Holley: Draymond ‘has more antics than game’
Michael Holley and Lawrence Jackson examine Draymond Green’s five-game suspension and discuss why the four-time NBA champion’s game leaves a lot to be desired at 33 years old.
What a week it’s been in the Association! The fourth week of NBA action kicked off on an exciting note when Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were tossed from Tuesday’s tilt with the Timberwolves due to a tussle. Thompson and Jaden McDaniels got into it, and Green flew into the scrum to headlock Rudy Gobert. Green was slapped with a five-game suspension, and the Dubs dropped their games on Tuesday and Thursday to bring their losing streak to five. Things aren’t great in the Bay, but Green’s suspension, the struggles of Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, and Steph Curry’s knee injury have opened the door for others on the team to step up.
The Celtics and Nuggets continue to dominate their respective conferences, the 76ers have lost two in a row after an eight-game win streak, and somehow, the shorthanded Heat have won seven straight. Coach Spo and Heat Culture, am I right? The Mavericks, Timberwolves and Thunder have been phenomenal, while Houston finds itself in the thick of things in the Western Conference playoff picture with six wins in a row.
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.
We’ve got plenty of great adds, including a pair of Warriors and a pair of Pelicans, a new starter in Los Angeles, a backup big in Orlando and one of Miami’s all-time great three-point shooters. As always, we’ll offer some guys who can be dropped, and this week’s column features two players who are struggling mightily yet rostered in at least 70% of leagues.
Thanks for reading! It’s already been an exciting season, and I look forward to bringing this column to you each and every Friday. LET’S GO!
Pickups in Order of Priority
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Brandin Podziemski
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Bilal Coulibaly
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Keyonte George
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Duncan Robinson
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Jordan Hawkins
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Dyson Daniels
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Goga Bitadze
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Cam Reddish
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Dario Saric
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Lonnie Walker IV
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Jacob Gilyard
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Alex Caruso
Tired: Jonathan Kuminga 24%
Wired: Brandin Podziemski 19% ⚡
The State of the Warriors is anything but Golden at the moment. The team has lost five in a row. Steph Curry has missed two straight due to a knee injury, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were tossed just two minutes into Tuesday’s loss to Minnesota, and Green is now serving a five-game suspension. Cue Kuminga. The young forward earned his first start of the season Thursday and delivered a season-best 21 points (on an efficient 8-of-13 shooting) to go with six boards, two assists, a block and a three-pointer. It was a nice outing for Kuminga, and managers who streamed him, but he hasn’t been a reliable fantasy option in the past. In 16 starts last season, he posted just 12.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 triples. He’s worth streaming for as long as Green is out, but temper expectations. He won’t be this efficient every night, and there’s typically not much else that he provides in the box score.
Klay and Andrew Wiggins are struggling mightily right now. That can’t be understated. Wiggins is ranked well outside the top 400 in fantasy hoops, and Klay is outside the top 200. With Golden State down its entire Big 3 on Tuesday, someone had to step up… and someone did. Enter Brandin Podziemski. “Air Podz” went off for 23/7/5 with a steal and three triples across 39 minutes. That stellar game earned him the praise of head coach Steve Kerr, according to an article from Anthony Slater in The Athletic:
“He’s going to play. He’s going to play every night. He’s earned that. He was incredible tonight. He’s been great in practice. There’s something unique about him at that size to rebound the way he does. He had seven tonight. He’s always in the right spot. He’s fearless. He connects the game. He plays the way we want to play. The ball moves when he’s out there. He’s attacking at the right times, he’s cutting at the right times. Defensively, he’s really good. He’s a damn good player, so he’s going to play.”
To show that Tuesday’s brilliant performance wasn’t a fluke and that Kerr was a man of his word, Air Podz followed it up with a 13/8/3 line Thursday, knocking in three more triples across 25 minutes for good measure. The Warriors are desperate for someone not named Steph Curry to get a bucket, and the confident rookie out of Santa Clara looks like he fits the bill. It remains to be seen what his role will look like when Curry returns to the lineup, but it’s clear Golden State needs to try some new things with its rotation, and Podziemski should have a substantial role in the rotation moving forward.
Tired: Day’Ron Sharpe 8%
Wired: Lonnie Walker IV 29% ⚡
Adding Sharpe was a gamble after two productive outings, but he crashed back to earth Thursday with just two points, five rebounds and no defensive stats across 15 minutes. Even with Ben Simmons out, this rotation isn’t going to support Sharpe as a reliable fantasy option. Even when Nic Claxton was out, Sharpe wasn’t someone to trust in your lineups, so it’s best to leave him on the waiver wire. Yawn.
Is Walker IV low-key the best offseason addition the Nets made? He’s scored in double figures in every game except one (an outlier 14-minute performance against Washington), and Walker IV has poured in at least 20 points in three of his last five. On the season, he’s averaging a career-best 15.7 points and 2.3 triples on 50.8% shooting. His minutes have been in the low-to-mid 20s most every night, and the only thing holding him back is Brooklyn’s deep rotation, which cuts into him logging bigger minutes on a regular basis. He posted a season-best 23 points Thursday, and as long as Simmons and Cam Thomas are out, expect Walker IV to continue shooting and scoring.
