Seth Vigdor
The wait is almost over. Fantasy Basketball is around the corner. There are so many intriguing storylines heading into the season. There are big name players returning to the court coming off of major injuries and there are new stars rising up. But, as always, there are questions heading into the season, and we’re gonna break it down right here, then hit the rankings. I think you’re gonna love the way you look what you read.
10 Questions Heading into the Season
1. Can the Warriors repeat?
The Stephen Curry-led Warriors had an amazing run last year, but we live in a what have you done for me lately type of world. Western Conference teams like the Spurs and Clippers improved their teams a great deal in the offseason, while in the East, you know LeBron James and Cleveland will be back in the title hunt as well. When you’re the Champ, there’s always a target on your back, so teams will be gunning for the Warriors like crazy this year. In addition to that, the Warriors success last year could be attributed to the fact that they mastered the art of playing with a smaller lineup. If you take a look at how things played out in the offseason, teams are following the Warriors lead and adjusting their lineups by going small as well. We shall see how things shake out, but if the Warriors want to repeat as Champs, the other teams in the league won’t make it easy for them.
2. Is this Kevin Durant’s last season with the Thunder?
Durantula is back! However, he becomes a free agent at the end of the season and one has wonder if this will be his last season with OKC if the season doesn’t end with the Thunder hoisting the Championship trophy. Last season was a bust for him, mainly due to his foot injury. Durant only played 27 games on the season, averaging 25.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. The pressure is building on Durant and Westbrook to bring a title to Oklahoma City. With Durant becoming a free agent at the end of the season, it’s only right to wonder if this will be his final chance to compete for a championship in OKC. Durant had the whole offseason to let the foot heal, so he should be ready for another big season, which could be his last, in a Thunder uniform.
3. Will this be Kobe Bryant’s NBA swansong, or just his LA swansong?
I’m not convinced that this will be Kobe Bryant’s last season in the NBA, though his health may be the final decision-maker on that front. I am, however, starting to believe that this will be the Black Mamba’s last season as a Laker. The Lakers organization has been heading in the wrong direction since former commissioner David Stern and the league decided to veto the deal that would’ve made Chris Paul a Laker. Since that moment, the Lakers have been having a difficult time trying to woo in big named free agents. We keep hearing whispers that a big reason for not being able to lure that big stars in is because of Kobe Bryant himself. The Bryant/Dwight Howard tension didn’t help the cause, either. The Lakers aren’t going to win the title this year because they don’t have a good team and we already know that, so the question is, what’s Kobe’s next move after the season? Only time will tell.
4. Does LeBron finally bring the title to Cleveland?
Surely Cleveland fans were disappointed, and pissed off, that the Cavs lost in six games to Warriors last season in the Finals. But realistically with a strong Western Conference, it didn’t seem like it was likely that the Cavs would win anyway. Throw in the Irving injury, and it all seemed but a foregone conclusion. The simple fact that they made it to the Finals is a testament to how great LeBron James is and how bad the Eastern Conference is. One of the Cavs glaring weaknesses was depth on their team and it was exposed in the Finals. Every player from last team is basically back and they’ve added veteran point guard Mo Williams to their team [I’ll talk more about Mo later in this preview]. With the Eastern Conference looking just as bad as it was last year, I’d be stunned if the Cavs weren’t back in the Finals this year. The Western Conference have a few teams that appear ready for a Finals run, the only question that remains is if this is Cleveland’s year. I would never bet against a LeBron James-led team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv3Fjr9fbB8
That man is a beast!
5. Can Paul George be elite again?
Paul George suffered a gruesome leg injury last year and to his credit, he miraculously battled back and played in the final couple of games. The Pacers are one of the teams this year that will experiment with smaller lineups like the Warriors did last year. The Pacers will experiment with George playing at power forward at times this year. They lost David West to the Spurs in free agency and traded Roy Hibbert to the Lakers and they didn’t replace those two with much in regards to big guys, with the exception of adding Jordan Hill. I don’t expect this team to be very good, but I do expect George to remain a focal point of this offense. It’ll be interesting to see how George fares at the PF position, so I’ll temper my expectations on his production. But, clearly the man is a hard worker as he showed with his comeback last year, so if anyone can return from a severe injury and become elite again, it could very well be Paul George.
6. Is this the season that the Clippers take the next step?
This is it! It’s now or never for the Clippers. They either have to get to the NBA Finals this year or they need to reboot their team. They had a very intriguing offseason that started rather bad for them. It appeared that DeAndre Jordan was leaving Hollywood for Dallas. And then it happened. Jordan turned his back on the Mavs and walked away from his verbal agreement with them to head back to LA, where his heart was, and that was a huge win for the Clippers. Joining Jordan in LA is Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson, Josh Smith and Wesley Johnson, all of which are very solid role players that will help solidify their bench. These moves will allow for Chris Paul and Blake Griffin get some more rest during the regular season, which in the long run could prevent their typical playoff collapse. It won’t be easy to make it out of the Western Conference alive, but they do have more chips on their plate than they’ve had in the past. It’ll be interesting to see if they’re going to cash out.
7. Where does the Carmelo/NY saga take us this year?
The Knicks re-signed Carmelo Anthony last year for a boat load of cash. I don’t think it was their wisest decision, as they’re in rebuilding mode right now. They won’t be contending for anything other than a lottery pick for a while. Nobody really knows how this soap opera ends, but I don’t think that he’ll be in a Knicks uniform for much longer. After all, this is the NBA, where the whiny stars run the show and pick and choose when and where they go. It wouldn’t at all shock me if Melo ends up forcing a trade out of NY by the trade deadline or when the season is over. The players always win and this will be no different.
8. Is Rudy Gobert the best center in the league?
The “Stifle Tower” took the NBA by storm last year. Gobert is a monster of a human standing at 7’1’, 245 lbs and he proved it when he got the playing time last year. Gobert played in all 82 games and averaged 8.4 points, 9.5 rebounds and an insane 2.3 blocks per game last year, all while just averaging 26.3 minutes per game. Just imagine what this beast would do if he averaged 10 more minutes per game. I don’t think that you’ll have to wait much longer to find out because I think the playing time will be there this year. If not, the Jazz Head Coach, Quin Snyder will have to have his head examined. This is Gobert’s year in my opinion and between him and Andre Drummond, the league will have a couple of big men that will dominate the NBA for years to come.
