With the NBA trade deadline officially in the season’s rearview mirror, this week’s Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire roundup will look at some of the players whose value increased due to new roles or new teams.
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(All owner percentages are for ESPN leagues as of February 23rd)
Nerlens Noel (C/PF – DAL): 57%
In a trade that only cost them a buyout candidate – Andrew Bogut (C – PHI) – and a protected first round pick, the Mavericks have cemented their center position with a bouncy, defensive-minded player who should excel in the pick and roll – similar to the role role Tyson Chandler (C – PHO) played for Dallas during their championship season. Nerlens Noel has excelled in limited minutes this season – 8.9 points and five rebounds in under 20 minutes of play per game. While the former lottery pick has never been known for his offensive efficiency, Noel is also shooting 61 percent from the field and has a PER of 21.01
In fact, Noel’s per-36 numbers (per Basketball Reference) have him averaging over 16 points, nine rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.7 blocks in starter’s minutes. That scoring number seems high, but otherwise, nothing is outside of Noel’s norm. If he’s available, he’s a must add.
The only player on this list not affected by a trade or possible buyout, Jeremy Lin will be available to play on Friday – his first game since the day after Christmas. While he may be on a minutes’ restriction at first, the New York Post is reporting that Nets’ head coach Kenny Atkinson appears to be leaning towards putting Lin back in the starting lineup immediately. Lin’s never quite lived up to the Linsanity hype that marked his breakout season, but he’s a legitimate starting point guard who does just enough of everything to be a useful fantasy contributor. He’ll make about a third of his three-point attempts (career 34.5 percent shooter from downtown), dish out around five assists per game (5.8 assists per game this year, 4.4 for his career), and consistently scores in the mid-to-low-teens (13.9 points per game this year, 11.8 for his career). Lin might not be the most exciting pickup post-trade deadline, but he will be the guy with the ball in his hands the most in the Nets’ offense. If you need an improvement at point guard, Lin may be your man.
While it may not be intuitive to include a player who was just waived, Deron Williams’ past success and likely landing spot (the Cavs) make him an ideal buy-low candidate. Despite dealing with a handful of injuries, Williams has still put up league-average numbers on a terrible Dallas Mavericks’ team. He’s a decent shooter (35.6 percent from long distance for his career) and playmaker (6.9 assists per game this year, 8.2 for his career), who could be the missing piece that LeBron James (SF, PF – CLE) has been clamoring for in Cleveland. I’d stack Williams behind Lin in terms of likely-available free agent point guards, but if Lin is snapped up, the soon-to-be former Maverick is a decent value and can provide guard depth for any fantasy team.
Buddy Hield (SG/SF – SAC): 24%
While ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reported on Twitter that Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive thinks Buddy Hield is the next Stephen Curry (PG – GS), it may be best to keep expectations low for the 23-year-old rookie. Hield’s first season in the NBA started off rough, with poor shooting percentages and inability to contribute elsewhere on the floor. A hot December (47.8 percent from three on over four attempts per game) provided some course-correction, and Hield’s percentages have remained above-average in the ensuing months.
Someone will have to score in Sacramento (or at least attempt to score), and based on the praise from the owner it seems that at least a few nights a week that responsibility will be Hield’s. The additional pressure may push his shooting numbers down, but if his floor is February (35.3 percent from three on 4.3 attempts per game), that’s still a decent scorer who’s unowned in at least three-quarters of fantasy leagues. If you need shooting, jump on Hield now.
This may sound like a backhanded compliment, but of all the players owned in less than 1% of ESPN Fantasy Basketball leagues, Cameron Payne may have the most immediate upside. As part of the package the Bulls received for giving up Taj Gibson (PF – OKC) and Doug McDermott (SF – OKC), the 22-year-old point guard appears to be a part of the Bulls’ future at the position. Rajon Rondo (PG – CHI) and Michael Carter-Williams (PG – CHI) both remain on the Bulls’ roster, so Payne may not see substantial action initially. However, if the Bulls slide out of the playoff picture, Payne could become the first point guard to fit head coach Fred Hoiberg’s attempt at a run-and-gun offense. There’s no doubt Payne is a lottery ticket, but he’s one that could pay off this season.
Jake Stern is a correspondent with FantasyPros. For more from Jake, check out his profile or follow him @TVsJakeStern.
