Every now and then a team loses a player so dynamic it takes more than one guy to pick up the slack. This is exactly the case in Boston with Rajon Rondo‘s year coming to an abrupt end with a torn ACL. The Celts have a lot of options and they will certainly try all of them, leaving fantasy players having to gamble one way or the other on who will be the biggest beneficiary in Rondo’s absence. Your guess is as good as mine, but let’s take a look at the situation in Boston and some other worthwhile pickups in this week’s waiver wire.
Jason Terry (60%)/Avery Bradley (44%)/Courtney Lee (28%)/Leandro Barbosa (4%): With Rajon Rondo out for the season with a torn ACL, the Celts have a lot of takers for his minutes. Avery Bradley and Courtney Lee got the start Sunday against the Heat but neither did much and ended up playing less time than Terry and Barbosa got off the bench. It’s hard to tell how this will play out but Terry is probably the best option while Avery Bradley could gain some fantasy relevance as well.
Randy Foye (Owned in 41% of Yahoo Leagues): Although his shooting is always inconsistent, Foye has really found his groove of late. In his last seven games, the former Villanova standout is averaging 31 MPG, 15.3 PPG, 3.1 3P per game, and 1.3 SPG. More importantly, he is shooting 56% from the field and 61% from three-point range and is worthy of a pickup in any league as long as he keeps it going.
Marreese Speights (8%): After being pretty irrelevant in Memphis, Speights was sent to Cleveland last week in a multi-player trade. Although he may see more minutes than the 23 or so he has gotten in his first two games, he is still averaging 13.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.5 SPG and is definitely worth a look as he continues to solidify his new spot in the Cavs rotation.
P.J. Tucker (1%): With Lindsay Hunter taking over in Phoenix, Tucker seems to be in line for more minutes and opportunities. You probably don’t know Tucker since he was let go by the Raptors back in 2007 and has played in Israel, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Puerto Rico, and Germany until he finally found his way back to the NBA this year. He has played well enough to become a starter in the beginning of January and has improved ever since. His last two starts have been his first back-to-back 30+ minute games and he put up a combined 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists over those two contests. Keep an eye on him, he is definitely worth a look if he can keep playing over 30 MPG.
Jerryd Bayless (5%): With Mike Conley on the sideline in a walking boot, Bayless is getting the chance to put up some very solid fantasy production. In his last two games he is averaging 33 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 6.5 APG, 4.5 RPG, and 2 SPG while shooting 55% from the field. As long as Conley remains out Bayless is a very good temporary fix.
Nick Young (20%): Jason Richardson continues to miss time with a sore knee, giving Young the opportunity to step up as a very good looking injury replacement. In the three games that Richardson has missed, Young is averaging 35 MPG and 17.3 PPG with a few threes, rebounds, and assists. He is a must-have until Richardson is back in full form and may have value when Richardson returns since JRich hasn’t exactly been lighting it up.
Elton Brand (59%): I’m typically not a big fan of guys who play under 30 MPG but Brand has been making the most of his 26 MPG, putting up 12.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 1 BPG over his last six games. Despite the lack of time, he has gotten double-digit shot attempts in each of those games meaning the Mavs are trusting him with the ball a lot more than they did earlier in the season.
Andrew Bynum (79%): I wrote off Bynum for the season around the time he re-injured his knee bowling. Imagine my surprise when SportsCenter tells me that Bynum might be in full practice by the end of the week. There’s a lot of “ifs” that have to happen but at the end of the day this is a guy who put up 18.7 PPG, 11.8 RPG, and 2 BPG for the Lakers last year and is definitely worth taking a shot on.
