As we approach the end of Week 15, we’ve yet to hear of any official trades taking place, but if anything is in the works, we will undoubtedly hear about it pretty soon, as the Feb. 8 trade deadline is fast approaching. Of course, trades aren’t necessary to the development of free agent talent, as injuries, poor play, and philosophical shifts are more than enough to keep the waiver wire saturated with options. The point is that whether or not a significant trade does manifest, there will always be available prospects waiting for you to scoop them up. So, with that being said, let’s get started.
Ownership percentages are for ESPN leagues as of January 26.
Dejounte Murray (PG – SA): 35.8%
Probably our top add of the week, Dejounte Murray should be owned in all leagues, and owners are acting accordingly. After being named the starter moving forward earlier this week, Murray’s ownership percentage has increased rapidly, so if he’s still available in your league, you’d better act now. The sophomore point guard has started each of the Spurs’ last three contests resulting in per game averages of 12.7 points, seven rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.3 steals in 27.4 minutes. As he continues to gain experience, Murray is only going to get better, and with Kawhi Leonard still sidelined, earning minutes should be even easier.
Wesley Matthews (SG – DAL): 37.6%
Matthews tied his season high in points scored, putting up 29 on 12-of-19 shooting from the floor and two-of-two from the line against Houston on Wednesday, and, as a result, should be a pretty popular waiver wire pickup at the moment. The eight-year veteran is averaging 15.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 2.6 made threes, and 1.4 turnovers in 35.4 minutes over his last eight games, making him worthy of rostering in most, if not all, leagues. As long as he’s seeing around 30-plus minutes per game, Matthews makes for a useful fantasy option in standard leagues for owners in need of scoring and threes, however, there’s a chance that things could change before the trade deadline. At 14th in the Western Conference with a 16-32 record, it only makes sense for the Mavericks to start focusing more on their future rather than trying to turn this season around, and that means taking a look at their trade options. Given his age and how well he’s been playing as of late, it’s no surprise that Dallas seems to be focusing on dealing Matthews before February 8, and if that were to happen, there’s no guarantee it’d have a positive impact on his fantasy value. If — and that could be a big if, considering Dallas is rumored to be asking for as much as a first-round pick for Matthews’ expiring contact — he is dealt, it would probably be to an already competitive team with fewer minutes to go around. It’s hard to imagine the 31-year-old shooting guard would be able to hold onto over 35 minutes per game on a roster already in the playoff hunt, so while he should still be owned in just about all leagues, owners should be aware of his murky future.
Montrezl Harrell (PF – LAC): 8.1%
Harrell did a fine job filling in for an injured DeAndre Jordan over a recent five-game stretch as he was able to average 15 points, 5.8 rebounds and one block in 27 minutes per game. With Jordan’s return this past Wednesday, however, Harrell saw his playing time drop to 17.5 minutes, though he was still able to score 10 points and pull down seven rebounds. As long as DeAndre Jordan is handling his typical workload, Harrell is no more than a deep league bench flyer. However, recent trade rumors involving Jordan should inspire owners to want to keep a close eye on what unfolds over the next couple of weeks. At 23-24 on the season, the Clippers find themselves in ninth place in the western conference, just one spot out of the projected playoffs. So, while they may still be in the playoff hunt, that could change quickly, though, either way, there’s a chance that Harrell finds himself a part of a thinner depth chart soon. If that were to happen, he’d be worth owning in most leagues, so owners in 10-12 team leagues should monitor the situation, while owners in deeper leagues may want to consider picking him up now.
Buddy Hield (SG – SAC): 25.2% | Wayne Ellington (SG – MIA): 16.3%
If you’re in need of scoring and/or three-point shooting, Buddy Hield and Wayne Ellington are probably going to be your top options still out there on the wire. Both players find themselves on relatively hot streaks and are putting up similar numbers, which is why we have them grouped together here. Over their respective past seven games, Ellington is recording more points and made threes with 15.3 and 3.7, respectively, compared to Hield, who’s averaging 14.7 points and two made threes per game. Over that same stretch, Ellington is also seeing more court time than Hield (33.6 minutes compared to 26.2), which accounts for the increased production, but the latter is shooting at a more efficient clip at 50.6 percent from the floor compared to Ellington’s 43.4 percent. In the end, either player is worth picking up, and you should consider doing so sooner rather than later because you never know when a shooter is going to go cold.
Tyler Johnson (SG/PG – MIA): 14.6%
Johnson was expected to return from an ankle injury in Miami’s matchup against Sacramento this past Thursday, but the Heat decided to play it safe and give him some more time to heal. The good news is that he doesn’t seem to have experienced any actual setbacks and should be looking at a return any day now. Before his injury, Johnson started in 12 of Miami’s 13 previous games and could very well be inserted back into the starting lineup upon his return or soon thereafter. Derrick Jones Jr. has been the primary replacement during Johnson’s absence but has underwhelmed, suggesting there may not be much of competition for minutes between the two. Either way, whether Johnson is back in the starting lineup or coming off of the bench, he should eventually return to his pre-injury averages of around 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, one made three-pointer and one turnover in about 29 minutes per game.
George Haw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from George, check out his archive and follow him @georgeWarfieldH.
