The fantasy basketball league playoffs are underway. If you are still alive, then you must have put together a pretty talented team to get this far. However, even the best teams could use help to improve potential areas of weakness now when it matters the most. Not only that, you might be dealing with some injury or rest situations. We took the time to identify a handful of potential free agent pickups you might want to consider. Here is a look at the top five NBA fantasy waiver wire additions for this week.
PG: Kris Dunn, Minnesota Timberwolves
The rookie point guard has enjoyed a boost in playing time of late, averaging 27.8 minutes per game over his last five contests. Dunn has battled with inconsistency at times, but his overall numbers throughout that span are fairly strong. Dunn has averaged 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 blocks per game over his last five contests. With the Timberwolves set to play five games this week, Dunn could be a sneaky good waiver wire addition at the point guard position.
SG: J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland has worked hard to break out of the terrible funk they dealt with in the month of March. Smith has played a role in their recent turnaround including a couple of strong performances in his last two outings. Smith has averaged 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 5.0 three-point shots per game over back-to-back wins. The Cavaliers will continue to ride Smith for his shooting ability and that makes him an intriguing option at the shooting guard position.
PG: Yogi Ferrell, Dallas Mavericks
With Seth Curry injured and the Mavericks talking about resting some of their starters, Ferrell could be a sneaky good waiver wire option. The rookie point guard is coming off a solid performance in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, in which he scored 13 points with five assists, four rebounds and two three-point shots. Dallas will likely lean on Ferrell even more this week so he could be an intriguing waiver wire option at the point guard position.
SG: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
The seventh-overall pick from the 2016 NBA Draft has an opportunity to produce as the Nuggets continue to deal with injuries. Murray has averaged 7.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 three-point shots per game over his last five contests. Those averages could be considered his floor. Murray has played at least 28 minutes in each of his last two contests. If he continues to play big minutes he will have the opportunity to improve his numbers across the board this week.
SF: Terrence Ross, Orlando Magic
Ross has fit in perfectly with the Magic and he has become a viable fantasy option at the small forward position. Ross has averaged 16.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.8 three-point shots over his last five contests. He has topped 32 minutes in each of his last three outings. With Orlando out of the playoff mix, they clearly want to see what they have with Ross. That should mean plenty of opportunity with a chance to make a major fantasy impact down the final stretch at the small forward position.
San Antonio Spurs Rest
It’s worth taking a closer look at teams that could rest players. The San Antonio Spurs are one of those teams. Taking a look at the standings, they are 3.5 games back of the Golden State Warriors. At the same time, they are comfortably in second place and are at no risk of falling further. There was a time that was a concern but the Houston Rockets have seven less wins than San Antonio.
With that in mind, we know the Spurs will be resting players. That includes LaMarcus Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker. If you’re wondering who benefits, it’s the following names: Jonathan Simmons, David Lee, Patty Mills, Kyle Anderson and Dewayne Dedmon. Each and every one of those guys could be valuable in NBA fantasy. More importantly, almost all of them are still available on the waiver wire. Keep an eye on the nightly reports as the Spurs will be resting players. That will have a significant impact on the final stretch of your NBA fantasy season.
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