NBA Draft Fantasy Fallout

On Saturday, Ryan Knaus brokedown the fantasy fallout from the 2019 draft for teams in the Western Conference. Today, I take a look at each squad in the East. 

Atlanta Hawks No. 4: De’Andre Hunter, SF, Virginia No. 10: Cam Reddish, SF, Duke No. 34: Bruno Fernando, PF, Maryland The Hawks wanted Hunter badly enough to trade away the No. 8, 17 and 35 picks in the draft to jump up to No. 4. Atlanta has plenty of depth at forward, with Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill, John Collins, and Omari Spellman all on the roster. However, Hunter should see plenty of playing time, as the Haws will look to maximize the return on their top-5 pick. He’s also able to contribute at both ends of the floor, with an ability to score on all three levels and play lockdown defense (Hunter is the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year). Nonetheless, in terms of fantasy value, he’s certainly not on the same level of the top three selections (Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett). Hunter will be ranked outside the top-100 and would only likely be considered a flier in standard fantasy leagues.

Reddish in the same predicament as Hunter in terms of depth on the Hawks roster, although it is worth noting that Atlanta did trade away Tauren Prince to Brooklyn earlier in the month. The biggest issue with Reddish is if he’ll be able to make the most of his abundant talent on the pro level. Reddish struggled mightily with efficiency during his freshman season at Duke. Over his final 11 games, he shot a just 33% from the field and had more turnovers than assists, steals and blocks combined. That is certainly not the recipe for fantasy success. He’s someone to keep an eye on in dynasty formats, but just a flier in re-draft leagues. 

Interestingly, Fernando has a pathway to playing time if he can impress the coaching staff in summer league action and during the preseason. He’s a physical freak, who should be able to rack up blocks and boards, while shooting a high percentage from the floor. However, he’s still raw, so the Hawks may limit his minutes early on. 

Boston Celtics No. 14: Romeo Langford, SG, Indiana No. 22: Grant Williams, SF, Tennessee No. 33: Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue No. 51: Tremont Waters, PG, LSU The Celtics roster is wildly unpredictable at the moment, as Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier are all free agents, and it’s looking more and more like Irving and Horford have played their last game in green. If Boston loses three starters, there will be plenty of minutes and shots up for grabs. Thus, there could be a situation where Langford and Williams see increased opportunities right out of the gate. 

Langford failed to live up to expectations during his freshman season at Indiana, shooting just 27.2% from downtown and 72.2% from the free-throw line. However, he was playing through a painful thumb injury, which was a primary cause of those shooting woes. A former McDonald’s All-American, Romeo was a gifted scorer in high school and possesses a pure stroke. He should be able to put up plenty of points in the NBA, but won’t bring much else to the table as a rookie. Williams is a proven commodity, having won back-to-back SEC Player of the Year awards each of his final two seasons at Tennesee. The key for him on the NBA level will be showing he can step outside and knock down long-range jumpers. The fact that GM Danny Ainge drafted both Carsen Edwards and Tremont Waters leads one to believe he is not confident in Kyrie returning to Beantown. If Rozier skips town as well, both rookie point guards could be thrust in the rotation right away. 

Brooklyn Nets No. 35: Nic Claxton, C, Georgia No. 56: Jaylen Hands, PG, UCLA The Nets traded away two first-round picks in separate deals, as they look to clear their cap space in the hopes of signing two max-level free agents in July. After averaging just 3.9 points as a freshman, Claxton burst onto the national season last season, tallying 13.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per contest. He will split minutes with Jarrett Allen up front for Brooklyn, a duo that has already earned the nickname “The Thin Towers.” Hands averaged 14.2 points for UCLA and also led the Pac 12 in assists (6.1). He’ll likely spend the majority of the season in the G League.

