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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

The Cut List - Who To Drop for Fantasy Basketball Week 16

What's up, RotoBallers! We're creeping up on All-Star Weekend festivities and a nice little break in the action. Hopefully, all of your teams are still firmly in contention for the fantasy league championship.

The Drop List returns for another week, and it might not be kind to some of your rosters. Each week, I'll take a look at a handful of NBA players that can be dropped from your fantasy team.

Without further ado, let's get to the fantasy basketball drop list. Every Saturday, we'll have a list of NBA players and a small dive into why they can be cut from some or all fantasy formats. Please take into account: each fantasy league is different. Make sure you check out the waiver wire and have a player in mind to replace one of the following players that you may drop.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Will Priester (@ChiefJustice06) from RotoGrinders leads the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with his exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Players to Consider Dropping or Replacing

Caris LeVert (SG/SF, CLE) - 49% rostered

One of, if not the most, frustrating players for fantasy managers throughout the entire league has to be none other than Caris LeVert. This isn't anything personal, it's just the inconsistency and the potential that still hasn't been reached.

LeVert had a ton of promise ever since being drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2016. He was given the keys to be one of the offensive focal points on that squad as well as the Brooklyn Nets squad that he joined afterward. During both instances, he was hurt for a while and when he was on the court he would show a few flashes here and there of what his skillset could be.

Fast forward to his role now as the fourth or fifth option on the Cleveland Cavaliers and his fantasy value is even more frustrating. One would think that he would provide a boosted output whenever Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell are sidelined, but that hasn't even been the case. Right now, LeVert is currently ranked 220th in category formats which is 81 spots worse than his ADP at 139. The only positive value that he truly brings at the moment, compared to others around the league, comes from his assist and turnover numbers.

Join me, fellow managers, in cutting the frustration!

Kevon Looney (C, GSW) - 46% rostered

It is tough in these fantasy streets to actually get a quality center that provides the stats you need, night in and night out. Kevon Looney is the trusty center that works perfectly for the Golden State Warriors, but he may not work as perfectly for everyone's fantasy team.

His main use is for any manager in a category format that is in need of field goal percentage and rebounds. Everything else is nowhere near the volume that a fantasy team would need to actually win the league championship. In deeper leagues where centers are even more scarce, Looney could still be of use, but for everyone else, there are more options out there that can contribute in more ways.

The 27-year-old is actually slotted at the best ranking of his career right now because he's gotten even better at those two things he does best. Plus, he rarely ever turns the ball over because he doesn't have it in his hands a lot.

Some of this probably makes him sound like a good player, which he is in reality. Fantasy-wise, the pure volume outside of rebounds just does not exist for Looney which makes him quite useless in points leagues and just as useless in 12-team category leagues.

Royce O'Neale (SG/SF, BKN) - 43% rostered

Once upon a time, Royce O'Neale was in the top 100 fantasy players for three years running in terms of total numbers! This year, well, not so much.

The 29-year-old is currently listed at 106th for total numbers so far and 130th for per-game averages. To make matters worse, over the last two months he's dropped to 182nd and over the last two weeks, he's produced enough to be as low as 259th. The alarming part of that statement is that over the last two weeks, the Brooklyn Nets haven't had the luxury of Kevin Durant (knee) being on the floor. That's supposed to be the role players' time to shine.

Instead of shining, O'Neale is falling like a rock. Better to cut ties before Durant comes back and he sinks even more.

Dillon Brooks (SG/SF, MEM) - 59% rostered

I know that Caris LeVert was mentioned as one of the most frustrating players in fantasy basketball, but Dillon Brooks also needs to be on that list. Right up at the top near LeVert too.

For someone that loves to get a rise out of the Warriors and Shannon Sharpe, one would think that his fantasy value must be up there with a lot of the mid-level guys at least. Well, so far this season, that assumption is quite wrong on a per-game basis. Brooks isn't even in the top 200 this season based on a per-game value in category leagues. Since he hasn't missed many games, he does rank higher in total stats due to the sheer volume.

Let's just talk about the fact that he's shooting under 40% from the floor, barely adding any value on the boards or through assists, and never really getting to the line while playing 30.6 minutes per game and boasting a usage rate of 23.5. There are plenty of starters that can give more than that on a fantasy roster.

Don't let his occasional big game fool you into thinking he can contribute every night to a fantasy win!

Joe Harris (SG/SF), BKN) - 11% rostered

If there has ever been a one-dimensional player in all of fantasy sports, it would be Joe Harris. Even more one-dimensional than kickers in fantasy football who literally are only asked to do one thing.

He hits threes. Usually, a lot of them. This year has been a different story as he's averaging the least amount of threes per game since the 2017-18 season. In comparison to others around the league, it's still a decent number at 1.9 made threes per game. Compared to his last few seasons where he made 2.9, 3.1, and 2.5, the figure doesn't seem as great.

Notice how we're only talking about threes? Okay, fine, he does provide some value in field goal percentage as well, but the 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game aren't going to force anyone to keep him on a team. If anything, it should force managers to cut him sooner rather than later.



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!

