NBA Fantasy: Top Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups

The Detroit Pistons are facing a major setback with Jaden Ivey's lower leg injury, which will sideline him for several weeks. The best-case scenario is his return after the All-Star break, but there is a possibility he may not play for the rest of the season. In Ivey's absence, Beasley is expected to take on a larger and more crucial role for the team.

Malik Beasley, Detroit Pistons (69% available)

Beasley has scored at least 21 points in three of five games since Ivey went down. He attempted at least 16 shots in four of those five games, which is an increase from h is season average of 13.7 shot attempts per game. He also logged at least 31 minutes in four of those games, compared to his season average of 29 minutes per game. Don’t expect much from him in terms of rebounds or assists, but he can provide a significant boost in points and 3-pointers.

Quentin Grimes, Dallas Mavericks (73% available)

The Mavericks continue to play without Irving and Luka Dončić (calf). With those two out, there are a lot of minutes and shot attempts up for grabs. One player who has stepped into a more significant role is Grimes. He has averaged just 23 minutes per game for the season, but he has averaged 27 minutes over their last 12 games.

Grimes has taken advantage of added minutes by averaging 14.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 3-pointers over those 12 games. He has also attempted at least 12 shots in each of his last six games. Dončić isn’t close to returning and Irving could miss another week or two. Until the Mavericks get healthy, Grimes is a must-add.

Spencer Dinwiddie, Dallas Mavericks (81% available)

Like Grimes, Dinwiddie has also received a boost in playing time with Dončić and Irving out. He is averaging 24 minutes per game for the season, but he has averaged 31 minutes over the last seven games. During that stretch, he provided 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.6 3-pointers per game.

The concern with Dinwiddie is his lack of efficiency. After shooting 39.2% from the field last season, he has shot 39.0% this year. That has left him with some inconsistent scoring performances. There will be some ups and downs that come with rostering Dinwiddie, but overall, he’s worth adding until Dončić and Irving return.

Guerschon Yabusele, Philadelphia 76ers (82% available)

Joel Embiid (foot) continues to have a difficult time staying on the floor. He has missed three of the last four games for the 76ers and has been ruled out again Friday. Not only that, but he has yet to play in more than four consecutive games this season. Given his lengthy injury history, it’s doubtful that Embiid would play both halves of any back-to-back set that the 76ers have remaining this season. They will also likely remain extremely cautious with any injury he suffers.

Andre Drummond (toe) has also missed six of the last eight games for the 76ers, leaving them extremely thin up front. They have relied heavily on Yabusele, who logged an average of 29 minutes over those eight games. He was able to parlay that into averages of 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 3-pointers. For the season, he is averaging 10.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 3-pointers per game, while shooting 50.0% from the field. He has more value in daily lineup leagues where he can be moved in and out of the lineup for games that Embiid and/or Drummond miss, but he’s still someone to consider adding in all formats.

Keon Johnson, Brooklyn Nets (86% available)

The Nets have already started to dismantle their roster, trading away Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith. More trades could be coming as Cameron Johnson (ankle) has been rumored to be available. Even D’Angelo Russell (lower leg), who the Nets just acquired from the Lakers in the Finney-Smith trade, could be moved again. To compound matters for the Nets, Johnson, Russell and Cam Thomas (hamstring) are all currently injured.

As the Nets continue their path to getting one of the top picks in the 2025 Draft, we should see plenty of their younger players down the stretch. One who has stepped into a more prominent role lately is Keon Johnson, who has started each of the last 16 games. He has settled into the role nicely, averaging 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.1 3-pointers over the last nine games. The one negative is that he shot just 40.2% from the field during that span. Still, with a lot of minutes likely coming his moving forward, he can provide value.

Ziaire Williams, Brooklyn Nets (92% available)

Williams was never able to establish himself with the Grizzlies after being selected with the 10th pick in the 2021 Draft. He never averaged more than 22 minutes per game in a season. He also dealt with injuries that limited him to playing a total of 88 games in the last two seasons.

Injuries have also been a problem for Williams this season, limiting him to just 25 games. However, he is healthy now, while many of his teammates are injured. Williams has started each of the last three games, averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 3-pointers. The Nets likely want to see if he can be a part of their future, so he could remain in a starting role until they get healthy. Even when they do, a couple of more trades could also pave a path for Williams to be a regular starter.