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One change I’ve made for the rest of the Top X pieces is that I will not be including the stat boxes. That distinction is only for the Top 50. In Son’s world, there are certain things that need to be earned. I’m all about meritocracy. If you want to see the stats for any of the players, click HERE.
THIS IS NOT A RANKINGS PIECE. The order I have players is based on my projections and overall value for category leagues. Where I’d draft a player depends on ADP, categorical need, and roster construction. Keep that in mind when going through all my Top X pieces and when choosing who to draft in your leagues. The FG and FT numbers are weighted for volume.
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- GORDON HAYWARD – There’s Flash Gordon. Commissioner Gordon. Well, Hayward isn’t flashy in game or statistical contributions. Meh Gordon? But he is a very good baller and has exquisite hair so that seems disrespectful. He’s definitely not the top dog like a commissioner but he’s not a patrolman either. Anyways, I just spent way too much time trying to think of something and I couldn’t come up with anything. Please, share your suggestions in the comments below. Hayward has had some injuries in the past, so there’s some risk there. When he’s on the court, though, he plays around 34 minutes per game and contributes points, tres, boards, dimes, and steals. The percentages are very good. The only blemish is the low block number of 0.4.
- CHRISTIAN WOOD – If Christian can make his free-throw percentage rise up to the heavens, then the Wood of all fantasy nerds will reach the same heights. I may have suppressed Wood a bit. Placed two condoms instead of one due to the free-throw shooting. Because outside of that, everything else gives me Wood. 20 points. Tres from the big man position. Tons of boards. The dimes are light but he could be a 1/1/1 player. The field goal percentage is over 50%. And he likely has dual eligibility. I was raised as a Christian but haven’t gone to church in a while because of many thoughts I have of religion. If Wood can be an efficient shooter from the line, then my faith shall be restored. Am I going to Hell for this blurb?
- TERRY ROZIER – In his first four seasons in the league, Rozier shot 27%, 36%, 39%, and 28% from the field. But then he broke through that 40% barrier and ended up converting 42% of his attempts in 2019. Last season, he went another notch higher and finished at 45%. So, the trend is our friend but….why am I thinking about musical chairs and pyramid schemes right now? The blocks are light but he’s a guard so Saul Goodman. He scores, provides tres, gets his 211 on, and contributes a healthy amount of boards and dimes. It really is all about the percentages.
- ANTHONY EDWARDS – I was very impressed with Edwards last season. Physically, he is just so imposing that he looks like he belongs. And the highlight-worthy plays exhibited that. For a man of his size, he has tremendous technical skills as well. We know/knew that he could score but it was the playmaking that truly impressed. The efficiency from the field drastically improved as the season went on as well. 41% from the field on the season but 48% over the last 16 games. There is some risk, though. The Timberwolves are healthy now so some usage could seep away. What will the offensive pecking order be? We don’t know until we see all the guys play together but the upside is there for Edwards.
- LONZO BALL – Love him or hate him….Wait, are there people who love, Lavar? If you answered yes, please tell us why in the comments section. Anyways, I think he’s a clown but I get the schtick and there are some things I respect. He got people to talk about him and he raised three sons who can flat out Ball. Oops, my mistake. Two sons. Lonzo doesn’t have as high a ceiling as LaMelo but he is a damn good Baller in his own right. The shooting efficiency from the field will likely always be an issue but he does convert his free throws and the form on the J has improved so there’s some hope. The boards, dimes, and steals are voluminous while he contributes some points and tres. He also blocks well for a guard. It will be interesting to see the pace at which the Bulls play at and how he meshes with the other ballers on the Bulls. There’s tons of talent so the dimes projection could be light.
