Working the waiver wire is pivotal to succeeding in fantasy basketball. With so many games, injuries and endless shifts in rotations throughout the marathon campaign, we'll need to source stats from free agency to maximize imaginary rosters.
A willingness to entertain competition for the last few spots on your fantasy hoops roster can prove rewarding. When curating this fluid collective of statistical contributors, it helps to consider your end-of-bench players in direct competition with the talent floating in free agency.
The goal of this weekly series is to identify players available in roughly half of ESPN leagues at each position (although we will make some exceptions). Some nominations are specialists capable of helping in one or two categories, while others deliver more diverse and important statistical offerings. In the breakdowns below, I've ordered players at each position with the priority of acquisition in mind, rather than roster percentage in ESPN leagues.
Point Guard
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic (Rostered in 44.9% of ESPN leagues): The rookie playmaker has been empowered by Orlando with more touches and shots since the team's fire sale at the deadline. Anthony has tallied at least five dimes in eight of his last 10 games and has scored in double digits in nine of 10.
PJ Dozier, Denver Nuggets (4.6%): A season-ending injury to Jamal Murray vaulted Dozier into an important role in Denver's rotation. During the last six games, Dozier has averaged 28.7 MPG to go with 12.7 points, eight combined assists and rebounds and most valuably 2.2 combined blocks and steals. While he's not going to provide your roster with traditional point guard production, Dozier is serving an important scoring and defensive role for the Nuggets that should translate capably to fantasy value down the stretch.
Reggie Jackson, LA Clippers (16.1%): Injuries to Patrick Beverley and Kawhi Leonard and the departure of Lou Williams at the deadline have served to empower Jackson in recent weeks. The combo guard has averaged 16.6 PPG to go with strong shooting and passing metrics during the last five games.
Shooting Guard
Kendrick Nunn, Miami Heat (46.1%): In the last two weeks Nunn has thrived in a starting role for the Heat. Like the Clippers' Jackson, Nunn compliments solid scoring and shooting results with strong playmaking and defensive rates.
Reggie Bullock, New York Knicks (13.4%): A key floor-spacer for the Knicks, Bullock has lofted 8.3 3-pointers per game during the last eight games, resulting in 3.5 3PG while fueling 14.3 PPG during this sample. If you are in need of a shooting specialist, this is your guy.
Edmond Sumner, Indiana Pacers (1.4%): Regularly starting for the Pacers in recent weeks, Sumner is providing respectable scoring pop during the last three games (17.7 PPG).
Small Forward
Jae'Sean Tate, Houston Rockets (46.8%): Tied for 13th in the NBA in total steals, Tate has really turned up the defensive production lately with 3.0 combined steals and blocks during the last nine games. With an atypically high assist rate for a defensive wing, Tate has become a lowkey fantasy unicorn.
Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs (47.6%): Still a sound source for rebounding and efficient scoring, Johnson can help stabilize fantasy rosters with his steady role and relatively high floor.
Josh Jackson, Detroit Pistons (25.2%): Turning up the heat as a scoring force for a Detroit team in need of his production, Jackson has averaged 19.0 PPG during the last nine games, all starts. While Saddiq Bey can help your roster with shooting and rebounding, it's Jackson who has emerged as the more valuable fantasy option at the wing for Detroit.
Power Forward
Darius Bazley, Oklahoma City Thunder (34.5%): As the Thunder pivot from competitive upstart to lottery-bound for the final weeks of the season, the team's focus on young talent has been a boon for Bazley's production. The combo forward has averaged 21.5 points and 7.5 boards during the last six games -- rates that appear realistic given his steady supply of minutes and shots.
Marcus Morris Sr., LA Clippers (26.0%): A gifted shooter now entrusted as a key scorer for the Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Serge Ibaka dealing with respective injuries, Morris merits more attention from fantasy managers.
Oshae Brissett, Indiana Pacers (15.1%): The Pacers are turning to the likes of Sumner and Brissett to evaluate just how capable their young contributors can prove. Brissett could vanish as a fantasy option once Domantas Sabonis is fully healthy, but it's also possible he sustains some level of value if Sabonis regularly sits in the final weeks.
D.J. Wilson, Houston Rockets (0.2%): Tate's teammate is starting to get some run in the rotation. With Houston battling so many injuries at the wing, Wilson stepped up over the weekend with season-high 25 points.
Center
Nerlens Noel, New York Knicks (34.4%): Found at eighth on the Player Rater among centers during the last 15 days, Noel's absurdly high block production is a direct result of claiming the second-highest block percentage in the league. Which is to say, Noel swats an absurd 8.9% of opponents' two-point attempts while he's on the floor this season, second only to Myles Turner's 9.0% clip this season.
Daniel Gafford, Washington Wizards (16.1%): The Wizards have been searching for a steady solution at center since Thomas Bryant was lost for the season. Gafford might just be the best option yet, as he's begun to flash fun defensive prowess of late with a rare blend of block and steal production.
Robert Williams III, Boston Celtics (46.6%): A rewarding source of rebounding, efficient scoring, and rim protection when healthy, Williams is still on the mend but could be nearing a return to action as soon as this week. If you can afford to stash Williams, the final weeks could be fun.
Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons (35.0%): Only really of great value when Mason Plumlee rests, Stewart has become a high-end streaming option in such scenarios.
"wire" - Google News
April 27, 2021 at 12:57AM
https://ift.tt/3nr5MLA
Fantasy basketball waiver-wire finds - It's Marcus Morris Sr. time - ESPN
"wire" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YtvSDd
https://ift.tt/2VUOqKG
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Fantasy basketball waiver-wire finds - It's Marcus Morris Sr. time - ESPN"
Post a Comment