Fantasy Sports Fantasy Basketball

Week 13 Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Matt Barnes

Fresh Videos

By @vinnylanni

matt barnes clippers

Getty Images

The name Matt Barnes and fantasy basketball are usually not two things that you pair together. The Los Angeles Clippers are stacked on talent and the veteran Barnes is on the rise. The Clippers’ forward is playing some great basketball as of late, and now may be a good time to invest in him before another owner picks him up off the waiver wire.

This season, Barnes has a solid stat line of 9.8 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and .8 steals. Even though those number aren’t eye popping, he has been playing some efficient basketball lately. In the last eight games, Barnes has scored double digits in six of them, knocked down at least two 3-pointers in seven, and has at least one steal in four games.

Barnes is not going to win you many fantasy leagues on his own, but for owners who play in 12-plus team leagues, he’s your guy. Barnes isn’t flashy, nor does he put up huge scoring nights on a consistent basis, but when you consider his ability to chip in across the board, it makes him a valuable player. Not many players can add stats across the board like Barnes has been able to recently.

The safest reason for an investment in Barnes is the ample amount of playing time that he is receiving this season. Barnes is the No. 1 starter on the Clippers’ depth chart at the small forward position and there is not much competition. Right now, Barnes is averaging a career-high 27.6 minutes per game, and that number will remain consistent for the rest of the season.

Another reason to invest in Barnes is because of his supporting cast. With Chris Paul at point guard and Blake Griffin at power forward, there is a lot of spacing and one-on-one opportunities for him to take advantage of. Fantasy owners who are in standard leagues should buy into Barnes if he is available. The Clippers’ forward is having a nice season and he deserves a roster spot in a lot of fantasy lineups.

Vinny Lanni is a New York Jets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on