RADIO
Hello and welcome to another week of questions and another week of potential answers. This week three players and one super sleeper have been brought to your attention that have been exhibiting extraordinary performance in the last two weeks and now have warranted great consideration from Fantasy Basketball Managers in 71-99% of leagues.
Be sure to check out RotoBaller's other Week 11 NBA coverage, including our Week 11 Waiver Wire Guards.
Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Player List
NBA Forwards: Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups & Sleepers
Larry Nance Jr. (PF, LAL) - Owned in 23% of Yahoo leagues
Larry Nance Jr. may never be able to escape his famous last name, but at least it makes him pop off the page almost as much as his college career at Wyoming did. Nance was a late first round pick when many expected him to fall to the second round, and so far, Nance has rewarded the Lakers for the chance that they took on his talent. So far this season, Nance has averaged 5.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 0.6 steals per game while starting 15 out of his 30 games played and averaging 20.1 minutes per contest. This is equivalent to 10.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per 36 minutes played. So Nance on the season has been offering solid production in three statistical categories.
He has especially stepped it up in the last two weeks. In his last five games, Nance has averaged a double-double with 11.6 points and 10.4 rebounds, all while shooting for a monstrous .700 FG%. Coach Byron Scott has praised Nance's work ethic, hustle, and athleticism, while blasting the lackadaisical play of Nance's competition for playing time, Julius Randle. Nance has proven so far that he is capable of contributing on the defensive end more than Randle -- which should continue to earn him playing time on its own. The fact that he has cemented himself as a solid scoring option and a real monster on the glass is icing on the cake.
While Nance gets you almost nothing in several categories -- threes, assists, and, most annoyingly, blocks -- he is also nothing in a good way in two categories, as he only turns the ball over 1.8 per 36 and his 1.1 FTA per 36 means his .632 FT% won't hurt you. And when it comes to his positive categories, he has turned into a massive source of rebounds and FG%. Add Nance now before it's too late.
John Henson (PF/C, MIL) - Owned in 15% of Yahoo leagues
John Henson has started 44 of his 230 career games, has averaged 19.1 minutes per game, and this season has started just one game of 30 games played for Milwaukee while averaging 16.1 minutes per game. This is despite career averages of 15 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes. When Henson is in the game, however brief, he makes an impact. In his 16 minutes per game this year Henson is producing 6.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. This is equivalent to 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and a career high 4.1 blocks per 36 minutes of floor time.
In his last five games in about 19 minutes per game; Henson has been tearing it up with 8.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 3.2 blocks. The 3.2 blocks leads all forwards in the NBA for the last 14 days. Henson is averaging 15.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and a fantastic 6.1 blocks per 36 minutes. Henson has always packed a lot of production into a short amount of time, but add the fact that he is a great passing big man, and produces solid points and rebounds to the fact that he is one of the best shot blockers in the game, and it figures out to the conclusion that John Henson should be a fixture on many more rosters, with massive upside if he ever gets starter's minutes.
Courtney Lee (SG/SF, MEM) - Owned in 30% of Yahoo leagues
The favorite son of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers is still doing his Courtney Lee thing for the Memphis Grizzlies who are Lee's fifth team since his NBA career began in 2008. Starting off with the obvious: Lee's appeal is his long range stroke. Lee has an 85% FT% for his career and a 38.2% 3PT% with season percentages getting as high as 40.8%. Lee has averaged 9.6 career points per game with an average of one three pointer per game.
This season Lee is averaging 0.9 three pointers per game at a 33.3% clip and an even ten points per 29.2 minutes of the 35 games he has played (21 started). Lee is also averaging 1.1 steals per game and in the last six games ranks 11th in the NBA among forwards with 1.5 steals per game. Lee has done this while playing 30 minutes per contest. The great thing about Lee is that he gets enough playing time to accumulate noticeable statistics. Based on his career averages, his percentage from long range has nowhere to go but up, and with his defense picking up heavy momentum, Lee should be point of focus for Fantasy Basketball Managers studying the waiver wire.
SUPER SLEEPER: Noah Vonleh (PF, POR) - Owned in 1% of Yahoo leagues
Noah Vonleh is available in 99% of leagues. That might be about to change judging by his shifts in fortune. That's fortune, not necessarily production. Last season in Charlotte was considered to be a disappointing start for the Indiana product. He didn't start any of the 25 games he played and he averaged just 3.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks per game. However, that was in just 10.4 minutes per game. Per 36 minutes Vonleh would be averaging 11.5 points, 12 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks to go along with some impressive shooting at 5-13 from three point range (38.5%).
After a trade to Portland in the off season Vonleh has seen his opportunity start to increase. He has started 25 of his 36 games played and he is averaging 15.4 minutes per game. He is averaging 3.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.5 steals per game; which is equivalent to 7.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per 36 minutes. In Vonleh's last seven games played, he has averaged 18.5 minutes, 3.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. His 1.6 steals is tenth among NBA forwards for that span of time and Vonleh averages 8-20 minutes less than the rest of the players on the list. If Vonleh can continue to build on his performance and carve out a larger role in the Blazers frontcourt, he has the upside to provide well-rounded production for the price of nothing in all leagues.
