Season's greetings! I'm filling in for Alex Rikleen today, and there are plenty of waiver wire goodies to talk about, as usual. The fantasy hoops week ends on Saturday with no games on Sunday for the third time in four weeks. That bugs me, but it is what it is. Let's dive into the players we should all be looking at right now.
As always, the players in this article must be rostered in less than two-thirds of CBS leagues. Players are listed in the order that I recommend adding them, assuming they are equally good fits for your team. The numbers represented are as of Wednesday's games and prior to Thursday night's action.
Double check your league
These players are rostered in more than two-thirds of leagues but still shouldn't be as available as they are.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat (73% rostered)
The Heat are healthy again with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro back in action, but that hasn't stopped JJJ from getting at least 30 minutes in five straight games. The production is down a bit over his last two, but Jaquez has endeared himself to coach Erik Spoelstra and his teammates and has become a team leader. But even with the scoring down a bit, he still has racked up five steals and three blocks over his last three games. Roll with him until the wheels fall off, and keep in mind that Jimmy Butler will continue to miss games throughout the season, along with many of his teammates. And right on cue, Butler has already been ruled out for Friday.
Malik Monk, Kings (72% rostered)
Monk has quietly rattled off eight straight games with at least five assists and has scored in double figures in four straight and in all but one of his nine December games. In December, he's averaging 16.1 points, 2 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 3.2 3-pointers on 64 percent shooting, and the only hole in his game is that he doesn't steal the ball. He should be rostered in more leagues.
Adds for all leagues
Isaiah Hartenstein, Knicks (59% rostered)
Hartenstein has gotten at least 30 minutes in four straight games, hit double digits in rebounds in three straight and has at least two blocks in seven of his last eight games. His scoring isn't anything to write home about, but the minutes are there, and he's the lone center standing for the Knicks. Not even Tom Thibodeau can mess this up.
Tari Eason, Rockets (62% rostered)
Eason is currently banged up due to lower leg soreness and missed his last game, as well as Thursday's practice. Hopefully, the injury isn't too serious, and he'll be back in action on Friday against the Mavericks, but news has been lacking details about the injury. Eason was really coming on, scoring in double figures in five straight games and racking up at least six rebounds in all eight of his December games. For the month, he's averaged 12.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.1 triples on 47 percent shooting. When he gets healthy, he should continue to push 30 minutes per game, and his arrow still appears to be pointing up, while Jabari Smith is heading in the wrong direction.
Brandin Podziemski, Warriors (54% rostered)
Podz was really coming on until a back injury knocked him out of Tuesday's game, and news reports have been few and far between. He had scored in double figures in four of five games before leaving early on Tuesday, has at least one steal in six straight games, at least five rebounds in five straight and is a good 3-point shooter who doesn't turn the ball over. We'll get a fresh update on his injury soon enough. If the news isn't too bad, he's worth a roster spot in nearly any league. Draymond Green's suspension is going to be a lengthy one.
Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors (51% rostered)
Kuminga is another beneficiary from the Green suspension and has scored in double figures in seven straight games. He's averaging 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 1.3 3-pointers in December and has played at least 25 minutes in four of his last six games. I'd like to see him score more and block some shots, but he's going to get big minutes going forward, especially if Poziemski's back injury keeps him out of the lineup.
Dante Exum, Mavericks (49% rostered)
Exum has been starting for Irving (foot) and has scored in double digits in seven straight games, averaging 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, one steal and two 3-pointers in December, shooting 62% and getting 31 minutes per game. He should be rostered everywhere until Irving is able to play again.
Tim Hardaway Jr., Mavericks (65% rostered)
THJ played 37 minutes and scored 21 points with three triples and three steals against the Clippers on Wednesday and has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games. The shooting isn't great (38.8% in December), but he's averaging 19 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 3.3 3-pointers in 32 minutes per game in December. Kyrie Irving (foot) still has no timetable for a return.
Norman Powell, Clippers (28% rostered)
Despite playing with the Big 3 plus Russell Westbrook, Powell has somehow scored in double figures in all nine of his December games and has averaged 16.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and two 3-pointers on 53.5% shooting this month. The steals and blocks are lacking, but if you need a dependable scorer who won't really hurt you anywhere, Powell fits the bill.
Derrick Jones Jr., Mavericks (22% rostered)
DJJ is quietly having a career year and had 19 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal, two blocks and two triples on Wednesday against the Clippers. He's averaging 13 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers on 47% shooting in December and is consistently getting 30 minutes a game. He's more valuable than you'd think.
Eric Gordon, Suns (39% rostered) & Grayson Allen, Suns (34% rostered)
Gordon and Allen are filling in for Bradley Beal, who is going to miss more time with his severely sprained ankle. The Suns only had two games this week, so both players are available more than they should be. Allen started in his last game and had 11 points, nine rebounds, two steals and a 3-pointer, while Gordon played 29 minutes off the bench and hit just one of seven shots. Allen is averaging 13 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 triples in December, while Gordon is at 11.3 points, two rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals and two triples for the month. The Suns play four games in each of the next two weeks, so these guys should be popular pickups, especially in head-to-head leagues.
Goga Bitadze, Magic (30% rostered)
Bitadze has been quiet in his last two games but does have five blocks over that stretch and has averaged 10.2 points, eight rebounds and 2.6 blocks over his last five games. If you need a center and more specifically, blocks, Bitadze is ripe for the taking.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Warriors (19% rostered)
TJD was a fantasy afterthought after being taken with the 57th pick in the draft, but he was a baller at Indiana and has been thrust into action over the last two Warriors games with Draymond Green's suspension. He had 10 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks against the Celtics on Tuesday when he played a whopping 29 minutes, and he had 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in just 18 minutes on Sunday. Steve Kerr likes him, and the Warriors need his big body out there every night. He's hit 11 of 16 shots in his two big games, and his arrow is pointing straight up right now.
Aaron Nesmith, Pacers (16% rostered)
Despite coming off the bench for the Pacers, Nesmith has scored in double digits in seven straight games and is averaging 14.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, one assists, 0.6 steals, 0.9 blocks and 2.4 triples in December. He's getting 26 minutes a night and is a sneaky add in fantasy right now.
Deep league special
Jaden Hardy, Mavericks (4% rostered)
Hardy had 15 points, two rebounds, a steal and five 3-pointers against the Clippers on Wednesday and is helping to fill in for Irving's absence. He'll mostly perform in garbage time as long as Hardaway is healthy, but if you're in a deeper league, Hardy can help on many nights. News just broke that Luka Doncic won't play on Friday, so Hardy should get some nice run in that one, while Dante Exum, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. all look like must-start players. Hardy is averaging 8.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 3-pointers but is shooting just 40% in December.
