The 2024-25 NBA season is underway. Although we’re only a few games into what promises to be a fascinating campaign, we already have a lot of questions and not enough answers. Whether due to injury, poor form or questionable coaching decisions, the waiver wire is proving to be a fruitful hunting ground for those in need of reinforcements. Whether you’re looking for a short-term stat boost or a potential addition over the course of a season, now is a great time to take advantage of managers who may not be as hot. Let’s dive into six players who are currently listed in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues.
Wendell Carter
Orlando Magic (43% listed)
With Paolo Banchero set to miss 4-6 weeks with an oblique injury, the Magic will need to shuffle some of the deck chairs if they want to stay competitive. Carter has managed to distance himself when it comes to the starting center role, averaging 8.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.6 defensive stats in 29.8 minutes per game. While these numbers aren’t amazing by any means, he’s doing just enough to keep a back roster in standard leagues. With Banchero sidelined, Moritz Wagner and Jonathan Isaac could find themselves spending a little more time at the four, as opposed to playing backup center. This could result in a small increase in playing time for Carter, possibly getting him closer to a nightly double-double with 2.0 defensive stats. If you’re looking for a relatively safe center option, Carter could be the man for the job.
Christian Braun
Denver Nuggets (39% listed)
In his first season as a starter, Braun managed to exceed expectations. Through the first four games, he amassed healthy averages of 14.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.0 steals and 1.0 three-pointers in 35.4 minutes per game. Despite being one of the elite teams in the Western Conference, Denver certainly isn’t blessed with proven depth. Braun fit perfectly into the role vacated by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, flashing his upside on both ends of the court. While he may not be able to maintain his current pace, Braun has certainly locked down the fifth starting position despite some preseason speculation. He is still available in 61% of leagues, a number that should drop quickly.
Bilal Coulibaly
Washington Wizards (38% listed)
Coulibaly has started in all four games so far, with his past three contests providing managers with a glimpse of what he could be capable of. For the season, he’s averaging 18.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 three-pointers in 34.1 minutes a night, good enough for top-50 value in standard leagues. Digging into the numbers a little more, we see that he shot the ball extremely well. In fact, he shoots a ridiculous 59.1% from the floor, a number that is guaranteed to go down. That said, Washington will do everything with Coulibaly, giving him significant minutes, even when the shots start to fall short. His defensive skills provide him with a relatively safe fantasy floor, meaning anything else is just gravy. Make sure he’s not floating on the waiver wire in your league.
Derrick Jones
Los Angeles Clippers (19% listed)
With Kawhi Leonard still a no-show, Jones was able to string together five decent performances. As we saw during stretches during the 2023-24 season, Jones can get on both ends of the floor. He was acquired by Dallas to be the starting forward, sliding in for Paul George who landed in Philadelphia. While he doesn’t have the upside of a player like George, Jones is one of the better role players in the league, doing exactly what is asked of him on a nightly basis. Through the first five games, he put up useful numbers, averaging 11.8 points to go with 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in 29.6 minutes per game. While there will be more than a few bumps in the road, Jones should continue to quietly go about his business, making him an underwhelming addition to any roster.
Jonathan Isaac
Orlando Magic (13% listed)
No stranger to injury, Isaac is also poised to take advantage of the Banchero injury, that is if he can stay healthy himself. Playing in just two of the first five games, Isaac is working his way back from a hip injury. He played 14 minutes in his return against the Bulls, a number that will need to increase if he has any hope of establishing league-standard value. In a perfect world, the Magic would simply insert Isaac into the starting power. However, we know this is unlikely due to his tainted past. Even if he somehow cracked the starting rotation, his minutes would fall short of what is typically seen from a starter. Given all that, Isaac certainly has some risk. However, as we know, he only needs limited minutes to be able to be a positive contributor. If he can turn this opportunity into 20+ minutes a night, that should be enough for him to be a viable asset, even in 12-team leagues.
Toumani Camara
Portland Trail Blazers (7% listed)
Let’s go deep here, considering a player that many may not even look at when it comes to standard fantasy formats. Camara started all five games, averaging 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 three-pointers and 2.2 combined steals and blocks in 29.9 minutes per game. His upside is relatively limited, which means he won’t be for everyone. However, he knocked down multiple three-pointers in three of the five games, tallying at least one steal in all five. He is a no-nonsense player who is still trying to earn his stripes in the NBA. Portland has no reason to be complacent about their likely position come April. While he starts and plays significant minutes, Camara is someone to consider not only in deeper formats but potentially in 12-team leagues as well.
