The NBA season is two months away, but fantasy enthusiasts are already planning their draft strategy. The plethora of changes during the offseason will change the landscape as we know it, though. The fact that stars such as Kevin Durant and Al Horford changed teams will have a big fantasy impact.
Fantasy owners don’t have to choose the best players every single time. The role and the situation of the team around your player can have an impact as well.
Are you drafting at the top of the board? Perhaps in the Top 5? Don’t worry, we got you covered. Here are five stars that could be worthy of being the first overall pick. You can’t go wrong with any of these players.
Anthony Davis: The Pelicans big man didn’t have the best season of his career last year, but he still averaged 24.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and two blocks per game. His numbers depend on how healthy the rest of the team is, but the potential is clearly there. He’s a game-changing talent who can thrive with ease on both ends of the court. That’s not easy to find in today’s NBA.
Stephen Curry: The Warriors point guard was the best player in the league by a wide margin, but that might not be the case this upcoming season. Yes, Curry led the league with 30.1 points per game. But his situation will change with the arrival of Kevin Durant. Both players are likely to split the offensive load, so Curry might see his numbers take a hit. He’s a generational talent, though, so he should still crack the Top 5 rather easily.
LeBron James: LeBron James showed during the NBA Finals that he’s still one of the most dominant players in the league… when he wants to be. He usually plays at a lower intensity during the regular season, and that takes a toll on his numbers. But LeBron is still an elite scorer, passer, rebounder and defender. He’s easily a Top 3 choice. After all, you can’t go wrong with The King.
James Harden: The departure of Dwight Howard and the arrival of Mike D’Antoni should benefit James Harden. The All-Star shooting guard could have the best season of his career with an offensive-minded head coach like D’Antoni on the sidelines. The Beard averaged 26.6 points y 7.6 assists per game last season, but those numbers could easily go up. As if that wasn’t enough, Harden can be a valuable contributor on defense, too. His 2.4 steals per game are quite useful for fantasy purposes. What was the last time you heard Harden had any sort of defensive value?
Russell Westbrook: The Thunder point guard averaged 23.5 points, 10.4 assists, 7.8 rebounds y two steals per game while sharing the offensive load with Kevin Durant. Durant’s departure to the Golden State Warriors, however, gives Westbrook enough freedom to do whatever he wants on offense. As the new Alpha Dog on the team, his numbers are likely to be even better. If he’s consistent he could even average a triple-double at the end of the season. All signs point towards him being the best fantasy player once it’s all said and done.
And you? Who do you want to choose as your first overall pick in the Fantasy Draft? Any of these five players would fit the bill, that’s for sure.