Trade Deadline Potential Pickups

The trading deadline is on Thursday. Several teams are looking to make a final push at a championship while other teams are trying to dump players to prepare for the LeBron & Co. sweepstakes. With this in mind, here are a bunch of players that could be nice pickups for your stretch run as well. These guys could see increased minutes barring any trades that go down. If you have someone to drop, think about picking up any of these potential winners:

We've already seen one trade go down during the All Star Weekend between Dallas and Washington.

Winners: Josh Howard, Randy Foye, Mike Miller
Howard will now pickup Caron Butler's minutes in DC. He should see plenty of shots as the Wizards' plan is to start over. The only thing to worry about is the health of Howard. We've all seen what he's capable of doing, but staying healthy is another story.
Foye and Miller have seen increased production ever since Arenas was suspended for the season. They'll have to shoulder even more of the load with their top scorer now gone.

Potential Pickups: Andray Blatche, Javale McGee, Drew Gooden
These guys are going to eat up the minutes down low for the Wiz. It's just a matter of who steps in the starting lineup for the departed Brendan Haywood. A lot of people expect Blatche to take over as he produced nice numbers at the beginning of the season while Haywood was out with injuries.

Losers: Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, Eric Dampier
Marion's looks were already numbered, and with Butler entering the starting lineup, his looks will almost all be based off hustle. Terry will move back to his familiar 6th man role as he'll lose a couple minutes to Butler. This does not mean Terry won't be an effective fantasy player anymore, just that the hit in minutes slightly decreases his production.

Other teams looking to trade:


Cleveland Cavs: Strong rumors coming out of the break is the Cavs trying to trade for a power forward. Anderson Varejao owners have to be scrambling right now, as he's been a solid performer in the minutes he's seen. If the Cavs do make a move, he'll likely be the odd man out.

New York Knicks: Mike D'Antoni told a few reporters that he's looking to give his young guys more playing time the second half of the season. That's bad news for Chris Duhon and Al Harrington owners. Look for rookies Toney Douglas and Jordan Hill to get more PT if D'Antoni sticks to his words. It also helps that the Knicks are actively seeking to trade Harrington. So, Big Al owners may come out as losers after the deadline.

Chicago Bulls: Kirk Hinrich will more than likely be moved at the deadline paving the way for John Salmons to reclaim the starting spot. Hinrich has been a decent performer ever since he was inserted into the starting lineup, but a likely trade to a playoff contender will almost all, but lower his value. Salmons is the ideal buy-low candidate with three days left. Another name that's been surfacing as of late is Tyrus Thomas playing time for him. That's been the . A team willing to trade for TT will likely guaranteeAchilles heel for Thomas making his owners very frustrated with all that potential.

Detroit Pistons: If the Pistons decide to trade any of their long time veterans (Rip Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince) look for their off season signings to fill in nicely. Ben Gordon and/or Charlie Villanueva will pick up their minutes and should be solid contributors the rest of the season.

Indiana Pacers: Troy Murphy is the name that trade speculation is surrounding the most out of Indiana. If Murphy gets the axe, the Pacers are limited in the amount of bigs left on the roster. That means Roy Hibbert will get all the run he can handle as well as rookie Tyler Hansbrough, when he becomes healthy.

Utah Jazz: The biggest name out of Utah is Carlos Boozer. The Jazz have been hot entering the break, so the biggest question is whether to destroy this team chemistry or let Boozer walk away getting and get nothing in return during the summer. I have a feeling they stand pat, but if Boozer does get shipped out, Paul Millsap is the obvious winner. So, if Millsap is out in the free agents, scoop him up until the trade deadline as he'll be a low risk-high reward acquisition for your squad. If nothing happens, you can dump him.

Golden State Warriors: Corey Maggette's name has been surfacing in some trade talk. The Warriors won't mind parting ways with the injury prone player to allow their young guys to take over. The 'Anthonys' (Anthony Morrow and Anthony Tolliver) will be the winners if Maggette is gone.

Los Angeles Clippers: What began as a promising season with #1 pick Blake Griffin expected to help the Clips make a playoff push ended up being yet another lost season for the Clippers. Now, they're looking to get rid of some of their players. Marcus Camby will go after with his contract ending at season's end. It's hard to imagine his value jumping any higher than it already is with the Clip Show, so is the guy most teamsCamby owners have to hold their breathe about which team he'll end up on. Al Thornton could also be on the move. His value will either stay the same or can get better depending on the situation he's put in. If one or both get moved out of LA, Craig Smith and DeAndre Jordan will be the winners and be worthy of a pickup.

Phoenix Suns: The potential departure of Amare Stoudemire will benefit both Robin Lopez and Channing Frye. Both will be very valuable for the rest of the season if this happens. We've already seen what both are capable of doing when given minutes, and playing with Steve Nash only helps their production. Another name quietly surfacing is Jason Richardson. He's been a fantasy nightmare as his inconsistent production has given headaches to his owners. Leandro Barbosa is another name that might be moved as well. If one gets traded, the other is the beneficiaries, but it's more than likely Barbosa is out in the free agent market, so keep an eye out on him.

