RADIO
With the 2014-15 NBA season well into its second month, the waiver wire has taken its typical place in the weekly/daily routine of fantasy basketball managers. The following guards, whether of the “sleeper” variety or just cashing in temporarily on an unforeseen opportunity, almost certainly deserve attention across the various formats.
Waiver Wirte Guard For Right Now
Nick Young (LAL, SG/SF) - 61% Owned
I should not have to put Young here, but at an ownership rate that is currently less than injured guards DeMar Derozan and Kevin Martin, I feel I must. "Swaggy P" should be owned in much more than just 61 percent of leagues.
I do not know if it is the Lakers terrible start, or Young's poor field-goal shooting percentage (38.5 percent), or the fact that Kobe Bryant looks like he wants to score every basket for the Lakers this season, but something is keeping fantasy mangers away.
Granted, Young has not done much besides score, but that is the point. He is the only guy on that team not named "Kobe" that scores a significant amount of points. Sure his shooting percentage is lacking, but Young is offering solid numbers in free throws and a terrific 2.2 three pointers per game at a 40.6 percent clip.
If Young is on your waiver wire, he is also one of the few guys who can explode for a truly prodigious scoring night. In other words, if Nick Young is out there, snatch him up now.
Waiver Wire Guard For Deeper Leagues
Rodney Stuckey (IND, PG/SG) - 36% Owned
Here is another guy that is vastly under owned in my opinion. Stuckey is a flawed player indeed, but he has a starting gig right now. Also, the guy he replaced, George Hill, does not seem that close to returning from injury yet. That is a formula for plus fantasy value.
Stuckey has no outside shot, but is a good source of points and assists while getting to the free-throw line more than most guys in the league. He is not going to be much help in the steals department, but also does not turn the ball over very often, giving him added value in 9-Cat leagues.
If you need a point guard, and Stuckey is out there, give him a look.
Waiver Wire Guard To Keep An Eye On
Marcus Smart (PG, BOS) - 28% Owned
Smart put up his best game as a pro Monday night, scoring 23 points to go along with five assists and two steals. Prior to that, he had done next to nothing in very limited playing time this season.
The extended playing time came as the Celtics were about to get blown out, until Smart and the rest of the Boston bench brought the team back only to ultimately lose by one in double OT. Smart is certainly going to go back to his limited minutes, but there was a glimpse of light here.
Who knows, maybe Smart's performance will convince the Celtics brass that they have their point guard of the future, and that they can feel comfortable in trading Rajon Rondo who many feel could be on his way out of Boston sometime this year. It is something to keep in mind.
Outside of the deepest of leagues, it is tough to recommend picking up Smart right now. However, it is advisable to keep a close eye on what happens with him going forward.
