Kev Mahserejian offers advice on the Week 8 NBA Waiver Wire and offers his choices for the Top Week 8 Fantasy Basketball Pickups.
(Note: Roster % is as listed for Yahoo! leagues. FAAB bid range is based on a percentage of a fantasy basketball player’s remaining budget.)
Week 8 NBA Waiver Wire: Top Week 8 Fantasy Basketball Pickups
DeMarcus Cousins, C, Houston Rockets (67% rostered)
Houston Rockets say center Christian Wood was diagnosed with a right ankle sprain and will be evaluated weekly.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 6, 2021
With Christian Wood week-to-week with a re-injured ankle, DeMarcus Cousins is the main beneficiary and has to be added in all formats. Cousins’ play-time is stymied when Wood is active even though they overlap at times. This is likely due to the Rockets maintaining caution with Cousins given his multiple lower-body injuries over the past few seasons.
Wood has missed four games this season. In those games, Boogie Cousins has averaged 15.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.5 threes, 1.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks on a 41% field goal average. Not much more has to be said except don’t be shocked if Cousins were to sit out or lose production in back-to-backs. He is priority #1.
➕ DeMarcus Cousins FAAB bid range: 50%-60% ➕
JaMychal Green, PF/C, Denver Nuggets (14%)
This is a VERY boring pickup, but Green has been productive this season and is worth adding as a glue guy. He can help you with points, rebounds, threes, and a solid field goal/free throw average. 11 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 threes, and less than one stock per game is not winning your league but that is a top-150 player (135) and deserves to be rostered in 12-team+ leagues.
The Nuggets are hardly even using him with a similar minutes range as the past three seasons but his usage rate is as high as ever. They seem to trust him and will continue to expand his role if an injury were to occur elsewhere in the frontcourt.
➕ JaMychal Green FAAB bid range: 3-8% ➕
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Deni Avdija, PG/SG, Washington Wizards (10%)
Deni Avdija did struggle to produce in the Wizards’ most recent game but his minutes did dip down to 16 and it was a 27-point. His minutes increased in each of the three games prior Avdija has proven to be productive this season prior to his illness and the Wizards’ postponements. He should remain an integral part of the rotation as the team continues to lose and allocates minutes to their younger player and back-ups to alleviate starters in a lost season.
Avdija’s 7.3 points, 4.2 boards, and 1.8 assists are not stellar. However, 1.4 threes and 0.9 steals in 22.9 minutes per game can be beneficial. His 45% field goal percentage does not hurt you and a 67% free throw does not matter on fewer than one attempt per game. You are buying into him continuing to see a spike in minutes with how the team’s rotation alternates and tries to figure out their primary lineup post-COVID.
➕ Deni Avdija FAAB bid range: 1-5% ➕
Sleeper NBA Waiver-Wire Pickup
Desmond Bane, SG, Memphis Grizzlies (6%)
Desmond Bane is not the most well-known name in basketball but he deserves legitimate praise for making more than half of his threes thus far!. This man has a higher three-point percentage than field goal! 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and less than one stock per game are not great but you’re buying into the 2 threes and good percentages. Also, if the Grizzlies smarten up and limit Dillon Brooks’ minutes to expand Banes, then the sky is the limit.
➕ Desmond Bane FAAB bid range: 1-5% ➕
Prepare for Week 8 basketball action
After gathering your list of adds for the Week 8 NBA Waiver Wire and your Top Week 8 Fantasy Basketball Pickups, read our full NBA coverage for fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips.
