Basketball pickups: Santi Aldama shines as a starter

We're officially two days into a new NBA season and I'd like to welcome you back to our daily column highlighting some of the hottest waiver wire targets available. With two games on Tuesday and 10 more on Wednesday, 24 of the 30 NBA teams are officially back in action, with the other six playing on Thursday.

Wednesday was a wild day of fantasy basketball games, loaded with the good (bright sleepers), the bad (blows out) and the ugly (injuries). Luckily, you can always adjust in fantasy, even if you drafted Dejounte Murray, who broke his hand in his debut for the Pelicans. We'll dive in and talk about who we should add in this and many other situations. Here are 10 players to target after Wednesday night's games.

Santi Aldama – 22% of players in Yahoo leagues

With Jaren Jackson Jr. out with a hamstring injury, Aldama started at power forward on Wednesday. He ended up leading the team in scoring, posting 27 points (10 of 16 FGs), five rebounds, two assists and five 3-pointers in 31 minutes. Memphis has a matchup on Friday and Saturday, and it's safe to assume they'll hold off JJJ in at least one, if not both, of those games. Aldama should be one of the most sought-after options on the waiver list after his dominant performance against the Jazz.

Miles McBride – 13%

The Knicks gave up a lot of depth to bring in star power, and McBride took advantage in the season opener. He finished the game with 22 points and four 3-pointers as the team's sixth man, making 8 of 10 shots from the floor. McBride won't shoot that well in every game, and the lack of production in other categories was a little concerning, but he's the best reserve option available in New York right now, which makes him worth picking up off the waiver wire.

Tre Mann – 8%

Mann was an excellent offensive player off the bench in this game, and if Brandon Miller misses more minutes and shots due to this hip injury, he may play even more. Mann started Wednesday and finished the game with 24 points (8 of 16 FGs), six rebounds, one assist, one block and four 3-pointers in 29 minutes. Seth Curry replaced Miller in the starting lineup to open the second half, but Mann is far more attractive in fantasy basketball.

Jordan Hawkins – 2%

Hawkins played a big reserve role in this game and may see more minutes in the future. Dejounte Murray is scheduled to undergo a physical, but early signs suggest he has broken his left hand. Zion Williamson did not play in this game (due to illness) and will likely replace Murray in the starting lineup. But that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of minutes and shots for Hawkins, who had 13 points, seven rebounds and three 3-pointers in 28 minutes against the Bulls on Wednesday.

Nikola Jovic – 6%

Jovic was one of the few bright spots for Miami in an incredibly ugly start to the season. He played 24 minutes as a starter and finished with 15 points (7 of 15 FGs), five rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and one 3-pointer. His minutes were inconsistent last season, but if he continues to log 24 to 28 minutes per game, he should be able to provide standard value in the league.

Gradey Dick – 20%

It was a bad loss for Toronto, but Dick did exactly what we expected him to do: score points and make 3-pointers. He finished the game with 16 points (5 of 13 FGs), two rebounds, one assist, two blocks and two triples in 29 minutes and was second on the team in points. Gradey won't offer much else, but he should play big minutes and take a lot of shots.

Davion Mitchell – 3%

Although this was partly due to the disastrous defeat, Mitchell was forced to sit on the bench for 25 minutes in that game. The other reason for this was Immanuel Quickley's early exit with a bruised pelvis. If Quickley misses one or both consecutive games on Friday and Saturday, Mitchell could be given the starting role. Statistically he wasn't great in this game, but it will be a good opportunity for him.

Taurian Prince – 2%

As expected, Khris Middleton was sidelined for this game and there is no clear timetable for his return. Prince started in his place and things couldn't have gone much better for him. Prince only missed one shot attempt and finished the game with 16 points (6 of 7 FGs), five rebounds, three assists and four 3-pointers. His role has solidified and he should be a good source of three-pointers, with some more numbers to come.

Dean Wade – 1%

Max Strus is expected to be sidelined for a while and Wade was given the starting role in his place on Wednesday. He finished the game with five points, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and a 3-pointer in 20 minutes. He may not see 30 minutes per game as a starter since there are other options like Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro, but he should see more than 20 minutes when they play closer games.

Tim Hardaway Jr. – 6%

If you're looking for three-point shots, THJ started Wednesday and knocked down four of them. However, he doesn't do much else.