Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Brayden Burries, Grayson Allen and the Late-Week Adds That Can Win Week 4

Wednesday's 10-game slate was the busiest night of Week 4 in fantasy basketball, and it is already behind us. The good news is that the moves you make tonight still have plenty of runway.

Yahoo Sports counts 51 games this week, and Wednesday was the only double-digit night ^[1]. Thursday is light with just four games, but Friday and Sunday carry nine games apiece, with five more on Saturday ^[1]. That makes the next 24 hours the perfect time to clean up your bench and grab players who will be on the floor this weekend.

First, the Stephen Curry Question

Stephen Curry left Golden State's game in Houston in the first quarter on Wednesday with right abdominal soreness and was ruled out for the rest of the night, NBA.com reported ^[5]. Golden State was already on a three-game week, one of the teams Yahoo Sports flagged to avoid for streaming purposes ^[1].

If you roster Curry, you hold him and wait for the team's next update. Nobody is dropping a player averaging 30.6 points a game ^[5]. In deeper leagues, the Warrior to watch is Draymond Green, who NBA.com listed at 35 percent rostered and averaging 10 assists over his last three games ^[4]. If Curry sits, someone has to run the offense, and Green has already been doing a lot of it.

Brayden Burries, Milwaukee

The rookie is the top add on the board for a reason. NBA.com reported that Burries has started five straight games and averaged 28.1 minutes in that stretch, including a 21-point, 11-rebound, 6-assist night against Toronto on Nov. 6 ^[4]. As a starter he is averaging 13.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists, according to Yahoo Sports and NBC Sports ^[1][2].

Milwaukee is one of the teams with a four-game week, and both Yahoo Sports and NBC Sports urged managers to grab him now ^[1][2]. NBA.com still had him at 41 percent rostered ^[4]. He will not be there much longer.

Jamal Shead and Jakob Poeltl, Toronto

Shead was the hottest name on the wire after a career-high 16 assists against Milwaukee last Friday with Immanuel Quickley out ^[1][3], and NBA.com reported he followed it with 20 points and 11 assists on Monday ^[4]. He is averaging 7.4 points, 7 assists and 1.5 steals through 10 games ^[4].

Here is the catch: the Toronto Sun reported that Quickley returned on Wednesday night in the Raptors' loss to Boston, a game Toronto once led by 22 points ^[6]. That cools Shead off in standard leagues. He is still a smart stream in deeper formats if you need assists and steals, because Toronto finishes a Wednesday-Thursday back-to-back and plays again Sunday ^[1][3].

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Poeltl is in the same boat. RotoWire highlighted his 19 points, 11 rebounds and 3 steals in 31 minutes against the Bucks with Scottie Barnes and Quickley out, but cautioned that he could rest one end of the back-to-back ^[3]. Check the Raptors' injury report before Thursday's game.

Grayson Allen, Charlotte

Injuries have handed Allen a big role. Dennis Schroder, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller are all out, NBA.com reported, and Allen responded with 27 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 6 assists and 2 steals in a win over the Cavaliers ^[4]. Yahoo Sports reported Knueppel will miss at least four weeks ^[1]. Charlotte plays Thursday at Phoenix and Sunday at the Clippers ^[1], and Allen was 37 percent rostered on NBA.com's list ^[4].

Deeper Adds Worth a Look

Daniss Jenkins, Detroit: RotoWire noted his 31 points against the Lakers ^[3], and NBA.com reported a 22-point, 8-assist, 4-steal line against the Wizards in 35 minutes ^[4]. Detroit still plays Thursday and Saturday ^[3].

Kingston Flemings, Atlanta: The rookie has started three straight with CJ McCollum coming off the bench, averaging 11.7 points and 3.7 assists in 25 minutes, and Atlanta won all three, according to NBC Sports ^[2].

Morez Johnson Jr., Dallas: The rookie posted his first career double-double, 13 points and 17 rebounds, against Utah last Friday, Yahoo Sports reported ^[1]. Dallas closes the week with a Saturday-Sunday back-to-back ^[1].

Aday Mara, Oklahoma City: He scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting with 8 rebounds and 3 blocks against Washington last Saturday and has started two of the Thunder's last four games, per Yahoo Sports ^[1].

My Take

The best fantasy managers chase minutes, not one big night. Burries and Allen are the two I want most, because their roles come from a coach's decision and a teammate's long-term injury, not from a one-game fluke. Shead was a great story, but Quickley's return is exactly the kind of news that turns a must-add into a stream, so be disciplined and don't overpay with your waiver priority.

And on Curry, patience. Soreness is not a diagnosis of anything serious, and the worst move in fantasy is selling a superstar at the bottom because of one scary first quarter.

If you want somewhere to put all that knowledge to work, the free Liberty Bell Fantasy games are waiting for you at /fantasy. No entry fee, just bragging rights.