RADIO
Daniel Lubofsky looks at some mid-week waiver wire options for fantasy basketball leagues. These players may be free agents to pick up off waivers in Week 20.
While the NBA playoffs are still more than a month away, the fantasy playoffs, believe it or not, are right around the corner. For some, they start as early as next week.
It's a time that's both exciting and nerve-wracking, especially with a potential prize on the line. You could have the most potent roster in your league, but the wrong struggles at the wrong time can doom your squad and have it eliminated. Conversely, a hot streak could help one leapfrog their opponents to an improbable championship victory.
There's only so much one can do on that front with a roster largely set in stone heading into the postseason, but a savvy free-agent pickup never hurts to help swing the odds and build momentum, or maybe even help secure a playoff spot. That being said, here are five mid-week waiver wire pickup options for Week 20 of the NBA fantasy season.
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Week 20 Mid-Week Waiver Wire Pickups
Juancho Hernangomez - SF/PF - Minnesota Timberwolves
32% owned
Juancho Hernangomez couldn't get off the bench as a member of the Denver Nuggets, but he's been a starter ever since he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the deadline.
Since then, Hernangomez has taken full advantage of the opportunities he rarely got in the Mile High. He has just two single-digit scoring outings across 10 games with averages of 14.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 three-pointers, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals in 29.2 minutes a game.
Minnesota has long been looking to address its hole at the power forward position. The Wolves are even in more of a need for outside shooting given the current absence of Karl-Anthony Towns.
Hernangomez will be a free agent following the season and he knows it. It's why he'll likely continue to shoot a scorching 45.8 percent from beyond the arc on 4.8 attempts per game to earn every dollar he can when his contract expires this summer.
Brandon Knight - PG/SG - Detroit Pistons
11% owned
Brandon Knight has appeared in six games for the Detroit Pistons since coming over from Cleveland in the deadline deal that included Andre Drummond.
In his first two games back with the team that drafted him, Knight played just 12 minutes apiece with a combined three points. He saw north of 20 minutes in each of the next four, averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.3 makes from the three-point line.
The Pistons don't have much on the line at the moment, limping to season's end while allowing guys like Knight to provide any type of offense he can muster for one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league.
Perhaps Knight's hot shooting will cool off. He is shooting an incredible 45.9 percent on 9.3 three-point attempts per game. Until that time comes, Knight will have every chance to fill up the scoring column with an outside touch that's great for those lacking in perimeter shooting.
Alex Len - PF/C - Sacramento Kings
30% owned
Alex Len hasn't exactly broken out of his struggles since being traded by the Atlanta Hawks to the Sacramento Kings at the deadline, but he has provided quality numbers in several specific areas.
Across six games with his new team, Len is shooting 60.0 percent from the field while averaging 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in just 18.5 minutes per game. At just 6.7 points per game, the scoring isn't there, but it's enticing to think what Len could do with minutes somewhere in the 20s
The Kings are banged up in the frontcourt right now with the absence of both Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes. Harry Giles seems to be making the most of those injuries, but Len isn't too far behind.
If he can earn a bit more playing time, who knows how high is production could rise?
Jordan Poole - SG - Golden State Warriors
10% owned
Jordan Poole has had a touch-and-go first season with the Golden State Warriors, but the rookie guard has certainly picked up his play as of late.
Poole has scored in double-figures in each of his last 10 games, his longest such streak of the season. During that time, he's averaging 15.8 points, 4.4 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.9 three-pointers in 29.1 minutes per game.
With the injuries to several key parts of Golden State's roster as well as the deadline trade of D'Angelo Russell, the Warriors have a desperate need for scoring, specifically in their backcourt.
The pending return of Stephen Curry will certainly help in that department, but the return of the two-time MVP should also create more open looks for the teammate who's finding his groove at the offensive end.
Cameron Johnson - SG/SF - Phoenix Suns
5% owned
Cameron Johnson hasn't done a lot to warrant a mid-week pick-up, but the circumstances around him certainly have.
Kelly Oubre Jr. underwent successful knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus and will likely miss the remainder of the season, leaving a hole on the wing for the Phoenix Suns.
In an attempt to fill the void, the Suns gave Johnson 33 minutes in their most recent game against the Toronto Raptors, the most playing time he's seen since Dec. 27. The rookie stepped up to the challenge, knocking down five triples to finish with 21 points, both career-high marks.
How this opportunity came about is unfortunate, but this is the perfect time for Phoenix to get a better look at the player many criticized the organization for taking so high in the 2019 Draft.
Playing off the duo of Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, Johnson will most definitely get some open three-point looks and could be a good source of points and triples if the minutes are present.
