As always, we’ve got a dozen options to consider when hitting the fantasy waiver wire and a dozen players to consider dropping in favor of those hot pickups. Last week’s article featured some of our strongest pickups of the season, but this week, we’ll temper expectations with a weaker group of adds. It’s unclear how serious Franz Wagner’s ankle sprain is, but if he’s forced to miss any time moving forward, there are a pair of players in Orlando who should be ready to step up for the Magic and for your fantasy squads. Kevin Durant’s hamstring injury and two-game absence have brought back a familiar face in fantasy hoops circles. Will the Knicks’ blockbuster trade of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa offer actionable fantasy advice?
The Jazz continue to shuffle their lineups in the hope of finding the right combination, and we’ve got a second-year forward who’s worth your attention and a veteran offering valuable out-of-positon assists. Who should fantasy managers target for the shorthanded Cavs and Hornets, and which Warriors are worth dropping (hint: most of them)? Is it time to part ways with some early-season heroes and a pair of players who will seemingly never get back on the court?
Khris Middleton logged only 15 minutes in Thursday’s narrow win over the Spurs, but his early exit after halftime was likely for rest purposes on the second night of a back-to-back set. None of Malik Beasley, Pat Connaughton (who saw the biggest bump in playing time) or Marjon Beauchamp are worth an add.
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
-
Simone Fontecchio
-
Caris LeVert
-
Nick “Naughty Nicky” Richards
-
Kelly Olynyk
-
Goga Bitadze
-
Trevelin Queen
-
Donte DiVincenzo
-
Tre Jones
-
Caleb Houstan
-
Bol Bol
-
Alec Burks
-
Larry Nance Jr.
Tired: Wendell Carter Jr. 56%
Wired: Goga Bitadze 20% ⚡
If you didn’t drop him when he was injured and held a valuable IL spot for him, let me be the first to offer my condolences. WCJ has played poorly since returning from his extended absence. Over his last eight appearances, Orlando’s big man has averaged just 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 triple while shooting 47.6% from the floor. Carter Jr. is ranked outside the top 200 in that span, and he’s logged just 21.7 minutes. His stock has plummeted, and the Magic’s strong frontcourt depth means there won’t be urgency to bump Carter Jr.’s playing time anytime soon.
Speaking of Orlando’s frontcourt depth, Bitadze has been big for the Magic for the entire season. He was a consistent top-100 streaming option when WCJ was out, and after a brief return to the bench, he’s back in our good graces. Bitadze has started each of the Magic’s last four games and averaged a healthy 9.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.8 blocks and 62.5% shooting across 26.5 minutes. Bitadze’s ability to rack up defensive stats, gobble up rebounds and shoot efficiently give him a solid floor, and if he continues to start over Carter Jr., he’ll be worth rostering for the rest of the season.
Tired: Jonathan Kuminga 48%
Wired: Simone Fontecchio 20% ⚡
Draymond Green is expected to return to the Warriors’ facility this week to begin ramping up to play in the near future. That’s still a vague timeline, and until he’s back, Kuminga should remain with the first unit. Kuminga has started 10 straight and averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in that span while shooting 55.6% from the floor and 71.1% from the charity stripe. Kuminga is just fool’s gold, as he’s ranked just outside the top 160 since becoming a starter. Green’s imminent return means Kuminga’s run as a starter could be drawing to an end, and even the increased playing time hasn’t done wonders for his fantasy value. There’s no need to add him.
Utah continues to roll out different lineups, and Fontecchio has been a strong addition to the starting lineup over the team’s last three games. He’s been a top-115 option over the last three weeks, but over his last three, he’s ranked inside the top 65. Over his last three, the Italian forward has averaged 17.3 points, 6.7 boards, 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.7 blocks and 2.3 triples while shooting an efficient 55.6% from the floor across 31.7 minutes. There’s no telling how long Utah will keep Fontecchio in the starting five, but even if he shifts back to the bench, his strong output should mean plenty of minutes regardless. Molto bene!
Tired: Kevon Looney 36%, Trayce Jackson-Davis 42%
Wired: Tre Jones 48% ⚡
If you’ve been rostering Kevon up to this point in the season, you’re just plain loony, and the Warriors’ recent center rotation should open your eyes to the cold, hard truth that it’s time to drop him. The big man has averaged just 5.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists on across 20.8 minutes on the season overall. He’s come off the bench in two of the last three, averaging 5.0 points, 4.0 boards and 1.5 assists across 14 minutes in those contests. The Warriors are a total mess right now, and Steve Kerr has understandably been experimenting with different lineups to try and find a needed spark. He plugged Looney back into the starting five Thursday against Denver, sending Trayce Jackson-Davis (who started for Looney two games in a row) back to the bench. TJD has been solid over the last three weeks, averaging 10.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 67.7% shooting over his last nine while logging 22.7 minutes per contest. In the two games he played as a starter, TJD averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, and 73.3% shooting across 26.5 minutes. His playing time appeared to be trending up, but he logged 21 unproductive minutes Thursday, while Looney saw an unproductive 22 of his own. With Draymond Green’s return on the horizon, it’s tough to envision either of Golden State’s lukewarm frontcourt options seeing big minutes. It was nice streaming TJD while it lasted!
