Okay, fantasy basketball managers, we’re approaching the halfway point of the NBA season and it’s time to address the meh-to-mid players who are dragging us down. We weren’t banking on home runs for many of the players listed below – just on a solid post-draft floor pick that would provide the depth needed to fill the holes in the mid-to-late rounds. Whether it’s due to injuries, inconsistent performance, or a complete statistical nosedive, some guys just aren’t meeting their ADP (average draft position) and I’m not convinced they can turn the tide.
Let’s break it down.
Jalen Duren – C, Detroit Pistons
After a strong sophomore campaign and getting rid of much of the disastrous front office, I expected Duren to reach the next level in Year 3. Unfortunately, many of us did not plan on a timeshare with Isaiah Stewart, which impacted his minutes and ultimately his production. The rebounding numbers (9.4 RPG) are promising, but his scoring fell to his rookie year marks (under 10 PPG).
On the plus side, he blocks 1.2 shots per game, but if his minutes stay in the low 25s versus the high 20s and low 30s, he won’t be able to reach his ADP. If you select him like I did, you’re just waiting for a sell, despite the Pistons being two games above .500 for the first time in a while. long time. It means something that Detroit is competing with gas.
Jrue Holiday – PG/SG, Boston Celtics
Jrue hasn’t been “bad,” but he’s underperforming his ADP by almost two rounds. Of all the Celtics starters who saw a gradual decline, Holiday was the leading candidate given his age and role in the offense. Holiday’s scoring and efficiency have regressed somewhat, and while the defensive stats are still solid (which we love), they don’t exactly offset his lower-than-expected scoring output or occasional no-show games.
His usage is consistent with last year’s, but Holiday is a better real player than a fantasy signing at this stage of his career.
Jusuf Nurkić – C, Phoenix Suns
When Coach Bud was announced as the Suns’ new head coach, I ranked Nurk with the optimistic idea that he could become a discount Brook Lopez. The exact opposite has happened, with Nurk not even being benched halfway through the season because he was a defensive pillar and didn’t bring much offensively. He’s shooting 45% from the field, and while the rising numbers hold up (9.2 RPG), the advanced numbers are troubling.
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Career-low box score plus-minus (BPM) of -3.3
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Player Efficiency Rating (PER) with a career low of 12.8
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Tied career-low for value above replacement of -0.2
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Career-low usage rate of 18.7%
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Career-high turnover rate of 22.8%
Add to that the constant injury concerns, and Nurkić has been downright tiring for managers who took a chance on him. Continue if you haven’t already. Yep, that’s me talking to the 73% of fantasy managers out there.
Kyle Kuzma – PF, Washington Wizards
Kuzma was one of the worst 9-cat draft picks this season. He is averaging career-lows in points, rebounds, assists and FG% in four seasons, while having the worst true-shooting percentage of his career. Some of his disappointing play can be attributed to injuries, but he is nowhere near the player we have seen in recent years. I’m shocked he’s still in 79% of Yahoo leagues.
Are you waiting for a possible transaction?
If so, now is the time to send him packing, as he played 35 minutes in Monday’s loss to the Timberwolves, scoring 22 points (9-21 FG, 3-8 3PT) with five boards and five assists. It was only the second time in 21 games that he scored more than 20 points this season. It’s a perfect time to sell high before his next dud. Even if he does get treatment in real life, there’s no guarantee it will be on greener pastures.
Bogdan Bogdanović – SG/SF, Atlanta Hawks
Looks like we’ve been waiting forever for Bogdanović to stay healthy and give us consistent fantasy numbers. While he is showing signs of returning to last season’s form, Dyson Daniels’ breakout performance and De’Andre Hunter’s emergence as a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year candidate have resulted in Bogie receiving inconsistent minutes (25.6 MPG , the lowest of his career). ) with a disappointing production (only 11/3/2 at 42% admissions).
He’s still at 61% in Yahoo leagues, but I would have dropped him by now. He no longer offers sixth-round value for fantasy managers because so many of the Hawks’ other wings are beating him.
Terry Rozier – PG, Miami Heat
The Heat traded for Rozier at the deadline last season and he hasn’t given them or fantasy managers much ROI. Rozier’s ADP was modest, but playing at a level almost 100 spots worse than his preseason ADP is much lower than we expected. Rozier (12 PPG on 40% FG) hasn’t done anything from an efficiency or counting stats standpoint to warrant a 65% placement.
While he’ll still get opportunities with Jimmy Butler off the team, even if he does, his declining usage (20%) and assist rate (14%) show he’s taking a backseat. Can Scary Terry turn the tide? Maybe. But if you call it up hoping for steady production, the frustration is entirely justified.
Honorable mention:
Mike Conley Jr. PG, Minnesota Timberwolves
Final thoughts
Fantasy basketball is all about patience. Some players are just slow starters, others are dealing with injuries or role changes, and a few… well, maybe they’re just not “it” this season. But don’t forget what makes this fun: the unpredictability, the comeback stories, and the “I-told-so” calls when you snag someone who finally figures it out.
Hang in there, managers. Remember, you are in control of your team. You can always shake up your roster if patience isn’t your style, or you can stick with a disappointing pick if you see a path to higher production. Anyway, good luck turning things around in the second half!