- MITCHELL ROBINSON – Mr. Robinson’s neighborhood reminds me of those Google villages that are constantly talked about. The ultimate utopia where things are grand and pleasing to the senses. But there are issues, with privacy being at the forefront. In Mr. Robinson’s neighborhood, it’s all about the blocks, steals, and field goal percentage because they are elite, and blocks are such an in-demand resource that those who can get their Mutombo on don the crowns. He’s bulked up to handle the Embiids of the world. There are plenty of warts, though. The free-throw shooting stinks and there are injury concerns, as he hasn’t even been cleared to play yet. There’s also the Taj Mahal and Noel, Noel, Noel potentially taking playing time away. If, and it’s a big if, he plays and gets 28 minutes per game, he could be a fantasy beast. Just remember that he requires a certain build.
- BUDDY HIELD – Our Buddy doesn’t provide much in the way of defensive cats and doesn’t shoot with the greatest of efficiency. He does score a ton of points and makes it rain from downtown. He averaged four tres per game last season, good for third in the NBA. Only Damian Lillard and Steph Curry averaged more tres per game. What elevates our Buddy from the typical tres specialist is that he actually grabs some boards and dishes out dimes. Now, there is some risk as Luke Dummyhead Walton could pare his minutes down with the implementation of more three-guard lineups consisting of Fox, Halliburton, and Mitchell.
- JULIUS RANDLE – Julius was not the King of New York last season. He was the Emperor. He played a whopping 37.6 mpg and averaged 23.1 points, 2.3 tres, 10.2 boards, and six dimes while shooting 45% from the field and 81% from the line. That was good for a top 40 finish for fantasy. Prior to last season, he had cracked the top 100 only once. The improvements came from more tres and the spike in dimes to six. His previous high was 3.6. Now, while Thibs is a maniac and will play his guys a ton or minutes, which provides a high floor for Randle, I do expect him to cede some usage with the new players brought into the mix.
- DEJOUNTE MURRAY – Murray has been oft-injured in his career, so Pop has slowly brought him along. He played 8.5 mpg his rookie season then 21.5 and 25.6. Last year, he broke through the 30 mpg barrier and averaged 31.9. I’d expect another bump up and Murray should see a slight usage bump with DeMar DeRozan no longer on the team. Murray excels in boards, dimes, and steals while taking good care of the ball. Over 7 boards from the guard position are beautiful. He can score and will average somewhere in the teens but the tres are a little light and he doesn’t get his block on. That’s good for social media but troublesome for fantasy. The percentages are good at 45% from the field and 79% from the line.
- JAREN JACKSON JR. – Two more Js and he could be the Jackson Five! Editors not: That was stupid and doesn’t make any sense. JJJ could be a 1/1/1 player and I may be way too low on him. The only area where he doesn’t contribute much is dimes. Outside of that, the blocks are elite, he can score 20 ppg, is a big man who can provide tres, get his 211 on, and grab boards, although it’s a little light for the position. As is the field goal percentage but the boards and FG% being light are the result of him hanging out in downtown. I get it. That’s where most of the action is in cities. Not so much for fantasy, though. Anyways, the excellent free-throw percentage mitigates the hit in boards. You don’t find this combination often from bigs. If he can stay healthy, a top 25 season is not out of the question.
- DEMAR DEROZAN – After spending nine seasons in Toronto then the last three with the Spurs, DeRozan hopped onto the jetstream and rode the wind to Chicago. Will that same wind blow him out of town or will the offensive talent produce a tornado of fantasy goodies? It’s going to be interesting to see how the new squad gels. As for DD, the usage will likely take a small hit. That said, he should still score around 20 points and deliver excellent percentages while contributing boards and dimes. He’s basically a zero in the blocks and tres departments, though, so be cognizant of your squad. That said, the field goal percentage boost from the guard position is mighty tasty, especially when it gets real ugly later in the draft. Editor’s note: DeRozan has both G and F eligibility on some sites. Maybe not all.
- KELLY OLYNYK – O is for orgasm. O is for offense. O is for Olynyk because he provides it all. That ain’t no problem for the Big O, though, as a three-year, $37 million contract makes Detroit a heavenly place. Kelly O provides good percentages, tres, and some dimes and steals from the big man position. He has dual eligibility and Dwayne Casey said that he would play him alongside Isaiah Stewart at times. Yummy. The minutes should be secure and his ability to stretch the floor will be important for the offense.
