NBA Waiver Wire: Anunoby, Kaminsky Lead Week 2 Pickups

Welcome back! The season is not even one week old, but it's been an eventful week. Every team except the Warriors has played two games, and we're finally getting actionable information about previously unclear depth charts.  

Decisive action is important, but it's important not to overreact. DeMar DeRozan and Jrue Holiday are technically ranked outside of the top 130 in nine-category settings – but that obviously doesn't mean anyone should drop them. Those are extreme examples, but they demonstrate an important principle. There are some really good must-add players out there, just make sure your dropping your worst overall player – not your worst-through-three-games player.

As with previous seasons, the players in this article must be rostered in less than two-thirds of CBS leagues. Players are listed in the order that I recommend adding them, assuming they are equally good fits for your team.

Double-check your league

A few names rostered in more than two-thirds of leagues, but who are still under-rostered. Double-check to make sure they aren't available in your league.

Derrick Rose, Pistons (82 percent rostered)

Danny Green, Lakers (68 percent rostered)

Coby White, Bulls (81 percent rostered)

Fred VanVleet, Raptors (93 percent rostered)

Tyler Herro, Heat (84 percent rostered)

Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies (68 percent rostered)

Larry Nance, Cavaliers (79 percent rostered)

Adds for all leagues

OG Anunoby, Raptors (61 percent rostered)

I'd like to personally apologize to Anunoby. It was pretty obvious that he'd see a giant boost in minutes this season, with Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green both gone and no important wing players coming in. Yet, I thought Anunoby would be a candidate to join the Tony Snell All-Stars – players who can average 30 minutes a game yet provide virtually zero fantasy appeal. For that, Mr. Anunoby, I apologize. Through three games, Anunoby is averaging 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.7 threes while shooting 57% from the field. With 33 minutes per game almost guaranteed, Anunoby needs to be rostered.

Frank Kaminsky, Suns (27 percent rostered)

This is a short-term add, as I'm only interested in Kaminsky as long as Deandre Ayton is suspended. If that means you want to pass on him in favor one of the many names listed here who have season-long appeal, I can't blame you. But Kaminsky has been awesome with Ayton out and Ayton's suspension will last another 23 games (unless the league shortens it upon appeal; I'm no CBA expect, but that strikes me as unlikely). Twenty-three games is almost 30% of the remaining season. That's a lot of value Kaminsky can provide. He's averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 threes in 31 minutes without Ayton. He's almost useless defensively, but not many waiver wire options can provide either 18 points or 9 rebounds, let alone both.

Rodney Hood, Trail Blazers (25 percent rostered)

This early in the season, we should prioritize minutes over production. Hood's been very mediocre through two games, but he's starting and averaging 30.5 minutes. Assuming he maintains that role, he's likely to maintain standard league fantasy value all season. He's averaging 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 threes isn't, so it looks like he's most useful as a three-point specialist, but he's also averaged 0.9 steals per 30 minutes through his career, so it's likely he'll provide some help there, too. He's not the most exciting pickup available, but he's one of the few I have confidence will stick on rosters all season.

Jae Crowder, Grizzlies (29 percent rostered)

The logic behind adding Crowder is similar to that applied to Hood, except Crowder has been more productive so far and also has more history of fantasy relevance through his career. Crowder is averaging 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 threes in 30.5 minutes as a starter. Crowder put up similar numbers in 2016-17, when he finished as a top-55 player in nine-category settings and top-70 in eight-category leagues. He's still just 29 years old, so the multi-year gap between good fantasy seasons does not worry me – he's a role player, and needs his NBA team to put him in a high-minutes role for his skills to translate to fantasy. His per-36 numbers have stayed fairly stable throughout the last six seasons. 

There are only two reasons Crowder isn't the top name in this article: First, his field goal percentage is consistently terrible, and he can be a significant drain that managers need to account for. Second, I think the Grizzlies are likely to be one of the three worst teams in the league this season, and I'm always a little worried about how a bad team might deemphasize or trade a veteran role player.

Other recommendations: Delon Wright, Mavericks (59 percent rostered); Zach Collins, Trail Blazers (61 percent rostered); Cody Zeller, Hornets (49 percent rostered); Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers (63 percent rostered); Kendrick Nunn, Heat (47 percent rostered); Wesley Matthews, Bucks (15 percent rostered); Aron Baynes, Suns (17 percent rostered); Josh Hart, Pelicans (43 percent rostered); Markelle Fultz, Magic (58 percent rostered); Dwayne Bacon, Hornets (50 percent rostered)

Deep league special

Treveon Graham, Timberwolves (4 percent rostered)

Graham has started both games for the Timberwolves thus far, and he's put up decent numbers. His workload changed significantly from Game 1 to Game 2, but Game 2 was a blowout and both teams got funky with their rotations by the end. In the debut, Graham played 35 minutes. If his workload stays closer to that, as opposed to the 23 he saw during the blowout, then he's probably going to become more than just a deep league add in very short order. He's likely to be most helpful in points, rebounds and threes, while providing a little bit of help in assists and steals and hurting in field goal percentage.

Other recommendations: Tyus Jones, Grizzlies (24 percent rostered); Jalen Brunson, Mavericks (15 percent rostered)

Stash Candidate/Don't Drop

Dwight Powell, Mavericks (43 percent rostered)

Powell (hamstring) has missed the Mavericks' first two games, and he's set to miss a third on Sunday. When he does return, his minutes might build slowly as they ease him back from a hamstring injury. His roster rate has already dropped a little due to the missed games, and it will probably fall further if his minutes are limited in his debut. Don't be fooled. Powell was a top-35 – yes, 35, that's not a typo – player in nine-category settings after he entered the starting lineup on February 25 last season. That's a meaningful 22-game sample. He already beat out Maxi Kleber, their Game 1 starting center, for the starting job last season and we should expect Powell to reclaim that job once he's fully healthy.