The Fantasy Basketball Cut List - Who to Drop or Hold After Week 6

Thunder Dan Palyo offers advice on which players to drop in fantasy basketball leagues as of December 4. He helps managers make those tough decisions on who to cut in order to add breakout players off the waiver wire.

After taking Thanksgiving week off - a week where we had fewer NBA games than usual - I'm bringing the Cut List back with some fresh names to consider dropping. I'll also revisit some players who we've discussed already this season who simply aren't worth rostering in standard formats. Every league is different, and certain players might be a "hold" in a 12-team league and a clear "drop" in a 10-team league - so take this analysis with a grain of salt and know that

With each passing week, we can start to see how the rotations are shaking out for most teams and what roles players are slotting into for this season. Those dynamics are constantly changing, and we would be foolish not to adapt to how much playing time or usage players are getting on a nightly basis.

This article identifies players who can be safely cut in standard 12-team leagues. If you're making cuts, then you are probably looking for players to add, so check out my weekly waiver wire article. Alright, let's roll up our sleeves and make those tough decisions—who's already getting cut from our fantasy basketball teams?

Highly Rostered Players to Consider Cutting

All roster percentages are courtesy of Yahoo!

Jordan Poole, PG/SG - New Orleans Pelicans (85%)

Today marks one month since Jordan Poole last appeared in an NBA game. His initial timetable to return from a quad injury was only a few weeks, yet he continues to rack up DNPs at an alarming rate.

"Tomorrow we'll have a day in the gym together. Lets see what [Herb] can do... We're progressing and I am hopeful we'll get him back soon... [Poole] same. We're right in that same area. We're trying to get both these guys back ASAP"

-- James Borrego on Herb and Poole pic.twitter.com/m3mCAm1G76

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) December 2, 2025

I considered taking Poole out of this article after the news broke that Zion Williamson was going to miss at least three weeks, especially since the Pelicans insist that Poole is nearing a return. However, I just don't think this organization has much credibility anymore, and I am not sure how we can take anything seriously at this point.

Even if Poole does return soon, what is his role when he comes back? He had been sent to the bench with rookie Jeremiah Fears taking over as the starting point guard, and frankly, his statistical output wasn't anything special. Poole was outside the top 200 in 9-CAT, thanks to some terrible FG% (35% on 14 shot attempts). He was averaging just 0.3 steals, and his only positive categories were threes (2.9) and FT% (97%).

Poole's fantasy game is reliant on volume scoring, and his only real value would be on a punt-FG% build. With injuries stacking up across the Association, you simply don't have to waste an IR slot on Poole if you have other injured players on your roster.

Still Very Cuttable...

• Cam Thomas, SG/SF - Brooklyn Nets (82%)
• Draymond Green, PF/C - Golden State Warriors (82%)

I went into a lot more detail a few weeks ago as to why Cam Thomas wasn't worth holding through his injury, but I will reiterate my disdain for him as a fantasy player once more. He's set to get an MRI this week, which would start to give us an idea of his timetable to return, but I suspect it's going to be several more weeks, as Thomas has no reason to rush back to a tanking team, and the Nets, quite honestly, have been playing better without him!

Draymond is only a few games removed from a near-triple-double (12-9-8), and he'll do that every so often. But there are simply too many bad games and missed games sandwiched in between them. Dray is still easily outside the top 200 right now, thanks to 38% shooting and 3.1 turnovers per game. I am not sure he even fits on a punt-points team, because those builds usually value FG% and low turnovers.

Lightly Rostered Players to Consider Cutting

Jaime Jaquez Jr., SG/SF/PF - Miami Heat (39%)

It's a sad day for me, but I have to keep my analysis as objective as possible. I was really enjoying the JJJ third-year breakout in Miami, but the reality is that Jaquez is no longer a "must roster" player now that the Miami Heat have their entire roster healthy at the same time.

Jaquez and Kel'el Ware are still going to have important roles for the Heat off the bench, but we've seen now for a few games that Miami clearly wants to roll with Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, and Norman Powell as their starting five. If they had a short bench, then perhaps JJJ could earn enough minutes to stay relevant, but the strong play of Pelle Larsson, Simone Fontecchio, and Dru Smith while Miami was banged up has led to them deserving some minutes, too.

Jaquez's minutes the last three games have been 17, 21, and 22 - and those 22 minutes last night came even with Norman Powell sitting out. There will be some individual games where we can stream JJJ when Miami rests multiple players, but with no major injuries (for now) to the core starting five - JJJ has become expendable. Thank you for a great first month, JJJ, but it's time to send him to the wire.

Jaden Ivey, PG/SG - Detroit Pistons (25%)

I know I will get some pushback on this one based on the stats that Ivey posted last season and the fact that he's only had a few weeks to start ramping it up after missing the first month of the season. However, I really don't think Ivey is someone you should count on for fantasy hoops this season, and we need to evaluate his potential as a fantasy player with the added context of what the Pistons are this year, compared to last.

"If you look at him, I think he is progressing in the right way."

Bickerstaff speaks on Jaden Ivey playing a season-high 18 minutes, recording 15 points and six rebounds in a loss against the Bucks. #Pistons pic.twitter.com/mm8bTTZhIv

— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) December 4, 2025

Naturally, Ivey had his best game of the year last night - after I had already selected him to be a featured drop in this piece. But his 15-point game and season-high 19 minutes really don't move the needle for me all that much. The Pistons are playing some fantastic basketball this year, leading the Eastern Conference with 17 wins. They have a much deeper roster than they've had in recent years, and there's no guarantee that Ivey ever cracks the starting lineup, especially since he's realistically a better fit on the second unit.

