With the 2024-2025 NBA fantasy season nearly underway, there are still late round gems for last minute drafts or waiver wire dimes for the completed drafts to be found. Every year mid or even early first round draft picks along are overlooked near the end of drafts for players like Dennis Schroder or Cameron Johnson. I hate going for low ceiling players while young players with a clear path to high minutes are more than available for next to nothing value wise at this point in the fantasy process.
Matas Buzelis
The Chicago Bulls entire structure got shaken up this offseason as the departure of DeMar DeRozan left a massive minutes hole in the Bulls rotation set to potentially be filled by rookie Matas Buzelis. Buzelis is currently set as the Bulls SF2 on the depth chart behind Zach Lavine who may, depending on the Bulls record this season, get moved some point throughout the year to recoup draft capital. This would leave a nice open door for Buzelis to acquire starters minutes without any real competition behind him to steal minutes. The Bulls are not a deep team without a clear path to a winning season that could be looking to play their young talent throughout large portions of this season.
My Buzelis love goes as far as a points league. A category league may be tough for him to excel in any meaningful way being the Swiss Army knife he appears to be. That being said I imagine Buzelis can turn into a utility starter on a championship roster as the year goes on. Only rostered in 8% of leagues on ESPN fantasy, Buzelis is readily available for most teams pre or post draft. Do not expect to plug Buzelis right away, he will need an opportunity to present itself before contributing Ina serious way.
Stephon Castle
The San Antonio Spurs are a team similar but ahead of the Chicago Bulls, a young team with a very open door for their young players to get massive opportunities. The difference between the two teams would obviously be Victor Wembanyama. While the Spurs frontcourt is virtually settled, there’s a giant hole in the Spurs backcourt looking to be filled by the best available player. This player is or will be Stephon Castle. Castle is a big point guard at 6 '5 ” with a 6' 9 ” wingspan that has extreme defensive upside with a raw offensive game that can continue to develop at only 19 years old.
Wembanyama gives me the faith that Castle can develop his offensive ability without any defensive focus on the young guard. Wembanyama commands a double team which he is more than capable of dishing the ball out along with his scoring ability. Castle currently needs to develop a better three point shot (25% in the summer league) to become a superstar in this league or a fantasy monster. Until then he can be a serious Utility starter as the year goes on with starting guard potential as the season goes on.
Even though castle isn’t as easy to acquire than Buzelis, he is still pretty much available in the last round of drafts or some free agent availability, rostered in 39% of ESPN leagues. Castle controls his own destiny, his play can elevate him over the aging/injured Chris Paul or limit him to a bench role if his shooting does not develop in a meaningful way.
Dereck Lively II
The Dallas Mavericks seem to have the opposite problem of the Spurs since they have a backcourt set, the front court remains up in the air. Even though Daniel Gafford is currently listed as the starting center, I believe Dereck Lively II will end up taking this role before the season ends. The two players are extremely similar in their role within the team. They’re tall, lengthy rebounders that have offensive ability above the rim. That’s about where the similarities and Gafford’s ability ends. Lively’s speed and overall efficiency are what I think gets him onto the court more.
Lively’s speed will make him more useful for the Maverick’s superstars to get a pick and roll attack commanded by Luka Dončić or Kyrie Irving. Dangerous. Lively is also taller than Gafford with an impressive six extra inches of wingspan. Gafford is not a bad player, Lively is just a better player that should see increased minutes as the years goes on potentially even turning into a starting fantasy center. Lively’s availability is similar to castle’s at 32% of ESPN leagues. Things should take time to get going for lively as he looks to overtake Gafford for the starting center role then eat into his minutes.
Ben Simmons
I know. I know the stigma. I was there for the rise at LSU and the disaster that was his sixers tenure. Ben Simmons will have fantasy relevance this year. The Brooklyn Nets may as well be the land of misfit toys. Schroder has an obvious advantage in the shooting department while Simmons has better rebounding potential.
Simmons should get a chance for big minutes with an aging Schroder and a defensively limited Thomas on a team that won’t exactly be competitive. Simmons by far has the lowest ceiling of players on this list but this ceiling could result in a championship utility option in a points league. Available in 80% of ESPN leagues, Simmons can provide big time rebounds and assists with potential mismatch scoring opportunities down low. Worst case scenario Simmons goes down with another injury and takes up an IR slot.
The waiver wire should be navigated throughout the season as the year goes on for any serious championship contender. It is impossible to predict injury in any sport, basketball included. Being vigilant in free agency separates good from great rosters and can keep injuries from potentially ending your season. Keep reading all year long to stay up to date on the latest waiver wire activity.
