Prepare for your fantasy basketball draft with Dan Titus’ division preview for the 2024-25 NBA season. Today’s topic is Central.
cleveland cavaliers
Evan Mobley’s usage and performance have been consistent throughout his first three seasons in the league, nothing crazy, but enough to understand the potential. Well, the 23-year-old will be leaving soon.
Atkinson said he plans to use Mobley more as a playmaker, and he has been working on expanding his defense throughout the offseason. With a breakout on the horizon, Mobley’s services could be worth the price of admission as an early fourth-round prospect.
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The biggest question mark here is Darius Garland. Garland played in just 57 games last season due to injuries, and his productivity declined in almost every category. If last year was an outlier, his sixth-round ADP is low enough that I would buy back.
milwaukee bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t great in categorical formats, but he’s a top-four option in point leagues. Damian Lillard just finished outside of the top 24 for the first time in a decade, so I hope he gets back on his feet after having a full offseason to train, rest, and recover without outside distractions.
Brook Lopez’s age is catching up to him, so at his current ADP he’s an easy player to fade out for me. One player to keep an eye on in the later rounds is Bobby Portis Jr. Portis’ usage rate was above 25% under coach Doc Rivers, and he ranked 79th in value per game over the final three months of the season.
indiana pacers
The Pacers gained attention last season as one of the fastest-paced, most efficient teams in basketball and a solid base for fantasy production. Tyrese Haliburton played in 69 games despite battling injuries, averaging over 20 points and 10 assists for the second year in a row. He’s an easy first-round pick in fantasy drafts.
Myles Turner remains an effective shot blocker in the fourth round, and Pascal Siakam has a safe 20-7-4 floor. I prefer Turner over Siakam in category leagues, but that’s because Siakam’s free throw percentage and defensive numbers are both declining. In points leagues, I’m aiming for Siakam.
Two of my favorite late-rounders are Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard. Both are efficient in the field, very good in defense, and have affordable costs of service. Benedict Mathurin is a microwave bucket but has yet to prove himself to be a viable fantasy asset outside of scoring.
chicago bulls
Zach LaVine talked about how he approached the season, and I’m confident he’ll bring back basketball value in both real life and fantasy. You have to feel like the Bulls will feature him more in hopes of getting him out of his contract. That said, 23-5-4 is a safe floor for LaVine after DeRozan leaves. Although Nikola Vucevic is declining, he is still an excellent scoring, board and assist force from the center spot.
Josh Guidy is stepping into a bigger role for the Bulls and can produce in a variety of ways in fantasy. Career year has arrived.
I think Coby White will play more off-ball when sharing the court with Giddy and Lonzo Ball, so his usage may decrease. Still, it’s worth getting a scorer like him in the eighth round. Patrick Williams can be taken off the draft list, but Matas Bouzelis and Jalen Smith are players to keep an eye on.
And a big shout out to Lonzo. If he can stay healthy and continue to do this in limited time, he may be able to return to fantasy basketball rosters this season.
detroit pistons
Cade Cunningham is one of my favorite players in the third round this season. If his preseason is any indication of what’s to come, fantasy managers should expect a productive season from the fourth-year guard. Cunningham is averaging 14.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists with just two turnovers in 24 minutes this preseason. Stock and 3 arrive and it’s time to get into the motorcade.
Jaylen Duren is a big man to be drafted in the fifth round. Duren is one of only four players in NBA history to average at least 13 points and 11 rebounds per game before turning 21. He’ll be among the leaders in double-doubles, and his rising stock price should put him in the top 50 in fantasy this year. year.
Harris continues to be a boring pick, but he remains consistent in fantasy. He finished in the top 65 for 10 consecutive seasons, but with an ADP of 67, he’s as underrated as ever.
Author Thompson (illness) is still out of contact, but Jaden Ivey put together one of the best preseasons in the league. While he can’t sustain that kind of efficiency, he certainly has value as a late-round flyer with a modest 133 ADP.
