It's week 3 -- we're here to show you that the seemingly desolate waiver wire ain't as bad as it seems. There are still some gems out there who you should buy now while they're still available.
This year, we're tossing out our old convention of separating waiver wire posts into positions, and instead, we're separating them into depth of league -- standard, shallow, deep, etc. The NBA is trending to positionless basketball, so we at RotoBaller should too.
For standard (10-12 team) league adds, we use a general rule of thumb of an ownership rate of under 50% on Yahoo. All position eligibility based on Yahoo leagues.
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Standard League Adds for Week 3
Skal Labissiere, PF/C - Sacramento Kings
Ownership: 40%
11.8 PPG / 5.0 REB / 1.0 BLK / .518 FG%
Skal Labissiere has the potential to be the next great Kings big man. At only 21-years-old, the former Kentucky product is making great strides in his second year. In limited minutes so far this season, Labissiere is posting solid averages and is proving his worth in the extra minutes he's received as Zach Randolph deals with ankle issues. His role has been expanding over the past few games, and the 7-footer is being encouraged to shoot from wherever he feels comfortable on the floor. He is even a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe, meaning he'll actually help your FT% rather than kill it, unlike most big men.
With the 36-year-old Randolph banged up, he will get minutes through the season and as his role continues to grow, so should his confidence, making it only a matter of time before he is getting more playing time on what is likely to be a lottery team this year.
Jonathon Simmons, SG/SF - Orlando Magic
Ownership: 48%
16.7 PPG / 3.4 REB / 2.0 AST / 533 FG%
The Orlando Magic are back from oblivion, and Jonathon Simmons is a big reason why. While Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon light up the league, and Nikola Vucevic is enjoying a career year, Simmons is becoming the soul of the team. Always known for his hustle and passion, Simmons left the Spurs in order to have a large offensive role, and he has found it in Orlando.
Simmons has played the role of spark plug off the bench the season, and the Magic will spend some time figuring out how to use him. Bench of not, he will get his, and be able to contribute in every fantasy category (minus blocks). He draws contact at a high rate, which provides consistency to his floor, and he has been shooting at an above average clip from the field this season, along with 1.3 threes per game. Having found a home in Orland, he should have a second home on your roster.
Tyreke Evans, SG/SF - Memphis Grizzlies
Ownership 47%
13.3 PPG / 6.3 REB / 2.3 AST / 425 FG%
It is hard to believe a name like Tyreke Evans isn't rostered in most leagues, but it is probably exactly because of his name that he is not. On the heels of his first double-double of the season, the poster boy for volatility looks to be finally healthy, as he played 30 minutes in a game for the first time since January of 2016 on Monday night. While his minutes will likely be monitored through the opening stages of the season, his role is sure to expand down the line.
Evans is not only playing like he is healthy again, but he is showing improvement from the free throw line and in his three-point shot. The Grizzlies are thin at the wings right now, and with uninspiring play from James Ennis III or Andrew Harrison, once the staff feels Evans is ready, he should get the nod in the starting lineup. He can still provide good value though, even with his minutes not where you expect.
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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.