Just like that, we have six weeks of the NBA and the fantasy basketball season behind us. It feels like we were just drafting our teams and now we’re over a month-and-a-half deep of the season. I guess as the old saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun. If you’re winning your match-ups, you’re probably having some fun, but if you’ve found yourself on the losing end of multiple match-ups thus far, don’t worry, it’s still early and we have some great waiver wire additions for you this week!
The fantasy basketball waiver wire series drops on our website (www.weknowfantasy.com) every Sunday night to allow our readers to put in their claims for the upcoming week, whenever they are to be processed. We will stay under the 40-percent owned mark in both Yahoo and ESPN leagues in our suggestions, to cater to as many readers as we can. Please note that there may be better options on your waiver wire depending on your league. We will also include at least one player that is owned in less than 10-percent of Yahoo and/or ESPN leagues. There is no set number of players to be featured each week but there will be at least five. Checkout how the players we suggested last week did below.
Week 6 Suggestions
Nerlens Noel, PF/C, Oklahoma City Thunder - Averaged 14 points over the last 7 days
Donte DiVincenzo, SG, Milwaukee Bucks - Averaged 11.5 points over the last 7 days
Brad Wanamaker, PG/SG, Boston Celtics - Averaged 10.3 points over the last 7 days
Kris Dunn, PG/SG, Chicago Bulls - Averaged 4.7 points over the last 7 days
Ky Bowman, PG, Golden State Warriors - Averaged 15 points over the last 7 days
Khem Birch, PF/C, Orlando Magic - Averaged 12.3 points over the last 7 days
Week 7 Suggestions
Tim Hardaway Jr., SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks - Owned in 40% of Yahoo and 18.1% of ESPN leagues
Next Week Schedule: @NO, MIN, NO & SAC
Hardaway made the most of his opportunity when he filled in for a sick Seth Curry and never looked back. After filling in for Curry, Hardaway has kept the starting job, averaging 28.8 minutes-per-game over the last five games and 34.3 minutes-per-game over the last week. Over the same time span he’s been a starter, he’s averaged 20.2 points-per-game with four made three-pointers-per-game. He does little outside of scoring with just 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.8 assists, but in head-to-head points, he’s averaging 21 fantasy points over the last seven days. Hardaway has been a hot-or-cold player over his career but is in a position to work off Luka Doncic, which should help keep his production up.
Mo Bamba, C, Orlando Magic - Owned in 26% of Yahoo and 7% of ESPN leagues
Next Week Schedule: @WAS, PHO & @CLE
All-Star Nikola Vucevic is slated to miss at least a few more weeks, which opens up more minutes for both Khem Birch and Mo Bamba. Bamba has seen his minutes go from 13.4 per game to 21.3 per game in Vucevic’s absence, and unlike Birch, he’s making the most in terms of fantasy value with those minutes. Bamba is averaging 10 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and two threes during the time that Vucevic has been sidelined. If you’re a roto player or head-to-head category players, the combination of blocks and volume is very nice for you here. As for a points player, he’s averaging 17.3 fantasy points over the last seven days.
Tyus Jones, PG, Memphis Grizzlies - Owned in 15% of Yahoo and 1% of ESPN leagues
Next Week Schedule: IND, @CHI & @UTA
Rookie sensation Ja Morant has been deemed “week-to-week,” opening the door for Tyus Jones to get starter minutes. Morant was averaging 28.7 minutes-per-game, which will now be occupied by Jones. Prior to this elongated absence, Morant missed another game earlier this season in which Jones started. In that game, Jones went for 14 points and eight assists in 28 minutes. Look for Jones to have some great fantasy value as long as Morant is out.
Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, Charlotte Hornets - Owned in 13% of Yahoo and 1.5% of ESPN leagues
Next Week Schedule: PHO, GS, BKN & ATL
Biyombo has seen an increase of minutes with Cody Zeller out with a hip injury. During his time as a starter filling in for Zeller, Biyombo has averaged 13.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. In his last two games, Biyombo held his own against Andre Drummond in close victories over the Detroit Pistons. This shows that he can produce against the best of them in close games. This is an addition that will pay off for you now but will need to be monitored when Zeller returns.
Jordan McRae, PG/SG, Washington Wizards - Owned in 5% of Yahoo and 1% of ESPN leagues
Next Week Schedule: ORL, PHI, @MIA and LAC
McRae has been consistent over the past few weeks as he’s averaged 13 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and adds a steal-per-game as well. Again, if you’re a roto or categories player, the best part about McRae’s game is his very high field goal percentage of 54% for a PG/SG. This would help drastically. He’s available in essentially every league and has been producing in regular minutes (21+ per game) over the last few weeks.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG/SF, Los Angeles Lakers - Owned in 6% of Yahoo and 3.3% of ESPN leagues
Next Week Schedule: @DEN, @UTA, @POR & MIN
If you’re looking for a week long streamer, Caldwell-Pope is your guy. Avery Bradley is set to miss another week with his injury, leaving Caldwell-Pope to continue to start in his absence. During his time as a starter with Avery out, Caldwell-Pope has averaged 11.8 points on 54% shooting. He adds 2.5 boards, 2.1 three pointers and 1.5 assists in just over 28 minutes. Like I said, this is strictly a streaming option for this week alone, but anyone getting starter minutes for the red hot Los Angeles Lakers deserves a roster spot in my opinion.
Keita Bates-Diop, SF, Minnesota Timberwolves - Owned in 3% of Yahoo and 0.1% of ESPN leagues
Next Week Schedule: @DAL, @OKC & @LAL
Bates-Diop’s minutes have been inconsistent since cracking the T-Wolves lineup, but he has topped 24 in each of the last three games. As long as he continues to make threes at a high clip, this number of minutes will remain consistent. There’s even a possibility that he overtakes Jake Layman and becomes a starter, which would add to his value. Get him now while he’s minimally owned.