We’ve reached the final week of the NBA season before the All-Star break, and “silly season” has already arrived. This week’s recommended rookies include rookies from two of the worst teams in the Association, two players who made their season debuts in the last two weeks and, surprisingly… Brook Lopez And Marvin Bagley III.
Here are the best fantasy basketball waiver wire additions for Week 17.
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→ Watch an NBA doubleheader on Peacock Monday night, as the Bucks take on the Magic at 7:30 p.m. ET before the Thunder take on the Lakers at 10 p.m. ET.
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Priority Additions
1. Nique Clifford
2. Isaiah Necklace
3. Ty Jerome
4. Will Riley
5. Marvin Bagley III
6. Moussa Diabaté
7. Cason Wallace
8. Scoot Henderson
9. Brook Lopez
10. Gui Santos
Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz (36 percent rostered)
Keyonte George missed three games with a sprained left ankle before returning Saturday and injuring his right ankle. Over the last four games with George out or limited, Collier averaged 20.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 12.5 assists and 2.5 steals in 39.5 minutes. He had three straight double-doubles and dished out a career-high 22 assists in Tuesday’s win over the Pacers. Even if George is allowed to appear on the field before the All-Star break, Collier has standalone value as a top-tier backup, and Utah is clearly interested in tanking after sitting out the entire game. Lauri Markkanen, Jusuf NurkicAnd Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss to the Magic. Expect Collier to continue to see big minutes as “silly season” quickly approaches.
Ty Jerome, Memphis Grizzlies (34 percent rostered)
Jerome has played in four games this season and he has only played an average of 20.3 minutes. The lack of big minutes hasn’t stopped him from putting up big numbers, as Jerome is averaging 20 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 triples while shooting a very efficient 56.5% from the floor and 86.4% from the charity stripe. His workload should gradually increase down the stretch, and he could push for more than 25 minutes after getting a little more time to recover and accelerate during the All-Star break.
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Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte Hornets (26 percent)
Charlotte’s starting job is Diabaté’s to lose, and he’s been excellent the last two weeks. Over his last eight appearances, Diabaté has averaged 10.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.8 blocked shots in 29.9 minutes, while shooting 67.3% from the field and 75% from the charity stripe. The big man isn’t an elite contributor when it comes to defensive stats, but he has offered solid rebounding numbers and solid efficiency.
Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder (24 percent)
Wallace has at least a week of track time, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be off during the All-Star break, and the Thunder will play three more games between Monday and Thursday. Over his last four outings, Wallace averaged 17 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.3 steals and 2.3 triples in 30.3 minutes while shooting 51/83/41. His elite contributions in the rare steal category make it worth it as a category specialist, but his recent production highlights his ability to post significant numbers across the board.
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Will Riley, Washington Wizards (21 percent)
Riley is yet another talented recruit in the nation’s capital, and he’s been under scorching heat lately. Over his last four games, Riley averaged 20.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.0 triples in 32.3 minutes. He has scored 20-plus points in back-to-back games and had the best performance of his career in Saturday’s loss to the Nets. Riley put up a huge 27/3/2/3/1 line with four triples in 45 minutes on Saturday, and his arrow is clearly pointing up.
Brook Lopez, Los Angeles Clippers (18 percent)
With Ivica Zubac traded to Indiana, BroLo has the runway to be a viable option in standard fantasy leagues. He posted a 15/9/2/1 line with three swats and two triples in 36 minutes in Friday’s win over the Kings, and Lopez has averaged 9.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.1 triples in nine starts this season. Scoring, rebounding and efficiency will be inconsistent, but Lopez is a reliable source of blocked shots and triples and should be added wherever he is available.
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The All-Star break means Week 17 will span two weeks in Yahoo! default leagues.
Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers (14 percent rostered)
Henderson made his season debut in Friday’s win over the Grizzlies, posting an 11/5/9/1 line in 21 minutes coming off the bench. He missed Saturday’s rematch in the second leg of the Blazers’ back-to-back set, but he has a chance to be back in action Monday against the 76ers. Henderson will need some ramp-up time, but his solid production with such limited playing time is very encouraging.
Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors (11 percent)
Stéphane Curry still has no timetable for his return, and with Golden State’s injuries increasing, players will continue to see significant run and take on new responsibilities. One of those players is Santos, who has been productive in his last six outings. During that span, he averaged 14.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks and 2.2 triples in 26.8 minutes.
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Marvin Bagley III, Washington Wizards (7 percent)
Bagley III arrived in Dallas via the Anthony Davis trade, and he made an immediate impact. Daniel Gafford logged nearly 29 minutes per game in his last three games before Bagley III’s arrival, but the former only saw 18 minutes in Saturday’s loss to the Spurs, while Bagley III logged 24. Foul issues certainly played a role in the minutes disparity, but given Gafford’s history of injuries and foul trouble, it’s safe to say that Bagley III should see enough playing time down the stretch to be a viable option in standard leagues. He posted a loaded 16/12/2 line with a steal, four blocks and a triple, and fantasy managers should expect more solid performances moving forward.
Nique Clifford, Sacramento Kings (3 percent on roster)
Clifford has been electric over his last three games, averaging 20.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 swats and 3.0 triples in 33 minutes. He had his best game of the season in Saturday’s loss to the Cavaliers, delivering a monstrous 30/4/4/2/2 line with five triples in 40 minutes. Sacramento’s backcourt roster is thin after Dennis Schröder And Keon Ellis were traded, and the Kings have no incentive to play Zach LaVine Or Russell Westbrook big minutes as they head into the 2026 draft lottery. Clifford appears poised to see an uptick in carries after the All-Star break, and he has the skills to handsomely reward fantasy managers who plucked him from the waiver wire.
Other options: Tari Eason (39%), Tobias Harris (32%), Aaron Nesmith (26%), Jalen Smith (25%), GG Jackson (21%), Moses Moody (16%), Brandon Williams (7%), Tristan Vukcevic (4%), Nick Richards (2%).
