With the NBA Cup officially behind us, the next scheduling curveball fantasy managers need to navigate is Christmas week. Five games on Thursday, zero games on Christmas Eve, and a massive Tuesday slate where 28 of 30 teams are in action. Things then ramp back up with nine-game slates on both Friday and Saturday.
We need to manage volume early in the week and capitalize on short-term value created by injuries and rotation shifts.
NBA Deep League Waiver Wire Adds
Jake LaRavia — F, Lakers
Injuries have opened the door for LaRavia. With Luka Dončić dealing with a leg issue and both Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves banged up, LaRavia is trending toward extended run. He’s already averaging nearly 29 minutes over his last three games and producing across the board.
Over that stretch, he’s posting double-digit scoring with strong rebounding, secondary playmaking, and defensive contributions. This is exactly what you want from a short-term streamer.
Tristan Vukčević – F/C, Wizards
Vukčević continues to flash real fantasy upside when given opportunities. Most recently dropping 18 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks in 27 minutes. He’s now scored in double figures in six of his last nine games and is consistently providing rim protection when on the floor.
The minutes aren’t guaranteed with Marvin Bagley III and Alex Sarr still soaking up most of the frontcourt work, but Vukčević is firmly in the conversation as a blocks-forward streamer with occasional scoring pop.
Kris Dunn — G, Clippers
If you’re looking for stability instead of upside swings, Kris Dunn fits the bill. His defensive value has cemented him in the starting lineup, and the minutes have followed. Over eight December games, Dunn is averaging over 27 minutes while chipping in points, assists, and steals. For managers prioritizing steals with some scoring and assists, Dunn is steady eddy.
Dominick Barlow — F/C, 76ers
Barlow just put together the best game of his career, dropping 21 points on elite efficiency in 30 minutes. More importantly, this wasn’t a one-off appearance — he’s started 15 of his 18 games this season and is trending upward.
Over his last four, Barlow has been a steady contributor in points, rebounds, and steals while playing real minutes. He’s still a deep-league add, but the arrow is pointing up if Philadelphia keeps him involved in the rotation.
Egor Demin — G, Nets
Egor Demin continues to be one of Brooklyn’s more reliable secondary scorers. He logged 16 points with four triples while adding rebounds, assists, and steals in 30 minutes. Since locking into the starting lineup in early November, Demin has been a consistent source of threes with just enough peripherals to matter.
He’s not flashy, but he fits well in fantasy lineups that need spacing, efficiency, and modest defensive stats. In deeper leagues, he’s a steady rotation piece.
Branden Carlson — C, Thunder
This is a short-term rental, but a useful one. Oklahoma City’s injury report is stacked, and with Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams already ruled out, Carlson is in line for meaningful minutes.
At seven feet with stretch ability, Carlson can contribute points, boards, threes, and blocks in spot-start scenarios. He’s not a long-term solution, but for managers needing a one-week frontcourt plug-in, he checks the boxes.
Bones Hyland — G, Timberwolves
Bones Hyland is instant offense. Over his last five games, he’s averaging 12 points and 3.6 assists, and his confidence is clearly back.
He remains a bench scorer, but the rotation minutes are steady and the coaching staff has publicly backed him. That’s enough to make him rosterable especially for scoring and assists needs.
Mike Conley — G, Timberwolves
Mike Conley returned from an Achilles issue and immediately filled the stat sheet despite modest scoring. The minutes were higher than expected, and that was before Jaden McDaniels exited with a hip injury.
If McDaniels misses time, Conley could slide into a starting role, which would elevate his short-term value. He’s not a priority add, but in deeper leagues, he’s worth monitoring closely heading into Tuesday.
Dylan Cardwell — C, Kings
Dylan Cardwell doesn’t need shots to matter. In his most recent outing, he logged five blocks in 21 minutes, continuing a stretch where he’s swatted eight shots over two games.
He’s now clearly operating as Sacramento’s backup center behind Maxime Raynaud and has jumped Precious Achiuwa in the rotation. As long as Domantas Sabonis remains sidelined, Cardwell is a legitimate deep-league blocks streamer.
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