RADIO
Starting off the year 2015, the waiver wire has taken its typical place in the weekly/daily routine of fantasy basketball managers. The following forwards, whether of the “sleeper” variety or just cashing in temporarily on an unforeseen opportunity, almost certainly deserve attention across the various formats during Week 11 of the campaign.
Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Player List
The sports world suffered from a huge loss on Sunday as ESPN's Stuart Scott passed away at the age of 49. I never met Stuart Scott and I'm not sure if I was ever in the same state at the same time as he, but that does not mean he did not have an influence on who I am today. As a teenager I would eagerly wake up at 5:55 every morning in anticipation of watching SportsCenter and hoping that Scott was at least half of the duo that would be delivering the news in the sports world to me. His comedic delivery and expansive knowledge has been since unmatched by any sports anchor and he was a staple of numerous great commercials. Although it is no longer the case, SportsCenter was an integral part of my daily routine and it's no coincidence that Scott was heavily featured during that time. He will surely be missed.
Waiver Wire Forward for Right Now
C.J. Miles (IND, SG/SF) – 29% Owned
Not including Monday’s game against the Jazz, Miles has scored 11, 22, 25 and 19 points, respectively, in his last four games. He’s clearly been given the nod to fire away even if he hasn’t exactly been shooting lights out. Despite his unimpressive .364 FG% on the season, the ten-year veteran has found himself in a nice groove from downtown since mid-December. He also adds a wee-bit amount of extra depth in other categories (2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists per game) to give fantasy owners just enough reassurance he’ll add value if he doesn’t score. He does possess some baggage considering that it is improbable for him to continue scoring at this pace and there are a plethora of other options at his skills level on the roster, such as Chris Copeland, Solomon Hill and to a lesser extent Rodney Stuckey. If you do pick up Miles, pay close attention to this Indiana revolving door of swingmen.
Waiver Wire Forward in Deep Leagues
Trevor Booker (UTA, PF) – 2% Owned
Yesterday our Trevor mentioned Rudy Gobert as a pick-up at the center position. If Gobert is unavailable in those deep leagues, and considering the increase in ownership numbers he probably is, then feel free to stream Utah’s Trevor in the short term.
The fifth-year big man formerly known as “Cook Book” can expect to see an immediate jump in minutes at least over the next few games. In less than a week the Jazz lost both guard Alec Burks and center Enes Kanter to injury. Though Kanter is expected to miss only a few games, Burks will be miss the remainder of the season after surgery. Burks was fourth on the team in minutes played (889 minutes) and Kanter is currently fifth with 886. Needless to say, minutes will be readily available. Booker isn’t a viable scoring option, but he can give immediate production in rebounds and blocks to teams in deeper leagues.
Waiver Wire Forward to Keep an Eye On
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (PHI, SF/PF) – 3% Owned
Philadelphia isn’t good. Plain and simple. However, if they were graded on the “Moe Szyslak's Boxer Scale of Good Looking,” the 76ers have moved up from Kid Moe to Kid Gruesome. The team is still losing but at least they are no longer getting blown out by 53 points. Some players like Michael Carter-Williams and Robert Covington are becoming valued fantasy performers depending on the type of league and format.
Mbah a Moute is beginning to show signs of joining his teammates on the fantasy list. His numbers across the board have improved every month while seeing only a slight increase in his playing time. It’s a shame he’s been plagued with health problems over the last nine days. Rather than adding Mbah a Moute immediately, it’s best for fantasy owners to adopt a wait-a-see approach to gauge how he returns from injury.