Tired: Tyus Jones 75%
Wired: Bilal Coulibaly 32% ⚡
What does Jones do particularly well? On the season, he’s averaging a pedestrian 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.8 dimes and 0.9 steals across 26.4 minutes. He’s a full-time starter for the hapless Wizards, which we expected would lead to monster fantasy numbers. Sadly, one of fantasy’s best backup streamers from his Memphis days is not a reliable option with Washington. Even as the team continues to sink down the standings, Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma demand the ball in their hands, and there’s no reason to hold out hope for a Jones breakout. He’s certainly not a must-roster in 12-team leagues.
While Jones may not be worth holding, the “Cool Baller” is absolutely worth a look off the waiver wire. Over the last week, he’s been a top-45 fantasy option thanks to 12.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.3 triples while shooting better than 64% from the field. Across his last four games, he’s logged nearly 29 minutes a game, seeing the court more than Jones and providing a spark on both ends of the court. Coulibaly was revered for his defense coming into the season, but he’s shown that he’s capable on offense as well. Make sure to add him wherever you can. The Wizards are going nowhere fast, and the team should make Coulibaly’s development a priority. The minutes should be there for him.
Tired: Andrew Wiggins 70%
Wired: Dario Saric 34% ⚡
Why are you still holding onto Wiggins? Do you love pain and misery? That’s the only conceivable reason to keep him on your roster, as he’s been completely devoid of any useful numbers this season. With Golden State’s Big 3 out Tuesday, Wiggins went off with… nine points, seven rebounds, three steals and a block. He followed it up Thursday with no Steph and no Draymond by chipping in 12 points, six rebounds and two assists. He wasn’t getting it done when the team was healthy, and he’s not getting it done now. This isn’t a rotation or minutes issue. It’s a Wiggins issue.
The man with the greatest mustache in the NBA is now one of the best waiver wire adds of the week. Over his last three, Saric has averaged 14.7 points, 5.7 boards, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 triples across 27.7 minutes. He’s started two straight and even led the starters in scoring Tuesday against the Timberwolves with 21 points. The fact that Saric has been a statistical leader in recent games really sheds light on how bad things are in Golden State right now, but he’s a regular part of the rotation, and without Draymond Green for at least four more contests, Saric should be added in 12-team leagues.
Tired: Benn Mathurin 63%
Wired: Duncan Robinson 39% ⚡
Big Benn had back-to-back 20-point games with healthy stat lines on Nov 8 and 9 and followed those up with single-digit duds in each of his next two. That’s how it’s been for him all season, running hot and cold as a scorer and typically not providing much outside of points. Mathurin’s playing time, efficiency and scoring have all taken a hit in Year 2, and with so many mouths to feed in Indiana, there are better options to occupy a roster spot for your fantasy team.
D-Rob has been absolutely lights out since joining Miami’s starting lineup. In those last four games, he’s averaged 20.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 dimes and 3.8 triples. Robinson went 1-of-10 from beyond the arc against Atlanta in his first start, but across his last three games, he’s stroked 14-of-27 three-pointers. With Tyler Herro still sidelined, expect Robinson to remain a starter in his place. He’s a Slam Dunc add off the waiver wire this week.
Tired: Coby White 54%
Wired: Alex Caruso 25% ⚡
Bigger minutes and a starting role haven’t led to improved production from White, who’s shown that he’s still an inefficient shooter with little else to offer other than scoring and three-pointers. White is averaging 12.0 points and 1.8 triples while shooting 38.1% from the floor, so even the two categories in which he excels are wildly underwhelming for fantasy managers. He’s not worth rostering outside of deep leagues.
While White has been a “meh” option, Caruso has been great over the last week. Over his last three games, he’s put on a “Caru-show” with 15.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.7 triples across 25.0 minutes. Unlike White, he can post solid three-pointers and steals, and his 60.8% shooting has been stellar this season. Chicago is a dumpster fire right now, and with Zach LaVine on the block and DeMar DeRozan dealing with a personal matter, Caruso is worth a look.
Tired: Brandon Miller 49%
Wired: Jordan Hawkins 33%, Dyson Daniels 19% ⚡
Miller injured his ankle last week and sat out against the Knicks on Tuesday. He’s questionable Friday, but even if available, he’s shown limited fantasy upside to start his inaugural campaign. Miles Bridges is expected to make his season debut on Friday, which should mean fewer minutes for the already unappealing Miller. Rostered in nearly 50% of leagues, he can be safely dropped to the waiver wire in 12 or 14-teamers.
