a problem right now and Robinson is coming on. Keep an eye on him, or grab him if you’re in a deep league.

Garrett Temple WAS 26% - Temple was pretty hot to start the year, but has really cooled off over his last two games. He’s scored just three points in each of them and 1-of-10 shooting is a big part of his problem. This could be the end of the slump for Temple, but he’ll only be worth using until Bradley Beal returns in a few weeks.

Small Forwards

Draymond Green GSW 66% - After struggling for a couple games, Green is coming on again while starting for David Lee. He’s scored 24 and 14 points in each of his last two games and should be ready for another fun stat line on Sunday. Entering that game, Green is averaging 12.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.6 3-pointers in 33 minutes a night. He might keep him job when David Lee is healthy and there is no reason he should be available in 34 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Iman Shumpert NYK 33% - Shumpert has scored in double figures in six straight games and is now starting at point guard for the Knicks. He’s averaging 15.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.6 3-pointers over his last five, and while I don’t love him as a point guard, he’s going to produce as long as he’s starting somewhere for the Knicks.

DeMarre Carroll ATL 55% - Believe it or not, Carroll has scored in double figures in all five of his games this season. He’s scored 17 points twice and his season low was 10 points on opening night. He’s averaging 12.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.0 3-pointers on the season, and is playing better than I thought he would this season.

Mike Dunleavy CHI 42% - Dunleavy scored just three points on Tuesday, Nov. 4, but has been pretty solid in the rest of his games. He’s hit double digits in his three games since and scored 27 points on Friday against the hapless Sixers. He’s averaging 11.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.6 3-pointers over his last five games, and is getting more than 27 minutes a night.

Solomon Hill IND 17% - Hill blew up for 28 points in Saturday’s start and has somehow scored in double figures in five straight games. He’s averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 3-pointers over that stretch, and should continue to play solid minutes for the depleted Pacers. C.J. Miles was initially a problem for Solo, but pretty much shot his way out of a job before getting stopped by a migraine.

Power Forward

Chris Copeland IND 50% - Copeland has been one of the nicest waiver-wire surprises this season and is averaging 18 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.8 3-pointers over his last five games. He’s hitting just 39 percent of his shots this season, is not a great free throw shooter and doesn’t get many blocks, but he’s still been a one-man fantasy wrecking crew for the Pacers this season.

Mirza Teletovic BRK 54% - Teletovic had 18 points and four 3-pointers on Friday, but had scored nine and eight points in his previous two games. Scoring consistency will be an issue, but the reason to own Teletovic is for the 3-pointers. He’s hit 15 of them through five games for an average of 3.0 per game. He’s also averaging 13.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.8 blocks and hasn’t missed a free throw yet.

Channing Frye ORL 56% - Frye is finally healthy, but has been pretty inconsistent. He only scored six points on Friday, but played 28 minutes, and he’s alternated good games with bad ones over his last five. He’s only averaging 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 1.4 3-pointers over his last five games, but those numbers should start to rise as long as the minutes are there. And they are going to be available to him.

Ed Davis LAL 32% - Davis had scored in double figures in four straight games before playing just 18 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to the Suns. He scored just four points in that one, but also had nine boards, two steals and three blocks. He’s averaging 10.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocks in five games and is worth a look in all leagues for the depleted Lakers.

Shawne Williams MIA 18% - Josh McRoberts is back, sort of, but isn’t really impacting Williams’ minutes thus far. In fact, Williams played more minutes in his last two games than he did in his previous three, but his production fell despite the increase. He’s totaled just 16 points over his last two, but is averaging 12.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 2.6 3-pointers over his last five games. Look for him to bounce back against the Mavs on Sunday, but also look for McBob to hurt his value once he gets healthy and comfortable on his new team.

Centers

Jordan Hill LAL 76% - Hill has either scored in double digits or racked up double figures in rebounds in every game this season. In five games he’s averaging 14.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 30 minutes, and I have no idea how he’s not owned in 100 percent of leagues.

Kelly Olynyk BOS 64% - Olynyk went through a slump last week but has bounced back, scoring 18, 12 and 18 points in each of his last three games. He’s averaging 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals in six games this season, and has hit two 3-pointers in each of his last three games.

Steven Adams OKC 21% - Adams has quietly been playing better for the depleted Thunder and is averaging 9.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals in six games this season. Blocks are a problem though, as he has just one of them on the season. The Thunder are banged up and need Adams to produce, and he should get better each month of the season.

Henry Sims PHI 28% - Sims was back in the starting lineup on Friday and hit 7-of-10 shots for 16 points, eight boards and five assists for his best game of the season. He got off to a dreadful start, but might be ready to turn it on. Despite his poor play, he’s still averaging 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds on the season, and those numbers could take a jump in the near future.

Boris Diaw SAN 19% - Diaw’s not a must-own player, but is averaging 8.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and has hit three 3-pointers on the season. If you catch him on the right night he can help your team, but is also pretty inconsistent. Just like all the Spurs.