The Playlist: Week 13 fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups and start/sit advice

Welcome to The Playlist: my weekly column that lets you know who and what to play — when it comes to setting your lineup or music in my rotation — for the upcoming week in fantasy basketball.

Each week, you'll see a compilation of the pickups you need to make and a quick look at the schedule and lineup notes (who's in and out of rotations).

Press play and shuffle through the latest fantasy basketball info.

🏀 Week 12 Wrap Up

• Silly season is underway, with Walker Kessler (23) missing two games this past week because of "rest"

• Brandon Miller (wrist) is out indefinitely

• Surprise —Trey Murphy III cracked the top-10 in 9-cat leagues after averaging 26/12/3 with 4 3s and 2 stocks this week

🥇Top players for Week 12 (through Saturday)

• Points leagues: Kevin Durant (211.3 fantasy points)

• 9-category leagues: Victor Wembanyama

🎧 Who's in My Rotation: Waiver Pickups Under 50% Rostered

Must-adds

Nick Richards - C, Phoenix Suns (40%)

Richards getting dealt to Phoenix was the first mid-season trade to impact fantasy basketball, and he is officially a must-add in all leagues. In his first game with the Suns, he had a double-double off the bench, scoring 21 points (7-8 FG, 7-9 FT) and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes. He’ll be the starting center in short order and with Jusuf Nurkić out of the rotation, Richards will be a major asset for fantasy managers needing FG%, rebounds and blocks the rest of the way.

Tari Eason - SF/PF, Houston Rockets (41%)

The per-min aficionado is back cooking after a 13-game absence. In two games since returning to action, Eason’s averaging 17 points, 6 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals per game in 23.5 minutes. Jabari Smith is out for a while, so he’ll play an essential role in Houston’s frontcourt as long as he’s healthy. FWIW, he’s averaging 1.23 fantasy points per minute this year — that’s the same as Trae Young.

Scoot Henderson - PG, Portland Trail Blazers (43%)

The schedule looks money in Week 13, plus Henderson finished second-round value last week. He’s been on a heater all month, averaging 15 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 3s and 1.5 stocks per game with 49/45/82 shooting splits. Scoot finally looks confident and he’ll continue trending up in fantasy the more Portland loses ball games.

Cason Wallace - PG/SG, Oklahoma City Thunder (25%)

Wallace is up 12% from last week, but he’s not rostered in enough leagues. He’s been a top-45 player over the past two weeks and 65th over the past month in 9-cat. The Thunder have started him consistently since the turn of the year and he’ll be a great asset for steals, but he’s been sprinkling enough across categories to be rostered in 10-12 teams leagues.

Best Streams

Cole Anthony - PG, Orlando Magic (31%)

Anthony is rostered in 90% of my leagues, so, surprisingly, he’s under 35% rostered in Yahoo leagues overall. The longer Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner are out, he’ll be the second option on offense for the Magic. The stream continues with the Magic facing the Raptors, Blazers and Pistons this week.

Toumani Camara - SF/PF, Portland Trail Blazers (28%)

Camara’s been a near top-100 player in 9-cat leagues over the past month, with Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija out with injuries. His contributions, especially in stocks, would be a good streamer, with the Blazers having the best schedule this week (more on that later).

Spencer Dinwiddie - PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks (23%)

The veteran backup likely has a couple of weeks left before Luka Dončić returns, so take advantage of that if you can. Dinwiddie’s been in the eighth-round value over the past two weeks in points and 9-cat leagues despite Kyrie Irving’s return. The Mavs play three games in four nights to begin the week, so Dinwiddie is one of the better streaming options available. If he’s not available, go for Naji Marshall or Quentin Grimes.

Nikola Jović - PF/C, Miami Heat (34%)

Jović was Miami's first player off the bench on Friday night and played 31 minutes despite Jimmy Butler’s return. He’s been producing, providing ninth-round value in 9-cat leagues over the past two weeks. With the Butler saga far from over, fantasy managers should remain patient and ride it out with Jović because he and Jaime Jaquez Jr. will likely benefit from any Butler move.

Guerschon Yabusele - PF/C, Philadelphia 76ers (18%)

The Sixers are falling fast and the latest news of Joel Embiid being re-evaluated in 7-10 days for swelling in his left knee (after missing several games with a foot injury) is concerning for fantasy managers. With that, Yabusele becomes a valuable free agent. Though Yabusele is averaging 10/6/2 in 28 minutes without Embiid on the court this season, over his last six games, he’s upped those numbers to 13/7/3 in 35 minutes per game. Add him since we don’t know when Embiid will return to play.

