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I haven’t been able to update this section lately but all is not too late since there are still a lot of players you can pick up to help your team reach first place or just enough to make to the playoffs. We are down to our last month so it’s important that you play close attention to the waiver wires and fix your roster everyday. So here are some of the fantasy basketball pick ups you may still find.

Chris Andersen, PF-C, Denver Nuggets (22% owned)

With Nene out, Andersen will get the bulk of minutes at the center position and he is a very good source for blocks and rebounds. When Nene comes back, as long as you’re in a deep league you can still hold on to him.

Marreese Speights, C, Philadelphia 76ers (10% owned)

He has been up and down mainly because he is a rookie but if you’re in a deep league you have to have this guy on your roster. Good source of rebounds, blocks and fg%.

Fred Jones, SG, LA Clippers (4% owned)

The Clippers are clearly struggling and they’ve had a hard time having able bodies to play on a nightly basis that’s why journeyman Fred Jones has been given a chance. He has scored double figures in four out of the last five games and is a decent source of threes and steals. Surprisingly, he has been giving a block in three straight.

Kyle Weaver, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder (1% owned)

This guy has been under the radar of most people but he has been producing lately. 45% FG shooting for a guard with a three in the last five out of six games. An all around guy who will give you three rebounds and three assists, a steal and very good ft shooting. Surprisingly, his scoring has been up after the trade for Thabo Sefalosha to the Thunder.

Kurt Thomas, C, San Antonio Spurs (3% owned)

The veteran can still play that’s for sure as he has been playing well of late grabbing rebounds and with that occasional putbacks. The Spurs will try to be cautious with Duncan’s knee as we near the playoffs, Thomas is the only reliable big man off the bench for them. Grab him if you really need help in the boards.

Nicola Batum, SG-SF, Portland Trailblazers (2% owned)

He has been scoring double figures in three out of the last four games and has been hot shooting the three. An all around guy also who will give you steals and an occasional block. But this guy should only be grabbed if you’re in a deep league.

Michael Finley, SG-SF, San Antonio Spurs (14% owned)

He has been hot with the threes lately due to an increase in minutes when Manu Ginobili went down with an injury. He won’t be on fire every night but as long as he is getting minutes the points, threes and occasional steals will keep on flowing. Grab him now!

Brandon Rush, G-F, Indiana Pacers (3% owned)

You knew how he was capable of scoring 20 in a games in December when Dunleavy was out. Now that he is given minutes, it’s also a given that he will score in double figures in most games in the last month of the regular season. Just be sure you can take his 37% fg shooting.

Other players you may pick up:

Goran Dragic, PG, Phoenix Suns – A short term pick up if Nash will be out a little longer.
Antoine Wright, SG, Dallas Mavericks – Grab him if he is still in the waiver wires.
Francisco Elson, C, Milwaukee Bucks – The Bucks are thin at the center position and he’s starting.
Travis Diener, PG, Indiana Pacers – No Granger. No Dunleavy. Ford is in and out of the lineup.
Keyon Dooling, PG, New Jersey Nets – Good source of points and threes.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be getting Tyson Chandler from the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Chris Wilcox, Joe Smith and DeVon Hardin.

Tyson Chandler has been out the past 12 games with an ankle injury but hasn’t played well this year after averaging a double double, with 11.8 points and rebounds, last season. This trade also frees up some of the log jam in OKC as they were able to make a two for 1 big man trade.

Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith will be serviceable big men for the Hornets but they would be lacking the defensive presence and shot blocking ability of Chandler. They also got the rights to DeVon Hardin, who was drafted in the second round of the 2008 draft, but didn’t sign with the Thunder.

This trade looks to be more related to the Hornets’ salary cap as they would want to get the expiring contract of Smith in order to be able to offer Chris Paul more money the following year.

As for the trade’s fantasy impact, it looks like the main big men that will be playing in Oklahoma City will be Tyson Chandler, Nick Collison and Nenad Krstic. It looks like Tyson Chandler will be moving in the starting lineup with Collison going to the bench. Another would be bringing Kyle Weaver off the bench and putting both Collison and Chandler in the starting lineup. I doubt they would be doing this unless matchup problems force them to since they’ve been playing well lately with Weaver on the court.

As for the Hornets, Wilcox will get lots of minutes and you should get him if you need help in rebounds and fg%. Just don’t count on him giving you blocks on a nightly basis.