4 NBA Preseason Topics to Be Watching for With Fantasy Basketball Implications

1. Rookies to Watch

There’s usually a hesitancy in drafting rookies in fantasy basketball, as adjusting to the NBA can be difficult for a lot of young players. Some fall off the face of the earth (Anthony Bennett) and some flourish (just type in LaMelo Ball highlights on Youtube). Here is a list of some rookies who we think could have a chance to make some noise this season for your fantasy basketball team:

Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons): The #1 draft pick has the chance to make a name for himself right away. On a rebuilding Pistons squad, he will be given all the minutes he can handle. His FG% may be a little rough to start, but he should be able to average 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, with some good 3’s and steals added in. Don’t be afraid to reach a little for this guy!

Jalen Green (Houston Rockets): The Rockets are in a transition period, and Jalen Green should be able to show everyone why the Rockets drafted him with the number 2 pick. The Rockets have Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr, and not much else, so he should be an offensive weapon from the start. Again, beware of his FG% but he should be a certified stat-stuffer.

Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors): The Raptors are also in somewhat of a rebuilding period with the departure of Kyle Lowry, yet they passed on multiple PG’s in the draft to get this guy. That shows that they are confident he can be a difference maker right away. He should be the starter to begin the season while Pascal Siakam is out, so it will be interesting to see what they do when he is healthy. However, he has shown in the preseason so far that he can do it all, so Nick Nurse might find it hard to leave him out of the lineup.

Other notable rookies to watch for: Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic), Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets)

2. Players on New Teams

Sometimes a change of scenery can really help a player take the next step, and sometimes it can be a disaster from the beginning. Here are a list of players we think you should draft or pass on based on their new squads.

Kemba Walker (PG – New York Knicks): Kemba Walker has had a rough few years, with injuries and poor play resulting in his departure from Boston. Joining the Knicks could be the catalyst he needs to reach the top-tier PG player he used to be. Tom Thibodeau likes to run guys into the ground so minutes should not be an issue and as long as he can stay healthy, he should be in for a big year. Our opinion? Draft!

Lonzo Ball (PG – Chicago Bulls): Lonzo Ball has always been a great fantasy player to own, as his 3’s, steals, and assists can win you a match up any week. He finds himself on a new team, with a lot more offensive weapons so he could be the 3rd, or maybe 4th option sometimes. However, this still should result in some elite assist numbers and more wide open 3’s, so this new situation could be perfect for him. Our opinion? Draft!

DeMar DeRozen ( SG, SF – Chicago Bulls): Another new face on the Bulls is DeMar DeRozan, but we’re not as high on him as some of the other new additions to the Bulls. His strengths have always been his scoring and efficiency, and last season he averaged career highs in assists. With Lonzo and LaVine running the offense, his assists numbers will be nowhere near as high and he will have less chances to score. Unless he suddenly develops a 3 pointer, it could be a quick decline. Our opinion? Pass!

Kyle Lowry (PG – Miami Heat): The Heat are trying to get to the finals again and signing Lowry showed their intentions of doing that. He joins Jimmy Butler in an elite backcourt pairing, and with Bam Adebayo and plenty of 3 point shooters, his assists should be plentiful. The only issue is his health, and after being one of the league leaders in minutes during his time in Toronto, the Heat could choose to keep his minutes lower as they prepare for their playoff games. Our opinion? Draft(with caution)!

Russel Westbrook (PG – LA Lakers): The triple-double machine has been one of the most explosive players in the league over the past decade, but he has floated around teams recently due to bad personnel fits and his huge contract. He joins LeBron and the Lakers, looking for another championship after their poor season last year. With a healthy Anthony Davis being the focal point of the offense and LeBron playing Point Forward, Westbrooks assist numbers will decrease, as well as his scoring. Add that to his bad %’s and it could be one of his worst fantasy seasons in recent memory. Our opinion? Pass!

3. Trades We’re Waiting For

Next man up mentality. The below players have either been traded or are looking for trades. We will touch on who to target should/since a key player has been dealt.

Ben Simmons trade (potential) benefits Seth Curry & Tyrese Maxey: Ben Simmons wants out. That is no secret. While he is holding out for an eventual trade, the question is “Who will step up”? Fantasy wise, the two players to watch to fill Ben’s shoes are Seth Curry and Tyrese Maxey. Tyrese is coming into his second year with an opportunity to get consistent starter minutes. He showed flashes last year, but was never given the minutes on a day in-day out basis. If he is able to lock down the starting PG job in PHI, he would become a very serviceable UTL player right away with potential of becoming a PG2 for any fantasy team. Seth Curry is another name to keep on the radar. He has always been a 3Pt threat and a 3rd or 4th option on the 76ers. With Ben out, he moves into the 3rd scoring option. With more shots given to him, I see him having a breakout year scoring and percentage wise. His issue was similar to Maxey’s in that he was not consistent with his opportunities. Now that Simmons seems to be gone, Curry will be leaned on a bit heavier to score beside Joel Embiid & Tobias Harris. Last year he was averaging 12.5 PPG, but this year I wouldn’t be surprised if he bumped up to 15-16 PPG. Sleeper pick potential for anyone looking for a back-half of the draft player who can provide points, threes & good percentages.

