While they may not have the worst record in the NBA, one could make a good argument for the Charlotte Hornets being the league’s worst team. Friday’s 120-84 loss to Milwaukee was the team’s tenth in a row, dropping the Hornets’ record on the season to 10-41. While Brandon Miller’s progress has been a bright spot, poor play and injuries have limited Steve Clifford’s team. Before Friday’s game, general manager Mitch Kupchak offered an update on starting center Mark Williams, who hasn’t played since December 8 due to a back injury, and it wasn’t promising.
According to Kupchak, the second-year center will be re-evaluated in another four weeks. While he also noted that Williams is expected to return at some point this season, fantasy managers should operate as if he won’t. Given how bad the team has been, putting a potential cornerstone back on the court when there’s little to play for may not be the best course of action. With that being the case, it’s time for more managers to add Nick Richards.
Rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues, he finished Friday’s loss with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and one blocked shot in 30 minutes. Over the past two months, Richards has been a 10th-round player in 9-cat formats. That isn’t good enough for a primary center in competitive leagues, but he can be helpful to managers looking for additional depth at the position. Besides Richards, Nathan Mensah is the only healthy center on the roster. Unless he suffers an injury or is mired in foul trouble, Richards will approach 30 minutes per night. The reward outweighs the risk when considering whether or not to add him.
Let’s look at a few more of Friday’s top pickups:
Rui Hachimura (14%)
After going on a run of six straight games in double figures, Hachimura’s production dropped off sharply after he was moved into the starting lineup. While playing in a lineup with four players who need their touches can’t be easy, scoring 18 points in three games likely turned off some fantasy managers. Hachimura was much better in Friday’s win over the Pelicans, finishing with 21 points, five rebounds, one assist, one block, and two 3-pointers in 37 minutes….
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