Jabari Smith Jr. (PF, HOU) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 14

January 15, 2023

Jabari Smith Jr. is worth considering as a fantasy basketball waiver wire pickup heading into Week 14 of the 2022-23 NBA season.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 36% of leagues

ANALYSIS: I know that you can look at it from both perspectives, but if you don't think this is an extraordinary window of opportunity to grab some shares of Jabari Smith Jr., then you're looking at it from the wrong angle.

Of course, I'm talking about the Rockets rookie coming off a rather mediocre--if not straight ugly--stretch of play through the last 10 days, but ending last Friday. In the three games played between January 5 and January 11 (both included), Smith put up 58 FP. Total, that is.

Smith scared everybody by bringing back his early-season tendencies: bad shooting, low rebounding, and high-volume personal fouling. That was surprising considering he seemed to have found his footing from mid-November to early January, though, and he bounced back to his better ways last Friday.

On January 13, playing in the second leg of a back-to-back mini-series against the Kings, Smith dumped a career-high 27 points on Sacramento and had his best overall game as a pro. He finished with a 27-8-1 line, including three blocks and two 3-point shots made. He hoisted 20 FGA in 34 minutes, hit all three freebies he attempted, and only committed two FP without turning the ball once. It was a blowout loss, though.

No matter what happens ROS, Smith Jr. has done more than enough as a rookie for him to at least be rostered in much more than just 36% of all ESPN leagues. Starting and playing him in a core role is probably only viable in deeper leagues and strange formats, but Jabari is much better than some haters have attempted to make you believe.

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