The first week of Fantasy Basketball is behind us and the early results are in. Although, one week of statistics is not enough to precisely determine how our team will be doing for the whole year, or even in the next week. This is a starting point for measuring if your last few picks will be doing what you hoped for, or will it be time to take a walk on the Waiver Wire.
Let's take a look at some of the players who are probably available in your respective leagues, who can benefit your team and annoy some of your friends when a guy you JUST added wins you your matchup. Ahhh, there is nothing I like better than when I get a text from my matchup buddy in the middle of a game reading: "Who is this guy?"
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Deep League Waiver Wire Add
Sean Kilpatrick, SG, BKN (25% owned)
With him scoring in double figures in five straight games, Sean Kilpatrick has certainly earned a place on everybody's radar. He has hit four three-pointers in two contests already and is averaging two per game. He has scored more points (83) than any other player on the Nets so far. To be fair, Brook Lopez was rested for one game and Jeremy Lin left last night's game early because of a strained left hamstring.
But still, with 16.6 points per game on 47.5 FG% shooting and a ridiculous 94.4% from the free throw line, he has been on fire so far this season. Add to that 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game and he deserves to be on a fantasy team, doesn't he? He is averaging 25 minutes per game. He started with 22 minutes in the season opener and played a season high 28 last night against Detroit. He will be battling it out with Bojan Bogdanovic and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for the SG/SF spots. Bogdanovic is a pure sharpshooter and seems to be penciled in as a starter with 25-30 minutes per game. But Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is bumming hard at the moment.
With all the hype around Rondae, after only having played 29 games last season, the rose colored glasses are finally off and his minutes are up for grabs. If Kilpatrick can be the one to get the majority of those minutes, as he has been doing so far, at the end of the season he will be one of those guys who you can't believe was even sitting on the Waiver Wire at some time in the long, distant, dark past.
Super Deep League Waiver Wire Add
Maurice Harkless, SF, POR, (10% owned)
Maurice Harkless had a nightmare start to the season against the Utah Jazz with no points one rebound, two assists and two steals, but has recovered very well since. After the season opener he has averaged 12.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1 assist and 0.8 blocks per game. His shooting percentages were also encouraging with 47.6 FG% and 80 FT%. He also had less than one turnover in 31 minutes in average over those four games.
He is the starter at small forward in Portland, and plays at the four spot when the team is going with a smaller lineup. That versatility will help him get as many minutes as he can in a crowded rotation for the Blazers that also includes Evan Turner, Al-Farouq Aminu, Meyers Leonard and Noah Vonleh, all of whom are competing for the SF/PF. It's also worth noting that Portland just signed him to a four-year contract worth $40 million.
Harkless is just 23 years old so that could very well be an indication that Portland believes in him and expects him to be a valuable player in the franchise's present and future.
Insanely Deep League Waiver Wire Add
Malcolm Brogdon, SG, MIL (2% owned)
When Malcolm Brogdon was taken by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 36th pick in this year's draft, he didn't figure he will have much room to play because the shooting guard position belonged to Khris Middleton's. But Middleton went down with a season ending injury and the minutes at SG/SF opened up. Milwaukee did bring in Michael Beasley from Houston and Tony Snell from Chicago, but gave away two point guards (Tyler Ennis and Michael Carter-Williams) in those trades.
Now only Giannis Antetokounmpo is certain for his minutes in Milwaukee's backcourt and the rest of the players have to battle it out. At the two and three spots, in addition to Beasley and Snell, Milwaukee also has Mirza Teletovic and Rashad Vaughn. Only Snell has played more than 20 minutes per game so far this season. At point guard, Matthew Dellavedova has the starting gig but with only veteran Jason Terry behind him on the depth chart.
Brogdon is a 6-foot-5 rookie with a 6-foot-10 wingspan who can shoot, pass, defend and, as such, can play multiple positions and become sort of a joker in this crowded, but not too talented Milwaukee team. Brogdon has the most upside in this bunch and his 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game could take a huge leap forward if he can develop his skills and get minutes in the mid-high 20s.
By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.