Charlotte Hornets No. 12: PJ Washington, PF, Kentucky No. 36: Cody Martin, SF, Nevada No. 52: Jalen McDaniels, SF, San Diego State If the Hornets re-sign Kemba Walker to a massive contract next month, owner Michael Jordan will likely look to dump one of the other hefty contracts on the books, such as Marvin Williams or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. If either one of those players gets traded, it could open up minutes for Washington, or possibly even one of the two second-round selections. Washington seriously considered entering the draft after his freshman campaign in 2018 but boosted his draft stock by deciding to come back to Kentucky for another season. After shooting just 5-of-21 (23.8%) from 3-point territory as a frosh, Washington nailed 42.3% of his 3-point attempts (33-of-78) as a sophomore. His rebound and block rates also increased dramatically. Washington closed out his collegiate career in fine fashion, pouring in 28 points (on 10-of-18 shooting) and grabbing 13 rebounds, to go along with two steals, two blocks and two made 3-pointers vs. Auburn in the NCAA Tournament. Chicago Bulls No. 7: Coby White, PG, North Carolina No. 38: Daniel Gafford, PF, Arkansas Kris Dunn has simply not lived up to expectations since the Bulls acquired him from Minnesota in the Jimmy Butler deal. Thus, Chicago was hoping to snag a PG and happily scooped up Coby White when he was still on the board at No. 7. White has excellent size for a lead guard at 6’5” and is incredibly quick, but he needs to work on his shot. Over his final seven games at UNC, including the ACC conference tournament and NCAA tourney, White shot just 38 percent from the floor, 24.5 percent from downtown and 69.6 percent from the charity stripe. Turnovers could also be an issue for him in the pros. Nonetheless, assuming he wins the starting job and logs over 25 minutes a night, he could have value as a late-round pick in deeper leagues. Gafford is a raw big man with some upside but is not on the fantasy radar. Cleveland Cavaliers No. 5: Darius Garland, PG, Vanderbilt No. 26: Dylan Windler, SF, Belmont No. 30: Kevin Porter Jr., SG, USC Collin Sexton was a far better shooter than expected during his debut season in Cleveland (he became just the third rookie in NBA history to average at least 16 points, while shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point territory and 80 percent from the free throw line); however, the Cavs weren’t convinced he is a pure point guard. As a result, they drafted, in their opinion, the best player available when they were on the clock at No. 5. Garland entered last season with very high hopes (he was the only freshman in the conference named to a Preseason All-SEC team), but tore his meniscus after just four games. He is reportedly now 100% healthy and wowed the Bulls his individual workout. Here’s hoping we get a chance to watch him show out in summer league action. His fantasy value will depend mainly on how he looks in Las Vegas and then in training camp and the preseason.  Windler put up incredible numbers during his four-year career at Belmont and, as a senior in 2018-19, he posted a historic statline. Per Basketball-Reference, he’s just the second player in NCAA Division 1 history to average at least 20 points, 10.5 rebounds and two made 3-pointers per game. The other player in this exclusive club is Kevin Durant (Texas, 2006-07). Porter is a supremely talented scorer but was frustratingly inconsistent at USC. He reportedly also has some maturity issues that scared off some teams. Still, his talent is undeniable. He has a chance to put up plenty of points, even as a rookie, if he can prove to the Cavs coaching staff that he’s ready to play in the NBA. He is definitely an enticing sleeper candidate, especially in dynasty leagues.  Detroit Pistons No. 15: Sekou Doumbouya, SF, France No. 37: Deividas Sirvydis, SF, Lithuania No. 45: Isaiah Roby, PF, Nebraska No. 57: Jordan Bone, PG, Tennessee The Pistons were ecstatic to see Doumbouya slip all the way to 15, and into their laps. He’s still a bit raw, which is unsurprising considering he was the youngest player in the draft (he won’t turn 19 until December), but this kid oozes potential and upside. He’s been compared to Pascal Siakam, and the comparison is accurate. He’s too inexperienced to rely on this season, but dynasty leaguers should be all over Doumbouya. He has a chance to develop into one of the five best players in this draft.  