Fantasy basketball hot topics of the week: Dallas’ debacle, Noah Clowney’s breakout – The Athletic

One of the reasons I love the Olympics is the exposure to sports I don’t follow daily. One such sport is rowing. The synchrony of each rower slicing their oars through the water, propelling a boat up to 14 miles per hour, is mesmerizing. Elite teams make everything look so smooth, elegant and effortless, that I can barely believe the speed. Then… bam! … the finish line.

For fantasy basketball, the water is rarely calm, producing swells that can overwhelm the best of ships:

Fred Tanneau / AFP via Getty Images

But we row as one, and together we shall overcome.

Naomi Baker / Getty Images

I’m not the coxswain in the front with the GBR on the back. No, I’ve got two oars helping to guide this little boat to the finish line. We will be entering Week 5. We’ve made so much progress on our journey, but the season is long — stay vigilant and focused. Here’s what caught my eye over the past week:

Debacle in Dallas

The Mavericks are 3-9, Nico Harrison was fired, and the offense has been poor, ranking last in the NBA. Jason Kidd began the season with Cooper Flagg at point guard and D’Angelo Russell coming off the bench. Russell was still playing around 29 minutes per game, but then Kidd reinserted him into the starting lineup, only to play him 17 minutes per game. Shrug.

I had optimism for Russell coming into the season due to the massive void at point guard in Dallas, but I once again fell for the banana in the tailpipe, putting too much emphasis on opportunity rather than talent. When will I ever learn? Russell is shooting just 36% from the field and averaging 4.8 assists per game, but his defense is putrid, and he lacks footspeed.

Enter Brandon Williams, who has started the past two games and averaged 33 minutes, 18 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals. Last season, there was a six-game stretch in March when Williams averaged 29.7 minutes, 18.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.7 steals, so Kidd knows that this recent production isn’t a mirage. That flurry of production got Dallas to convert Williams from a two-way contract to a standard two-year contract worth $2.3 million.

Brandon Williams 20-7-2 (9/14 FG) in 22 MP pic.twitter.com/trS022o499

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) October 30, 2025

Williams is only 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, but he is roadrunner-quick and can break down defenses in a way Russell can’t even dream of. The roster construction is well-suited to mask some of Williams’s defensive deficiencies. The only question is if Kidd will stick with Williams.

I think he will because no one else can provide the juice that Williams can.

Toronto Quartet

The Toronto Raptors were one of the teams that confounded a bit in the offseason. Toronto had a triumvirate of Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, but traded for Brandon Ingram in February. Ingram did not play for Toronto last season due to an ankle injury. With Ingram’s return, would there be too many cooks in the kitchen, and how would the usage rate pie be divided?

With New Orleans, Ingram garnered a usage rate in the 28-30% range. Last season for Toronto, Barrett led the way at 27.6%, Barnes was at 26%, and Quickley was at 24.2%.

Through nine games this season, Ingram is at 25.7%, Barrett is down to 23.7%, Barnes is at 24%, and Quickley is at 20.6%.

While the usage rates have all come down, the efficiency has spiked. Ingram is shooting 50% compared to 46% last season, but that was in only 18 games. In the two prior seasons, Ingram converted around 49% of his field goal attempts. Barrett is at 51%, up from 47% last season. Barnes shot 44% last season and is at 50% now. Quickley shot 40% last season and is at 42% this season, but he was in the 43-44% range the prior two seasons.

Toronto is 10th in offensive rating. Last season, they were 26th, so this quartet is producing pleasant tunes.

Book of Isaiah

The Lord works in mysterious ways. Last season, Isaiah Collier was inactive for the first seven games of his career, then played in a reserve role when he entered the rotation. In January, though, he became the starter for Utah, relegating Keyonte George to a reserve role.

Collier suffered a hamstring injury in the offseason and missed the first eight games of this season. Over that span, George has thrived and looks to have leveled up.

Since returning to action this season, Collier has played an average of 23 minutes in three contests, starting only one of those games. In his most recent outing, Collier contributed 14 points, six rebounds, 11 assists and a block. I’m thinking that the Jazz are bringing Collier along slowly and could eventually ramp him up to 30 minutes per game, possibly even starting alongside George.

Collier, like the aforementioned Brandon Williams, provides juice on offense that cannot be replicated by anyone else on the roster. He is so quick and strong, with an ability to attack the rim and break down defenses that makes life easier for everyone else. Utah was sixth in pace last season and is 13th so far.

No Clowning on Clowney

Noah Clowney has tantalized early in his career, but has yet to put it all together. Drafted by the Brooklyn Nets with the 21st overall selection in the 2023 draft, Clowney oozed potential at 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds with the ability to space the floor while being a defensive presence.

Over the last five games, Clowney has started and averaged 30 minutes, 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks and 2.4 treys while shooting 38% from the field, 30% from downtown and 76% from the line. The shooting efficiency isn’t great, but the contributions across the board are nice. In addition, Clowney bulked up over the offseason and can attack closeouts and ISO defenders into the paint and convert.

NOAH CLOWNEY BULLY BALL 💪😤 pic.twitter.com/DJ3Pmvyw0m

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 6, 2025

Michael Porter and Cam Thomas have been out of the lineup, opening up a slot for Clowney, but during his second start, Porter, Clowney and Thomas were all in the starting lineup, so there’s a good chance he can maintain his current level of play.

Is there risk that Clowney turns into a pumpkin? Absolutely, but Clowney has developed, is still young, and is on a tanking team — heshould be one of the players whose growth and experience is prioritized.

The Return of …

• LeBron James has yet to play this season but has been doing some 5-on-5 work. He could be back next week. James has consistently garnered a usage rate in the 30% range. That number could go down slightly but will likely still be in the high-20s. Luka Doncic is sporting a 38% usage rate while Austin Reaves is at 31%. Last season, Doncic was at 35% and Reaves was at 24%. Reaves is likely to take the biggest usage-rate hit with James back.
• Jalen Williams has been shooting in pregame warmups, but Williams has not been cleared for practice yet. With the Thunder rolling, there’s no motivation to rush Williams back. It sounds like a few more weeks until we see Williams back. It will be interesting to see if it’s Ajay Mitchell or Cason Wallace who heads to the bench with Williams back.
• LaMelo Ball has missed the past five games due to an ankle injury. Ball has been practicing with the G League team, so his return looks imminent. Sion James is likely to return to the bench with Ball back. A backcourt of Ball, Collin Sexton and Kon Knueppel looks mighty appealing now.
• Coby White has yet to play this season due to a calf injury, but he could return in the next week. White participated in a full practice with the G League team on Monday. Tre Jones likely heads to the bench with White back, unless Josh Giddey is still out.
• Zach Edey has yet to play this season, but his return could be very soon. Edey has been working out with the Grizzlies and the G League team. His return would send Jock Landale back to a reserve role.
• Paul George has yet to play this season, but he is in the “final stages,” whatever that means. I’m assuming that George would be on a minutes limit and wouldn’t play back-to-backs. His return would send Trendon Watford back to a reserve role, but Watford would still play around 20 minutes.