Fantasy Basketball 2021: Hidden Gems to Pick Up for NBA Week 6
Struggling to gain traction in your 2020-21 fantasy basketball league?
Don't worry. Remember, your roster might never be more than a savvy waiver-wire addition away from building momentum and propelling your team up the standings.
For all the front-runners in the audience, don't get complacent with early success. You should be just as active as the bottom-feeders when it comes to scouring the scrap heap for helpful hoopers.
With Week 6 of the campaign quickly approaching, let's identify the hidden gems—rostered in less than 60 percent of Yahoo leagues, per FantasyPros—who are worth your attention.
Jeremy Lamb, SG/SF, Indiana Pacers (36 Percent Rostered)
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Remember him?
That might seem like a foolish question considering Jeremy Lamb is a former lottery pick who once played a pivotal role in the trade that sent James Harden to the Houston Rockets. But one glance at Lamb's availability suggests the fantasy community has largely forgotten the scoring swingman—or perhaps not yet realized he's back from the ACL tear that cut his 2019-20 campaign short.
With Victor Oladipo gone and Caris LeVert out indefinitely, Lamb should have a wealth of minutes and offensive opportunities headed his way sooner than later. In just his second game back, he poured in 22 points and snagged seven rebounds across 28 minutes, hitting half of his 14 field goals and seven of his eight free-throw attempts.
He's not a great source of assists, but he's a silky smooth scorer who can get to the line and contribute in the steals category. As his minutes rise, so will the waiver claims to add him.
Kendrick Nunn, PG/SG, Miami Heat (45 Percent Rostered)
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Last season, Kendrick Nunn took the fast track to fantasy relevance. A G Leaguer the year prior, he became a surprise starter for the Miami Heat and was so productive he snagged a first-team All-Rookie spot and landed second in Rookie of the Year voting—one spot higher than Zion Williamson.
But Nunn fell out of Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's circle of trust in the postseason, and the 25-year-old was struggling to get back in the good graces this season. However, a slew of absences in Miami's roster forced Spoelstra's hand, and now Nunn looks determined to make the most of this opportunity.
Maybe he won't stick in the rotation of a fully healthy Heat team, but for now, he's giving Spoelstra plenty to think about. Nunn has logged at least 32 minutes in his past four contests, averaging 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 56.1 percent from the field and 83.3 percent at the line.
The Heat have already ruled Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Avery Bradley and Meyers Leonard out of Monday's tilt with the Brooklyn Nets. Given how generous Brooklyn has been on the defensive end, Nunn could easily have the kind of outing that skyrockets his attention on the waiver wire. Act quickly.
Jeff Green, SF/PF/C, Brooklyn Nets (26 Percent Owned)
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The Nets needed to decimate their depth in order to add James Harden alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but that's a sacrifice you make 25 times out of 10.
As one of the few reliable veterans left in this supporting cast, Jeff Green could be a recipient of major minutes going forward. If that's the case—he has averaged 32.8 over his last six contests—he should absolutely feast on open looks, boosting your scoring and shooting rates in the process.
It's impossible to say how defenses should game-plan against the Harden-Durant-Irving trio, but you know what you don't do in that situation? You don't bother paying any mind to Green. He's had at least four feet of space from his closest defender on 70.7 percent of his shots this season and more than six feet of space on 39 percent of his attempts.
That surely helps explain why he's posting an absurd 62.8 field-goal percentage (and 64.0 percent perimeter connection rate) across those last six outings, in which he's put up a useful 12.5 points per game. He may not touch many categories outside of scoring and shooting, but the more time he logs as a small-ball 5 should give him more chances to leave an imprint on the rebounding category as well.
