The playoffs are where stars rise and weaknesses get exposed. Every defeated team leaves behind stories of promise and failure — the players who stand at the crossroads of potential and uncertainty. We’re not here to dwell on the heartbreak of a postseason exit, but to sift through the aftermath, piecing together what it means for fantasy rosters and spotlighting the players who deserve your attention.
For every team sent packing, we’ll analyze one standout player primed for growth and one major question mark that could impact the team’s fantasy value.
The NBA offseason is already shaping up to be a drama-filled, rumor-laden affair. This is all about understanding what’s next, not just for the teams themselves, but for the fantasy basketball managers who are getting a pulse ahead of the 2025-26 season.
The Detroit Pistons’ rebuild is officially over — and fantasy managers should be paying attention. While Cade Cunningham’s leap to stardom headlined the show, the real intrigue lies in whether Ausar Thompson can pull off an Amen Thompson-esque breakout.
Motor-Cade: Driving the Pistons forward
Cunningham is on the brink of becoming a top-20 fantasy player.
He’s coming off his best season as a pro, finishing as a third-round value (30th overall in 9-cat leagues) as the Pistons’ floor general. His rare combination of scoring (25.7 PPG), playmaking (9.1 APG) and sneaky defensive production (1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG) have placed him in the top echelon of fantasy guards. If he can cut down on the turnovers (4.4/game), he could be in the conversation as a late first, early second-round pick next season.
The perfect blend of youth and experience
Detroit restructured its roster to bring in some vets who made an impact from Day 1. Tobias Harris continued his boring but reliable, efficient production, while Malik Beasley was a marksman on the wing, knocking down the second-most 3s in the league this season. Jalen Duren had a mid-season resurgence, finishing in the top five in FG percentage among centers and top 10 in double-doubles. He’s a guy I’d have no issue taking in rounds five or six. Jaden Ivey’s return could alter some of the production we saw from others, but time will tell. Just know the future is bright.
Of the bunch, I like Duren most as one of my traditional centers who can hold down categories such as points, rebounds and blocks in the middle of drafts.
The X-factor
Ausar Thompson’s elite defensive stats (1.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG) give him a rock-solid fantasy floor. He improved 50 spots from his rookie campaign, finishing 132nd in 9-cat leagues. If he can develop even a serviceable 3-point shot (improved from 19% to 23% this year), he could mirror his brother’s breakout in Houston. He’s the ultimate late-round league-winning-potential type of pick. Though he’s not as good at initiating offense as Amen, there’s still multi-category upside as he’ll have the summer to work on his game.
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