Alec Burks (PG/SG/SF, NYK): Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 53% of leagues

ANALYSIS: With Derrick Rose injured for a good chunk of games (and still recovering) the Knicks turned to do-it-all man Alec Burks to man the team's point guard position over recently-acquired Kemba Walker, who fell out of the rotation entirely at some point. Then, because of course, Kemba went back and had a couple of monster games, sending Burks back to the bench. And the, because of course and this being the Knicks, Kemba again was DNP'ed by Coach Thibs and he's stayed out while Burks has regained the starting nod at PG. Nothing makes sense, but don't worry; it's New York.

Burks has started five games in a row through Wednesday as the Knicks get ready to face trade-friend Atlanta on Saturday. He's played a bonkers 35 MPG in that five-game span even though he's been atrocious at shooting the rock averaging a measly 27.8% from the field on his 10+ FGA per game. That's what we call a serious slump, but that's also an outlier in the past three weeks of play as Burks was shooting 46% on his prior seven games. The free throws, though, keep falling with gusto as Burks is keeping up an 82.3% from the charity stripe attempting 3.2 freebies a day.

The thing about Burks, though, is that he's multi-position eligible (both guard slots and SF on top of that) while carrying tons of three-point upside, good overall scoring numbers, a super-depressed turnover rate for those in 9-cat leagues (0.9 TOPG), and a solid 1.3 SPG average on the year that he's raised all the way up to an unbelievable 2.5 (!) SPG average in the past eight games--he's stolen 2+ possessions in six of those eight games and 3+ in four of them.

More Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups

League Winners: Players To Stash For the Stretch Run - 2024 Fantasy Basketball

The All-Star Break is upon us and while it's nice to have some time off from setting lineups, making DFS lineups, and placing bets. It's also a nice time to look ahead and what moves you can make to put your team in the best position possible to win a fantasy basketball title. Remember, the […]

Dan Palyo 9 months ago

Trendon Watford (PF, POR) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (reporting on Sunday morning), the Portland Trail Blazers are leaning toward shutting down Damian Lillard for the remainder of the season. The Blazers, mind you, have been without Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Lillard, and Jusuf […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago

Xavier Tillman Sr. (PF, MEM) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: With just a week and a half remaining in the regular season and Memphis sitting pretty in the no. 2 seed in the Western Conference, it's hard to envision Steven Adams returning before the playoffs and risking any sort of setback in […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago

Deni Avdija (SF, WAS) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: The surge of Deni Avdija in all fantasy leaderboards has a very easy-to-grasp reason and that's Kyle Kuzma missing time with an injury. Ruled out Sunday, that made it four consecutive outings missed by the Kuz, which has clearly opened the door […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago

Nick Richards (C, CHA) - Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 23

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues ROSTERED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Rookie Mark Williams returned to the Charlotte Hornets' rotation on Friday and logged 21 minutes coming off the pine. Nick Richards started at center for the seventh consecutive time, but keep in mind Williams had done so for 12 straight games before […]

Antonio Losada 2 years ago