Previewing Major League Pickleball's Second Waiver Wire Period

We are one day away from Waiver Wire No. 2 in Major League Pickleball.

What can we expect? We'll do our best to predict what'll happen.

First off, a big trade was made prior to the second waiver period. The LA Mad Drops traded Blaine Hovenier to the Las Vegas Night Owls for Anderson Scarpa and cash considerations.

What this means:

• The LA Mad Drops next play October 14th, and I assume they think they will have Thomas Wilson back by then.
• I assume Scarpa will be dropped Thursday in the Premier Level waivers and will be eligible to be picked up in the Challenger Level waivers on Friday.
• The Night Owls got out ahead of the competition by trading for Hovenier. His status on the Mad Drops has been in question. Was he a substitute for an injured player about to go on waivers? Was he a fully-signed player of the Mad Drops and an asset that could be traded?

Waiver Wire Preview

• Premier Level Waivers - Thursday, 8/8 - Noon
• Challenger Level Waivers - Friday, 8/9 - Noon

Premier Level waiver wire order

1. Utah Black Diamonds
2. Columbus Sliders
3. AZ Drive
4. Orlando Squeeze
5. Carolina Pickleball Club
6. LA Mad Drops
7. D.C. Pickleball Team
8. NY Hustlers
9. New Jersey 5s
10. Texas Ranchers
11. Dallas Flash
12. St. Louis Shock

Challenger Level waiver wire order

1. California Black Bears
2. Florida Smash
3. Bay Area Breakers
4. Miami Pickleball Club
5. Chicago Slice
6. Atlanta Bouncers
7. Frisco Pandas
8. Las Vegas Night Owls
9. SoCal Hard Eights
10. Brooklyn Aces

Predictions

Premier Level

I do not see any Quang Duong like situations – everyone in Premier Level will very likely stay put.

Challenger Level 

There are three teams I have my eye on:

California Black Bears

I’m not going to sugarcoat this: The Black Bears are bad. Here is a list of some of the reasons why:

• Rafa Hewett, the Bears first-round draft pick, is tied for the fourth-worst player in Challenger Level. He wasn’t too thrilled missing out on Premier, but also has not come close to performing to his potential. Rafa is 10-18 in the matches he has played in 2024. 
• Susannah Barr was picked up while the Black Bears dropped Emily Cederquist during the last waiver period. Since playing MLP SLC and MLP KC, Barr has gone 5-9 to match Rafa’s 36 percent win percentage. Her and Amanda Hendry are 2-5 with a -17 point differential in seven matches.

I would love to say that this is just a team that was put together after two events and they just need more time to gel – because that is the truth. The problem with that is this: The Black Bears have played 14 of 23 matches and they only have nine matches left. They are in last place in Challenger at 0.86 points per match and need to go on a big winning streak to even have a chance at the playoffs.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Black Bears make at least one transaction and possibly two. My prediction is they pick up both a male and female.

Florida Smash

The Smash are in ninth place out of 10 but still have some hope. Here is why:

• The Smash have won 1.29 points per match, .43 points better than the Black Bears.
• The Smash have only played seven matches and still have 16 remaining.

The Smash need a good MLP NYC to get them going in the right direction. The two worst Smash players thus far in terms of match win percentage are Travis Rettenmaier and Martina Frantova, both at 43 percent. Travis and Yates Johnson only recorded one win in four attempts at MLP D.C., but I think they can do better than that.

My prediction is the Smash pick up a woman in the first round of the waiver period.

Bay Area Breakers

I just don’t know what to say about the Breakers. After one event they were in first place and now halfway through the season they are in eighth and are spiraling.

Here are the stats with their "revamped" team after the first waiver period:

• Collin Shick: 4-10 in SLC & KC, -22 pt differential
• Allyce Jones: 6-8 in SLC & KC, -6 pt differential
• DJ Young: 4-10 in SLC & KC, -39 pt differential, last place in terms of player standings for players currently on a roster (with more than four matches)
• Jill Braverman: 6-8 in SLC & KC, +11 pt differential

Bay Area has played 13 matches and have 10 left. They need to step it up quickly if they want to have a chance at making the playoffs. Does the team sit tight and hope that they start to gel and play better together? Or do they blow up the team again?

My prediction is Bay Area looks to pick up a man with their first pick of the waiver period.

Who is available for these teams?

I have compiled a list of eight players of each gender who I believe are on everyone's radar. With the influx of talent out there, forgive me if I missed someone in particular.

Men who could be added:

• Patrick Kawka
• Martin Emmrich
• Roscoe Bellamy
• Chris Haworth
• Grayson Goldin
• AJ Koller
• Robert Slutsky
• Michael Loyd

Women who could be added:

• Emily Cederquist
• Rachel Rettger
• Christine Maddox
• Liz Truluck
• Alex Walker
• Michelle Esquivel
• Dominique Schaefer
• Cass Hoag