Week 14 brings a far more balanced NBA schedule, with every day featuring between seven and nine games. Monday (MLK Day) is the busiest slate with nine games, while Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday all settle in at seven apiece. We can plan our week pretty easily, as we’ll have fewer dead nights and fewer forced start/sits.
We’re also officially on the doorstep of the February 5th trade deadline. Some teams are already pivoting toward draft position rather than wins, and that shift tends to open up unexpected fantasy value. Last week, the Lakers were the volume darlings. This time around, it’s Miami, who plays five games in Week 14, including two back-to-backs.
With that context in mind, here are the deep-league names worth circling.
NBA Deep League Waiver Wire Adds
De’Anthony Melton — G, Warriors
Jonathan Kuminga requesting a trade was the final confirmation that he’s completely fallen out of Steve Kerr’s rotation. One of the quiet beneficiaries has been De’Anthony Melton, whose role has steadily grown over Golden State’s last seven games.
Melton is averaging 23 minutes during that stretch and has turned them into 13.9 points, three rebounds, one steal, and 2.4 triples per game. The efficiency spike — 50% from the field and 42.5% from deep — won’t fully hold, but the volume and role is there. He’s also coming off back-to-back games with 23 and 24 points, which has clearly earned Kerr’s trust.
Melton isn’t flashy, but he contributes across categories and now has a stable minute’s floor in the low-to-mid 20s.
Buddy Hield — G/F Warriors
Hield has been off the fantasy radar for weeks, but Kuminga’s situation could reopen the door. On Saturday, he turned just 18 minutes into 14 points, three rebounds, five stocks, and two threes against Charlotte.
That was his best scoring output since early December, and the defensive stats were a season high. Hield still doesn’t have a guaranteed rotation spot, but when he’s impacting the game on both ends, it strengthens his case. He’s strictly a speculative add, but one worth monitoring if Golden State’s rotation continues to loosen. Melton is out on Monday, and the Warriors play four games this week.
Jordan Miller — F, Clippers
Jordan Miller has quietly forced his way into the conversation. He’s now stacked two monster all-around performances back-to-back, including an 11-point, 10-rebound, five-assist, two-steal line against Washington, followed by a breakout scoring night versus Toronto with 19 points, six boards, three triples, and four steals.
The minutes are real, the activity is undeniable, and Miller’s defensive production gives him a fantasy-friendly floor. Just keep paying attention to Kawhi’s injury status.
Jalen Pickett — G, Nuggets
Denver remains shorthanded, and Pickett continues to benefit. While his box scores won’t jump off the page, his minutes and involvement are trending upward, particularly with Christian Braun sidelined.
Pickett offers low-end scoring with modest assists and defensive contributions — nothing elite, but serviceable when opportunity matters.
Aaron Wiggins — G/F Thunder
Wiggins stepped up in a big way Saturday, scoring 18 points on efficient shooting while logging 28 minutes in Oklahoma City’s loss to Miami. Most notably, he played 17 of those minutes in the second half after Jalen Williams exited early with a thigh injury.
If Williams is forced to miss time, Wiggins is the most natural candidate to absorb extra minutes — and potentially re-enter the starting lineup. The Thunder remain cautious with injuries, so Wiggins is a name to keep ready, especially with a four-game road trip continuing. Lu Dort is someone who also comes to mind.
Keldon Johnson— G/F Spurs
Johnson delivered a much-needed bounce-back performance Saturday, dropping 20 points off the bench against Minnesota. Over the past two weeks, he’s returned 11th-round value in eight-cat formats, despite minimal assists and steals.
The ceiling is capped, but the floor is steady. Johnson remains a plug-and-play scoring option for managers looking to stabilize points and threes without hurting efficiency.
Craig Porter Jr. — G, Cavs
With Darius Garland expected to miss at least the next week due to a toe injury, Porter steps into short-term relevance. When given an extended run this season, he’s consistently flashed his passing chops, averaging 5.6 assists in games where he’s played 22 or more minutes.
He just matched a career high with 11 assists, and while the scoring will fluctuate, the opportunity is there. Porter is a strong short-term pickup for managers hunting assists while Garland remains sidelined.
Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!
