RADIO
While the “small ball” phenomenon has taken over basketball, the big man is not fully extinct quite yet. There are a lot of young guys playing well who won’t be flying under the radar much longer and some veterans who are re-emerging after not playing well for a long time.
Be sure to check out our other Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups, including our Waiver Wire Forwards and Waiver Wire Guards.
Position Eligibility & Ownership Rate Based on Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball Player List
NBA Centers: Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups & Sleepers
Standard/Shallow League Pickups
Nikola Jokic (C, DEN) - 51% Owned
Jokic has been one of the most exciting rookie big men not named Karl Anthony-Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, or Jahlil Okafor. Basically, there are a lot of exciting young big guys out there and he is the hands down fourth best one. Over the last month he’s averaging 11.1 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 55% from the field and 78% from the free throw line -- that's 3rd round fantasy value. His overall play, for a 20 year old that was stashed away in Europe for the last few years, has been shocking and exciting. It is rare that second round draft picks from Europe come over and play, let alone play at a level that would usually guarantee first or second team all-rookie if not for all the really good rookie big men. Once the shock factor wears off of “who is this guy?” and “is he really that good?” then it becomes very obvious that if he’s still available in your league, you have to pick him up.
Meyers Leonard (PF/C, POR) - 47% Owned
Meyers Leonard has been consistently inconsistent all season long. On average, he’ll hover around double digit points, five rebounds, and a one or two threes. But that'll include a week he’ll go over these totals and look like an above average starting center in the league, then a week where he’ll go back to looking just like a backup. Leonard is going through the definition of basketball growing pains this season, but looks to be getting better every month. His points, threes, rebounds, and good shooting percentages for a big man make him a potential fantasy gold mine despite the inconsistency. Leonard should continue to improve and see more playing time and usage as the season progresses. He's worth adding if he's sitting around on the waivers in your league.
Deep League Pickups
Omer Asik (PF/C, NO) - 4% Owned
Asik has been playing well lately and has actually looked like the player the Pelicans traded for (then vastly overpaid) a few years ago. He is consistently performing on the boards and the defensive side of the ball. Over the past two weeks he’s averaging 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while only playing 18 minutes a night. Asik was always meant to be a Turkish version of Tyson Chandler/DeAndre Jordan -- a guy who would get rebounds and play defense while Anthony Davis does Anthony Davis things. Because of injuries and poor play, he hasn’t lived up to it and has become a liability for his team and in fantasy. However, he is slowly looking like the player from Chicago and Houston and, if that’s the case, he is someone worth considering in deeper leagues.
Aron Baynes (DET, C) 2% Owned
Baynes has averaged 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a block per game in only 16 minutes a night over the last month. He has to be super-efficient because Andre Drummond tends to play a lot and eat up all of the rebounds and easy buckets. Baynes comes in to give Drummond rest and plays much the same way, but shoots a lot better from the free throw line. He isn’t really an option in shallower leagues because he just doesn’t get enough opportunities, but in deeper leagues he is a great plug and play option for anyone dealing with injuries and in need of big man depth.
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