Hawkins and Daniels continue to impress, and both are still under-rosterd across the board. Over their last three, both players have shined. Hawkins has averaged 16.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.7 steals and 3.3 triples across 34.0 minutes, and Daniels has posted 12.3 points, 7.0 boards, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 triples across 33.7 minutes. The playing time has been nearly identical, and each player offers his own useful stats. Hawkins is the better three-point shooter and a volume scorer, and Daniels offers a more diverse skillset, with contributions in multiple categories, including assists and steals. The Pels play four games next week.
Tired: Robert Williams 39%
Wired: Jabari Walker 3% ⚡
Time to drop Time Lord. The guy is out for the season, and nearly 40% of fantasy managers still have him on a roster. Free up that bench or IL spot for someone who will actually play basketball again in 2023-24.
With Williams out of commission, Portland’s frontcourt rotation has had some available minutes. Over his last three, Walker has posted 10.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.7 triples across 20.7 minutes. The numbers won’t blow you away, but the increased playing time and ability to rack up three-pointers and defensive stats gives Walker a very intriguing skill set and plenty of upside moving forward.
Tired: Talen Horton-Tucker 21%
Wired: Keyonte George 28% ⚡
THT started the season out with some strong performances, especially in the assists department. Since being replaced in the starting lineup? Not so much. Over his last three, Horton-Tucker has averaged 7.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in just under 20 minutes per night, and he’s not worth hanging onto now that he’s coming off the bench.
Horton-Tucker’s replacement in the starting five is an excellent pickup, and we’re making sure to target him off the waiver wire wherever we can. George has been great in three starts, averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 triples and a whopping 9.0 assists. His FG% has been awful, but that’s not too surprising for a rookie. Since joining the first unit, George has averaged 29.0 minutes per game and looks like an elite facilitator. Assists are tough to find on the waiver wire, and he’s got the upside to deliver more statistically diverse performances moving forward.
Tired: Bismack Biyombo 44%
Wired: Jacob Gilyard 3% ⚡
Well, it was nice while it lasted. Biyombo was a quality option at center for the four games that Xavier Tillman missed, but with Tillman back in action, Biyombo’s upside has cratered. In Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Lakers, Biyombo started and logged 23 minutes but finished with eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks with no points. Those aren’t awful numbers for a guy known primarily as a rebounder and shot-blocker, but Tillman played 23 minutes off the bench and scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting. This looks like it might be a time-share situation moving forward, which means Biyombo’s days of being a viable fantasy option are likely numbered.
Gilly, Gilly! Over his last three, the second-year man has been thrust into the starting lineup, and he’s delivered some quality performances. In that trio of starts, Gilyard has averaged 9.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 3.0 three-pointers across 26.3 minutes. Gilyard’s first start came against the Jazz while Ziaire Williams sat, but Williams has been back for the last two games, and Gilyard has remained a starter. Memphis is grasping at straws looking for wins, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Gilyard continues to see minutes thanks to his abilities as a defender and playmaker.
Tired: Mo Wagner 28%
Wired: Goga Bitadze 19% ⚡
It’s shocking that Wagner is rostered in 9% more leagues than Bitadze. Wagner is typically the better scorer, but over the last three games, Bitadze has been right there with him in that department while continuing to lap him as a rebounder and defender. Over the last three games, Wagner has averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.7 steals in 20.7 minutes. Bitadze has averaged 10.3 points, 7.7 boards, 1.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 23.7 minutes. It’s a fairly even timeshare, but Bitadze offers far more upside thanks to his contributions in non-scoring categories. Bitadze has been a top-70 player over the last week and should be rostered everywhere until Wendell Carter Jr. returns from a finger injury.
Tired: Robert Covington 6%
Wired: Cam Reddish 28% ⚡
Nicolas Batum drew the start for Philly in Kelly Oubre’s first missed game, and Covington fought for scraps off the bench. Batum is set to miss his third straight game Friday due to personal reasons, which should mean a third straight start for RoCo. Covington’s first start equated to two points, a rebound, an assist and a block across 16 minutes. He logged 33 minutes in his second start, finishing with a slightly better 16 points, six rebounds and two steals. In his pair of games with the first unit, Covington has shot 7-of-16 from the floor, including 0-of-7 from beyond the arc. Known as an elite three-and-D option in his heyday, Covington has almost none of that upside that was displayed while he was in his prime. If it takes over 33 minutes to get to 16/6 with a pair of steals, he’s not a guy worth rostering. Batum should be back with the starters when he returns, meaning Covington is a high-risk, low-reward streamer for at least one more game.
Wait, Cam Reddish has really been a top-35 fantasy option over the last week? Sure, his value has been greatly inflated due to his ridiculous steal numbers, but Reddish has been a solid option across the board. He’s started each of the last four for LA and averaged 15.3 points, 3.3 boards, 2.8 steals and 2.8 triples across 30.6 minutes. Reddish shot 53.7% from the floor and 85.7% from the charity stripe in those starts, and fantasy managers should let the good times roll until he starts to cool off. The Lakers need more reliable options behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and Reddish could be one of them.
