Many fantasy general managers spent early draft picks on the five guys on this list but ended up quite disappointed. But now you’ll have an opportunity to buy in at a lower price and you’ll probably be getting good value when you consider that these players all had strong track records before last season’s hiccup. Here is a look at five players that underachieved from a fantasy perspective this year but should be able to bounce back in 2015-16 NBA season.
Chandler Parsons, Dallas Mavericks
The 2014-15 NBA season was a year of transition for Parsons after he left the Houston Rockets for a better deal with the Dallas Mavericks and his numbers suffered as a result. It’s not a huge surprise for a player in the first year of a new, lucrative contract, but Parsons’ averages were down across the board. The full season in Dallas will benefit him in the long term though – especially looking forward to next season where he will have a full year under his belt to have developed chemistry with a starting five that will still be one of the better groups in the NBA. Parsons still averaged 15.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 stelas per game for the Mavericks, so he wasn’t a complete flop. Slight improvement on those numbers across the board will push him back in to the mix as a valuable fantasy asset at the small forward position.
Thaddeus Young, Brooklyn Nets
Young’s scoring averages have consistently dipped in each of the last two seasons from 17.9 to 14.3 to 13.8 points per game with the Nets last season but the reason for his expected bounce back next year is simple: it will mark the first time since he left the Philadelphia 76ers that he plays with the same team for the second straight season.
Brooklyn is expected to move some of its bigger salaries this offseason – assuming there are any interested suitors willing to take on the contract of a player like Deron Williams, Joe Johnson or Brook Lopez. The more salary the Nets are able to shed, the more important Young will become to what they do at both ends of the floor. Young averaged 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game this past season and there is a good chance his numbers improve slightly next year.
Nicolas Batum, Portland Trail Blazers
Batum’s scoring averages have also consistently dipped over each of the last two seasons from 14.3 to 13.0 to 9.4 points per game last season but last year’s decline was an aberration. He is still just 26 years old and the potential is there for him to bounce back next year. Portland will have some important decisions to make with LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez all set to become free agents and regardless of whether all three are back, Batum’s numbers should be better. He should be back to what he’s averaged over the five years prior, which is about 13.0 points per game, along with about six rebounds, a couple of threes, about five assists and a steal.
Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls
Noah will turn 31 years old next season and he has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but he still has enough left in the tank for at least one or two more quality fantasy years. Noah’s average points per game took a dive from 12.6 to 7.2 last season and his rebounding and assist totals both took a small dip too. However, injuries were a big factor as was a more crowded frontcourt with Pau Gasol entering the fray. With head coach Tom Thibodeau gone, expect a more offense-oriented lineup by this team
Jose Calderon, New York Knicks
Calderon suffered through a tough first year with the Knicks as he played a career-low 42 games. It started with a calf injury and ended with a nagging Achilles injury. The landscape of the team should be quite different next season with New York looking to become a playoff team and Calderon currently penciled in as the team’s projected starting point guard. Factor in Carmelo Anthony’s return as well as the addition of a top pick and maybe one or two key free agents and suddenly it looks as though Calderon will have the potential to contribute starting point guard numbers.