Sacramento Kings: The Kings have pleasantly been surprised by their draft pick, Tyreke Evans. His numbers have only dipped slightly since the return of Kevin Martin. Martin's name has come up in some trade rumors. If he's gone from the lineup, Donte Greene and Omri Casspi will be hot pickups.

Houston Rockets: The team has expressed interest in acquiring a big man to beef up their front court. The Rockets don't have too many pieces teams would want, but if they were to add someone, it could hurt the values of Luis Scola and Carl Landry.


This is one of the most exciting times in fantasy basketball! The trade deadline is where owners make their final push trying to fill their needs as they head into the playoffs. For the next three days, owners should stay on top of the news so they're ready to pounce on the free agent market. Other strategies during this time is scooping up a couple of these players mentioned above and holding out until the deadline to see if they gain any value.

Good luck!!!

Weekend Waiver Wire Watch Week 15

Down goes one superstar. CP3 is likely to miss at least a month due to knee surgery. With the season already lost for the Hornets, Paul won't rush back. This makes way for Darren Collison as he headlines this week's waiver wire watch:

Guards-

1) Darren Collison (NOR)- If you're reading this right now, STOP! and go see if he's avaible in your league, and pick up Collison. DC showed what he can do in the starting position putting up 18 dimes Saturday night. He also did this earlier in the season when CP3 missed time with another injury. He'll be solid the rest of the way, or until CP3 comes back, which won't be anytime soon.

2) Marcus Thornton (NOR)- Collison's fellow teammate, and backcourt rookie starter, is also in the starting lineup. The trade of Devin Brown last week cleared the way for Thornton to pick up starter's minutes. He's a great source for points, 3ptrs, and some steals. It seems as though the Hornets are already preparing for the future and the former LSU star is a piece of that puzzle.

3) George Hill (SAS)- Hill's a late addition to this list, but if he's not picked up in your league, grab him now. Tony Parker "Longoria" is going to miss a couple weeks and Hill has proved he can provide solid court leadership. His numbers aren't astounding, but solid enough to be worthy of a spot in a 12-team league.

Forwards-

1) Brandon Rush (IND)- Rush is technically starting for the Pacers at shooting guard, but has forward eligibility is almost every league out there. Rush struggled early in the season, but seems like he's getting more comfortable as the season goes on. This is not to say he'll be consistent, but Jim O'Brien seems to have confidence in the young man, so keep an eye out on his numbers.

2) Hakim Warrick (MIL)- Warrick doesn't do much outside of scoring and rebounds, but his numbers when he plays more than 25 minutes a game gives him value. However, getting these minutes is a big key. In the 6 games in January Warrick played more than 25 minutes, he's averaged about 16 ppg and 6.3 rpg. Let's just hope he keeps receiving minutes off the bench.

3) Jonas Jerekbo (DET)- Jerekbo was moved back into the starting lineup the last game against the Magic and he displayed why he should stay there (16 pts & 9 reb). As long as he's in the starting lineup, the rookie has value.

Centers-

1) Nazr Mohammed (CHA)- Even with Tyson Chandler out, Mohammed hasn't been receiving the bulk of the minutes. Not sure as to why, with the Bobcats limited on big men. However, he's still the starting center and is a serviceable center that you can plug in for spot starts.

2) Craig Smith (LAC)- Smith has been balling in the month of January off the bench and could be seeing more minutes as the Clippers have seemed to hit that injury point in the season where their veterans are starting to break down with injuries. Kaman hasn't been as reliable as he was at the beginning of the season, and Camby...well he's still Marcus Camby.

Good luck this week!!

Weekend Waiver Wire Watch Week 13

This is to remind all of you that this Waiver Watch is for 12 or more team league, which requires a lot of depth. Also, most of these guys are short-term help, unless I specify otherwise below. So, use them as spot starts or for the week. Don't drop someone on your squad just to add one of the players I mention.

Guards-

1) Jarrett Jack (TOR)- Most owners dropped Jack once Calderon returned. JC is coming off the bench for now, allowing Jack to be worthy of owning. As long as they're splitting time, Jack is a decent add in deeper leagues.

2) Jerry Stackhouse (MIL)- Newly signed old veteran will likely come off the bench for now as he works himself back into shape. Stack will take Redd's place off the bench. If you need scoring, Stack will do that for you.

3) A.J. Price (IND)- This is an extreme deep league pick up. Price has shown he can play the last 2 weeks. It's just a matter of getting minutes. Earl Watson has started to play well trying to fend Price off. It does seem like Price is ahead of TJ Ford on the depth chart, so Price will get some minutes.

Forwards-

1) Kris Humphries (NJN)- New Jersey's lack of depth in the front-court allows Humphries to get minutes. Had a nice outing in only his second game of action (15 pts, 8 reb, 2 stls, 1 blk).

