December 27, 2016

Milos Zvekic recommends waiver wire NBA wings (SG/SF, SF, SF/PF) for fantasy basketball leagues. Follow RotoBaller for more fantasy basketball strategy, rankings, and more.

This year, RotoBaller is separating its waiver wire recommendations by position a little differently. In our three position breakdowns, we'll be separating players into GUARDS, including point guards (PG), shooting guards (SG), and combo guards (PG/SG); WINGS, including small forwards (SF), swing men (SG/SF), and small ball fours (SF/PF); and BIGS, including power forwards (PF), centers (C), and bigs who play both front court spots (PF/C).

Two weeks ago we were talking about how owners should take a look at Jamal Crawford from the Clippers. Well, since then Blake Griffin went down and so did Chris Paul so Jamal's value is significantly higher now. Since I don't want to repeat myself and write about him again in such a short period, just wanted to stress the fact that he is a hot commodity still owned in less than half the leagues. We will be looking into a few other options too, in case Crawford doesn't fit your team build.

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Standard League Waiver Wire Wing Adds

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SG/SF, BKN (50% owned)

Now just because Rondae Hollis-Jefferson didn't live up to his preseason fantasy hype doesn't mean that he isn't worth a look if he fits your team's needs. His poor play lost him the starting gig, and he suffered an even rougher period having played less than 20 minutes in all of his six games between Dec. 7 and Dec. 16. He has bounced back though and has played over 20 minutes in all of his four games since. In those four games he is averaging 12.5 PTS with 0.5 3PM on 42.9 from the field and 75.0% from the line, 4.8 REB, 1.5 AST, 1.3 STL, 1.0 BLK and 0.8 TO in 23 minutes per game. That's a little more of what the owners that drafted him at around the 90th to 100th pick were looking for.

It's been a bumpy ride so far for Rondae and his owners. He seems to have turned it around, so kudos to those who had the patience for his poor performances. But many of them didn't, and he may be still floating around on those waiver wires. So if you're in the market for defensive stats and rebounds from the wing position, and don't mind an occasional dud and low FG% and around 75% on 3 attempts a game from the line, Hollis-Jefferson is once again a player to consider.

Brandon Ingram, SG/SF, NY (47% owned)

The second overall pick of this year's draft is a player full of potential. And he is in a pretty nice spot with the Lakers. They have a nice mix of talent and experience to help develop that talent. Ingram hasn't been great though so far this season. Averages of 7.6 PTS with 0.6 3PM on 34.8 FG% and 70.8 FT%, 4.1 REB, 2.0 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.4 BLK and 1.4 TO in 27 minutes per outing don't really scream "future all-star" do they?

Actually, those stats wouldn't have him owned in 47% of Yahoo! leagues if his owners didn't know what his upside was. In his one year with Duke he averaged 17.3 PTS with 2.2 3PM on 44.2 FG% and 68.2 FT%, 6.8 REB, 2.0 AST, 1.1 STL, 1.4 BLK and 2.0 TO in 34.6 minutes per game. And while it's unrealistic to expect those kind of college stats to translate right into the NBA you could expect him to get used to the change in pace and improve gradually. His game against the Cleveland on Dec. 17 is what his owners are hoping for in the long run. He flirted with a triple-double having scored 9 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 9 dimes.

His lack of defending stats have been alarming with him not blocking a shot or stealing the ball in 10 straight games. He did have 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game before that so that should trend up in the following games.

The Lakers are full of potential and developing that potential is high up in their goal list for this season and the future. That should warrant Ingram a solid place in the rotation and plenty of court time to improve and become what the Lakers were hoping for when they drafted him.

Other options: Jamal Crawford, SG/SF, LAC (48% owned) and Bojan Bogdanovic, SG/SF, BKN (48% owned)

Deep League Waiver Wire Wing Adds

James Johnson, SF/PF, MIA (24% owned)

The Miami Heat have had some bad luck with injuries this season. The only player on the team to play in all of Miami's 31 games is Hassan Whiteside, and even he admitted to being banged up for some of them. The injury bug has hit the two, three and four spots the most. Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, James Johnson, Dion Waiters and Wayne Ellington have missed a total of 65 games already this season. Waiters and Ellington are still on the injury report at the moment. Not to mention the unlucky, undeserving situation that Chris Bosh is in.

The most consistent of the bunch has been James Johnson. While probably not the most talented of the lot, Johnson has played in 27 games and has averaged 10.6 PTS with 1.1 3PM on 49.5 FG% and 72.7 FT%, 5.0 REB, 2.4 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.9 BLK and 1.8 TO in 24 minutes a night so far this season. Not bad at all is it? The rebounds, threes, FG% and defensive stats overshadow the turnovers and poor FT shooting, especially considering he only takes 2 free throws a game.

So if you need the stats Johnson provides, there is no apparent reason for him not to produce down the line. Furthermore for a guy who can be had in more than three quarters of fantasy leagues, he gives his owners more than they bargained for.

Other options: Andre Roberson, SG/SF, OKC (13% owned) and Iman Shumpert, SG/SF, CLE (8% owned)