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It is never too early to begin looking at the waiver wire. It is important to always be keeping track of players and a team’s depth. The Oklahoma City Thunder will now be without Kevin Durant (Foot) and Russell Westbrook (Hand) for the next month and a half and there is a ton of playing time to be divided. Through the first two games Thunder Forward Perry Jones (owned in 36 percent of leagues polled) has scored 17.5 points and has grabbed 5 rebounds per game. He has been playing over 36 minutes per game and should absolutely be picked up if available. He will be getting a ton of playing time with the team’s top two players out. Thunder rookie Forward Andre Roberson is only owned in four percent of leagues polled and has already shown defense promise with a minor offensive game. He will contribute steals and rebounds.

When looking to pick a player up, look for statistics that stick out. Even though certain players might score a limited amount of points, they could stand out as specialists and a major help in scarcer categories such as blocks and steals. Charlotte Hornets Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a solid defender, especially on the perimeter. His opposition tries to create space by faking him out, but it does not work because of his frame and discipline on defense. He blocked three shots and grabbed eight rebounds in his season debut. Kidd-Gilchrist has earned his minutes throughout his young career and can definitely see 30 minutes of playing time per game and is only owned in 32 percent of leagues polled.

Playing time is key when determining whether or not to pick up a player. Two guards that could be seeing a lot of playing time early on are D.J. Augustin (Detroit Pistons) and Donald Sloan (Indiana Pacers). Augustin has been getting a ton of praise from Pistons Head Coach Stan Van Gundy regarding his competitiveness. The offense has flowed better with him on the court than Brandon Knight. This is a situation in which fantasy meets reality. Augustin has been contributing in the scoring, rebounding and assists categories and is only owned in 21 percent of leagues polled. Sloan is on an injured Pacers team that has a ton of playing time up for grabs. Sloan (Owned in 20 percent of leagues polled) played 34 minutes in his first game of the season and scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished 6 assists. Guards who rebound are very beneficial to fantasy basketball players. Pacers Guard-Forward C.J. Miles will be a go-to scoring option for the Pacers in the coming weeks and is owned in 20 percent of leagues polled.

Do not forget to look at the team’s rotation and the seasoned veterans on that team. Yes, Kevin Garnett (Brooklyn Nets) is still in the league and could benefit your team. He scored 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in his season debut. Especially with Brook Lopez (Foot) out, Garnett (Owned in 13 percent of leagues polled) will be expected to play more and he is the type of player who can be beneficial without much of a playing time commitment. Hornets Forward Marvin Williams had an impressive season debut scoring 19 points while shooting 66.7 percent from the field. The Hornets do not have a ton of big man depth and Williams (Owned in 12 percent of leagues polled) will see a lot of playing time and has a good inside game. He will be very productive on offense.

Not comfortable picking up some of the older players of the NBA? How about a younger option in Milwaukee Bucks Forward Khris Middleton (Owned in 13 percent of leagues polled)? Middleton has a strong mid-range game. He is good at drawing out defenders and then running the give and go inside to get a free lane right to the basket. Middleton scored 17 points in his debut and has shown aggressiveness and will grab 6 to 7 rebounds per game this season. Another young forward to keep an eye on is rookie Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls). McDermott has the combination of great range and he can drive to the basket. Bulls Head Coach Tom Thibodeau displayed his confidence in the sharpshooter in the team’s first game as McDermott played 24 minutes in the contest and scored 12 points. He hustles on every play and is not afraid to bang with the big guys inside. Coaches are in love with hustle. Hustle translates to more playing time and McDermott has already shown that he is comfortable in the Bulls system. He is owned in just 24 percent of leagues.

(Source: Leagues polled: Yahoo! Fantasy Sports)