With the All-Star break quickly approaching, it’s time for fantasy owners to take a few minutes and consider their rest-of-season strategy. By now, you know what your team’s strengths and weaknesses are. Whether you are lacking certain stats or are weak at a certain position, now is the time to evaluate where your roster needs the most help. Let’s take a look at a handful of fantasy basketball waiver wire targets for the last week before the All-Star break and which categories they can help your team in.
Kendall Marshall (Owned in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues): With Steve Nash hurt yet again, it appears that talk of the end of the Kendall Marshall era in Los Angeles may have been premature. After playing just 20 minutes last Friday against the 76ers (although still posting 10 assists, seven points, and a steal), Marshall played 37 minutes against the Bulls on Sunday, posting 13 points, 11 assists, three three-pointers, two rebounds, and a block. His playing time moving forward is up in the air but the potential for a regular double-double if he does play close to 30 minutes per game makes him a must-buy right now. If you are hunting for assists, this is the guy to talk to.
Chris Kaman (34 percent): With Pau Gasol sidelined (and a candidate to be traded), Kaman has stepped in and is providing serious fantasy value. He has played at least 25 minutes in back-to-back games, posting a combined 44 points, 18 rebounds, and five blocks over those two contests. I wouldn’t drop someone that is regularly contributing strong fantasy numbers for him but he’s a quality big man whose value could jump even higher if Gasol is dealt away.
Marvin Williams (23 percent): Although his rebounding numbers are inconsistent and he doesn’t provide much outside of scoring, he is on fire right now and is worth a look in every league until he cools off. Over his last three games, Williams is averaging 22.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 threes per game and shooting over 55 percent from the floor. He’s played at least 28 minutes in four straight games and should continue to be fed the ball if he keeps playing like this.
Khris Middleton (37 percent): Like the rest of the Bucks, Middleton has dealt with some inconsistency all season but is back in the starting lineup and is getting plenty of minutes and opportunities. He has now scored double-digits in 10 straight games, shooting 51 percent over that stretch. In seven games since being plugged back into the lineup, Middleton is averaging 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.4 threes per game. As long as he keeps playing 30+ minutes per game, he’s worth owning in every league until he cools off.
DeMarre Carroll (45 percent): Carroll has been a frequent flyer on this list but remains available in more than half of fantasy leagues. Carroll has been a fantastic stat stuffer since the beginning of January, scoring double-digits in 13 of his last 15 games. Over his last 10, Carroll is averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 2.1 three-pointers per game while shooting 57 percent from the floor. He’s showing no signs of slowing down and is a must-own in all leagues right now.
