April 3, 2017

Milos Zvekic recommends NBA forwards and centers (PF, C, PF/C) as waiver wire pickups for fantasy basketball in Week 24. These centers and forwards can be fantasy sleepers.

Most of the leagues have had their finals and the champions have been decided. But in case your league is still competing and you're looking for a big guy to help you out in these last days of the regular season, you're in the right place.

We'll be taking a look at some frontcourt players who can help out your team, based on either their great play as of late or by decent enough contribution combined with a good schedule for the next week.

Welcome to RotoBaller's Week 24 waiver wire pickups for power forwards and centers.

Standard League Waiver Wire Big Adds

Richuan Holmes, PF/C, PHI (58% Owned)

Richuan Holmes has really climbed up the ladder this season. Despite starting the season off at the bottom of the rotation behind the likes of Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, he is now a starter playing around 30 minutes a night. While it is true that Embiid and Okafor are injured and Noel was traded before the February deadline, Holmes has proven himself as not just a decent backup, but as a player who can be truly counted on in the future.

His coach Brett Brown recently called Holmes lightning-in-the-bottle and praising him for his durability since the insertion into the starting lineup. Richuan definitely deserved the kind words, posting 14.4 PTS with 0.6 3PM on 55.8 FG% and 77.8 FT%, 7.3 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.6 BLK and 1.1 TO in 29 minutes a game in his last eight. He is flirting with top-50 value during that span and with no serious competition in the 76ers frontcourt, there are no obstacles for him to keep producing on a similar level the rest of the way.

Philly does only play three times this week, but at least one of those games is on a six-game Thursday. So if you're looking for decent rebounds and defensive stats along with some points and great FG% from a player that won't hurt you in any category and Richuan is still on your wire, make sure that changes soon.

Larry Nance Jr. PF, LAL (28% Owned)

Ivica Zubac went down with a season ending injury and Larry Nance Jr. went straight to work. In his first game as a replacement for Zubac, Nance posted a double-double with 12 points and 14 boards, going 4-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe, hitting one three-pointer, recording an assist and a block apiece, three steals and a turnover in 40 minutes against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 2.

Larry has been getting a lot more run recently, playing 30 minutes a game in his last six and averaging 8.3 PTS with 0.2 3PM on 41.7 FG% and 60.0 FT%, 7.5 REB, 1.8 AST, 1.0 STL, 0.8 BLK and 1.2 TO. If you don't have a particular need for shooting efficiency, the rest of those stats can warrant a place in a deeper league roster, or even in a shallower league as a streamer.

And now, with Zubac out of the rotation, Nance is sure to be getting enough minutes to produce the stats his owners will be counting on if they decide to pick him up. While Nance is worth a look for his defensive stats and rebounding, you would be wise to check if his schedule fits your team, since the Lakers play only three games this week, on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Standard League Honorable Mentions: Frank Kaminsky (50% Owned), Willy Hernangomez (46% Owned)

Deep League Waiver Wire Big Add

Dewayne Dedmon, C, SAS (6% Owned)

While Dewayne Dedmon hasn't really turned too many heads with his performances this season, he has been pretty consistent whole year long. His averages of 5.2 PTS on 65.1 FG% and 72.9 FT%, 6.4 REB, 0.6 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.8 BLK and 0.8 TO in 17 minutes per game support that claim. He has been getting some more defensive stats for his owners in his last couple of games while his other stats are more less on par.

But Dedmon might see an uptick in playing time in these last few regular season games, with LaMarcus Aldridge suffering a left thumb sprain and already missing their Sunday night matchup with the Jazz, and the other two centers being 36-year-old Pau Gasol and David Lee who turns 34 in less than a month, and San Antonio being, well, San Antonio. Rest days for the veterans are a part of Gregg Popovich's philosophy and with the Spurs 3.5 games behind Golden State and 7.5 ahead of Houston with six games left on their schedule, it wouldn't be surprising to see just that.

San Antonio has a four-game week ahead of them so if you need some defensive stats with decent rebounds and field goal percentage, give Dedmon a look. He might be the one to get that one more block you desperately need to close out your rivals for your league's championship crown.

Deep League Honorable Mentions: Brandan Wright (3% owned), Bobby Portis (13% owned)