Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Adds for Friday, December 26: T.J. McConnell, Moussa Diabate, Kyle Filipowski and More

It's time for another fantasy basketball waiver wire article.

It will be our third of the week. Here are the stories from Monday and Tuesday. Also be sure to check out Friday's streaming story.

Check out fantasy basketball waiver wire options on FantasySP all season long!

Should You Add T.J. McConnell?

McConnell has been added in 7.44% of fantasy leagues today, bringing his overall mark to 35.86% overall.

He saw a slight bump in playing time in his last game, so that's part of the reason why McConnell is on the rise. McConnell has also delivered big fantasy showings in back-to-back games, so that's another reason.

On December 20, McConnell provided 16 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals over 17 minutes. After missing the Pacers' game on December 22, he suited up for the team the next day, tallying 16 points, six assists and two rebounds over 20 minutes.

He's still not playing a ton of minutes, but he seems to be in a decent groove right now. With the team playing tonight, it's fair to see McConnell being added.

He can be a pretty good fantasy asset when he's in these kinds of grooves. I'd be happy to add McConnell in some deeper leagues, at least for the time being. He's a streaming option, but is worth holding onto until his production dips.

Unless he's logging 20+ minutes a night, he isn't likely to keep delivering like he has the past two nights, so keep an eye on his game logs and act accordingly.

Should You Add Moussa Diabate?

Diabate is up 5.46% and sits at 32.83% overall now.

He made a rare start for the Hornets in the team's last game, and he delivered big. Diabate had 12 points, 18 rebounds and an assist over 35 minutes.

He has made just three starts over 29 games played this season. Diabate is averaging 7.9 points and rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals over 22.4 minutes on the season. He's shooting 62.4% overall.

Diabate's fantasy outlook is up right now with Ryan Kalkbrenner and Mason Plumlee out with injuries. They are out on Friday, so he's a good streaming option, at the very least.

He's another player I'd add and hold/stream until his production dips or Kalkbrenner and Plumlee return from their injuries. Diabate is a double-double threat, and that makes him a good deep-league asset, and someone to consider in standard leagues too as a streamer.

It'd take long-term absences from Plumlee and Kalkbrenner to help Diabate into standard leagues permanently.

Should You Add Tyler Kolek?

Kolek is owned in 16.67% of leagues after a 4.56% increase today.

He has upped his production the past couple games, so it's easy to see why he's on the rise today. Kolek has 36 points, 17 assists, 14 rebounds, three steals and a block over the past two contests.

He started the first game in that stretch, logging 31 minutes. Kolek came off the bench and played 24 minutes in the team's Christmas win over Cleveland.

His season averages aren't the best, but that's because he's averaging just 12.8 minutes a contest. Kolek is averaging 5.2 points, 2.8 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 0.5 steals and 0.1 blocks, while shooting 47.9% overall and 34% from 3-point land.

With more playing time, he clearly has a better fantasy outlook, so he's worth adding in some deeper leagues today. Miles McBride being out is helping his cause, but if he keeps delivering, Kolek could retain a decent role for when the team is at full health.

I don't see Kolek becoming a standard league fantasy asset, unless McBride or Jalen Brunson missed several weeks of time, but Kolek is a decent deep-league asset, maybe even when the team is at full strength.

He's at least worth adding and holding in some deeper leagues until his recent numbers fade a bit. Take advantage of things with him while you can.

Should You Add Sandro Mamukelashvili?

Mamukelashvili has been added in 3.98% of leagues and is now rostered in 30.3% of leagues overall.

Mamukelashvili is back on the rise after a nice stretch of play this month. He has been in double figures in six out of the 10 games this month. Mamukelashvili is averaging 10.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks over 24.2 minutes this month.

He's at 14.2 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 0.2 blocks over 26.4 minutes in his past five games, so it's clear to see why he's being added today.

For the season, Mamukelashvili is averaging 10.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.5 blocks over 20.7 minutes in his five starts and 30 games played. He is shooting 52.7% overall and he's 41.2% from 3-point land.

Mamukelashvili has been a pretty solid deep-league fantasy option this season, but he's had stretches where he's maybe worth adding in standard leagues too. Right now, I like the idea of adding and holding Mamukelashvili in deeper leagues, then considering him for standard league streams.

His numbers of late are good enough to try in all leagues, especially if you have a need for a PF or C. Give him a look, as he's a bit overlooked right now.

Should You Add Kyle Filipowski?

Filipowski is rostered in 50% of leagues after a 3.16% increase today.

He saw a massive increase in his usage/role in the last game. Filipowski played nearly 35 minutes in a start on December 23, totaling 25 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks along the way.

He only logged 12 minutes off the bench in the game before that. Filipowski started the three games before that, but only had one solid fantasy showing - it came in a game where he logged 37 minutes.

So when he's playing enough, Filipowski can be a big-time fantasy asset. He was for long stretches in the 2024-25 season, and he's showing glimpses of that player of late.

His chance at producing big fantasy showings is up with Walker Kessler out for the season. There's still plenty of big men in Utah, so that's why his playing time is all over the place.

He's worth adding in all deeper leagues at this point, and I'd be streaming him in standard leagues until his production drops off for a couple games in a row. There's a chance he sticks as a decent standard league option, so add and hold him until his numbers say to avoid him in those leagues.

If you don't believe in him in the long run, now is the time to sell high on Filipowski in deeper leagues.

Other Waiver Wire Adds

Los Angeles Clippers' John Collins has been added in 3.36% of leagues, bringing his overall mark to 82.83%.

Washington's Marvin Bagley III is the other player up 3% so far - he's up 3.02% and sits at 28.28% overall.

Memphis' Jock Landale (up 2.87%) and Jaylen Wells (2.84) are both on the rise. Landale is up to 31.82% overall, while Wells is owned in 44.95% of leagues.

Portland's Toumani Camara (2.53%), Detroit's Tobias Harris (2.48%), Brooklyn's Egor Demin (2.09%), Milwaukee's Kyle Kuzma (2.06%), Boston's Hugo Gonzalez (2.06%) and Denver's Aaron Gordon (2.03%) are all up over 2% today.

New Orleans' Saddiq Bey (1.86%), Phoenix's Collin Gillespie (1.84%), Orlando's Tyus Jones (1.83%), Atlanta's Vit Krejci (1.71%), Philadelphia's Dominick Barlow (1.65%), Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr. (1.56%), Orlando's Anthony Black (1.55%), Chicago's Kevin Huerter (1.4%), LA Clippers' Kris Dunn (1.38%) and Charlotte's Collin Sexton (1.35%) are all on the rise as well.