10 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Targets for Week 14
We're here once again to look at 10 of the most interesting players to emerge off fantasy basketball waiver wires over the past week.
As always, make sure you're checking out last week's edition (and the week before for good measure). We try not to repeat ourselves, but there are always some high-priority options to be found in previous iterations of this column who should still be on your radar if they're out there.
All rankings come courtesy of Basketball Monster.
Now, let's hit the wire.
Maxi Kleber, PF, Dallas Mavericks
Yahoo Ownership: 10%
Dennis Smith Jr. has missed three straight games with a back injury, and J.J. Barea is going to miss the rest of the year with a torn Achilles tendon, so the Dallas Mavericks have shifted Luka Doncic to point guard and inserted Maxi Kleber into the starting five.
In three games as a starter, Kleber has been the 45th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 10.7 points, 1.7 three-pointers, 6.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.7 blocks, and 1.0 turnover in 30.1 minutes per contest, while shooting 50.0% from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line.
The eventual return of Smith could put an end to this experiment, but there's no timetable on that as of now, and Kleber's still got a clearer path to minutes and usage than he did this time a week ago. Give him an add and see how this plays out.
Danny Green, SG/SF, Toronto Raptors
Yahoo Ownership: 50%
Danny Green has quietly been one of the most reliable late-round guys in fantasy hoops this season, ranking 89th on the year as a whole and between 80th and 100th in each individual month.
Over his last four games, however, he's been putting up 16th-ranked value, screaming for you to pick him up in your league. Over that span, he's averaged 12.8 points, 3.0 three-pointers, 4.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 1.0 turnover in 31.7 minutes per contest, while shooting 53.1% from the field and 83.3% from the free throw line.
He's started every game he's played for the Toronto Raptors this season, and his 30 minutes per contest aren't going anywhere anytime soon. There aren't many guys out there that can give you roughly two triples, a steal, and a block per game, so he really should be owned in all standard leagues.
Richaun Holmes, PF/C, Phoenix Suns
Yahoo Ownership: 30%
Richaun Holmes really doesn't get enough minutes to suggest he's worth owning in standard fantasy leagues, but he continues to get it done in limited playing time with the Phoenix Suns.
He's ranked 54th overall in only 18.3 minutes per night over the last month and 22nd in 19.3 over the last two weeks. Over that two-week span (six games), he's averaged 12.8 points, 0.0 threes, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.3 blocks, and a mere 0.3 turnovers, while shooting a blistering 75.7% from the field and 77.8% from the line.
While you'd like for him to have clearer path to playing time and production, perhaps that 20 or so minutes is all you need. Fantasy owners in need of help at their center position could do a lot worse than Holmes at this point, particularly those who could benefit from his solid blocks, low turnovers, and sterling percentages.
De'Anthony Melton, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns
Yahoo Ownership: 10%
One good Sun deserves another. De'Anthony Melton is not scoring that many points these days, and he's shooting a pretty putrid percentage from the field, but he is doing enough elsewhere to completely warrant ownership in fantasy leagues right now.
Over his last eight games, Melton has been the 61st-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 6.3 points, 0.8 threes, 3.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.6 steals, 1.0 block, and 1.8 turnovers in 26.4 minutes per contest, while shooting 34.6% from the field and 80.0% from the charity stripe.
He's had a starting job locked up for over a month now, and he's doing more than enough to keep it going forward. If you're in need of defensive numbers with a decent sprinkling of assists, Melton is your man.
Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Phoenix Suns
Yahoo Ownership: 50%
Third Sun's a charm. Kelly Oubre Jr. had a hot start for the Suns after they acquired him from the Washington Wizards in mid-December, before tapering off a little by the end of 2018.
New year, new Oubre, though. Over his last three games, he's been the 29th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 22.0 points, 2.3 threes, 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals, 1.0 block, and 2.7 turnovers in a 30.8 minutes per contest, while shooting 52.2% from the field and 68.8% from the free throw line.
Oubre has yet to start a single game for Phoenix, but he's getting a healthy helping of minutes off the bench and has been filling it up enough lately that it doesn't really matter if he's starting games or not. While he's rolling like this, he's worth owning in standard leagues.
Josh Jackson, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns
Yahoo Ownership: 40%
Josh Jackson is another Sun on the rise (there's the pun). He's started three games in a row for an injured Devin Booker (back) and has been solid over his last six.
Over that span, he's been the 55th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, with averages of 15.5 points, 1.2 threes, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 2.5 turnovers per contest, to go with a shooting split of 49.3% from the field and 85.7% from the free throw line.
He's had a very lackluster sophomore campaign -- he's the 267th-ranked player on the season as a whole -- but the former fourth overall pick's potential is still sky high at only 21 years of age. He's part of a very crowded wing rotation in Phoenix, but he's worth a flier whenever he's rolling like this, just in case he finds a way to put it all together.
Jordan Clarkson, PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers
Yahoo Ownership: 30%
Jordan Clarkson does not have the most fantasy-friendly game -- he's never had a top-100 fantasy season in nine-category leagues -- but he's been playing fairly well off the Cleveland Cavaliers' bench for a while now and should probably be owned in more leagues.
Over his last 16 games, Clarkson has been the 75th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 18.6 points, 2.3 triples, 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steal, 0.4 blocks, and 1.9 turnovers in 29.2 minutes per contest, while shooting 47.4% from the field and 87.1% from the free throw line.
There's not a whole lot to complain about in that line, and he's been doing it well enough for long enough now that perhaps we can start to trust him long-term in standard leagues now. A shooting slump might be just around the corner, but owners in need of some points and triples could do a lot worse than Clarkson these days.
Alec Burks, PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers
Yahoo Ownership: 20%
Another Cavalier (don't worry, I don't have any puns for them) that is popping up on fantasy radars these days is Alec Burks.
Over his last eight games, Burks has been the 39th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 14.9 points, 1.8 threes, 5.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 0.9 turnovers in 31.0 minutes per contest as a starter, while shooting a solid 50.6% from the field and 90.3% from the free throw line.
For as long as Burks can stick in the Cavs' starting lineup, he should be able to do enough to stay relevant in standard fantasy leagues. Give him a shot if you're in need of a combo guard.
Kevin Huerter, SG, Atlanta Hawks
Yahoo Ownership: 35%
Rookie Kevin Huerter is having a fairly decent season for the Atlanta Hawks, and has put up solid fantasy numbers over his last four games in particular.
Over that span, he's been the 78th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 16.0 points, 2.3 triples, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, and 2.5 turnovers in a healthy 37.5 minutes per contest, while shooting 42.1% from the field and 87.5% from the free throw line.
Huerter has certainly benefited from the absences of Taurean Prince (ankle) and Kent Bazemore (ankle), but he's played well enough while they've been out to keep a significant spot in the rotation once the Hawks eventually return to full strength. Pick him up and roll with him for however long this lasts.
JaMychal Green, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies
Yahoo Ownership: 25%
JaMychal Green isn't about to steal Jaren Jackson Jr.'s starting job, but he's played well enough off the bench lately to make him fantasy relevant anyway.
Over his last three games, he's been the 36th-ranked player in nine-category leagues, averaging 17.3 points, 1.7 threes, 9.0 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.0 steal, 0.0 blocks, and 1.3 turnovers in 24.9 minutes per contest, while shooting 65.5% from the field and 81.8% from the line.
His value comes with the usual caveats of a regular bench player, but his minutes are fairly consistent, and he's certainly worth owning in standard leagues when he's on. With double-digit rebounding totals in three of his last four contests, this is one of those times.
