The fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft 10 years ago, Shaun Livingston has never lived up to his potential and hype in large part due to injuries.
Since being drafted straight out of high school in 2004, Livingston has bounced around from franchise to franchise as the Brooklyn Nets are his eighth team.
While he has averaged just 6.8 points and 3.4 assists per game over his career, he has been a major contributor recently with Deron Williams (ankles) out of the Nets' lineup.
“I’ve been in some rough places, especially after my injury [in 2007], but that’s a long time ago. And there were a lot of different thoughts, but those doubts kind of turned to faith. My family, everybody that’s been in my corner, God, it’s brought me a long way,” Livingston said per Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York.
With or without Williams in the lineup, however, Livingston has played at least 30 minutes in every game this month. Livingston has been a solid contributor in multiple categories, especially on defense: 10.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this month.
According to Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, it appears likely that Williams will not make the team's trip to London and miss another week.
Even when Williams returns to the starting lineup, Livingston should continue to be involved in the team's rotation and he's currently available in nearly 90 percent of Yahoo! leagues. With a rash of injuries at the point guard spot this year (Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday, etc.), Livingston can probably help many fantasy owners in need.
That said, if you play in leagues that allow lineup changes only weekly, please note that Livingston and the Nets play only one game this week.
Here are some players to consider adding and all are available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues:
PG - Kendall Marshall, Los Angeles Lakers (owned in 48 percent of Yahoo! leagues): With multiple injuries in the Lakers' backcourt, Marshall has run with his opportunity. So far this month, Marshall is averaging 13.6 points, 11.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.
PG - Brian Roberts, New Orleans Pelicans (16 percent): The injury to Jrue Holiday (stress fracture) means starter minutes for Roberts at the point for at least a month's time, if not longer. Roberts shot only 2-of-10 from the field Saturday night, but he added eight assists and two steals in 31 minutes as well.
PG/SG - Randy Foye, Denver Nuggets (46 percent): Foye has averaged 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this month. In addition, Foye has knocked down 20 three-pointers in his past five games.
PG/SG - Shaun Livingston, Brooklyn Nets (11 percent): See above.
SG - Jodie Meeks, Los Angeles Lakers (44 percent): Meeks is averaging nearly 20 points (19.7) per game this month. Launching a career-high 5.3 treys per game this season, Meeks ranks 14th in the Association in three-pointers made (76).
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SG/SF - Gerald Green, Phoenix Suns (50 percent): Green is averaging 14.8 points, 2.2 treys and 1.7 steals per game this month. With Eric Bledsoe (knee) sidelined for a while (and possibly the rest of the season), Green will continue to get starter's minutes.
SG/SF - Iman Shumpert, New York Knicks (30 percent): After scoring more than 25 points in back-to-back games to start the month, Shumpert has averaged only 8.25 PPG over his past four games. Even so, he has also averaged 1.75 three-pointers, 7.0 rebounds and 2.25 steals per game during that four-game stretch as well.
SG/SF - Mike Dunleavy, Chicago Bulls (27 percent): With Luol Deng now in Cleveland, Dunleavy should get plenty of opportunities to contribute for fantasy owners. Dunleavy has averaged 17.5 points, 2.0 three-pointers and 5.0 rebounds in his past two games.
SG/SF - Terrence Ross, Toronto Raptors (26 percent): Ross is currently averaging 12.3 points, 2.8 three-pointers, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game this month.
SG/SF - Jeremy Lamb, Oklahoma City Thunder (15 percent): The 12th overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, Lamb is getting many more minutes this year (21.7 per game) than he got as a rookie (6.4 MPG). In addition, his playing time has increased each month from 20.2 MPG (Nov.) to 21.9 MPG (Dec.) to 25.2 MPG (Jan.). Not great in any category, Lamb has contributed across the board with the following averages this month: 10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 three-pointers, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks.
SG/SF - James Anderson, Philadelphia 76ers (eight percent): Someone to consider in deeper leagues, Anderson has returned to the Sixers' starting lineup. Over his past four games, he is averaging 14.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 0.75 blocks per game.
SF/PF - Terrence Jones, Houston Rockets (47 percent): In four games this month, Jones is averaging nearly 30 minutes per game and a double-double: 11.5 points and 11.75 rebounds per game.
PF - Kris Humphries, Boston Celtics (38 percent): If you need rebounding or blocks, Humphries is averaging 10.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 2.3 blocks per game this month.
PF/C - Jared Sullinger, Boston Celtics (40 percent): After playing less than 20 minutes in three consecutive games, Sullinger has posted back-to-back double-doubles with 32 and 28 minutes, respectively. He now has double-doubles in all four games this month that he has played more than 20 minutes.
PF/C - Patrick Patterson, Toronto Raptors (seven percent): Patterson's minutes have fluctuated a bit this month, but he is averaging 14.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.2 three's and 1.0 blocks per game over his past five games played.
For more assistance with waiver-wire decisions, check out my rest-of-season fantasy basketball rankings.
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