Now that the year has turned to 2023, NBA rotations will open up as teams will start to showcase some of the players they’re dangling in trades. The NBA trade deadline is a little over a month away and contending teams will try to find their final piece of their team’s puzzle to be set with depth to contend and other non-contending teams are looking towards their basketball futures and will look to trade off players for salary cap room and NBA draft picks. The Phoenix Suns continue to be riddled with injuries and their lineups have looked very different on a nightly basis. Devin Booker should be out for at least a few more weeks with an injured groin. Here are some players you can look to potentially add off the fantasy basketball waiver wire. 

 


Jalen Williams SG, SF Oklahoma City Thunder-32% rostered

The Thunder’s frontcourt is damaged and with big men like Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined, Williams has seen his shots increase and he’s played fewer than 27 minutes 1 time in his last month of action. He’s scored in double figures in six straight contests and he’s even upped his rebounding pulling down five or more in four games during that span. Williams can play multiple positions on the floor which bodes well for his playing time and he’ll be primarily needed at power forward. He’s shot over 55 percent from the field in each of his last 3 outings. He plays bigger than his size and has quick hands and takes advantage of big men who get the ball in the post and look towards the rim upon receiving the ball. Williams will catch the opposition not paying attention and swipe the ball away. He’s stolen the ball in five of his last seven games and even blocked shots in two of his last three. 

Rui Hachimura F Washington Wizards-37% rostered

Even though he comes off the bench Hachimura sits with a usage percentage nearing 24 and since returning to action, he’s hit the 20-minute mark and has played 27 minutes or more over his last 3 games. Bradley Beal has been dealing with a sore hamstring and the Wizards have needed secondary scoring and Hachimura has scored no fewer than 14 points in 5 straight battles and he posted 5 or more boards in 3 of those games. Hachimura has been banged up throughout his career, but he’s a very smart decisionmaker in the post. A lot of big men will just go up with the ball thinking they’ll draw contact every time and Hachimura recognizes how to take his time in the post with the ball and trying looking for an opening so he can go up strong with the basketball. He can help the Wizards stretch the floor and he shoots over 52 percent from the field. 

Naz Reid C Minnesota Timberwolves-38% rostered

Until Karl-Anthony Towns returns, Reid has staying power in the Timberwolves rotation. Kyle Anderson was experiencing pain in his back and Rudy Gobert was sick for a few days and Reid was heavily utilized, but Reid even showed in his previous game that he can help with boards and blocks. He’s grabbed at least six rebounds in four straight outings. Reid should continue playing 20-25 minutes per game. He’s swatted away shots in five straight battles with three of them being multi-block outings. He’s averaging one block per game this year. Reid also shoots 36 percent from beyond the arc and he’ll often be left open to shoot three-pointers. He won’t be getting as much shot opportunities, but for what it’s worth, he has hit double-digits in seven of his last nine basketball games. After he battles Nikola Jokic, he has softer matchups against the Blazers, Clippers, Rockets and Pistons. 

Torrey Craig F Phoenix Suns-17% rostered

Craig will likely be a short-term fantasy basketball solution as the Suns are getting Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet back in the lineup and a lot of the Suns production will continue to come from their backcourt even with Devin Booker out. Craig has been filling in nicely for the injured Cameron Johnson and we should know soon enough when Johnson will return to the floor and Craig will have to continue to help support the Suns frontcourt offensively until Johnson returns. He’s scored 10 or more points and grabbed 7 or more rebounds in 3 of his last 5 games. Craig is grabbing 5.4 boards per outing. Craig can play effectively at either forward spot and he has been helping the Suns offense by rotating the ball around the perimeter or hitting the cutter upon receiving the pass. Craig is a feisty defender at the elbow and arc and has grabbed steals in seven of his last 10 battles. 

Alec Burks G, SF Detroit Pistons-40% rostered

Burks is scoring 14 points per game and hitting 2 or more three-pointers on average. The fallout of the Orlando Magic-Detroit Pistons fight from a few days ago is beneficial for Burks fantasy basketball production. He’s shot 45 percent from downtown and over 46 percent from the field. Burks scored 13 or more points in 4 straight games and even though he doesn’t help much on the glass, but he ripped down 5 or more rebounds in 2 of his last 4 games. He’s a stellar defender on the perimeter and with Killian Hayes out for another game, plus, Detroit faces the Blazers, Warriors and Spurs next, and he should get plenty of shot opportunities in faster-paced games. Expect Burks to shoot 10 or more shots in most games this week. Burks also produced two multi-steal games in his last four and swatted away shots in two of his last three outings. 

Patrick Beverley G Los Angeles Lakers-8% rostered

If the Lakers are going to compete, LeBron James will continue to need help scoring the basketball and with Lonnie Walker IV hurting, Beverley could be in line for more shots. He’s scored in double figures in four of his last six games. Beverley is more of a defender and enforcer on the perimeter and he’s very blue-collared, but his offensive production he’s been posting lately has made him more appealing from a fantasy basketball standpoint. He’s shot over 45 percent in 5 of his last 7 battles. The Lakers have plenty of guards to help James bring up the ball, but Beverley has dropped three or more dimes in six of his last seven games. Beverley has posted swipes in five of his last six contests and he’s even recorded blocks in three straight outings. The Lakers aren’t known for their defense and Beverley is their best bet.

Mark Williams C Charlotte Hornets-16% rostered

When the Hornets drafted Williams with the 15th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, it looked as if they finally solved their center depth issues, but training camp proved otherwise and before we knew it, Mason Plumlee was starting again and Nick Richards was backing him up. Williams is a complete inside player on offense that doesn’t provide any floor-stretching ability, but the Hornets have enough shooters. Williams is seven feet tall and despite receiving limited minutes, he blocked multiple shots in two of his last three and grabbed steals in three of his last four games. He pulled down at least six rebounds in three games during that span and only played more than 18 minutes in 1 of those contests. He recently played 21 minutes against the Thunder and scored 17 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Williams is the Hornets future and this team is embarrassing when it comes to frontcourt defense year after year and Williams size gives them more chances to clog up the lane. Keep Williams on your watch lists over the Hornets next few games. Williams received love in the Hornets rotation because Richards hurt his ankle, so let’s see how his recent performance impacts the Hornets rotation. 


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