Waiver Wired: Wired: Top Week 3 NBA Pickups

Week 3 Games Played

5 Games – MIN

4 Games – ATL, BOS, CHA, DAL, DEN, DET, GSW, LAC, LAL, MEM, NOP, NYK, ORL, PHI, POR, SAC, TOR, UTA

3 Games – BRK, CLE, HOU, IND, MIL, OKC, SAS

2 Games – CHI, MIA, PHX, WAS

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Point Guards

T.J. McConnell Sixers 33% owned in Yahoo! leagues – He’s not a dynamic scorer, but has hit between nine and 12 assists in three of his last four games. In those four, he’s averaging 6.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 3-pointers all while hitting 12-of-23 shots, good for just over 50 percent. His lack of scoring is a buzzkill, but he looks like a much more natural point guard that Isaiah Canaan.

Jerian Grant Knicks 19% – I got excited about Grant last week but he hasn’t really been playing too well lately. Averages of 7.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals and almost no 3-pointers and 41 percent shooting over his last five leaves plenty to be desired. However, there’s upside here and Jose Calderon may be hanging onto the starting point guard job by a thread in NY. I still think stashing Grant is a good idea if you can find the room to do it.

Isaiah Canaan Sixers 11% – After disappearing for a couple games early last week, Canaan has bounced back in a big way. He had 17 points, four assists and three 3-pointers in just 22 minutes on Friday, and then hit six 3-pointers for 23 points, three steals and a block in 27 minutes on Saturday.  With McConnell handling things at point guard, Canaan is getting nice production while spending most of his time at shooting guard, which is a better spot for him.

Jerryd Bayless Bucks 3% – Michael Carter-Williams has missed three straight games with a sprained ankle and Bayless came through on Saturday with 19 points, 10 assists, two steals, two blocks and three 3-pointers. Unfortunately, I used him in daily play on Friday instead of Saturday, when he had just five points and four assists on 2-of-9 shooting. In any case, Bayless loses a lot of appeal when MCW is playing, but if he’s on the shelf again this week, Bayless could put up some big numbers.

Toney Douglas Pelicans 4% – Douglas has been hit or miss with the Pelicans, scoring 17 points in his debut on Halloween, then scoring nine, three and 11 points in his next three games. He’s averaging 10.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 3-pointers on the season. The best news is that he’s shooting 52 percent from the field this season, and his emergence has hurt the value of Jrue Holiday’s back up, Ish Smith. Douglas is a deep-league special.

Others to consider – Ish Smith, Jeremy Lin, Dennis Schroder

Shooting Guards

Evan Fournier Magic 70% – I don’t like putting guys who are 70 percent owned in this column, but my guess is Fournier was more like 30 percent a week ago. He’s averaging a ridiculous 21.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.6 3-pointers and is shooting 52 percent from the floor and 85 percent at the line over his last five games, all while playing 38 minutes a night. Scott Skiles loves him, and he should be owned in 100 percent of leagues right now.

Nik Stauskas Sixers 25% – Whether you love his nickname (Sauce Castillo) or are sick of it, Stauskas is one of the most popular pickups in fantasy hoops right now. He’s attempted 42 3-pointers in his last five games and hit 13 of them, and is averaging 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.4 steals and is shooting 40 percent from the floor in 32 minutes a game. Sure, his field goal percentage is a concern given his desire to shoot it from the locker room, but I don’t care. The minutes are there, he’s got the green light and he can single handedly turn your season around if you’re struggling with 3-pointers.

Kent Bazemore Hawks 47% – I was fired up about Bazemore when the season started and he rewarded my faith with five total points on 2-of-9 shooting in his first two games, causing me to drop him in most spots. However, he scored 19 in Game 3 and hasn’t looked back, capping of his week with a career-high 25 points and four 3-pointers on Saturday night. He’s averaging 14.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.4 steals (I repeat – 2.4 steals), 0.8 blocks and 2.0 3-pointers on 54 percent shooting in 30 minutes over his last five games. I doubt he can stay this hot, but someone had to step up into DeMarre Carroll’s role for the Hawks and it looks like Bazemore has accepted the challenge.

Langston Galloway Knicks 47% – Galloway’s actually been more reliable than Jerian Grant, averaging 10.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 3-pointers on 43 percent shooting from the floor. He’s playing 29 minutes a night for a terrible team and should be able to keep producing like this for the foreseeable future.

Jeremy Lamb Hornets 21% – Lamb was really picking up momentum as a hot waiver wire grab, but cooled off on Saturday with just four points, four rebounds and nothing else on 2-of-8 shooting in 23 minutes. But even with that game, he’s averaging 12.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.6 3-pointers on 54 percent shooting over his last five games. If you need a player in a deep league, Lamb looks like a nice bet for success.

Others to consider – Marcus Thornton,  Alec Burks

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