Fantasy Basketball 2024-25 Second Half Stashes

The second half of the 2024-25 NBA year is underway, commencing the silly season shenanigans. As bottom-seeded teams embrace the tank and stars sit out to rest, it’s time for other guys to step into the spotlight. Some of these players can be league-winning pickups for fantasy basketball managers, and now is the perfect opportunity to get ahead by stashing or trading for them.

Fantasy Basketball 2024-25 Second Half Stashes

Nets: Keon Johnson, Day’Ron Sharpe, Ziaire Williams, Noah Clowney

As the 11th seed in the East with a winning percentage of 36.2%, the Brooklyn Nets aren’t really competing for anything. So, there’s little reason to have Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas available for every game. Instead, they could utilize other players more.

Keon Johnson and Ziaire Williams have been fixtures in the starting lineup for a while but are lowly rostered. They’ve had pockets of fantasy relevance due to injuries and stand to benefit more from shutdowns. This season, Johnson’s scored 20+ points seven times, reaching that mark only twice in the last three years. The guard has recently provided solid value in points, threes, assists, free throw percentage, steals, blocks and turnovers. Williams’s stat set is similar to Johnson’s, except the small forward/guard contributes a bit more on the glass and is slightly more efficient.

Noah Clowney was impressive towards the end of 2023-24, dazzling managers with his offensive potential, rebounding and shot-blocking ability. In the final seven contests, the forward/center averaged 12.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 1.1 3PM, and 60.4 FG%. While he’s disappointed this year even when given opportunities, Clowney figures to have a significant role down the stretch once he’s healthy.

Day’Ron Sharpe has only started once this season, but he’s proven his value off the bench. In 36 outings, he’s recorded at least five rebounds 26 times, blocked at least one shot 18 times and scored double-digits 13 times. The 23-year-old did this in a limited 17.6 minutes per game, highlighting his effectiveness as a per-minute producer. Imagine what Sharpe can do with a bigger role.

Hornets: Nick Smith Jr., KJ Simpson, Moussa Diabate

The Charlotte Hornets are on their way to having their worst record since 2011-12. That indicates it’s only a matter of time before LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams start riding the bench.

The team traded some depth away at the deadline, opening more minutes for Nick Smith Jr. and other guys. He mainly provides scoring and three-point shooting. In 20 starts this year, he’s posting 12.8 PPG and 2.0 3PM. The guard’s output is limited beyond that, but he gets ample playing time (30.2 MPG) when in the first unit. His backcourt mate, KJ Simpson, has also been impressive lately. He’s played four consecutive matches with at least 30 minutes. The rookie’s offered numbers in the main categories and steals, averaging 2.0 over the past two weeks. When Ball is sidelined, Smith and Simpson are two guards to add.

Managers who picked up Moussa Diabate may not be disappointed after all. The rookie center is on the third line but could move up in the rotation soon. With Williams’ health issues and Jusuf Nurkic not getting much action, the Williams could get more run time as the team looks to develop him. The big man offers stocks and rebounds.

Pelicans: Jose Alvarado, Yves Missi, Jordan Hawkins, Kelly Olynyk, Karlo Matkovic

The New Orleans Pelicans started the season with a reinvented, star-studded starting lineup until injuries derailed their year. As the 14th seed in the West, CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson will wear street clothes more often.

Jose Alvarado’s stock rose when Dejounte Murray was ruled out for the season. Since February 1, when Murray was shut down, Alvarado’s stats have increased in several categories, notably assists. The guard will be relied on more offensively while continuing to rack up steals. Likewise, Jordan Hawkins could get some starts when McCollum is out. The shooting guard has started five times this year, averaging 20.0 PPG and 3.2 3PM. He also contributes some rebounds and steals, but his stats mainly stand out in the scoring categories. The sophomore has proven he can step up when called upon.

Between Brandon Ingram’s trade and Williamson’s injury history, the Pelicans will continue to utilize Yves Missi. The rookie has started almost every game and is nearly averaging a double-double. To go with 8.4 PPG and 8.2 RPG, the big man is swatting 1.5 shots per game, the third-most amongst rookies. Fellow first-year Karlo Matkovic hasn’t had the same opportunity yet, but that should change soon. His playing time has increased over the past few weeks, and his 15.9 minutes per game is bound to continue to rise. The power forward/center recently flashed his potential in points, rebounds and blocks. Surprisingly, recent acquisition Kelly Olynyk had some solid stat lines with his new team. Despite the small sample size of three games, he’s an enticing fantasy basketball stash thanks to his versatility.

Trail Blazers: Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe

Since trading away their franchise star, the Portland Trail Blazers have regularly participated in tanking. This season will be no different.

The three-headed center monster is no longer a problem in Portland. Deandre Ayton is out for an extended period with a hand injury and could be done for the year. That’s given Donovan Clingan a chance to be fully unleashed at the five. He’s started the last five games and should remain in that position. The big man’s best fantasy asset is his rookie-leading 1.6 BPG and ability to control the glass. As a bonus, he can score. Despite having a limited role for most of the year, Clingan posted double-digit points seven times and at least 10 rebounds eight times.