Luke Kennard - SG, Memphis Grizzles (6%)

Taylor Jenkins gave Kennard a spot start on Friday, with Ja Morant (foot) out. He responded by scoring 17 points (6-9 FG, 2-4 3PT, 3-3 FT), grabbing 3 boards and scoring 4 dimes in 26 minutes. He’s hit double-digit points with at least two 3s in five of his last six games, so he offers some streaming appeal in a four-game week.

🗓️ Weekly Game Schedule

Here’s how the week breaks down in terms of total NBA games played per day. Use this to identify when streaming options will be the most favorable:

Prime Streaming Days: Tuesday, Friday and Sunday

Set your rosters early on Monday since games begin at 12 p.m. Eastern on MLK Day. Outside of Saturday, you should be able to stream for at least three days this week, with the best opportunities on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Remember, getting more games in for the lighter slates makes better use of your waiver moves.

🎯 Teams to target:

• 10 teams play four games: Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Hornets, Mavericks, Pelicans, Trail Blazers and Warriors. If you miss out on the aforementioned players, stream guys like Robert Williams, Quentin Grimes, Naji Marshall, Scotty Pippen Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., Amir Coffey, Buddy Hield, Gary Payton II and Al Horford.

• Teams playing all prime streaming days: Trail Blazers

• Teams playing two of prime streaming days: 76ers

• Teams with three games in four nights (Mon-Thurs): Celtics, Clippers, Hawks, Mavericks and Warriors.

• Teams with three games in four nights (Thurs-Sun): Trail Blazers

❌ Teams to Avoid: The Pacers and Spurs only have two games this week, both against each other in Paris. Outside of your elite options, cut your lower-tiered guys and hit the waiver pool because neither team plays before Thursday, and their second matchup is on Saturday’s cramped 14-game slate.

Back-to-Back Sets:

• Monday-Tuesday: Knicks

• Tuesday- Wednesday: Nets

• Wednesday-Thursday: Bucks, Celtics, Clippers, Kings, Mavericks, Thunder and Warriors

• Thursday-Friday: Trail Blazers

• Friday-Saturday: 76ers, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Hornets and Pelicans

🚑 Injury News

• The Dallas Mavericks are “hopeful” Luka Dončić can return before the All-Star break.

• Sixers C Joel Embiid (knee) will be re-evaluated in 7-10 days

• Warriors F/C Draymond Green left Saturday’s contest with a calf injury and will get an MRI on Sunday.

• Magic F Franz Wagner (oblique) has been upgraded to "return to competition reconditioning." Barring any setbacks, he should return within the next 14 days

• Thunder F/C Chet Holmgren (pelvis) will be re-evaluated in 3-5 weeks

Latest injury reporting for all NBA teams

NBA Injury Report - January 20

🔄 Rotation Watchlist - Weekly Top 5

Hawks: Onyeka Okongwu is on a tear right now, averaging 18/16/3 with almost two blocks a game in his last three games. Clint Capela’s playing 9 fewer minutes than Okongwu in that span. This is a fun sell-high-or-hold situation in the hope that Capela gets traded (he never does).

Heat: Coach Spo is experimenting with Kel'el Ware playing alongside Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt, and the early returns look promising. Ware went off on Sunday versus the Spurs, scoring 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in 34 minutes. He led the Heat in scoring and started the second half instead of Haywood Highsmith. If this trend continues, he's a player worth streaming heading into Week 13.

Magic: Orlando Magic HC Jamahl Mosley acknowledged that C Goga Bitadze is progressing slowly in concussion protocol. Bitadze's missed the last three games for Orlando, so we'll see more of Wendell Carter Jr. (30%) getting 30 minutes per night. Like Cole Anthony, Carter should benefit from matchups against fantasy-friendly teams like the Raptors and Trail Blazers this week. I'd also consider Anthony Black (7%).

Pistons: According to Jake Fischer, the Pistons are expected to buy “complementary players” at the trade deadline. Adding another ball-handler would be useful with Jaden Ivey out, but any move could shake up the vets who are playing well (and have been streamable options), like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley.

Wizards: Rookies Kyshawn George and Bub Carrington have been quietly hooping along, and I'd recommend monitoring these two players as the silly season approaches. The Wizards will likely have to sell off some veteran assets, opening up consistent minutes the rest of the way.