X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

NBA Summer League Losers - Guards: Johnny Davis, R.J. Hampton, Shaedon Sharpe

fantasy basketball offseason trades free agents NBA sleepers

Antonio Losada looks at NBA guards who can be seen as potential busts given their Summer League performances in advance of the 2022-23 season.

A key part of doing a fantasy draft is avoiding players who find themselves in a bad situation. The wrong pick can completely tank your season. On the other hand, rostering players in perfect situations can be the ultimately league-winning move for savvy fantasy GMs.

Today, let's talk about some potential busts and sleepers that have been part of the Summer League tournaments held in early-to-mid July. For whatever reason – be it talent, lack of opportunity, chances to rack up minutes, good and bad environments, etc – these are players who fantasy GMs are currently buying too high or too low this early in the pre-season and who should be kept under the radar to track their progress in training camps as we each closer to the regular season's tipoff.

Let's look at some guard-eligible players that have bust potential this year in fantasy basketball leagues that appeared in July's Summer League tourneys and explore their situations going forward.

 

Summer League Losers: Guards - 2022-23 Fantasy Basketball

Johnny Davis, PG/SG - Washington Wizards

If there is a Least Valuable Player award for the Summer League competition, then there shouldn't be one. That said, if there was one, then Davis would probably be the consensus pick all across the basketball nation. Davis wasn't atrocious, but he wasn't remotely good either.

The Wiz spent a pretty high top-10 pick on who is supposed to be Bradley Beal's partner in crime for the remainder of the untradable (now literally) guard's career. Davis' per-game line: 8-4-1 in 25 MPG of playing time and 75 total minutes over three Vegas games. No bueno. Davis, supposedly a bonafide shooter and scorer, shot a mediocre 29.6% from the field and just 33% from three-point range on 9.0 FGA and 3.0 3PA per outing. The only thing saving him was the 100% charity-stripe accuracy.

Washington covered its back by trading for Monte Morris and Delon Wright this offseason, just in case. You can rest assured they had not projected such a bad start like the SL one for Davis while already being part of the D.C. organization. Things will change (most probably) because talent always flowers and Beal/Porzingis will enhance whoever happens to be by their side and their numbers. Give it some pause and don't go chasing Davis crazily in your drafts for now.

R.J. Hampton, PG/SG - Orlando Magic

The Magic are so deep into their rebuild that they barely have legitimate veterans (with long careers under their belts, I mean) rostered these days. Other than Terrence Ross and Gary Garrys, no other Magic has been in the League for more than four seasons – and that would be Markelle Fultz, just imagine.

Hampton got to Orlando as part of the Aaron Gordon trade with Denver and although he's increased his role, he's still a little bit in limbo. His SL performance was good, but probably not great. RJ didn't hit a single three-point shot, and even though he finished the tourney with a nice 12-7-2-1 line, he also dropped 3 TOPG in that time. He only played a couple of games and 58 total minutes, mind you.

The Magic have Fultz (who seemed to be recovering his mojo last season barring his injuries), Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs as up-and-coming talents in their squad and all three of those are clearly above Hampton in the pecking order. Even veterans Harris and Ross (the latter one is expected to get traded at some point, though that's been the case for years now) might take developmental minutes from Hampton, which is nothing to like for him nor for your fantasy options if you have shares of RJ.

Killian Hayes, PG - Detroit Pistons

I want to stay a Hayes Believer, but he's making it tough and tougher for me these days. It's now been two seasons of Piston Hayes, but the kid still doesn't seem to get this NBA thing quite right. Hayes, the no. 7 pick in the 2020 draft, got to the SL with his teammates (already a red flag considering he's about to enter his third NBA campaign), and while he was expected to play in all games, he only appeared in one of them. Ugh.

While the point guard should not have a problem averaging some 10 PPG and 5 APG off the pine (and the fans in Motown would probably be happy with that at this point), that's not a given with Hayes. You know the Bust label is hanging above Hayes' head when Detroit picked a lead-man in Cade Cunningham last season and a scoring guard in Jaden Ivey this last draft, both of them clearly fading Killian.

Hayes had a 7-3-4-1 game in Vegas facing Portland, but that's not really the relevant thing here. It's mostly about the stiff competition he'll need to dodge and the few chances (in worse contexts than the guys above him) he'll have to excel at to prove he's worthy of a larger role. A larger role, by the way, that might ultimately be totally out of his reach as the Cade/Ivey pairing is going nowhere other than the nightly starting five. The collateral damage of Detroit's moves is more than a typical SL underperformer.

Shaedon Sharpe, SG - Portland Trailblazers

Just a quick note on SS to wrap it all up when it comes to guard-eligible guys. The latest official NBA reports say that Sharpe dodged a bullet and after undergoing further evaluation, he is expected to be good for the fall training camps. This means that it's been determined that Sharpe won't have to undergo any type of surgery for now, which would have definitely shortened his debut season by forcing him into a late debut, thus missing time.

That said, Sharpe entered the draft as the Mystery Man and leaves the Summer League portion of the season as, welp, the Mystery Man still. It would have been great to get some glimpses of Sharpe playing ball next to a similar-level competition – remember, he sat out last year and is virtually jumping from HS to the pros – but we'll have to wait. I'd like to say that Sharpe has done enough to consider him a viable (if only for those in deep leagues) fantasy asset, but now I'd rather give him some more time and marinate for a minute at least. There will always be a chance to grab him from the WW in most fantasy leagues out there, anyway.

 

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
NBA

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Philadelphia 76ers

Kyle Lowry Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Jock Landale

Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic