Final fantasy basketball playoffs waiver wire pickups
With only one week left of the NBA regular season, these are the top players to add to help win the fantasy basketball playoffs.
Shaedon Sharpe, G, Portland Trail Blazers
With Damian Lillard shut down for the rest of the season, and Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant dealing with injuries, Sharpe has thrived as of late.
The rookie’s time on the court has spiked the last few games, seeing at least 35 minutes for each of the last six games.
In those six games, he’s averaging just over 24 points a contest, becoming a larger part of the offense.
Considering Portland’s playoff aspirations are gone, Sharpe should continue to have a large role in the offense and have high fantasy value down the final stretch of the season.
James Wiseman, C, Detroit Pistons
Since getting traded from the Warriors to the Pistons, Wiseman has seen more action on the court and is getting an opportunity to develop.
He struggled on the Warriors as the team was in win-now mode, which didn’t match Wiseman’s timeline of a young center.
Wiseman is getting an opportunity to start for the Pistons and is taking advantage with 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and almost one block per game.
The Pistons have been in rebuilding mode the whole season, and losing Cade Cunningham early to injury only made the situation worse.
The games may not mean much, but it is allowing the young roster to make mistakes and develop for the future.
Wiseman will continue to develop, but he is ready now to contribute to fantasy basketball teams for the most important week of the fantasy season.
Xavier Tillman, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies
Tillman has locked down the starting center position for the Grizzlies after Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke went down due to injury.
As the starting big man, Tillman has been solid, averaging 10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
His versatility as a power forward or center gives him more value, along with the fact that he can rack up steals and assists.
The Grizzlies only trail the Denver Nuggets by two games for the first seed in the Western Conference, meaning Tillman will be seeing meaningful minutes in the next few games.
The situation around him has allowed him to thrive, making Tillman worth a pick-up if he is still available.
Andrew Nembhard, G, Indiana Pacers
With Tyrese Haliburton missing a good portion of March, Nembhard has stepped up in a big way.
His points are up to 13.6 per game and he has been able to play make, gathering 5.1 assists per game this month.
With Haliburton still working his way back into the lineup, Nembhard should maintain this production as the primary ball handler.
The Pacers will probably miss the playoffs, but this will allow them to focus on the progression of their young talent, which will allow Nembhard to stay on the court for the final week of games.
Christopher Reynolds is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email him at clr5971@psu.edu.
