Welcome to Rotation Watch, Rotoballers! Each week, this article will highlight the players gaining minutes in their team's rotation. Fantasy managers want to roster the players accumulating stats and racking up the playing time. They want to avoid the players falling out of favor and watching the action from the sidelines.
After a two-week hiatus, Rotation Watch is well... back in the rotation. With the NBA deciding to plow ahead with their schedule despite the rapid rise in COVID cases, there are plenty of benchwarmers and G-League players coming up and grabbing minutes left and right. Some are good, some are bad, and some are ready to win you a fantasy basketball week.
So without further ado, let's start searching those box scores and look for those hidden gems that grabbed minutes to help your fantasy basketball team achieve the ultimate prize: a championship. Of course, these suggestions are the cream of the crop, and if you ever need an extra slice of advice, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut.
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NBA Playing Time Changes
Bones Hyland - PG/SG, Denver Nuggets
Yahoo: 5% rostered
Week 9: 26:00 Minutes per Game
The Nuggets were decimated before this spike in COVID cases across the league, but they have a bright spot in Bones Hyland. Unfortunately, he's holding himself back with off-court issues, but when he's on the floor, he's producing results. I recommended him a few weeks ago in this same article, but he immediately went into the health and safety protocols. Now, he should be ready for takeoff as he's been a top-25 player over the last seven days. Last time out, Hyland recorded 24 points, four rebounds, four three-pointers, two assists, and two blocks in 26 minutes against the Hawks.
Denver Head Coach Michael Malone tends to hold back his younger players until they gain his trust. However, he may not have a choice with Hyland, given the current situation around the league. If the reigns come off for the rookie guard, he will become a solid contributor in fantasy basketball circles. His ability to get buckets, drain threes, and add numbers in the other categories make him a must-grab in 14-team leagues or deeper and a worthy streamer in 12-team formats.
Gary Harris - SG/SF, Orlando Magic
Yahoo: 14% rostered
Week 9: 36:00 Minutes per Game
Half of the Orlando players are in the health and safety protocols at the moment. While it's not ideal for the franchise's goal of winning basketball games, it allows Gary Harris to receive some shine in fantasy basketball circles. The veteran wing has played at least 30 minutes in eight of his last nine contests and put together some mighty relevant streaming nights in his previous two games.
Against Miami, Harris dropped 20 points, five assists, three triples, two steals, a block, and a board in 36 minutes. Then, he followed it up with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one three-pointer, and a block against the Nets. As long as his teammates remain sidelined, Harris needs to be on benches in 12-team leagues with Injury List spots. Plus, he's got three games on the schedule to end Week 10 and will provide numbers in every category for your head-to-head formats.
Jordan Nwora - SF, Milwaukee Bucks
Yahoo: 12% rostered
Week 9: 37:00 Minutes per Game
Once again, we have a player with many teammates in the health and safety protocols adding tremendous value to the fantasy basketball waiver wire. Bucks forward Jordan Nwora captured some early-season buzz before quieting down after a few games, but now it's ramped all the way back up with his recent performances. The 23-year old saw 42 minutes in back-to-back games and recorded back-to-back double-doubles in the process.
On Friday against the Pelicans, Nwora notched 14 points, 13 rebounds, three triples, two steals, and a block. Then, the following day, he registered 28 points, 11 boards, four assists, and four three-pointers versus the Cavaliers. Much like the previously mentioned Harris, Nwora is worth a look as long as his teammates are sidelined. He may have played himself into more playing time with these double-doubles. He's 12 percent rostered in Yahoo leagues, and he's a healthy NBA player. He needs to be on your radar.
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