9. Can LaMarcus Aldridge take the Spurs back to the promised land?
Do you think that the Spurs want to win the NBA title badly? I’d say so, as they went ahead and signed LaMarcus Aldridge and David West in the offseason. Their big 3 of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are still chugging along and what a great story it would be if they could go out on top. David West took significantly less money to join a Championship contender and he’ll add some depth to the Spurs bench. The Spurs organization as a whole is exceptional and they just know how to bring the right type of players into their system. I’m not certain that they’ll bring home the crown this year, but I do think that with the addition of Aldridge, they have set themselves up for success for years to come.
10. Is Giannis Antetokounpo the league’s next big superstar?
No younger players star is shining brighter than the one of the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo. He’s as versatile with his game as Lebron James and can play any position. His arms are long as can be and his reach allows him to cause havoc while playing defense. The Freak is entering his second season with so much promise. His first season in the NBA saw him play 81 games and average 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. He literally can do it all. I see a lot of Russell Westbrook in his game, though he’s 6’11’ and 222 lbs. The Milwaukee Bucks are going to be real good, real soon. They have plenty of young talent and they seem to be taking a liking to coach Jason Kidd. Giannis will be a big part of the Bucks future for years to come. I think the Freak will take his next step forward this year on his journey to becoming the next big thing in the NBA.
…
Now here’s the top 30 players at each position, according to my rankings. That’ll be followed by my top 150 overall rankings.
Top 30 Point Guards
1. Stephen Curry, GS PG – Let’s see if the Chef can cook up something marvelous again this year.
2. Russell Westbrook, OKC PG – Had a monster season and could’ve been MVP last year if not for Steph Curry’s insane season.
3. Chris Paul, LAC PG – The Clips recruited more help in the offseason, which may cause a slight dip in his numbers. Still, you know what he’s capable of.
4. John Wall, Wsh PG – Wall took a huge step forward last year with his game. Let’s see if he can keep the momentum going.
5. Damian Lillard, Por PG – The Blazers lost LaMarcus Aldridge, which means all of the production will go through Lillard. He could have a monster season.
6. Jeff Teague, Atl PG – Teague is one of the most underrated players in the league. He’s proving to be quite reliable in multiple Fantasy categories.
7. Ty Lawson, Hou PG – His numbers may take a huge nose dive in Houston with James Harden as a teammate, though he should be great in the assist category.
8. Eric Bledsoe, Pho PG – If he stay’s healthy, he should continue to produce big time.
9. Reggie Jackson, Det PG – Great source of assists and the young fella will get plenty of opportunities to put up great numbers.
10. Brandon Knight, Pho PG – With the addition of big man, Tyson Chandler, Knight has extra assists in his forecast this year.
11. Kyle Lowry, Tor PG – Lowry struggled at times last year, but if healthy, he’ll remain a top 10 PG this year.
12. Kemba Walker, Cha PG – The Hornets roster improved in the offseason, so Kemba should see his assist totals rise, while he does need to improve his shooting percentage.
13. Isaiah Thomas, Bos PG – Regardless of who Thomas plays for, it seems he’s never used properly. He’ll produce, whether he starts or not, but he should be the starting PG, no, if, ands, or buts about it.
14. Michael Carter-Williams, Mil PG – MCW is a very solid player, but needs to improve his shooting percentage and cut down on turnovers. His head coach Jason Kidd also needs to stop tinkering with his lineups for MCW to reach his full potential.
15. Mike Conley, Mem PG – Hampered by an injury last year, Conley was Fantasy irrelevant for the most part. He’s healthy again, so I expect 3rd-4th round value from him all year.
16. Goran Dragic, Mia PG – This will be Dragic’s first full year with the Heat and should be a top 8 PG by season’s end.
17. Elfrid Payton, Orl PG – Payton is entering his second season in the league and I’m hoping that we’ll see great maturity from him this year. The kid has a lot of promise and we should expect to see many double digit assist games from him this year.
18. Mo Williams, Cle PG – I love Williams this year. Kyrie Irving is out until January and we saw last year what Williams can do as a starter. I’m going after him in every league that I’m in.
19. Louis Williams, LAL PG – Though Lou Williams won’t start, I foresee rookie struggles for DeAngelo Russell and a tough year for Jordan Clarkson, so I think Williams will turn out to be a very valuable pickup for the Lakers this year.
20. Kyrie Irving, Cle PG – Obviously if Kyrie is healthy, he’d be ranked a bit higher, but he’s out until January and the Cavs signed Mo Williams. I’d avoid Kyrie, but pay attention to how far he drops in your draft. You may be able to get a steal.
21. Derrick Rose, Chi PG – Here we go again! Another year, another injury for Rose. This time he suffered an orbital fracture when he caught an accidental elbow to the face by a teammate. I shouldn’t have to say this, but stay far away from this guy. He’s the Darren McFadden of the NBA.
22. Deron Williams, Dal PG – Deron signed with the Mavs in the offseason and there’s potential for nice Fantasy value here. However, much like Derrick Rose, he’s a hazard waiting to happen. He’s not a bad option in the later rounds, just be prepared for some injuries with him this year, as is always the case.
23. Emmanuel Mudiay, Den PG – I view Mudiay much like Elfrid Payton from last year. He’ll get plenty of playing time, but may be a bit inconsistent in his rookie season and will certainly have to work on his shooting percentage.
24. Rajon Rondo, Sac PG – Rajon Rondo + DeMarcus Cousins + Georg Karl = a train wreck waiting to happen.
25. Ricky Rubio, Min PG – Rubio is a player that I can see getting dealt at the trade deadline. As long as he’s healthy, he’ll give you a nice dosage of assists, but that’s about all.
26. D’Angelo Russell, LAL PG – Russell will likely go through growing pains in his rookie season, but it’ll be interesting to see how he gels with Kobe.
27. George Hill, Ind PG – Hill is already dealing with a minor ankle injury. With the signing of Monta Ellis, Hill’s production (if he’s healthy) will take a dip.
28. Tony Parker, SA PG – Parker will continue to be rested as much as possible by Pop and there’s always a threat of injury with him. He’s not very reliable if you’re expecting consistency.
29. Jrue Holiday, Nor PG – His leg injury has really killed his Fantasy relevance over the last couple of years. He won’t see much playing time until January due to this injury, so I’d avoid him.
30. Brandon Jennings, Det PG – He’ll be out until sometime in November due to the ACL tear he suffered last year and though he’s capable of putting points up every night, he’s an awful shooter. The Pistons have Reggie Jackson already, so Jennings time in Detroit may be dwindling down.