Jones has been highly disappointing in fantasy hoops this season. As of January 5, he’s ranked 200th in per-game fantasy hoops value. His minutes have been cut, and he lost his starting gig, leading to a decline in production this season. Malaki Branham sprained his ankle Tuesday and sat out Thursday against Milwaukee, and Jones drew his first start of the season. Jones posted an 18/5/6/1 line across 35 minutes, and as long as Branham is out, he should remain with the first unit. Jones was a drop candidate early in the season, so this is a purely speculative add. He was a top-100 player in fantasy hoops a season ago, so the upside is there so long as he can earn some additional playing time.
Tired: Ausar Thompson 48%
Wired: Alec Burks 8% ⚡
What a sad state of affairs in fantasy hoops. Thompson was a hot, late-round pick in fantasy drafts, and he handsomely rewarded managers who took a shot on him. Thompson was an elite option to start the season, but once Bojan Bogdanovic returned, Thompson’s minutes and production promptly went into the toilet. It’s not too surprising considering the dumpster fire that is the Detroit Pistons, but it doesn’t lessen the pain of dropping such a (formerly) productive player to wire. Over his last eight, Thompson has averaged just 4.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.8 blocks while logging just 17.1 minutes. He’s got just two starts in that span, and despite multiple injuries and lineup shuffles, guys like Alec Burks and Jaden Ivey are consistently getting more run.
Believe it or not, Burks is ranked 60th in per-game fantasy hoops value over the last week. As he’s been known to do throughout his career, Burks is on a heater, and fantasy managers can ride the hot hand until he cools off. The sharpshooter has averaged 18.2 points and 3.4 triples across his last five games while logging 26.2 minutes, and he’s scored at least 21 in back-to-back contests. Burks isn’t going to stuff the stat sheet, but when his shot is falling, he’s an excellent points and threes streamer who won’t hurt you with inefficient shooting or too many turnovers.
Tired: Russell Westbrook 79%
Wired: Kelly Olynyk 36% ⚡
Just like Wiggins above, Westy will continue to be on our drop list until the fantasy community at large decides to give him the boot. On the season, he’s averaging 11.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals, while shooting 46.4% from the floor and 64.5% from the charity stripe. His role has diminished since James Harden joined the team, and over his last three, his production has been even more paltry, at just 9.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals across 18.7 minutes. He’s a far better option in points leagues than in category leagues, but at this point, he’s not super appealing in either format.
Over the last 14, Big Kelly O has averaged 8.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 53.9% from the floor and 95% from the charity stripe. He’s logged just 23 minutes per game in that span, but his value as a passer has been particularly noticeable considering his eligibility as a C and PF. Utah continues to mix up its rotations, but Olynyk has been a steady force as a backup big, and he should have no problem keeping up this playing time moving forward. He ranks 86th in per-game fantasy value over the last month, and he deserves to be rostered in 12-team fantasy leagues.
Tired: Marcus Smart 81%
Wired: Donte DiVincenzo 43% ⚡
In six games since returning from his lengthy layoff, Smart has averaged just 12.5 points, 2.5 boards, 2.8 assists and 1.3 triples. Those numbers aren’t tremendous, but his defensive prowess has led to him racking up 2.2 steals per tilt over that span. Unfortunately, his elite production in that singular category doesn’t make up for his extreme deficiencies in others. Smart has committed 2.7 turnovers while shooting 36.4% from the field and 76% from charity stripe. He’s still seeing almost 30 minutes per game, but the return of Ja Morant has diminished what was already a shaky fantasy foundation. Smart is not a must-roster option in 12-team leagues, and he can be dropped for a more productive option.
DiVincenzo’s arrow has been pointing up as of late, but there’s a chance he continues to see increased run moving forward. The Knicks moved RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa, which should mean minutes in the mid-20s for DiVincenzo. He’s ranked 70th in per-game fantasy value over the last two weeks behind averages of 13.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 three-pointers, and 50/80 shooting splits. DiVincenzo is a low-turnover guy (1.3 per game) who’s hit 3.0 triples in that span while logging 24.6 minutes per game. Keep rolling with him and add in 12-team leagues.
Tired: Kevin Huerter 38%
Wired: Bol Bol 3% ⚡
Huerter finished the month of December with 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 triples on 40.6% shooting. Ouch. To make matters worse, he logged just over 20 minutes per game in those 14 contests, and he was moved to the bench on New Year’s Eve. Since shifting to the second unit on December 31, Huerter has logged just 15.7 minutes in three games and provided meager point (5.0) and rebound (3.0) totals while shooting 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. His productive days in Sacramento seem to be numbered, and he’s not worth rostering. Chris Duarte has started each of the Kings’ last three games, but don’t rush to the wire to grab him. Malik Monk is the best bench option in Sac-Town, and he should be added in the 32% of leagues in which he’s available.
