It’s never easy to say goodbye. That doesn’t serve as an excuse not to do so, though. Whether it’s due to injury, poor performances, or bringing on that exciting new option, dropping players is an important factor in fantasy basketball roster management. With that being said, let’s take a look at some fantasy basketball drops to consider.
Fantasy Basketball: Who to Drop
Bobby Portis, F/C, Miami Heat
At this point, Portis is the clear loser in the blockbuster trade this summer between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. The deal shifted the focus in Miami to the front court, and it’s clear that the team is built around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. That means Portis is truly shifted back into a supporting role with little to no upside.
We have to go back to the 2016-2017 season to find Portis’ statistics at this level. Through 10 games, he’s averaging 6.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in just 20 minutes. Rooting for injuries is never an option, but until that happens, Portis’ value is pretty minimal at this point.
Terrence Shannon, G, Minnesota Timberwolves
To begin the season, Shannon averaged 13.7 points in about 22 minutes per game. When Anthony Edwards headed to knee surgery, optimism was surging for the young guard. Instead, things have gone in the opposite direction for Shannon, and that’s a concern.
Factoring in a three-game absence with a hip injury, Shannon is now averaging 19 minutes in his last three games. However, his production has taken a large shift downward with just 4.3 points per game. He still has 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds, but that’s also not enough to truly move the needle.
It’s not for lack of opportunity, as Shannon is taking 7.7 shots per game. The problem, though, is that he’s only making 1.7 of those shots. Until something changes, it’s impossible to start Shannon and quite difficult to roster him.
Trevon Brazile, F, Denver Nuggets
This won’t be the last we hear from the rookie forward, but Brazile has hit a cold patch. After scoring 11 points and grabbing eight rebounds a few weeks ago, he hasn’t scored more than seven points in his last six games. In that stretch, he’s averaging 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in just 17 minutes of play.
At this point, Brazile’s performance is efficient; he just needs to play more. Currently, that doesn’t appear to be the case in Denver. And that makes it difficult to roster him until something changes.
Quentin Grimes, G/F, Los Angeles Lakers
When the Lakers added Grimes this offseason, the assumption was that he was going to be efficient from downtown. Instead, despite playing 26 minutes per game, he’s making just 0.7 three-pointers per game this season. That’s down from 1.7 last season, and a career high of 2.2 that came two seasons ago.
With eight points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, Grimes is getting the playing time; he’s just not being efficient. With Collin Sexton, Zaire Williams, and Jalen Hardy lurking, I wouldn’t look at Grimes’ role as being guaranteed. The same should be said for his spot on your fantasy team.
Fantrax is one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the fantasy sports industry, and we’re not stopping anytime soon. We are the most customizable, easy-to-use, and feature-rich platform in the industry, offering the greatest fantasy experience for your dynasty, keeper, redraft, and best ball leagues. Fantasy sports doesn’t sleep, and neither does Fantrax, with seasons running 365 days a year. Take your fantasy leagues to the next level now at Fantrax.com!
