This article is part of our NBA Waiver Wire series.
We'll get right to the picks this week… all "percent owned" stats are from Yahoo, and the usual caveats apply.
Hassan Whiteside (99 percent) - This is your basic "see if someone isn't paying attention" play. Whiteside has been coming off the bench behind Amar'e Stoudemire for the last two games and may continue to do so for a couple more. But Erik Spoelstra made that move because Whiteside is coming back from an injury; Stoudemire certainly hasn't taken Whiteside's spot in the rotation. Expect normalcy to return in a game or two.
Markieff Morris (66 percent) and Mirza Teletovic (10 percent) - Suns interim coach Earl Watson is making a concerted effort to get Morris' season back on track - even if the skeptic in me wonders if this is a trade showcase. That said, both Morris and frontcourt-mate Teletovic have been producing since Watson took over for Jeff Hornacek.
Myles Turner (61 percent) - Turner has really blossomed since being named the starter -- in six starts to date he's averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 1.2 assists in 31.2 minutes per. He's also allowed Frank Vogel to move Paul George back to the three, which makes a lot more sense.
Evan Fournier (57 percent) - Fournier has been a very good play for much of this season, but he'll be even more valuable in the short term as Tobias Harris will be out with a sore ankle. Orlando could opt to rest Harris through the
We'll get right to the picks this week… all "percent owned" stats are from Yahoo, and the usual caveats apply.
Hassan Whiteside (99 percent) - This is your basic "see if someone isn't paying attention" play. Whiteside has been coming off the bench behind Amar'e Stoudemire for the last two games and may continue to do so for a couple more. But Erik Spoelstra made that move because Whiteside is coming back from an injury; Stoudemire certainly hasn't taken Whiteside's spot in the rotation. Expect normalcy to return in a game or two.
Markieff Morris (66 percent) and Mirza Teletovic (10 percent) - Suns interim coach Earl Watson is making a concerted effort to get Morris' season back on track - even if the skeptic in me wonders if this is a trade showcase. That said, both Morris and frontcourt-mate Teletovic have been producing since Watson took over for Jeff Hornacek.
Myles Turner (61 percent) - Turner has really blossomed since being named the starter -- in six starts to date he's averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 1.2 assists in 31.2 minutes per. He's also allowed Frank Vogel to move Paul George back to the three, which makes a lot more sense.
Evan Fournier (57 percent) - Fournier has been a very good play for much of this season, but he'll be even more valuable in the short term as Tobias Harris will be out with a sore ankle. Orlando could opt to rest Harris through the all-star break.
Langston Galloway (33 percent) and Jerian Grant (9 percent) - The Knicks' once-promising season has taken a turn for the dismal of late, with five straight losses and Carmelo Anthony's nagging knee troubles. That significantly increases the possibility that Phil Jackson will look to move Jose Calderon for cap relief, which could mean both Galloway and Grant would move up on the depth chart.
Marco Belinelli (20 percent) - Getting significant minutes with Ben McLemore sidelined.
Lance Stephenson (3 percent) - Yes, we've had a "Born Ready" sighting. Stephenson actually logged some minutes at the four in Saturday's win over the Lakers, finishing with 16 points (6-7 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block. He's hardly a safe play at this point, but if he can work his way back into the rotation with Blake Griffin and Austin Rivers sidelined, his upside is significant.
Mike Dunleavy (3 percent) - Veteran wing is finally back on the floor, could help reduce Jimmy Butler's ridiculous workload, but probably not until after the all-star break.
Hollis Thompson (2 percent) - Since Jerry Colangelo took on a management position with the Sixers, the team has been shooting the three more. Robert Covington (76 percent) is Philly's primary three-point threat, but Thompson has hit at least once from distance in 23 of his last 24 games.
Chris McCullough (0 percent) - Sort of an odd time of year for a new entry to the player pool, but that's basically what's happening with McCullough, a near-lottery talent who fell to 29th in last June's draft after tearing his ACL as a freshman at Syracuse. Brooklyn obviously has little to lose by giving the rookie an extended look.
