NBL27 Fantasy Draft Waiver Wire: Round 4 Adds & Priority Claims
Round 3 is complete, and the waiver wire looks different again.
The biggest shift is Nick Rakocevic. What started as an injury-created opportunity has now produced enough real evidence to treat him as one of the strongest available centres in fantasy draft while Isaac Humphries remains sidelined. Dash Daniels has also pushed beyond "interesting young player" territory, while Makur Maker's first game for Illawarra gave us an actual rotation to assess rather than a signing announcement.
Buckets call: Rakocevic is the first centre we would check. Elijah Pepper remains a must-roster guard. Dash Daniels has earned a stronger claim after his best all-round game of the season, and Maker is now a genuine deep-league add rather than a blind stash.
Round 4 waiver rankings
| Rank | Player | Team | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Rakocevic | Adelaide | Priority add | 29 points and 16 rebounds to close Round 3; Humphries remains out |
| 2 | Elijah Pepper | Perth | Must add / HOLD | Four straight strong scoring games; keep until Knight actually changes the rotation |
| 3 | Dash Daniels | South East Melbourne | Strong add | 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists; role keeps expanding |
| 4 | Makur Maker | Illawarra | Strong deep-league add | 14 points in 22 minutes on debut; Illawarra has a Round 4 double |
| 5 | Anthony Dell'Orso | Perth | Strong add | Multi-category production has held after the scoreless opener |
| 6 | Max Mackinnon | Brisbane | Strong add if available | Starting role, rebounding and versatility remain useful despite normal shooting regression |
| 7 | David Johnson | Illawarra | Add / HOLD | Scoring and secondary creation remain useful inside a volatile Hawks rotation |
| 8 | Mojave King | New Zealand | Upside add | 18 points in Adelaide and a growing two-way role |
1. Nick Rakocevic — Adelaide 36ers
This is no longer just a one-round injury stream.
Rakocevic closed Round 3 with 29 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and two steals against New Zealand, shooting 14-of-22 from the field. That came after he had already produced 20 points and eight rebounds against Perth, 21 and 12 against Cairns, then found another route to fantasy value with 11 rebounds and five assists against Illawarra.
That is the important part. We now have multiple versions of the production.
He can score. He can rebound. He can contribute when the scoring cools. And Adelaide plays twice in Round 4, against Melbourne on Wednesday and Sydney on Sunday.
Isaac Humphries remains the obvious variable. Until Adelaide gives us a firm return date, though, Rakocevic has done enough to be treated as a priority acquisition rather than a temporary emergency starter.
Waiver call: Priority add in standard leagues. If you need a centre, he is the first name to check.
For the injury context, see the Round 3 Injury Report.
2. Elijah Pepper — Perth Wildcats
Pepper has already made the difficult part easy: he has produced.
His first four scoring lines are 19, 25, 25 and 25 points. He has also shown enough secondary playmaking and defensive activity that his value is not entirely dependent on shot-making.
Brandon Knight is targeting Round 4, and that will eventually change Perth's creation hierarchy. But fantasy managers should not make the change before John Rillie does.
Pepper has earned real minutes and a real offensive role. If Knight reduces his assists or time on ball, we can react to that evidence later.
Waiver call: Must add if somehow available. Firm HOLD if already rostered.
Read the deeper Perth analysis in Brandon Knight to Perth: NBL27 Fantasy Impact.
3. Dash Daniels — South East Melbourne Phoenix
Daniels produced his strongest all-round line yet in South East Melbourne's 113-96 win over Illawarra: 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists off the bench.
The box score matters, but the role matters more.
Nathan Sobey is back, Skylar Mays remains a major creator and the Phoenix are not short of experienced guards. Daniels is still finding ways to rebound, handle secondary creation and stay on the floor.
Sobey also publicly praised the growth in Daniels' game after the win, describing him as an increasingly important piece of what Phoenix are doing.
That does not guarantee 16/8/6 every week. It does tell us this is no longer a role we should dismiss because he is coming off the bench.
Waiver call: Strong add in standard leagues if your guard pool is thin; must-roster in deeper keeper or dynasty-style formats.
SuperCoach coaches should also keep him near the top of the NBL27 SuperCoach Cheapies board.
4. Makur Maker — Illawarra Hawks
Maker's first Hawks game gave us exactly what we needed: actual evidence.
He played 22 minutes against South East Melbourne and finished with 14 points and four rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting.
That is not enough to declare him a locked fantasy starter. It is enough to move him beyond speculative stash territory.
Illawarra also has one of the best Round 4 schedules, hosting Tasmania on Friday and Cairns on Sunday. Two games give us a quick chance to see whether Maker's debut workload holds and how Justin Tatum divides the frontcourt with Sam Froling.
