NBA Waiver Wire: Pickups of the Week

GUARD

Alex Abrines, G, OKC - The third-year Spaniard has started to heat up, scoring in double dights in four of the last six games and nine points in another during that stretch. Abrines also has multiple three-pointers in four of those games and is averaging 3.5 attempts from beyond the arc across just 13.8 minutes per game. While Victor Oladipo's extended absence has undeniably afforded Abrines more opportunities, he's likely carved him out a secure spot in the Thunder backcourt rotation even after Oladipo returns.

Allen Crabbe, G, POR - Crabbe was a hot commodity to start the season, when he opened up with four double-digit scoring efforts in the first five games. The fourth-year guard was a bit inconsistent for the remainder of November, which may have knocked him off the radar for some, but Damian Lillard's recent injury woes have brought him back into the spotlight. He's rattled off four double-digit scoring outings in the last five, and is shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc in the last seven overall. While he'll head back to a reserve role when Lillard returns, Crabbe is one of the better sixth men in the league, and is averaging a robust 28.6 minutes per game on the season despite his spot on the second unit.

Jeremy Lamb, G, CHA - The fifth-year guard is sporting career highs in points (9.1) and rebounds (5.0), while his current 45.0 percent success rate from the floor is a hair behind his career-best 45.1 percent figure. He's posted three straight double-digit scoring games off the Hornets' bench, while taking double-digit shot attempts and receiving over 20 minutes in each of those contests. Charlotte's starting backcourt of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum are clearly going to play a boatload of minutes, but Lamb has established himself as a valued source of offense and rebounding in the rotation, and his spot and playing time are therefore solidified.

Michael Carter-Williams, G, CHI - Although MCW has just returned from a prolonged absence due to a wrist injury, what transpired in the Bulls' last game is likely enough to warrant considering him on your league's waiver wire immediately. Starting point guard Rajon Rondo was benched at halftime on Friday against the Pacers due to ineffectiveness, and Carter-Williams went for 12 points, eight rebounds, an assist and a block over 27 minutes in the second half. He'd also filled out the stat sheet over 15 minutes the game prior, with four points, six boards and two assists against the Nets on Wednesday. Now having proven he can handle an ample workload, the fourth-year guard could be in line for expanded opportunity going forward. He's definitely got warts – starting with his sub-par shooting and his propensity for turnovers – but he also has proven very capable of providing robust stat lines night in and night out in his career.

Jodie Meeks, G, ORL - Meeks can admittedly be feast-or-famine with his shot, but he can be of value in the areas of points and three-pointers in particular. The 27-year-old guard has been seeing starting opportunities due to starting two-guard Evan Fournier's heel injury, and has averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 2.0 steals over the last three. Meeks can also heat up in a hurry for short stretches, as evidenced by his 58.8 percent success rate from the field and 44.4 percent figure from three-point range over the last two contests. While his minutes will take a hit once Fournier returns, Meeks' spot in the backcourt appears to be solidified, as he's capable of bringing an infusion of offense whenever he's on the floor.

FORWARD

Dario Saric, F, PHI - Saric is capable of playing either forward spot, always a plus for playing time stability. He's come on strong over the last three, with 12, 14 and 13 points, respectively, while also averaging 8.0 rebounds over that stretch. His usage is up as well, as he's taken double-digit shot attempts in five of the last six games while averaging 24.7 minutes per contest. Saric brings a bit of everything to the table, even averaging 3.6 three-point attempts per game and draining them at a 35.1 percent clip. With an inconsistent Robert Covington in front of him on the depth chart, Saric should be in line for a secure allotment of playing time for the duration of the campaign, with the possibility of a move up to the first unit always in play.

T.J. Warren, F, PHO - Warren may have been discarded during his near month-long absence with a head injury, or perhaps his grand total of two points in his first two games back earlier in December served as the final straw for some owners. If he happens to be floating out on your league's wire, snapping him up immediately would be highly advisable. He bounced back after the aforementioned pair of sub-par contests to rattle off four straight double-digit scoring tallies, before struggling again Thursday with just four points on 2-of-11 shooting. While he may be prone to the occasional stinker, Warren more than proved his ability to contribute across the stat sheet during an excellent start to the season, and should only continue improving as the season unfolds.

Sam Dekker, F, HOU - Dekker has quietly been racking up the production in the Rockets' frontcourt rotation, averaging a solid 8.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.3 steals over the last 16 games, and an even better 9.7 points and 5.7 boards over the last three. The 22-year-old can space the floor a bit as well, as he's averaging 3.7 three-point attempts during that latter stretch. Clint Capela's leg injury has opened up some additional opportunity for Dekker, but he was seeing decent minutes prior, having played at least 14 minutes in all but two games this season.

Shabazz Muhammad, F, MIN - Muhammad has flashed a significant ceiling in the past, going off for 28 and 35 points last season. He was at it again Friday, catching fire and going for 22 points, a haul that included four three-pointers. He's scored in double figures in three of the last four overall, shooting 50.0 percent from the field and a stellar 60.0 percent from three-point range during that stretch. Additionally, although he's stuck behind Andrew Wiggins on the depth chart, Muhammad has played more than 20 minutes in seven of the last 15 games, and 17-19 minutes in six others over that span.

CENTER

Cristiano Felicio, C, CHI - The second-year big man has carved out a solid swath of playing time behind starter Robin Lopez at the five, seeing double-digit minutes in 11 of the last 12 games. While his returns aren't earth-shattering by any means, he has turned in a solid 6.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists over the last four contests. With center being one of the more difficult positions to find reinforcements for on the wire, Felicio is likely one of your better options at this point in the season, especially in deeper formats.

Kosta Koufos, C, SAC - Koufos is perpetually overshadowed playing in a frontcourt alongside DeMarcus Cousins, but the veteran center has proven capable of providing serviceable production in multiple categories. That was evidenced most recently when Koufos went for double-digit scoring in three straight earlier in December, with one of those efforts also a double-double. He's also averaged 8.0 points and 5.6 rebounds on 85.7 percent shooting in his last three, making him a decent option for those looking for some back-of-the-roster help at center.

Joffrey Lauvergne, C, OKC - Lauvergne is one of those big men with the ability to score away from the basket, as evidenced by his 36.7 percent success rate from three-point range this season. He's also seeing fairly consistent minutes behind Steven Adams, Domantas Sabonis and Enes Kanter at both frontcourt spots, and has averaged 4.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.1 blocks over his last 11 games. While his playing time is mostly in the teens, he has seen over 20 minutes in six games this season and has provided solid returns on each occasion. He's not going to wow you with production unless there are multiple injuries in front of him that afford him a significant boost in opportunity, but the third-year pro can likely still be secured in most leagues.