Chris Duarte (SG, IND): Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

ROSTERED IN: 47% of leagues

ANALYSIS:  I know Chris Duarte has not been as good as advertised of late. I know, for sure. But Duarte keeps playing more than 22 minutes per game for an Indiana Pacers franchise that--as much as they want you to fall into believing that's not the case--is going to activate rebuild-mode as soon as you blink. Duarte, in case you missed it, is the Pacers latest first-round draft pick, and although he's already 24 he's more than a building pillar of the team going forward so he will keep playing tons of minutes, games, and racking up opportunities.

Duarte had started seven games in a row leading up to an off-the-pine appearance on Thursday, his first one since Nov. 29. Starting game surely helped Duarte in terms of having open chances often due to the simple fact that he was sharing the floor with the better players of the Pacers. That said, though, Duarte hit 15 points to go with 9 rebounds and 4 dimes against the Pistons in his lone-of-late game coming from the bench. He logged a month-high 23.2% usage rate, attempted 13 field goals (his most since Dec. 3), and all things considered, this change might actually benefit him if he leads the second unit and becomes its hub.

Through the last two weeks of play Duarte has averaged a fantastic 12-4-2-1 line on a not-so-high 26 MPG (not so high for what he's producing). We might be very close to Duarte's rostership making a little jump and getting above the 50-percent threshold, so you should be scoring shares of the rook before it's too late if you need steady points, good percentages, and rebounds from the guard/wing hybrid. Avoid him if turnovers hurt you.

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