Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wired, Week 12: Hop Aboard the VW Bus!
It’s been another exciting week in the Association, and there has been no shortage of headlines. The Bucks smacked around the Celtics on Thursday, amassing the largest halftime lead of the season (37), prompting Joe Mazzulla to rest his starters for the entire second half. The Trail Blazers were demolished by 62 points on the same evening, good for the fifth-largest margin of victory in NBA history. Ja Morant is out for the season after serving a 25-game suspension and playing in only nine games. Marcus Smart is out indefinitely, and things have gone from bad to worse in Memphis.
Tyrese Haliburton injured his hamstring Monday, and he’ll miss multiple weeks, while there’s still no timeline on Mark Williams’ return. The Warriors can’t catch a break, and Chris Paul underwent surgery on his hand earlier in the week. The dynasty is crumbling before our eyes, and aside from Steph, none of the fantasy stalwarts in Golden State are worth rostering. It’s time to look ahead to the next generation of Warriors, and we’ve got some adds out in the Bay.
Jakob Poeltl is on the shelf indefinitely, and Pascal Siakam trade rumors are ramping up in intensity. The team is looking to build around Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, so Siakam is likely on the move. The frontcourt is razor thin, and the team will have to turn to a veteran point-forward in the meantime. Cade Cunningham is injured, and so is Tari Eason, and they’re just the latest in the hit parade of notable injuries that have befallen the fantasy basketball community in recent weeks.
The injuries are mounting, but fear not! We’re here to help with all of the best adds as well as the players you should consider dropping to make room for the new acquisitions.
The format for this article will feature players who are “tired” and those who are “wired.” Tired players are those worth adding off the wire but with tempered expectations or highly rostered players who can be dropped in favor of a hot pickup. Wired players are those who are the best additions with the highest rest-of-season ceilings.
Thanks for reading! It’s going to be an exciting season bringing this column to you each and every week. LET’S GO!
Pickups in Order of Priority
TJ McConnell
Vince Williams
Cam Whitmore
Thaddeus Young
Jaden Ivey
Tre Jones
Brandin Podziemski
Mo Wagner
Goga Bitadze
Trayce Jackson-Davis
Nick Richards
Killian Hayes
Andrew Nembhard
Xavier Tillman
Derrick Jones Jr.
Tired: Ja Morant 51%
Wired: Vince Williams 28%, Luke Kennard 11%, Xavier Tillman 12% ⚡
Devastating news broke Monday, when it was announced that Morant would need season-ending shoulder surgery. After serving a 25-game suspension, Morant’s 2023-24 campaign is over after just nine games. His roster percentage has fallen from 96% to 51% since the announcement was made, but it’s still a bit comical that he’s rostered in more leagues than he’s on the wire. Cut him now to make room for a player who will contribute this season.
Are you hopping on the “VW Bus?” You should. With Morant out for the season and Marcus Smart out at least six weeks with a right ring finger injury, someone’s got to step up for the shorthanded Grizzlies. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. should be in line for plenty more work, but Williams should be the biggest fantasy beneficiary. Williams has logged at least 30 minutes in each of his last two games, posting 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.5 triples in that span. Kennard should be in line for a bump too, and while his value is often tied to how hot he’s feeling from beyond the arc, he’s more than just a three-point specialist. He posted a 14/5/4/1 line with three triples in his last game out, and with Morant and Smart out, his minutes and production should trend up moving forward. Tillman is another guy on Memphis’ roster who should benefit from multiple absences to star players. The Grizz waived Bismack Biyombo earlier in the week, and Tillman delivered 14/11/2 with two blocks against Dallas on Tuesday in 28 minutes. He should see plenty of run at center for the rest of the season.
Tired: Tari Eason 49%
Wired: Cam Whitmore 5% ⚡
Eason last played on New Year’s Day, and Ime Udoka said Wednesday that he’ll be out for 1-2 more weeks while dealing with a left lower leg injury. It’s a tough loss for Houston, and fantasy managers have gotten top-90 production from him in just 21.8 minutes per game. Eason’s playing time and production were trending up before his injury, but fantasy managers can’t count on him to stay healthy, and his production isn't so elite that he has to be kept on rosters through his injury. Who will get more opportunities while Eason is out? That brings us to…
The rookie Whitmore has been phenomenal over the last two weeks, averaging 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.6 triples while shooting 53.5% from the floor and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe. Whitmore’s production over his last five games has come in just 19 minutes per contest, and he’s shown just how impressive he can be, even with limited playing time. It’s a small sample size, but his per-36 numbers are 25.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 3.0 triples, and fantasy managers should be licking their chops at the thought of this kid getting some more run.
Tired: Wendell Carter Jr. 46%
Wired: Mo Wagner 25%, Goga Bitadze 30% ⚡
WCJ has missed three straight due to a knee injury, and in three games before suffering the injury, he logged 21.7 minutes per contest off the bench. Carter Jr. was trending down before getting hurt for the second time, and he doesn’t come with enough upside to make stashing him worth the roster spot. Cut him for a player who will be available.
