Welcome back to The Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who to add off the waiver wire and get in your lineup for the upcoming week in fantasy basketball.
Every league is different — sometimes a 75% rostered player hits waivers, whether by mistake or because they’ve hit an intolerable slump. If they fit your build, go get ’em. But for this column, we’re focusing on players under 50% rostered who are widely available and ready to help in Week 16 or beyond.
Fantasy basketball pickups and advice.
One note for daily leagues: The NBA trade deadline ends on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET and deals are already happening. Save your transactions so you can react immediately when news breaks. Don’t waste pickups earlier in the week that could be overcome by events leading up to Thursday.
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Add: Kelly Oubre Jr. – FC, Philadelphia 76ers (29% rostered)
News of Paul George’s 25-game suspension elevates Oubre’s status to must-roster in fantasy. In his first game since the announcement, Oubre dropped a 19-10-4 line, scoring 39 fantasy points.
The Sixers are one of nine teams playing four games this week. Though Oubre has an appealing, tradeable $8 million contract, I doubt the Sixers move him now that George will be out until March. Meaning, I’d buy his stock as a starter playing 30 minutes a night.
Stash: Jalen Smith – FC, Chicago Bulls (25% rostered)
You’re probably tired of my Jalen Smith stash campaign, but we have four days left for the Bulls to make a move! Smith missed the past two games with a calf injury, and yet I’m banking on the Bulls (I know, it’s a tall order) to find a taker for Nikola Vučević and his expiring contract. The compensation might be lower than they want, but damnit, they’ll get something. That would leave a void in the frontcourt, where Smith has already been operating well alongside Vuč.
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Before exiting Thursday’s game early, Smith was well on his way to another double-double. Hold him through Thursday because it could be a game-changer for your squad.
Collin Murray-Boyles – FC, Toronto Raptors (25% rostered)
CMB’s versatility has been so impactful for the Raptors. Toronto is a top-five team in the East and the rookie brushed off a thumb injury to return to the starting lineup in Week 15. His skill set is perfect for fantasy, as he provides a healthy mix of scoring, rebounding and assisting with plenty of stocks.
Jakob Poeltl is not close to returning, leaving CMB as Toronto’s main guy in the frontcourt. It may seem modest, but as a starter, he’s averaging 9.3 points with 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.4 stocks per game in 28 minutes. That’s over a fantasy point per minute, which is the type of efficiency you want to see in fantasy.
Stash: Bub Carrington – G, Washington Wizards (17% rostered)
Since the Wizards are tanking and in rebuild mode, Carrington stands out as an early short-term hold through the deadline. Trae Young will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break, leaving Bub as the primary facilitator. And who honestly knows how much Trae will play in the second half of the season?
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Since turnovers don’t matter in High Score, I’d prioritize him over Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson at the moment. That could change if Khris Middleton gets moved by Thursday. Still, I like Bub’s counting stats: he’s scored at least 32 fantasy points in five of his last six games, with High Scores of 40 and 36 over the past two weeks.
🎧 Who’s in My Rotation: Deeper league stashes
Jarace Walker – SF/PF, Indiana Pacers (16% rostered)
There are a couple of paths to a bigger role by season’s end for the Pacers’ 2023 lottery pick. First, Indiana is fielding inquiries on Bennedict Mathurin. Secondly, Pascal Siakam could be load-managed as the season wears on, with the Pacers vying for the worst record in the league.
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Seeing what they have in Walker is important, since he becomes an extension-eligible player this summer. More minutes could be on the way and he’s been producing recently, averaging close to 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals per game over his last five contests.
Day’Ron Sharpe – C, Brooklyn Nets (12% rostered)
Add and hold Sharpe through Thursday’s deadline as he’s been a top-150 player over the past month and finished 91st in 9-cat leagues in Week 15. He’s actually good for both 9-cat or points leagues, as he is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league, efficient around the rim and a sneaky playmaker as a big man.
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With the Nets firmly in a rebuild, they could field offers for Nic Claxton, but either way, Sharpe is producing enough per minute to warrant adding across formats.
Ty Jerome – SG, Memphis Grizzlies (16% rostered)
Adding Jerome is less about Ja Morant getting traded (I don’t think he will be) and more about the Grizzlies being 18-29 and trending in the wrong direction. In Jerome’s season debut, he scored 20 points with 1 rebound and 6 assists in only 19 minutes.
He’s still on a minutes restriction, but given the Grizzlies will be without Morant for at least the next couple of weeks with an elbow injury, Jerome has some runway to be a viable fantasy asset.
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De’Anthony Melton – PG/SG, Golden State Warriors (9% rostered)
Who knows what swings the Warriors may really take -— trading away Jonathan Kuminga or even bigger, landing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Still, I’d roster Melton before his minutes cap is lifted. He’s averaging 14-3-3 with 2 steals per game over the past two weeks, and Golden State continues to rave about his impact and long-term fit with the team.
Melton could end up in the starting lineup at some point, but he’s still worth holding in fantasy while coming off the bench. In his last outing versus the Pistons, he played his most minutes (26) and delivered 18 points with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 three-pointer.
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Tre Jones – PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (19% rostered)
Like Nikola Vučević, the Bulls are unlikely to offer Coby White a new deal, thus making him an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. It’d be in Chicago’s best interest to get something for him, and if White gets traded, that would leave a void at the guard spot that Jones would take over. He’s been efficient all year, racks up steals and is top-10 in assist-to-turnover ratio while ranking 77th in 9-cat leagues. Jones is on the IL with a hamstring injury, so you might be able to snag him and stash him from the wire.
Jonathan Kuminga – SF/PF, Golden State Warriors (20% rostered)
Kuminga’s stance on wanting a trade hasn’t wavered and despite being on the IL with a bone bruise, he could very well be dealt by Thursday. Depending on the destination, a change of scenery could unlock the usage and role he’s been seeking in the Golden State. He’s a speculative add in points leagues before Thursday’s deadline.
