Basketball Pickups: Dean Wade is on the radar

With Donovan Mitchell (knee) and Max Strus (knee) sidelined, most of the streaming focus was on Isaac Okoro (11% rostered, Yahoo) and Sam Merrill in Cleveland. However, due to Evan Mobley spraining his left ankle during the third quarter of Tuesday's comeback win over the Celtics, another option emerged: Dean Wade. Rostered in just one percent of Yahoo leagues, and with good reason, Wade went off in the fourth quarter.

Shooting 7-of-7 from the field, he made five 3-pointers and scored 20 of the Cavaliers' 34 points. Wade also outscored the Celtics by a 20-17 margin as Boston's potent offense bogged down. Under normal circumstances, Wade's fourth quarter would be dismissed immediately, as he has not been a factor in fantasy basketball this season. However, with Cleveland visiting Atlanta on Wednesday, the Cavaliers could still be without two starters (Mitchell and Mobley), even if Strus is cleared to return.

Okoro wasn't spectacular, but he was solid, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks, and four 3-pointers in 31 minutes. A career 34.5% shooter from three, he has knocked down nearly 45% of his 5.4 attempts per game over the past three weeks. Add in what Okoro can bring to the table defensively, and he's worth a look for the remainder of Week 19, as Mitchell will miss at least two more games after getting a PRP injection on Monday.

Let's look at a few more pickups from Tuesday's nine-game slate:

Duncan Robinson (41%)

The absence of Tyler Herro has boosted Robinson's fantasy profile, and he's ranked just outside the top 50 in 9-cat per-game value over the past three weeks. He started and played 36 minutes in Miami's win over Detroit, recording a line of 18 points, three rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block, and four 3-pointers. Following the win, there was another piece of unfortunate news for the Heat, as it was revealed that Josh Richardson (shoulder) will undergo season-ending surgery. His absence leaves Miami down a potential contributor on the wing, which should preserve Robinson's minutes even after Herro returns.

Vasilije Micic (8%) and Tre Mann (33%)

Cody Martin and Seth Curry being sidelined with ankle injuries (as is LaMelo Ball) has led to Micic joining Mann in the Hornets' starting backcourt for the last two games. Besides Brandon Miller, they were Charlotte's most productive players in Tuesday's loss to the Magic. Micic scored a career-high 21 points with five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one 3-pointer, while Mann added 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two 3-pointers. If forced to pick one, Mann is the superior option, but Micic will also have value, given the injuries the Hornets are navigating.

Miles McBride (22%)

The Knicks dodged a bullet with Jalen Brunson's knee injury, as he is dealing with a left knee contusion after exiting Sunday's win over Cleveland less than a minute in. The All-Star point guard was ruled out for Tuesday's loss to the Hawks, with McBride replacing him in the starting lineup. Deuce struggled with his shot (as did all Knicks not named Precious Achiuwa or Jericho Sims), going 4-of-15 from the field and accounting for 11 points, two rebounds, nine assists, one steal, one block, three 3-pointers, and just one turnover. Productive this season as a spot starter, McBride will have value if Brunson is not back for Friday's game against the Magic.

Gradey Dick (14%)

No NBA team received worse news on Tuesday than the Raptors, as it was announced that Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl will undergo season-ending hand surgery. Kelly Olynyk (54%) should be the focus of fantasy managers looking to strengthen their rosters. But Gradey is also well-positioned to go on a run during "silly season," as Tuesday's loss to New Orleans dropped Toronto five games in the loss column behind 10th-place Atlanta in the East. The rookie out of Kansas struggled, scoring two points on 1-of-7 shooting, but he has played at least 24 minutes in each of Toronto's first three games of March. Deep-league managers who can afford to stash Gradey for a short period should consider doing so.

Lonnie Walker IV (6%)

Already without Ben Simmons (leg) and Cam Thomas (ankle), the Nets lost Cameron Johnson during Tuesday's win over Philadelphia due to a sprained ankle. His absence meant an increase in playing time for Walker, who logged 30 minutes after tweaking his ankle during Monday's loss to the Grizzlies. Shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 1-of-2 from the foul line, Walker amassed 19 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and four 3-pointers. With the Nets having three more games to play during Week 19, including another back-to-back, Walker is in a good spot regarding playing time. Managers scouring the waiver wire for potential "silly season" standouts should watch Jalen Wilson, who played 23 minutes off the bench on Tuesday.