Fantasy NBA Week 15: Quick Adds With Long Term Potential

Last week’s hot adds included Nate Robinson and Eric Bledsoe, point guards who have been lighting it up in the last few games.  There are so recent injuries that have given some young blood more grind and may make a fantasy impact on your team.  Bledsoe and Robinson are both now owned in more than 2/3 of ESPN fantasy leagues so they still may be on the wire, but if they aren’t take a look at…

Time to Check Out "Taj" 2.0?

Not a point guard, but big man Taj Gibson (PF/C, Bulls) has logged significant minutes with both Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah not quite ready to return.  He has responded by posting nearly four straight double-doubles (just missing with nine rebounds on back to back nights of the first two).  In his last five, Gibson has averaged 13.2 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3 blocks while shooting a tidy .564 from the field.  He’s averaged 39.0 minutes in that stretch so monitor Boozer and Noah’s returns when deploying him. He put up 19 and 19 at the Hawks on February 2^nd; he will continue to provide double-doubles when given playing time.

Successful Free-Lance "ing"

Lance Stephenson  (SG, Pacers) has started a lot of games at the two for the Pacers but hadn’t really done anything fantasy-relevant until his last five games.  The Pacers have been insisting Stephenson get more aggressive and something clicked with him.  And clicked it has; in the last five games he’s been a consistent offensive threat for Indiana—15.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and a healthy 4.2 dimes.  This is a guy with some fantasy upside that is available on the wire now.  He’s up to 37% from downtown and shoots a high percentage from the field for a two (.487).  Only downside is that he doesn’t have multi-position eligibility like so many other swingmen and Danny Granger will eventually return.  It’s quite possible that he remains fantasy-relevant as the first guy off the bench when a deep Indiana team is all 100%.   Stephenson has interesting fantasy potential because of his ability like Eric Bledsoe, the week before him, to help you in mutliple categories.

Another “two” guard in the East is making all sorts of fantasy waves (on waivers); Nick Young (SG, Sixers) has put together some nice games in the absence of Jason Richardson.  In the last seven games, the big shooting guard has averaged 16.9 points, 3.7 boards, and nearly two threes per contest.  He’s gotten a major increase in playing time and Richardson could be out much longer than originally expected (knee).  The offensively-challenged Sixers will miss Richardson, but Young and possibly Damien Wilkens will be major benefactors of run.

Up All Night Playing Speights

Cleveland has been missing a big man presence to compliment their franchise point guard Kyrie Irving ever since Anderson Varejao went down over a month ago.  Enter in newly acquired Marreese Speights (PF/C, Cavaliers)  who has shown to be a pretty consistent source of scoring.  He doesn’t have Varejao’s rebounding prowess but with increased playing time his offensive skill set may be more diverse than the big Brazilian. In his last five, Speight has averaged 15.4 points, 6.8 rebounds a game while shooting 87% from the line and 53% from the field.

Fantasy Basketball Week 6 Gainers / The Pelican Brief

Week 6 in the NBA and there is a lot of talent still out there on the waiver wires.  I mean there are so many quality options out there in leagues; Greivis Vazquez (PG, Hornets) is still unowned in a couple leagues, for crying out loud.  I mean, he averages nearly 14 points and over 8 assists!  We also know that swingmen are high in demand; with rebounds in "stock price" for tired ex-2's like Vince Carter and Jason Richardson.  Here's what to be cognizant of for Week 6.  We also know the aforementioned Hornets are considering a name change.

Antawn Jamison (PF, Lakers)  has started two games with Pau Gasol out with tendinits in both knees.  In his last seven games he’s averaged a respectable 15.9 points to go with eight boards and he chips in threes pretty accurately.  Coach Mike D’Antoni will probably give Jamison a lot of minutes to try to balance the Gasol-Dwight Howard lineup when the Spaniard gets back.  He’s getting added quickly in most standard leagues.

Nikola Vucevic (PF/C, Magic)  Not many usable Magic players so far this year in fantasy, but the 7-footer has quietly put together 9.0 point, 9.9 rebound campaign and will block shots.  His ability to provide double-doubles outweigh his not-so-great 46% field goal percentage.  He’s averaging nearly 32 minutes so he’s probably going to be filling the stat sheets all season.  He’s owned in a majority of leagues but saw a spike recently.

Atta Foye!

Randy Foye, (SG/PG, Jazz)  Mr. Up-and-Down is on an “up” as Utah is tinkering with their lineup, giving Foye starts at shooting guard and in the last three games he has responded averaging 13.5 a game with a majority of those point coming from downtown.  He’s tearing it up from 3-point land, but doesn’t offer much in the way of assists this year (1.8 apg).  He shoots a high percentage for a backcourt player and may run away with his current role. He’s owned in about 25% of standard leagues.

Shved Light On The Subject

Coach Rick Adelman has dubbed Alexey Shved (SG/PG, Timberwolves) Minnesota’s shooting guard of the future.  He still comes off the bench but still averages around 30 minutes of run a game since mid-November.  He’s a steady contributor in threes and has scored 10 or more in the last four games.  He is 6’6”and recently became the 20^th rookie in history to make four or more three’s and shoot 50% or better in two consecutive games.  His stock is definitely on the rise; he’s crafty and the logical increase in minutes will probably up his rebound and assist totals.

Tayshaun Prince (SF, Pistons)   The wily veteran has been averaging nearly 16 points in his last five games and shooting 54% from downtown in 34.2 minutes a game all well above his career averages, but his season average is right in line with his career.  In a fantasy hoops world short on serviceable swingmen, Prince is an undervalued commodity.

Jordan Crawford (SG, Wizards)  Owned in approximately 20% of standard leagues and rising, the guard is making some heads turn; in the last nine games he’s averaging 16.3 points, 4.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds per contest.  As long as John Wall is still sidelined with the knee injury so Crawford could see more starts.

Notes:

The Lakers Jodie Meeks is a cheap source of threes.

Shannon Brown's play in the Valley of the Sun will soon border on fantasy relevance.

Chauncey Billups, all of a sudden, can't stay healthy.