This article is part of our NBA Waiver Wire series.
The start of the NBA regular season is almost here. Many fantasy managers have already assembled what they hope will be a title-winning team. For those looking to fine-tune the end of their bench as the season approaches, here are some players to consider adding who are still available in the majority of Yahoo leagues.
Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards 
(55 percent available)
The Wizards look very different this season. Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis are no longer in town. Among their new faces are Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones. A holdover from last season is Avdija, who averaged a career-high 27 minutes per game. While none of his stats jumped off the charts, he provided contributions in multiple departments, averaging 9.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 three-pointers per game.
There are a lot of shots up for grabs with Beal and Porzingis on new teams. There are also a lot of minutes available with Monte Morris also gone. If Avdija doesn't start, he figures to be one of their main contributors off the bench. Their second unit doesn't have a lot of great scoring options, so Avdija could be asked to help carry the unit offensively. His versatile skillset on a team that doesn't have a lot of depth leaves him with intriguing upside.
Saddiq Bey, Atlanta Hawks 
(64 percent available)
Bey seemed like an odd addition for the Hawks last season when they acquired him from the Pistons. They already had plenty
The start of the NBA regular season is almost here. Many fantasy managers have already assembled what they hope will be a title-winning team. For those looking to fine-tune the end of their bench as the season approaches, here are some players to consider adding who are still available in the majority of Yahoo leagues.
Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards (55 percent available)
The Wizards look very different this season. Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis are no longer in town. Among their new faces are Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones. A holdover from last season is Avdija, who averaged a career-high 27 minutes per game. While none of his stats jumped off the charts, he provided contributions in multiple departments, averaging 9.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 three-pointers per game.
There are a lot of shots up for grabs with Beal and Porzingis on new teams. There are also a lot of minutes available with Monte Morris also gone. If Avdija doesn't start, he figures to be one of their main contributors off the bench. Their second unit doesn't have a lot of great scoring options, so Avdija could be asked to help carry the unit offensively. His versatile skillset on a team that doesn't have a lot of depth leaves him with intriguing upside.
Saddiq Bey, Atlanta Hawks (64 percent available)
Bey seemed like an odd addition for the Hawks last season when they acquired him from the Pistons. They already had plenty of wing depth with John Collins, De'Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin all in the fold. Part of the reason why they added Bey is likely because they knew that they wanted to move Collins. They couldn't deal him at the trade deadline last season, but they did move him to the Jazz this summer.
With Collins gone, Bey has the potential to play a lot and possibly start for the Hawks. When he logged 33 minutes per game with the Pistons during the 2021-22 season, he provided 16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.6 three-pointers per game. Those numbers might be difficult to duplicate on a Hawks team that will be led by Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, but he should still be a viable source for points and three-pointers with Collins gone.
Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs 
(65 percent available)
Sochan provided plenty of flashes during his rookie campaign. His overall numbers weren't stellar, but his averages of 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.8 steals over 26 minutes per game weren't bad, either. What is really encouraging is what he produced when given extended playing time. Across 17 games in which he logged at least 30 minutes, he put up 16.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 three-pointers.
The Spurs are going to shake up their starting five this season, deploying Sochan at point guard and moving Tre Jones to the second unit. Added playing time and a role as a primary ball-handler could provide a significant boost to Sochan's production. If he's on the waiver wire in your league, be sure to add him now before it's too late.
Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks 
(75 percent available)
The Mavericks have had a difficult time finding viable center options. They tried signing JaVale McGee to bolster the position last season, but he barely saw the floor. They ended up rolling with Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber a lot again, neither of which is all that inspiring. Powell and Kleber return this season, but they have competition for playing time. The Mavericks acquired Richaun Holmes and also drafted Lively with the 12th pick in the draft.
Lively is not known for his scoring prowess, averaging just 5.2 points over 21 minutes per game with Duke. However, despite his limited playing time, he registered 2.4 blocks per game. As the Mavericks prepare to tip off the regular season, Lively is lined up to be their starting center. For those in search of rebounds and blocks toward the end of their draft, Lively is an excellent target.
Coby White, Chicago Bulls 
(75 percent available)
Lonzo Ball (knee) is going to miss another season for the Bulls. It's a legitimate concern that he might never play in the NBA again. With the Bulls knowing he wouldn't be back for at least this season, they needed to add depth at point guard. Not only did they re-sign both White and Ayo Dosunmu, but they signed Jevon Carter away from the Bucks. All three players agreed to three-year contracts, but the starting point guard job figured to come down to White and Carter.
While Carter's defense might be a better fit alongside the trio of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, the Bulls rolled White out as their starting point guard right from the jump this preseason. He has performed well and all but locked up the starting job. It was a continuation of his strong showing at the end of last season which saw him average 13.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.3 three-pointers over his final 15 games. A clear path to 30 minutes per game likely isn't in the cards with Carter behind him on the depth chart. However, if White can average around 25 minutes per game, he can still provide value. It also helps that he can play off the ball, so he could even see some minutes at shooting guard with the second unit.
