Effectively managing the waiver wire is essential for success in fantasy basketball. Given the multitude of games, injuries, and constant changes in team rotations over the long season, tapping into free agency for statistics is crucial to enhance your fantasy lineup.
Being open to competition for your roster’s final spots can yield benefits. When assembling this flexible group of statistical contributors, it’s important to view your bench players as being in direct competition with available talent in free agency.
The purpose of this weekly column is to spotlight players at each position who are widely accessible in free agency within ESPN leagues. Some of these suggestions are specialists useful in specific categories, while others provide a broader range of valuable statistics. The following breakdown lists players by priority of acquisition, rather than their roster percentages in ESPN men’s basketball leagues.
Point Guard
Scotty Pippen Jr., SG, Memphis Grizzlies (25.4% rostered): The Grizzlies have determined that their backcourt functions better with a natural playmaker alongside Ja Morant. Pippen’s role in facilitating the team’s halfcourt sets has become indispensable, as evidenced by his rising assist numbers and impressive steal rate, currently ranking No. 11 among point guards on the Player Rater over the past two weeks.
Shooting Guard
Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers (43.9%): Despite a challenging season for the team overall, Grimes has excelled as an off-ball scorer. The upcoming offseason decisions regarding his future appear promising, as he’s on track to display top-10 production at the shooting guard position as the season winds down.
Power Forward
Toumani Camara, SF, Portland Trail Blazers (35.0%): After a recent decline in offensive output, Camara’s appeal may have diminished among fantasy managers. However, it’s important to recognize he continues to log significant minutes and contribute solid defensive stats while regaining his scoring touch. His ability to provide value extends beyond just shooting metrics.
Center
Alex Sarr, PF, Washington Wizards (24.1%): We’re witnessing the rise of a formerly overlooked prospect. While Sarr’s performance has fluctuated at times this season, he boasts an impressive block rate for a rookie. Following a strong offensive showing in his latest game, Sarr is beginning to emerge as a potential star in the league.
