Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 15
More and more people are adding Danny Green to their roster. Is he worth the add in your league?
This weekly column will highlight players rostered in under 50% of Yahoo leagues who may help you ascertain fantasy glory.
In Week 15, 24 teams will play four games while the rest will play three. Twenty-two teams (ATL, BKN, CHA, DAL, DET, GSW, IND, LAC, MIA, MIL, MIN, NOP, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHX, POR, SAC, SAS, UTA, and WAS) will play a back-to-back set.
Danny Green (SG/SF – PHI): 42% rostered
People have finally jumped on board the Green ship, as the rostered rate increased nine percentage points two weeks ago and another 10 percent this past week. Yipee!
He’s been a top-25 player over the past eight games, averaging 15.3 points, 4.3 three-pointers, 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 47% from the field. The defensive stats are legit, and the reason you’d roster him, but don’t buy into the points and high shooting efficiency. On the season, he’s shooting 41% from the field.
Josh Hart (SG/SF – NO): 39% rostered
Hart’s main value comes from rebounds, as he averages 7.7 of them per game. He will chip in three-pointers and occasionally pop off with double-digit points, but he is mostly about the board (and will also provide some steals). I copied and pasted the above from last week because I’m sick of writing the same thing every week. He’s been a top-70 player over his last seven games.
Malik Monk (PG/SG – CHA): 23% rostered
When LaMelo Ball was healthy, Monk was playing around 15 minutes per game off the bench. In the three games since Ball went down (excluding Sunday, which Monk sat out), he’s played 27, 24, and 26 minutes while garnering a usage rate of 34.7, 25.1, and 26.9%. He’s the microwave off the bench, hoisting 17, 10, and 15 shots. Monk converted 70% of the attempts in two of the games, which is unsustainable since he is shooting 46% on the season, but the usage and playing time will remain heightened as long as Ball is out. Keep an eye on Monk’s own status after missing Sunday’s game with a foot injury.
Nerlens Noel (PF/C – NY): 43%rostered
Taj Gibson (PF/C – NY): 1% rostered
Mitchell Robinson fractured his foot on Saturday, so Noel and Gibson will likely split the center minutes going forward. Noel has been a top-40 player over the last three games, averaging 28.3 minutes, 8.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.0 blocks while shooting 64% from the field. Gibson has averaged 27.0 minutes, 6.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks over the past five games while shooting 52% from the field. Noel is the superior fantasy option, especially in the defensive categories.
Tomas Satoransky (PG/SG – CHI): 19% rostered
Since entering the starting lineup eight games ago, Satoransky has been a top-90 player, averaging 27.7 minutes, 9.8 points, 0.9 three-pointers, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks while shooting 50% from the line. The assists are the main allure, but he chips in a little something in every category without hurting you anywhere.
T. J. McConnell (PG/SG – HOU): 48% rostered
The minutes have ticked down slightly since Caris LeVert joined the rotation, but McConnell has still been a productive player. In eight games with LeVert in the lineup, McConnell has averaged 25.6 minutes, 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 62% from the field. Shooting 54% on the season, McConnell is an efficient shooter even though the 62% heater won’t last.
Chuma Okeke (PF – ORL): 24% rostered
Since the Magic initiated Operation Tank and traded their three best players, Okeke is the last man standing at power forward and should start for the foreseeable future. In his first start of the new regime, he played 37 minutes Friday and contributed 22 points, four three-pointers, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals while making nine of his 15 shot attempts. He’s shooting 41% on the season, so he may not contribute on offense regularly, but Okeke will provide some three-pointers, rebounds, and defensive stats.
