The NBA playoffs are the time of the year when players really prove what they can do at the highest level. We don’t have to look back very far to remember stars that established themselves among the best on their respective teams in the postseason. Just one year ago, it was Kawhi Leonard that emerged as the NBA Finals MVP and the star forward tasked with leading the San Antonio Spurs moving forward past their big three era that has featured Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
However, not every player is able to improve his stock when it matters the most in the playoffs and we saw at least a couple of examples of that this year. Here is a look at three players in particular that hurt their fantasy stock the most this postseason.
PG: Rajon Rondo, Dallas
No NBA player hurt his fantasy stock more in these playoffs than Rondo, who managed to play just two games for the Mavericks before they shut him down. Rondo’s production was already on a steady decline before he arrived in Dallas but his short time with the club was an absolute disaster to the point where head coach Rick Carlisle felt his team had a better chance to win with Rondo in the press box. It wasn’t a good look for Rondo that he essentially quit on the team. The 29-year-old only averaged 8.9 points and 7.9 assists per game between time spent with the Mavericks and Boston Celtics, but it’s the fact that he was so selfish and volatile that has hurt his stock the most.
Rondo is still expected to be courted by a handful of teams as a free agent this offseason – including the Los Angeles Lakers – but it’s clear that after his playoff fallout in Dallas has at least temporarily crippled his fantasy stock. There’s also a good chance he’s no longer going to get a max contract too.
PG: Kyle Lowry, Toronto
The fact that the Raptors started the season so strong with DeMar DeRozan playing at a high level and Lowry earning an All-Star nod had most fans in Toronto thinking their team was on the rise in the Eastern Conference. However, a swift playoff exit at the hands of the Washington Wizards was another reminder of just how far off this franchise truly is. Lowry in particular struggled as he averaged just 12.3 points and 4.8 assists in the postseason compared to 17.8 points and 6.8 assists in the regular season. While injuries may have contributed to his falloff, head coach Dwane Casey openly addressed Lowry’s weight issues in his final media address of the year. Lowry is still a quality starting point guard but there are some that feel that at 29-years-old has already peaked. The other issue here is that he’s clashed with his head coach, so unless a coaching change is made, you’d have to drop Lowry down your draft boards somewhat.
PG: Tony Parker, San Antonio
The defending NBA champions very nearly escaped with a Game 7 win over the Los Angeles Clippers but they failed to get the job done. One of the biggest reasons they didn’t win that series is because of the play of their veteran point guard. Parker was reportedly hindered by an ankle injury but he continued to log big minutes despite the fact that the numbers dictated he wasn’t even the best point guard on his team in the playoffs.
Parker averaged 10.9 points and 3.6 assists in 30.0 minutes per game while Patty Mills averaged 10.1 points and 1.1 assists in just 16.0 minutes per game off the bench. Mills also had the better shooting numbers. Parker is still under contract at a substantial hit for the next three seasons but the 32-year-old is showing that his best days are behind him. After his fantasy stock took another hit this postseason, it’s safe to say you can’t trust Parker as your primary point guard in fantasy anymore.
