Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wired, Week 8: Party Time, Exum-lent!
The In-Season Tournament kept us entertained last week, but this week has offered no shortage of excitement around the Association. Draymond Green’s haymaker to Jusuf Nurkic on Tuesday landed him an indefinite suspension, and his extended absence has shown an even brighter light on Golden State’s shortcomings and the end of the Warriors’ dynasty. Giannis Antetokounmpo stole the show Wednesday with a career-high and franchise-high 64 points against the Pacers. Indiana took the game ball, and Giannis proceeded to go after it, attempting to enter the opposing locker room and getting into a heated exchange with Tyrese Haliburton.
Green’s suspension, Mitchell Robinson’s extended absence and some other notable injuries have opened up minutes and opportunities around the Association. Last week’s pickups were a bit weaker than usual, but Week 8’s offerings are so much better, and they’re headlined by a Warriors rookie, a backup big in the Big Apple and a potential redemption arc for a young guard in Salt Lake City. We’ll also look to an Australian guard who was out of the league for the last two seasons, a forward who may finally get the opportunity to shine in Houston, and a promising first-year player who may see heavy run down the stretch for a Wizards team destined for the lottery yet again.
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 Friday. LET’S GO!
Pickups in Order of Priority
Brandin Podziemski
Collin Sexton
Dante Exum
Tari Eason
Goga Bitadze
Isaiah Hartenstein
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Naz Reid
Donte DiVincenzo
Caleb Martin
Jonathan Kuminga
Bilal Coulibaly
Tired: Klay Thompson 88%
Wired: Brandin Podziemski 30%, Jonathan Kuminga 35% ⚡
At some point, I’ll quit calling this article “Waiver Wired” and start calling it “Bay Watch.” We’re constantly monitoring the situation out in San Francisco, and what’s going on with Golden State has played out like a sitcom. Draymond Green is on his second suspension of the season, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins look like their washed, and Steph Curry is kicking chairs and yelling at teammates to give a little effort on defense. The hopes of the franchise hang on Curry and new addition Chris Paul, who I think went to high school with my grandfather. Thompson is ranked outside the top 150 in per-game fantasy value. He’s scoring just over 15 points per game on sub-40% shooting, and he offers little in the way of peripheral contributions. He went off for 30 points and eight triples Thursday, but even his best game of the season won’t sway us into hanging on. This was an outlier, and he’s rostered in far too many fantasy leagues.
Draymond Green is doing his best to get a shot in the UFC, and he’s been suspended indefinitely following his right hook to Jusuf Nurkic’s jaw on Tuesday. It’s Green’s second suspension of the season already, and there’s no telling when he might be available again. We highlighted “Air Podz” a few weeks ago in this column, and if you were fortunate enough to pick him up and hang tight, the time is here for him to deliver some big performances. In Tuesday’s loss to Phoenix, the rookie posted a 20/11/5 line that included a steal, a pair of triples and an efficient 9-of-14 shooting. Starters Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins logged 11 and 15 minutes respectively, and Klay Thompson stunk up the joint in 27 minutes. Golden State’s already disastrous season is quickly going down the tubes, and Steve Kerr should be focused on mixing up his lineup and getting his young guys involved and developed. Podziemski started over Wiggins on Thursday, and though he only accounted for four points on 2-of-11 shooting, he added seven boards, two assists, three steals and a block. He’s our priority pickup this week.
Kuminga also joined the starting five and turned in 15 points, five rebounds, an assist, a steal and a pair of triples. He’s had the innate ability to provide a useful game and then follow it up with a dud, and while he’s worth adding, we’d keep that in the back of our minds when doing so.
Tired: Andrew Wiggins 63%
Wired: Tari Eason 41% ⚡
At least Klay Thompson is scoring a few more points and offering a couple of triples per contest. Wiggins is ranked outside the top 300 due to his lack of meaningful contributions in most categories. He’s scoring 12.1 points on 41.3% shooting, and that’s about it. He and Kevon Looney were essentially benched Tuesday after Draymond Green was ejected, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the two vets saw their roles gradually reduced moving forward so the Warriors can get a glimpse at what their youngsters can do. Steve Kerr had a similar idea Thursday, as he started Kuminga and Podziemski, while Wiggins logged 22 minutes off the bench and finished with nine points, three rebounds and a block on 4-of-9 shooting. The dynasty is over, and trotting out the same tired lineup each night doesn’t make much sense at this point.
Over his last two games, Eason has been a monster, posting at least 18 points, 14 rebounds, two triples and two defensive stats in both contests. Eason has been marvelous in his last pair of games, but he’s still been solid over his last seven overall, averaging 10.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 0.6 steals and 1.0 triples. His playing time has unfortunately fluctuated throughout the season, but he’s been excellent on a per-minute basis, and perhaps his recent play and uptick in minutes will lead to a more consistent role moving forward. That would be huge for his fantasy value, considering his penchant for crashing the glass and racking up defensive stats in bunches. It’s time to add Eason before it’s too late.
