January 9 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Toumani Camara, Guerschon Yabusele, Cole Anthony, Scotty Pippen Jr. and More
NBA players who are popular waiver wire pickups as we get closer to the weekend.
It’s time for another fantasy basketball waiver wire story!
The five players we’ll talk about today were pulled from the FantasySP Waiver Wire Pickups page, which is updated daily.
We won’t go into detail of players we discussed in depth on Monday or Tuesday, instead focusing on five new players.
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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Fantasy Outlook
Caldwell-Pope is rostered in 52.21% of leagues after a 6.78% increase.
Caldwell-Pope has had to take on a larger offensive role for the Magic with the team battling a multitude of injuries. Orlando is supposed to get healthier later this week with the return of Paolo Banchero, but with so many guys out, Caldwell-Pope should still be a big part of the team’s offense.
For the season, KCP is averaging 9.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks across 30.9 minutes and 37 games (all starts). Over the last six games, his averages are 11.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.5 blocks across 31.8 minutes.
Caldwell-Pope is a solid fantasy option because he plays a healthy amount of minutes. He does a bit of everything while on the court. KCP hits a couple shots a game, but none of his other numbers really stand out.
I’m fine with Caldwell-Pope being a fantasy asset for those of you in deeper leagues, but I have to think there’s better options available in standard leagues. With the return of Banchero, I’d also guess his scoring average returns closer to his season mark. KCP is a player to keep tabs on, but only in a pinch would I suggest playing him in standard leagues.
Toumani Camara Fantasy Outlook
Camara is up 6.07% and sitting at 57.52% overall now.
Camara continues to trend up as a player, both in real life and fantasy. He’s started all 35 games he’s played in for Portland this season and is averaging 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks across 31.1 minutes.
He has scored in double figures in five straight games. Camara is averaging 14.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocks across 34.4 minutes in that span.
Look at that, it didn’t take long to find a better fantasy option than KCP. Camara is trending up, filling the stat sheet pretty well of late and is available in a decent amount of leagues still. Scoop him up in standard leagues if you have a roster spot to fill for a bit, or simply want to take a chance on a young and emerging player.
Guerschon Yabusele Fantasy Outlook
Yabusele sits at 61.95% after a 5.6% increase. He is a waiver wire option because of what he’s done on the court of late.
He’s played over 30 minutes in three of the past four games, and has scored in double figures in seven of the past nine contests. He’s averaging 12.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1 steal and 0.7 blocks in that span.
For the season, Yabusele is averaging 10.1 points, 5. 3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks across 24.8 minutes. He’s taken advantage of the inconsistent availability of Joel Embiid and other top-end Sixers.
He should be rostered in almost every deeper league, and is a streaming option in standard leagues, especially when Embiid or some other Philly front court players are out.
Yabusele is a good player to add and stash on the end of your bench if your rosters are a little bit larger. He can start when Philly isn’t at full strength, and he’s not too bad of an option when coming off the bench and playing a few less minutes.
Cole Anthony Fantasy Outlook
Anthony is up 4.69% and at 30.97% overall. He’s coming off a 24-point showing, which explains his own percentage rising.
Across 35 games and two starts this season, Anthony is averaging 7 points, 2.5 rebounds and assists, 0.4 steals and 0.2 blocks across 13.7 minutes.
With all the Orlando injuries, Anthony has taken on a much larger role over the past three games. He’s averaging 15 points, 5 rebounds and assists, 1 block and 0.7 steals across 33 minutes in that span.
Until his playing time falls off, Anthony is worth adding and playing in deeper leagues. It might not last forever, so be sure to take advantage of things while you can.
Scotty Pippen Jr. Fantasy Outlook
Pippen got a 4.45% boost and is rostered in 67.26% of leagues overall. Pippen has been a pretty solid fantasy option all season, and is probably getting his waiver wire love just because of his consistent effort and production.
He’s averaging 11 points, 4.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks across 22.8 minutes a game. Pippen has played in 37 games, starting 16.
Pippen has scored in double figures in eight of the past nine games, averaging 13.4 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks across 24.5 minutes.
The Grizzlies aren’t at 100% right now, but Pippen is still a pretty solid fantasy option when the team is healthy. He should be rostered in all deeper leagues and dynasties at this point, and he’s a standard league option until his production falls off. At the very least, he’s a player to keep tabs on moving forward.
Other Waiver Options
Quentin Grimes, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Shaedon Sharpe, Malik Beasley, Deni Avdija, Kelly Oubre Jr., Clint Capela and Buddy Hield are all options in standard leagues.
Grimes was added in 5.6% of leagues, bringing his total mark to 61.95%. Jackson-Davis is at 73.89% overall after a 4.18% boost.
Sharpe is up 3.65% and at 86.06% overall. Beasley got a 2.42% boost and is at 70.13% overall.
Avdija is rostered in 90.49% of leagues after a 2.29% increase. Oubre is up 2.16% and at 75.88% overall.
Capela is now owned in 80.53% of leagues after a 1.91% boost. Hield is up 1.89% and at 51.11% overall.
Nikola Jovic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Wendell Carter Jr., Jaylen Wells, Thomas Bryant, Noah Clowney, Ziaire Williams, Spencer Dinwiddie, Max Strus, Ty Jerome, Luke Kennard and Peyton Watson are all options in deeper leagues.
Jovic is up 3.73% and sitting at 41.59% overall. Hardaway is rostered in 19.03% of leagues after a 3.44% bump. Carter is at 40.71% overall after a 3.29% increase.
Wells got a 2.78% increase and sits at 17.92% overall. Bryant is rostered in 4.34% of leagues after a 2.78% boost.
Clowney is up 2.76% and at 14.79% overall. Williams is owned in 23.67% of leagues after a 2.73% increase.
Dinwiddie is up 2.41% and sitting at 39.6% overall. Strus is rostered in 17.7% of leagues after a 2.33% boost. Jerome got a 2.13% boost and is at 13.27% overall.
Kennard is rostered in 16.15% of leagues after a 1.9% increase. Watson is up 1.85% and now owned in 23.45% of leagues.
