Wazzup razz nation! This article is primarily going to cater to the more casual reader, simply because I’m not going to go into any in-depth stat analysis, for this particular post. Basically, this is going to address some of the pet players we have on this site, and why we adore them. I’m not going to cover most of the first few rounds with players like Andrew Wiggins and Rudy Gobert, since they have been covered in a fair amount of detail previously. Without further ado, lets dive in!
I know, I know, he’s been covered a ton. I feel the need to mention him because of recent comments indicating he won’t be in the starting lineup. To calm everyone’s fear, this in no way lowers his value. It’s very rare for rookies to start right away unless they’re high lottery picks. Larry Bird and the Pacers organization have clearly showed strong support for him. In fact, Bird recently said that he was possibly the best shooter in training camp! So seriously, don’t let that bother you. He’ll be starting soon enough. If you want my past analysis on Turner, you can check it out here: HERE
Nikola Mirotic
Post all-star break, Mirotic balled out! The crippled Bulls desperately needed a spark-plug and Mirotic filled that role to a T. With the Bulls great playoff schedule, (Check Slim’s awesome novel for that info) and a rickety Bulls frontcourt, the appeal is obvious. Personally, I’m not quite as high on him as some for one particular reason. Defensive fundamentals are sometimes overlooked in fantasy, because they don’t show up on paper. However, they are very important when determining playing time. Mirotic is a defensive sieve, since he’s not quick enough to guard the 3 and not strong enough to guard the 4. This gives the defensive minded Bulls a problem, and for that reason, I highly doubt that he tops the 26 minutes that he averaged last year by much. (Post all-star break minutes)
An absolutely freakish point-forward, Gordon is just plain fun to watch in the open court. He has a great handle, 3 pt. range, insane athleticism, and a good situation in Orlando, not much to dislike here. The one concern is FT%, but odds are he won’t kill you there, so feel free to draft away. JB currently has him ranked at 101, and that’s definitely fair for now, but it’s important to note that the sky’s the limit for this kid’s potential.
JB’s love interest… Not a huge fan personally, so moving on!!
Justin Anderson
Wes Matthews and Chandler Parsons are both recovering from injuries, and beside that, Anderson will be the first wing off the bench. The minutes are going to be there for him, and the talent is certainly there. Anderson stands 6’6″ and has the ability to play any position from shooting guard, to power forward. He has great drive, good athleticism, a solid handle, and he’s crazy strong as well. Add to that, his ability to shoot from range, and you have a very dynamic player. With Matthews shelved to start the year, it’s a travesty that this kid is undrafted in many 12 teamers. This desperately needs to change… You can make a difference!!
Nemanja Bjelica
Another one of JB’s favorites, just because he can pronounce the name now! For those of you who don’t know the name, Bjelica (I’m calling him BJ from now on, so I don’t have to keep looking back to spell check) is a 27 year old veteran 6’10” power forward who just came over from Serbia. He has a very versatile skill-set with great range, solid shot blocking ability, as well as the solid percentages that come with most Euro ballers. He should get solid run as a stretch four for the T-wolves, and the talent is hard to pass on. A little caution is advised though, since Euro players don’t always make a smooth transition to the NBA.
Here’s a little preview to get familiar with him:
The handcuff for Howard in Houston, and he’s basically Dwight-lite. Per 36 he averages 13 points, 14 boards and 3.5 blocks with great FG% and attrocious FT%. So basically, he is Howard at half the price. Capela is a great late round blocks option, and he’s a pretty safe bet to be more than that, given the fact that Howard can be out for weeks with a paper cut.
That wraps it up! Let me know if any of you want deeper explanations or want explanations of any of the rankings for that matter. Also, eel free to comment your drafts below if you want a brutally honest opinion! First regular season game starts in only 27 days people! Leggo!
P.S. I made my second and last RCL drafting on the 17th. Feel free to join!
