Marcus Thornton (SG, HOU) - NBA Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add for PTS and 3PM in deep leagues

OWNED: 7% of Fleaflicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: Am I about to write over 300 words on Marcus Thornton? Is he really still in the NBA? Believe it or not, the answer to both of those questions is yes. While I wasn’t originally planning to include Marcus Thornton on my list of Waiver Wire prospects to write about, his play versus the Thunder last outing has compelled me to dig into the topic.

I’m sure you saw his line the other night of 21 points, two rebounds, and two assists, all while shooting 50% from the field and going 5-for-9 from three point range. Tonight, in 37 minutes of playing time he had 12 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and 2 treys. While he won’t get this much playing time when Terrence Jones comes back, it really looks like Marcus Thornton has solidified himself as one of the first guards off the bench for Houston. Add that to the fact that the Rockets seemingly always have a few guys injured, and Marcus Thornton is all of the sudden in line for 25 more minutes a game than anyone ever expected this season.

After watching the Rockets, you will quickly see how seamlessly he fits with their system. He has always been a sharp shooter from deep, but what most casual fans don’t realize, is that he is very effective at getting to the rim. Those are two things Houston really emphasizes, and if he continues to play solid defense, he could permanently put himself above Corey Brewer and even Terrence Jones on the depth chart.

Bottom Line: This is a bit of a reach, especially since we’ve only seen two full game out of him, but in deep leagues I think he could be a sneaky good add for PTS and 3PM. You’ll also look like the smartest guy in your league if this pans out, so there’s that too.