December 5 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Pickups: Taurean Prince, Obi Toppin, Matas Buzelis and More
NBA players who had good games Wednesday and are widely available in fantasy basketball leagues.
Twelve NBA teams were in action on Wednesday, December 4. Each provided valuable insight for fantasy basketball owners.
Let's hop straight into the top performances that caught my eye from waiver wire players.
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Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has really come into himself in this last stretch of the year. He wasn’t involved much in the Bulls rotation to start the year, but after a couple of G-League games, he is now earning his keep.
In his latest game against the Brooklyn Nets, he scored 20 points, had five rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes of action. That was his fourth game where he has hit the 20-minute mark, which is a great sign for what could occur later in the season.
I see Buzelis more as a deep league waiver wire acquisition rather than a priority waiver guy. I think the potential of him getting better throughout the year is a chance that I’m very willing to take. His length and shooting stroke are two intangibles that will help him earn more and more minutes this year.
He is currently averaging 5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 11 minutes per game this season. He is only owned in 6% of leagues, so he will always be an easy player to get off of waivers. However, he did see a +2.41 own increase over the week, so people are definitely starting to bet on his potential.
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin was rewarded with a 4-year, 58-million-dollar extension, and he is playing up to that deal right now. In his last three games, he has double-digit points in all of them and garnered 44 total points in those games.
His athleticism and resurgence in his jumpshot have made him a perfect fit for the Pacers high-octane offense. Toppin is a player that should be a priority on the waiver wire over anyone else. As long as Toppin can hover around 20 minutes per game, he can be a really good contributor for the Pacers. But in games with less than 20 minutes per game, his production is a lot more erratic.
He is averaging 9.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 20 minutes of action this season. Though his production has dropped a bit from last year, it's not as concerning as some people think it is. The Pacers' offense as a whole took a dip from top three to the middle of the pack this season. Toppin is owned in 11% of leagues, so he will be available for the most part. His services can be most useful to you when your lineup has unfortunate injuries.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Taurean Prince has been playing his role amazingly and has reaped the benefits of being on the team with two superstars. He is primarily a 3-and-D player, so him being an efficient shooter is very paramount. He has been an efficient shooter this year from deep, and it has helped the Bucks turn their season around after a very rocky start.
In his last six games, he has reached double-digit points in five of those games. I don't think Prince is a priority waiver guy because I think his production could vary more than other players.
I do, however, think that he is a good deep-league waiver acquisition. Riding his hot hand is the best possible solution for this, though, until you see a big drop-off. He is currently owned in 17% of leagues; he won't be much trouble to get. He is averaging 9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 28 minutes per game. He also saw a +2.91 increase lately, so you should get him now while he's at his best.
Washington Wizards big man Jonas Valanciunas has been good for the Wizards. He has been the low post presence that they desperately needed. Even though their record hasn't positively reflected his impact, Valanciunas has been good. He most likely will be shipped closer to the trade deadline, so his role will be bigger on the next team he is on.
He is a must-add priority waiver guy; he consistently racks up double-doubles. What's even more impressive is the fact that he is not even averaging 20 minutes this season and is producing very well. He is averaging 12.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 58% shooting this year.
He has only played over 20 minutes in a handful of games, but he has been very good in those games. His start percentage is 81%, so he is valued at a ridiculously high level. Acquiring him on waivers will be difficult, but if he is available, he should easily be your first choice.