John Wall trade (potential) benefits Kevin Porter Jr.: John Wall has two main things going against him right now. A heavy injury history and age. Combine that with his not-so-friendly contract and he seems to be in basketball limbo right now. Electric when healthy and starting, John Wall doesn’t seem to be loving it in HOU anymore and the feel seems to be mutual. HOU is now making a concerted effort to go young, which opens the door for Kevin Porter Jr. We saw what he can do when given the minutes late last year. With another offseason of learning and a full season of starter minutes ahead of him, I think we are looking at a borderline all-star during the 2021-22 season. Turnovers are always going to be an issue with a player like KPJ, but points, assists, steals and even rebounds should all be up this year from last.

Russell Westbrook trade (completed) benefits Kyle Kuzma & Rui Hachimura: With Russell Westbrook making the move to LA, I believe that the opportunities open up for players like Kyle Kuzma and Rui Hachimura more than anyone else. The Wizards number one option will always be Bradley Beal, but all those touches that Russell demands are up for grabs. I see Kuzma and Hachimura stepping in and splitting those touches with results of career years for the both of them. Kuzma showed what he could do when LeBron & AD went down last year for the Lakers, and this year he should have the starting job from the jump. Rui has always been a player to score 8-12 points and get a good amount of rebounds, but now he should be 2nd or 3rd option on that team in scoring and should pick up on the rebounding end as well because Russ was taking 8-10 boards a game while he was there. Both are great players to target in the back end of your drafts when looking for cheap SF/PF players with high upsides.

Kyle Lowery trade (completed) benefits Fred VanVleet: Fred VanVleet has been progressively getting better and better as the years go by, but this year the show is his in TOR. No Leonard, Lowry or Powell. Pascal will eventually return, but at the start of the season, it will be the Fred VanVleet show. A lot of people are targeting him early and often in drafts thinking that he will be a budding superstar. We have no doubts that he will continue to get better and put together a career year this year and will undoubtedly be a helpful fantasy asset due to his steals, assists and points. That being said, this year will tell a lot about his ability to run the team without someone else to fall back on. His percentages from game to game are a little hit or miss, so be weary not to over-draft him. That being said, if he is there in the 3rd round, that’s a perfect time to snag up this potential superstar.

4. Key Players Returning from Injury

Players to target later on in your draft who can help during a 2nd half playoff push.

Klay Thompson (SG, GSW); Return Date is Around Christmas: Klay will be back around Christmas time and is currently being drafted in the 7th-9th round of fantasy drafts. He is already practicing, building back his endurance and getting into game shape. Also, his shot has never left him and he’s been one of the best shooters in the league when healthy. Add in that he plays next to Steph Curry who gets double and triple teamed regularly, there should be plenty of shots available to him. Assuming he doesn’t get hit with a set-back during his rehab, getting Klay in the middle-late rounds of a draft is “money in the bank”. He’s got plenty of gas left in the tank and I believe once he is back, he will be pushing 20PPG as soon as the limitations come off. Draft Klay, be patience, and enjoy your Christmas gift once he returns.

Kawhi Leonard (SF, LAC); Return Date is Unknown: Kawhi during a healthy year is a no-doubt first rounder. With that kind of talent floating around for the last few rounds of the draft is tough to pass on; especially if your league has an IR slot. Those last few players picked in a draft are normally dart throws and depth picks. Why not pick up Leonard and pop him in your IR and just see? Anyone you pick late you can get from the waivers the next week. Assuming you do well during the season and make the playoffs and Kawhi is cleared to play the last few weeks of the season… all the sudden you have a stud to help anchor your roster. Even if he plays limited minutes, you have to assume a limited Leonard is better than a dart throw waiver play just base on his abilities alone. Now if there isn’t an IR option for your league, drafting Kawhi will definitely carry a bit more risk because you are wasting a roster spot potentially all year long, but if the IR is available, I see no downside chasing a potential playoff game-changer on draft day.

Jamal Murray (PG, DEN); 2nd Half of the Season: Jamal carries similar risk that Kawhi carries, in the fact that no one is truly sure when he will return this season, if at all. That being said, whenever he does return, he is an absolute unit who can contribute to points, threes, steals and percentages immediately. With Denver’s dynamic lineup that includes Porter Jr, Barton and Jokic, Murray will see 1 on 1 a lot. Again, this risk will be when he returns and how long it will take for him to be back to full strength and full minutes, but picking Murray in the last few rounds is worth the risk considering the 18-20 PPG he can bring.