As we approach the halfway mark of the season it’s time to look at some players that have disappointed their owners so far. A lot of reasons (playing time, injuries, off the court issues) can lead to a lack of production, so let’s examine the following five players to see if they can be counted on during the stretch run.
Reggie Moore, G, Washington State – What a difference a year makes. Last season Moore was one of the best freshmen in the conference. This season hasn’t gone as smoothly. He missed the first five games of the season due to a wrist injury and is currently dealing with marijuana charges after a dorm room search. Before the season started he looked like a guy capable of putting up 15 points and five assists but he is only producing 8.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 35% from the floor. He doesn’t look like he will bounce back this season as Faisal Aden has established himself as the clear number two option on offense. Dynasty league owners should hope that next season Moore picks up a lot of the shots that Klay Thompson could potentially leave behind if he chooses to go to the NBA.
Malcolm Lee, G, UCLA – Lee was a guy that many thought would be the next great guard at UCLA. He was expected to become the go-to player on the team but has regressed across the board. To be fair, he had surgery in the off-season to repair a torn meniscus and sprained his ankle back in November. His shooting and scoring statistics are on par with last season, but it is the rest of his game that has caused his owners to have nightmares. His rebounds have dropped by 1.5, assists by 1.3, and steals by 0.5. Even if he can bring up his scoring average a little it won’t matter because his value is tied into his ability to be a three-category player. As long as Lazeric Jones continues to run the point effectively don’t expect Lee to all of a sudden return to last season’s form.
Lamont Jones, G, Arizona – MoMo was supposed to step right in and become the next in line of quality Wildcat point guards. He is never going to be a pass-first, score-second kind of floor general but he has really struggled to do either this season. He is averaging 7.9 points this season and has only hit double-figures in five games. He also is going to need a lot of work as a passer as he has only 41 assists compared to 40 turnovers. The Wildcats are 14-3 so don’t expect them to make many changes in the offense right now. It is hard to see how Jones, outside of an injury, can become a reliable player in fantasy this season. It is probably past time to look for a replacement on your roster.
Malcolm Armstead, G, Oregon – Although he wasn’t a big name in Pac 10 circles, he might be the most disappointing player in the conference. He was one of the few players that stuck around amongst all the drama last summer in Eugene. He is still contributing decently in assists (3.7) and steals (2.1) but he has become one of the worst shooters in the conference. He is only shooting 33% from the field which has caused his scoring average to plummet to 6.4. His season-high is 15 points and he has only hit double figures four times all season. His lack of an outside shot has also seen his minutes decrease by more than 5.5 from last year. With a knee problem clouding the picture lately, he shouldn’t be started in any format going forward.
Rihards Kuksiks, F, Arizona State – I guess I should stop picking on the guards and focus on a frontcourt player. Kuksiks’s senior year hasn’t gone as planned. He has scored only 18 points in four conference games while shooting 29% in those contests and has found himself coming off the bench the last two games. The Sun Devils have sorely missed point guard Derek Glasser’s ability to get in the lane and center Eric Boateng’s ability to draw a double team in the post. Without those two components on offense this season, all of their shooters have seen their efficiency decrease this season. If the Sun Devils don’t start winning soon, it might be time for them to give more minutes to some young talented wing players which would make Kuksiks obsolete outside of Pac 10 only leagues.