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NBA Waiver Wire: Reacting to Opening Night

By bwjcaptures (Flickr: bobnets (8 of 58)) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Prateek Kumar looks at four NBA players trending on waiver wires in fantasy leagues. Follow RotoBaller for more fantasy basketball strategy, rankings, and more.

The first round of games has just wrapped up. That means it’s time for owners to overreact to either spectacular or lackluster performances. Let’s take a look at the add/drop trends on Yahoo! after Wednesday and decide whether or not owners are making the right call on a couple of players trending on the waiver wire.

All position eligibility and transaction trends based on Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive our full season NBA (or NFL) Premium Pass for free (includes DFS Cheat Sheets). Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Pass.

 

The Next Big Thing?

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, CHA (Most Added Player on Yahoo)

Injuries have slowed down the progression of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s career. But there is very little that will completely stop him. Opening night saw him explode for 23 points, 14 rebounds, and a career high 18 shot attempts. The Charlotte Hornets have repeatedly said that Kidd-Gilchrist is a fundamentally important part of that team. That conviction is borne out by the fact that whenever MKG is on the floor, the Hornets operate better as a team. Ever since his rookie season, the Hornets have had a positive net ORTG when he has been on the court. Finally, as a 23 year old, he’s ready to be completely unleashed.

MKG should consistently be among the team leaders in minutes. On top of that, the rebounding will be elite from the small forward position. His career average is 6.2 RPG. This season, he’s expected to play a decent chunk of minutes as a small ball power forward. In that role, his rebounding prowess becomes even more important. His awkward jumper has always been his biggest shortcoming. But the early returns from the preseason and this year are promising. He has put in the work so that now the team is confident in letting him take some three pointers. His two attempts from deep in the first game are just a sign of things to come. MKG has become a must-own fantasy commodity.

 

Sergio Rodriguez, PG, PHI (Second Most Added Player on Yahoo)

It’s easy to underestimate the impact that a competent point guard can have on a team. Sergio Rodriguez instantly illustrated that point for the Philadelphia 76ers. Operating as the primary playmaker against the OKC Thunder, Rodriguez dominated the ball and finished with 77 passes made. That’s good enough for fifth overall in the entire league over the course of the first three days of the season. His sparkling assist to turnover ratio (9:0) shows that he’s not a reckless passer. Instead, he operated the pick and roll like a seasoned vet. When Ben Simmons went down, the assumption was that the playmaking responsibilities would fall on Rodriguez’s shoulders. He’s clearly up to the task.

Rodriguez will be a great source of assists going forward. His competition, veteran Jerryd Bayless, is still a month away from playing. But even when he returns, I don’t believe Rodriguez will lose a lot of playing time. Bayless brings shooting and toughness from the point guard spot, but lacks Rodriguez’s vision. And unlike his fellow Spainard Ricky Rubio, Rodriguez is an above average shooter. His last three seasons in Spain saw him shoot 41% from behind the arc. He started this season 2 for 6. His complete floor game should make him a productive fantasy player for the entire season.

 

Dropping Like Flies

Mirza Teletovic, SF/PF, MIL (Most Dropped Player on Yahoo)

Mirza Teletovic is a one dimensional player. He finished 14th in the NBA in 3PM made last season, despite only playing 21.3 MPG. The only reason he steps on to the basketball court is because he’s able to put the ball in the hoop from range. The Milwaukee Bucks are desperate for shooters. It’s a match made in heaven. In their first game of the year, Teletovic lead the team in three point attempts. Unfortunately he didn’t knock any down. He was then benched to start the second half for Rashad Vaughn. However that doesn’t mean it’s time to panic.

Owners that drafted Teletovic for his production in 3PM shouldn’t cut bait this early. Jason Kidd is notorious for tinkering with his lineups. Greg Monroe has been yanked from the bench to the starting unit and back multiple times. Despite his subpar performance, Teletovic still finished fifth in minutes on the team on opening night. Clearly the Bucks need him on the floor. As Coach Kidd begins to figure out which lineups work and which don't, Teletovic’s role will become more defined. Regardless of whether he’s coming off the bench or starting, he’s going to be putting up his fair share of shots. It’s unlikely that there is any player on the waiver wire who will be able to provide elite production in any single category like Mirza Teletovic.

 

Luol Deng, SF/PF, LAL (Fifth Most Dropped Player on Yahoo)

The new look Los Angeles Lakers have finally arrived. It’s a cadre of young players surrounded by a few heady veterans. One of those veterans, Luol Deng, signed a big deal to head west. Unfortunately it’s hard to see how his role on this team results in him being a consistent fantasy asset. The Lakers’ future is completely dependent on the development of D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. The ball will find its way into their hands often. Deng has never been a player that needed the ball to be useful, but he’s pretty far down the totem pole in LA. His long term replacement, Brandon Ingram, has already been handed the keys to the second unit. On opening night, he was operating as a point forward next to Jordan Clarkson. With those roles used up, Deng’s volume will have to come as a spot up shooter or tertiary option. This severely limits his fantasy ceiling. There are plenty of players on the waiver wire that have more upside than Deng.


By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.



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