Jim McCormick, Special to ESPN.comDec 2, 2024, 01:32 PM ETCloseJim McCormick is a fantasy football and fantasy basketball analyst for ESPN.com.Working the waiver wire is pivotal to succeeding in fantasy basketball. With so many games, injuries and endless shifts in rotations throughout the marathon campaign, we’ll need to source stats from free agency to maximize our imaginary rosters.A willingness to entertain competition for the final few spots on your fantasy hoops roster can prove rewarding. When curating this fluid collective of statistical contributors, it helps to consider your end-of-the-bench players in direct competition with the talent floating in free agency.The goal of this weekly series is to identify players at each position widely available in free agency in ESPN leagues. Some are specialists capable of helping in one or two categories, while others deliver more diverse and important statistical offerings. In the breakdowns below, I’ve listed players at each position in order of priority, rather than roster percentage, in ESPN men’s basketball leagues.Point guardMalcolm Brogdon, SG, Washington Wizards (rostered in 50.1% of ESPN leagues): As a Pitt alum, I am all about Carlton Carrington getting shine, but it also makes sense that the Wizards are turning to Brogdon’s steady hand in recent games. The trusted vet is often injured, but is currently healthy and productive as the lead creator of an offense that has several shot-happy participants.It’s not too late to play for freeThere’s still time to join or create a league in the No. 1 Fantasy basketball game. Your league starts fresh on the first scoring period following your draft.Create or join a fantasy basketball league on ESPN. Your championship run starts today!Sign up today!
Jalen Suggs, SG, Orlando Magic (68.6%): It might be tempting to just look at Suggs’ offensive output and feel a bit underwhelmed compared to the super guards around the league. Look deeper and you’ll see a unique two-way force who sits 35th in steals and 27th in blocks per game among all qualified players. The eventual return of Paolo Banchero should actually help Suggs’ offensive efficiency as an off-ball playmaker.Stephon Castle, SG, San Antonio Spurs (45.1%): You’ll need to survive some lean outings from this rookie, such as a recent dud against the Kings, but overall we’re seeing some strong lines from him. Castle becomes especially valuable on nights when the team rests Chris Paul or are thinner at the wing.Spencer Dinwiddie, SG, Dallas Mavericks (8.2%): The return of Luka Doncic pushed Dinwiddie to a complementary role, but there are times when this combo guard can still shine. Whenever Kyrie Irving or Doncic are sidelined, we’re learning that Dinwiddie becomes atypically productive.Shooting guardMalik Monk, SF, Sacramento Kings (40.8%): Kings coach Mike Brown announced Monday that Monk is moving into the starting lineup. Monk brings more defensive pop to the floor than the traditional offense-only archetype. With the ability to close games, if not start them, Monk is an underrated fantasy option when healthy.Shaedon Sharpe, SF, Portland Trail Blazers (32.6%): There isn’t much past Sharpe’s scoring and shooting production for fantasy investors to value, but the sheer volume of these categories from Sharpe are intriguing for whenever he’s hot from the floor.Editor’s Picks2 RelatedChristian Braun, Denver Nuggets (53.7%): A youth movement in Denver is starting to take shape, with Braun proving productive on the glass and as an active defender. The scoring pop isn’t always there, but like with Suggs, there is value in a guard who blends steals and blocks at uniquely high rates.Marcus Smart, PG, Memphis Grizzlies (14.0%): No longer the Defensive Player of the Year caliber force from his prime in Boston, Smart is still a savvy two-way guard who has quietly become a steady hand for the Grizzlies in recent weeks. If he can sustain this recent surge in passing production, Smart presents value as an actual two-way fantasy option.Small forwardDeni Avdija, PF, Portland Trail Blazers (51.7%): The top addition of the week among widely-available players is this emergent wing. The Trail Blazers paid a real price for Avdija via trade this past summer and are following up that interest with steady playing time and playmaking duties. This guy does a bit of everything.Trey Murphy III, SG, New Orleans Pelicans (35.7%): As the focus of the Knicks’ defense this past Sunday, Murphy understandably struggled to find his shot. Like with Suggs, Murphy is at his best when used as a scoring satellite around the team’s established stars. There is still value now in Murphy, but he could eventually become a real difference-maker when his role becomes more tailored to his skills.Julian Champagnie, San Antonio Spurs (10.1%): The Spurs have a long history of helping 3-and-D players emerge. Call it the Danny Green Academy. A current student is Champagnie, who has risen from the fringes of the league to become a productive wing for San Antonio in recent weeks.Power forwardP.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks (67.0%): Awesome numbers from Washington when Doncic was ailing aren’t sustainable, but they do reveal that this guy can step up when called on. With just enough production on both sides of the ball to prove helpful in most fantasy formats, Washington is valuable even with his superstar teammate back in the mix.Jabari Smith Jr., C, Houston Rockets (53.3%): We’ve yet to witness an actual leap from Smith, but we shouldn’t dismiss incremental growth when it surfaces. For instance, we’ve seen it in Smith as a rebounder in recent weeks. Meanwhile he’s becoming a secretly awesome rim protector, as well. With multiple blocks in each of his past four games entering the new week, Smith’s ascent might just look different than we expect from a top prospect.CenterIsaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder (67.4%): So, this guy might lead the NBA in rebounding if Chet Holmgren misses as much time as projected. With 22 rebounding chances per game since joining the team, the third-highest rate in the league, Hartenstein has a real path to dominance on the glass.Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic (11.7%): Some of the best swat numbers in the league blend with respectable rebounding and interior scoring to support streaming value for Bitadze until the team gets back multiple missing frontcourt starters.Special teamsThis section focuses on specialists, players who flash in a singular category and can provide specific value to those in category and roto formats. Nominations are based on which category such players are helpful in and will rotate throughout the season. 3-pointers: Malik Beasley remains a force from deep, if nothing else. We’re also seeing rookie Dalton Knecht continue to shine from beyond. These two are specialists, but are proving elite in this context.Steals: Houston’s Tari Eason sits second in the league the past two weeks in added value via steals on the Player Rater. Charlotte’s Cody Martin is also quite larcenous lately.Blocks: Houston’s Smith rises above most wings in block rate, while Bitadze sits sixth in added value in rim protection the past two weeks.Rebounds: Dallas’ Washington has been a force on the glass, revealing a new level of value in that regard. Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate is the rare rebounding specialist to consider.Assists: I am not buying Elfrid Payton ever repeating that 21-dime opus, but at least the precedent for volume is present. Keyonte George is slowly gaining creation work back in Utah’s rotation.

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