RADIO
Lance Roberson looks at some early-week waiver wire options for fantasy basketball leagues. These players may be free agents to target on waivers in Week 17.
After an exciting start, it's Week 17 of the 2023-2024 NBA season. While you want to have faith in the players you drafted, don't get too attached. You may feel confident about your draft decisions, but remember: stars are born and eroded every day. Take a moment to see what's on the other side of the waiver wire.
Most leagues limit how many players you can stream each week in daily leagues. If your league only allows three moves per week, you need to be very efficient with your moves and grab players who will help you maximize your games played and help you win an extra category or two of counting stats.
The goal of this article each Monday morning will be to help you plan your roster moves for the first half of the week. Planning is important, and I always include which teams play on optimal days for streaming in the very first section so you can look for additional players that I don't mention as well. All the rostered percentages used in this article are from Yahoo! Let's see who can help us start the week strong!
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Weekly Schedule: Monday to Thursday
Teams that play one game (AVOID): Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City
Teams that play three games (TARGET): Golden State, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Utah
Shallow League Streaming Options
Jaime Jaquez Jr. - SF (37%)
The Miami Heat, despite providing the NBA world with their 2023 postseason magic, fell to earther quicker than an asteroid falling in Deep Impact's running time. As such, rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s recent dip in play coincides with Miami's fall from grace. The UCLA alum averaged only nine points on 16 percent shooting from the three-point line in his last five outings. However, regardless of the current rookie wall, which Jaquez Jr. fights, picking up the Miami rookie as a streamer makes for a sneaky move late in the fantasy season.
Malik Beasley SG, SF (33%)
Regardless of what the baby boomer or Generation X community members think, you can never get enough three-point shooting, especially in fantasy basketball circles. Malik Beasley doesn't want to hear from anyone about too much shooting from a distance, as that's his specialty. The last five games saw Beasley average 14 points while shooting 42 percent from the perimeter on a brash nine attempts per game.
Beasley provides fantasy managers with the hope that a streamer candidate can make a difference on the margins of their roster. Moreover, Beasley will have three opportunities in the early-week schedule to pump up your team with three-point shooting as the Milwaukee Bucks play the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and Memphis Grizzlies to start Week 17.
Brandin Podziemski - SG (47%)
Despite the rough season from the Golden State Warriors, including multiple rage fits from Draymond Green and the public humbling display of Klay Thompson realizing he's no longer an elite player, Stephen Curry's team fought through adversity. Golden State finds itself in Play-In Tournament position following a 7-3 run in their last 10 games. Rookie Brandin Poziemski made himself a name as an all-around decent player who produces assists and rebounds.
Averaging 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists with only 1.1 turnovers, Podziemski has the makings of a winning player in a league full of elite athletes. I say Podziemski's efforts warrant a spot on your deep-league team as a quality streamer candidate.
Ayo Dosunmu - SG (36%)
Since the announcement of Zach LaVine's season-ending injury, I figured Ayo Dosunmu would be as hard to acquire as a fair-priced Kobe Bryant shoe. However, the fantasy community doesn't seem interested in the young guard. Rostered on a mere 36 percent of Yahoo! fantasy teams, Dosunmu's numbers laugh at such a fact. Dosunmu's previous 10 outings showcase the subtle beauty of acquiring such a player as a streamer candidate, as he averaged 15 points on 47 percent three-point shooting and displayed a pulse on defense with a block and steal a game.
AYO HITS HIS 5TH 3PT OF THE NIGHT!!
A new career high for Dosunmu! 🔥#BullsNation | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/Pz7wmbeUii
— Bulls Nation (@BullNationCHI) February 11, 2024
Don't ignore the facts, and pick up Dosumnu for a steal-of-a-pickup in fantasy basketball circles.
Deep League Streaming Options
Simone Fontecchio - SF (11%)
For most players, going from the properly rebuilding Utah Jazz to the aimlessly wandering Detroit Pistons would break even the toughest of competitors. However, Simone Fontecchio thrived despite such a terrible situation, scoring 20 points in his debut for the Pistons.
Simone Fontecchio last night:
20 PTS | 9 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL
In 10 mins, the line-up of Cade-Ivey-Fontecchio-Ausar-Duren was +15.7--VERY small sample size, but a positive trend.
Can't wait for game two with @simofonte13. pic.twitter.com/I1SvMdF0NI
— Jack Kelly (@jack_kelly_313) February 11, 2024
As the Pistons traded a bulk of their veterans at the deadline, Fontecchio has a grand opportunity to score in bunches and solidify himself as one of the more efficient players on the team. Regarding fantasy basketball, Fontecchio, even more than his time in Utah, merits a rental while fantasy managers prep themselves for the season's final stretch.
Santi Aldama - PF, C (25%)
It's been a grisly season for the Memphis Grizzlies. A lot went wrong early in the 20230-2024 campaign; between the multitude of injuries and the 25-game suspension for Ja Morant, the season got away from the young and talented Memphis franchise. However, due to the injuries and trades involving their center rotation, Santi Aldama found himself a home in the Grizzlies' rotation.
Recently, showing sparks from the three-point line, recording at least three shots from distance in three of his last five games, Aldama is more than a big man taking up space in the paint. Averaging 22.3 fantasy points during the stretch mentioned above, Aldama merits attention as a deep-league streamer option. The Memphis frontcourt option has three games in the early-week schedule, commanding more attention as a player worth value at the end of your roster.
Corey Kispert - SG, SF (25%)
Corey Kispert made it out of the trade deadline unscathed. Whether that's a good thing or not is subjective. One thing for sure, though, regardless of who lines up for the Washington Wizards, is that Kispert will get in a mirage of three-point shots. Converting 35 percent from distance, on eight attempts per game, Kispert's last five games speak to the neon green light bestowed upon the 24-year-old wing.
Make that 22 points on the night for no. 24. 🔥
📊 @corey_kispert: 22 PTS, 9-14 FG pic.twitter.com/bRkdscfaNy
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 10, 2024
Posting an average of 28.8 fantasy points in those five games, Kispert remains a decent option for those who manage deep-league fantasy rosters.
Cole Anthony - PG (24%)
Cole Anthony is a spark plug for the Orlando Magic. Providing bench scoring and occasionally hitting clutch shots during his three-year career, the 23-year-old guard also makes for an adequate deep-league streaming option. Although not given a lot of minutes recently, Anthony came through for the Magic in their last two outings, posting a 3-7 three-point shooting line, scoring 26 total points, and registering a double-double in the process.
Whether he gets playing time in garbage time or Anthony will shoot when given a chance, he makes for a dependable streaming option for fantasy managers looking to fill in holes at the bottom of their lineup.
