Written by Curtis Lo (@CLoading51)
With the NBA season on the horizon and fantasy basketball drafts beginning, it’s time to have a look at the Full Court Press Fantasy Basketball guide for some potential hidden gems, star names to be wary of, as well as a few up-and-comers. Give it a read and hopefully you can find a few bits and pieces to lead your team to fantasy basketball glory!
Superstars – Our Personal Top 3:
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
With the departure of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson’s long-term injury, the offensive burden on Steph will be the greatest it has been in years. While new signing D’Angelo Russell has the talent to demand a slice of the on-ball duties, the lion’s share of the work will be done by Curry. Expect him to return to MVP-level, with plenty of points and assists on the stat sheet. We very well may see another 2015/16 MVP Curry season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Fresh off a disappointing end to both his NBA campaign and the FIBA World Cup, expect Giannis’ motivation to be at an all time high. The hard-working Antetokounmpo isn’t the type to be satisfied with an MVP – he wants the ultimate prize. Look for him to reach another level this season. The loss of Brogdon will be significant if Eric Bledsoe can’t recreate his pre-All-Star weekend form and may lead to Coach Budenholzer relying on Giannis even more, which would be a welcome sight for fantasy players.
Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
It is fair to say that Anthony Davis has never played with anyone in the same basketball stratosphere as one LeBron James. The symbiotic blend of James’ playmaking and Davis’ finishing, as well as the gravitational pull James exerts on a defence will make Davis’ life much easier on the offensive end. On the other side of the ball, Davis is still one of the most elite defensive players in the league. The man simply eats rebounds and demolishes opposing shots with ease – these will all contribute greatly to his fantasy points. Davis is a serious MVP contender and should be in consideration for the 1st pick in any fantasy draft. The only concern is his injury history.
Stars To Keep An Eye On:
Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat)
A common theme of this list is players who are poised to be ball-dominant in new situations. Jimmy Butler is no exception. The former 76er/Timberwolf/Bull is clearly the best player on this Miami Heat roster and he will have the ball in his hands much more than last year, given he is no longer competing with Embiid, Simmons and Harris. A return to a 23pt, 6reb, 4ast statline is definitely within reach. Butler has also never been shy on the other side of the ball, averaging 1.6 steals over his career.
Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
Beal has been slightly underrated over his career and after John Wall’s recent injury battles, has become Washington’s undisputed best player. Having averaged 25-5-5 last year on decent shooting efficiency, Beal is another player that should not slip under the radar. Given the injuries to Klay Thompson and Victor Oladipo, the depth chart at shooting guard is especially weak this year, so be sure to pick up Beal.
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Booker finally has an elite playmaking point guard next to him in Ricky Rubio. While the fit (and the price tag) may not be perfect, Rubio can help unlock more of Booker’s offensive game by allowing the 22 year old to play off the ball more often. Booker is a terrifying threat when spotting up on the wing and standing triples are much easier to hit than stepback fadeaways over the other team’s best defender. Consequently, we could see a hike in his 3pt percentages and as we know, efficiency is key in the game of fantasy basketball. And hopefully, his dynamic duo sidekick DeAndre Ayton can develop into even more of a threat, making life for Booker a little easier than it’s been the past few years. If this happens, we could see Booker reach another level this year.
Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors)
Following a dramatic breakout last season, ending in his franchise’s first championship, Pascal Siakam has begun to make his mark on the league. No longer will he be a niche pick in the 6th round of your fantasy draft. And with the departure of Kawhi Leonard, the keys to the kingdom will be given to the 25-year-old power forward. Expect another leap in Siakam’s stat-line.
Up and Comers:
John Collins (Atlanta Hawks)
Collins is one of two Hawks that have made this list, partly due to their lack of coverage in the general media. Most everyday NBA fans aren’t aware of how good this guy is (and can be) and we’re betting that this is the year he starts showing out. He is a genuine 20-10 threat every night and missed out on that club last year by a hair (Collins averaged 19.48 pts and 9.75 rebs in 2018/19).