Anfernee Simons is another Blazer to look out for on the injury report. His backup, Scoot Henderson, was a league winner last year after months of underwhelming play. Between March 13 and April 12, 2024, he averaged 17.0 PPG, 7.1 APG, 3.5 RPG and 1.4 SPG while playing 32.1 minutes. The point guard has mostly come off the bench this season but should re-enter the starting lineup soon. While he won’t help field goal percentage or turnovers, he offers value in one of the hardest categories to find: assists.

With another Jerami Grant shutdown likely on the way, Toumani Camara and Shaedon Sharpe will have more prominent roles offensively. The former provides solid two-way numbers and is already close to having top 100 value in category leagues. Camara’s quietly posted great value, drastically improving from his 224th ranking in his first year. Sharpe’s assets lie more on the offensive end through his scoring and three-point shooting. He’s currently averaging the second-most points on Portland (17.3).

Raptors: Gradey Dick, Jamal Shead, Jonathan Mogbo, Ochai Agbaji, Chris Boucher

As the Toronto Raptors conclude their rebuilding year, they have an opportunity to develop some of their young talent. The big three — Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley — will get some more rest as other players take over.

The most notable stash is Gradey Dick, who had a hot start to the year and stepped up in Quickley’s absence. He later became droppable when the team was at full strength, despite remaining a starter. The shooting guard’s staples are his scoring and three-point shooting, but he’s known to contribute some rebounds and steals with a good conversion rate at the foul line. Dick’s hit at least two threes in 36 of 52 games and has scored at least 15 points 24 times.

While Dick is the main beneficiary offensively, Jamal Shead, Jonathan Mogbo, Ochai Agbaji and Chris Boucher will get their moments too. Shead is great for assists off the waiver wire. He’s dished out five or more in 19 games despite only starting once. Thanks to his versatility, Mogbo showed some potential of being a fantasy darling. With more minutes, the power forward can unleash his two-way abilities. Toronto relied on Agbaji when they were shorthanded in the frontcourt. The 24-year-old stepped up offensively and can provide on the other end in rebounds and stocks. Finally, while Boucher is very inconsistent, he’s known to have random games where he goes off. Shouldering a heavier workload and getting more playing time should help him.

Jazz: Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, Kyle Filipowski

The Utah Jazz are notorious for their silly season shenanigans. Managers can expect to see a lot less of Lauri Markkanen, John Collins and Walker Kessler. Luckily, the team is a gold mine for league-winning fantasy basketball stashes.

Isaiah Collier has already been posting quality numbers. Over the last 16 games as a starter, he’s providing 11.3 PPG, 8.8 APG, 3.9 RPG and 1.1 SPG. His field goal percentage and turnovers are issues, but he’s providing fantastic value in assists, which are incredibly hard to find on the waiver wire. While the rookie replaced Keyonte George in the starting lineup, the latter remains a must-roster player.

This team has already shown how shorthanded they can be in the frontcourt, but that’s also given managers a glimpse of which players they turn to. Without Kessler, Kyle Filipowski sees 25.2 minutes of action per game, compared to 18.5 for the year. For a center he hasn’t contributed much blocks, but he could be a double-double threat. Averaging 10.6 PPG and 6.8 RPG across 11 starts, Filipowski has also shown some flashes of playmaking. Meanwhile, Brice Sensabaugh has only started a few games this year, but he’s shown out with four big performances scoring at least 20 points. He’s not very versatile, but he can provide scoring, threes, rebounds and an efficient free throw percentage.

Wizards: Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Carlton Carrington, Kyshawn George

The Washington Wizards are a team full of exciting, young talent. Trade deadline acquisitions Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart pose little threat to taking away minutes from them, as the worst team in the league has nothing to play for.

Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly headline the list of Washington’s fantasy basketball stashes. The former is ranked in the top five in category leagues among rookies. His greatest asset is his shot-blocking ability, averaging 1.6 per game. Out of 43 outings, the second overall pick has only gone eight games without a block and has recorded at least two in 21 contests. Likewise, his rebounding skills and offensive potential make him enticing. His shooting efficiency is inconsistent, but managers should be able to look past it.

Coulibaly had a hot start to 2024-25, showcasing his improved offensive game while maintaining the same defensive tenacity he’s touted for. While he’s had some disappointing stretches, his time is coming. The sophomore contributes to the five main categories and has a well-rounded skill set.

Fellow rookies Carlton Carrington and Kyshawn George have been in and out of the starting lineup, but their roles are about to become much more solidified. With the amount of raw talent this young and tanking Wizards team has, it only makes sense to capitalize on the opportunity to develop Carrington and George. The former averages 10.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.6 APG and 1.8 3PM as a starter, while the guard/forward posts 9.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG and nearly two stocks when in the first unit. Both are averaging just under 30 minutes per game, and it isn’t surprising if they surpass that for the rest of the year.

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