Duncan Robinson sat out last night, but has provided some much-needed shot-making alongside Cade Cunningham at shooting guard. Ausar Thompson is really not a candidate to be benched as he provides elite defense and top-notch rebounding from the three. Tobias Harris is now healthy and is the type of stretch-four who makes sense for floor spacing for Cunningham and for Jalen Duren to operate in the post.

So Ivey is probably staying on the bench, where he will have to compete with Caris LeVert for minutes and stats as a combo guard. The two players are a bit redundant, to be honest, and we haven't even discussed Daniss Jenkins, who has earned an opportunity to stick in the rotation with some stellar play of his own.

There's just not that much to get excited about here - Ivey has done very little other than score this season, and his best-case scenario is looking like 22 to 24 minutes off the bench. If you are holding him and expecting more than that, you're just not being very realistic about his outlook this year.

Daniel Gafford, C - Dallas Mavericks (16%)

One of our first cut list candidates of the year was Dereck Lively II, who simply couldn't stay healthy and get on the court even when there was an opportunity to contribute for the Mavericks, who were missing Gafford due to an early-season injury. Well, now it's Gafford's turn to be featured here as he's failed to take advantage of Lively's extended absence, too, and is now injured again - leaving last night's game with an ankle injury.

I worried that the two Dallas centers would cancel each other out in what looked like a timeshare this season, with both players playing minutes in the low 20s. But even in that scenario, both of them could probably hold onto some low-end value. What I didn't anticipate was that they would both be so oft-injured that they would fail to be valuable, even while Anthony Davis missed 14 games in November.

Gafford is a frustrating player to roster. He had missed two straight games before returning last night, and he's officially entered "streamer only" territory for me as his lack of availability isn't worth the headache.

Others Who Can Safely Be Cut:

• Jonathan Kuminga (30%)
• Cason Wallace (26%)
• Rui Hachimura (18%)
• D'Angelo Russell (17%)
• Bilal Coulibaly (15%)
• Nikola Jovic (11%)

On the Hot Seat

You don't have to drop them yet, but these players are getting close to being added to the list if they don't improve their performances in a hurry.

Santi Aldama, PF/C - Memphis Grizzlies (43%)

The emergence of Zach Edey is coming at Aldama's cost. He's played only 22, 22, and 24 minutes in his last three games and didn't crack double figures in scoring in the last two. Aldama does have a rare skill set for a big man with his ability to rack up assists, threes, and still help out in traditional big man categories like rebounds and blocks. But the writing is on the wall that Memphis wants to play Edey as many minutes as he can handle and that they like him alongside Jaren Jackson Jr.

Aldama gets another week for me to see how his role shakes out, but if he continues to play minutes in the low 20s, I think he could become a cut candidate.

Cedric Coward, SG/SF - Memphis Grizzlies (26%)

We stay in Memphis with a rookie who, after an incredibly hot start to the season, has really hit the wall of late.

Cedric Coward update
- Five straight negative games
- Mostly an offensive decline, esp. on 3s, shooting 11% in that span vs 41% before on same shot quality
- Shot quality on other shots has declined, having to take more 2s now pic.twitter.com/mO5hyAsuJ9

— Dean Oliver (@DeanO_Lytics) December 1, 2025

Coward moved into the starting lineup due to his strong performance and because Memphis was struggling with so many injuries. But it has honestly been a very bad move for him, as his numbers over the last two weeks have been abysmal.

10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 threes, 0.1 steals, 0.1 blocks, 38% FG% and 69% FT%

I still think he's got a bright future in the league, and he's likely to be better going forward, but if he can't get it turned around soon, he can probably be cut in the meantime. I will be very curious to see what Memphis looks like when Ja Morant finally returns to the lineup, and a move back to the bench for Coward might be the best possible thing for his value.

Underperforming Players to Hold

Kyshawn George, SG/SF/PF - Washington Wizards (65%)

As someone who really values efficiency, it pains me to be this enamored with a player who is absolutely tanking that category right now. But Kyshawn George has flashed too many big games for me to just give up on him in these little funky stretches he keeps going through.

His numbers the last two weeks aren't pretty (9-6-5 on 31% shooting and three turnovers), but the minutes continue to be there, and Washington has no reason to do anything other than continue to try to develop George this year.

Kyshawn George couldn’t buy a bucket over the first half of his rookie season

Now, one-fourth of the way into his sophomore career, he has the makings of a 3-level scorer with legitimate self-creation flashes

If that’s not growth, I don’t know what is pic.twitter.com/EwoEhkNs9f

— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) December 3, 2025

I think George has become a victim of his own success in a way. Because he's shown the ability to be a shot-creator for others, he's being utilized to initiate the offense and is not getting shots naturally within the offense. If you are thinking about dropping him, just bench him instead. I continue to foresee a final third of the season where George is the lead guard in Washington and putting up big numbers down the stretch.

VJ Edgecombe, SG/SF - Philadelphia 76ers (60%)

Edgecombe took the league by storm in the first few games of his career, but it has been a pretty rocky stretch for him since the Sixers got Paul George back in the lineup and added Jared McCain to their rotation off the bench.

He also missed three games last week and has had his minutes capped in the low 20s in the two games since he returned to the lineup.

His numbers are definitely trending down, and we should reset our expectations for him accordingly. However, he's shown too much upside to give up on entirely. The Sixers were playing him heavy minutes before the injury, even with Paul George back, and his ability to defend on the wing, in addition to his scoring prowess, makes him a very valuable player in both real life and fantasy.

I want to see what his production looks like once he's back to 30+ minutes per night before I make any decisions about his long-term outlook. Hold onto the talented rookie for now; he's shown us enough to demand some patience with him, and this situation in Philly is always changing with the volatility of Embiid and PG13's health, too.

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