Here comes another week of NBA Waiver Wire adds for Fantasy Basketball. My favorite add last week was Marvin Bagley and he has played well since then. Currently, he is averaging 26 fantasy ppg the past week which is six points higher than his season average. The most impressive part about Marvin Bagley is that he is doing this seeing numerous games under 25 minutes of playing time. In Week 15’s waiver wire add, I have three big men who have picked it up recently and another who plays behind an NBA MVP-level player who constantly sits out.
NBA Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Adds
Nick Richards, C – Charlotte Hornets (68% rostered)
On December 11, 2023, Nick Richards became the full-time starting center for the Charlotte Hornets. Yet, he is rostered in just 68% of Fantrax leagues. Richards is averaging 23.2 fantasy ppg this season but has averaged 28.02 fantasy ppg the past month and 37.83 fantasy ppg the past week. Richards has also seen over 25 minutes in his last ten games minus a blowout loss vs the Spurs. At 20.3 ppg along with 10 rebounds per game in the past week, Nick Richards is my favorite Waiver Wire Add this week. The Hornets rarely have anything going with them. You also add Lamelo Ball always in and out of lineups, someone else has to step up. Richards has done exactly that and must be added to all leagues.
Paul Reed, F/C – Philadelphia 76ers (53% rostered)
With Joel Embiid constantly missing a game or two here and there, Paul Reed should be rostered in 100% of Fantrax leagues. Instead, he is rostered in just 53% of leagues. In the last game where Embiid did not play, Reed went BONKERS vs the Denver Nuggets. Reed had 51.75 fantasy points with 30 points and 13 rebounds. He also shot 66% from the field. Now, when Embiid is playing, Reed barely sees 15 minutes of playing time. That said, I would still add Paul Reed to all my leagues as a stash on my bench. His impact without Embiid cannot be understated and he makes a major impact when he gets a heavy load of playing time. Reed has averaged 30.92 fantasy ppg the past week to go along with 20 fantasy ppg the past month, four more ppg higher than his season average.
Jarred Vanderbilt, F – Los Angeles Lakers (60% rostered)
First of all, gaining the edge in fantasy sports is by staying ahead of league members. Finding guys on hot streaks is very key in Fantasy Basketball. Jarred Vanderbilt has averaged just 14.5 fantasy ppg this season. With that stated, he has brought that up to 33.42 fantasy ppg in the past week. He has had his three best games of the season this past week. At 61% rostered, he needs to be added, maybe just for being a part of a LeBron James team. Vanderbilt has also been efficient in playing with the second unit, too. Since being moved to the bench, Vanderbilt has averaged 11.8 ppg, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and 1.8 assists. Vanderbilt is filling up the stat sheet and is more than likely available in all your leagues.
Final thoughts
All three players have been extremely efficient and under the radar. None are star players and with all three being rostered in under 68% of Fantrax leagues, chances are, they are available in your leagues. When it comes to Nick Richards, he is my priority add this week and I’d even send out a trade offer if he is not on the Waiver Wire.