Tired: Draymond Green 73%
Wired: Dante Exum 44% ⚡
We’ve advocated dropping Draymond in past columns, but it’s officially time. He’s putting up serviceable numbers for 12-team leagues, and despite deficiencies in a number of categories, he’s been worth a roster spot. But make no mistake, Green wasn’t a must-roster player. Dropping him before the suspension would not have been met with suspicious glances or rolling of eyes. Now that he’s been suspended indefinitely, why are you holding? He may be out for five games or 10 games, or maybe through the All-Star break. With so many injuries and players not producing at the levels we expected, each and every roster spot is highly valuable.
The Australian guard has been masterful as of late, averaging 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.8 triples across four games before Thursday while shooting 55.6% from the floor in that span. Exum finished Thursday’s loss to Minnesota with 14/4/4 and no defensive contributions in 28 minutes, but he shot 5-of-6 from the floor and added two triples. Kyrie Irving has been out for two straight, but Exum was in the starting lineup before that and still putting up strong numbers. Dallas has dealt with multiple injuries as of late, but you can’t ignore the numbers Exum is posting. Irving’s heel injury has lingered, and there’s no firm timeline for his return, paving the way for Exum to be a staple in fantasy lineups for the foreseeable future. Exum - who had only played six games between the 2019-20 season and this season - is one of the best stories of 2023-24 already, and he’s proof that silly season doesn’t have to start after the All-Star Break. It can begin as early as December!
Tired: Russell Westbrook 80%
Wired: Collin Sexton 58% ⚡
The only thing sadder than the Clippers’ outlook with James Harden is what Harden’s presence has done for Westy. Over Los Angeles’ last seven games, Westbrook has averaged a paltry 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and limited contributions in other categories while shooting just 44.4% from the field. He’s logged just 19 minutes per tilt in that span, and the rest of season outlook is bleak for the veteran. Westbrook’s time as a premier fantasy option in category or points leagues is well behind him, and at this point, he’s not even worth rostering at all.
Jordan Clarkson is out for at least two weeks with a thigh injury, and Keyonte George is out for at least two games with a foot injury sustained Wednesday against the Knicks. It’s a shame considering George went off for a career-best 30 points Monday against the Thunder, but as they say, “them’s the breaks.” Over his last five, the “Young Bull” has averaged 24.3 points, 3.3 boards, 4.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.0 triples, and he’s scored at least 20 points in three straight. Sexton’s first start of the season came Wednesday, and he delivered 26/4/7 with three triples. He was back with the first unit Thursday and delivered again with 27/2/4/1. We’ve called bull on the Young Bull, but injuries and opportunities can come knocking at any time, so savvy fantasy managers should take advantage. The weight of his name and post-hype sleeper hopes have kept his roster percentage higher than it should be, but he’s still available in nearly half of fantasy leagues.
Tired: Jericho Sims 2%
Wired: Isaiah Hartenstein 43% ⚡
Mitchell Robinson is out for 8-10 weeks at a minimum due to ankle surgery, which means the Knicks will need other bigs to step up in his place. Last season, Robinson missed 14 straight from Jan 20 - Feb 15, resulting in the following minutes and production:
Jericho Sims: 4.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.4 blocks, 25.1 minutes
Isaiah Hartenstein: 5.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 23.7 minutes
Sims started each of these games, but he provided limited production. As expected, Sims has started each of the two games that Robinson has missed since getting injured, but the splits have favored Hartenstein even more than they did a season ago:
Jericho Sims: 3.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 0.5 blocks 75.0 FG%, 19.5 minutes
Isaiah Hartenstein: 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 63.6 FG%, 80 FT%, 28.0 minutes
Hartenstein is worth an add, and if he’s still available, Josh Hart is too. Hart is expected to play additional minutes off the bench while Robinson is on the sidelines, and Tom Thibodeau’s short rotations should make that happen.
Tired: Orlando Robinson 12%
Wired: Caleb Martin 44%, Jaime Jaquez 52%, Kevin Love 27% ⚡
Robinson had some big games when he first joined the starting five, but his playing time and production have taken a significant hit across his last four. In those games, Robinson averaged just 4.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.8 blocks while his minutes steadily declined. Instead, Miami has given more playing time to the likes of Caleb Martin and Kevin Love, while Jaime Jaquez continues to ball out as the latest success story of #HeatCulture. Robinson’s run as a viable fantasy option was nice for the brief time it lasted, but those days have passed.