Froling remains the established centre, but his ceiling is now less isolated than it was before Maker entered the rotation.
Waiver call: Strong deep-league add. Standard leagues can add if centre depth is scarce; otherwise watch the Round 4 double closely.
See the full roster breakdown in Makur Maker Joins Illawarra: What It Means for NBL27 Fantasy.
5. Anthony Dell'Orso — Perth Wildcats
The scoreless opening game is now ancient history for fantasy purposes.
Dell'Orso responded with 20 points, six assists and three steals against Adelaide, followed with 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists against New Zealand, then added another 22 points against South East Melbourne.
That is enough multi-category production to keep him relevant even with Knight entering the picture.
The risk is obvious: Perth's guard rotation is about to get more crowded.
Waiver call: Strong add, particularly if you need guard depth. Hold through Knight's first game unless the minutes collapse.
6. Max Mackinnon — Brisbane Bullets
Mackinnon's 31-point, 12-rebound breakout was never going to be the weekly baseline.
The reason he remains on this list is that the fantasy case was never just the six threes. The starting role, rebounding, size and positional versatility all remain real.
If somebody in your league treated the quieter follow-up as proof the breakout was fake, check availability.
Waiver call: Strong add if available. Do not chase the 31-point ceiling; roster the role.
7. David Johnson — Illawarra Hawks
Johnson's early-season production still deserves respect.
He opened with 26 points, six rebounds and six assists, then followed with 18 points and seven rebounds. Illawarra's rotation has changed around him, but the Hawks continue to need scoring and secondary creation.
Maker's arrival affects the frontcourt more directly than Johnson's role.
Waiver call: Add or hold in standard leagues; especially useful during Illawarra's Round 4 double.
8. Mojave King — New Zealand Breakers
King has quietly moved from replacement-player curiosity to useful rotation piece.
He scored 18 points in Adelaide, hitting four threes while also taking a major defensive assignment on Bryce Cotton.
The shooting will move around, but the minutes and two-way trust are encouraging.
Waiver call: Upside add in deeper leagues; standard-league watch if benches are tight.
What about Ben Gold?
Gold remains useful centre depth in deeper leagues after his nine-point, eight-rebound performance against Melbourne.
The difference now is competition for waiver attention. Rakocevic has become a much stronger centre claim, while Maker has entered Illawarra's rotation with immediate production.
Waiver call: Deep-league hold/add, but no longer one of the first three centre claims if Rakocevic or Maker is available.
Round 4 fixture angle
Draft managers should never destroy a good long-term roster purely to chase games, but the Round 4 schedule can break ties.
Adelaide, Melbourne, Illawarra and Cairns play twice. Brisbane, New Zealand, Perth, South East Melbourne, Sydney and Tasmania play once.
That helps Rakocevic immediately. It also gives Maker and Johnson two games to establish their roles.
Pepper and Dell'Orso only have one game, but both are strong enough long-term holds that we would not cut them for a fringe doubler.
How aggressive should you be with waiver priority or FAAB?
Rakocevic deserves the most aggressive claim on this board if centres are scarce in your league.
Pepper should already be rostered; if he is not, treat him like a top-tier claim.
Daniels is the best combination of age, role growth and multi-category upside among the perimeter names who might still be available.
Maker is the classic early add where league depth matters. In a 10-team league, you can watch. In a deeper competition with thin centre availability, the Round 4 double is enough reason to move now.
For Dell'Orso, Mackinnon, Johnson and King, use category need and roster balance rather than chasing one recent score.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best NBL27 fantasy waiver pickup entering Round 4?
Nick Rakocevic is our No. 1 claim while Isaac Humphries remains sidelined. His 29-point, 16-rebound performance against New Zealand capped a Round 3 in which he showed several different paths to fantasy production.
Is Dash Daniels worth adding?
Yes. His 16-point, eight-rebound, six-assist game against Illawarra strengthened an already growing role. He is no longer just a developmental watch.
Is Makur Maker worth a waiver claim?
In deeper leagues, yes. He scored 14 points in 22 minutes on debut and Illawarra plays twice in Round 4. In shallow formats, the remaining question is how many minutes he takes alongside or behind Sam Froling.
Should I drop Elijah Pepper when Brandon Knight debuts?
No. Pepper has already produced four strong games. Wait to see the real Knight-Pepper rotation before making a decision.
Should I add Nick Rakocevic even though Humphries could return?
Yes, provided you understand the role can change when Humphries returns. The current production is too strong to leave on waivers while the return timeline remains unclear.
Does Round 4 have double-game teams?
Yes. Adelaide, Melbourne, Illawarra and Cairns play twice in Round 4.
For SuperCoach rather than draft, use the NBL27 SuperCoach Cheapies, NBL27 Fixture Guide and the latest SuperCoach Trade Targets.
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