Rodney McGruder

McGruder played very sparingly last season, only appearing in 16 games. However, when he was given opportunities, he was very efficient. The veteran guard averaged 5.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists across 12.1 minutes per game while shooting an impressive 52.9 percent from the field and converting three-pointers at a 45.8 percent clip. The Pistons have plenty of young depth at the two-guard, including the first overall pick Cade Cunningham, Josh Jackson, Hamidou Diallo and Frank Jackson. This will likely leave McGruder without a spot in the daily rotation and keeps him out of fantasy relevance.

McGruder signed a three-year, $15 million deal with the Clippers this offseason after being waived by the Heat. The swingman spent his first three years in the league with Miami and averaged 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists across 23.5 minutes last season, making 45 starts. McGruder can play either position on the wing, though he figures to be the third option at best at small forward and shooting guard after the Clippers acquired Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. George and Leonard are locked into starting roles, and it appears Landry Shamet is too, leaving McGruder to scrap for minutes off the bench. Playing time could be hard to find, with Mo Harkless and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams coming off the bench ahead of him. McGruder was a quality addition to an increasingly deep Los Angeles rotation, but his fantasy value is minimal, and he can be avoided in most formats.

Due to a leg injury, McGruder didn't make his season debut until late February, going on to play 18 games for the Heat. He held a relatively small role, seeing 16.6 minutes per night and averaging 5.1 points with 1.8 rebounds. The attempts were limited, but the 26-year-old shot 15-of-35 from thee (42.9 percent), an upgrade from his rookie mark of 33.2 percent. It’ll continue to be difficult for the Kansas State product to garner significant run, as Miami’s logjam on the wing didn't get any relief over the offseason. Even in deep Fantasy leagues, owners would be best to avoid McGruder.

McGruder, in his first NBA season last year, saw a solid 25.2 minutes per game, largely due to a myriad of injuries plaguing the Heat. The 6-foot-4 wing underwhelmed, however, posting just 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 73-of-220 (33.2 percent) from beyond the arc. He’s a gritty defender, despite being undersized. Ultimately, the Heat are hoping he can turn into a more proficient three-point shooter and ball-handler as well. That said, he may struggle to find the workload he garnered last season, especially if the team stays relatively healthy. He’ll be fighting with the likes of Tyler Johnson, Justice Winslow, Josh Richardson and Wayne Ellington for reserve minutes at the shooting guard and small forward. Even if he does see a tad over 25 minutes per game again during the 2017-18 campaign, he’s a very low-usage player, which generally doesn’t bode well in a Fantasy context.