NBA Fantasy Tips Worth Fantasizing About
After endless MVP arguments, a fantastic NBA draft class, and weeks of anticipation, the 2015 NBA season has finally arrived. Between the excitement to see the players get back on the hardwood and watching the powerhouses like Cleveland and Oklahoma City destroy your favorite team, many fans have chosen or prepared their fantasy teams for the upcoming season.
If you’re trying to make your team have a Cavaliers-esque presence in your league, here’s few tips to follow and players to notice.
With so many high-caliber players this season, everyone is guaranteed to get at least one “great” player. These superb players include; Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Jimmy Butler.
Davis is inexplicably the best pick-up in the draft because of his tendency to dominate the boards and rack up plenty of double-doubles.
The 2015 MVP and leader of the defending champions, Steph Curry, is the best three-point shooter in the draft. He’ll be sure to add points and assists to your roster.
Westbrook was a triple-double machine last year and there is no sign of stopping him this year.
Chef Harden’s been waiting all offseason, cooking up revenge for his disappointing playoff performance. He and many others are expecting him to be the league MVP.
Kevin Durant is returning from an injury last season that made the difference between Oklahoma getting a high playoff seed. He’ll be working alongside Westbrook to helping the Thunder and your fantasy team alike.
LeBron James is LeBron James. Need I say more?
Jimmy Butler is the young star of the Chicago Bulls who had a breakout season last year and started for the Eastern All-Star team.
While there is plenty of talent this season, drafters need to be aware of possible busts and risks. The risky players in the class includes; JJ Reddick, Tim Duncan, and Josh Smith. Reddick and Smith are both part of the new, stronger Clippers team that will likely make an impressive playoff push this year. With that being said, they are sharing the ball with other All-Stars like Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Lance Stephenson. Without a doubt, their numbers will decrease greatly with all the stars in Los Angeles. The Risks of the 2015 draft include fantastic players who have been plagued by injury.
After a season-ending knee injury that cost the Cavaliers a ring, Kyrie Irving will still be sitting on the sideline for about a quarter of the season. While he will return healthy and as great a shooter as ever, he’s a risky pick in earlier rounds because you will be without him for at least 20 games.
Additionally, Paul George is coming back from an injury after having his leg snap during a Team USA scrimmage last summer. He’s coming back healthy and strong, but there’s always the likely chance he will re-injure the same, fragile spot.
What would be a group of risks without infamous former-MVP Derrick Rose? D-Rose is injured once again after fracturing a bone in his face. He will probably be ready for the start of the season, but you never know how healthy he will stay throughout the year because of his history of getting hurt annually.
Since every roster can’t be full of stars, drafters should look out for steals and talented rookies that other people may foolishly pass on in the draft. The Sleepers include CJ McCollum, Ryan Anderson, and Marcus Smart.
McCollum will be the second best scorer in Portland now that they’ve lost 4 of their starting 5.
Anderson lost 20 pounds over the offseason and was recognized for how much he trained. He’s projected to be in his best form this season alongside Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis in New Orleans.
Marcus Smart is the young Celtics point guard who led them to an unfathomable playoff spot last year. He’ll be a notable add to any roster since he’s one of the few talented players in Boston right now.
On the other hand, there are plenty of rookies who are looking to make a name for themselves out of college. Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, and Jahlil Okafor were the top three picks in the 2015 draft, so it’s no surprise they’re ranked as the top 3 fantasy rookies.
Towns is part of a rebuilding Timberwolves team and is being mentored by veteran big-man Kevin Garnett. Russell is a key addition to a lacking Lakers roster and is learning a lot from one of his idols, Kobe Bryant. Jahlil Okafor will start at center for an awful 76ers team, so he will likely get most of their rebounds and points because of their absence of all-stars.
Whether you’re building your team around Studs, scrolling past Busts, rolling the dice with risks, waking up and grabbing sleepers, or putting your faith in the youngsters, good luck drafting a championship team this fantasy season.