Sirvydis may spend another season in Europe before he makes the jump to the NBA. Both Roby and Bone have impressive college resumes, but it will be tough for them to make an impact for Detroit anytime soon.  Miami Heat No. 13: Tyler Herro, SG, Kentucky No. 32: KZ Okpala, SF, Stanford Herro is a marksman with solid size (6’5”) and plenty of confidence. One of the top pure shooters in the draft, he converted over 37% of his 3-point attempts as a freshman and knocked down a league-leading 94% of his free throws. Herro is the first SEC player in over 25 years to shoot above 93% from the charity stripe. The Heat have plenty of depth at guard, but Herro should be able to carve out a bench role and supply some treys.  Okpala is a 6’9” forward that can defend multiple positions and put the ball in the basket. He averaged just under 17 points per game as a sophomore at Stanford, to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 treys per game, while shooting nearly 37% from downtown. Milwaukee Bucks The Bucks didn’t make a single selection, trading away both their first and second-round picks.  New York Knicks No. 3: RJ Barrett, SG, Duke No. 47: Ignas Brazdeikis, SF, Michigan Barrett’s fantasy value is going to be decided by what the Knicks do in free agency. With over $70 million in cap space (the most in the league), New York has an opportunity to vastly upgrade its roster. However, if the Knicks strike out this summer (or sign only Kevin Durant, who is expected to miss all of 2019-20), New York may be forced to lean on Barrett. In that scenario, RJ will have an opportunity to put up superb all-around numbers. Last year at Duke, he became the first underclassmen in NCAA history to average at least 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one made 3-pointer per game. On a terrible Knicks team, Barret would have a real chance to make at a run at Rookie of the Year, as he might very well lead all first-year players in shot attempts and usage rate. Brazdeikis is a player New York traded up to snag in the second round. As the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, he was one of only five freshmen to tally at least 500 points, 200 boards and 50 treys, while also shooting above 39% from downtown, joining Kevin Durant, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Lauri Markkanen. He could be a rotation piece if the Knicks don’t sign multiple forwards in free agency. Orlando Magic No. 16: Chuma Okeke, PF, Auburn Okeke tore his left ACL during the NCAA tournament. As a result, he will likely miss the majority of the 2018-19 season. Even once he is cleared to return, the Magic will undoubtedly limit his minutes and keep him out of back-to-backs, etc.  Philadelphia 76ers No. 20: Matisse Thybulle, SF, Washington No. 54: Marial Shayok, SF, Iowa State Thybulle is a defensive dynamo, averaging a whopping 3.5 steals and 2.3 blocks in 31.1 per game last season. Along the way, he passed Gary Payton to become the Pac-12’s all-time steals leader and became the first player ever to tally at least 100 steals and 70 blocks in a single NCAA season. If the Sixers lose Jimmy Butler and/or Tobias Harris via free agency, Thybulle could crack the rotation and earn consistent playing time, putting him on the radar as a steals/blocks specialist in fantasy leagues. Toronto Raptors No. 59: Dewan Hernandez, PF, Miami The Raptors squad is stacked, as they proved on the way to the title. However, Kawhi Leonard has the ability to shift the balance of power in the NBA this offseason.  Washington Wizards No. 9: Rui Hachimura, PF, Gonzaga No. 42: Admiral Schofield, SF, Tennessee Hachimura has a very well-rounded and efficient offensive game. Last season, he averaged 19.7 points and 6.5 boards, while shooting a scorching 59.1% from the field and 41.7% from downtown. If the Wiz don’t bring back Jabari Parker and/or lose restricted free agent Bobby Portis in free agency, Hachimura would likely be given a chance to step right into the rotation and play meaningful minutes. Depending on how free agency plays out for Washington, Schofield could earn a spot in the rotation as well. At 22 years old, he’s mature enough to handle the rigors of the NBA, and he’s proven himself on the NCAA level. Impressively, he’s improved his outside jumper quite a bit. Since the start of his sophomore season, Schofield has shot over 40% from 3-point territory (150-for-374).

Source: Yahoo.com

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