Fantasy Basketball Early-Week Streamers: Week 5

November 20, 2023

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 5.

After an exciting start, it's week 5 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. Remember, no games are scheduled on November 23, as it's Thanksgiving. All the rostered percentages used in this article are from Yahoo! Let's see who can help us start the week strong!

Weekly Schedule: Monday to Wednesday

Teams that play two games (TARGET): Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Orlando, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, Utah 

Teams that play one or no games (AVOID): Brooklyn, Denver, Detroit, Memphis, New York,  Oklahoma City, Toronto, Washington

Shallow League Streaming Options

Grayson Allen - SG, SF (30%)

Who would have thought the most significant move for the Phoenix Suns this summer was acquiring Grayson Allen? While not exactly a box score filler, his three-point shooting alone dominates most, if not all, streamer candidates. On a team with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Allen falls second in three-point shooting percentage. In his past five performances, Allen embodied heater status in light of his 45 percent shooting from deep. NBA Twitter (X) jokes aside, Allen is worth a part-time roster spot.

This is why having elite shooters around Booker and KD is so deadly in these clutch moments.

You want to help this aggressively at the nail?

Handing Grayson Allen a wide-open triple? pic.twitter.com/Y6BiaH30AH

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) November 20, 2023

Dillon Brooks - SG, SF (49%)

The aspiring LeBron James stopper, Dillon Brooks, had quite the end to the week. Despite shooting 9-21 on field goals, the media-dodging wing finished a remarkable 6-11 from the three-point line in the Houston Rockets 105-104 loss to the Lakers on Sunday night. Although many fantasy managers dropped the underperforming veteran, I suggest picking up Brooks, as such a performance warrants a flier.

Norman Powell - SG, SF (35%)

The Clippers' shortcomings aside, Norman Powell is one of the few consistent producers on the star-studded roster. Regardless of his place in Los Angeles' pecking order, Powell remains a mainstay as a dependable streaming option. However, since Russell Westbrook's selfless move to the bench, Powell has experienced a slight dip in production. In the former UCLA Bruin's last five games, Westbrook's presence in the second unit made an impact; Powell went from a 13-point average to 10.8.

Point average aside, however, Powell's three-point shooting improved from 45 to 50 percent. Typically, searching for streamers plays more like a game of chance, but in Powell's case, such an acquisition is a sure-fire pickup.

Norman Powell recovers the ball and drains the HUGE triple for the Clippers 💥pic.twitter.com/5YvepsZ4Zz

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 18, 2023

Kelly Olynyk - PF, C (31%)

Another regular on the streamer series, Utah Jazz backup center Kelly Olynyk, comes as a flailing option with some potential for a good game occasionally. Trending downward on three-point shooting, as seen from the 33 percent mark in the Gonzaga alum's last five outings, makes you wonder if he's worth taking a flier.

However, Olynyk supplements assists and rebounds, making up for an otherwise meh production from distance. On 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, Olynyk still warrants a chance for a part-time solution to your fantasy basketball needs.

Deep League Streaming Options

Moritz Wagner - C (25%)

Amid a career year, Moritz Wagner has solidified himself as a dependable backup center for the shocking 7-5 Orlando Magic. Coming off a 16-point performance against the Indiana Pacers, Wagner's stock as a streamer increased significantly. Another potential big performance could occur for the German-born center, courtesy of the backup-center-deprived Nuggets on Wednesday evening.

Fresh off winning gold at the FIBA World Cup, Moe Wagner is quietly having a career year in Orlando

The 26-year-old is averaging 11.4 PPG on 71.5% TS with 4.5 RPG in 19.5 MPG off what has been one of the league’s best benches

He’s an energy/toughness guy and the older brother… pic.twitter.com/cXnMUbclAW

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) November 19, 2023

Jonathan Kuminga - PF (25%)

This is a bad year for the Warriors. Jonathan Kuminga showcased a pulse during the six-game skid despite the Warriors' woes. The 2021 seventh-overall pick averaged 17 points in his last two outings, with 5.5 rebounds and a block to boot. While it remains unclear if Kuminga will ever develop into a dependable fantasy player, the Warriors' athletic prospect has a knack for a quality game once or twice a week.

Malik Beasley - SG, SF (23%)

On early-season returns, Malik Beasley looks like one of the better low-risk, high-value signings of 2023. On a 10.8-point average, shooting 46 percent from distance, Beasley can increase his numbers vs. the lowly Wizards on Monday evening, following up with a potential game-of-the-night contender vs. the Celtics. On three-point shooting alone, Beasley is worth taking a flier.

Eric Gordon - SG, SF (23%)

Held up by glue, Kevin Durant, and a band of role players, the Suns' injury issues keep coming into play. Thankfully, for Phoenix's sake, it has the services of reliable, 15-year veteran Eric Gordon. On the heels of a 20-point performance in the double-overtime victory over the Jazz, Gordon remains a safe bet for three-point shooting, assists, and steals. Gordon can take advantage of another injury-riddled team in the Trail Blazers on Monday night.

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