- LEBRON JAMES – LBJ will be long gone by now. He has an ADP of 28 in NFBKC leagues. Granted, those are 8-cat leagues so he gets a boost but even in 9-cat leagues, he will likely get scooped by the third round at the latest. Yes, he’s an amazing player and will provide plenty of counting stats, and can mess around on any given night. There are plenty of concerns which ding his overall value, though. He’s 36 years old now and has experienced injuries over the last few seasons. The signing of Russell Westbrook tells me that the Lakers want to lighten the load for LeBron. So, there could be a slight playing time dip. Then there’s the high turnover rate and poor free-throw shooting. Every category is weighted equally so you can’t just dismiss any. If you’re punting free throws, then LeBron gets a big bump up so make sure you have the right build when rostering LBJ.
- PASCAL SIAKAM – Siakam is recovering from a shoulder injury and is expected to be back at the end of November. He’s often falling into the seventh round of leagues so he can be a tremendous value if he’s fully recovered. That said, injuries are always scary. Siakam has disappointed somewhat as expectations were elevated after Kawhi Leonard left. He was stepping into a more alpha role but Fred VanVleet explained the situation amazingly:
Fred VanVleet was asked about Pascal Siakam’s comments to The New York Times (that he didn’t feel like ‘the guy’ after signing his extension). His answer was as nuanced as you would expect from FVV: pic.twitter.com/LVeljgxdXT
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) September 27, 2021
Siakam stuffs the stat sheet and has an outside chance of being a 1/1/1 player if he can channel his inner Mutombo. The percentages are good and he is a 20-point scorer. With Lowry no longer on the team, the pecking order is more defined now so that may alleviate some of the issues in prior years. Nick Nurse loves to play his guys so the playing time is going to be voluminous. It’s really just all about the health.
- ZION WILLIAMSON – What’s the O/U on the people calling me an idiot for having Zion here? 100? Well, I’d be happy with that because that means at least 100 people have read this piece. People love Zion because he’s a freak of nature. He’s built like a bull but has the hops of a flea. He’s an unstoppable offensive force in the paint, skies to grab boards, dishes out some dimes, and converts a ridiculously high percentage of his field-goal attempts. He’s also a highlight machine and is constantly on ESPN. That said, the defensive stats are lacking, he provides little tres, and the free-throw shooting is poor. I fronted on his ability to make improvements in the defensive cats and free throw shooting last year, and he did. As a result, he went from a top 200 player to a top 75 one. Can he continue to improve or is he topped out?
- BROOK LOPEZ – The blocks plummetted from over two in each of the past two seasons down to 1.5 last year. Anamoly or the New World Order? Where that number comes in is a huge piece of his overall value because he doesn’t provide much else in terms of counting stats outside of tres. The allure of Brook is that you get tres and blocks from the big man position with excellent percentages.
- DRAYMOND GREEN – One of the most unique players in basketball, both real-life and fantasy. The IQ is off the charts which produces high defensive numbers and dimes. He’s a playmaker while being one of the worst shooters in the league. People sag off him on offense, which affects the spacing of the entire team, yet he still makes an impact on the offensive end. The boards, dimes, and defensive stats are muy bueno. The points, tres are muy yucko. The percentages are decent but both are on low volume that the impacts are mitigated.
- KEMBA WALKER – Kemba is 31 years old and has missed plenty of games over the past few seasons due to injuries. He’s still a certifiable and professional getter of buckets and will provide those tres and dimes. He even rebounds well for a guard and gets his 211 on. How will he mesh with Emperor Randle? Will he take usage away from him or will it be the other way around? How much will he play? We know that Thibs is a maniac so will he throw caution to the wind and play him a ton? Will he sit back-to-backs? There are plenty of unknowns, being on a new team with new players and a coach.
