Don’t overpay. It sounds simple, but if only it were that easy. Draft good players and avoid the bad ones. The problem is that everyone is trying to do the same thing. And how do we figure out who the good and the bad players are? It goes beyond that, though. Each player has their own rank and ADP, and ultimately, they’re going to over- or underperform based on that. With all that in mind, let’s take a look at my top 10 busts for the 2025-2026 fantasy basketball season.
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10 Busts for 2025-26 Fantasy Basketball
1. Anthony Davis, F/C, Dallas Mavericks
We can’t predict injuries. However, we can follow trends and make educated assumptions. That’s where Anthony Davis comes into play. Do we want to spend our first round pick on someone who’s essentially guaranteed to miss a chunk of time?
From a performance perspective, Anthony Davis deserves to be drafted in the first round. Last year, Davis averaged 24.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per game while blocking 2.2 shots per game. The problem, though, is that Davis only played 51 games last year. In the year prior, Davis did play 76 games, but before that, there were some real issues staying on the court.
If we look at the five years prior, Davis played between 36 and 62 games. While there’s always the chance, and it’s certainly the hope, that Davis stays healthy all season, can we count on it? Should Davis stay healthy, then this is a terrible take, but if he misses his customary 20 to 30 games, Davis is then considered a bust. In season-long fantasy basketball leagues, I’m staying away.
2. Jalen Brunson, G, New York Knicks
This is not intended as a criticism of Jalen Brunson, the basketball player. He’s still an elite guard who is the best player on the New York Knicks. The problem, though, is related to the change in head coach and offense for the upcoming season.
New coach Mike Brown is planning to run a faster-paced offense. It will rely less on isolation and instead more on movement and finding open spaces on the court. While these are seemingly welcome developments, the ball will be in Brunson’s hands less than we’ve become accustomed to.
There will be times throughout the game, especially at the end, that the offense will revert back to Brunson. However, will there be a likely decline in Brunson’s usage? We can expect to see Mikal Bridges take on a larger role, but the Knicks have many weapons to turn to.
Going beyond the usage, I’m not sure we see Brunson average 35 minutes per game for the fourth straight season. This might not be a true bust from a performance standpoint, but we’ve already seen Brunson’s peak from a fantasy perspective.
3. Amen Thompson, G, Houston Rockets
Amen Thompson took a large step forward last season. It was fun to watch the second-year guard as he averaged 14.1 points per game, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. From a defensive and athletic standpoint, Thompson became one of the most valuable players on the Houston Rockets.
But now Kevin Durant is in the fold, and things will likely be different this season. And that makes me question whether or not Thompson is worth a second-round pick.
While we could see him pick up a few more points via an improved offense, is Thompson a 20-point-per-game player? It helps that he shoots 55.4% from the field, but he often doesn’t stray far from the rim. That’s evidenced by Thompson only averaging 0.4 three-pointers per game. The steals and blocks will be there, but Thompson’s 68.4% free-throw percentage for a guard is also tough.
4. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid is still a very good player, but at this point in his career, and after his health problems, can we really call the 31-year-old elite?
So far this summer, yes, Embiid has looked good and is performing well. But it’s not the regular season, and Embiid has a lot to prove after playing just 19 games last year. In a far cry from years past, Embiid dipped down to 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
At his peak, Embiid played 68 games, and at this point, it’s hard to be confident in him reaching that mark. And even if he does, I can’t imagine Embiid having the same explosiveness he previously showed.
5. Kel’el Ware, C, Miami Heat
Are we really ready to go in on Kel’el Ware as a sixth-round pick after essentially half a season? I get it, though. Ware averaged 9.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last year in just 22 minutes. As a starter, those numbers jumped to 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds a game. Ware also finished with 15 double-doubles in what was a strong rookie season.
The playing time won’t be a problem, but beyond a block per game and a 55.4% field goal percentage last season, Ware’s fantasy upside is limited. Sure, there is the chance he can take the next step with increased playing time. However, there’s more risk of a bust than upside of a sleeper.
Also, check out my Top 10 Sleepers for 2025-26 Fantasy Basketball!
6. Josh Hart, G, New York Knicks
As a basketball player, Josh Hart is at the top of my list. From the perspective of fantasy basketball, though, things change. And after the Knicks rode their starters into the ground last season, you could argue that trend isn’t continuing.
Quite simply, Hart isn’t going to average 38 minutes per game. The Knicks need to keep him healthy, and their depth, and therefore, need to rely on him, has increased.
Last year was the third time that Hart finished in double digits as he averaged 13.6 points. That came with 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 three-pointers per game. To say that Hart is well-rounded might be an understatement. But if the scoring and minutes go down, our perspective of Hart from a fantasy standpoint needs to be adjusted.
7. Toumani Camara, F, Portland Trail Blazers
You can make the argument that Toumani Camara is an ascending player. The 25-year-old enters his third season in the league, and he’s in line to play about 27 to 32 minutes a night. However, with Jerami Grant returning, things could get a little more crowded at the forward position than they were when Camara was emerging last season.
In 33 minutes per game, Camara averaged 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while making about two shots per game from three-point territory. Beyond that, it’s unclear how much more Camara is capable of, and Portland’s investment in the forward is limited.
A repeat of last season is a reasonable expectation. Beyond that, I have my doubts and he shouldn’t be drafted expecting anything more.
8. Kevin Porter, G, Milwaukee Bucks
On paper, Kevin Porter enters the season as the starting point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks. Even though the Bucks are diminished from what they once were, this is still one of the better situations Porter has been a part of in his career.
Last year, Porter averaged 11.7 points per game in about 20 minutes of playing time after joining Milwaukee. He supplemented that with 3.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, but scoring is Porter’s true strength. The problem, though, is that it comes inefficiently. Throughout his career, Porter is a 43.2% shooter while turning the ball over 3.2 times per game.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Bucks will be able to ride the waves of Porter’s inefficiency. He’s worn out his welcome in multiple places, so I’m hesitant to buy in here.
9. John Collins, F, Los Angeles Clippers
Last season, John Collins turned back the clock. He brought things back about five years ago, as he averaged 19 points per game. That came with 8.2 rebounds, but health kept Collins to just 40 games.
Injuries have been an issue the past few seasons for Collins, so that’s something we have to plan for. The bigger problem, though, is that Collins is no longer on a rebuilding Utah team with plenty of opportunity for production. That likely won’t be the case with the Clippers this season.
10. Dyson Daniels, G, Atlanta Hawks
Dyson Daniels had a great season last year. I mean, in his third season in the league, Daniels won the Most Improved Player award. That’s all the proof we need. The concern is that we are drafting him while looking for another improvement. I don’t believe that improvement is coming. I’m just not sure it’s possible.
Is there a path for the guard to have more than three steals per game to go along with 0.7 blocks per game? While well-rounded, I’m not sure we see more than the 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game out of Daniels. His 59.3% free-throw percentage is also less than ideal.
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