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.
Another potential issue for his long term value is the recent success of rookie Maxime Raynaud. Although Maxime’s performances do not necessarily imply it is time for the Kings to move on from Sabonis, he does look like a longer term building block for a team lacking young talent.
That being said, in the games Domantas has played this season, he looked to be in form for the most part. Most of his production metrics fell slightly, apart from steals, but this is on a small sample size of reduced minutes. When he returns, Sabonis will continue to put up great rebounding and scoring numbers. BUY Sabonis as a competitive team who can handle a few down weeks in hopes of success down the road
Evan Mobley (Risk = Low)
Mobley has not been bad this near, nor has he suffered any major injuries. The real concern around Mobley is his high price tag and lack of development this season. He has not meaningfully progressed in any key production metric, and has often looked timid on the court. The Cavs have been probably the biggest disappointment in the NBA this season, and frustration remains high.
However, Mobley is still only 24 years old and has lots of time to improve. He has continued to be a reliable producer, so reliable that he is often mocked for it. The biggest question mark around Mobley is whether or not he has another breakout season ahead of him or not. Considering that the Cavs front office seem to have him marked as an untouchable asset, internal belief seems to remain extremely high. BUY Mobley as a competitive team if Mobley’s manager seems frustrated or impatient.