Eric Karabell's 'Do not draft' list, including LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, Joel Embiid

Charlotte Hornets PG LaMelo Ball averaged a career-high 25.2 PPG past season, on with 7.4 APG and 3.8 3PG. Those are large numbers we emotion successful phantasy hoops, but they deficiency immoderate context.

Deni Avdija and Christian Braun scored much points past season. Bub Carrington and Scotty Pippen Jr. dished retired much assists. Gary Trent Jr. drained much 3-pointers. Ultimately, 297 fellows appeared successful much NBA games than Ball past season, and 177 played much minutes.

This taxable of utmost lack is hardly caller for Ball, a fantastic endowment who expertly runs an discourtesy and enjoys galore strengths, but staying steadfast and progressive is, unfortunately, not among those traits. The No. 3 enactment successful the 2020 NBA draught played successful 51 games arsenic a rookie, past a astonishing 75 games successful his 2nd season. Over the past 3 seasons, Ball has played successful a full of 105 games. His 2024-25 run ended successful March with surgeries connected his ankle and wrist.

Ball, 24, is productive, but c'mon, 105 games successful 3 seasons? Including playoffs, Indiana Pacers reserves T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin appeared successful 102 games past play alone!

Enough astir Ball, who is preliminarily going successful the 3rd oregon 4th round. It is optimistic, but with truthful galore durable, productive players connected the board, I volition pass. We cognize Ball is simply a large player, but large players are not capable successful phantasy sports. For our purposes successful basketball, adjacent successful regular leagues successful which we tin enactment hard and manipulate volume, we inactive request much measurement and consistency.

Of course, Ball is hardly unsocial erstwhile it comes to missing games. Here are others to slice due to the fact that their ADP treats them similar "this is the twelvemonth they volition play 'em all!"

• Ja Morant, PG, Memphis Grizzlies (ADP 28.4): From carnal ailments to idiosyncratic issues, Morant has played successful 59 games implicit the past two seasons. He has yet to play much than 68 games successful a ...