Martin had a streak of double-digit scoring games snapped at seven with Wednesday’s nine-point performance, but he’s been solid as of late. Martin has started each of the last five, and over his last eight, he’s averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 triples. He bounced back Thursday with a 17/11/4 line. Jaquez Jr. has scored double-digit points in 12 straight and posted at least 14 points in 11 of those. In his 11-game run, JJJ has averaged 17.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.5 triples with strong 53.7/50/85.7 shooting splits. He led Miami in scoring Thursday with 22 points off the bench. Love has averaged 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.8 triples across 22.8 minutes over his last four games. He’s the weakest pickup of this trio but still worth a look.
Tired: Mitchell Robinson 72%
Wired: Goga Bitadze 29% ⚡
Robinson was phenomenal to start the season, comfortably leading the league in offensive rebounds and pulling down a career-best rebound total in the process. His stellar efficiency and strong production as a rebounder and defensive specialist kept him around the top 100 in per-game fantasy production, but he’ll be on the shelf until at least the All-Star Break. Like Draymond Green, Robinson’s extended absence means he’s no longer a guy you need to hold in 12-team leagues. Send him to the waiver wire, and clear the way for someone who will provide value now.
Bitadze has started 18 straight with Wendell Carter Jr. on the shelf, averaging 8.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.9 blocks across 23.9 minutes. Bitadze has shot 58% from the floor and 72.5% from the charity stripe, providing top-90 value since joining the starting five. Most impressively, Bitadze has recorded a block in 15 of 18 games as a starter, including each of the last six. It’s incredible how low his roster percentage is, considering his elite production with WCJ out. Carter Jr. was back at practice Wednesday, but there’s still no timeline for his return. Continue to roster and stream Bitadze until he heads back to the bench.
Tired: Zach Collins 72%
Wired: Donte DiVincenzo 11% ⚡
Collins was moved to the bench to allow Victor Wembanyama to play center. Wemby has thrived in his new role, while Collins… has not. Over the last three, Z-Co has posted 8.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 triples across 18.7 minutes. Those aren’t the numbers of a player who needs to be rostered in 12-team leagues. Coach Pop has no reason to move Collins back to the starting five as he experiments with new lineups. San Antonio has dropped 18 in a row.
DiVincenzo has started each of New York’s last three games, and his most recent appearance with the first unit resulted in 21 points, seven rebounds, an assist, four steals and four triples across 27 minutes on Wednesday. Quentin Grimes has struggled tremendously to start the season, and he’s been moved to the bench in favor of the more productive DiVincenzo. Typically, players who earn Tom Thibodeau’s trust will see consistently meaningful minutes. The writing’s on the wall, and we’ll be sure to add DiVincenzo wherever he’s available.
Tired: Bobby Portis 63%
Wired: Naz Reid 60% ⚡
Big Bobby P is another frequent flyer in our weekly column, but he’s still rostered in far too many leagues. On the season, Ol’ Crazy Eyes is averaging just 11.6 points, 6.4 boards, 0.7 steals and 0.8 triples. He’s been better on offense over his last two, but even posting 18 points a game in that span doesn’t boost his value enough to consider holding or adding. Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo have things locked down in Milwaukee’s frontcourt, leaving little room for playing time or production for the backup big.
Reid is in the midst of the best season of his career, and right now, he’s enjoying the best stretch of play in his career-best campaign. Over his last five, Reid has averaged 18.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 2.8 triples while hitting 49.3% of his shots from the field and 100% of his free throw attempts. He’s been a third-rounder over the last week, and though his roster percentage is high, he’s still available in 40% of fantasy leagues and deserves a pickup if he’s on the waiver wire in yours.
Tired: Josh Giddey 89%
Wired: Bilal Coulibaly 20% ⚡
Giddey hasn’t logged 30 minutes in a game since November 12, and his production over the last month has been quite discouraging. Over his last 12 games, the Australian point forward has averaged just 11.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 42% from the field. He’s averaged 24.3 minutes in that span, and the Thunder have given him limited playing time late in games. This is a disturbing trend that doesn’t look to have an end in sight. He’s nearly 90% rostered, but that number should be much lower. Giddey’s name value may make it tough to send him to the waiver wire, but it’s time to take a hard look at what he’s actually providing to your fantasy team. News flash - it ain’t much.
Is it time to add the “Cool Baller?” We’re thinking so. Over his last five, Washington’s rookie has averaged 13.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 triples, while shooting an efficient 60.5% from the field. Best of all, he’s scored in double figures in each of those contests. The Wizards’ hopes of making the playoffs have been extinguished just a quarter of the way through the season. Jordan Poole doesn’t look like he’s taking his job seriously, Tyus Jones has been an absolute disappointment, and Kyle Kuzma thinks he’s Kobe Bryant, trying to alley-oop the ball to himself in the middle of a loss. Washington is in a full rebuild, and there’s no reason not to give Coulibaly all the minutes he can handle and aid in his development.
