Fantasy Basketball

Waiver Wire Watch: Week 15

Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports

No matter where your fantasy basketball team is in your league’s standings — whether in first place or on the outside looking in at a playoff spot — you should never grow complacent with your roster. There’s always room to upgrade, whether via a waiver-wire pickup or the trade market.

With the NBA’s Feb. 18 trade deadline rapidly approaching, players’ values could sink or soar at a moment’s notice, making these next few weeks particularly imperative for fantasy owners. Those frustrated by the Phoenix Suns’ frontcourt rotation, for instance, could have a new lease on life if Markieff Morris gets traded. That’s just one example of why you shouldn’t be married to every player on your fantasy squad, particularly if a certain player has been mired in a weeks- or months-long slump.

Assuming you do have a spot or two at the end of your fantasy roster for a streamer, here’s a look at five such potential pickups, all of who are owned in fewer than 50 percent of ESPN.com leagues. 

Marcus Smart, PG/SG, Boston Celtics (42.6% owned)

Though Marcus Smart hasn’t been able to reclaim his spot in the Celtics’ starting lineup since injuring his knee early in the year, he’s managed to carve out a productive role off the bench. It took him a few games to get back into rhythm upon returning on Dec. 27, but since dropping a 10-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double against Phoenix on Jan. 15, the second-year floor general has been sizzling.

Over his past eight games, Smart averaged 12.0 points on 44.0 percent shooting, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.3 triples in just 29.0 minutes a night. Though the Oklahoma State product’s three-point shooting is hit-or-miss — he’s knocked down two or more triples in four of those games while going 0-for-12 over the other four — he’s now recorded at least one steal in 10 straight contests and two or more in five of his past eight.

Danny Green, SG/SF, San Antonio Spurs (38.5% owned)

I just can’t quit you, Danny Green. The Spurs 2-guard is easily one of the biggest mid-round disappointments in fantasy this year, as he’s ranked just 146th on ESPN’s Player Rater, which explains why many owners cut bait on him long ago. Green himself admits it’s been a frustrating campaign, telling Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, “Most nights the shot doesn’t feel like you’d like it to.”

Outside of a three-point outing in the blowout against Golden State, however, Green has strung together a few positive performances of late. He sandwiched that miserable Warriors outing with 12 points, five rebounds, four triples, four blocks, two assists and a steal in 22 minutes against the Lakers and 18 points, six boards, six treys, three assists, three steals and a block against Houston. If you have a streamer spot at the end of your bench, Green’s upside merits a pickup.

Archie Goodwin, SG, Phoenix Suns (32.9% owned)

So long as Brandon Knight remains out with a groin injury, Archie Goodwin is a must-own in fantasy leagues of all sizes. Over his past five games, the third-year Kentucky product averaged 17.6 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 1.2 triples and 0.6 blocks in 32.5 minutes a night, including an eye-popping 26-point, six-rebound, six-assist outing against Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Prior to his insertion in the starting lineup, Goodwin had played in just 23 of Phoenix’s first 43 games, so he isn’t likely to retain fantasy relevance once Knight is healthy enough to play. Considering Knight currently has no timetable to return, according to head coach Jeff Hornacek, owners in need of some short-term backcourt production should rush to their league’s wire to scoop up Goodwin.

P.J. Tucker, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns (27.7% owned)

Goodwin and Devin Booker aren’t the only Suns whose fantasy stocks have skyrocketed with Knight sidelined, as P.J. Tucker’s owners can attest. Save for a six-minute outing against the Spurs — he received a knee to the sternum during the first quarter from Kawhi Leonard that night and didn’t return — the 30-year-old has strung together one of his most consistent stretches of the season.

Over his past eight games, Tucker averaged 8.5 points (on 36.1 percent shooting), 6.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 triples, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks in 31.2 minutes a night, providing top 100 value since Jan. 15. Though he’s rarely going to score prolifically — he has just two 20-point outings and 13 nights with 10 or more points — his well-rounded contributions make him worth a potential flier, although he has the lowest upside of any player featured here.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Charlotte Hornets (26.2% owned)

Nearly four months after suffering a torn labrum in Charlotte’s first preseason game, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist made his season debut Friday night in the Hornets’ 109-91 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he finished with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, seven rebounds and an assist in 34 minutes. After the game, head coach Steve Clifford told reporters that MKG will not be subjected to a minutes limit but did say he planned to watch his playing time “carefully.”

Though it may take MKG a few weeks to fully work himself back into game shape, the injury-ravaged Hornets may have little choice but to give him a heavy minutes load right out of the gate. Nicolas Batum’s sprained toe is clearly bothering him, while Jeremy Lamb and Jeremy Lin are nursing injuries of their own. Those in need of three-pointers shouldn’t look toward MKG for help, but he’s otherwise absolutely worth gambling on as a free-agent pickup. 

Mentioned in previous weeks:

Nikola Jokic, PF/C, Denver Nuggets (39.9% owned)

Evan Turner, SG/SF, Boston Celtics (39.0% owned)

Jeff Green, SF/PF, Memphis Grizzlies (37.2% owned)

Willie Cauley-Stein, PF/C, Sacramento Kings (34.4% owned)

Norris Cole, PG, New Orleans Pelicans (14.4% owned)

Deeper-league adds:

Stanley Johnson, SF, Detroit Pistons (12.8% owned)

Terrence Ross, SG, Toronto Raptors (12.2% owned)

Tony Allen, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies (11.0% owned)

Jerami Grant, SF/PF, Philadelphia 76ers (10.6% owned)

Wesley Johnson, SG/SF, Los Angeles Clippers (3.7% owned)

All Player Rater data and ownership percentages via ESPN.com and are current through Saturday, Jan. 30.

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