clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Fantasy Basketball: Top NBA Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 18 of 2022-23

Zach Thompson gives his top additions from the waiver wire for your season-long fantasy basketball leagues heading into Week 18, which starts Monday, February 13.

By Zach Thompson
NBA: Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The busiest NBA trade deadline in history shook up rosters across the league and changed the rotation of just about every team. Now that we have a clear picture of who will be where the rest of the way, it’s time to gear up for the final run of fantasy basketball in season-long leagues as your team pushes toward a title. There are some very nice pickups to consider this week that should set you up for success in the weeks to come.

This week, the NBA has four days of games Monday through Thursday before Friday starts the All-Star break. The action will return the following Thursday, February 23, with four days of games. Most leagues combine these two weeks with the long break into one scoring period, but be sure to familiarize yourself with exactly how your league handles the layoff. In the picks below, I’ve included the upcoming matchups for the two-week period.

Most teams play two times before the break. However, the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards play three games in those four days while the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors only play once before the break. Make sure to consider the upcoming schedule when looking at short-term pickups.

In this weekly post, you can find some of the hottest trending players, some deep league additions to consider and a more in-depth look at four sleeper pickups. The sleeper targets listed below aren’t quite mainstream, but they are emerging as options with plenty of potential upside. The top trending players are good pickups to consider if available but are quickly vanishing off waiver wires. The deep league options at the bottom of the post can be a help if the top options and the four sleeper pickups have already been picked up.

Things change daily throughout the season, so follow along on my Twitter account @ZT_sports if you are looking for single-game streaming options, along with cheap DFS plays on a daily basis.

Top Trending Players

SG/SF Josh Green, Dallas Mavericks (vs. MIN, at DEN, vs. SA, vs LAL)

While Christian Wood and Luka Doncic were battling injuries lately, Green emerged as a very nice contributor for the Mavericks. With Dorian Finney-Smith traded to the Nets, Green could maintain a significant role in Dallas’ new-look lineup built around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

We got our first look at the Luka-Kyrie pairing Saturday night in Sacramento, and Green stayed in the starting lineup and logged 40 minutes in Dallas’ overtime loss to the Kings. Tim Hardaway Jr. also left the game with hamstring tightness, opening up more chances for Green for as long as that lingers. Green made the most of his chances Saturday, totaling 23 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal while knocking down five three-pointers.

Prior to that game, Green averaged 17.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 34.5 minutes per game over his previous five contests. He went off for a career-high 29 points during that run and seemed to click very well with Kyrie on Friday in Irving’s Mavericks’ debut.

Green’s role could still adjust over the coming games, but he has shown enough potential to definitely be worth a look. He’s owned in under one-third of leagues but could be in for a more significant role the rest of the season, especially in the short term with Hardaway hurt.

PG/SG Bones Hyland, Los Angeles Clippers (vs. GS, at PHX, vs SAC, at DEN)

The Nuggets traded Hyland to the Clippers, and he could be set up for a significant role, especially if Russell Westbrook stays in Utah or lands somewhere else. He has shown enough in his past expanded opportunities to offer intriguing upside for the rest of the season.

Hyland should be in for some monster games when his usage spikes due to Kawhi Leonard, Paul George or both taking some games off down the stretch to stay fresh. The Clippers traded away both Reggie Jackson (to Charlotte) and John Wall (to Houston) while adding Hyland and Eric Gordon. It remains to be seen exactly how the playing time will be divided with Terance Mann and Brandon Boston Jr. also in the mix.

While he has shown plenty of upside, Hyland hasn’t played since Jan. 31 after falling out of favor in Denver. He only made one start all season and produced 20 points, 11 assists and five rebounds in 33 minutes against the Kings. He only reached the 30-minute plateau in two other games this year, scoring 20 points with five assists and 29 points with six assists in those two games, which were both against the Mavericks.

The 22-year-old from VCU brings high energy and scoring upside and could either be an “instant offense” off-the-bench contributor or in the starting five. He’s still only owned in a third of season-long leagues, but if he lands in a significant role, his upside is sky-high.

SG/SF Malik Beasley, Los Angeles Lakers (at POR, vs. NO, vs. GS, at DAL)

The Lakers were very active before the trade deadline shuffling out Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Thomas Bryant and a lightly protected 2027 first-round draft pick in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Davon Reed and Mo Bamba. That was in addition to adding Rui Hachimura a few weeks ago. Like with the Clippers, roles are still to be determined, but Beasley comes with enough upside to make him worth a look in every format.

The wing is still owned in under half of leagues despite a pretty solid season in Utah. In his 55 games, the 26-year-old averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 3.1 three-pointers made in 26.8 minutes per game. He bounced in and out of the starting lineup, but he maintained a pretty high usage rate with plenty of shot attempts.

Beasley’s value to the Lakers is as a shooter and floor-spacing option. He made his Lakers debut on Saturday night against the Warriors and was limited to just four points in 16 minutes. He went 0-for-6 from long-range on a rough night from the field. That game was without LeBron James (ankle) available, though, and as he settles in his shot should come around. Throughout his career, he’s been prone to boom-or-bust shooting nights, so I’m not ready to give up on his time in Los Angeles just yet.

Beasley should at least be able to contribute good points and three-pointers the rest of the way and could be even better across the board if he gets big minutes and

SF/PF Cam Reddish, Portland Trail Blazers (vs. LAL, vs. WAS, at SAC, vs. HOU)

The Trail Blazers sent starting small forward Josh Hart to the Knicks at the trade deadline in exchange for Reddish and a future first-round pick. Hart leaves behind 30 minutes a night for Reddish, Nassir Little, Shaedon Sharpe and Matisse Thybulle (also acquired in the same deal).

Like the other options listed here, Reddish’s role is a little uncertain. He did get the start, though, in his Blazers debut on Friday, which is a positive sign. He only played 17 minutes but did look sharp, scoring 11 points to go with two rebounds and two assists. It’s not surprising his time was a little limited after just joining the team and not playing much at all during the past few months with the Knicks.

Earlier this season, Reddish did have one stretch of extended playing time. He started eight straight games in November, and in the final four games of that stretch, he averaged 16.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 assists in 32.1 minutes per game. If he gets that kind of playing time with his new squad, his game could be a very nice compliment to the rest of the Blazers’ starting five.

Available in over 85% of leagues, Reddish is still a speculative pickup at this point, but he has a high ceiling if he lands in the right role.

Other options to consider

Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Z.Thompson) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.

More From DraftKings Nation