Welcome back to The Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who can add to the waiver wire and make your fantasy basketball lineup next week.
[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. It’s not too late to create or join a league.]
Every league is different – sometimes 75% of players are waived, either because of mistakes or because they hit an intolerable slump. If they fit your body type, buy them. But in this column, we’re focusing on players in the lower 50th percentile of the roster who are widely available and ready to help in Week 16 or beyond.
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remind: The Week 17 scoring period lasts two weeks, from February 9th to February 22nd. Your weekly exemption trades do not reset each week, so don’t destroy them all before entering the second part of Week 17!
Kyle Kuzma – FC, Milwaukee Bucks (27%)
Incredibly, Kuz has been a top-40 player in the past two weeks, averaging 40 points per game. As long as Antetokounmpo is out, he will play more than 30 minutes per game, and the increase in usage rate has allowed him to post a stable 18/7/6 points in the past 5 games.
The Bucs have played three of five games in the first part of Week 17, so if he can’t do that for you, drop him and move on. The Bucks will play the Magic twice this week and the Thunder before the All-Star break on Thursday.
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Ty Jerome – Guard, Memphis Grizzlies (33%)
Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said Ja Morant will need a “medical decision” before he can play again. I took that as a sign that he wasn’t going to be playing anytime soon. Therefore, Jerome is a must-fill in all formats. Since returning to the court four games ago, he’s averaging 37 points per game on the high-scoring list. Scottie Pippen Jr. is back and Cam Spencer is still a factor; however, Jerome is the most dominant of the backcourt trio. In three of four games with 20 minutes of playing time, he scored at least 19 points and had five assists. Once he’s allowed to play more than 25 minutes, those numbers skyrocket.
Day’Ron Sharpe – FC, Brooklyn Nets (14%)
The Nets are expected to continue resting their key rotation players occasionally throughout the remainder of the season. Monday started with MPJ and Egor Dëmin. Although they play different positions, Sharp is a worthy addition to the Nets. He’s been a versatile, minute-by-minute beast all year long, and he’s set to play five games for the Nets in Week 17 and deliver a big performance for the team. He will have a 52-point fantasy performance in Week 16. With legitimate double-double potential (plus stock), make sure he doesn’t fall off waivers.
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Brook Lopez – FC, Los Angeles Clippers (20%)
With Ivica Zubac now playing for the Pacers, Lopez becomes the next man to lead the Clippers’ frontcourt. In the first game without Zu, he scored 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals, ranking 40 points on the high-scoring list. Not that the 37-year-old does that every night (as evidenced by his subsequent 5-2-2 performance), but Lopez is still a good source of blocks and is capable of a double-double. There aren’t many frontcourt players who can play 28-35 minutes on waivers, so Lopez is worth a shot in a shallow 10-man league like High Score.
🎧 Who’s in my rotation: Deeper League Collection
Jaden Ivey – Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Chicago Bulls (25%)
The Bulls guard situation is a mess. However, if you’re going to take the risk, Ivey is the best investment. In two games with his new team, Ivey averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Considering it’s only 16% used, it’s not shabby at all.
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Josh Giddey (hamstring) is not in the lineup, but Ivey is a good option for short-term coverage, especially for points leagues. I’d also consider Rob Dillingham, as these guys would have enough freedom to play for a Bulls team that traded away most of their veterans.
Max Christie – SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks (17%)
Christie may be hit and miss, but between the schedule and the deadline for his post-trade role, he should play well over 20%. Dallas played five games in Week 17, but the first two games were the easiest of the week on Tuesday and Thursday. Christie was ranked No. 77 in Week 16, and his scoring, three-point shooting, steals and low turnover rate are assets in the 9-Cats league. He’s down 6% from the lineup, which is a mistake because he’s been playing like a top-100 option over the past month.
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Aaron Wiggins – SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder (12%)
The Thunder have struggled due to injuries, and if you’re looking for stock and points, Wiggins is a 9-cat or points league choice. Wiggins has been a top-85 player for the past month, entering the top-80 in Week 16. Like the Mavericks and Bulls, the Thunder also played five games in Week 17.
Fantasy basketball pickups and advice.
In order of priority for the Thunder’s waiver options, I’d go with Carson Wallace, Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, and then everyone else.
Gui Santos – Small Forward/Power Forward, Golden State Warriors (11%)
Santos is in great form now, becoming the Warriors’ third-leading scorer in true shooting percentage through their first six games. He shot 61% from the field, made 2 three-pointers, 2.5 rebounds, a total of 8 rebounds and assists, and had a very low turnover rate. Those cross-category numbers are why he’s been in the top 55 over the past two weeks. There is no better fighter than Santos right now.
Nique Clifford – SG/SF, Sacramento Kings (5%)
The Colorado State rookie gives us a glimpse of what this silly season will look like for the Kings. Clifford posted a stunning 30-4-4 performance in Saturday’s loss to Cleveland, which also included four runs. He performed well, scoring 3 more stocks and scoring 16 points in the previous game. I’m excited for him to get a chance to play more meaningful minutes with LaVine (finger) out and Malik Monk falling out of favor as the season progresses.
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It may be too early, but these are the types of pickups you want to make now before it’s too late. The Kings will face the Pelicans and Jazz in the first half of Week 17, so don’t be surprised if Clifford is out again. I would add him in a 12 team points and 9 cat format. I would also look at Devin Carter and Dylan Caldwell, both of whom are playing basketball right now.
