The Playlist: Week 13 fantasy basketball waiver pickups and lineup advice
Welcome to The Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who and what to play — when it comes to music or other things in my rotation — for the upcoming week in fantasy basketball.
Each week, you'll see a compilation of the pickups you need to make, lineup notes (who's in and out of rotations), followed by key takeaways on the schedule.
So press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.
Week 12 wrap up:
Fantasy managers are still in a glass case of emotion after losing Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane all in a week.
Ja Morant will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum
Marcus Smart is expected to miss at least six weeks with a finger injury
Desmond Bane (ankle) will miss at least six weeks with a grade 3 ankle sprain
Top performers
Kyrie Irving had the best week of all fantasy players, finishing No. 1 overall (with a minimum of two games played) in per-game value
Donovan Mitchell was right there with Irving, but he only played one game in Week 12 — but man, did he absolutely flambė the Nets in Paris, France.
And it's officially Dame Time in Milwaukee…
DAMIAN LILLARD FOR THE WIN AT THE BUZZER! pic.twitter.com/VKTFal8Dxo
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 15, 2024
Rumor mill
I mentioned last week that silly season is underway, and the list of notable NBA players who are eligible to be traded was released Sunday. The trade rumors are circulating, so I expect we'll have some movement across the league before the Feb. 8 deadline hits.
Schedule things you need to know
MLK Day always features a heavy slate of NBA games so make sure you set your lineups as games tip off as early as 1 pm ET.
15 teams play four games
The ideal streamable days are Tuesday (three games), Thursday (five games) and Sunday (six games)
The Bucks, Clippers and Kings only play two games this week
Though the Kings play two games, both of their games are on Tuesday and Thursday, so they're an excellent option to stream
WHO'S IN MY ROTATION: players to pick up on waivers who are less than 50% rostered in Yahoo leagues.
Must adds
Vince Williams Jr. - SG, Memphis Grizzlies (40%)
Someone has to thrive in Memphis' backcourt — Ja Morant (shoulder) is out for the season, Marcus Smart (finger) is expected to miss at least six weeks and Desmond Bane (ankle) is in a walking boot. Williams Jr. made an immediate impact with his defense, rebounding, and shooting, but he's also showing some playmaking ability.
In Saturday's loss to the Knicks, he dropped 17 points with an impressive eight rebounds and eight dimes — which helped him emerge as a top-50 player over the last week despite shooting less than 41%. With all the injuries piling up, it's a great sign that the Grizzlies awarded him a new three-year contract after being on a two-way deal earlier this year. He could be a keeper for fantasy rosters for the rest of the season.
Xavier Tillman, Sr. - PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies - (45%)
Bismack Biyombo was waived earlier in the week, and Santi Aldama continues to miss time with a knee injury, opening up plenty of minutes for Tillman. He's been taking advantage of the opportunity, averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He also had six steals in his last contest, boosting his steals rate to 2.3 over that span. There's little competition at the center spot, and Tillman has some double-double appeal and is a capable passing big who can get some steals. Scoop him up before someone else does.
Luke Kennard - PG/SG, Memphis Grizzlies (26%)
If you miss out on either Tillman or Williams Jr., get Kennard. He's typically a three-point specialist, but he'll be tasked with more usage, given all the injuries in Memphis' backcourt. I like Williams and Tillman's rest-of-season outlook more, but Kennard will be an add as long as Desmond Bane is sidelined.
He's efficient and is averaging 12/5/4 with nearly three triples per game as a starter this season.
Duncan Robinson - SG/SF, Miami Heat (49%)
Jimmy Butler (foot) is still out, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin) has been ruled out ahead of Monday's game. That means Robinson still needs to be rostered. He's been outstanding in his last two performances, averaging 21 points with four rebounds, 3.5 threes and 1.5 stocks with 53/43/100 shooting splits. The Heat have four games against some favorable opponents, too — facing the Nets, Raptors, Hawks and Magic.
Streamers:
Jeremy Sochan - PG/PF, San Antonio Spurs (36%)
I'm running back Sochan in a four-game week because he's trending up. He finished Week 12 115th in per-game value — averaging 13 points with six rebounds and three assists with at least one three-pointer. His low FG percentage remains an issue in category leagues, though he's generating enough counting stats to continue streaming. Three of the four games for San Antonio this week are against fantasy-friendly teams — the Hawks, Wizards and Hornets.
Christian Wood - PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers (16%)
Wood's move back into the Lakers' rotation has been effective, as he finished Week 12 in the top 80 in per-game value in 9-category leagues. While he's only playing 20 minutes a night, he's averaging 12 points, seven rebounds and a block with a strong 54/38/100 shooting split over his last five outings. Lakers HC Darvin Ham gave him a vote of confidence, and he's settling in as the Lakers' backup center.
