Delon Wright

Despite a proven ability to contribute on both ends of the floor, Wright once again finds himself in an unfavorable situation. Having been moved to Washington, Wright figures to play backup minutes off the bench, something he is certainly familiar with. Across 71 games with the Hawks in 2021-22, Wright managed just 4.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game. His durability typically sees him suiting up for most games, giving him slightly more appeal when considering total value. Barring any unforeseen changes to the roster, managers can safely avoid Wright outside of deeper formats. However, given what he can do when afforded sufficient playing time, he is a name to monitor as the season progresses.

After splitting last season between Detroit and Sacramento, Wright was dealt to Atlanta in July. While the move brings the Utah product into a better basketball situation, he'll function as the backup to Trae Young on a roster that also features Lou Williams, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kevin Huerter and Cam Reddish. Wright should get first crack at the No. 2 point guard spot, but he may have trouble reaching the 27.7 minutes per game he averaged between his two stops last season. The most likely scenario is Wright's workload settling near where it was in 2019-20, when he averaged 21.5 minutes per game in a reserve role for the Mavericks. Wright's fantasy profile is well-rounded enough that he could still be a low-end option in standard leagues, however -- especially for managers in search of steals. Wright finished 2020-21 ranked fifth in total steals (101) and eighth in steals per game (1.6), and he's ranked in the top 10 in steal percentage in each of the last three seasons.

Wright put together a modest 2019-20 campaign with the Mavericks, averaging 6.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 21.5 minutes. However, he was dealt to the Pistons during the offseason, where he should see an expanded role and could start at shooting guard. The best example for what kind of usage Wright might have comes from the back half of the 2018-19 season, when he was dealt to the Grizzlies. For his final 26 appearances (11 starts), Wright averaged 12.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.8 minutes. With that being Wright's likely upside with the Pistons, he could be worth a late-round flier in standard fantasy drafts.

Wright will take the court for Dallas this season after signing a three-year, $29 million deal. Wright spent his first three and a half years in the league in Toronto, playing primarily as a backup. He was traded to Memphis ahead of last season's deadline in the Marc Gasol trade and had a huge breakout for the Grizzlies to end the year. In 26 games for Memphis, Wright averaged career highs in points (12.2), rebounds (5.4) and assists (5.3), adding 2.2 combined blocks/steals across 30.8 minutes per contest. He's an athletic guard and an above-average rebounder who can score and assist when given the minutes. He's likely to open the season as Dallas' starting PG alongside Luka Doncic in the backcourt, though the Mavericks could choose to play Doncic at the three and Wright at the two. In either case, Wright seems to have a pretty clear path to minutes with his new team, and his all-around game makes him an interesting fantasy player across most formats.

Wright was in consideration for the backup point guard role to start the 2017-18 campaign following the departure of Cory Joseph. However, it was Fred VanVleet that stepped up and secured that role. That left Wright to fight for the bulk of his playing time at the shooting guard position, where he did ultimately find some success. In a career-high 20.8 minutes, Wright finished the season with averages of 8.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steal. He also upped his efficiency across the board, shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from three-point land and 82.9 percent from the charity stripe. Wright's most notable outing of the year came Jan. 3 against the Bulls, when he posted a whopping 25-point, 13-rebound double-double. That shows his overall upside, but it's unclear if the minutes will be there once again during the upcoming campaign. The Raptors dealt DeMar DeRozan to the Spurs, but brought back superstar Kawhi Leonard and seasoned veteran Danny Green. Both players have the ability to play shooting guard, which blocks Wright's path to a bigger workload. At this point, Wright seems likely to fit into a similar role, providing steady defense off the bench and solid, but not spectacular, contributions across the box score. That will limit his Fantasy utility to only the deepest of leagues.

Wright has played in a total of 54 games during his two-year career, with 27 of those coming during the 2016-17 campaign. Despite taking part in less than half of the team's contests, Wright still nearly doubled his playing time, going from 8.5 minutes per game during his rookie season to 16.5 this past year. He translated that to 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 steal, while shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from deep. Wright is considered an excellent defender, but his shot needs some work, which could limit his productivity in his third season. However, the Raptors did trade away Cory Joseph to the Pacers during the offseason, which opens up the backup point guard job. Wright is currently the favorite to take that spot behind Kyle Lowry, although Fred VanVleet could try and push him for it during training camp. Either way, Joseph's departure should mean a significant boost in minutes for Wright, but it likely won't be enough to cement him as a reliable Fantasy target in most leagues.

Snagged with the 20th overall pick in this year's draft, Wright enters the NBA with a profile as an excellent defender and adept distributor who could use a lot of work on his offensive game. In 35 NCAA games last year as the starting point guard for Utah, Wright averaged 33 minutes, 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.0 block, and 0.7 three-pointers while shooting 51 percent from the floor, 36 percent from three-point range, and 84 percent from the free-throw line. At a skinny six-foot-five, he offers length at the position that starter Kyle Lowry can't, but the signing of Cory Joseph likely leaves Wright third on the depth chart, restricting the minutes he'll get as a rookie but also allowing him an opportunity to acclimate to the pros in a low-pressure role. Assuming he uses his time wisely to get stronger, improve upon his slow and awkward release, and develop into at least an adequate shooter, Wright should emerge with a significant spot in the backcourt rotation as soon as next season.