We are just a few days away from putting the regular season in the books so it’s time to reflect on which waiver-wire pickups led our teams to glory. With the help of some Twitter feedback, I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 pickups of the season, and you won’t want to miss our podcast discussion with Matt Stroup and Steve Alexander (link).
Criteria: In order to qualify for this lift, players had to have an ADP (average draft position) higher than 130 in Yahoo Leagues. This means guys like Jordan Poole (102), Gary Trent Jr. (129) and Scottie Barnes (128) did not qualify. Desmond Bane and Tyrese Maxey will have asterisks beside their names, as they were drafted in a lot of competitive leagues.
*1.) Desmond Bane- By far the most common response when I asked my Twitter followers, Bane is the clear winner but does come with an asterisk. Bane was drafted in every single league I was a part of, and he was ranked just outside the top-100 in our preseason rankings for the Draft Guide. However, a lot of people mentioned grabbing him off the wire in their respective leagues in a move that surely brought them a championship or at least a strong finish. Bane put up 4th-round per-game value in 9-cat and finished an absurd +95 spots ahead of his Yahoo ADP of 132. He is now rightfully considered to be one of the elite 3-and-D SGs in the NBA, hitting 3.0 triples per game at 43% accuracy.
*2.) Tyrese Maxey- With an ADP of 139(!), Maxey found himself undrafted in a ton of fantasy leagues which makes absolutely no sense to me given the uncertainty of the Ben Simmons drama. However, those who were able to scoop him off the waiver wire had themselves an absolute gem, as he’s been a 6th-round value in 9-cat on the season and was even able to keep his production up when James Harden and his one hamstring arrived in Philly.
3.) Bobby Portis- With Brook Lopez getting hurt on the opening night of the season and only just returning in March, Portis was able to feast for 90% of the season and is on pace to crush his ADP of 134 by nearly 75 spots. Crazy Eyes put up 5th-round fantasy value on the season, but Lopez’ return damped his value at the most pivotal time for fantasy managers.
4.) Anfernee Simons- Damian Lillard chose the Olympics over his well-being this offseason and paid the price, destroying his fantasy managers in the process. I’m not bitter at all though, can you tell? But those of you who were able to pick up Anfernee Simons were given a lifeline, at least until the tank ran over his knee. In 30 starts, Simons was a legitimate stud with 22.0 points, 5.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 4.1 triples. Now the question becomes whether or not he can coexist with Lillard next season (those two had a net rating of -2.4 when they shared the floor).
5.) Herb Jones- The rookie was an absolute steal at No. 35 overall in the draft and quickly made a name for himself in fantasy for his elite production on the defensive end with 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks. Perhaps the biggest surprise was his offense, as many had written him off from being a factor on that end before his first game. He averaged 9.5 points with really strong shooting splits, producing 7th-round fantasy value in the process despite being undrafted in the vast majority of redraft leagues. If Zion Williamson continues to “progress nicely” for the 27th straight month, the Pelicans will field a pretty nasty defensive unit next season.
6.) Franz Wagner just barely qualified for this list with an ADP of 130. Taking advantage of a talent-starved roster and with Jonathan Isaac on his 14th year of ACL rehab, Wagner was one of the primary weapons for the Magic all season long and returned 8th-round fantasy value with 15.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 dimes, 0.9 steals, 0.4 blocks and 1.2 triples on 46% from the field and 86% from the line. A small uptick on the defensive end and a bit more production from the arc will turn him into a fantasy stud in no time.
7.) Josh Hart- Surprisingly, not a single person said Hart’s name when this question was presented. Considering he went undrafted in a ton of leagues with an ADP of 136, Hart is absolutely in the conversation as a top pickup for his newfound ability to facilitate with a career-high 4.1 dimes. Already one of the best rebounders at his position with 7.2 per game, Hart added 14.9 points, 1.1 steals and 1.2 triples for 7th-round per-game value in 9-cat. Unfortunately, he was deemed “injured” when the tank picked up speed in Portland.
8.) Drew Eubanks and Trendon Watford- Many people didn’t know they existed until March, but they certainly made names for themselves when it mattered the most. Taking the “silly season” to a whole new level, Eubanks and Watford became the tank commanders in Portland as the front office threw out some hilarious lineups for the sake of lottery balls. But don’t blame Portland, blame the broken NBA rules that incentivize losing for better draft picks. For the past month which was the heart of the fantasy playoffs, both players returned 6th-round value in 9-cat yet neither player may be in the rotation on opening night of 2022-23.
9.) Jalen Brunson- Brunson was Dallas’ second most consistent player this season, providing Luka Doncic with some relief of the playmaking duties and doing it with elite efficiency. Brunson wasn’t drafted in a bunch of leagues and will end the season as an 8th-round value in 9-cat with 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 1.2 triples.
10.) Cole Anthony- He may fly under the radar in this discussion because he hasn’t hit a shot in a couple months, but Anthony exceeded even the wildest of expectations this season. He held off rookie Jalen Suggs as the primary ball-handler and put up some legitimately head-turning lines at the beginning of the season including a 29-point, 16-rebound and 8-assist game way back in October.
