Last Updated on December 10, 2025 10:12 pm by Keston Paul | Published: December 10, 2025

We’re finally back to something resembling a normal NBA rhythm, with the NBA Cup hitting pause until Saturday’s semifinals. That gives Thursday’s slate a welcome return to traditional fantasy dynamics, no tournament quirks, just a clean night to hunt for value. It’s the perfect window to reassess the wire, tighten up the back end of your roster and identify streamers who can swing a matchup before the weekend drama kicks back in. Let’s dig into the names who might be sitting unclaimed in your league and the short-term options who can help you bank stats on a slate that rewards proactive managers.

Top Pickups

This is the “general must-add” section regardless of the slate. If these players are being overlooked and remain chilling on the waiver wire, consider adding them to your squad.

Kyle Filipowski (23%)

Make absolutely sure Kyle Filipowski isn’t sitting on your waiver wire. Utah hasn’t fully committed to him yet, but the moment the Jazz decide to shift minutes away from Jusuf Nurkic and Kevin Love, he has the profile to deliver steady top-100 value as a floor and any meaningful developmental jump pushes him back toward the top-50 trajectory he showed late last season. Sunday’s spot start for Lauri Markkanen (illness) was a reminder of the upside: 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting, 10 rebounds, three steals, a triple, and two assists. Utah opened the game down 13-1, yet Filipowski remained one of the lone bright points, sustaining what has quietly been a top-75 stretch over the last two weeks.

Night-to-night stability may wobble until Utah trims the rotation, but that’s exactly what makes Filipowski such a premium stash, he’s already giving you playable production while you wait for the real breakout. There may be another dip when the Jazz get healthier, but the second-half reward is what matters. Filipowski brings the skill set, efficiency and opportunity curve that can swing leagues once the pathway clears.

Ryan Nembhard (24%)

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