NBA Fantasy Draft Guide: Who to Pick and Who to Avoid
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Looking to dominate your NBA fantasy draft this year? Check out our Comprehensive Guide on who to pick and who to avoid. We’ll make sure you put together a winning team!
Introduction
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling down, and the NBA season is just around the corner. That can only mean one thing: it’s time to start preparing for your fantasy basketball draft!
If you’re new to fantasy basketball or just need a refresher on how it works, here’s a quick overview. Each fantasy team is made up of real-life NBA players and each week you earn points based on how those players perform in games. The goal is to have the most points at the end of the season and be crowned champion!
Now that you know the basics, it’s time to start thinking about who you should draft for your team. To help you make the best choices, we’ve put together a list of players who are sure to give you an edge over the competition. Read on to find out who to pick and who to avoid in your upcoming Fantasy basketball draft!
What is the NBA fantasy Draft?
The NBA fantasy Draft is an annual event where NBA fans can draft their favorite players onto their own teams. The draft order is determined by a lottery, and the order stays the same for all 14 rounds. In each round, each team can draft one player.
You can only draft players who are on an NBA roster at the time of the draft. So, if a player gets traded during the season, they are no longer eligible to be drafted in that season’s fantasy draft.
Once you have drafted your team, you can make trades with other teams in your league, and pick up free agents throughout the season.
Who are the best players to draft?
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing colors, the air is getting crisp and the NBA season is just around the corner. That can only mean one thing: it’s time to start preparing for your Fantasy Basketball draft!
If you’re new to Fantasy Basketball or just need a refresher on the basics, check out our fantasy basketball 101 guide. Once you’re up to speed on the basics, it’s time to start thinking about who you should target in your draft.
Here are a few players who we think are great values in fantasy drafts this year:
Point Guards:
--Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers Lillard is one of the best scorers in the league and will also provide plenty of assists and steals. He’s a top-10 fantasy player and should be drafted accordingly.
--Kyrie Irving Brooklyn Nets Irving is another great scorer who will also rack up assists and steals. He’s a bit injury-prone, but when he’s healthy he’s one of the best point guards in the league.
– Russell Westbrook Houston Rockets Westbrook is coming off a down year by his standards, but he’s still one of the best fantasy point guards in the game. He stuffs the Stat Sheet like few others and should be drafted in the top 15 regardless of league format.
Shooting Guards:
--James Harden Houston Rockets Harden is one of the best scorers in NBA history and will stuff the stat sheet every night. He’s a first-round pick in all formats.
--Klay Thompson Golden State Warriors Thompson might be coming off an injury, but when he’s healthy he’s one of the best shooters in the league. He’ll provide plenty of points, three-pointers and steals when he returns to action.
Who are the worst players to draft?
In order to have a successful NBA fantasy draft, it is important to know which players are the best and worst to draft. Avoid drafting these five players:
1. Dwight Howard He is often injured and is not as productive as he used to be.
2. Carmelo Anthony He is another player who is often injured and has been known to be a locker room problem.
3. Derrick Rose He has had multiple Knee injuries and is not the player he once was.
4. Kyrie Irving He has had problems with injuries in the past and has been known to be a bit of a diva.
5. Kobe Bryant He is past his prime and is no longer the player he once was.
What are some tips for success in the NBA fantasy Draft?
The NBA Fantasy Draft is an exciting time for basketball fans It’s a time when you can build your own team of superstars and watch them compete against other players’ teams throughout the season.
If you want to be successful in the NBA Fantasy Draft, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to know who the best players are and which ones will help you win the most games. Second, you need to know who the sleepers are and which players have the potential to break out and have a big season. Third, you need to avoid drafting players who are injury-prone or who are not going to get a lot of playing time
Here is a list of some of the best players to draft in the NBA Fantasy Draft:
Michael Jordan: He’s widely considered the greatest player of all-time and he has proven that he can still dominate at age 40. Jordan is a lock for 25 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals per game.
LeBron James: James is one of the most physically dominating players in the NBA. He has great speed, strength, and athleticism. James is a triple-double threat every night and he should put up big numbers in every category except for three-pointers made
Kobe Bryant: Bryant is one of the best scorers in NBA history He has unlimited range on his jumper and he’s not afraid to take Big Shots in pressure situations. Bryant will also give you good numbers in rebounds, assists, and steals.
Kevin Garnett: Garnett is one of the best power forwards of all-time. He’s a great rebounder and shot blocker who can also score points in bunches when he’s needed. Garnett should average around 15 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and one steal per game.
How can I make sure I don’t get stuck with a bad team?
The NBA season is upon us and that means it’s time to start thinking about your fantasy basketball draft. If you’re new to the game, or just want to make sure you field a competitive team, here are a few tips on who to pick (and who to avoid) when building your squad.
When it comes to star players it’s hard to go wrong with anyone on the list. However, if you’re looking to build a well-rounded team, you’ll want to focus on players who excel in multiple categories, rather than just scoring points. A player like Lebron James for example, is a great option because he produces in assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks, as well as scoring.
On the other hand, avoid players who are one-dimensional and don’t contribute much outside of their primary stat. Guards who score a lot of points but don’t do much else are a prime example. While they may rack up some fantasy points for your team, they won’t provide the all-around contribution that will help you win games.
In general, it’s also wise to stay away from older players whose production is starting to decline. While they may have been fantasy stars in years past, they are more likely to get injured and miss games, which will hurt your team’s chances of success. Instead, target young players on the rise who are just entering their prime and have plenty of room for growth.
By following these tips, you’ll be on your way to assembling a competitive NBA fantasy team that has a chance at taking home the title.
What if I’m still not sure who to draft?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out our NBA Fantasy Draft Guide for everything you need to know about who to draft and who to avoid.
Conclusion
So, who should you take in your fantasy NBA draft? The answer, as always, depends on your league’s settings and scoring system. But in general, we recommend building your team around these five core players:
--Lebron James (SF, Los Angeles Lakers)
--Giannis Antetokounmpo (SF/PF, Milwaukee Bucks)
--Anthony Davis (PF/C, Los Angeles Lakers)
--Kemba Walker (PG, Boston Celtics)
--Joel Embiid (C, Philadelphia 76ers)
Resources
When preparing for your NBA fantasy draft, it’s important to have a plan and do your research. There are a lot of factors to consider when making your picks, and it can be helpful to consult a variety of resources. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare for your draft.
One of the most important things to consider is each player’s average fantasy points per game This statistic will give you an idea of how productive a player is likely to be in your fantasy league You can find this information in the player profiles on most fantasy websites.
In addition to looking at average fantasy points, you’ll also want to pay attention to a player’s minutes played per game. This statistic is important because it will affect how many opportunities a player has to score points A player who averages 30 minutes per game is likely to have more scoring opportunities than a player who averaging 20 minutes per game.
It’s also important to look at a players recent performances when making your draft picks antasy website will have information on how each player has performed in recent weeks or months. This information can be helpful in predicting how a player is likely to perform in the upcoming season
Finally, you’ll also want to pay attention to the matchups each player has in the upcoming season Some players tend to perform better against certain teams than others. If you’re trying to decide between two similar players, it can be helpful to choose the one with the better matchup in the upcoming season
Chris Ransom is a Draft Analyst for FanDuel and he’s also an sports editor for DraftUtopia.com. He focuses on the NFL Draft but he’s done several mock drafts for the NBA as well. Chris has live Draft coverage experience and writes a column on NFL rookie quarterbacks for Bleacher Report
