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Playing for his third team in as many years, Daniels saw his workload spike a bit in Phoenix, averaging 20.5 minutes per game after previously seeing action in 17.7 minutes with the Grizzlies. However, Daniels chipped in with just 8.9 points and 1.6 rebounds, keeping him off the radar in Fantasy leagues. It was his three-point shooting and floor spacing ability that kept him on the floor, as Daniels hit 2.3 three-pointers per game at a 40.0 percent clip. Look for him to provide more of the same ahead of the upcoming season. The Suns added Mikal Bridges in the draft and also still have guys like Devin Booker, T.J. Warren and Josh Jackson soaking up the bulk of the wing minutes. As a result, Daniels could struggle to match his numbers from a season ago and will likely just be another depth option on the wing that can consistently hit three-pointers.
Daniels saw the biggest role of his career last season, averaging 17.7 minutes per game in his 67 appearances and making three starts. In those minutes, he posted 8.2 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest. While those numbers aren’t eye-popping, Daniels is one of the better three-point shooters in the league, drilling 38.9 percent of his looks from deep last season and 40.6 percent on his four-year career. He flashed legitimate upside last season, too, securing seven games with at least 20 points, including an impressive 31-point outing against the Lakers on Dec. 3 in which he shot 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. Daniels could certainly see an expanded role heading into the 2017-18 campaign with the Grizzlies, as the team hasn’t made a move to re-sign starting shooting guard Tony Allen. And, while Memphis picked up Ben McLemore and Tyreke Evans over the summer, McLemore likely won’t be fully healthy until early-to-mid November due to a foot fracture and still has to prove himself as a starting option; Evans isn’t a great perimeter shooter and is used more as a ball-handling sixth-man. It’s tough to tell exactly what Daniels’ role may be considering the re-shaping of the Grizzlies roster heading into next season, though it wouldn’t be surprising if his workload got a bump to around 20-25 minutes per contest. He’s still not an ideal Fantasy player due to his uncertain workload and lack of supplementary stats, but could be worth a flier in the late rounds of deeper formats.
Since going undrafted out of VCU in 2013, the 25-year-old Daniels has made a career for himself as a three-point sniper off the bench, but he's yet to land a regular rotation role over his three NBA seasons. However, after landing a three-year, $10 million contract from the Grizzlies this offseason, it appears Daniels could have his biggest opportunity to date to land consistent minutes in the league. While Tony Allen will open the season as the Grizzlies' starting shooting guard, he's been injury prone over the last several seasons and doesn't offer much value on the offensive end, which will likely prevent him from regularly surpassing 30 minutes per game. Daniels will try to win some of that leftover playing time, and given his outstanding 43 percent mark from three-point range for his career, he would seemingly profile as the Grizzlies' best reserve option at shooting guard, especially after 39-year-old Vince Carter regressed badly in 2015-16.
In his second season, Daniels averaged 3.7 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.1 steals in eight minutes per game through 47 regular season games with the Rockets, Wolves, and Hornets. He shot 37 percent from the field, 36 percent from deep, and 85 percent from the free-throw line. Daniels averaged 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 31 minutes per game at the Orlando Summer League, sinking 3.0 three-pointers per game on 55 percent from beyond the arc. The 24-year-old who is entering the final year of his deal and will likely have to compete for minutes with Jeremy Lamb, P.J. Hairston, and Jeremy Lin, but it's possible Daniels' outside shooting will help net him the most time of those four.
After going undrafted during the 2013 NBA Draft, Daniels spent most of the 2013-14 season playing in the NBA D-League. Near the end of the NBA's regular season, he was signed by the Rockets in an attempt to increase their guard depth for the playoffs, and he ended up making appearances in five games with one start. In the limited action, Daniels showed some promise, as he finished the year averaging 8.4 points, 0.8 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 2.4 three-pointers made in 15 minutes per game. He shot 48 percent from the field and 48 percent from behind the arc. Daniels also received some spot minutes in the first round of the playoffs, which added at least a little more experience to his resume. He should have a reserve role this season behind James Harden at the shooting guard position, but newly acquired Jason Terry may have something to say about the backup position. He'll also have to make sure guys like Francisco Garcia and rookie Nick Johnson don't outperform him and take even more of his playing time. If that occurs, there might be some more time in the NBA D-League waiting for Daniels.