The festive season is upon us and fantasy Santa is here to help you cull those unwanted assets. Cutting any fringe player can be a tough decision to make, especially if you are concerned about someone else picking up your scraps. There is almost always going to be a scenario where you drop a player that goes on to put up value for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, this is part of fantasy basketball and I am sure you too have nabbed a gem that someone let go. The fantasy blacklist outlines a few of the players whose time as a standard league asset has come to an end. Finding it hard to cut that one player you are hoping can turn it around? Take the emotion out of it and, using this advice, wave goodbye to those you once loved.
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Fantasy Blacklist: Players to consider dropping
Serge Ibaka – Raptors (90% rostered)
Ibaka is a tough one due to the fact he couldn’t really play any worse. He is just the 232nd ranked player over the past two weeks, shooting an abysmal 32 percent from the field. Marc Gasol has certainly not been setting the world on fire, however, he does seem a much better fit for what the Raptors are trying to do. Of all these players, Ibaka likely has the best chance of turning things around at a later point. However, for now, he is simply not putting up the production to warrant a 12-team roster spot.
Justise Winslow – Heat (88% rostered)
Winslow has been battling injuries all season. Despite a somewhat positive start, he is barely inside the top-200 in nine-category leagues. His counting stats are an intriguing strength to his overall game, however, the efficiency is less than ideal. He is a poor shooter from both the field and the free-throw line and the defensive numbers are intermittent at best. There is still no timetable for his return and if you are holding him, it is time to go your separate ways.
Kyle Kuzma – Lakers (83% rostered)
Unlike the other players on this list, Kuzma is a clear cut case for me. He is the 280th ranked player this season and there is little scope for him to break out at any point. The Lakers saw him as an integral part of their future based on the offseason trade talks. It would appear they grossly overvalued Kuzma and are only now paying the price for their short-sightedness. Of course, he could be better than this moving forward, although ‘better’ does not mean 12-team relevant. His scoring can be nice but he doesn’t pass and the defensive numbers are basically invisible.
Eric Paschall – Warriors (80% rostered)
Paschall was one of the more surprising fantasy assets to begin the season. The unheralded rookie found himself in an ideal situation on the injury-ravaged Warriors. His production caught many off-guard and allowed him to churn out eye-popping performances. Despite the hot start, he is still only the 139th ranked player this season. Over the past two weeks, that number drops to 191. Further injuries could work in his favor, although his ceiling is not the highest. There is likely a player with more upside floating around on your waiver wire.
Aron Baynes – Suns (74% rostered)
Much like Winslow, Baynes has found himself banged up over the past few weeks. Prior to this, he had established himself as a must-roster player in most fantasy formats. The nature of his injury has resulted in the Suns’ being very careful with the hulking Aussie. We also need to account for the fact DeAndre Ayton will be returning from his suspension on Tuesday. Both Frank Kaminsky and Dario Saric have been playing well enough to impact the playing time for Baynes. As much as I would love to hold Baynes, his role just seems to uncertain at this point.
Is Adam on track with his fantasy blacklist? Let him know in the comments below! Also, check out our waiver wire and all of our other fantasy basketball content.
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