I have some friends that rarely will want to play dota.
And by rarely I mean they have no idea what 5 heroes in the game do, and do not use items or ults etc. They are, to not their fault, not good at the game.
And so me and some other buddies will be playing in archon bracket unrated lobbies, and they will want to play. And while I don't mind losing games, the games are just so much more difficult with them in it that it is almost not fun. We either have to deal with being on the losing end the entire game, or sweat and have to carry our friends. It's the same scenario in any game mode we play; turbo, draft, etc.
So, I sometimes just don't want to play with them. Anyone have any advice?
Try doing some self-reflection and really deconstructing the reason you don't want to play with them. The reality is they have just as much right to be in that game as you and your feelings toward them are ultimately a personal problem that will you need to work through in order to be a better dota player & friend. You can PM me directly if you want to talk about this further - I can maybe set you up with an online therapist or support group for other people struggling with similar problems
You tell them, winning or losing with you means nothing now, get better, then we'll play. From there you go on a rampage of wins without them so they get motivated.