Waiver Wired: Wired: NBA's Top Pickups

It’s time for the first Waiver Wired of the year! Here are 25 guys who might be available in your league and deserve attention if you have some dead weight on your roster.

Games Played for Week 2

4 Games: ATL, BRK, CLE, GSW, HOU, IND, MEM, MIA, MIL, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHX, POR, SAC, TOR

3 Games: CHA, CHI, DAL, DEN, DET, LAC, LAL, MIN, NOP, SAS, UTA, WAS

2 Games: BOS

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Point Guards

Jerian Grant Knicks 26% owned in Yahoo! leagues – The clock is ticking on Jose Calderon’s NBA career and he simply looks old and slow. Grant is young and quick, and could easily replace Collison as the Knicks’ starting point guard at any moment. He’s averaging 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, but don’t expect him to be a great source of threes (0.3 per game). He’s an excellent stash right now in hopes that he’ll get the starting job soon. Langston Galloway is another Knick guard you’ll want to take a look at.

Ish Smith Pelicans 10% owned – Jrue Holiday isn’t exactly operating at full strength and Smith has been getting good run early in the season. He’s averaging 9.3 points, 2.7 boards, 6.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.7 3-pointers, but is shooting just 36 percent from the floor. If Holiday suffers a setback, or continues to labor, Smith should continue to see solid minutes in the Pel’s backcourt.

Isaiah Canaan Sixers 20% owned – Canaan hit just 1-of-9 shots on Friday, hurting his season stats, but he’s getting 30-plus minutes a night and is the only viable option at PG for the Sixers right now. Despite Friday’s disaster he’s still averaging 14 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.5 3-pointers in his two games.

Raymond Felton Mavs 6% owned – Deron Williams is already banged up and Felton is averaging 11 points, 2.5 boards, 5.0 assists, 0.5 steals and a 3-pointer per game. He’s shooting just 39 percent from the floor thus far, but will continue to get solid minutes and possibly start as long as Williams is struggling with his healthy. J.J. Barea is also worth a look in many leagues, as he’s getting minutes at both guard spots for the Mavs.

Toney Douglas Pelicans 1% – In his only game this season Douglas played 23 minutes and hit 7-of-12 shots and a 3-pointer for 17 points, three boards, four assists and a steal. It would likely take an injury to Jrue Holiday to make Douglas worth owning in most leagues, but he’s at least worth keeping an eye on after his stellar debut.

Shooting Guards

Rodney Hood Jazz 51% owned – Somewhat surprisingly, Hood was named a Jazz starter over Alec Burks and he has responded by averaging 15.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 3-pointers in 27 minutes per game. He should simply be owned in more leagues than he currently is. 

C.J. Miles Pacers 29% owned – Miles has been starting at small forward for the Pacers and, according to today’s theme, hit just 1-of-9 shots on Saturday in a blowout loss to the Jazz. He’s getting 28 minutes a game and averaging 13.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.7 3-pointers on 42 percent shooting. The steals and threes make him worth a flier.

Gerald Green Heat 44% owned – Green blew up for 19 points in his opener and then hit just 1-of-9 shots for five points in Game 2. He’s averaging 12 points, 3.0 3-pointers and not much else thus far, but with Dwyane Wade’s body being held together with duct tape, Green could explode onto the scene at any moment. Just expect plenty of inconsistency if you decide to take a flier on him. 

John Jenkins Mavs 1% owned – Jenkins played just four minutes in the opener, causing me to drop him in the deep leagues where I owned him. But he bounced back with 17 points, six boards and three assists on Thursday, missing four 3-pointers along the way. With Wesley Matthews recovering from an Achilles injury, Jenkins and J.J. Barea are both going to get some meaningful minutes this season.

Will Barton Nuggets 3% owned – Barton is a deep-league special and is averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and a 3-pointer per game in 25 minutes off the bench. He’s shooting just 38 percent thus far, but the minutes are encouraging.

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