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Evan Sisk23 mins ago

Dealing With Illness
Travis Jankowski32 mins ago

Signs Contract With Cubs
Jacob Misiorowski2 hours ago

Is One To Watch
Kyle Teel2 hours ago

On The Cusp Of The Big Leagues
Aaron Schunk2 hours ago

Outrighted To Triple-A
Ernie Clement2 hours ago

Expected To Open The Year At Third Base
Ricky Tiedemann2 hours ago

Encouraged With His Progress
Brett Baty3 hours ago

Getting Work At Shortstop
CJ Abrams3 hours ago

To Stick In Leadoff Spot
Chase Hampton3 hours ago

Has Tommy John Surgery
Akil Baddoo3 hours ago

Undergoes Hand Surgery
Mike Clevinger3 hours ago

Could Pitch In Relief Role
Luis Garcia3 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
JT Brubaker3 hours ago

Exits After Getting Hit By Comebacker
Adrian Del Castillo4 hours ago

Dealing With Arm Fatigue
Jordan Montgomery4 hours ago

To Throw Bullpen Session On Saturday
MacKenzie Gore5 hours ago

Pushed Back, Jake Irvin To Start Spring Opener
Nabil Crismatt5 hours ago

To Start Grapefruit League Opener
Weston Wilson5 hours ago

Injures Oblique On Friday
Manuel Margot5 hours ago

Joins Brewers
Joey Ortiz6 hours ago

To Start At Shortstop In Cactus League Opener
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP
10
10
11
11
12
18
13
27
14
28
15
29
16
33
17
34
18
40
19
41

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
1
1
2
3
3
7
4
12
5
14
6
15
7
16
8
17
10
19

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Early 2025 Fantasy Football Mock and Draft Takeaways!

Michael F. Florio participated in a way too early 2025 mock draft and is bringing his lessons to you! How did the first two rounds shake out? Where did QBs and TEs go? Are rookies already being pulled up? Florio discusses all of this and many more of his takeaways to get you thinking ahead […]


Dylan Sampson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Dynasty, Rookie Prospects

NFL Combine (2025): NFL Draft Rookies to Watch and Target for Fantasy Football

The 2025 NFL Combine is coming up soon. It's strange to think it happens not long after the Super Bowl, but the league never sleeps. And it's a time of excitement for teams, incoming rookies, and most importantly for us, dynasty fantasy football managers. How every player who attends performs is important, but you should […]


Chuba Hubbard - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Dynasty Fantasy Football: Top NFL Quarterbacks And Running Backs To Target in Drafts (2025)

If you play dynasty fantasy football, then you know how difficult winning a dynasty title is. A lot more goes into it than a standard redraft league. Injuries happen, players disappoint, and finding viable replacements on waivers is a lot harder. Depth becomes very important. Running backs are always in demand in dynasty leagues. We […]


Chase Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

Five Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets - 3rd Year Players To Buy

The dynasty fantasy football world is focused on the upcoming class of rookies. Yet, let’s look to the past. The 2024 class was one of the best in recent memory, with Jayden Daniels, Bucky Irving, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey, and Brock Bowers having massive fantasy value as rookies. However, the 2023 class […]


Josh Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-Team, PPR, Superflex Dynasty Leagues (2025)

Are you looking to take part in a start-up Superflex dynasty fantasy football league? Know that quarterbacks are kings but those early selections push the best running backs and receivers down the board, allowing a wide variety of drafting strategies. Today, we're going to do a two-round mock draft. It's a 12-team, full PPR, Superflex, […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football NFL Wide Receiver Age Cliff: When Should You Fade Aging WR Veterans?

The age cliff comes for all players, but importantly, what age it arrives is very dependent on the position played. While running backs rely heavily on raw athleticism and explosive bursts, wide receivers can also win with nuance and subtlety in their games. Naturally, this would lead you to believe that the age cliff for […]


Matthew Stafford - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

The Quarterback Age Cliff: When Should You Fade Aging Fantasy Veterans?

No human on earth can avoid the aging process. For athletes, especially those in the NFL, one of the most competitive sports leagues on earth, we get to see it play out in real-time and how it affects different position groups differently. The most famous position group is obviously quarterback. Part of the reason QBs […]


Shedeur Sanders - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Quarterback Rankings - Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe, Jaxson Dart, Quinn Ewers, Will Howard, Dillon Gabriel

Rookie draft season in fantasy football is almost here, and while the 2025 quarterback class isn't necessarily loaded, there are a few signal callers who have significant upside. To help your rookie draft efforts, our NFL team has released its early 2025 fantasy football rookie quarterback rankings before the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Navigate the […]


Tyler Warren - College Football Rankings - NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Tight End Rankings - Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, Elijah Arroyo, Harold Fannin Jr., Mason Taylor, Gunnar Helm, more

A handful of rookie tight ends have had productive seasons over the last few years, and the 2025 group of rookie TEs is promising at this point in the pre-draft process. To help you prepare for your rookie drafts, our NFL team has released its early 2025 fantasy football rookie tight end rankings before the […]


Jaxson Dart - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Draft QB Prospect Comparisons: Which 2025 Rookies Resemble Today’s Fantasy Stars?

It never hurts to compare the best college prospects at each position to pro players who are similar in many respects. Unfortunately, it might not be the most useful thing to do in a weak quarterback class, but I'll try my best either way. There is one gem that's being underrated, though, and he'll be […]


Marvin Mims Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football: Top Wide Receiver (WR) Sleepers For 2025

Wide receivers are in high demand in dynasty fantasy football leagues. They come off draft boards early and can be difficult to acquire in trades. Even with many pass-catchers available, values and sleepers still exist in this position. Identifying a few can give you a nice advantage over the rest of your league. They might […]


Travis Hunter - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Prospects, NFL Rookies

Early 2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers and Draft Targets

As any manager in an IDP league can tell you, adding defensive players to a fantasy draft changes the math. IDP formats not only require wider knowledge of league-wide rosters, it asks managers to create value systems like the real NFL Draft.  Managers having wildly different value systems are often part of the fun. Is […]


Shedeur Sanders - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Fantasy Football QB Rookie Rankings (Pre-NFL Draft) - Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxon Dart, and more

It's time to get excited. The NFL Combine is just weeks away; the NFL Draft will be here before we know it. Even rookie fantasy drafts have been slowly popping up all over the place. If you have a draft coming up or you're looking for some additional information about a player your favorite team […]