Top 30 Shooting Guards
1. James Harden, Hou SG – The Rockets went out in the offseason and finally got themselves a true point guard in Ty Lawson. It’ll be interesting to see how he meshes with Harden, but you already know that Harden is a Fantasy monster regardless.
2. Klay Thompson, GS SG – He’s a must have in your draft. He’s only going to get better as he ages. Last season he averaged 21.7 points and 3.1 three pointers per game all with a high shooting percentage.
3. Jimmy Butler, Chi SG – We saw last year what Butler is capable of, but when Derrick Rose plays, his numbers take a hit. I don’t have a good vibe about him this year.
4. Victor Oladipo, Orl SG – Oladipo could be scary good this year. He has to work on his shooting percentage, but last season he played 35.7 minutes played per game with averages of 17.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He can do it all and I’m expecting big things from him this year.
5. Gordon Hayward, Uta SG – Hayward is a guy that you need to have on your team. He’s a model of consistency and he took care of a minor Achilles injury he had with surgery in the offseason. He averaged 19.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists last year, while shooting over 80% from the free throw line last year. If that’s not your cup of tea, I don’t know what is.
6. Bradley Beal, Wsh SG – Beal is another guy that if only he could stay healthy, he’d be a Fantasy stud. However, expectations for him always have to be kept in check due to that. I do think that he’ll improve on his 15.3 points per game average from last year. It’s the Wall and Beal show in Washington, so expect some big things to happen.
7. Dwyane Wade, Mia SG – Dwayne wade’s knees are always an issue, so while he produces big time while on the court, I just can’t trust him to be on the court all year for what his ADP will be. I’ll pass.
8. Monta Ellis, Ind SG – Ellis signed with the Pacers in the offseason and along with Paul George, he should be responsible for most of the team’s offensive production this year. He’s a wild shooter at times, but if you can live with that, he’s set to have a big year.
9. DeMar DeRozan, Tor SG – DeRozan averaged 20.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last year. He’s capable of better, but I’m not sure that he’ll reach his potential. Still, I wouldn’t mind rostering him.
10. Andrew Wiggins, Min SG – Fresh off of his Rookie of the Year award, Wiggins will look to build upon a solid first year in the league, with a young T-Wolves squad that should be interesting to watch over the coming years. Keep an eye on a potential sophomore slump though.
11. Wesley Matthews, Dal SG – Matthews is coming off of a year where he ruptured his Achilles, so it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back after signing with the Mavs in free agency. The potential is there, but I’m going to take a wait and see approach.
12. Kevin Martin, Min SG – Martin can put up 3’s with the best of them and is a nice middle rounds target. I do expect him to be dealt at the trade deadline though, as the Wolves continue their youth movement.
13. J.J. Redick, LAC SG – Redick is great for his contribution in the 3’s category, but the Clippers made a bunch of additions to their roster in the offseason. Redick is one of those guys to keep an eye out on to see how those additions affect his production.
14. Kyle Korver, Atl SG – For 3’s alone, Korver will forever be valuable in Fantasy, just don’t reach for him.
15. Kobe Bryant, LAL SG – It’s hard to imagine that Kobe won’t be drastically different after the surgeries that he’s had on his knee and Achilles the last few years. He’ll have some fight left in him, but don’t expect him to ever be an elite Fantasy player ever again.
16. Arron Afflalo, NY SG – Afflalo’s Fantasy value drastically went up by signing with the Knicks. He was traded to the Trailblazers at the trade deadline and was rendered useless for Fantasy purposes. He can hit 3’s, score and pass the rock, so he may very well flourish as a scorer behind Carmelo Anthony.
17. Joe Johnson, Bkn SG – Johnson is what he is at this stage of his career. He’s a shooter on a thin team that will be hot one night and cold the next night. I’d avoid him unless you’re desperate for a SG.
18. J.R. Smith, Cle SG – Much like Joe Johnson, Smith is very streaky. He’ll get his share of playing time with Kyrie Irving out, but his poor shooting numbers are enough to keep me away from him.
19. Alec Burks, Uta SG – Burks is coming off of a season where he underwent shoulder surgery. There’s just not much to get excited about here. Keep it moving.
20. Avery Bradley, Bos SG – For some reason, the Celtics prefer Avery Bradley starting ahead of Isaiah Thomas. I’m not sure why, but as long as he’s in the starting lineup he’ll be pretty valuable, especially if you draft him in the later rounds.
21. Danny Green, SA SG – Green was pretty much useless for Fantasy purposes last year. The Spurs are loaded with talent, so Green can’t really be trusted for anything other than 3’s.
22. Jamal Crawford, LAC SG – I love Crawford’s game. Unfortunately, while he’s on the Clippers, he doesn’t offer much with the new additions to their team. The Clips were trying to trade him a month ago, so I suspect that Crawford will be in a different uniform by season’s end.
23. Eric Gordon, Nor SG – Too injury prone for my liking. I can’t trust him at all.
24. Evan Turner, Bos SG – Turner was stellar in the second half of the season last year. I don’t expect a repeat performance this year, though if the playing time is there for him, he can contribute with scoring and assists.
25. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Det SG – Caldwell-Pope doesn’t do it for me unless you grab him late with 3’s in mind.
26. Ben McLemore, Sac SG – I just don’t see where McLemore can slide in and produce any Fantasy value.
27. O.J. Mayo, Mil SG – The Bucks are heading in the right direction. With that being said, I don’t envision Mayo being part of their future plans, which makes him useless to me in Fantasy.
28. Alexey Shved, NY SG – Before he went down to an injury last year, Shved put together a string of beautiful games. With Afflalo on the team, his production will take a hit.
29. Tony Allen, Mem SG – If you need defensive stats, he’s your guy. He doesn’t do much else.
30. P.J. Tucker, Pho SG – Tucker isn’t a sexy name, but he contributes in multiple categories. He’s a Suns starter, so he should be rostered everywhere.
Top 30 Small Forwards
1. Kevin Durant, OKC SF – Hopefully his foot doesn’t give him any problems. If it doesn’t, look for him to be that big time stud that we’ve known him to be in year’s past.
https://vine.co/v/e06g2EBKwFT
2. LeBron James, Cle SF – LBJ will always be an all-around stud, but down the stretch he’s unreliable in Fantasy as he generally gets some rest down the stretch. A healthy Kevin Love will also take away from his value.
