Gorgui Dieng (PF/C, MEM): Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups

Grizzlies forward/center Gorgui Dieng is a worthy consideration as a fantasy basketball waiver wire pickup heading into Week 8 of the NBA season.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 13% of leagues

ANALYSIS: You won't believe this, but Gorgui Dieng is one of only 30 players earning the top-salary of their respective franchises in the NBA. Dieng is far from being the highest-paid player, sure, but he's got the max. salary among Grizzlies at $17.2M and is entering free agency this summer. All of that for a bench player, even with JJJ on the shelf injured and with Tillman and Clarke starting above him.

That doesn't mean Dieng is not valuable at all. I fact, Dieng is one fot he most efficient players in Memphis. Since the Grizzlies came back from their COVID-related hiatus they have played four games. Dieng has come off the bench in all games he's played this season, but in those last four his minutes have gone up to a minimum of 23 and an average of 25 per game. Dieng is putting up an average 12-7-1-1-2 line, which is basically nuts for someone playing just one half of every game.

Dieng is currently producing 1.10 FP/min, which ranks above average in the whole NBA, yet he's available in six of each seven Yahoo fantasy leagues. Dieng has scored 15+ points in two of his last four games, pulled down 6+ boards in all four, and blocked 1+ shot in all of them too. He stretches the floor, has scored at least one triple in 12 of his 14 total games, and he's shooting 48.3% from the floor with a great 61.9 TS%. Can't pass on such a bench-bargain.

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