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Top fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups for Week 20

We take a look at some of the best options on your fantasy basketball waiver wire heading into Week 20 of the NBA season.

Dallas Mavericks v Minnesota Timberwolves Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

With the month of March arriving, the NBA regular season is winding down, and rotations could be changing as teams look towards next season. Here are some players that are under 50 percent owned in mainstream seasonal fantasy basketball leagues that fantasy owners can consider picking up in their leagues. These type of players are also salary relief candidates in daily contests on DraftKings.

Juancho Hernangomez, SF/PF, Minnesota Timberwolves (19.6 percent)

Hernangomez has dramatically benefited from a trade to Minnesota, seeing substantial bumps in role and production since being traded from Denver. In nine games with the Timberwolves, Hernangomez is averaging 29 minutes per game—all starts—a sizable bump from 12 minutes per game as a bench player in Denver. The boost in minutes has led to boosts in shot volume and rebounding. Hernangomez is taking about 10 shots and five 3-point attempts per game with the Timberwolves, a boost from a minuscule three shots and two 3-point attempts per game with the Nuggets. Hernangomez has also doubled his rebounding output in Minnesota, grabbing just over six rebounds per game. Hernangomez peaked by scoring 50 DraftKings fantasy points (DKFP) in a recent start on Feb. 28, easily his best fantasy performance of the season. Hernangomez is most recently coming off a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double in Sunday’s game, his second consecutive game with double digit rebounds. With C Karl-Anthony Towns (wrist) out indefinitely, Hernangomez should continue to have clearance for a significant role in the frontcourt.

Bismack Biyombo, C, Charlotte Hornets (7.8 percent)

C Cody Zeller has fallen out of the Hornets’ rotation, which has cleared room for Biyombo to take on an expanded role. Biyombo has started the Hornets’ last three games at center and has posted solid fantasy outings of 33.75 DKFP, 32.75 DKFP and 25.75 DKFP, respectively. Biyombo is averaging 27 minutes per game over those three games, a boost from his season average of 19 minutes per game. At under 10 percent owned, Biyombo is widely available in fantasy leagues and is looking like a productive regular starter with his recent uptick in role.

Elfrid Payton, PG, New York Knicks (51.8 percent)

Payton isn’t quite under 50 percent owned, but it’s close enough. Payton kicks off the week with a strong matchup against the Rockets on Monday, who play one of the fastest paces in the league and rank in the bottom third of the league in points and assists allowed to opponents. Payton has flashed big upside lately, scoring 45+ DKFP in five of his last nine games and peaking at 59 DKFP in a matchup against the foul Cavs on Feb. 3. The Monday matchup makes Payton an appealing play in DraftKings contests and a good pickup to start the week off in seasonal leagues.