3. Carmelo Anthony, NY SF – Melo missed the second half of the season last year, when he was shut down due to an injury. The Knicks aren’t going anywhere again this year, but he can always be relied on for major scoring when he’s on the court.
4. Paul George, Ind SF – It’ll be interesting to see how the George at PF experiment plays out. He’s naturally more suited for the SF position and ultimately, that’s where he’ll do most of his damage from. His body may take a beating when he’s forced to bang with the big boys.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mil SF – As mentioned earlier, I love the direction that this kid is heading in. His versatility allows for Jason Kidd to become creative with ways that he can get Giannis the ball. More touches equals more value and I’m all in on him.
6. Rudy Gay, Sac SF – His health has always been a concern, but there’s no denying that Gay has talent. I’m just concerned that the Sacramento Soap Opera this year will affect his play.
7. Kawhi Leonard, SA SF – Leonard always benefits from the rest Popovich gives his aging stars during the course of a year. He averaged 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds last season and I could see him easily topping the PPG mark this season.
8. Draymond Green, GS SF – Green was a huge asset in Fantasy last year. He averaged 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game a season ago. If the Dubs want to repeat as champs this year, he’ll need to at the very least duplicate those numbers this season.
9. Tyreke Evans, Nor SF – Tyreke has potential for big numbers this season. Though he’s listed as a SF, he plays PG and SG as well. With Jrue Holiday being eased back into the lineup with his leg issues, Tyreke stands to benefit the most. Just remember that Evans himself tends to miss some time each year due to injuries.
**Injury Update as of 10/25/2015**
Tyreke Evans (knee) is expected to miss 6-8 weeks from his knee surgery on 10/21/2015.
10. Trevor Ariza, Hou SF – What’s not to like about Ariza? He contributes in all categories and he’s an all-around team guy. If you can get him in the 7th or 8th round, he’ll do wonders for your team.
11. Nicolas Batum, Cha SF – It’ll be interesting to see how Batum Fits in with the Hornets. He gets drafted high usually and he’s underperformed the last couple of seasons. But much like Ariza, he contributes in all categories. He’ll be drafted later than usual this year, which will make him more valuable, as his numbers should fall in line with 4th/5th round value.
12. DeMarre Carroll, Tor SF – Carroll had a career season last year with the Hawks. Now with the Raptors, he should be fairly valuable, though you need to be concerned that he’ll be 3rd in line to get the ball behind Lyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.
13. Jabari Parker, Mil SF – Parker’s season ended prematurely last season due to injury. The Bucks have a few SF’s that are really good, so you need to be concerned with how Jason Kidd will tinker with the lineup. Parker has sophomore slump written all over him.
14. Khris Middleton, Mil SF – Kris Middleton was the guy that really stepped up for the Bucks last season when Jabari Parker went down. Much like Parker, Middleton’s value takes a hit with the depth that the Bucks have at the SF position.
15. Chandler Parsons, Dal SF – Parsons had a down season last year. If healthy this year, he should be able to get back to his old school producing ways. Monta Ellis is now on the Pacers, which opens the door for scoring to be divided up between Mavs players.
16. Danilo Gallinari, Den SF – Once again healthy, Danilo could be in line for a big season in Denver. He’ll see time at both SF and PF and he can shoot lights out. The Nuggets won’t be very good, so Gallinari may end up being the team’s leading scorer.
17. Josh Smith, LAC SF – Josh Smith took less money to join the Clippers for a shot to win the title. Points will be spread all over this Clippers team, but Smith will have plenty of opportunities to contribute to this team.
18. Wilson Chandler, Den SF – I’ve never been a fan of Chandler, as I just feel he can’t be trusted for Fantasy. Much like Danilo Gallinari, he too will see his playing time split at SF/PF. There’s potential for solid production from him, I just don’t see him as a consistent player.
19. Thaddeus Young, Bkn SF – The Nets will be a mess this year. Pinch yourself if you’ve heard that before. However, Thad Young will be a guy that is rewarded by that mess. He and Brook Lopez will be the big scorers on the team and Young can contribute in other categories besides scoring. Expect some big stat lines from Young. He’ll be one of the guys I target in my drafts.
20. Luol Deng, Mia SF – In Deng’s first season in Miami, he averaged 14 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season. He always deals with injuries, but the Heat will need him to provide big production this year if they’d like to get back to the top of the Eastern Conference. He’s worth a flier in the 10th or 11th round, but don’t be surprised if you see a decline in his all around play.
21. Otto Porter Jr., Wsh SF – With Paul Pierce leaving for Clipper land, it opens up a void that will need to be filled for production and Porter is certainly one that could fill that void. He’s looking good in preseason and has “Sleeper” written all over his face.
22. Matt Barnes, Mem SF – Barnes recently punched Knicks coach, Derek Fisher in the face and quite frankly he’s a dirty and disgusting human being. He can contribute in multiple categories for Fantasy purposes, but I want nothing to do with him on my team.
23. Harrison Barnes, GS SF – Harrison Barnes really needs to take a step forward this year in the NBA and for Fantasy. With David Lee in Boston now, the Dubs need more production from him. He averaged 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds, while averaging 28 minutes per game last year. His minutes should increase, therefore there’s no reason that his overall shouldn’t increase.
24. Jeff Green, Mem SF – Memphis is a tough place for Green to get back to Fantasy relevance, but he’ll have a shot to be all over the offense this year. For Memphis to take the next step, he’ll have to have a major role in the offense. Target him in the 10th or 11th rounds.
25. Corey Brewer, Hou SF – With Josh Smith in LA, Brewer’s role will increase in Houston. He’s proven to be quite valuable in multiple categories and I suspect that we’ll see more of the same from him this year.
26. Paul Pierce, LAC SF – Pierce’s Fantasy number will take a huge hit this year, but his chances of winning an NBA title have increased. This is Fantasy, so I’ll avoid him.
27. Andre Iguodala, GS SF – The NBA Finals MVP will look to build upon his strong Finals performance. He hasn’t offered much in Fantasy the last few seasons and though I expect a slight increase in his scoring this year, I wouldn’t get all gaga over him for Fantasy from the mirage that was his Finals performance.
28. Stanley Johnson, Det SF – The Pistons went out and got Marcus Morris in the offseason, but the SF that I think is the man to own in Detroit is Johnson. He’ll come off the bench to start the season and he may be a high turnover guy, but I think that he’ll be a guy that you’ll want to own towards midseason.
