Livescore
Week 15 in Yahoo leagues has the potential to be frantic, as the NBA trade deadline is Thursday, February 6, at 3 PM Eastern. While some may want to conserve a few transactions to make moves once the dust settles, a better time to target potential “silly season” standouts would be during the final days of Week 14. However, in addition to young players whose opportunities will likely increase after the deadline, some established talents should be targeted due to injuries/suspensions that teammates have been sidelined by. Let’s look at this week’s Waiver Wired.
Priority Adds
1. Kel’el Ware
2. Jaden McDaniels
3. De’Andre Hunter
4. Scoot Henderson
5. Guerschon Yabusele
6. Tari Eason
7. Toumani Camara
8. Nikola Jovic
9. Malik Beasley
10. Isaiah Collier
SF/PF Jaden McDaniels (50%), Minnesota Timberwolves
McDaniels’ production has picked up recently, with the Timberwolves wing being a top-50 player in 8- and 9-cat formats over the past two weeks. Minnesota losing Donte DiVincenzo has been a factor, and during Thursday’s win over the Jazz, Julius Randle exited with a sore groin. While Naz Reid is already rostered in 85% of Yahoo leagues, McDaniels will be easier to find on waiver wires. The offensive production isn’t the best (although he has shot 51.3% from the field over the past two weeks), but the defensive stats will be there most nights. Also, keep an eye on Rob Dillingham (3%) after he put up 19 points and eight assists (both career-highs for the rookie) on Thursday.
SF/PF De’Andre Hunter (44%), Atlanta Hawks
Earlier this week, the Hawks announced that Jalen Johnson would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. While Zaccharie Risacher played well in his return to the starting lineup on Thursday, scoring 30 points in a loss to Cleveland, Hunter is the more reliable target for managers needing more consistent offensive production. For category league managers hoping for defensive stats, this may not work. However, Hunter should be picked up for those who aren’t as concerned about that, especially with Bogdan Bogdanovic (leg) also being out of the Hawks’ lineup.
PG Scoot Henderson (42%), Portland Trail Blazers
Scoot continues to play well for the Blazers, who have won six of their last seven games. Over the past two weeks, the second-year guard has provided 6th-round value in 8-cat formats. While there’s always the potential of Portland’s front office pulling the plug on some of its more established players after the trade deadline, Henderson should be safe. There’s still a need to determine if he can be a key building block for the franchise, so Scoot should not be at risk of a shutdown. And with an eye toward the future, rookie center Donovan Clingan (18%) is worth targeting in advance of the trade deadline despite only playing eight minutes on Thursday due to foul trouble.
SF/PF Tari Eason (41%), Houston Rockets
Eason is back, and while Houston’s two back-to-backs during Week 15 aren’t great, they’ll play five games. Three games of Tari can be better than four of many other players, especially for managers seeking rebounding production and steals. Over the past two weeks, the third-year forward has averaged 6.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game, most recently grabbing 12 boards in a January 30 loss to Memphis. Also, Eason played 30 minutes in that defeat (the Rockets were without Alperen Sengun), the first time he’s hit that number since returning from the leg injury that sidelined him for a month.
SG/SF Malik Beasley (37%), Detroit Pistons
Beasley has been a top 100 player over the past two weeks in 8-cat formats, averaging 17.8 points and 4.2 3-pointers per game. Between Jaden Ivey’s leg injury and Tim Hardaway Jr.’s inconsistency, there’s plenty of room for Beasley to provide value despite continuing to come off the bench. He’s scored 18 points or more in four straight games, most recently knocking down six 3-pointers and tallying 20 in a January 29 loss to the Pacers. And Detroit plays four games during Week 15, so the schedule should work in Beasley’s favor.
SF/PF Toumani Camara (35%), Portland Trail Blazers
While Camara’s offensive output has taken a hit in Portland’s two most recent games, scoring 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, his defensive ability keeps the second-year forward on the court. Camara has been a starter all season, averaging nearly 32 minutes per game. Over the past two weeks, he’s played 33.9 minutes per, averaging 11.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 1.1 3-pointers. The foul shooting (57.9%) hasn’t been great, but Camara is well-positioned to help fantasy managers now and for the rest of the season.
PF/C Nikola Jovic (34%), Miami Heat
Jovic continues to provide solid value off the Heat bench as the basketball world awaits the next chapter in the Jimmy Butler saga. Over the past two weeks, he’s offered 7th-round value in 8-cat formats, averaging 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.4 3-pointers in 31.2 minutes. While Kel’el Ware (49%) is also available in more than half of Yahoo leagues and should be the first choice if available on your league’s waiver wire, don’t sleep on Jovic. And for managers needing 3-point production, Duncan Robinson (18%) has also been a 7th-round player over the past two weeks, averaging 15.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 3.6 3-pointers per game.
PG/SG Isaiah Collier (24%), Utah Jazz
Collier has started Utah’s last four games, dishing out at least seven assists in each. The rookie point guard has also hit double figures in points in three straight, but the playmaking ability stands out. Fantasy managers may take a hit in the turnover category, as Collier had four in each of the four starts. Still, the rookie will continue to get opportunities to show if he’s the player best equipped to run the show for the Jazz moving forward.
PF/C Guerschon Yabusele (23%), Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers remain without Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond, which means Yabusele is a must-roster player until that changes. Over the past two weeks, Yabusele has provided 9th-round value in 8- and 9-cat formats. That may not be elite value, but it’s pretty good, especially considering the circumstances. Something to keep an eye on are recent reports that teams have expressed interest in Yabusele, who’s on an affordable contract and can contribute. Would the 76ers even entertain the possibility, given Embiid’s injury woes and the fact that the team is in contention for a play-in spot? What happens there should tell us much about the front office’s confidence in this group making a run once healthy.
PG/SG Ty Jerome (17%), Cleveland Cavaliers
Jerome certainly isn’t a wing, but his improved production has helped Cleveland navigate this stretch without Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, and Dean Wade. Jerome has been a top-75 player in 8-cat formats over the past two weeks, averaging 16.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.3 3-pointers in 24.6 minutes. Cleveland only plays three games during Week 15. Still, there’s a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back to navigate (vs. Boston, at Detroit), and the team has enough separation to entertain the possibility of giving a starter a night off (as was the case with Darius Garland on January 29 against Miami). Jerome has added fantasy value, potentially even after the Cavaliers return to full strength.
SG Luke Kennard (12%), Memphis Grizzlies
Kennard moved into the starting lineup for Memphis’ January 30 win over Houston, filling in for the injured Ja Morant (shoulder). Kennard shot 9-of-15 from the field and scored 22 points while tallying two steals and three 3-pointers. While the production outside those categories was limited on Thursday, he’s been a 5th-round player in 8- and 9-cat formats over the past two weeks. Morant is considered day-to-day, and Memphis only plays three games during Week 15, which are factors that work against Kennard. However, given how well he’s played, the Grizzlies guard is worth the risk.
PF/C Jaxson Hayes (9%), Los Angeles Lakers
Hayes has never been the flashiest streaming option, but Anthony Davis’ abdominal injury puts the Lakers’ reserve big in a position to provide added value. AD will be re-evaluated toward the end of Week 15, meaning Hayes will get multiple starts before the team knows how far along its star center is in his recovery. Hayes finished the Lakers’ January 30 win over Washington with 10 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and three blocked shots in 25 minutes. Yes, it’s the Wizards. But Hayes recording a double-double with three blocks was encouraging.
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