Mo and Go - the duo we never knew we needed. Both of these guys have been great for fantasy hoops managers as of late, and both offer different skill sets. Here’s how the production of both players breaks down over the last three games with Carter Jr. on the sidelines:
Mo: 18.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.3 triples, 57.1 FG%, 31.3 minutes
Go: 6.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 66.7 FG%, 22.5 minutes
Both are efficient and rebound the ball effectively. If you need scoring, go Mo. If you need blocks, go Go.
Tired: Mark Williams 83%
Wired: Nick Richards 37% ⚡
Williams has been one of the most frustrating players in all of the fantasy hoops this season, and it’s due to Charlotte’s tight-lipped status updates. Williams has missed the Hornets’ last 15 games, and after being slapped with repeated doubtful tags, he’s been downgraded to “week-to-week” rather than “day-to-day.” The second-year big man is out indefinitely, with no firm timeline on a potential return. With so many impactful injuries across the Association, there’s no reason to hold Williams and occupy a valuable roster spot.
“Naughty Nicky” Richards hasn’t set the world on fire with tremendous production, but he’s been serviceable with a fairly high fantasy floor. Over his last 15 (all starts), Richards has averaged 9.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks across 29.4 minutes while shooting 66.3% from the floor. He offers the same fantasy stat lines as Williams, just watered down a bit. You could certainly do worse if you need rebounds, blocks and FG%.
Tired: Mitchell Robinson 44%
Wired: Thaddeus Young 11% ⚡
The Knicks recently applied for a $7.8 million Disabled Player Exception for Mitchell Robinson, who is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his left ankle. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Robinson could potentially return this season, but if he does, it will be late when most fantasy hoops leagues have already wrapped up. There’s no need to keep Robinson on your roster, as he won’t be back (if he does indeed return in 2023-24) in time to make a meaningful impact.
It was announced Tuesday that Jakob Poeltl would be out indefinitely with an ankle injury and re-evaluated in two weeks. Over the last two games with Poeltl on the sidelines, “Thad-gic Johnson” has averaged 9.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals in 26.0 minutes. Pascal Siakam sat out Wednesday and is questionable Friday, drawing speculation that he could be on his way out. Recent rumors of a trade to the Warriors only fuel that speculation, and if he’s dealt or simply has to miss time due to his back injury, Young’s fantasy value would get an additional boost. Toronto’s thin rotation and dearth of quality bench players mean the veteran should see enough minutes to be a viable 12-team option for the foreseeable future.
Tired: Zach Collins 63%
Wired: Tre Jones 57% ⚡
Collins was given a timeline of 2-4 weeks as of December 31 with an ankle injury, but as of this writing, we’ve passed the two-week mark with no update. Collins has an extensive injury history dating back to his days in Portland, and it’s likely the last-place Spurs won’t rush him back anytime soon. He was moved to the bench before suffering the injury, and his fantasy value was already approaching drop territory.
Jones was recently inserted into the starting five, and he’s provided top-100 value since the move was made. In that span, Jones has averaged 15.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 63.3% from the floor and 7-of-7 from the charity stripe in 32.0 minutes per tilt. He carries a top-100 floor as long as he’s running with the starters.
Tired: D’Angelo Russell 84%
Wired: Donte DiVincenzo 53% ⚡
D’Lo ranks outside the top 200 over the last month, and it’s because of his putrid averages of 11.3 points, 5.3 dimes and 2.0 triples across 22.0 minutes per game off the bench. He hasn’t played horrendously based on the limited playing time, but it’s clear that he’s no longer a focal point for the Lakers, and he shouldn’t be a focal point for your fantasy basketball team.
DiVincenzo was promoted to the starting five in early December, and he’s handled the newfound opportunity well. Over his last 18 as a starter, DiVincenzo has averaged 12.8 points, 3.4 boards, 2.8 dimes, 1.4 steals and 2.9 triples while shooting 51.0% from the field and 84.2% from the charity stripe. There’s no reason to think he’ll lose his starting gig anytime soon, and fantasy managers should scoop him up in the half of leagues in which he’s still available.
Tired: Bobby Portis 68%
Wired: Derrick Jones Jr. 26% ⚡
Big Bobby P is ranked outside the top 125 on the season overall, but he’s been even less valuable over the last two weeks. Across his last six outings, Ol’ Crazy Eyes has averaged a paltry 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.2 minutes. He’s not adding any meaningful value to your fantasy team, and barring an injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brook Lopez, there’s no room for him to carve out more minutes on this roster.
DJJ has been a top-85 over the last week behind averages of 11.7 points, 5.7 boards, 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 triples in 30.3 minutes per game. Jones Jr. has seen consistent minutes for Dallas all season, but his playing time has gotten a serious boost with Dereck Lively II on the shelf. Jones Jr. doesn’t offer elite production in any category, but he does enough across the board and doesn’t hurt you with a ton of turnovers and poor efficiency.
