This NBA season, we have seen many meteoric rises, as well as players whose stock crashed quickly. In this article, we investigate some underperformers, and why they have long term potential. This article will mostly focus on opportunities in dynasty formats, and the ideas were sourced both through Dynatyze data as well as members of our community. If you want to discuss players or trades, join our Discord or make a community post.
Dyson Daniels (Risk = Moderate)
Dyson Daniels - and the Hawks in general - have been wildly volatile at best. The return of Trae Young has made Atlanta look like a complete disaster, and Dyson has not helped the narrative. This season, Dyson is shooting a historically awful 12.7% from three. When compared to last season, his scoring has regressed significantly, and his steal generation has also fallen by about -1 per game.
On the bright side, Daniels seems to have made notable strides in his playmaking ability. His assists are up by 1.5 per 75 possessions, and his defensive presence still makes him very valuable in both points and category leagues. With the Hawks looking like they may be looking to move on from both Trae Young and Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson might be one of Atlanta’s few long term options at in the back court.
Dyson Daniels is a buy low candidate for his long term potential as a defensive hawk who can generate steals and assists. He will continue to put up solid scoring and rebounding numbers, and his 3 point shooting will likely regress to a decent (but never great) level. BUY Dyson Daniels as a rebuilding or mid team in need of upside
Domantas Sabonis (Risk = High)
There is a lot to dislike around Sabonis’ long term value as a fantasy asset, but these factors also make his situation deserving of a deeper dive. Sabonis recently suffered a partially torn meniscus, which is a very serious injury, especially for a big man. He will be sidelined for another few weeks. This comes after a hamstring strain that impacted him in the preseason and for the season opener. This is a tough break, especially considering Sabonis has been incredibly durable over the past few years.