It's funny that every year at the NBA Draft, once the end of the guaranteed money and live appearances arrives at the end of the first round, everybody tunes out and refers to the 60th pick as "Mr. Irrelevant." That's not very accurate though, is it?Speaking historically, the title of "Mr. Irrelevant" could just as easily be applied to each pick in the draft, as organizations differ greatly in their evaluation of talent and their own needs, particularly in a year without the NCAA tournament. The nickname just doesn't reflect how basketball works anymore. Executives strategically stockpile second-round draft picks for the less burdensome financial obligations, and organizations in rebuilding mode get super creative to field a respectable team on a budget.Particularly in the NBA where worldwide talent is plentiful and positional lines continue to fade, the opportunity is everything: in the right situation, the right under-the-radar player can make an immediate, poignant statement. With professional development leagues for 16-18-year-olds, an ever-expanding set of domestic/international opportunities due to the sheer growth of basketball, and widespread NIL rights for college athletes, players of all levels and localities are starting to get their due exposure and now have enough freedom to hone their skills in a place, and at a pace, that fits best with their path to the NBA. 

Introduction

I am inherently skeptical and distrusting of scouting from the high school level to pre-Draft. That's why in this annual article, I tend to favor overlooked college players (love the mid-majors/non-power conferences) with either well-rounded, polished games or specific statistical specialties.We are going to discuss a handful of 2023 second-round picks and undrafted free agent signees who, given their individual skillsets and circumstances, warrant the attention of Fantasy Basketball Managers as potential high-impact rookies for the 2023-24 campaign who can quietly be acquired on clearance once they start showing signs of emergence.As I will frequently emphasize and reiterate: in 2023, there is very little difference between the vast majority of second-round draft picks and undrafted free agents--it always all comes down to the skillsets they possess, their capacity for growth, and the situations they've landed in.Seasons will be made and broken with early identification of the diamond-in-the-rough rookies. I used to list out the many examples from the past season in this introduction portion, but we are now in a beautiful era where there are just too many to count. There is also very little separating the featured players below and those dubbed "Honorable Mentions"--so put in the work and keep an eye out throughout the regular season for who is receiving and seizing their opportunities. 

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe led the team in scoring for a second game in a row Sunday versus Sacramento, finishing a 124-115 loss with 24 points on 6-for-11 shooting. He was 4-for-8 with the three-ball and padded his tally at the free-throw line with an 8-for-11 effort. Across 28 minutes of action, Joe also registered three assists. The 23-year-old has proven himself as a very good shooter, and he's earned extra opportunities in recent games due to the absence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle). Joe has picked up back-to-back starts, and across the whole season, he's now averaging 19.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a starter, with 48.5 percent shooting from deep.

Free-agent guard Isaiah Joe will sign a multi-year contract with OKC. Joe has spent his entire two-year career in Philly, where he averaged only 3.7 points and 1.0 rebounds in 96 games. While the 23-year-old has a great deal of potential, he's still far from being a day-to-day fantasy producer. However, Joe is someone to keep stashed in dynasty formats, and his 34.9% career shooting from deep gives him some value in category formats, even more so if he receives minutes for his new team.

The Philadelphia 76ers waived guard Isaiah Joe on Thursday. The former second-round pick seemed to be gaining traction in head coach Doc Rivers' rotation until this preseason. Last year, he averaged 3.6 points, 1.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists on 35% shooting overall and 33.3% from deep. As a three-and-D guard, his numbers left a lot to be desired. Reports coming from the Sixers camp, however, seemed to show that he was getting better and in line for more minutes. Now he'll be on the market for any team looking to boost their shooting. Fantasy managers shouldn't have Joe on their radar right now, even in deeper leagues.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Isaiah Joe (shoulder) lasted only eight minutes before exiting Sunday's loss to Brooklyn with a right shoulder injury. It was a tough break for Philly, especially since he's looked so good throughout the Summer League. It's unknown if the 23-year-old will be seen again in Vegas. However, Joe has played well enough to earn a more prominent role in the rotation in 2022-23. He's someone to watch and is worth a late-round pick in fantasy drafts heading into October.

Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Seth Curry (ankle) has been ruled out for Friday's contest vs. the Clippers, paving the way for Isaiah Joe to slide into the starting five for the first time this season. Curry has battled ankle soreness as of late, which may have contributed to back-to-back single-digit scoring efforts on the heels of a 12-game stretch where he averaged 17.8 PPG and scored in double figures on every occasion. His absence should funnel higher usage toward Furkan Korkmaz, but Joe will have an intriguing DFS case in his own right; in his lone prior career start, he collected 13 points and four rebounds across a 45-minute showing. Curry's next chance to return comes Sunday against San Antonio.

Philadelphia 76ers small forward Matisse Thybulle and shooting guard Isaiah Joe have been ruled out for Saturday's game against Indiana as they remain in the league's health and safety protocols. Thybulle has missed each of the Sixers' previous four games, while Joe has been down for the past five, leaving the team's wing depth severely tested. Known primarily for his defensive acumen, Thybulle had cracked the starting five prior to being sidelined, giving him some season-long intrigue in deeper formats. Joe will be a DFS-only option on nights without primary ballhandlers moving forward. The next chance for either to return comes Tuesday vs. the Jazz.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Isaiah Joe (knee) was injured during Sunday's 99-96 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Joe left the Summer League contest early after suffering an undisclosed left knee injury, although it was later determined that he had sustained a mild MCL sprain. As a result, the 2020 second-round pick will head back to Philly, where he will receive a more extensive evaluation from team medical personnel. The 22-year-old averaged only 3.7 points throughout 9.3 minutes across 41 games last season. While dynasty managers should give Joe another year or two to develop, he certainly won't see the floor enough during the 2021-22 campaign to warrant a roster spot in redraft formats, regardless of size.