Prepare for your fantasy basketball draft with Dan Titus’ division preview for the 2024-25 NBA season. Today’s topic is the Atlantic Ocean.
boston celtics
Capitalizing on the uncertainty surrounding Kristaps Porzisis’ health, fantasy managers are similarly concerned. Porzisis’ ADP has dropped to the ninth round over the past week, dropping 10 spots to 98th overall. That being said, you have to take him if he gets past the mid to late 9th round. A true draft-and-stash, KP offers too much upside potential even if he requires a strength program after his target December return date.
In the meantime, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday will remain among fantasy managers as top-70 players. Another player to keep an eye on is Peyton Pritchard. Thanks to Brown’s honesty and trolling, we know the Celtics can plan to get more opportunities for their key rotation players against lower-tier opponents. As a presumed sixth man, Pritchard proved to be an efficient and effective fantasy asset every time he received at least 20 minutes of action.
new york knicks
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns moved up in my latest rankings after a blockbuster trade. Brunson moved up a few spots in the second round, and Towns moved up from a third-round spot to a second-round spot.
Statistically, KAT has had some of his best seasons under This, and he believes the manager needs to recognize opportunities for growth going forward. KAT will be playing more in the paint than his previous role in Minnesota, so Towns could be looking at 12 rebounds per game and the potential for more shot blocks with Robinson out. Adding more stats to his highly efficient offensive skill set would be great for his fantasy worldview.
If OG Anunoby can stay healthy, his stock and 3 should allow him to outperform his ADP of 96 overall. However, I’m a little worried about the Mical Bridge. In theory, he should be more efficient than last year since he’s a supporting player rather than a star. But I can’t help but notice that his jumper looks oddly different this offseason. Hopefully they’ll increase their inventory and regain that efficiency like they did with Phoenix, but I’m just saying that that new release looks a bit suspended.
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brooklyn nets
Cam Thomas is having a breakout season. The 23-year-old bucket getter was one of four guards 23 or younger to average at least 20 points per game last season, and his usage rate was 30 percent. Add in his evolving playmaking and he becomes a lucrative sixth-round pick.
Nic Claxton is an excellent blocker, rebounder, and FG% player, and Cameron Johnson will look to overcome a disappointing injury-plagued season. Johnson finished 128th in value per game, mainly due to an overall drop in efficiency.
Noah Clowney is an intriguing late-round flyer, but his value could increase even more if the Nets fully commit to the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. Dennis Schroder will have a chance as well, and I believe in his contributions this season more than Ben Simmons.
philadelphia 76ers
All hell is breaking out in Philadelphia.
First, Joel Embiid’s “new normal” is a huge blow to fantasy. He has not played back-to-backs and is reportedly incorporating an off period into his in-season health and wellness program for scheduled evaluations. oh yeah. If he doesn’t play consecutive games, his maximum number of games played would be reduced from 82 to 67. And considering the time off, who knows if he’ll reach 60 games, let alone 50? . I’d avoid Embiid in the first round, and honestly, drafting him probably wouldn’t be a headache. Andre Drummond is valuable as a late-round flyer as insurance for Embiid.
Paul George has also fallen down in my latest rankings after suffering what appears to be a knee hyperextension injury on Monday night. There are no imaging results or timeline yet, so fantasy managers will have to wait and see how long this will affect the Sixers’ new star forward. 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. As such, PG is also at risk of missing more than 20 games, given his current injury and team mandates against back-to-back games.
I had George as a late second, but now he’s more of a mid to late third.
Well, to sum this all up: With two stars trying to stay healthy for the postseason, Maxey will have a heavier workload than previously expected, so put a load on Tyrese Maxey’s stock. Let’s put it on. Maxey comes in as a mid-third rounder, but is currently a mid-to-early second-rounder.
toronto raptors
The Raptors are on the verge of a new talent that will cause a stir in the fantasy world. First up is Scotty Burns from Statstaff. If you’re looking for a player who can contribute in all categories, he could easily be a second-round pick. He is a very well-rounded fantasy asset.
Next up is Immanuel Quickley. Since coming to the Raptors last season, Quickley has averaged 19 points, five rebounds and seven assists per game. While sharing the court with Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett, he saw his usage rate drop by only 2% (22% to 20%). This is encouraging of how the Raptors’ system is predicated on sharing the ball. A fifth-round draft pick may seem rich, but Quickley is on the verge of breaking out and is worth buying.
RJ Barrett is a typical point-league player, but his efficiency hasn’t diminished since playing for his hometown Raptors. It’s hard to tell if Barrett was playing better than expected or just understanding his game, but going from a 42% shooter to 55% suggests some kind of regression is imminent. It shows. His recent shoulder injury won’t help either.
