Since returning from a toe injury that sidelined him for eight games, Pistons power forward/center Isaiah Stewart (42% rostered, Yahoo) has reached double figures in four straight outings. However, while he started the first three games, Beef Stew was brought off the bench for Monday’s game against the Bucks. And he flourished, finishing the home defeat with 19 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, a career-high five blocks, and two 3-pointers in 28 minutes.
Stewart was especially effective after halftime, shooting 7-of-8 from the field and scoring 14 points with four rebounds, one assist, two steals, three blocks, and one 3-pointer. Starting forwards Bojan Bogdanovic and Kevin Knox II combined to play 12 minutes after halftime, as Monty Williams decided to rely on Stewart and Alec Burks, as they were playing better. The Pistons’ rotation has been frustrating for fantasy managers this season, not only because of the team’s poor record.
Figuring out who to rely on beyond Cade Cunningham (who’s currently injured) and Jalen Duren has been an exercise in futility. So, is Stewart an “add” in the aftermath of his performance against the Bucks? Or is he simply a “watch list” player? Managers in standard leagues may be able to hold off on taking that plunge right away. However, if he’s lingering on the waiver wire in a deep league, now would be a good time to add Stewart, especially with the Pistons playing three more games during Week 14.
Let’s look at a few more quality pickups from Monday:
Luke Kennard (32%)
Kennard has started Memphis’ last eight games, and Monday’s win over the Raptors made it seven straight in double figures. Shooting 7-of-18 from the field, he finished with 19 points, three rebounds, seven assists, and five 3-pointers in 35 minutes. With Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Derrick Rose all sidelined, Kennard’s playmaking ability makes him worthwhile in standard leagues. Also, he’s a high-level perimeter shooter, so the 3-point production will be there most nights. Kudos to John Konchar for his career-high five blocks, but fantasy managers should know not to expect too much from him as a streamer.
Sam Merrill (11%)
Merrill has reached double figures in eight of his last nine games, with the last two coming with Caris LeVert sidelined with a sore wrist. Merrill eviscerated Orlando in the first half of Cleveland’s 126-99 victory, shooting 6-of-7 from three and scoring 20 points. He would finish with 26 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and eight 3-pointers in 31 minutes. Cleveland finishes its week with two games in Milwaukee, and Merrill will have continued streaming value in deep leagues if LeVert remains sidelined.
Thaddeus Young (2%)
Anyone looking to avoid the Raptors’ center situation at all costs cannot be blamed; Jontay Porter has underwhelmed as the starter, and Young hasn’t been consistent enough to merit being relied on, even in deep leagues. However, the latter played 26 minutes off the bench in Monday’s loss to Memphis, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Porter only played six minutes. Before the game, Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said he expected starting center Jakob Poeltl to return “very soon.” So, there’s no need to go out and add Young in the aftermath of Monday’s showing.
Rui Hachimura (10%)
We’ve got one for Tuesday’s five-game slate. LeBron James (ankle) has already been ruled out for the Lakers’ matchup with the Clippers, which could keep Hachimura in the starting lineup despite Taurean Prince (knee) being removed from the injury report. Hachimura didn’t do much in Sunday’s win over Portland, but he’s a better streaming option than Christian Wood or Jaxson Hayes, even though Wood did account for two steals and three blocks in 18 minutes off the bench.
