Last Updated on December 17, 2024 12:54 pm by Keston Paul | Published: December 17, 2024

Welcome to another night of fantasy basketball pickups. With only one game on the docket, we’ll get to go a little more in depth on a few prospects from tonight’s game. There is a still a lot of the NBA season left, but it is always a good idea to pivot when needed and to stay on your toes. Here are some players that could help fill some holes for your fantasy team.

Standard Leagues

( <50% rostered on Yahoo)

Ben Simmons, G/C, BKN

Tonight’s Game: 31 minutes, 10 points (4-of-7 FG), four rebounds, eight assists and two steals

Yes, it is time to grab Simmons. The departure of Dennis Schröder created a void in the Nets offense, and now they desperately need a facilitator to run the show. That facilitator, for the time being, if now Simmons. There’s no telling how long this will or how well it will go, but the opportunity is there. If he is able to put up a close replica of the stat line listed above on most nights, that would make Simmons a top-100 player easily. Give him a chance and take it from there. 

Ausar Thompson, F, DET

Tonight’s Game: 27 minutes, 19 points (8-of-14 FG, 2-of-4 FT), nine rebounds, one assist, four steals, one block and one triple

Is Thompson finally back? After dealing with a serious health issue to begin the year, Thompson looks like his original self again. Fair warning before you do decide to grab him: his increase in minutes and opportunity is most likely due to the absence of Tobias Harris (right thumb sprain). The Pistons play again on Thursday, giving Harris extra time to heal. The Pistons value the spacing that they have created around Cade Cunningham; having Thompson start could hinder the spacing on the floor. This is a little bit of a dice roll, as Thompson could go back to lower minutes in the next games. 

Want to get access to the rest of this Pickups article for streamers and waiver wire adds? You’ll need to have an NBA FantasyPass membership. Click here to learn more and sign up!
Premium Access Required