With the NBA regular season nearly three-quarters complete, fantasy basketball playoffs will begin for the majority of 9-cat leagues over the next few weeks. While your opponents take the All-Star break as a time to catch your breath, this could be a great chance for you to capitalize on the temporary inactivity and add some waiver wire players who could help you win in the home stretch and the playoffs.
With dozens of NBA players changing locations since around the trade deadline — and still more dominoes to fall via the buyout market between now and March 1 — a certain element of risk vs. reward exists with many fantasy free agents. You're not just investing in a player — you're investing in their situation — and their fit among the team around them could make or break their fantasy value.
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At the same time, maximizing the value you obtain via player adds can be the difference between a run at your league's title and an early exit to the consolation ladder. Just like with any investment opportunity, you could hit it big or you could end up going for broke. Our job is to pinpoint strong potential value and help you land the guys who could legitimately help your squad go on a deep playoff run.
Here are our must-roster players available in 25-50 percent of fantasy leagues, as well as our top waiver adds amongst those available in over 50 percent of leagues. Good luck in the home stretch and go get those playoff berths!
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Best Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups Following All-Star Weekend: Must-roster players available in 25-50 percent of leagues
The following players are available in 25-50 percent of Yahoo leagues and should be considered ‘must-roster’ players in standard 9-cat formats.
Mike Conley, G, Timberwolves (74 percent rostered)
The Wolves have been a mess this season, with injuries and inconsistencies and a general inability to get out of each others' ways. We don't envy Chris Finch, who may or may not be on the hot seat if Minnesota keeps blowing late-game leads. However, the move to acquire a savvy veteran point guard in Conley for the streaky D'Angelo Russell could pay off handsomely sooner than later. Conley remains a solid scorer with a smooth stroke and he takes good care of the basketball, as evidenced by his 4.4 assist-to-turnover ratio (fourth-best in the NBA). Once he gets used to his new surroundings in Minneapolis, we expect him to be at least a top-80 fantasy asset in 9-cat leagues.
Malcolm Brogdon, G, Celtics (73%)
Brogdon has found a home in Boston, and he's answered the bell whenever new head coach Joe Mazzulla has needed him to step up. With the Celtics dealing with a plethora of injuries for seemingly this entire calendar year, their Sixth Man of the Year candidate has played at borderline All-Star levels. He's shooting well over 50/50/90 in February and he's averaged 16.8 points, 4.3 boards, 3.6 assists, and 0.7 steals since the New Year. If Brogdon is somehow on your waiver wire, scoop him up for the stretch run.
Steven Adams, C, Grizzlies (72%)
Adams has missed 11 games since Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins revealed the big man sprained his MCL on Jan. 22, but the Coach of the Year candidate recently reported that Adams has increased his on-court work. That's huge, as the Big Kiwi was one of the better rebounding and field goal guys in fantasy land when he went down. He's still an utter disaster at the free throw line, but his work on the interior (as well as his sufficient passing and halfway-decent defensive stats) make him a worthwhile stash. If you have open IL spots and he's available, pick this guy up like Adams picked up Tony Bradley last season.
Jalen Williams, G/F, Thunder (66%)
J-Dub is one of three Williams on OKC, but he's been far-and-away the best of the bunch. He leads all rookies in steals (and has the most steals in the NBA since the calendar turned to 2023), and his offensive abilities are plentiful. He has great vision for a 21-year-old, as well as a smooth shooting stroke that makes him a scoring threat at all three levels. He should be 100-percent rostered everywhere.
Herbert Jones, G/F, Pelicans (65%)
Herb has once again become a must-roster commodity with Pels star Zion Williamson once again on the shelf with a hamstring injury. Jones ranks 71st over the past month, with efficient scoring, decent rebounding and assists numbers, and two steals per game. That production should only increase as New Orleans guns for the playoffs in the home stretch of the season.
Jaden McDaniels, F, Timberwolves (62%)
McDaniels continues to prove his worth to the Wolves, becoming one of the better three-and-D role players in the Association. With the amount of injuries Minnesota has faced this season, expect the durable young forward to be a key fantasy contributor during the playoff chase.
