Fantasy

NBA Fantasy: 6 waiver wire targets ahead of Week 24

RotoWire breaks down the top players to consider on the waiver wire heading into Week 24 of the 2023-24 NBA season.

Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis has averaged 10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks over his last 12 games.

We are approaching the final two weeks of the regular season. Week 24 is going to be busy with all but four teams set to play four games each. For fantasy managers who need reinforcements, here are some of the top players to consider adding off the waiver wire who are still available in the majority of Yahoo leagues.

Nick Richards, Charlotte Hornets (51% available)

Richards has been a fixture in this column since Mark Williams (back) went down (there have been no positive updates since). The Hornets did add some size in Grant Williams and Davis Bertans at the trade deadline, but neither has hurt Richards’ playing time.

Since the trade deadline, Richards has averaged 10.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over 21 games. He shot a stellar 69.7% from the field during that span while shooting a reasonable 71.4% from the charity stripe. The Hornets have four games each in both of the final two weeks of the season, so fantasy managers in need of a center shouldn’t hesitate to add Richards.

Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers (58% available)

Anthony Davis got the night off Wednesday against the Grizzlies, and Hachimura stepped up to post 32 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and seven three-pointers. For the season, he is now shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from behind the arc.

Hachimura isn’t just playing well when the Lakers are shorthanded. He has started each of their last 23 games. He has thrived since being moved into the role, recording averages of 15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 3-pointers. The Lakers will also play four games next week, making Hachimura an appealing option.

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors (59% available)

The Warriors had a back-to-back set Tuesday and Wednesday. Jackson-Davis did not play Tuesday because of knee soreness, but returned Wednesday against the Magic. He logged 33 minutes in that matchup, so the injury clearly wasn’t a concern. He took advantage of his added minutes, posting eight points, 14 rebounds, one steal and one block.

Jackson-Davis is averaging only 15 minutes per game for the season, but he has averaged 25 minutes over his last 12 games. During that span he is putting up 10.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocks. With the Warriors set to play four games this week, Jackson-Davis is another big man who should be targeted on waivers.

Miles McBride, New York Knicks (61% available)

The Knicks are dealing with plenty of key injuries as the playoffs approach. They received some positive news Wednesday with Mitchell Robinson returning from an ankle injury. However, Julius Randle (shoulder) has still not been cleared for full contact play. OG Anunoby (elbow) has also missed five straight games.

McBride has moved into the starting lineup since Anunoby went down. Not only is he starting, but he has logged at least 40 minutes in all five games. He didn’t let his opportunity go to waste, averaging 21.6 points, 3.8 assists and 4.6 three-pointers in his new role. The Knicks will play four games in Week 24, and with the expectation that Anunoby at least misses some of them, McBridge is a viable fantasy option.

Tre Mann, Charlotte Hornets (70% available)

The Hornets announced Thursday that LaMelo Ball (ankle) will remain out for the remainder of the regular season. They are out of the playoff hunt and Ball hasn’t taken the floor since the end of January, so it made no sense to rush him back. Now that he has officially been ruled out, Mann should remain entrenched in his starting role.

Mann has started all 18 games that he has played in since being acquired from the Thunder. He’s not a token starter, either, logging 31 minutes per game. With his new role, he has averaged 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 3-pointers. He has also shot a respectable 45.9% from the field. Frankly, he shouldn’t still be available in this many leagues.

Corey Kispert, Washington Wizards (72% available)

Kispert is instant offense. While he is only logging 24 minutes per game this season, he is averaging a career-high 12.7 points per game. His main value comes from behind the arc, where he is shooting 37.5% and averaging 2.2 3-pointers per game.

The Wizards have dealt with various injuries down the stretch, which contributed to Kispert starting each of the last 10 games. During that run, he averaged 15.8 points and 3.1 3-pointers over 34 minutes per game. The downside with him is that he provides very little in terms of rebounds, assists and defensive stats. However, he is still worth adding in deeper leagues for fantasy managers who need a boost in scoring and three-pointers.

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