- DANIEL GAFFORD – Gafford exhibited some great things last season. He can Mutombo with the best of them, grab boards, and shoot a sky-high percentage. All he does is mainly dunk so that makes sense. The depth chart looks favorable as well and he could start. The playing time will all depend on how Montrezl Harrell and Thomas Bryant are utilized.
- KYLE LOWRY – Did you know that Lowry was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 24th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft? After playing three seasons there, he went to Houston and played four seasons before spending the next nine years in Toronto. I had forgotten all of that. Well, the recently minted Mr. Toronto now takes his talents to South Beach. The playing time will come down because there are only a few maniacs like Nurse. That said, he should provide points in the teens, tres, boards, dimes, and steals. The turnovers are palatable but you won’t get many blocks and the field goal percentage is always an issue. It will be interesting to see how he and Jimmy Butler divvy up the alpha pie.
- JONATHAN ISAAC – Isaac could be a 1/1/1 player with elite production in the defensive stats. He’s so long and nimble. That said, he’s missed a chunk of time due to injuries and the Magic will likely be very cautious with him. Another thing to consider is that he is one of the unvaccinated players in the NBA. Unlike Kyrie and Wiggins, Isaac will be allowed to play his home games but there is still risk from that perspective. We just don’t know.
- JAKOB POELTL – You want a player who will tank your free-throw percentage? Where do I sign up? Then Poeltl is your man as he will convert around 50% of his attempts. The volume isn’t huge so the impact is mitigated a bit but still. That’s a terrible number. What Poeltl provides is plenty of blocks and sky-high field goal percentage. Oh, plenty of boards too. He’s the typical big man with the untypical spelling of his name. Blocks are such a premium asset that those who provide them get elevated big time. Crypto, oil, or blocks. The Holy Trinity of assets in our world currently.
- JERAMI GRANT – Grant willingly took his talents to Detroit last season. A brave, brave soul. Well, alcohol brings many men and women to be brave, so does $60 million spread out over three years. Grant got out of the gates hot last season and was one of the best values from drafts. He garnered a usage rate of around 30% and provided a ton of points, tres, boards, and blocks. As the season went on, though, the production dipped and he was often near top 200 level. The field goal percentage was a big bugaboo while the counting stats outside of points dropped off. He ended as a top 80 player but it could’ve been worse without the hot start. The usage rate will drop with Cade Cunningham in town but the efficiency could increase as a result because he won’t be the focal point of the offense.
- NERLENS NOEL – Noel only played 24 mpg last season yet still put up top 70 numbers. 1.1 steals, 2.2 blocks, and 60% field goal percentage will do that. Let us exalt his name: Similar production should be expected once again and, like most big men, he won’t crater your free-throw percentage (70%). With Mitchell Robinson still not being cleared to play, there is some upside that he could see an uptick in playing time if Mr. Robinson’s neighborhood is closed for any period of time. He won’t suck up all the action, though, as the Taj Gibson Mahal is still open for business.
- DE’AARON FOX – Fox is another player who will be long gone, as his ADP in NFBKC drafts is 24. There’s so much to like about Fox from a fantasy perspective. He plays a shit ton of minutes, will be among the league leaders in scoring, dishes out dimes, drains tres, and gets his 211 on. The field goal percentage is good for a guard too. As with most guards, the boards and blocks are light which isn’t a big deal but it’s the free-throw percentage that really dings his overall value. It’s on big volume too so the impact hurts.
- DARIUS GARLAND – Garland is a popular sleeper pick this season. And for good reason. Over the last nine games last season, he was a top 75 player, averaging 19.8 points, 2.2 tres, 2.1 boards, 6.9 dimes, and 1.6 steals while shooting 47% from the field and 84% from the line. With how the roster of the Cavs shapes up, he and Collin Sexton should garner most of the usage on offense. This late in the draft, it’s tough to find dimes and guards that won’t kill your percentages. Garland is a zero in the blocks department so be wary of that.
