This article is part of our NBA Waiver Wire series.
We've reached the All-Star break, giving fantasy managers a chance to catch their breath and assess their roster for the stretch run. There is still help available on the waiver wire, with some players being great adds for far more than just the next week or two. Let's highlight six of the top targets who are still available in the majority of Yahoo leagues.
Nick Richards, Charlotte Hornets
(54% available)
How is Richards still available in this many leagues? He has become a regular in this column and will continue to be until he's rostered in more than half of leagues. Mark Williams (back) won't return anytime soon, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he doesn't play again this season. The Hornets decided to hold onto Richards at the trade deadline, meaning he should be locked in as their starting center moving forward.
While the Hornets did bring in several new players at the deadline, none of them should negatively impact Richards' playing time. Over the last four games since the deadline, he has averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over 28 minutes per game. For fantasy managers who need a center, add Richards while you still can.
Marvin Bagley, Washington Wizards
(54% available)
The Wizards trading Daniel Gafford to the Mavericks has paved the way for Bagley to start. Bagley recently dealt with a back injury, which limited him to just 15 minutes against the 76ers in his return from a four-game absence. However,
We've reached the All-Star break, giving fantasy managers a chance to catch their breath and assess their roster for the stretch run. There is still help available on the waiver wire, with some players being great adds for far more than just the next week or two. Let's highlight six of the top targets who are still available in the majority of Yahoo leagues.
Nick Richards, Charlotte Hornets (54% available)
How is Richards still available in this many leagues? He has become a regular in this column and will continue to be until he's rostered in more than half of leagues. Mark Williams (back) won't return anytime soon, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he doesn't play again this season. The Hornets decided to hold onto Richards at the trade deadline, meaning he should be locked in as their starting center moving forward.
While the Hornets did bring in several new players at the deadline, none of them should negatively impact Richards' playing time. Over the last four games since the deadline, he has averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over 28 minutes per game. For fantasy managers who need a center, add Richards while you still can.
Marvin Bagley, Washington Wizards (54% available)
The Wizards trading Daniel Gafford to the Mavericks has paved the way for Bagley to start. Bagley recently dealt with a back injury, which limited him to just 15 minutes against the 76ers in his return from a four-game absence. However, he has started and logged at least 28 minutes in both games since.
When he faced the Mavericks on Monday, Bagley produced 12 points, 13 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. He followed that up with 14 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks Wednesday versus the Pelicans. With Richaun Holmes and Eugene Omoruyi the best options behind him at center, Bagley is primed to play a ton down the stretch. Expect him to be a nightly double-double threat moving forward.
Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls
(56% available)
The Bulls decided to stand pat at the deadline, which was made more complicated for them with the announcement that Zach LaVine (foot) was lost for the season. They did hold onto Alex Caruso, but with LaVine out, a clear path to an expanded role is in the cards for Dosunmu. Over the 12 games since LaVine went down, Dosunmu has averaged 34 minutes.
Dosunmu has taken advantage of his added minutes, putting up 16.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.6 three-pointers during that 12-game span. He showed stellar efficiency, shooting 57.6 percent from the field and 51.7 percent from behind the arc. While he could lose a couple of minutes per game once Patrick Williams (foot) returns, Dosunmu may play 30 minutes a night moving forward. That makes him worth rostering in most formats.
Tre Mann, Charlotte Hornets (59% available)
Talk about a trade providing a boost for a player. Mann has gone from struggling to just get onto the floor with the Thunder to starting for the Hornets. Since joining the Hornets, Mann has started and logged at least 27 minutes in all three games. He couldn't have looked much better, averaging 13.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 three-pointers.
The reason why Mann is starting is because LaMelo Ball (ankle) is currently sidelined. Ball has missed 11 straight games and has appeared in only 22 games total this season because of injuries. There has been no indication that Ball's season is in jeopardy, so he should return at some point. However, even when he does return, he hasn't been a picture of health, so who knows how long he will stay healthy. Mann is a great option until Ball is back, and he could even be worth holding onto when Ball is healthy.
GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies
(60% available)
The Grizzlies' depth chart is ugly right now and has been for most of the season. They thinned out their frontcourt even more at the trade deadline, dealing away Xavier Tillman and David Roddy. One of the reasons why they might have felt comfortable moving those two is the emergence of Jackson, who they selected in the second round of the 2023 Draft.
After barely seeing the floor earlier in the season, Jackson has logged an average of 27 minutes over the last 10 games. During that stretch, he averaged 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 1.0 blocks and 2.6 three-pointers. The downside was that he shot just 43.5 percent from the field and 63.3 percent from the free-throw line. Still, for those who can absorb his potential efficiency issues, he has a clear path to a significant role for the remainder of the season.
Grant Williams, Charlotte Hornets (73% available)
Signing Williams quickly proved to be a disaster for the Mavericks. He began the season as a member of their starting unit but eventually lost the job. Over his final 17 games with the team, he averaged just 6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds over 22 minutes per game. The Mavericks saw an opportunity to upgrade their roster by moving him to the Wizards in a deal that landed them P.J. Washington.
The initial returns from Williams in Charlotte have been excellent. He has logged at least 27 minutes in all three games with the team, averaging 17.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 three-pointers. The Hornets don't have much depth behind Richards and Miles Bridges up front, so Williams should continue to see extended playing time off the bench. While it's difficult to envision him scoring at this rate on a nightly basis, he can still produce enough across the board in his new role to be worth rostering.
