Get ready for your fantasy basketball drafts with Dan Titus’ division previews for the 2024-2025 NBA season. On today’s program: the Atlantic Ocean.
Boston Celtics
Fantasy managers are getting on board with the uncertainty surrounding Kristaps Porziņġis’ health and are starting to get just as concerned. Porziņġis’ ADP fell to the ninth round last week – down 10 places to 98th overall. That said, if he makes it past the mid-to-late ninth round, you should take him. A true draft-and-stash, KP offers too much upside even if he needs a ramp-up program after his projected return date in December.
In the meantime, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Jalen Brown and Jrue Holiday will hold up for fantasy managers as top-70 players. Another player to keep an eye on is Payton Pritchard. Thanks to Brown’s honesty and trolling, we learned that the Celtics could plan to get more opportunities for their key rotation players against lower-level opponents. As the presumed sixth man, Pritchard has proven to be an efficient and effective fantasy asset when given at least 20 minutes of action.
New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns got a boost in my latest rankings after the blockbuster trade. Brunson moved up a few spots in the second round, and Towns moved from a third-round value to a second-round value.
KAT had some of his best seasons statistically under Thibs and fantasy managers need to recognize the growth opportunities ahead. Towns could be looking at 12 rebounds per game and more shot-blocking potential with Robinson sidelined, as KAT will be in the paint more than in his previous role in Minnesota. Adding more counting stats to his highly efficient offensive skills will be great for his fantasy world.
If OG Anunoby can stay healthy, his stocks and 3s will push him to outperform his ADP at 96 overall. I’m a little concerned about Mikal Bridges, though. In theory, he should be more efficient than last year because he plays a supporting role instead of being the star. But I notice that his jersey looks strangely different in the offseason. Hopefully he’ll regain that efficiency with bigger inventories, like he did in Phoenix, but that new release looks a little dull, so to speak.
[Fantasy Hoops Draft Kit: One-stop shop for rankings, strategy and more]
Brooklyn Nets
Cam Thomas is having a breakout season. The 23-year-old bucket-getter was one of four guards 23 and younger to average at least 20 points per game last season, with a 30% usage rate. Add to that his evolving playmaking and he’s a solid sixth-round pick.
Nic Claxton is a good source of blocks, rebounds and FG%, while Cameron Johnson looks to build off a disappointing injury-riddled season. Johnson finished 128th in value per game, mainly because his efficiency dropped across the board.
Noah Clowney is an intriguing late-round flier, but he will become more valuable once the Nets fully commit to the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. Dennis Schröder will have his moments too, and I have more confidence in his contribution this season than Ben Simmons.
Philadelphia 76ers
All hell breaks loose in Philly.
First, Joel Embiid’s “new normal” is a huge blow to fantasy. He is not playing back-to-backs and reportedly has evaluations scheduled with off periods baked into his health and wellness program during the season. Yes. If he doesn’t play back-to-backs, that drops the number of games played from 82 to 67. Then, when you factor in the time off, who knows if he’ll make it to 60, let alone 50 games. . I’d stay away from Embiid in the first round and honestly, it’s probably not worth drafting him. Andre Drummond is a worthy late-round flier as Embiid insurance.
Paul George also drops in my final rankings, as he suffered an injury on Monday evening that is believed to be a hyperextended knee. There are no picture results or timeline, so fantasy managers will have to see how long this can affect the Sixers’ new star. As part of Embiid’s health and wellness announcement, Paul George was also mentioned as a player who will not play in back-to-back sets. So taking into account his current injury and the fact that there is no back-to-back team mandate, PG is also at risk of missing more than 20 games.
I had George as a late second, while now he’s more of a mid to late third.
To sum this all up, grab Tyrese Maxey stock, because with two stars trying to stay healthy for the postseason, Maxey will have a heavier workload than previously expected. Maxey goes in the middle of the third round, but he is now a mid to early second rounder.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors have an emerging talent on the horizon that will make some noise in fantasy. Starting with stat filler Scottie Barnes, who is an easy pick in the second round if you’re looking for a player who can contribute in every category. He is a very versatile fantasy asset.
Then there’s Immanuel Quickley. Since joining the Raptors last season, Quickley has averaged 19 points with five rebounds and seven assists per game. He only saw a 2% (22% to 20%) drop in usage while sharing the court with Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, which is encouraging how much the Raptors system relies on sharing the ball. A fifth-round draft pick may feel rich, but it’s worth acquiring Quickley as he’s on the cusp of a breakout campaign.
RJ Barrett is the ultimate player in the points league, although he has been performing day and night since playing for his hometown Raptors. It’s hard to say if it was Barrett playing above expectations or if he figured his game out, but going from a 42% shooter to a 55% shooter means some regression is imminent. His recent shoulder injury won’t help either.