"Guess who's back" (feat Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel) - Scarface
Kris Dunn - PG, Utah Jazz (12%)
The Jazz are one of basketball's hottest teams, and Dunn should get some credit for their recent success. The Jazz are 12-3 with him as a starter this season and 11-2 over their last 13 games. Even though his minutes are fluctuating, he's been playing above expectations lately.
He's 37th in per-game value over the past two weeks, and his stocks continue to be his most valued asset; over those eight games, he's averaging 2.9 stocks per game (1.8 steals + 1.1 blocks), which is wild for a guard not named Derrick White or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Don't expect much for scoring, but 10 rebounds + assists per game with a couple of stocks will definitely be useful with the Jazz playing four games in Week 13.
Luguentz Dort - SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder (39%)
The Thunder have one of the best schedules for Week 13, playing four games, with two of their games falling on Tuesday and Thursday (lighter slates). Dort's been 52nd over the past two weeks, and though his numbers won't wow you, he's become a reliable source of points, threes and stocks. One transaction can get at least three games' worth of production this week, making him an ideal streaming option.
Trayce Jackson-Davis - PF/C, Golden State Warriors (35%)
The rookie's minutes are hovering around 20 a night, but he's been one of the only bright spots for the Warriors frontcourt lately. He's been an effective rebounder and defender but has also been efficient offensively. He's posted 14 points with seven boards over his last five games and registered at least one block in five straight contests. Draymond Green's return worries me more for Kevon Looney and Dario Sarić's minutes. TJD was a top-30 player in Week 12, and I think Kerr sticks with his impressive young big man.
Shallow league streaming options:
Kelly Oubre Jr. - SF, Philadelphia 76ers (51%)
Obi Toppin - PF, Indiana Pacers (48%)
Malik Beasley - SG/SF, Milwaukee Bucks (45%)
Brandin Podziemski - SG, Golden State Warriors (41%)
Alex Caruso - PG/SG, Chicago Bulls (42%)
Deep-league streaming options in Week 13:
Cam Whitmore - SF, Houston Rockets (7%)
Trey Lyles - PF/C, Sacramento Kings (3%)
Isaiah Stewart - PF/C, Detroit Pistons (38%)
Moritz Wagner - C, Orlando Magic (34%)
Goga Bitadze - C, Orlando Magic (29%)
Caleb Martin - SG/SF, Miami Heat (17%)
Duop Reath - C, Portland Trail Blazers (23%)
Haywood Highsmith -SF/PF, Miami Heat (5%)
Watchlist for Week 13:
GG Jackson II - PF, Memphis Grizzlies (6%)
Keyonte George - PG/SG, Utah Jazz (25%)
Jabari Walker - SF/PF, Portland Trail Blazers (22%)
Marvin Bagley - PF/C, Washington Wizards (7%)
Isaiah Jackson - PF/C, Indiana Pacers (17%)
Amen Thompson - SG/SF, Houston Rockets (10%)
Peyton Watson - SG/SF, Denver Nuggets (3%)
Rotation news:
Warriors F Draymond Green makes his return on Monday
The play: Green is still available in over 25% of leagues, so pick him up if he's out there. The Warriors need him desperately and I'd expect Sarić's minutes to suffer with Dray back in the lineup.
"Show Discipline" (feat. Nas) - Jadakiss
Heat F Jaime Jaquez Jr. left Sunday's game with a groin injury
The play: Jaquez has been ruled out of Monday's game, but how many games he'll miss remains to be seen. Duncan Robinson and a combination of Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin stand to benefit since Jimmy Butler (toe) is also out.
Blazers C Deandre Ayton (knee) is 'very close,' according to HC Chauncey Billups
The play: Wait to pick up Duop Reath and Jabari Walker because they don't play until Wednesday this week. If Ayton remains out, they're decent streaming options if you need a big man.
Kings F Keegan Murray left Sunday's contest vs. Milwaukee with a hip injury
The play: Murray left with what's been called "right hip irritation" and didn't return, which opened the door for Trey Lyles to get quality minutes at PF. He scored nine points with seven boards and three triples in 33 minutes, so he's worth a look in deep leagues if Murray misses more time.
Schedule breakdown:
Daily Games Played:
Monday: 11
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 10
Thursday: 5
Friday: 8
Saturday: 8
Sunday: 6
15 teams play four games: ATL, BOS, BKN, HOU, IND, LAL, MIA, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, SAS, TOR, UTA and WAS
12 teams play three games: CHA, CHI, CLE, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, MEM, MIN, NOR, PHO and POR
Three teams play two games: LAC, MIL and SAC
Teams with back-to-backs:
Monday/Tuesday: OKC, PHI
Tuesday/Wednesday: None
Wednesday/Thursday: MIN, NYK, TOR, UTA
Thursday/ Friday: IND
Friday/ Saturday: ATL, CHA, PHI, SAS
Saturday/Sunday: HOU, WAS
