Tony Parker has been able to turn back the clock of late

Happy New Year, and welcome to Week 11’s addition of our waiver wire pickups article! We’re here to do the research for you to help you discover some of the hidden gems still out there and available in most fantasy leagues. As always, we’ve come up with five of the guys we like most, but they’re by no means all that’s out there. So, consider this a fine starting point to your weekly research, and if the following doesn’t meet your needs, keep searching – when it comes to fantasy basketball, the waiver wire is rarely what it seems at first glance.

Import your team for free to get waiver wire advice

Ownership percentages are for ESPN leagues as of January 5.

Patrick Beverley (PG – HOU) 46%

Maybe it’s because of his recent wrist injury that held him out of Saturday and Monday’s games, but, whatever the reason, according to ESPN, Beverley’s ownership rate hasn’t changed one iota since last week. Despite my confidence that owners would wake up before Week 11 rolled around and pick him up, the Houston ball handler is still just as available. There’s not much more that can be said about why you should add Beverley to your team that hasn’t already been expressed in any of our three previous articles, other than to point out that he picked up right where he left off by putting up another strong performance (11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and three three-pointers) Thursday, against the Thunder (his first game back from injury). So, if it’s more depth you seek, check out last week’s waiver wire article. But, honestly, there’s no need to waste that time. If he’s still available in your league, grab him now…seriously…right now!

Tony Parker (PG – SA) 22.6%

For those of you in need of a point guard but unable to acquire Beverley, Parker is your next man up. Out of nowhere, the 34-year-old point guard has returned to fantasy relevance and is averaging 19.2 points (62.3% FG, 66.7% 3PT and 60% FT), 6.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 0.8 threes in 25.8 minutes over his last five games. He’s become more active offensively, and while his playing time is still limited, as long as he keeps taking 10-15+ shots per game, his ceiling should remain high enough to warrant ownership in a majority of leagues. Being a veteran who’s playing for coach Greg Popovich, there’s no way Parker will be able to maintain his current pace for the rest of the season, but that’s no reason not to join in on the fun while it lasts.

Michael Carter-Williams (PG – CHI) 19.8%

Lastly, (for point guards that is) if neither Beverley nor Parker is available, Michael Carter-Williams should make for an intriguing third option. He’s more of a deeper league play at the moment, as his history of poor shooting and too many turnovers is anything but a thing of the past. However, those in standard leagues with roster space to spare may want to consider picking him up to stash for later. Rajon Rondo is on thin ice with Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg, and, as a result, hasn’t stepped foot on the court, save warmups, since the first half of the Bulls’ game in Indiana last week. Local publications are even calling for an end to his stint as a Bull (Chicago Tribune), a move that, if it were to happen, would obviously open up more playing time for Carter-Williams. In the end, we’re talking about a team replacing an ineffective player with another, albeit younger player, who plays the same kind of ineffective game. The Bulls benching Rajon Rondo and starting Michael Carter-Williams in his place is a move that just seems ridiculous and unlikely to last. Still, there is upside there, even if it is hard to find.

Nick Young (SG/SF – LAL) 45.3%

Young just won’t slow down! The Lakers’ shooting guard has made a total of 41 three-pointers over his last nine games, and he’s managed to accomplish that feat without letting it hurt his efficiency. Actually, over that stretch of games, Young shot the ball at a remarkably high 54.7 percent clip from behind the line. He’s on fire, and he knows it – so much so, that 45 out of his last 50 field goals attempts (his last five games) have been of the distant variety. He’s a shooter, so you can’t expect a whole lot out of him in many other categories, but he rarely turns the ball over (0.6 per game this season) and currently sports a career high field goal percentage of 47.7 percent. Typically a role player on most fantasy rosters, Young is now worth owning and starting in all leagues, as long as he remains hot.

James Johnson (SF – MIA) 25.4%

Johnson is one of the many Miami players to have seen extended usage this season due to a plethora of injuries. Last week we mentioned Josh Richardson as a player to add, and while he’s still available in about 70 percent of leagues, this time around we’re focusing on Johnson. He’s currently putting up career numbers in the points, rebounds and made threes and, over his last three games, is averaging 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.1 threes in 24.9 minutes. Also, it should be comforting to know that his success has come more from added playing time than it has as a result of any abnormally hot shooting streak. As long as the minutes are there, his production should remain relatively consistent (for a backup), and the recent season-ending injury to Justise Winslow should only help that cause. Owners in 10-team or deeper leagues, regardless of scoring format, should feel confident in adding Johnson for short-term value with reasonable hopes for longer term use. And, just to be clear, Richardson also holds similar (if not better) value and should be considered as well. For more on him, check our Week 10 article.

Since this week was such a backcourt heavy edition, here are a couple of frontcourt players worth investigating if you’re hurting in that area:

Joakim Noah (C – NY) 42.1%

We mentioned him last week, and since then he’s averaged 10.3 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in 31 minutes. As long as he continues to see that much playing time, Noah should be owned in most leagues.

Ersan Ilyasova (PF – PHI) 53.7%

Ilyasova’s ownership rate is higher than is usually preferred for this article’s purposes, but considering how few big men there are currently available in most leagues, he is worth mentioning in case you still have the chance to grab him. Over his last 11 games, Ilyasova has averaged 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.5 threes, 0.5 steals and 1.8 turnovers in 29.5 minutes. He’s always been a streaky player, but as of now, his streak is one you should want to be a part of, so pick him up while you still can.

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