NBA Fantasy: 6 waiver wire targets ahead of Week 13
RotoWire breaks down the top 6 players to consider on the waiver wire heading into Week 13 of the NBA season.
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Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski is averaging 10.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals over the last 15 games.
There are only three teams that will play just two games each in Week 13, while 15 teams will play four games each. That leaves us with several viable options to consider on the waiver wire. Let’s highlight six of them who are still available in the majority of Yahoo leagues.
Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors (54% available)
Injuries are piling up for the Warriors. Chris Paul (hand) is going to be out for at least three weeks and Gary Payton II (hamstring) is on a similar timeline. To make matters worse, Moses Moody suffered a calf injury Wednesday against the Pelicans. The one positive is that Draymond Green is back with the team and is nearing a return from his suspension.
Even with Green’s impending return, the Warriors are still going to be thin at guard. That should mean even more playing time for Podziemski, who has already averaged 29 minutes over the last 15 games. During that span, he put up 10.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.7 three-pointers. The Warriors will play three games in each of the next three weeks, but their lack of depth still makes Podziemski a great option to add.
Nick Richards, Charlotte Hornets (62% available)
It feels like Richards lives in this column. The fact that he is still this widely available is surprising. Mark Williams (back) has missed each of the last 15 games, and there have been no positive updates regarding his status. Since he has been out for so long, even when he does return to practice, it could take him some time to work on his conditioning before he returns to game action.
Richards has started all 15 games that Williams has missed. During that stretch, he averaged 9.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. He also shot 66.3 percent from the field. The Hornets will play three games in Week 13, followed by three straight weeks with four games each. Fantasy managers in need of a center should not hesitate to add Richards.
Kevin Love, Miami Heat (62% available)
The Heat have one goal, which is to win a championship. They take a very cautious approach with injuries, which makes sense given the deep playoff run they hope to make. They are dealing with a lot of injuries right now, including Jimmy Butler (toe) and Caleb Martin (ankle). Over the last seven games without them, Love has averaged 13.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 three-pointers.
Love has good overall numbers for the season, too, with his averages of 10.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 three-pointers. He has been more efficient, shooting 45.5 percent from the field. With the Heat scheduled to play four games in Week 13, Love should have a large enough role to be worth deploying in many leagues.
Gary Trent Jr., Toronto Raptors (68% available)
The trade that brought over Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett from the Knicks initially looked like it could result in a downgrade for Trent. However, the Raptors are now dealing with an injury to center Jakob Poeltl (ankle), who will be out for at least two weeks. They don’t have much depth behind him, so the Raptors could roll with more small lineups that feature Pascal Siakam at center.
Trent played exactly 24 minutes in both the last two games with Poeltl out. He finished with at least 12 points and two three-pointers in both of them. He is averaging 2.2 three-pointers per game for the season, despite seeing his playing time take a dramatic hit compared to seasons past. The Raptors will play four games this upcoming week, so those in need of three-pointers should target Trent.
Taurean Prince, Los Angeles Lakers (80% available)
What are the Lakers going to do leading up to the trade deadline? D’Angelo Russell has been moved to the bench, so his days with the team might be numbered. They have some interesting depth pieces, but losing Gabe Vincent to knee surgery was a difficult blow. His three-point shooting was expected to be key playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Without Vincent to help stretch the floor, the Lakers need Prince. He is locked into the starting lineup, logging a career-high 31 minutes per game. Although he provides very little in terms of rebounds and assists, that’s not why he’s worth considering in deeper fantasy leagues. He is averaging 2.2 three-pointers per game, shooting 39.2 percent from behind the arc along the way. The Lakers are set to play four games, so Prince has the potential to provide a significant boost in three-pointers for fantasy managers.
Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers (86% available)
When Tyrese Haliburton went down with his hamstring injury, it looked like something that could jeopardize the rest of his season. The good news is that not only should he return this season, but the Pacers said he would be re-evaluated in two weeks. While his time on the sidelines could extend beyond then, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could be back by February.
The hot waiver wire add with Haliburton out was T.J. McConnell. Add him if you still can, but the initial push to grab him off waivers has him now available in fewer than half of leagues. McConnell was great in the first game Haliburton missed Wednesday, despite Nembhard starting and playing 26 minutes. Nembhard didn’t perform as well, scoring two points on 1-for-8 shooting from the field. Still, he had five assists and two steals. He is shooting 47.4 percent from the field for the season, so don’t read too much into one poor shooting night. He’s someone worth adding, especially for those in need of assists.