2) Al Thornton (LAC)- With the devastating news that the #1 pick, Blake Griffin, will miss the rest of the season, this allows Thornton to play with no conscience. Still is behind Rasual Butler, but both are so off and on that you'll have to find exactly which week Al will go off.

3) Matt Barnes (ORL)- If you haven't done so already, pick up Barnes. He's putting up some nice numbers, and will continue to do so for this week. The Magic play 4 games this week (@LAL, IND, SAC, @CHA).

Centers-

1) DeAndre Jordan (LAC)- Chris Kaman's been slowed down by a back injury allowing the 2nd year player, Jordan, to get some spot starts. The Clippers will likely take their time with Kaman (although he's not expected to miss significant time), but Jordan can be a nice spot start if Kaman does miss a game or two.

2) Robin Lopez (PHO)- The other Lopez has finally shown signs of life in his last two games. Lopez put up 11 pts, 6 reb, & 6 blks on Friday against the Hawks, and put up a solid 14 pts, 2 reb, & 3 blks on Saturday against the Bobcats.



Good luck! Hopefully week 13 will be lucky 13 all of you. Thanks for reading!

Weekend Waiver Wire Watch Week 11

Here are this week's top waiver players that could be big in the upcoming week:

Guards-

1) Earl Watson (IND)- Watson has been on this list before, and will continue to be on it so long as T.J. Ford is out of the rotation. The Pacers certainly don't really have any other option at the point guard spot, so it's Watson's for the taking pending any acquisitions or trades. He's been sporadic (as was Ford) as a starter, but if you're desperate for a point guard, Watson is a decent option. Just have to keep your expectations very low and take the bad with the good.

2) Kyle Lowry (HOU)- I really love the way Lowry plays and wish he got more minutes. But, with Aaron Brooks playing lights out, it's hard to stick two 6-foot point guards on the court the same time. Lowry simply does it all when he plays. He's averaging 10 ppg, 6 rpg, & 6 apg in his last three games. If Brooks were to ever miss significant time with an injury, be ready to pounce on Lowry. In the meantime, Lowry is a nice spot start if you're willing to roll the dice on a player to get in an extra game or two for the week.

3) Mario Chalmers (MIA)- This pickup is all based on Miami's decision to keep Carlos Arroyo or not. The Heat have until January 6th to decide whether to keep his contract for the rest of the year. If Miami doesn't pick up the option, Chalmers will gain his starting spot and be an okay player to pick up as the minutes will be there. However, if Miami picks up Arroyo's contract, Arroyo is the waiver guy I'd look for because obviously, the Heat like him and wouldn't pick up the option to have him sit on the bench.

Forwards-

1) Jeff Pendergraph/Donte Cunningham (POR)- Portland continues to have bad luck with their big men as Aldridge is the latest big to get injured (Oden & Pryzbilla). Thus, the Blazers need to dig deep off their bench for a big man to fill the gap. Step in the young guns, Pendergraph and Cunningham. Pendergraph got the last start, but only logged 9 minutes while Cunningham logged 23 minutes. It's pretty much a toss up, but if I were to pick one up, I'd go with Pendergraph.

2) Matt Barnes (ORL)- Barnes is probably listed as a Guard/Forward in most leagues, but he'll be an option on the forwards list for this post. 'Vinsanity' went down with an injury in their last contest and vows to play in their next game. However, I don't think Stan Van Gundy & Co. will rush him back. Barnes is back in the starting lineup and posts versatile stat lines even with Carter in the lineup. If VC happens to miss any time, these lines could be even bigger.

3) Mike Miller (WAS)- Miller is slated to come back sometime this week (even as early as Tuesday). He's a viable option in most league formats, but doesn't put up huge numbers, rather, all-around stats. Also, with the big news that 'Agent 0' could be facing a big suspension for his "gun related" incident with teammate Javaris Crittenton, Miller may be forced to pick up his slack for however long Arenas is gone. Give Miller a week to get back into game shape if you're taking a flyer on him.

Centers-

1) Juwan Howard (POR)- This goes along with what I mentioned earlier with the Forwards from Portland. This time, the old veteran, Juwan Howard, is also a beneficiary of Aldridge missing time with injury. Juwan has quietly been filling in nicely averaging 9 ppg, nearly 6 rpg, 1 apg, and almost 2 spg. Not bad for pick up, and his numbers could go up slightly with Portland's lack of bigs.

2) Roy Hibbert (IND)- Yes, he's another who's been on the watch list a couple of times. And, yes, he'll probably be on here all season. His potential is too great to ignore, and you have to think he'll be more consistent as we head into the second-half of the season. The biggest obstacle for Dr. Hibbert is staying out of foul trouble. You'll also have to look at the matchups the Pacers face. If they're facing a team that likes to run, Hibbert probably won't be logging very many minutes that game as he has a hard time getting up and down the court. So, if you need a #3 center, Hibbert is a nice fill in.


Good luck this week! And, as always, thanks for reading and following the blog. Be sure to pass it around to everyone!