29. Mario Hezonja, Orl SF – Hezonja will be a guy to target for 3’s only. The Magic already own a bunch of guys that will do the majority of the scoring, but if Hezonja can keep the turnovers down, you may find him useful if you need 3’s.
30. Robert Covington, PHI SF – Though technically a PF, Covington will see a ton of time at the SF forward position this year, due to Jahlil Okafor sliding into the PF position on the Sixers. Covington was one of the lone bright spots on the Sixers last season and I expect him to be a solid contributor to the team this year too. Now that the Sixers have two bigs that will draw the most attention, Covington will find himself in open space more.
Top 30 Power Forwards
1. Anthony Davis, Nor PF – The Legend of Anthony Davis will only grow this year. He’s not just the number one PF in the game, but depending on who you talk to, he’s the number one overall player in Fantasy.
2. LaMarcus Aldridge, SA PF – Lamarcus Aldridge will see his production dip a bit now that he’s on the Spurs, but don’t expect him to disappear from Fantasy value altogether. If you go small in the first round, I’d jump on Andridge at around pick 20. He has plenty of value left in him.
3. Serge Ibaka, OKC PF – Ibaka was off a bit last year, plus he dealt with some injuries. His knack to knock down 3’s makes him a valuable guy to own, although the involvement of Enes Kanter on OKC also drives down some of his value. I can’t trust him as a 2nd round pick, but if he slips to you somehow in the 3rd round, snatch him up!
4. Paul Millsap, Atl PF – Millsap has the ability to fill up the stat sheet quickly and whether it was in Utah or now in Atlanta, Millsap is definitely a guy that you should target. He averaged 16.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last year and those numbers could slightly increase this year.
5. Blake Griffin, LAC PF – As is the case with most Clippers players this year, Griffin’s numbers will take a hit with the addition of solid role players. Still, I wouldn’t shy away from him if he dropped to me in the late 2nd round of a draft.
6. Pau Gasol, Chi PF – Gasol had a magical 1st season in Chicago last year. He averaged 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and was a DFS monster with all of his double, doubles. I don’t see any reason for his production to take a dip, so he’ll be a player that I target everywhere.
7. Kevin Love, Cle PF – I’m sure it wasn’t the season that Kevin Love thought it would be last year in Cleveland. He clearly struggled to find his groove on the Cavs, but they still managed to get close to winning a Championship. I expect more of the old school Kevin Love this year and if he’s available in the 3rd round, I’m pouncing on him.
8. Greg Monroe, Mil PF – Greg Monroe’s move to Milwaukee will make him an absolute Fantasy stud this year IMO. He had a nice rebound year in Detroit last season, but the fact that he no longer has to compete against Andre Drummond for rebounds, makes his value sky rocket. His free throw percentage could use some work, but I won’t worry about that here. I’ll just draft other guys who have high FT%.
9. Chris Bosh, Mia C – Bosh returns this season after dealing with blood clots in his lungs last year. We’re glad that his health his better and he’s always been one of the better big men in the league. Look to draft him no earlier than the 3rd round.
10. Tim Duncan, SA PF – Duncan is like the energizer bunny. He keeps going and going and going. He’s old and though he can still produce, he won’t play in quite a few games this year, due to Gregg Popovich opting to rest him. I’d avoid him, though I love his game when he’s on the court.
11. Tobias Harris, Orl PF – Another player with super high expectations this year is Tobias Harris. Harris was plagued by injury at times last year, but his coach absolutely loves him. He’ll be one of the top scorers on the Magic, but I urge caution on where you draft him.
12. Derrick Favors, Uta PF – There’s plenty of opportunity for Derrick Favors to be one of the league’s dominant players. I’m just not sure that he’ll ever live up to full potential. Though, he’ll be Utah’s top scorer at the end of the season.
13. Zach Randolph, Mem PF – Z-Bo is a double, double threat every night. He’ll enter his 15th season in the NBA, so expect his playing time to be monitored. Still, he’s a guy that should be drafted no later than the 7th round.
14. Kenneth Faried, Den PF – The Manimal averaged 12.6 points and 8.9 rebounds last season. He can and should do better, especially in the scoring department. He’ll see tons of action this year, so I do expect an increase with his production.
15. Dirk Nowitzki, Dal PF – Dirk will see his minutes decreased a bit this season as he gets up there in age. We’re probably looking at 25-28 minutes per game for him. He’s still a deadly shooter and I have a feeling that he has one big season left in him.
16. Nikola Mirotic, Chi PF – You need to pay attention to this guy. We saw last season what he could do in his limited playing time. He should well surpass 20 minutes per game, which he saw last year. This guy is going to be good for years to come. Find a way to get him on your roster.
17. Markieff Morris, Pho PF – Morris is another guy that I don’t have a good feeling about. His attitude has been very negative in the offseason from demanding a trade (then walked that comment back), to not talking to the media like a spoiled brat and he’s a prime candidate to be a headache all year long. He’s not my cup of tea, so I’ll pass on him.
18. John Henson, Mil PF – Henson will be Greg Monroe’s primary backup in Milwaukee. Henson’s game offers a lot of potential, but for some reason his coaches always screw him with playing time. He’s not an awful player to have, but I don’t expect him to produce too much this year.
19. Terrence Jones, Hou PF – Jones was to have his breakout year last season, but was hampered by injuries all year. Trevor Ariza and Corey Brewer will cut into most of Jones’ potential production, so I don’t expect anything fancy from him.
20. Jared Sullinger, Bos PF – When healthy, Sullinger has put up big numbers at times. He’s behind David Lee on the depth chart, but Lee will see a cap on his minutes per game, so there still is opportunity for Sullinger to produce. I wouldn’t look to draft him before the 11th round.
21. Julius Randle, LAL PF – Randle’s rookie season was ended by an injury, now he’s healthy and ready to roll. It’s tough to predict what we should expect from him for Fantasy, especially since he’ll share the floor with Kobe Bryant. However, he’s worth a flier from the 11th round on. Here’s a preview of what may be to come.
https://vine.co/v/e0MlqwbqvHt
22. Tristan Thompson, Cle PF – Thompson hasn’t reported to training camp and is considered a holdout. At some point he’ll return to the Cavs lineup and should be a huge part of their future. He showed what he’s capable of in the NBA playoffs, so the Cavs need to get him back on the court ASAP.
23. Kristaps Porzingis, NY PF – Porzingis could be a flop or he could be the next Dirk Nowitzki. He’s flier material in the later rounds of your draft.
