Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Chicago Bulls PG Michael Carter-Williams
Things have already gone downhill between Rajon Rondo and the Chicago Bulls. Head coach Fred Hoiberg has called him out for looking “slow”, and Rondo was kept on the bench for all of Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Michael Carter-Williams returned from knee and wrist issues on Dec. 26, and he has started the last two games in Rondo’s place while averaged 28 minutes per contest. Carter-Williams nearly tallied a double-double Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets (10 points and nine rebounds) and over those last two games he’s averaging 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Rondo should be back in action soon, in some sort of role, and it’s unclear if Carter-Williams will keep the starting job as Hoiberg tries to find something that works. But the opportunity is there for the well-traveled 2014 NBA Rookie of the Year, particularly if Rondo is traded at some point soon.
The major negative with Carter-Williams, as it is with many of the Bulls’ key players, lies with his poor shooting. This season’s seven-game sample is too small to take much from, but Carter-Williams is just a 25.3 percent shooter from three-point range for his career with an overall field goal percentage just under 41 percent. His fantasy value has to be supplemented by other stats beyond scoring, and in five games since returning Carter-Williams is averaging 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.8 steals per contest.
It would take a very point guard-needy fantasy basketball owner to add Carter-Williams, but in particular those who have Rondo may be looking right now. Based on potential opportunity and multi-category contribution, and if you can deal with poor shooting percentages, there are a lot worse waiver wire fliers to consider.
Michael Carter-Williams ESPN Fantasy Ownership: 13.2%
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