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
With Kyrie’s departure, the Celtics will revert from their isolation sets back to Brad Stevens’ favoured offence. This should greatly benefit Tatum, who thrived in this system as a rookie and showed flashes of All-NBA potential. If there was ever to be a make-or-break year for the inhabitants of “Tatum will be a perennial MVP candidate” island, this is the one.
Malcolm Brogdon (Indiana Pacers)
Victor Oladipo’s injury was a significant blow for the Pacers last season, but on the bright side, it could see the emergence of Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon will become the team’s key ball handler and possibly its best playmaker, following the retirement of Darren Collison and the departure of Bojan Bogdanovic (and the unceremonious exit of Tyreke Evans). Never before has Brogdon been the number one wing option on a team, with his previous three years all occurring in the presence of one Giannis Antetokounmpo. We will see him either sink or swim in the absence of Oladipo, and we at Full Court Press think he’ll be a swimmer.
Julius Randle (New York Knicks)
Another player who will profit from a lack of talent on his team is Julius Randle. The Knicks have few scoring options besides the offensively-minded Randle and rookie RJ Barrett. Given Barrett will likely require time to adjust to the pace of the NBA, expect Randle to have a much higher usage rate than last year. The big man is known for his interior scoring and rebounding presence, but he is also a talented playmaker so fantasy points from assists could also be on the cards.
Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
While shooting efficiency and low turnover numbers may not be things we have associated with Trae Young up to this point, another solid offseason and the experience of a year in the league should have an impact on his development and we expect to see a lot of growth in his game. He will undoubtedly provide your fantasy team with plenty of points and assists, but the question of whether or not he can improve in those other pesky areas mentioned above remains to be seen. I guess it’s lucky defence isn’t really measured in fantasy, hey?
Marvin Bagley III (Sacramento Kings)
Bagley had a relatively quiet rookie season for a 2nd overall selection, but the young bigman really hit his stride late in the 2018/19 season. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury whilst the Kings were picking up playoff momentum and consequently may have fallen off the radar of some basketball fans. In 19 games following the All-Star Break, Bagley averaged 18.5 pts, 9.2 rebs whilst shooting 48.7% from the field. With more experience and a full summer of workouts, his shot selection and efficiency should improve and vault him into a potential 20pt-10reb player this season.
Expect A (Slight) Decline From:
Russell Westbrook and James Harden (Houston Rockets)
In previous years, both of these former MVPs would have been selected early in the 1st round given their abilities to absolutely stuff the stat sheet, and rightfully so. This year however, there may be better options available. Both players will still be dominant but as we all know, there is only one basketball. There will likely be a period of acclimatisation, where two of the most ball-dominant players ever re-learn how to co-exist on the same court. And as a result, their fantasy scores will dip occasionally. While the phrase “Decline” may be a bit harsh for both Westbrook and Harden, don’t select them with the impression that they will perform at the exceptionally high fantasy levels of years past.
Al Horford (Philadelphia 76ers)
In previous years, Horford was the ultimate fantasy utility player – he provides a bit of everything in the stat sheet. However, with Philly’s focus being on the playoffs and the ultimate prize, they are likely to prioritise the 33 year old’s playoff contributions and consequently could limit his playing time in the regular season. Barring a significant injury to Embiid, Horford won’t see the floor enough to warrant an early round selection.
Hot Property – Get On Them Early!
Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
Don’t be surprised if someone picks up Zion very very early. The hype is real. Despite being a rookie, Zion’s fame is already at that next level and he may be off the board once the familiar superstar names have been selected. While I would personally want to see a few games out of him first, taking him with a 4th or 5th round pick would be good business. He has the potential to have an 18pt-9reb-3ast stat-line with good efficiency out of the gate.
Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
One of last year’s biggest stories was the emergence of Rookie of the Year, Luka Doncic. The Slovenian burst onto the scene and never relinquished the spotlight. This season, Doncic will reach another level in his development – we predict his statline to sit somewhere around 25-7-6. However, the problem for fantasy players is that now everyone knows about the wonderkid. If you want him on your squad, be prepared to draft him in the 2nd round.
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