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Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 18

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 18
Luol_Deng_Heat (1)

Luol Deng has been playing great since Bosh has been out of the lineup

The fantasy playoffs are just around the corner, with some leagues going on their last week of the regular season. If you’re fortunate enough to still have a chance for post-season play, it’s important not to take your foot off the gas. Moves should still be made if you think they can better your team, but keep in mind, that with so few weeks left in the season (including playoffs), strategies should be adjusted accordingly. On one hand, owners have less time available to sit on their hopes, but on the other hand, players don’t need to hold value for quite as long to be considered as viable pickups. A week’s worth of production from a specialist can seem negligible early on in the season, but in the first round of the playoffs, it prove to be invaluable. With that being said, each and every transaction, from here on out, could have major implications for the playoffs. So, take the time, do the research and have faith in whatever it is that’s gotten you this far (unless you can’t make the playoffs and are playing for consolations or pride, in which case…try something different?).

Shelvin Mack (PG – UTH) – 3.5%

While in Atlanta, the number of games in which Shelvin Mack saw double-digit minutes can be counted on one hand. Since being traded to Utah, he’s played 24 and 32 minutes in his first two games and has quickly taken over as their starting point guard. In his first game as a Jazz, Mack backed up Raul Neto, but after recording 16 points, six assists, three rebounds, one turnover, one block and one three-pointer in just 24 minutes, he was promoted to starter the very next game. Neto didn’t just drop one spot in the depth chart but seems to have also lost out to Trey Burke, as Neto saw just nine minutes to Burke’s 29 in their last game. Neither of the two, however, appear to have much value in standard leagues as Mack is looking like the guy to roll with going forward. He should be added in all standard leagues. As a point guard, his seven turnovers per game over the last two games aren’t ideal, but he’s never averaged more than 1.2 in a season, so the high rate is more likely due to a small sample size than anything else. If Mack isn’t available, Dennis Schroder is another player who should be owned in standard leagues. Since the All-Star break, he is averaging 19.7 points, 7.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 0.7 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 26.3 minutes. That kind of production is truly exceptional given the limited minutes, but it’s hard to imagine it will continue for the rest of the season. Schroder will probably continue to come off the bench, so he may be more of a temporary play, but even so, he’s worth starting in standard leagues as long as he can keep it up.

Justise Winslow (SG/SF – MIA) – 11.2%

Since the All-Star break, Winslow is averaging 12.5 points (50% FG, 66.7% FT), eight rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.8 assists and 0.5  blocks in 34 minutes. He’s competed with Gerald Green for time at small forward, and over the last four games, has come out on top. Even in the one game in which Green got the start, Winslow still out-played him, putting up 15 points in 40 minutes compared to Green’s offensive blank in 18 minutes. Encouragingly, it was Winslow and Luol Deng getting the start in Miami’s latest game, with Green coming off the bench. The absence of Chris Bosh (blood clot) has opened up plenty of minutes to be had, and at the moment, it looks like some of those minutes have trickled down to Winslow. If Bosh ends up being shut down for the rest of the season, Winslow could seriously benefit and is, therefore, worth adding and holding onto in standard leagues.

Luol Deng (SF – MIA) – 24.2%

Deng appears to be pulling an “H.G. Wells” and turning back the clock as he’s averaging an impressive 21.5 points (47.1% FG, 71.4% FT) and 12 rebounds over his last four games. Averaging 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.3 blocks, 0.9 steals, 0.9 turnovers and 1.2 threes in 31.7 minutes this year, Deng has been a deep-league player at best, but with Chris Bosh’s recent issues with blood clots in his leg, Deng’s seen a huge increase in his usage. As long as Bosh is out, Deng is a must own and even a must-start in just about all leagues, and that could end up lasting the rest of the season. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, sources say that Bosh is being advised to shut down for the remainder of the season. If that happens, Deng will immediately become one of the top waiver wire adds of the year. Regardless of Bosh’s future decision, Deng needs to be owned right now.

Mirza Teletovic (PF – PHX) – 11.5%

The Suns are tanking – at least, they should be – and, as a result, it’s been difficult predicting who will get relevant playing time on a day-to-day basis. That’s not exactly the norm when it comes to teams who’ve given up on the current season, as they usually focus on younger talent and shy away from playing non-dominant veterans. It seems like, at every position, there are at least two players fighting for starting status. At power forward, Teletovic, Kris Humphries and Jon Leur have been splitting time, with Humphries having nabbed the most recent start, but it’s Teletovic who’s displayed the most value by far. Over his last five games, Teletovic has averaged 19.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.8 turnovers and an impressive 3.2 three-pointers in only 27.2 minutes. Of the Suns’ last four games, the first two have seen Humphries and Leur put up respectable numbers while the last two contests have been anything but productive. Neither player has broken the 20-minute mark in those two contests while Teletovic has averaged 26.5 minutes. He’s certainly trending upwards, and with his most recent performance of 30 points (12-of-23 from the floor), 11 rebounds and five 3-pointers, it’s hard to imagine Teletovic playing fewer minutes than the other two guys anytime soon. Then again, as previously stated, Phoenix hasn’t exactly been doing things by the books, so there’s always a chance his recent hot streak has no impact on his playing time, but it still makes sense to go with Teletovic while he’s hot (especially if you’re in need of threes).

Alex Len (C – PHX) – 15.4%

In a similar but more frustrating situation as Teletovic, Alex Len finds himself competing for playing time with a fellow Suns center who should be an after thought. If a team has no chance of making the playoffs and seriously needs to focus on its future, it should probably…you know…focus on its future. That’s why it’s a little hard to understand how someone like Tyson Chandler, a 15-year veteran on his way out, is still able to command so much time over a promising third-year player like Len. To be fair, going into Thursday’s game against Brooklyn, Len was dealing with a sprained ankle and may have therefore been limited, but even before that injury, Chandler was the regular starter at center. In the two most recent games that Chandler missed (shoulder), Len played well as a starter, averaging 18.5 points (45% FG, 82% FT), 10.5 rebounds and one steal in 27.5 minutes. So, Len should start to see a progression in his workload as the season continues, but even if he doesn’t, he’s proven capable of doing a lot with a little and should, at the very least, remain an asset in deeper leagues.

George Haw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from George, check out his archive and follow him @georgeWarfieldH.

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