- MALCOLM BROGDON – Michelle kept swiping left until she found a gorgeous picture. Malcolm. Ok, after swiping right and exchanging pleasantries, M & M decided to meet up for dinner. As Michelle walked through the doors of the restaurant, Malcolm stood up to greet her. Michelle already knew the face. And it was gorgeous. Then her eyes went to the torso. Mmmmm. Then to the hips. Mmmmm mmmmmm. Then the legs. POK POK!!! That’s essentially Brogdon for fantasy. He scores close to 20 points, provides tres, and a handful of dimes and boards. When you get to the defensive stats? Niet. While the free-throw percentage is great at 86%, the field goal percentage fluctuates. It was 45% last season but it was 43% the year before and 50% the season before that.
- BEN SIMMONS – BS. Just tons of it flying around the internet these days. BS videos of world domination at the YMCA. BS headlines about trades. BS is a great fantasy asset in the right build. He’s great in boards, dimes, steals, and field goal percentage. He provides no tres, the blocks are light, and the free-throw shooting is poor. He was a top 100 player last season but there was so much BS regarding BS’s situation. He likely won’t play for the 76ers. How can he after getting thrown under the bus? Will he get traded, though, and what situation will he be entering? There’s a ton of unknown. In the right system, though, he can be a fantasy beast once again. He’s been a top 50 player twice in his career. Granted, he can only be utilized in certain builds but in those builds, he’s far from BS.
- ANDREW WIGGINS – Oh, Wiggins. He’s another unvaccinated player but unlike Isaac, if he doesn’t get poked then he will not be allowed to play home games. If he was Michael Jordan, then drafting him at potentially only half a season is worth it. For Maple Jordan, can’t do it. The free-throw shooting isn’t great but the efficiency from the field certainly spiked playing in Golden State. He’s almost a 1/1/1 player if he upped the blocks and we know he can score. That said, 41 games is a shit ton of games to miss. And it sounds like he’s planted his flag and will fight for his right to invite a COVID party.
- MARCUS SMART – Smart will likely be the starting point guard for the Celtics. He’s not the most prolific scorer due to the sub-40% shooting from the field, but he does provide a healthy amount of tres and shoots 80% from the line. Go figure. The dimes are nice and he gets his 211 on. He’s also not a zero in the blocks department while the turnovers are manageable at a little over two per game. He’s an across-the-board contributor who absolutely tanks your field goal percentage.
- DEVIN BOOKER – I expect plenty of hate from this piece because there are so many players that will get drafted higher than where I have them. Booker is being drafted as the 24th player in NFBKC drafts. He’s one of the best pure scorers in the game and his shot is butter. He also provides counting stats with boards, dimes, and tres. The turnovers are high, though, and he’s severely lacking in the defensive cats. Pre-CP3, Booker was averaging close to seven dimes a game. With CP3, that number is down to four. Hence, the main reason why his overall value has dropped from 22 two years ago to 75 last season.
- NICOLAS BATUM – Batum is Bizarro Booker. He’s a low-usage player who won’t score many points but he contributes a little something something in everything, especially the defensive cats. I probably have him a touch too high here but I think he plays a ton with no Kawhi. The field goal percentage isn’t great but it isn’t Smart-level either. He’s probably better suited for roto leagues so I’d drop him a smidge in H2H leagues because he lacks that upside punch.
- D’ANGELO RUSSELL – Snitches get stitches!!! There was a time when Russell was a top 50-ish player. Not sure he ever gets back to that level, as KAT and Anthony Edwards will soak up too much usage. That said, he will provide a ton of points, tres, and dimes. He even chips in steals but the field goal percentage is rough, the free-throw shooting isn’t great, and the turnovers are high. Good for the buffet, not so much for fantasy.
