In this edition of Working the Wire, we’ll take a look at the games scheduled for week 20, including those teams that have a back-to-back set. Before looking ahead, let’s quickly take a look at last week’s waiver wire pickups and whether we struck gold or came up empty. We will then run down the list of players you could consider picking up for longer than a couple of games, although do remember that not every player is going to suit your needs. Finally, we take a look at a list of current streaming options, based on categorical need.

Games Schedule – Week 20

Back to Backs

Mon/Tue: GSW
Tue/Wed: CHA, LAC, MIL, NOP, OKC, ORL, PHX
Wed/Thu: DEN
Thu/Fri: 
Fri/Sat: CLE, MIA, MIN, SAS, TOR, UTA, WAS
Sat/Sun: IND
Sun/Mon (of Week 21): ATL, LAC, LAL, OKC, PHI

A Look Back…

Guards

Raul Neto (132nd ranked player) – Let’s go with a pass here, barely

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (49th ranked player) – Playing really well, a clear win

Donte DiVincenzo (66th ranked player) – Carving out a nice role, another clear win

Brandon Goodwin (157th ranked player) – Good and bad, I’ll take a soft pass

Cameron Payne (145th ranked player) – Better late than never, a soft win

Forwards

Carmelo Anthony (57th ranked player) – A very boring win

Terance Mann (63rd ranked player) – Looking better, a solid win

Darius Bazley (79th ranked player) – A bit up and down but still a win

Cameron Johnson (3rd ranked player) – Injury hurt but an obvious win

Centers

Maxi Kleber (227th ranked player) – Hasn’t cashed in and the injury hurts, a loss

Isaiah Jackson (191st ranked player) – Some obvious flaws but still a solid win

Waiver Wire Options

Guards

Malachi Flynn

Flynn is only a player to consider for as long as Fred VanVleet is on the sideline. He has been able to put together a nice stretch of games but before running to grab him, pay attention to the injury report as he is going to sit out Sunday’s game.

Gabe Vincent

Another player who has been able to make the most of a favorable situation, Vincent is chugging along nicely right now. Kyle Lowry remains out due to a personal issue, something that also cost him a decent chunk of games earlier in the season. Over the past week, Vincent has been a fringe top-120 player, good enough to warrant a backend roster spot, especially given the importance of assists.

Immanuel Quickley

A top-65 player over the past week, Quickley has been arguably the most consistent guard on the Knicks roster of late. Of course, the faith we have in Tom Thibodeau to do the right thing is basically zero, making Quickley a really hard player to trust. That said, perhaps he can build on his recent performances as the Knicks look to get things back on track.

Malik Monk

The Lakers’ depth is terrible at the moment, let’s get that out of the way. Monk is arguably their second-best perimeter scoring option, at least on par with Carmelo Anthony. His role has chopped and changed all season, meaning he may have been dropped in a number of competitive leagues. He has been inserted back into the starting lineup recently, flirting with top-100 value. Give him a look to see if common sense prevails.

Forwards

Isaiah Roby

Roby has been one of the hottest players over the past week, coming in as the 18th ranked player. Of course, the Thunder rotation could change at the drop of a hat, making his role a little shaky. With that being said, he clearly has the ability to contribute on both ends of the floor and it’s not like the team is blessed with burgeoning talent in the frontcourt. Make sure he isn’t still floating around in your league.

Jae Crowder

Another player who has thrived of late, Crowder is putting together his best stretch of the season. Inside the top-25 over the past week, the veteran is making a case to be classified as a must-add player. Knowing what we know about Crowder, it does feel as though a decline is coming but until that happens, give him a look, especially if steals are high on your list of priorities.

Aleksej Pokusevski

Another player whose role has fluctuated this season, Pokusevski looks to have carved out a semi-consistent role, at least for now. He is certainly an intriguing prospect and can put up numbers on both ends of the floor. As we know, things in Oklahoma City can change overnight but as long as he is playing more than about 26 minutes per night, Pokusevski deserves a good look.

Jalen Smith

Smith came to Indiana after having flashed some upside earlier in the season during his time with the Suns. His role moving forward was far from locked in but to his credit, he is yet to put a foot wrong as he looks to secure a long-term contract. A top-100 player over the past week, his ability to connect from the perimeter while also racking up boards on a regular basis makes him a player worthy of a 12-team roster spot.

Centers

DeMarcus Cousins

Love him or hate him, Cousins has certainly made an impact during his time in Denver. Having now signed a contract for the remainder of the season, he can simply focus on playing basketball and helping the team as they push for the playoffs. Obviously, he is coming off the bench on most nights but as we know, he only needs about 18 minutes to be able to put up backend value. He is not for everyone but you could certainly do worse when seeking a big man with upside.

Drew Eubanks

Who knows what the Blazers are going to do ROS given their current trajectory. Eubanks is currently on his second 10-day contract with the Blazers and thus far, has been able to turn some heads. Jusuf Nurkic remains out and the Blazers surely have to be intrigued with what Eubanks can offer as a primary backup. For now, go and grab him if you need some big-man numbers, and then, just wait and see what transpires over the next week or two.

Streaming Targets

Points

Lonnie Walker IV

Marvin Bagley III

Malik Beasley

Cedi Osman

Rui Hachimura

3-pointers 

Max Strus

Cedi Osman

Rui Hachimura

Jaden McDaniels

Malik Beasley

Assists

D.J. Augustin

Jordan McLaughlin

Theo Maledon

Coby White

Cedi Osman

Rebounds

Trendon Watford

Marvin Bagley III

Hassan Whiteside

Kevon Looney

Oshae Brissett

Steals

Kyle Anderson

Otto Porter Jr.

Delon Wright

Cody Martin

Matisse Thybulle

Blocks

Matisse Thybulle

Isaiah Hartenstein

Jaden McDaniels

Hassan Whiteside

JaVale McGee

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