March 5 Fantasy Basketball Takeaways: Top Rookies and Waiver Wire Options | Dean Wade, Trey Murphy III, Kelly Oubre Jr., De'Andre Hunter, Vasilije Micic and More

A nine-game NBA slate of games on Tuesday resulted in several exciting games.

Several players delivered big individual performances, and we’re here to discuss some of the better showings from waiver wire options and rookies. Let’s get to it!

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Waiver Wire Options

We’ll start the conversation by discussing Cleveland Cavaliers’ Dean Wade. He had 23 points, eight rebounds, two steals and one assist across 21 minutes off the bench in the team’s comeback win over the Boston Celtics.

Wade, rostered in 3% of leagues, had a putback dunk with 19.1 seconds left to help the Cavs rally from a 22-point deficit. He was a huge reason behind the big comeback, posting a new career high in points in the contest.

Wade got some extra minutes with Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus inactive and Evan Mobley being injured in the contest. Wade should remain involved if Mobley is out, so I like the thought of adding him in deeper leagues for the time being. If Mitchell and Strus are also inactive again, Wade could be a streaming option in standard leagues.

New Orleans Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III, rostered in 76% of leagues, recorded 34 points, six rebounds and one assist and steal across 29 minutes off the bench in the team’s lopsided win over the Toronto Raptors.

Murphy has turned in some big games over the past several weeks, and is especially hot over the past four contests, averaging 24.8 points, 6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals across 31.1 minutes. Don’t let the fact that he’s mostly coming off the bench scare you off streaming him for a little while - those are great averages that you should try to capitalize on for at least another game or two.

Philadelphia 76ers’ Kelly Oubre Jr., owned in 77% of leagues, totaled 30 points, six rebounds and four assists across 36 minutes off the bench in the team’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets. 

Philly was without Tyrese Maxey, which opened up some extra scoring chances for Oubre. Oubre can be streamed in all formats until Maxey is back out there, and probably does enough most nights to hold onto until Joel Embiid returns.

Phoenix Suns’ Grayson Allen, owned in 73% of leagues, finished with 28 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals across 41 minutes in the team’s overtime win over the Denver Nuggets.

Allen got back into double figures in a big way - he had been limited to 16 points over the past three games combined. He took advantage of Devin Booker being inactive and is a streaming option when Booker, Kevin Durant or Bradley Beal are out.

Atlanta Hawks’ De'Andre Hunter, rostered in 61% of leagues, had 22 points, three rebounds and one steal across 25 minutes off the bench in the team’s win over the New York Knicks.

Hunter scored in double figures for the 11th straight game, despite always coming off the bench. He’s averaging 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.3 blocks over 25.8 minutes in that span of game, which is enough to add/play him in most leagues - it really comes down to if you have a roster spot to play with.

Detroit Pistons’ Simone Fontecchio, rostered in 33% of leagues, tallied 22 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal across 29 minutes off the bench in the team’s loss to the Miami Heat.

Fontecchio has come off the bench in four straight games, but is averaging 27.1 minutes, 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 steals per game, which is at least enough to roster/play him in deeper leagues for the time being.

Brooklyn’s Dorian Finney-Smith, owned in 33% of leagues, accumulated 20 points, eight rebounds and two assists across 31 minutes in the team’s win.

Finney-Smith usually isn’t a big-time scorer, but an 8-for-11 shooting performance with four 3-point makes, helped him reach 20 points for just the second time this season. He fills the stat sheet fairly well every night, and has scored at least seven points in four straight, so Finney-Smith is probably worth an add in deeper leagues for the time being.

San Antonio Spurs’ Malaki Branham, owned in 8% of leagues, totaled 20 points, two assists and one rebound across 26 minutes off the bench in the team’s loss to the Houston Rockets.

He’s scored in double figures in five of the past six games and seven of the past nine. He doesn’t usually fill the stat sheet super well, but he’s still a deep league option, at least until he cools off a bit.

Dallas Mavericks Daniel Gafford, rostered in 78% of leagues, posted 16 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, two assists and one steal across 21 minutes off the bench in a loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Gafford hit 20 minutes played for the first time in three three games and was perfect on his seven attempts to enjoy one of his better games with the Mavericks. He’s worth monitoring to see if his playing time ever goes up, but until I see it a bit more regularly, I’m looking elsewhere for fantasy help. He’s just not playing as much as I figured he would, and that limits him as a fantasy player.

Atlanta’s Saddiq Bey, rostered in 68% of leagues, accumulated 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one steal and block across 36 minutes in the team’s win.

Bey didn’t shoot particularly well (6-of-15), but still ended up with a decent scoring outing. He also stuffed the stat sheet, which he pretty much does every night. With over 30 minutes played most nights, he’s a guy I’d be fine playing, at least until Trae Young returns.

New York’s Miles McBride, owned in 33% of leagues, finished with 11 points, nine assists, two rebounds and one steal and block across 46 minutes.

It was the third time in four games that McBride has gone over 40 minutes played, which obviously boosts his fantasy ceiling. He’s scored in double figures in four straight, with five or more assists in three of those games. He’s worth streaming in deeper leagues until his playing time falls off.

Top Rookies

Charlotte Hornets’ Vasilije Micic, owned in 15% of leagues, accumulated 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals across 29 minutes in the team’s loss to the Orlando Magic.

He’s played 28 or more minutes in three straight games, and has responded with at least 12 points and four assists in each game. Micic is worth streaming in deeper leagues until he cools off or his minutes drop.

Houston’s Cam Whitmore, rostered in 24% of leagues, played 20 minutes and totaled 19 points, eight rebounds and one assist and steal.

He’s capable of these kinds of outings, but until he plays some more minutes, he’s hard to trust each night. He’s an option in deeper leagues and dynasties, at least sitting on the end of your bench.

Toronto’s Javon Freeman-Liberty, owned in hardly any leagues, totaled 13 points, three rebounds and one assist across 18 minutes played in the team’s blowout loss.

It was just his fourth game of the season and first time over three minutes played. He’s a player to keep an eye on in case the Raptors pack up and start really tanking. I’d want to see some more results before making a move though.

Indiana’s Ben Sheppard, rostered in 1% of leagues, finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and one steal across 22 minutes. 

Sheppard hadn’t played in the past two games but picked up right where he left off. It was one of his better rebounding efforts, as he's mostly just been a scorer. He’s another guy I’m keeping an eye on, but avoiding until he shows a bit more on the court.

Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., owned in 35% of leagues, recorded 11 points, six boards and two assists across 27 minutes off the bench.

Jaquez has a defined role of late (between 27-29 minutes in four straight games) but has as many games in double figures as below that mark in that span. He’s still a pretty solid deep league and dynasty option, as long as you can live with some down games.

Orlando’s Anthony Black, owned in 4% of leagues, tallied 10 points, five boards and one assist across 28 minutes in the team’s win.

Black reached double figures for the first time since Jan. 29. That pretty much tells you all you need to know - he’s a guy to keep an eye on, but until his scoring goes up, I’m looking elsewhere for fantasy help.