Fantasy basketball: Waiver-wire gems simply must be rostered

We know how important it is to use the waiver wire to your advantage in fantasy basketball.

Yet, so many people don’t realise how many gems are around to be added to their squads.

I’m here again to highlight some exciting adds for your squads to lead you to glory.

Under 70% Rostered (10 Team League Targets)

Jakob Poeltl

Somehow, someway, Poeltl is still available. LaMarcus Aldridge is done in San Antonio, the Spurs have one of the best remaining schedules, if not the best, and Poeltl is the unquestioned starting centre.

So why can I add him in over 30% of leagues?

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This guy can be a 28 fantasy point guy at a minimum, so add him if your league is still sleeping.

Robert Williams III

Like Poeltl, I have no idea how Williams is still an option to add at this point.

Things are a little messier in Boston with Daniel Theis and Tristan Thompson (currently out due to COVID protocols), but Williams’ upside is massive, and Thompson a colossal chance to get dealt.

You don’t leave this upside, which is turning into production at the moment, on the wire.

Derrick White

I know I like Derrick White more than most, but him being available in over 30% of leagues is asinine.

He is the Spurs' starting shooting guard, he provides across the board numbers, and he is playing back-to-backs. An easy add.

Under 50% Rostered (12 Team League Targets)

Moses Brown

Moses Brown has been going bananas.

Yes, there was no Al Horford or Darius Bazley, but Brown is now at the very worst, the Thunder’s backup centre, and Horford will be resting a lot down the stretch.

Brown’s bad games at the moment are worth rostering, let alone his good games. Just add him, and we’ll figure out the logistics later on.

Hamidou Diallo

Diallo is currently out with a groin injury, but there is a starting job in Detroit just waiting for him to take.

The Pistons are using Wayne Ellington and Rodney McGruder in that role and appear to have soured a little on Josh Jackson, so Diallo, who they recently acquired, could see 30 minutes a night down the stretch.

In a points league, his poor shooting isn’t an issue so that I would grab him in all 12 team leagues.

Kenyon Martin Jr

This one is a little more speculative, but I have been impressed with KJ Martin so far.

He is getting more minutes with Christian Wood and John Wall out, but PJ Tucker isn’t coming back, and Martin has flashed enough to be a regular rotation guy as we move forward.

Perhaps he is marginalised when Wood returns, but he is a guy to add and see what plays out over the coming weeks.

Under 30% Rostered (14 Team League Targets)

Dario Šarić

Šarić is thriving in a high usage, backup centre role in Phoenix.

He is closing games over Deandre Ayton often.

He isn’t the greatest high upside player, but there is enough in his 20 fantasy points per game averager to give some hope to be of use in deeper leagues.

Isaiah Stewart

I think it’s only a matter of time before Stewart is playing 25 minutes a night in Detroit.

I would even consider him in 12 team leagues, but in 14 team leagues, it’s an easy decision.

He continues to get better each night and should be on someone’s roster.

Tomáš Satoranský

If this were a category league article, I would be suggesting adding Sato in 12 team leagues, but the Bulls’ starting point guard isn’t as good in points leagues.

That doesn’t mean that he should be on a 14 team wavier wire.

Add him and ride it out for as long as he starts in Chicago.

Short Term Adds

Michael Carter-Williams

Still no Cole Anthony or Evan Fournier, so MCW remains a short term option as the Magic’s starting point guard.

Immanuel Quickley

The Knicks have been starting Quickley with Derrick Rose and Elfrid Payton out; we don’t have a firm timetable on their returns, so Quickley should be able to retain that job in the interim.

Now, given who his coach is (Tom Thibodeau), Quickley could easily go back to a 15 minute a night bench role, but adding him to ride out the starts and then seeing what Thibs does is the right move.

Dwight Howard

Howard is coming off the bench behind Tony Bradley with Joel Embiid out, but it’s not like he is playing the minutes he did behind Embiid.

He will exceed Bradley most nights and can be a decent source of fantasy points in the short-term.

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