This article is part of our NBA Waiver Wire series.
Working the Wire
By Charlie Zegers
RotoWire Hoops Editor
Hey, You Never Know
As I was looking up some numbers for another column today, I happened upon this surprising statistic:
On one of the most popular fantasy hoops sites on the Internet, Devin Harris is only 95 percent owned.
Now, I know Harris isn't one of the glamour point guards these days… he's not as sexy an option as, say, Chris Paul or Deron Williams. But the dude is currently fourth in the NBA in scoring.
What sort of league allows the league's fourth-leading scorer to sit there on the wire?
The moral of this story? Keep an eye on the waiver wire. You never know who's been overlooked by the other owners in your league.
Some possibilities for this week:
C.J. Miles (UTA) – Miles has emerged as a key member of the Utah starting lineup – and with Andrei Kirilenko adapting well to a sixth-man role, there's no reason to think he'll lose the gig any time soon.
C.J. Watson (GSW) – Good week for guys named "C.J." The Golden State version seems to be Don Nelson's most favored sub… this week, anyway. Nelson's rotations tend to change with the weather, so Watson may not be a long-term option. But in the short run, any player getting significant minutes on a team that's scored more than 250 points in its last two games is worth a look.
Delonte West (CLE) – West has lost some of his scoring opportunities with the arrival of Mo Williams in Cleveland – but that decrease in scoring has obscured very good numbers elsewhere in the box score – he's grabbed five boards in three straight games, a very nice contribution for a guard.
Joel Przybilla (POR) – Yeah, Greg Oden is the second coming of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Hakeem Olajuwon, all rolled into one convenient package. Thing is, Przybilla has generally outplayed the rookie. Case in point: Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, Oden started, played 19 minutes and managed just 2 points on 1-of-5 shooting against New York's undersized front line. Przybilla played 26 minutes off the bench, scored eight points on 4-of-6 shooting, snared 14 boards and blocked two shots.
Steve Blake (POR) – Another Blazer who may be overshadowed by more prominent teammates, Blake has been extremely valuable thus far. He's hitting just under two three-pointers per game, shooting at a 41.5 clip from downtown and over 95 percent from the line, while generating between four and five dimes per game.
Trevor Ariza (LAL) – A key bench player in Phil Jackson's rotation, Ariza is emerging as one of those "jack of all trades" guys that are so valuable in fantasy. He's been producing around five boards and dimes per game, with one or two blocks and steals – and as a bonus, has scored in double figures in five his last six appearances.
Luther Head (HOU) – With Tracy McGrady expected to be sidelined for the next three weeks, Head moves into Houston's starting lineup.
Roger Mason (SAN) – He may have been dropped in your league when Manu Ginobili returned to the starting lineup. That may have been a mistake. Even as a sixth man, Mason should have enough opportunity to put up numbers on a San Antonio team that has struggled to score points at times.
Jared Jeffries (NYK) – Jeffries could make his season debut later this week. Knick coach Mike D'Antoni reportedly thinks Jeffries could play a similar role to the one that made Boris Diaw a fantasy darling in Phoenix… including the eligibility at center.
Stephon Marbury Update:
Last week we talked about Stephon Marbury potentially being given the opportunity to suit up for the trade and injury-depleted Knicks, or being bought out or waived. We were half right – Steph was reportedly asked to play, and declined.
Buyout negotiations have apparently gone nowhere.
Various reports in the media have suggested that, for accounting reasons, the Knicks will wait until after the first of the year to cut ties with Marbury If that's the case, it could be mid-January before Steph suits up for anyone.
That being the case, we can't recommend picking up Marbury, unless your league allows a stunningly-high number of bench players.
Article first appeared on 12/3/08