24. Taj Gibson, Chi PF – Gibson is always a rebounding threat, but there’s a log jam of bigs in Chicago, so unless there’s an injury or two, don’t expect much from Gibson.
25. Ersan Ilyasova, Det PF – Ilyasova has always had lots of promise, but that promise to date hasn’t ended with much result. He finds himself now as the starting PF on his new team, the Detroit Pistons, so this is the last shot that I’m giving him. The opportunity is there, but the question remains what he’ll do with it.
26. Ryan Anderson, Nor PF – Ryan Anderson has suffered through tragedy in his life over the last couple of seasons. As a player though, he remains very valuable with his 3 point shooting. He’s not a bad player to have if you can grab him in the 9th round.
27. Mason Plumlee, POR PF – Mason Plumlee when given the opportunity has been a threat in recent history for double, doubles. Now on Portaland and with no LaMarcus Aldridge, Plumlee should average 30 minutes a game and could be a steal in the later rounds of the draft.
28. Myles Turner, Ind PF – Indiana really has no big men, other than Jordan Hill. By default Turner could be a solid player to have for rebounds.
29. Noah Vonleh, POR PF – The young Vonleh, will get plenty of opportunity to show his new team what he has to offer. Though he may be a solid player at some point, he may only get 10-15 minutes per game to start the season, which makes him undraftable unless you’re in a deep league.
30. Amir Johnson, Bos PF – Johnson’s value takes a huge tumble now that he’s in Boston. I wouldn’t touch him at all unless you need a bigger body on your team. You could do way better elsewhere.
Top 30 Centers
1. DeMarcus Cousins, Sac C – Cousins is the best Center IMO, despite being in Sacramento’s soap opera. However, there are grumblings of a “tender heal” with Cousins. Keep that in back of your mind when considering him with your first pick.
2. Rudy Gobert, Uta C – I spoke about him earlier and if I have the opportunity to pull the trigger on him, I’ll do it in a heartbeat. I love this guy!
3. Andre Drummond, Det C – With Drummond, you know you get awful free throw shooting. But, with Greg Monroe in Milwaukee, you could be looking at a lot of 20 point, 20 rebound games from Drummond this year. That’s too good to pass up.
4. DeAndre Jordan, LAC C – Jordan had a monster season last year and if he didn’t spurn the Mavs in free agency, he might’ve had a shot to duplicate that season. But, by returning to the Clippers, it’ll be tough to have another year like that. Fantasy isn’t the reason that he went back to LA, so I’m certain that he’s not too concerned with this assessment.
5. Marc Gasol, Mem C – Gasol averaged 17.4 points and 7.8 rebounds last season with the Grizzlies. I project both those numbers to slightly increase this season making him a top 5 Center.
6. Nikola Vucevic, Orl C – Boy did the Sixers screw up by trading Vucevic a couple years back. He’s a double, double threat every game as he averaged 19.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game last year. I expect a slight dip in those numbers this year, but he’s still a guy that I’ll target in all of my drafts.
7. Dwight Howard, Hou C – Howard had a bad 2014 season. He missed most of the season due to a knee injury and all of his numbers were career lows. In addition, he can’t hit a free throw for jack, so I can’t really recommend you drafting him for any reason.
8. Al Horford, Atl C – Al Horford has always been a tremendous player, but the Hawks are a team that don’t rely on one player only. That in itself will keep Horford’s overall Fantasy production down.
9. Hassan Whiteside, Mia PF – Hassan Whiteside did some great things last season in Miami. However, there were small signs of immaturity along with his health and foul trouble. I think the expectation for him is huge this year and I expect him to be a huge let down. I’m not saying I’ll avoid him in drafts, but I’m going to be mindful of my gut feeling.
10. Nerlens Noel, Phi C – Noel is more of a defensive Center and will contributes with rebounds and blocks. He’s currently dealing with a knee and back contusion, so keep that in mind when drafting. Those issues, especially the back may linger during the season.
11. Brook Lopez, Bkn C – Lopez stands to be one of the primary scorers, along with Thad Young this season in Brooklyn. As is always the case with Lopez, monitor his ankles, which seem to give him issues every season.
12. Al Jefferson, Cha C – Al J has always been one of the more dominant Centers in the league, but it’ll be interesting to see what Jefferson does this year as he dropped 20 pounds in the offseason. He’s still a nice 5th round target for your drafts.
13. Karl-Anthony Towns, Min C – KA Towns may be the rookie to watch this year. He could be the focal point of the offense for this young T-Wolves team. He shows lots of potential and will probably be drafted by the middle of the 4th round. I myself do not like to put too much stock in rookies, but if I were to do so, Towns would be one that I would do so for.
14. Jahlil Okafor, Phi C – Though he’s a Center, Okafor will see most of his work this season at PF. Still, he’s a versatile big man and will see a lot of the Sixers offense go through him. He has 8th round value, but could produce 6th round numbers.
15. Joakim Noah, Chi C – Noah is very active on the defensive end in Chicago and though I’m not high on him this year, he could be a steal for your team if he falls to you in the 10th or 11th round.
16. Marcin Gortat, Wsh C – Gortat had a decent year last season averaging 12.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. He’s a nice mid to late round target and should contribute similar numbers to 2014.
17. Robin Lopez, NY C – I’ll speak on Lopez a bit later on in this article, but he’ll see great opportunity playing in New York now. Target Lopez in the 8th round, as he could be one of the bigger surprises this year.
18. Tyson Chandler, Pho C – Now in Phoenix, Chandler has always been a great source for rebounds and that won’t change this year just because he’s on the Suns.
19. Enes Kanter, OKC C – With Kevin Durant back, there won’t be much opportunity for Kanter to be useful. Though I like him as a player, his Fantasy value is in the toilet and I wouldn’t touch him.
20. Jonas Valanciunas, Tor C – Every year we expect it to be Valanciunas’ breakout year and every year it’s not. I don’t trust him and he won’t be on any of my Fantasy teams.
21. Gorgui Dieng, Min C – Dieng takes a back seat this year to rookie Karl-Anthony Towns. Still, we know that Nikola Pekovic will go down to an ankle injury, which will make Dieng a solid guy to have as a backup. He can give you boards and blocks.
22. Jusuf Nurkic, Den C – He’s a young guy that gets talked about within the Fantasy community as having tons of upside. I like him, but I don’t think he’ll get a chance to shine this year.
