Draft Board 4.0
In Tiers
Tier 1: 6MOY Contenders
1. CP3 – Assuming he comes off the bench, which makes the most sense, he brings a sense of purpose to an exciting but directionless group of Golden State backups. Might have to sit him for very start of the year as Draymond Green picked up a small injury in training camp
2. Immanuel Quickley – He nearly won it last year, I see no reason he shouldn’t contend for it again. 15ppg with three assists, four rebounds, and a steal to boot
3. Malcolm Brogdan – The reigning sixth man certainly looks like he’s coming off the bench for Portland. Huge news for us
4. Bobby Portis – A double double machine who plays for an old team and gets spot starts. Rock solid pick, I would not be upset or surprised if he went one
5. Christian Wood – The highest upside of anyone in our league. Only thing holding him back is himself, which has consistently turned out to be quite the obstacle. With plenty of power forwards to go around in LA, I don’t expect him to haul in the 26 mpg he got last year, but his talent is too great to ignore
6. Norman Powell – Easy buckets off the bench for the most game-managed team to ever exist. We’ll see how the new rules go, but regardless, Powell’s a star. 26 mpg and 17 ppg last year in 60 games
7. Bogdan Bogdanovic – Bogey’s coming off a killer World Cup and gearing up for a serious run at sixth man. Played 28 mpg last year, shooting 45/40/83
8. Malik Monk – Microwave scorer who’s as likely to have 40 as he is 12. Threw in 4 apg, too
9. Jrue Holiday – Listen, I think it’s a terrible idea, but in the only preseason game where Boston played the two Js, Jrue came off the bench. He is 100% worth the risk, but he is a risk nonetheless. This is not confirmed, but it’s feeling possible
10. Derrick White – Just read the Jrue Holiday blurb. So much mystery around this Celtics lineup
Tier 2: Elite Producers
1. Onyeka Okongwu – Only in the second tier because there’s no way he wins 6MOY. 10 pts, 7 boards, 1 block per game last year
2. Collin Sexton – In 48 games last year he shot 50/39/81 for 14 points and 3 assists. The only downside? He might start
3. Jordan Clarkson – Listen, I know what the Jazz are gonna do about as well as I know how electricity works, but there’s a whiff of Clarkson off the bench in the air, and any whiff of this man is worth investigating for us. Take him at your own risk
4. Terance Mann – Coming off of back-to-back 81-game seasons for the Clippers, Mann is electric and will see plenty of loophole starts. A high risk to start, though
5. Bones Hyland – Bones is weird. With Russ and Mann ahead of him on the roster, he’s a shoot-first-ask-questions-never backup-microwave-heat-check variable. The upside is that he plays for a chronically injured team in the Clippers. He played 14 games for them last year after the deadline and got 19 mpg. And if Mann slots into the starting lineup, Bones becomes a quality pick. Truly a wild card
6. John Konchar – Looking at Memphis’ roster without Ja, Konchar’s gonna eat for the first 25 games of the year. 20 mpg in 72 games last year, those numbers are going to spike
7. Cole Anthony – Consistent double-digit scorer with a well-defined role on a talented young team. Looking to play more than 65 games in a season for the first time in his NBA career
8. Kelly Oubre Jr – 20 ppg last year as a starter. Hasn’t put up fewer than 10.5 FGA in a season for six years. He’s gonna get some shots up in Philly, whether they keep Harden or not
9. Buddy Hield – Was going to end up on the bench for the Pacers but now they’re looking to trade him. Not sure where he’s gonna play this year, but he’s a tippy top elite three-point shooter even if he stays
10. Robert Williams III – Doesn’t look like he’s gonna start in Portland, which is fantastic. He’s a pogo stick around the rim who finishes everything and is an absolute lock for a block per game
11. Tim Hardaway Jr – It looks like Dallas is going to try him in the sixth man role, where they’ve had him for somewhere around half of his five years there. He gets serious minutes, and he puts up 12 shots per game. Just pay attention to him slipping in and out of the lineup, just like he obnoxiously does every year
12. Eric Gordon – He’s old but he’s won 6MOY before and he’ll play big minutes for a very high-profile team that will rest its stars heavily
13. Reggie Bullock – Great pickup by Houston. He hasn’t played fewer than 27 mpg since 2017 (barring a weird year in NY) and he’ll be keeping Dillion Brooks and Jaylen Green honest. Real potential for spot starts and even a risk of losing eligibility, but to start the year I don’t see any way he doesn’t come off the bench
14. Amen Thompson – With KPJ bowing out, the rookie Thompson is gonna make people question Jaylen Green’s starting status by December. This Houston bench is looking fun
15. Kyle Anderson – Slo-Mo is the hand that steadies the drink when it’s about to overflow and spill everywhere in Minnesota. Because of KAT’s injury, he ended up starting half the games last year, which only cements his importance to this team. Shot 50/40 last year
16. Caris LeVert – I think Strus will lock up the starting spot, leaving LeVert for us. I’ve tempered expectations from last season, but he’s still a heater. 12 points and 4 assists will do just fine for us. Might start a few games at the beginning of the year if Jarrett Allen’s not good to go, but well worth stashing
17. Tari Eason – This is Udoka’s kind of player. Eason’s gonna play dogged defense and light up second units just like last year when he averaged 9 and 6, got a steal and half a block, played 22 minutes, and played every single game as a rookie. Seriously, get someone from Houston on your team
18. Santi Aldama – Bold prediction: Aldama will play more minutes than JJJ. Aldama had 21 mpg last year, JJJ had 28. Foul trouble and not having Ja around to ease the load on offense could weigh heavily on JJJ, which lights the runway for his backup to have an even bigger year than he had last season, where he hauled in 9 points and 5 rebounds
19. Mason Plumlee – Dude’s like if the Terminator wasn’t hot. Pure stats, no sex appeal. In 23 games with the Clippers after the deadline he averaged 7 and 7 in 20 minutes
20. Andrew Nembhard – Nembhard started 63 games and averaged 9.5 pts and 4.5 asts as a rookie last year. Carlisle loves him. He’ll see plenty of the floor
21. Donte DiVincenzo – The Big Ragu was a perfect fit in Golden State last year, racking up 9, 4, 3, and 1 in 26 mpg. Thibs is gonna love him in New York, and he’s at no risk of starting
22. Shaedon Sharpe – We’ll see if he starts, but the one thing we know is he’s going to play a ton as the Blazers figure out exactly what it is they have here. If he comes off the bench they’re going to give him the floor. 8 shots per game last season will have nothing on this year
23. Al Horford – Impossible to rank him, because the Celtics unequivocally should bench him. But this lingering Jrue Holiday on the bench thing is worrisome. Not to mention, Horford is older than original sin (37) and they really need to manage his minutes if they wanna win the title. So even as a bench player, supposing he is one, he’ll miss a fair number of games. I don’t know, ya’ll, I wish I did
Tier 3: Quality Rotation
1. Naz Reid – Even with only 18 mpg finding time between Rudy and Kat, Reid averaged 11.5 pts, 5 rbs, and 1 ast. As one of the few fan favorites on the team, they have to keep playing him
2. Cam Payne – A spotty scorer, but he fits a need in Milwaukee and he’ll be surrounded by talent. Once he breaks in and gets comfy, he’ll be a rock solid backup PG for a team that will likely rest all sorts of guys all the time
3. Payton Pritchard – