Jaxson Hayes (C, NO): Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes is a worthy consideration as a fantasy basketball waiver wire pickup heading into Week 20 of the NBA season.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 5% of leagues

ANALYSIS: I am positively convinced there is not a higher-upside play than adding Jaxon Hayes to your squad almost no matter which type of league you're still managing in. If you're fighting for the championship, or whatever you're doing in that weird league of yours that keeps ongoing, you have to make sure you have Hayes in your roster ROS. Let me explain.

The Pelicans have pretty much shut down both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram for the remainder of the season. On top of that, staring C Steven Adams missed yesterday's game against Philly with an injury and could very well sit the remaining games too. That's three of the best Pels out, and the fourth (Zo) isn't impacting Hayes that much as he sits at the total opposite end of the positional spectrum--though it'd be good for him to stay around feeding Hayes, that's true.

I've loved Hayes since the minute he entered the pro ranks. He's been getting on heavier usage in May averaging 22 MPG coming off the bench, but he could very well start the five games left in the Pelicans schedule with NOLA already pretty much out of the play-in. Hayes has posted an average 12-7-1-1-1 line in his last four games, and the minutes will definitely go up ROS. What I mean is that you can be getting a starter for the price of nothing playing 30 minutes a night and with chances at reaching a sound 35+ FP nightly (assuming 30 MPG), or a baseline of around 16-8-2-1-2 if the running time increases. Tasty as any other flier to take these days.

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