23. Nikola Pekovic, Min C – I dare this guy to stay healthy one season. He won’t though, so look away!
24. Frank Kaminsky III, Cha C – I like this guy’s game, but I don’t think he’ll be relevant this year in Fantasy. I’d still take a flier on him in the 11th round.
25. Andrew Bogut, GS C – Bogut is now the only real Center on the Dubs. His injury history still concerns me and for that reason alone, I can’t roster him.
26. Timofey Mozgov, Cle C – It’s a crowded front court in Cleveland, but Mozgov can produce when he’s give playing time.
27. Roy Hibbert, LAL C – Hopefully, Hibbert’s career can be revitalized in LA. He could see big rebounding numbers with Kobe shooting the ball, but he has below average offensive skills.
28. Bismack Biyombo, Tor C – He’s the backup Center in Toronto and can only really provide blocks when he’s on the court.
29. Anderson Varejao, Cle C – See Timofey Mozgov at #26.
30. Kelly Olynyk, Bos C – Olynyk has talent, but the David Lee acquisition really kills most of his value. It’s a shame, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.
Now that you’ve seen my thoughts on my top 30 players at each position, let’s see where they rank (if they even do rank) in my overall top 150.
Overall Top 150 Players
1. Anthony Davis, Nor PF
2. Stephen Curry, GS PG
3. James Harden, Hou SG
4. Kevin Durant, OKC SF
5. Russell Westbrook, OKC PG
6. LeBron James, Cle SF
7. Chris Paul, LAC PG
8. DeMarcus Cousins, Sac C
9. John Wall, Wsh PG
10. Carmelo Anthony, NY SF
11. Paul George, Ind SF
12. Damian Lillard, Por PG
13. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mil SF
14. Klay Thompson, GS SG
15. Kawhi Leonard, SA SF
16. Rudy Gay, Sac SF
17. Jimmy Butler, Chi SG
18. LaMarcus Aldridge, SA PF
19. Rudy Gobert, Uta C
20. Andre Drummond, Det C
21. Paul Millsap, Atl PF
22. Pau Gasol, Chi PF
23. Jeff Teague, Atl PG
24. DeAndre Jordan, LAC C
25. Greg Monroe, Mil PF
26. Kevin Love, Cle PF
27. Serge Ibaka, OKC PF
28. Blake Griffin, LAC PF
29. Marc Gasol, Mem C
30. Al Horford, Atl C
31. Ty Lawson, Hou PG
32. Draymond Green, GS SF
33. Eric Bledsoe, Pho PG
34. Victor Oladipo, Orl SG
35. Gordon Hayward, Uta SG
36. Bradley Beal, Wsh SG
37. Reggie Jackson, Det PG
38. Chris Bosh, Mia C
39. Nikola Vucevic, Orl C
40. Tyreke Evans, Nor SF
41. Dwight Howard, Hou C
42. Hassan Whiteside, Mia PF
43. Tim Duncan, SA PF
44. Brandon Knight, Pho PG
45. Kyle Lowry, Tor PG
46. Brook Lopez, Bkn C
47. Al Jefferson, Cha C
48. Karl-Anthony Towns, Min C
49. Dwyane Wade, Mia SG
50. Kemba Walker, Cha PG
51. Monta Ellis, Ind SG
52. Tobias Harris, Orl PF
53. Isaiah Thomas, Bos PG
54. Jahlil Okafor, Phi C
55. Marcin Gortat, Wsh C
56. Michael Carter-Williams, Mil PG
57. DeMar DeRozan, Tor SG
58. Andrew Wiggins, Min SG
59. Wesley Matthews, Dal SG
60. Mike Conley, Mem PG
61. Derrick Favors, Uta PF
62. Trevor Ariza, Hou SF
63. Goran Dragic, Mia PG
64. Nicolas Batum, Cha SF
65. Zach Randolph, Mem PF
66. Elfrid Payton, Orl PG
67. Dirk Nowitzki, Dal PF
68. Nikola Mirotic, Chi PF
69. Ricky Rubio, Min PG
70. DeMarre Carroll, Tor SF
71. Kevin Martin, Min SG
72. J.J. Redick, LAC SG
73. Kyle Korver, Atl SG
74. Kenneth Faried, Den PF
75. Kobe Bryant, LAL SG
76. Joakim Noah, Chi C
77. Jabari Parker, Mil SF
78. Arron Afflalo, NY SG
79. D’Angelo Russell, LAL PG
80. Louis Williams, LAL PG
81. George Hill, Ind PG
82. Tony Parker, SA PG
83. Khris Middleton, Mil SF
84. Chandler Parsons, Dal SF
85. Robin Lopez, NY C
86. Emmanuel Mudiay, Den PG
87. Mo Williams, Cle PG
88. Thaddeus Young, Bkn SF
89. Markieff Morris, Pho PF
90. Dennis Schroder, Atl PG
91. Rajon Rondo, Sac PG
92. Danilo Gallinari, Den SF
93. Joe Johnson, Bkn SG
94. Deron Williams, Dal PG
95. Kyrie Irving, Cle PG
96. Enes Kanter, OKC C
97. Jrue Holiday, Nor PG
98. Derrick Rose, Chi PG
99. Gorgui Dieng, Min C
100. Gorgui Dieng, Min C
101. Mario Hezonja, Orl SF
102. Jordan Clarkson, LAL PG
103. J.R. Smith, Cle SG
104. Alec Burks, Uta SG
105. Avery Bradley, Bos SG
106. Danny Green, SA SG
107. Jonas Valanciunas, Tor C
108. Josh Smith, LAC SF
109. Wilson Chandler, Den SF
110. John Henson, Mil PF
111. Jamal Crawford, LAC SG
112. Eric Gordon, Nor SG
113. Luol Deng, Mia SF
114. Terrence Jones, Hou PF
115. Julius Randle, LAL PF
116. Otto Porter Jr., Wsh SF
117. Tyson Chandler, Pho C
118. Ersan Ilyasova, Det PF
119. Tristan Thompson, Cle PF
120. Kristaps Porzingis, NY PF
121. Ryan Anderson, Nor PF
122. Frank Kaminsky III, Cha C
123. Robert Covington, Phi PF
124. Jeff Green, Mem SF
125. Evan Turner, Bos SG
126. Jusuf Nurkic, Den C
127. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Det SG
128. Jared Sullinger, Bos PF
129. Tony Allen, Mem SG
130. Taj Gibson, Chi PF
131. Jarrett Jack, Bkn PG
132. Nikola Pekovic, Min C
133. Myles Turner, Ind PF
134. Andrew Bogut, GS C
135. Jeremy Lin, Cha PG
136. O.J. Mayo, Mil SG
137. Alexey Shved, NY SG
138. Timofey Mozgov, Cle C
139. Matt Barnes, Mem SF
140. P.J. Tucker, Pho SG
141. Zach LaVine, Min PG
142. Ben McLemore, Sac SG
143. Langston Galloway, NY SG
144. Trey Burke, Uta PG
145. Rodney Hood, Uta SG
146. Bojan Bogdanovic, Bkn SG
147. Isaiah Canaan, Phi PG
148. Roy Hibbert, LAL C
149. Corey Brewer, Hou SF
150. Marcus Smart, Bos PG
Every season there are a few guys that come out of nowhere and make a huge impact. Here are my top 5 sleepers going into the season.
