From Deep: 3 regrets from 3 points of the 2023-24 fantasy basketball season
The three-ball has become arguably the staple of scoring in the NBA — so we figured we'd take some shots from way downtown, too. Here, fantasy basketball analyst Dan Titus will break down the three things fantasy managers need to know. Or, he'll break down multiple three-point pieces of advice, analysis and more — it just depends on how open he is From Deep.
Earlier this week, I delved into the valuable lessons learned from the '23-24 season, and today, I'll further explore three areas of regret from this season — the draft, mid-season transactions and playoffs. These are not just regrets, but stepping stones towards a more successful future. Let's dive in!
Post-Fantasy-Draft Woes
Zero shares of Victor Wembanyama
I missed out on one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, and I'm legit mad about it. Wemby's second/third-round ADP is a price we'll never see again. Not only has he become one of the most polarizing players to watch, but his stat lines also look like a tuned-up My Player from NBA2K.
There are no flaws in Wemby's fantasy game — he'll be a 20-and-10 guy with nearly five assists, a couple of threes and no less than four stocks per game. The efficiency will be there too, and when factoring in that his rookie campaign is likely his floor, he will terrorize the league and fantasy for years to come.
Passing on buying the James Harden dip
Being from Philly, I know you can't truly ever trust a process. However, Harden's warpath with Daryl Morey and his contract dispute would resolve itself in time — but I didn't have the patience to wait. Harden only missed four games as a member of the Sixers before being dealt to the Clippers, where he'd go on to play 72 games. His scoring continues to dwindle, but he still finished 26th in nine-category leagues, besting his fourth-round ADP. Anytime you select players who outperform their ADP, good things happen.
Having no salary-cap drafts in the portfolio
I love salary-cap drafts in fantasy football, and while I didn't have any in fantasy basketball this year, it won't happen again. I need to see people's willingness to pay for Wemby's fantasy services, but in general, the thrill of bidding on your guys and pissing off league-mates at the same time is a fun alternative to traditional snake drafting.
Mid-season Revelations
Dropping Jalen Green
I wasn't the only one, but that's not an excuse for bailing on Green. I sent him to waivers after a horrendous December of hoops, only for him to go on an absolute heater that likely helped fantasy managers make a deep run in the fantasy playoffs. Green averaged 28/6/4 across 15 games in March, even pitching in those elusive stocks, where he racked up 24 steals and blocks over that span.
It'll be interesting to see how fantasy managers view his end-of-season heroics heading into next season. He's been an 8th-9th round selection the past two seasons, but if this was the turning point with everything clicking, that could be a steal should he continue on this trajectory.
Holding Mark Williams
The second-year pro and one of my potential breakouts did not play in an NBA game after Dec. 8. Williams was on the injury report until March, but I don't think I pulled the plug until late January. I would have dropped him earlier if I had other IL-eligible guys to prioritize, but part of me hoped his back injury would improve.
I've just chalked it up to a lesson learned in never believing what the Charlotte Hornets' injury reporting is.
Whiffing on Donte DiVincenzo
He was only drafted in 6% of fantasy leagues this year, so there was a 94% chance he was sitting on waivers. I picked up more shares of Grayson Allen off waivers than Donte, and while Allen did his thing finishing in the top 75, Donte finished 60th and was Yahoo Fantasy's MVP — the most rostered player on the top public league squads this season.
More impressively, DiVincenzo's carried his regular season breakout into the playoffs, emerging as the second scoring option for the Knicks whenever Julius Randle is out. He could be a worthwhile mid-round pick next year for his 3-point shooting and what he brings defensively.
Playoff Follies
Making more moves at the trade deadline to improve rosters
It wasn't that I didn't make moves — it was the types of moves that, in hindsight, didn't move the needle enough to make a difference. I needed haymakers — that high-risk, high-reward type of action.
I had too much of Cade Cunningham, Lauri Markkanen and Kyle Kuzma down the stretch. I should've been more proactive in trying to rid myself of the star players on bad teams who were tanking in the season's final weeks.
Being FAB-poor
I touched on this as one of my lessons learned, and it still eats at me that I need to budget appropriately across leagues. Every league's spending practices are different, so it's essential to keep up with the trends and willingness to pay for different tiers of players. When it came down to it, not having enough money at the most critical points in the season cost me at least two championships.
Releasing Joel Embiid too early
The league did not have IL spots in this situation, so I hung onto Embiid for as long as possible. As I entered the season's final week, the reports on Embiid's return were still murky, so I did what I had to do — dropped him.
Only to find out that a few days after I cut him, he'd be returning the following week.
Back to that lack of FAB, I didn't have enough to bid for him, and ultimately, my opponent picked him up to help him win the 'ship. I don't know what I regret more — dropping Embiid or the loss coming from RotoWire's Ken Crites.
Shoutout to Ken, but I'm still salty about it.