Mark Williams, C, Hornets (60%)
Williams was one of our favorite pre-deadline stashes, and our investments in the rookie big man from Duke paid off when Charlotte traded Mason Plumlee to the Clippers. Williams is a constant double-double threat with four-block upside and a 63-percent field goal percentage. He's a no-brainer add even in redraft leagues.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G/F, Nuggets (56%)
KCP is one of the best three-point shooters and one of the best steals streamers in fantasy. He also grabs rebounds and dishes the rock well for an off guard, and he's been dead-eye from the line lately. He's averaging 34.8 minutes per game over Denver's past four games, so he's clearly a trusted part of the Nuggets' playoff run. Consider making him the same for your fantasy squad.
Zach Collins, F/C, Spurs (54%)
Collins was Gregg Popovich's second-favorite center next to Jakob Poeltl before Poeltl got dealt back to Toronto, so expect the sixth-year vet's minutes to remain in the 30s from here on out. He's hit that mark in three of San Antonio's past four games, and with the bump in PT came a spike in production to the tune of 18.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. The blocks will come, too, as he's averaged 1.3 swats per 36 minutes as a pro.
Cam Thomas, G/F, Nets (53%)
Thomas went viral after Brooklyn traded Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, dropping 43-plus points in three straight games. He has come back to Earth a bit since then, especially once new Nets wings Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson made their debuts. But he can still easily put up scoring in the mid-to-high teens with four assists and boards and a steal here and there. It seems like he should be owned in way more than 53 percent of leagues, and is pretty close to must-roster in 12-team leagues.
Best Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Sleepers Following All-Star Weekend: Five top pickups under 50 percent rostered
The following five players are available in over 50 percent of Yahoo leagues and make for solid additions and streamers in standard 9-cat formats.
Kenyon Martin Jr., F, Rockets (48 percent rostered)
KJ cracked the top 100 in 9-cat leagues over the past month, and his usage should only increase now that Houston shipped out Eric Gordon and Garrison Matthews. Like most players at 22, Martin has some deficiencies — including poor free-throw shooting for his size. But he's an adept slasher, hitting 59.2 percent of his shots over the past month while averaging 13.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 stocks. The sky's the limit for this Rocket and what he can do for your fantasy squad.
Kevon Looney, C, Warriors (46%)
Looney often gets clowned by the fantasy community, but he's as reliable as big-man role players get both in real life and in 9-cat leagues. He never misses games (knock wood), and has double-double potential every time he steps onto the floor. He also shoots the ball with incredible efficiency (80 percent over the past two weeks) and maintains amazing assist-to-turnover numbers (last week he tallied seven assists through three games without turning the ball over once). You can clown him all you want, but Looney will be helping somebody else win their matchup while you clown.
Daniel Gafford, C, Wizards (48%).
Gafford ranks well below Looney for me rest-of-season, but he should still be on most rosters in 12-team formats. Don't judge his value solely on Washington's past two games — the Wizards destroyed Portland 126-101 in one game, and he got in early foul trouble in the second. His role should continue to demand 25-30 minutes, which generally translates to per-game baseline numbers of 13/8/3 with some blocks and strong shooting from the floor.
Josh Okogie, G/F, Suns (44%)
Okogie has been awesome since teammates Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson got shipped out of town for the injured Kevin Durant. Over Phoenix's past four games, the Nigerian has averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.3 steals. Even when KD returns to action, Suns coach Monty Williams won't reduce Okogie's minutes too drastically as long as he's playing like this.
Terance Mann, G/F, Clippers (35%)
The trade deadline was good to Mann, as point guards Reggie Jackson and John Wall got sent packing. That's basically the Clippers' way of saying they trust Mann to run the offense, at least when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George aren't running point. TMann is the 32nd-ranked fantasy player over the past week, averaging 21 points, 4.5 boards, 4.5 assists, and 0.5 steals per game. In that same span, he's shooting 77.3 percent from the floor and splashing 2.5 treys per night. Hop aboard the Mann-wagon.
Other post-All-Star Game waiver-wire sleepers under 50 percent rostered: Immanual Quickley, G, Knicks (50%); Cole Anthony, G, Magic (49%); Donte DiVincenzo, G, Warriors (44%); Kyle Anderson, F, Timberwolves (41%); Deni Avdija, F, Wizards (40%); Jeremy Sochan, F, Spurs (39%); Patrick Williams, F, Bulls (33%)
