April 4 Fantasy Basketball Takeaways: Top Rookies and Waiver Wire Options | Derrick Jones Jr., Trayce Jackson-Davis, Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry, Miles McBride and More

There were just five NBA games played on Thursday, April 4. Let’s discuss some of the top performances from waiver wire players and rookies from each contest.

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Mavericks 109, Hawks 95

Dallas’ Derrick Jones Jr., owned in just 7% of leagues, totaled 14 points, five rebounds and one steal and block across nearly 29 minutes played.

Jones scored in double figures for the first time since March 21. He’s a decent fantasy option, but because he doesn’t score consistently, I’d try to look elsewhere for fantasy help.

Atlanta’s De'Andre Hunter, rostered in 79% of leagues, finished with 13 points, three rebounds and assists and one steal across 36 1/2 minutes of action. Hunter shot just 3-of-10 from the floor, but made a pair of 3-pointers.

Hunter isn’t a great fantasy asset, but he plays a ton of minutes and usually fills out the stat sheet pretty well most nights. I like the idea of streaming him until his production drops off, or Trae Young returns from his injury.

Bruno Fernando, rostered in 23% of leagues, tallied 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal and block across 19 minutes.

Fernando has a pretty consistent role with Saddiq Bey and Onyeka Okongwu out of action still. His playing time could dry up when Okongwu is back, but for now, Fernando is a solid fantasy asset in deeper leagues.

Garrison Mathews, owned in 5% of leagues, finished with 14 points and two rebounds across 15 minutes.

Mathews also has a pretty consistent role for the time being. It was his first time scoring in double figures since March 27. He’s an option in really deep leagues, but I’d think there are some better options out there somewhere.

Warriors 133, Rockets 110

Most of the heavily-owned fantasy players did the heavy lifting in the Golden State win over Houston on Thursday.

Golden State rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis, owned in 76% of leagues, started and played just under 28 minutes. He tallied 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal and block.

Jackson-Davis has been starting of late, and it’s allowed him to play a bunch of minutes and be a pretty solid fantasy asset. He doesn’t score super consistently, but he’s at least filling up the stat sheet pretty well. Jackson-Davis is a streaming option in standard leagues until his role diminishes - he should be rostered/played in all deep leagues and dynasties.

Houston rookie Cam Whitmore, owned in 24% of leagues, accumulated 17 points, four rebounds and one block across 23 minutes of action.

Whitmore pretty consistently is playing between 20-24 minutes now, and he’s responded by scoring in double figures in seven straight. He doesn’t do much else when on the court, but on his scoring alone, he’s a decent fantasy option in deeper leagues/dynasties.

Clippers 102, Nuggets 100

The Clippers edged the Nuggets to pick up a big win.

Los Angeles’ Norman Powell, rostered in 53% of leagues, posted 11 points, three rebounds and assists and one steal across 35 minutes off the bench.

Powell doesn’t usually play as many minutes, but the team was +10 with him on the court, so he got some extra run. He consistently scores in double figures, but doesn’t usually fill up the stat sheet well otherwise. I like him in deep leagues, but only playing him in standard leagues in a pinch if you need a streamer.

Russell Westbrook, owned in 69% of leagues, totaled 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal and block across just under 24 minutes played.

Westbrook has scored in double figures in three straight games now, and Thursday he also stuffed the stat sheet pretty well. I like Westbrook a touch more than Powell in standard leagues. His fantasy ceiling is capped by only playing around half of games, but he could definitely help some fantasy teams over the last week-plus of the season.

Amir Coffey, owned in just 2% of leagues, finished with nine points, six rebounds and one assist and steal across about 23 1/2 minutes.

Coffey plays about that many minutes most nights, which could make him a decent option in really deep leagues. He typically doesn’t score as much, which is keeping his own percentage low. Keep an eye on Coffey, but probably look elsewhere for streaming help in the last few games.

Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, rostered in 58% of leagues, totaled 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal and block across 37 1/2 minutes.

Denver was without Jamal Murray, so it allowed KCP to take on a larger offensive role. He’s been wildly inconsistent in his scoring outputs over the past several games, so while he’s capable of decent scoring nights, he’s hard to trust. I like him in deeper leagues, but would try someone else in standard leagues.

Christian Braun, owned in 4% of leagues, came off the bench and played nearly 34 minutes. He tallied seven points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal.

Braun is getting some extra minutes with Murray out, but he hasn’t been able to take advantage as a scorer. He usually fills the stat sheet out pretty well though, so he’s not a half bad fantasy option in really deep leagues and dynasties.

76ers 109, Heat 105

Philadelphia earned a crucial road win over Miami on Thursday.

Philly was led by its stars, but Kyle Lowry, owned in 38% of leagues, also played a decent role in the win. Lowry tallied eight points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal across just under 34 minutes.

Lowry has been playing heavy minutes over the past several games. It hasn’t led to big scoring nights, but it allows him to stuff the stat sheet, like he did Thursday. He’s a pretty solid option in deeper leagues for the time being.

Miami’s Nikola Jovic, rostered in 8% of leagues, had 11 points, five rebounds and one assist across just under 20 minutes.

Jovic’s minutes are all over the place of late, which makes it hard for fantasy owners to trust him. He’s a decent option in deeper leagues, but I’d try to look elsewhere for fantasy help.

Haywood Highsmith, owned in 29% of leagues, totaled 12 points, nine rebounds, four steals, two assists and one steal across 28 1/2 minutes. Kevin Love, owned in 12% of leagues, added 11 points, 16 rebounds and four assists across 18 1/2 minutes.

Highsmith has scored in double figures in six straight games, and he usually adds in a handful of rebounds at least, so I’m a little surprised his own percentage isn’t higher. He’s a solid streaming option in deeper leagues for now.

Love hasn’t been as impactful on the court, but showed Thursday that he’s still capable of big games. He’s an option in deeper leagues, but shouldn’t be trusted for big fantasy numbers each night.

Knicks 120, Kings 109

The Knicks earned a big home win over the Kings.

Miles McBride, owned in 79% of leagues, went for 12 points, four rebounds and three assists across nearly 43 minutes of action.

McBride is playing a bunch for the Knicks of late, and that’s made him a solid fantasy asset. He isn’t going to score a bunch each night, but the heavy minutes make him a streaming option in all leagues, at least for the time being.

Bojan Bogdanovic, rostered in 49% of leagues, added 12 points and a rebound across 12 minutes played.

Bogdanovic’s minutes haven’t been super consistent of late, which hurts his fantasy outlook. He’s capable of decent fantasy nights, but I’d try my luck with other players with bigger roles.

Sacramento’s Keon Ellis, owned in 34% of leagues, contributed 11 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals across nearly 31 minutes of action.

Trey Lyles, owned in 21% of leagues, had 10 points, three rebounds and one assist across 28 1/2 minutes off the bench. Davion Mitchell, owned in 3% of leagues, tallied 11 points, two rebounds and one assist across nearly 25 minutes off the bench. Sasha Vezenkov, rostered in 1% of leagues, chipped in 11 points and two rebounds and assists across under 14 minutes.

The four Sacramento players’ own percentages tell the story. Ellis starts and has a bigger role, but isn’t a consistent scorer, so he’s just an option in deeper leagues. Lyles’ minutes fluctuate quite a bit, but he’s scored in double figures in three straight. That makes him a solid deep league streaming option for the time being.

Mitchell has a decent role of late, but isn’t doing a ton outside his scoring. Vezenkov rarely scores in double figures. Both Mitchell and Vezenkov are options in really deep leagues, but I’d try to look elsewhere for fantasy help.