Working the waiver wire is pivotal to succeeding in fantasy basketball. With so many games, injuries and endless shifts in rotations throughout the marathon campaign, we'll need to source stats from free agency to maximize our imaginary rosters.
A willingness to entertain competition for the last few spots on your fantasy hoops roster can prove rewarding. When curating this fluid collective of statistical contributors, it helps to consider your end-of-bench players in direct competition with the talent floating in free agency.
The goal of this weekly series is to identify players available in at least half of ESPN leagues at each position. Some nominations are specialists capable of helping in one or two categories, while others deliver more diverse and important statistical offerings. In the breakdowns below, I've ordered players at each position with the priority of acquisition in mind, rather than roster percentage in ESPN leagues.
Point guard
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs (Rostered in 43.2% of ESPN leagues): Despite not seeing as many minutes per game as you'd like from an emergent talent (23.5 MPG), Murray's unique ability to fill the box score with stocks (steals plus blocks) in addition to awesome rebounding from the position makes him a premier waiver-wire target in all formats. The Spurs have almost too much backcourt depth to deliver a true fantasy star, but Murray is making his bid to emerge from the pack.
Goran Dragic, Miami Heat (44.2%): While his scoring responsibilities will lessen with Jimmy Butler soon to make his Miami debut, Dragic will still continue to serve a key role as the team's top offensive spark from the bench, capable of leading the pick-and-roll or operating with savvy off the ball.
Devonte' Graham, Charlotte Hornets (3.1%): Still floating in free agency in the vast majority of ESPN leagues, Graham has been the Hornets' most consistent shooting and distribution asset through two appearances. Graham's path to a starting gig in Charlotte is blocked by Terry Rozier, but thus far, he's been able to deliver stellar production -- 23.5 PPG with a gaudy 6.0 3PG -- from the pine, given the team's immense nightly need for offensive support.
Elfrid Payton, New York Knicks (10.0%): Starting both of the Knicks' games this past weekend, Payton has impressively tallied nine steals on the season and seems to have secured a meaningful role as the team's top pure point guard. Given Dennis Smith Jr.'s struggles, Payton could continue to serve a rewarding role for New York's backcourt.
Shooting guard
Josh Hart, New Orleans Pelicans (6.3%): Currently ranked fourth on the Player Rater among shooting guards, albeit through a finite sample, Hart brings a valuable blend of shooting (nine 3-pointers in three games) and defense (six stocks) to the floor for the Pelicans. Minutes might not always be there for Hart, given New Orleans' uniquely deep collection of guards, but he's proving to be an integral part of the rotation early on.
Luke Kennard, Detroit Pistons (11.0%): Noticeably stronger since last season, Kennard's ability to get his shot off deeper into the paint only helps his already impressive shooting gravity. The Pistons feature Kennard and Derrick Rose as elite bench scorers this season, with Kennard playing the spacing role to Rose's drive-heavy agenda. For those in need of a shooting specialist with a solid scoring ceiling each night out, Kennard is a nice target at a shallow shooting guard position.
Kendrick Nunn, Miami Heat (5.2%): The Heat have this uncanny ability to unearth gems from the fringes of the league and develop them into vital rotation cogs. It's not quite clear whether Nunn is an enduring piece for Miami, as we'll learn more about his role once Butler returns to action, but it's telling that the coaching staff has allocated such trust (28 MPG) to the undrafted wing. With Dion Waiters out of favor, Nunn could be a fun fantasy contributor for those in deeper leagues.
Bryn Forbes, San Antonio Spurs (2.4%): Amassing 36 points and seven 3-pointers through two games as the Spurs' starting shooting guard, Forbes belongs in the shooting specialist tier at that position.
Small forward
Justise Winslow, Miami Heat (37.0%): The point-forward role that drove top-60 fantasy value for Winslow after the break last season has continued into the new campaign; Winslow has averaged seven dimes while averaging 18.5 PPG and 10.0 RPG through his first two appearances. Even when Butler is back as the team's top playmaker, Winslow's unique ability to float between small and power forward roles while also running the offense suggests he's going to be valuable to fantasy managers all season.
Taurean Prince, Brooklyn Nets (15.0%): Recently extended as part of the Nets' future, Prince can be a part of your fantasy team for the price of a roster spot. The stretch-forward isn't going to leave the floor very often, given Brooklyn's utter lack of depth at power forward and should provide a fun blend of scoring and rebounding results.
OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors (8.3%): The theme at the wing this week is decidedly defensive; Anunoby has compiled seven blocks while pulling 23 boards and sinking five 3-pointers through three appearances, confirming his unique 3-and-D role for a Toronto team willing to allocate heaps of minutes and opportunities.
Power forward
Jonathan Isaac, Orlando Magic (45.7%): A defensive dynamo with eight stocks already on the season, Isaac's sluggish start on offense simply signals he's due for some positive regression in the games ahead.
Marcus Morris Sr., New York Knicks (19.5%): The Knicks' roster offers some avenues for fantasy value such as Payton and Morris; two veterans being overlooked by the market. Morris will enjoy rare freedom to create his own shot and roam on defense (four steals through three games), supporting the potential for a top-100 fantasy campaign.
Davis Bertans, Washington Wizards (1.2%): Given the potential for Bertans to earn tons of shots and minutes for a shallow Wizards roster (29.3 MPG through three appearances), I'm intrigued by his potential to be an atypically valuable shooting specialist for fantasy purposes.
PJ Washington, Charlotte Hornets (15.6%): A brilliant professional debut saw Washington set the franchise rookie scoring record, thanks to an incredible seven 3-pointers for the Kentucky product. Given what should be relatively awesome opportunity rates (shots and minutes) on a talent-poor Charlotte frontcourt, Washington is a fun early-season addition to consider.
Center
Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers (41.1%): Available for only about half of last season, Thompson looks healthy and productive thus far; he's among the league leaders in rebounding chances per game and just made his first career 3-pointer. Before we anoint him the next Ray Allen, it's best to remember Thompson is a traditional double-double machine worth targeting for frontcourt support.
Frank Kaminsky, Phoenix Suns (0.9%): A lengthy suspension for Deandre Ayton opens up a fairly major role for Kaminsky in Phoenix; he's played 62 minutes while tallying 37 points and 19 boards in two games since Ayton was sidelined. You won't net much defensive production from Kaminsky, but the raw scoring and rebounding rates could prove fun if Phoenix allocates this much work for the Wisconsin product. For those in need of blocks from the pivot position, teammate Aron Baynes (0.3%) can fulfill that need better than Kaminsky.
Kelly Olynyk, Miami Heat (13.6%): A key floor-spacer for the Heat, who can provide a surprisingly strong mix of defensive results, Olynyk is the type of player who is more valuable in fantasy terms than his modest scoring rate might suggest.