Sleepers
1. Mo Williams, Cle PG – The Cavs were a solid PG away from winning the NBA Championship last year. Depth on their roster killed them and the way that Mo Williams was playing on the T-Wolves really could’ve worked wonders for the Cavs in crunch time. Mo now reunites with Lebron, with whom he played with early in Lebron’s career to see if he can get them over the hump this year. Kyrie Irving is out until at least January, so Mo will get a chance to do what he does best. He can score when asked to, drive and dish the rock and he brings a passion that the Cavs appear to be missing. Mo is an older player, but if he can stay healthy, he’s going to put up big time numbers in Cleveland.
2. Robin Lopez, NY C – The Knicks were in desperate need of a decent big man and they went out and got one in the offseason. Robin Lopez left Portland and is now a Knick. He couldn’t get from out of the LaMarcus Aldridge shadow in the Pacific Northwest. With no sight of competition standing in his way in New York, Lopez will thrive. Carmelo Anthony will no doubt be the leading scorer again for them, but he jacks up a lots of shots and Lopez should be able to clean up on the boards most nights. It’s a reasonable expectation to expect a double, double for Lopez nightly. He’s a guy to start thinking about in the 7th round of drafts (though he’s more of an 8th round type of player).
3. Louis Williams, LAL PG – Lou Williams contributes nicely to any team he plays on. While the Lakers have some young talent at the PG position, Kobe Bryant is all about winning. With that being said, who’s the guy at PG that will give them the best shot to win (though they suck)? That’s right Lou Williams will give them the best shot. He may come off the bench, but make no mistake about it, Williams will see a lot of playing time. Williams averaged 15.5 points per game last season with the Raptors. I expect his scoring to stay about the same, but with Kobe on the team, look for his assist totals to go up. I don’t see how Kobe will be able to play as many minutes as he has in the past, due to his recent injuries, so look for Williams to be part of many lineup rotations. Lou-Will is in for a big year in Hollywood.
4. Emmanuel Mudiay, Den PG – The Denver Nuggets went out in the offseason and traded PG Ty Lawson to the Rockets and drafted Emmanuel Mudiay with the seventh pick of the NBA draft. Mudiay will have all of the opportunity in the world to succeed in Denver. As is the case with most rookies, he’ll have his ups and downs. He’s very young and he’ll need to focus on his shooting percentage. But, his assists should be around 10+ every night and he’s very explosive and should be able to contribute with double digit scoring. He’s a quicker Elfrid Payton, so just be patient. He should have one of the better rookie seasons this year.
5. Ersan Ilyasova, DET PF – A hole in the front court of Detroit was left when Greg Monroe signed with the Bucks. Ilyasova is a different type of player than Monroe and his time was clearly up in Milwaukee. The talent is there, but a combination of lineup tinkering and health issues prevented Ilyasova from taking things to the next level. I think that he’s a right fit in Detroit and I expect him to be a big time player in this Pistons offense. If it doesn’t happen now, it won’t ever happen for Ersan.
Every season there are players that come into the season with high expectations, but they end up stinking up the joint like no other. Here are my top projected busts of the year.
Busts
1. Hassan Whiteside, Mia PF – With so much hope and promise will come a huge letdown. Whiteside’s maturity isn’t there and he’s one of those people that will always find a way to hold themselves down. The good news is that there’s positive leaders around him on his team like Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. I just can’t shake the negative feeling that I have about him this season.
2. Kyrie Irving, Cle PG – This isn’t the biggest shocker, considering Irving’s season won’t start until at least January due to injury. However, I just think Mo Williams will be too valuable to the Cavs and Irving will never quite find his groove this year. There’s always next year.
3. Jimmy Butler, Chi SG – The one thing that Butler has going for him is that Derrick Rose is injured again. When Butler plays alongside Rose, his value takes a hit. Butler had a great 2014 season averaging 20 points, 3.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. He had an insane first half of the season and while he cooled off a bit in the second half, he and Pau Gasol were what made the Bulls good last year. I just don’t think Butler can perform at that level two years in a row.
4. Tobias Harris, Orl PF – Harris should be one of the Magic’s top scorers this year along with Vucevic and Oladipo. He generally misses some time throughout the year with injury and I think it’ll be tough for him to maintain his solid shooting percentage that he’s had over the last couple of years. He’s been thriving in Orlando so far, but he needs to improve his free throw shooting and he’ll need to adapt to Oladipo being the guy. The Magic are an up and coming team, I think they’ll show some glimpses of the good and the bad this year and I expect Harris to have a rough time this season, while they figure things out.
5. Rajon Rondo, Sac PG – I just can’t imagine how a player like Rajon Rondo walking into an already dysfunctional team locker room could be good for any of the parties involved. We’ve seen how Rondo has handled the past whether it was Boston or Dallas. Now he enters Sacramento, who at one point was considering firing their new head coach, George Karl, a week or so after they hired him, due to his rift with DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins himself can be a giant baby at times, so adding Rondo to the mix will not be a good thing. This one is going to blow up early and Rondo isn’t good enough to warrant me dealing with this hassle.
Let’s have some fun now. Here are my predictions for the 2015-16 season.
Fantasy MVP: Kevin Durant (OKC)
NBA Regular Season MVP: LeBron James (CLE)
NBA Rookie of the Year: Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)
Coach of the Year: Jason Kidd (MIL)
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Milwaukee
Western Conference Finals: LA Clippers over Oklahoma City
NBA Finals: Cleveland over LA Clippers
Finals MVP: LeBron James (CLE)
Get the popcorn ready because it’s going to be a great season.
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