Why Are People Asking Me About Larry Nance Jr.?

At this point it's all or nothing if you are streaming players. You need production and you need it now. For those unlucky few still in championship contention, but need streamers in order to pull out a win, no need to worry. Sure, this part of the season consists of way too many "load management" DNP's and the guys you used to rely on are weirdly inconsistent now, but that opens the door for young guys and players who will stay under the radar.

There is one thing I think needs to be said during this time because I have seen plenty of outside commentary on the topic. Larry Nance Jr. has so much relevance during this time, you should valuing him above any other stream candidate. He does everything and he does it consistently. Most people were afraid to stick with Nance because of the return of Kevin Love, but there really wasn't much to those claims. Everything about Nance's game screams, "I play well with others." So while Love might hurt his rebounding upside, expect Nance to use Love's rebounding to help boost his own stats. There will not be many if any players who are able to post such well-rounded numbers on such a consistent basis so ride Nance to the championship if you can.

Make sure to stay updated on injuries and return times, but as far as I'm concerned, these next three players will see the biggest benefit. As a reminder, for standard (10-12 team) league adds, we use a general rule of thumb of an ownership rate of under 50% on Yahoo. All position eligibility based on Yahoo leagues.

Standard League Adds for Week 24

Alex Caruso, G  – Los Angeles Lakers

Ownership: 12%

5.7 PPG / 1.4 APG / .490 FG% / 0.7 SPG

Lately the minutes have been there for Alex Caruso and outside of his last game versus the Bucks, he's been a surprisingly productive. Most of his value is anchored by his five steal game against the Knicks, but his consistency is clearly something the Lakers are using in the offense. Despite his nightly shooting, he does the little things around the court that will automatically lead to usage and eventually production. Of course, just like every player ever, he's much better when he's hitting. That being said, he continues to fill the stat sheet elsewhere to make up for the times he can't find his shot.

Since the Lakers have finally accepted a post-seasonless...season, they are going to resort to giving Caruso full minutes. First off, there's no reason not to, he's proven he can at least play in this league. Secondly, he has been a staple of the Lakers second unit for most of the season as it is. He might not be starting anytime soon, but that doesn't give any indication he will be seeing LESS minutes.

Pat Connaughton, SG/SF – Milwaukee Bucks

Ownership 6%

6.3 PPG / 3.7 RPG / 1.9 APG / .455 FG%

With Nikola Mirotic and Malcolm Brogdon both missing time, the Bucks won't just need another guard to put in the rotation. They will need production and it will have to come from their wing scorers. Pat Connaughton hasn't been an efficient shooter whatsoever, but that just leaves room for improvement. He will continue to take and miss three's, but his next week he could not have better teams to practice on.

Going up against the Heat, Rockets, Cavaliers, and Clippers all before next Thursday, combined with the bump in minutes he has received gives him the highest upside on this team. He's getting 30+ minutes because of injuries, but benefitting nonetheless.

Thomas Bryant, C – Washington Wizards

Ownership 26%

9.8 PPG / 5.7 RPG / .620 FG% / .9 BPG

Thomas Bryant emerged early this season after a Dwight Howard injury and really never looked back. He started off his tenure with some heavy double-doubles, high scoring games and making it known that he will be doing all his work in the paint. As a true center, his production has been overall limited, but he has been posting defensive stats and a few assists with frequency, proving he can help you in more than one category.

Lately, his production has taken a slight step down, but this is also one of the most grueling stretches of the season. For the next week his upcoming schedule is downright tasty. He faces the Nuggets again to end the week strong, but all three games prior favor a big holding strong in the paint. He won't get the best of Rudy Gobert, but he will be able to use his size to help secure his fair share of points and boards. Other than that, the Wizards and Bryant are favored against the Lakers and Suns.

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