Welcome, Razzball Nation, to the weekly presentation of underperforming players who I believe can be acquired at a discounted rate due to them currently playing below their expectations.
With the trade deadline firmly in the rear view, rosters have now become further cemented in how they will look for the remainder of the year. It was a doozy of a deadline, as we witnessed franchise-altering deals be made with over 50 players changing jerseys. Now that the dust has settled, and reactionary waiver wire pick-ups have been made, it is time to see what we are left with and how we can best gain advantage in your respective leagues.
The place we look today is in the city of brotherly love and home of the cheesesteak. You know the place, where on the playground is how I spend most of my days.
Tobias Harris
Before the season began, Tobias was perpetually sliding down draft boards, as there seemed to be growing belief he was due to have a significant drop in value as the possible fourth option on a talented Sixers team behind Emiid, Harden and Maxey. However, to many people’s disbelief, Harris began the season on fire and was able to sustain top 50 numbers early on this year. He was able to do this by adding some defensive stats to his profile while maintaining his percentages (49.5% FG and 86.6% FT), threes and rebounds. Each week we anticipated a return to the mean and each week he would stiff-arm that notion.
Well, his arm must have gotten tired because we have been slowly watching Tobias fall from his 69th ranking for the season to 157th over the past two weeks and 194th in the past week. This ultimately bears the question of why?
The answer, as it often can be, is in the numbers.
Over the past week, Tobias is shooting 32.5% from the field and scored 7.5 points per game in that time while also hitting one lonely three per game. Tobias has also not taken a single free throw in four straight games and, while he does not go to the line much at all with only 1.6 attempts this season, it becomes a negative when that category is zeros.
Now, we need not get it twisted, Tobias Harris is never going to set the fantasy basketball world a blaze, but he is better than what he has shown lately, and his current GM may be thinking they have already got the best version of him early in the season and therefore more willing to move on from him.
Two things can be true.
I am not expecting the version of Tobias we saw to begin the season, but I also do not expect him to continue shooting 32.5% from the field. With his expected increase in efficiency, we will also see a rise in points and threes and his overall value will return to inside the top 100.
It should not cost you more than one of the worst couple of players you have at the end of your bench, or you package them both and send a two for one. Either way, float some offers out there and see if you can make something happen. The good thing about Harris is that while he does not do any one thing exceptionally well, he also does not hurt you anywhere when he is playing closer to his season averages.
As always, hit me up in the comments section and let me know what you think if Harris does or does not make sense for your team.
Good luck out there,
Peace.
