RADIO
NBA Christmas is over, which means everyone who isn't obsessive about the NBA is now getting ready to finally pay attention. But y'all've been paying attention already, so it's really just another week of basketball coming up.
Here's our weekly fantasy basketball drop list, a look at players who are can be dropped in some or all formats. Every Friday, we'll look at why it's fine to move on from certain players based on their recent play. This week's is a little abbreviated as I'm in the middle of holiday travel season and have to get to sleep so I can drive 12 hours tomorrow -- or, rather, today if you're reading this on the day it's published.
Let's look at players who you can consider dropping so far. Remember: every league is different and we're working on a pretty small sample size this early in the year, so make sure you evaluate what options you have to replace these players before you actually drop them.
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Players to Consider Dropping or Replacing
Jalen Brunson - (G, Dallas Mavericks) - 22% Owned
Luka Doncic is back, so...yeah, this is pretty self-explanatory. Brunson's first game with Luka back saw him play just 13 minutes and finish with six points, a rebound, and three assists to go along with four turnovers. It's really hard to see a path for Brunson to fantasy relevance now that he's back in a reserve role, even if he did play well while Doncic was sidelined. The second-year star just commands too big of a role as a ball-handler for Brunson to really make a mark in terms of fantasy, even if he'll still contribute to the Mavericks playing some winning basketball.
Jabari Parker - (F, Atlanta Hawks) - 45% Owned
Hey, a theme's developing!
Like with Brunson, Parker's minutes are vanishing due to the return of a talented young player. In Parker's case, it's John Collins, who is unsuspended and back as Atlanta's frontcourt leader. His minutes have dropped to 15 per game in the two games with Collins back, and his stat lines are just incredibly unappealing in those games. Five points and four rebounds against the Nets. Seven points and literally no other counting stats except for turnovers against the Cavs. Parker's turned into a low-floor, low-ceiling bench player and you're bound to find better options on the waiver wire.
Luke Kennard - (G, Detroit Pistons) - 55% Owned
Kennard is obviously still a hold in deeper leagues, but in a 10-teamer, he's about to miss at least two weeks with a knee injury and there's a good chance that the issue drags on even longer than that. Kennard's been a surprising player this year and a valuable fantasy contributor in most formats who scores well and makes multiple threes per game, but if you don't have an open IL spot and need some streaming help to keep your team afloat, you might need to make the tough decision to move on.
Eric Paschall - (F, Golden State Warriors) - 37% Owned
Paschall is dealing with a minor hip injury and could miss a little time with it, but even without the injury I might be thinking about moving on from him. His role just isn't consistent right now and his ceiling is capped by Draymond Green's existence. He just isn't providing the kind of value that helps you win fantasy weeks, and his value might exist more as a "last minute streaming option if Draymond misses a game" than anything else.
