If you're in the market for a center and are searching your waiver wire hoping to pick up someone who will make it worth your while you're in the right place. We will be taking a look at some potential Week 14 waiver wire pickups for power forwards and centers who should help your team become even more competitive.
This year, RotoBaller is separating its waiver wire recommendations by position a little differently. In our three position breakdowns, we'll be separating players into GUARDS, including point guards (PG), shooting guards (SG), and combo guards (PG/SG); WINGS, including small forwards (SF), swing men (SG/SF), and small ball fours (SF/PF); and BIGS, including power forwards (PF), centers (C), and bigs who play both front court spots (PF/C).
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Standard League Waiver Wire Big Adds
Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, ORL (49% Owned)
Bismack Biyombo is currently in Orlando's crowded frontcourt that includes himself, Serge Ibaka, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic. Now Gordon has been moved to play a lot of his minutes at the SF spot so that leaves the other three to battle it out for playing time. And that battle wasn't too pretty for their fantasy owners with all three players playing worse than expected.
But Biyombo is on a mini breakout spree with him double-doubling three times in last four games. In that period his averages are 11.0 PTS on 67.9 FG% and 37.5 FT%, 10.8 REB, 0.3 STL, 1.8 BLK and 0.5 TO in 22 minutes a night. Those free throws will hurt you and the lack off assists should be expected with him. But that's not why you would add him. The rebounds, blocks and the field goal efficiency is the reason to pick him up. And they have been off the chart lately.
Furthermore there could be even more good news for Biyombo's owners. There are rumors that the Magic are looking to trade Nikola Vucevic. That would mean even more minutes for Bismack to rack up those big man stats.
So, if you need a big off the wire and don't care about his poor FT% you would be crazy not to at least consider adding Biyombo. He is on the rise and his situation could potentially improve to the point he becomes a must own in standard leagues.
Jusuf Nurkic, C, DEN (41% Owned)
Jusuf Nurkic is in a similar situation as Biyombo, being in a crowded frontcourt in Denver with Kenneth Faried and Nikola Jokic. Jokic is playing some Hall-of-Fame basketball at the moment and Nurkic is playing less and less because of it. The reason to add Nurkic would be his high upside in the case he is traded. And there is a big chance of that happening according to reports from around the league. The rumors of Nurkic leaving Denver before the trade deadline this February are aplenty and when there's that much chatter about something that usually comes through.
Now, it's been a while since Nurk really showed his best on the court. We must look back to Nov. 22 if we want to see his last double-double, and even further back to the first game of the season on Oct. 26 for his last 20+ points game. And just as a reminder of what he's capable of, lets take a look at his performance on Oct. 31 against the Raptors. Nurk did shoot poorly in that game going 5 of 14 from the field and 3 of 7 from the line for 13 points, but he contributed in all other categories, and then some. He grabbed 18 boards, had an assist, a steal, only one turnover and five blocks in 38 minutes of action. Those rebounds and defensive stats can't be found just anywhere on the wire.
If you can wait out the low production until he is moved and don't mind his poor free throw shooting you could be getting yourself a pretty decent center a few weeks from now if he lands in a good situation. And any situation is better then Denver at this moment. And even before that happens, Nurk does produce a decent stat line in low minutes here and there, so adding him might not be a complete waste in the waiting period either.
Standard League Honorable Mentions: Jon Leuer (33% owned), Cody Zeller (53% owned)
Deep League Waiver Wire Big Adds
David Lee, PF/C, DAL (33% Owned)
Pau Gasol is out for four to six weeks and it will be David Lee replacing him in the starting unit. In the two games sans Gasol Lee really stepped up. He double-doubled in both those games and had averages of 12.o PTS on 66.7 FG%, 13.5 REB, 2.5 AST, 0.5 STL, 1.0 BLK and 0.5 TO in 34 minutes per outing. Those are some nice stats for a guy owned in just every third Yahoo league.
It seems certain that Lee will be the primary beneficiary of Gasol's injury and should continue to rack up similar numbers as he has in those two games so far. Owners should be a bit vary though since Lee is 33 and plays for Gregg Popovich. His age and Popovich's coaching style mean an occasional rest day is in Lee's future. Furthermore Gasol should be back in time for fantasy playoffs, and while he might still be limited, and even rested on certain days, Lee's value will certainly take a hit with his return.
That being said, Lee is a good add in most leagues, at least as a few weeks rental who contributes across the board and doesn't hurt your team in any category. That can't be said about too many bigs. Especially about the ones on the waiver wire.
Deep League Honorable Mentions: Jared Sullinger (27% owned), Kelly Olynyk (26% owned)
By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.