The Wire Troll: Dillon Brooks Dealing in Memphis
Dillon Brooks is enjoying a breakout season for the Grizz. (Darren Abate/AP)
Welcome back to another week of Fantasy basketball. We’re into November now, still super early in the campaign. But it’s never too early to raid the wire to try to find someone that can upgrade your roster.
This week, Kawhi Leonard continues to dominate when he plays, but the load management process will remain in place; Kemba Walker got a video tribute in his return to Charlotte on Thursday and then proceeded to stink the joint out with his awful shooting; and LaMarcus Aldridge snapped a skid by going off for a season-high 39 points on Thursday to lead the Spurs to another W.
And now, let’s get to this week’s Fantasy basketball waiver wire recommendations…
Dillon Brooks, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies (ESPN: 5.4 per cent; CBS: 46 per cent): Brooks had a really disappointing sophomore season as a knee injury pretty much derailed his chances of building on what had been a solid rookie effort. This season, the swingman is healthy again and is really rolling now. His PT has risen in the last couple of games, and despite some foul trouble, he’s topped 15 points in three straight, including a whopping 31-point effort on Wednesday, when he shot the lights out. With Andrew Wiggins scoring 30 for the Wolves in that game, it marked the first time ever that two Canadians had put up 30 or more in the same game. Brooks is canning more treys than ever, chipping in more on the glass and showing an ability to not only attack the glass to score, but also generate offense from his defense (see video below). Grab him while you can before his breakout gets out of control.
Jarrett Culver, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves (ESPN: 26.6 per cent; CBS: 27 per cent): Culver is benefiting from extra burn with teammates hurting, in this instance Jeff Teague and Shabazz Napier. Culver got the start Wednesday and really ran with it, scoring 15 points with seven dimes and five boards. He got another start Friday, and while struggled with his shot, the rookie has shown enough to be a dependable bench option for the T-Wolves, especially now that his shots are falling with greater frequency (notwithstanding Friday, of course).
Chandler Hutchison, SF, Chicago Bulls (ESPN: 0.1 per cent; CBS: 1 per cent): Yet another injury replacement, Hutchison will get the start on Saturday with Otto Porter Jr. (foot sprain) out. Sophomore forward Hutchison dealt with an injury to begin the season, so has only been active for the last two games, but he’s shot very well, which is great to see after he struggled from downtown as a rookie. Temper your expectations, but consider him a sneaky DFS play with possible upside.
Alec Burks, PG/SG, Golden State Warriors (ESPN: 1.6 per cent; CBS: 13 per cent): If the Warriors continue to falter and decide to blow it up, Burks is rumoured to be on the block. And right now, all he’s doing is increasing his trade value as another guard getting extra PT with all the backcourt injuries in Golden State. On Wednesday, he went off for 28 points, eight boards, three assists and two steals, and after burning his way through three teams last season, he’s settled in as a key bench player for the Warriors. For now.
Others to Consider
Alize Johnson, PF, Indiana Pacers (ESPN: unowned; CBS: unowned): With Myles Turner and Goga Bitadze out, Johnson is in line to see a boost in PT. Given what Johnson showed in Summer League and in the preseason, he bears watching.
Chris Boucher, PF, Toronto Raptors (ESPN: 0.8 per cent; CBS: 4 per cent): With Serge Ibaka getting hurt Friday, the door is open for Boucher to see more minutes. Boucher has the potential to fill the stat sheet with enough PT.
Cedi Osman, SF, Cleveland Cavaliers (ESPN: 5 per cent; CBS: 29 per cent): Osman is seeing big minutes lately and while he’s never going to wow you, six straight double-digit scoring games means something, right? The dude’s on fire from beyond the arc, so give him a look.
Norman Powell, SG/SF, Toronto Raptors (ESPN: 2 per cent; CBS: 9 per cent): Powell’s PT and performances have been too sporadic to count on him in standard sized leagues, but on Friday he showed what he can do with enough minutes, putting up 18 points, four boards and a steal in 29 minutes. He’s been used exclusively off the bench so far this season, but if his shooting accuracy gets back to where it was last season, he’ll provide some value, and with Kyle Lowry out, Powell could see more consistent PT.
T.J. McConnell, PG, Indiana Pacers (ESPN: 1.1 per cent; CBS: 2 per cent): McConnell has only been used off the bench in his first season in Indy, and his PT keeps sliding every season. He’s struggled to break through as a backup PG, but when a dude comes off the bench and cans eight shots like he did on Friday, you pay attention.
RotoRob Tune of the Day
French singer Alain Chamfort has been cranking out the tunes since 1966. In 1981, he released his fifth album, Amour Annee Zero, featuring the track “Chasseur D’ivoire,” a tune covered by French electro duo Polo & Pan in 2017.
Now it’s your turn. Let us know in the comments below who your favourite Fantasy basketball waiver wire pick of the week is.
