Malaki Branham (SF, SAS) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 19

February 28, 2023

Malaki Branham is worth considering as a fantasy basketball waiver wire pickup heading into Week 20 of the 2022-23 NBA season.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 8% of leagues

ANALYSIS: The Spurs got rid of veteran Josh Richardson before the trade deadline in order to skew younger by slotting rookie Malaki Branham into the PG/SG starting spots of their lineup. That is most definitively the right decision... if what you're aiming for this season is landing the larger possible amount of ping-pong balls named after Victor Wembanyama.

Branham has started the last nine Spurs games sandwiching the AS break. He's manned both the one and the two-guard positions from the tip-off of those nine games while getting around 33 MPG and putting up 17-4-2 per-game lines to go with 1.0 stocks a pop (relying more on steals than blocks).

The Spurs, truth be told, might have lucked into a true discovery while trying to find a way to the true prize in Wemby. If Branham ends up being the perfect complement to the Big French, assuming he lands in TX, is yet too early to know, but things can't look better for the Spurs prospect.

Branham had a rough shooting speel before the break, connecting on just 43% of his total FGA, but in the last four outings through Monday, he's bounced back mightily hitting nearly 57% of his last 58 FGA while hoisting 14+ shots per game. He's hit at least one three-point shot for six consecutive games while averaging 2.3 3PM per contest from Feb. 10 on.

The return of Tre Jones to the rotation might send Branham back to the pine and that would inevitably impact his counting stats as the minutes could go back down to earth (in the low 20s).

Even then, Branham is a bigger two-guard/wing who could still get reps at the SG/SF positions without much trouble and is more of a bucket-getter than a creator, so he's definitely worth the add.

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