Kevin Durant has missed two straight with a hammy and is day-to-day. That’s led to an increased run for an early 2022-23 fantasy darling in Bol. Bol has averaged 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 triples across 19.5 minutes over the last two with Durant on the sidelines. The playing time hasn’t been tremendous, but the per-minute production sure has! With Bradley Beal back in action, perhaps Phoenix decides to take things slowly with Durant’s current injury. That would mean additional run for Bol, who showed last season just how productive he can be when given the opportunity to shine.
Tired: Jaden McDaniels 47%
Wired: Caris LeVert 48% ⚡
McDaniels is another repeat on the “Tired” list, as he’s rostered in far too many leagues. The T-Wolves’ forward doesn’t offer strong production in any particular category, and he’s ranked outside the top 150 over the last week. In that span, he’s averaged 9.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.6 blocks. The defensive numbers are nice, so he can be utilized as a defensive streamer in deeper leagues, but keep in mind, he’s shot 40.5% from the floor and 77.8% from the charity stripe over his last five. Defensive streamers typically aren’t this pedestrian in their counting stats and efficiency, so there are probably better options available on your waiver wire if you’re desperately looking for steals or blocks.
Cleveland has been one of the saddest teams in the NBA this season due to the litany of injuries that have befallen such a strong roster. While the continued absences of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley have been terrible for the Cavs’ real-life success, they’ve been great for LeVert’s fantasy value. He’s ranked inside the top 75 over the last three games behind averages of 19.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.7 triples, 0.7 TOs and 46.2/100% shooting splits. The Cavs have dealt with multiple other injuries in the backcourt, including four straight from Donovan Mitchell in late December. LeVert should maintain a pivotal role in Cleveland’s offense, and though he’s a streaky shooter (three 20-point games and a six-pointer over his last four), he’s been doing enough across the stat sheet to maintain a high floor.
Tired: Andrew Wiggins 63%
Wired: Trevelin Queen 0%, Caleb Houstan 0% ⚡
We’ll continue to beat the drum for cutting Wiggins until his roster percentage drops further. At 63% rostered, he’s on far too many teams considering his per-game ranking of 338. On the season, Wiggins is posting paltry averages of 12.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 triples. As if those numbers weren’t bad enough, he’s shooting just 42.7% from the field and 69.3% from the free-throw line. Wiggins has come off the bench in each of his last eight appearances, with similarly poor results. He’ll pop off for a 20-point game every now and then, but don’t let an occasional offensive outburst blind you from his overall body of work, which has been unbelievably disappointing in 2023-24.
Franz Wagner sprained his ankle Wednesday in an OT loss to the Kings, and he exited the game after only five minutes. In his absence, Queen logged 38 minutes – second most on the team behind only Paolo Banchero – and turned his increased opportunity into five points, two rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block. Those aren’t monster numbers by any stretch of the imagination, but this was a well-rounded line that reflects Queen’s ability to stuff the stat sheet. He’s been a borderline MVP candidate in the G League, and he may finally have a chance to show off his skills at the next level. Caleb Houstan also saw a significant bump in playing time sans Franz, as he finished with a 15/2/1 line with four steals and four triples across 31 minutes. Both Queen and Houstan should see plenty of minutes while Wagner is out, and both are worth adding.
Tired: Mark Williams 85%
Wired: Nick Richards 35% ⚡
Big Markky Dubs has missed 13 straight with a back injury and continues to receive doubtful tags. The Hornets have played a frustrating game with fantasy managers by keeping us in the dark about Williams’ status, and there’s been no substantial timeline on a potential return. Williams started the season out on a roll, but at this point, there’s no reason to roster him with no end to his absence in sight.
Even if Williams returns in the near future, there’s a chance that his workload will be reduced in favor of a more even timeshare with Naughty Nicky. Prior to Williams’ absence, Richards averaged just 16.8 minutes per game, but he was impactful in his limited court time, averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 swats in 12 appearances alongside Williams. He’s been great since Williams went down, averaging 9.6 points, 8.4 boards and 1.4 blocks across 28.9 minutes over the Hornets’ last 14 outings. Over his last six, Richards has four games with double-digit rebounds and three double-doubles. Continue to stream him until further notice, and hold once Williams eventually returns.
Tired: Ben Simmons 67%
Wired: Larry Nance Jr. 21% ⚡
Just like Williams, Simmons continues to receive status updates… without really receiving status updates. He’s frequently received two-week re-evaluation updates, but every time he’s due for more news, he gets another two weeks. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess when he’ll return, but given his lengthy injury history and inability to stay on the court, we’re not holding our breath. When (if?) Simmons eventually returns, he’ll surely face a ramp-up period, and then he’ll still be forced to contend with a crowded roster in which the minutes are spread around pretty evenly.
Since returning from his long absence, Nance Jr. has been surprisingly effective and warrants an add in 12-team fantasy leagues. He’s averaged 8.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 0.8 three-pointers and 1.0 TOs across 22.6 minutes over the last week while shooting an efficient 65% from the floor and 83.3% from the charity stripe. He’s certainly not the flashiest add of this group, but he offers strong rebound numbers, efficient shooting and few turnovers with the upside for more if Zion Williamson is forced to miss time in the future.