- DEVONTE’ GRAHAM – Graham was a tough one for me. The usage and shot attempts will go down as he will now be playing alongside Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. That said, he provides a ton of dimes with tres and points. He’s a zero in blocks and light on steals but the free-throw shooting is excellent and the turnovers are low. He’s shot under 40% from the field in each of the past three seasons but, on a volume-weighted basis, I have him down for 42%. Not great but at least above 40%. We shall see. Anyways, points and dimes are what Graham is about. Like any Graham cracker, though, very brittle and can leave plenty of crumbs on the ground.
- MILES BRIDGES – Awww, sheeittt. Is someone else going to sell me another Bridges? I don’t have any more money! You wiped me clean with Mikal. Over the last 12 games of the season, Miles was a top 20 player for fantasy! He thrived with LaMelo and feasted in transition. As a result, the field goal percentage climbed above 50% for the first time in his career. He provides some defensive stats while grabbing boards and draining tres. The role won’t be the same as that month-long stretch last season and the Hornets have brought Kelly Oubre into the mix. That said, he should be a solid across-the-board contributor without hurting you in the percentages.
- NORMAN POWELL – Powell was brought to Portland to make the potent duo of Lillard and McCollum into a Holy Trinity of Lillard/McCollum/Powell. Stormin’ Norman can flat out score and averaged 18.6 points with 2.5 tres last season. He got his 211 on and grabbed some boards but he’s light in dimes and blocks. The great thing with Powell is that he shoots 47% from the field despite shooting most of his attempts from the perimeter, converts his free-throw attempts, and doesn’t turn the ball over. He finished as a top 75 player for fantasy last season and should be in that range once again.
- AL HORFORD – Horford was another tough one for me as I don’t know what his role is going to be. I have Time Lord high as a result but I settled on them splitting the center minutes right down the middle. Horford is the antithesis of sexy. Sorry, Momma Horford. I don’t mean like that but from a fantasy perspective. He won’t score many points, but he will provide some tres and dimes from the big man position. The free-throw shooting is good but it’s on low volume while the efficiency from the field is meh. He grabs boards and contributes a little something something in the defensive cats. A master and disaster of none.
- EVAN MOBLEY – Rookies are so tough. Historically, only true outliers have made an impact their first season in the league. That said, the range of outcomes is wide for Mobley because he has remarkable skills but can he hold up to the rigors of the NBA? He makes his hay on the defensive end and should contribute right away in those areas but he’s a good passer and can score from all three levels. The free-throw shooting may not be great, though. Mobley should get plenty of run on a shitty Cavs team but things may start out slowly for him. By the end of the season, he should get as much run as he can handle.
- DUNCAN ROBINSON – A Tres-Without-the-D specialist, Robinson was fifth in the NBA for 3PM, 10th in 3PA, and 38th in 3P%. 49 players converted at least 40% of their attempts from downtown last season. Remember that this Mr. Robinson From the Other Neighborhood converted 44.6% of his attempts two seasons ago, good for fourth in the league. Dribble hand-off action with Bam is deadly and gives him plenty of good looks. With Lowry in the mix, he could get more open looks as well so that efficiency could increase. MRFON doesn’t provide much else, though, outside of the occasional board.
- KYLE ANDERSON – I like Mr. Anderson a lot, even though he kept trying to kill my boo Neo in the Matrix. He’s a better roto player than for H2H but he’s still valuable there because he contributes across the board. He doesn’t excel in anything category though. He shot 78% from the free-throw line last season but that has been all over the place throughout his career, so tough to trust. He’s posted a 78% season and a 57% one. That said, the turnovers are low and he chips in everywhere.
- TJ MCCONNELL – The playing time will likely decrease from last season but if LeVert and Warren can’t go, there’s a chance he receives a similar load. Momma and Poppa McConnell must be commended because they taught TJ that sharing is caring as he averaged 6.6 dimes last season. That said, TJ rebelled as he became adept at stealing, averaging 1.9 a game. The field goal percentage is over 50% from the field but the volume is light. The free-throw shooting isn’t great but the volume is super light there as well. So, you’re looking at a dimes and steals specialist with both stats becoming scarce as drafts unfold.