Tired: Chris Paul 80%
Wired: Brandin Podziemski 48%, Trayce Jackson-Davis 34% ⚡
Paul underwent surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand Sunday, and Adrian Wojnarowski reports that he’ll be out 4-6 weeks. It’s a devastating blow for a team that’s dealt with so much adversity already. Golden State is under .500, missing Paul, dealing with Draymond Green drama, and getting limited production from Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson. Who will step up and fill the void? We’ve got a couple of names in mind.
Moses Moody scored 21 points in back-to-back games for Golden State with Paul out of action, but Moody will sit Friday due to a calf injury. It’s tough to count on consistent production from Moody regardless, but rookie Brandin Podziemski has averaged 10.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.7 triples over his last 15 while logging 28.8 minutes per game in that span. He should continue to see plenty of run moving forward. Jackson-Davis is an interesting player because he has a ton of upside, but the minutes and starts have been inconsistent. We listed him as “tired” last week, but Paul’s extended absence should free up more rotational minutes. Over his last three, TJD has averaged a healthy 15.3 points, 8.3 boards and 1.7 blocks in 24 minutes per game.
Tired: Cam Thomas 64%
Wired: T.J. McConnell 53%, Andrew Nembhard 14% ⚡
Thomas started the season hot, but he now sits outside the top 200 in per-game value. Despite scoring 26 in Thursday’s loss in Paris, Thomas’ production has been erratic as of late. Over his last seven, he’s averaged 10.7 points in just over 20 minutes per game, mixing big scoring nights with donuts and substantial playing time with minutes in the mid-teens. Thursday marked Thomas’ best scoring performance since he dropped 32 on December 18, but like most of his recent performances, it was one-dimensional. Thomas was a viable fantasy option early in the season when he was scoring and knocking down triples at a ridiculous rate and hitting shots efficiently. With the efficiency and big scoring numbers gone, Thomas’ one-note play means he’s no longer a must-roster player in 12-team category leagues.
Tyrese Haliburton sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain Monday against the Celtics, and he’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks. McConnell is now a must-roster option, with Nembhard trailing behind. Including Monday’s game in which Hali got hurt and the Pacers’ Wednesday win over Washington, McConnell has averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.5 dimes and 2.0 swipes over his last two games, while logging 23.5 minutes per tilt. Nembhard started Wednesday, but he compiled a meager 2/2/5/2 line in 26 minutes while shooting 1-of-8 from the floor and committing five turnovers. Both players should be rostered, but McConnell is the preferred add. Nembhard will have better games than this one, and if you missed on McConnell, scoop up Nembhard to give your team a boost.
Tired: Ausar Thompson 43%
Wired: Jaden Ivey 56%, Killian Hayes 12% ⚡
It’s agonizing to write Thompson’s name in the “tired” space each week, but he’s not worth rostering anymore. Thompson rewarded fantasy managers who took a shot on him late in drafts with top-100 value over the first month of the season. Since falling out of the starting lineup, his minutes have fluctuated and steadily declined, and his production has gone in the toilet. Over his last nine, the rookie has averaged 3.0 points and 3.2 boards on 28.1% shooting while logging just 14.0 minutes per tilt. His minutes aren’t trending up despite Cade Cunningham’s injury and Isaiah Stewart’s eight-game absence. There’s no reason to hold.
With Cade Cunningham on the shelf, Killian Hayes has started each of Detroit’s last two games. He’s posted 4.0 points, 4.0 assists and 9.5 dimes across 31.5 MPG. The shooting percentages will be dreadful, but it’s tough to find elite assists on the waiver wire, and Hayes will typically offer useful steal numbers as well. Ivey has been a starter in each of the last 12 games and put together a solid 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.7 triples across 29.3 minutes in that span. Don’t expect his minutes to take a hit anytime soon. He should thrive with Cunningham out of action.
Tired: Jaden McDaniels 46%
Wired: Sam Merrill 5%, Caris LeVert 62% ⚡
We ask the same thing of this guy every single week: What does he do exceptionally well? Scratch that. What does he do well at all? Since returning from a two-week injury absence, he’s averaged just 11.0 points and 2.6 boards in 16 contests. McDaniels is logging over 30 minutes a game, but he’s ranked outside the top 180 in that span thanks to his lack of contributions in almost every category. He doesn’t shoot particularly well, and he doesn’t rack up enough defensive stats to make up for his deficiencies elsewhere. Hard pass.
Merrill and LeVert have been great fill-in options for Darius Garland, and news came out Thursday that Garland will sit out Monday and at least a few more games, meaning Merrill and LeVert will be relevant in 12-team leagues for another week at minimum. Max Strus logged only seven minutes Thursday before an early exit, but the team was winning big, so we’ll take it with a grain of salt. If he’s forced to miss time, however, Merrill and LeVert get an even bigger boost. LeVert has been stuffing the stat sheet despite some spotty shooting, and Merrill has been lights out from beyond the arc and contributing meaningfully as a rebounder to go with his scoring and triples. Both guys warrant an add. LeVert is not widely available, but Merrill is on 95% of waiver wires.