- LARRY NANCE JR. – In Portland now and will likely see a decrease in playing time. Nance averaged 31.2 mpg last season and I have him down for 28. It always boggles my mind that he’s always had poor block numbers, especially with his length and athleticism. It is what it is. He does get his 211 on, grabs rebounds, and will contribute some tres. The field goal percentage is excellent at over 50% but the free-throw shooting is poor. The volume isn’t abundant but enough to still hurt. This Nance is all about the romance but love does hurt from time to time.
- BOJAN BOGDANOVIC – I swear that I didn’t put the BoBogs back to back on purpose. It is just one of the Great Coincidences of our generation. Like magnets, they were drawn to each other. Or maybe they have the special ESP to confuse the Matrix and manipulate the numbers. Whatever the case may be, that kind of power is too much for me to even contemplate messing with. Points, tres, and boards for BojBog. No defensive stats but the free-throw percentage is good and he will provide a duce of dimes. That sounded nasty.
- BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC – I may be too low on BogBog, especially since he finished as a top 55 player. He scores, provides tres, contributes a trifecta of boards and dimes, and gets his 211 on. The percentages were excellent last season at 47% from the field and 90% from the line. I don’t see him replicating those lofty numbers again, though, which ding his overall value. He had never shot higher than 44% from the field prior to last season and had shot 74% from the line two seasons ago.
- JORDAN CLARKSON – Much of Clarkson’s value derived from the injuries for the Jazz last year. As a result, he played almost three more minutes and attempted three more shots on average. The usage rate also spiked up four percent from the prior year. There should be some regression this season but he should still provide plenty of points and tres. He does chip in a little in the dimes, boards, and steals categories but nothing to write home about. The field goal percentage can be rough but the free-throw shooting is excellent.
- THADDEUS YOUNG – Young is now a Spur after spending last season with the Bulls. It was a revelation of a season for Young as he filled the point-forward role and dished out 4.3 dimes per game, Prior to that, he had never averaged more than 2.5. I think Pop will utilize him in a similar fashion so the dimes should be there again. Young grabs boards and contributes in the defensive cats without much in the points or tres departments. He’s a unique fantasy player. The field goal percentage is good but the free-throw shooting is the big bugaboo. Young is enticing for the things that he offers but makes you pay for it in other ways. So rude.
- JOE HARRIS – Another Tres-Without-the-D specialist, Harris is not your Average Joe, though. He averaged 3.1 tres and 14.1 points last season. He plays over 30 mpg and shoots well from the field – 50% from the field and a league-leading 47.5% from downtown. The Nets are going to be a high-flying team with or without Kyrie and Harris should get plenty of good looks. These types of players get a boost because of the low turnover number so keep that in mind when viewing them from an overall value perspective.
- RUSSELL WESTBROOK – Should we Trust in Russ? That’s a no from me, dog. The free-throw shooting will likely be in the 70% range and quite possibly lower. Yuck. The tres will not be voluminous but he will contribute plenty of points, boards, and dimes. He is even a smooth criminal with around 1.5 steals. Will he mess around on a nightly basis? Probably not as there are some dudes named LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the squad. There will be moments when Russ will be Russ but we are not getting 2017-18 Westbrook. So, for the counting stats in points, boards, dimes, and steals, you tank your percentages, get a high turnover rate, and get minimal contributions in tres and blocks. Russ can be a fantasy asset in the right build. Just make sure it’s the right one for you.
- MIKE CONLEY – The injury concern is the main reason for Conley being here. When healthy, though, he provides double-digit points, tres, plenty of dimes, and gets his 211 on. He will even grab some boards. The free-throw shooting is very good while the field goal percentage isn’t great. The turnovers are low but so are the blocks. He’s a solid source of dimes later in drafts due to the injury concerns.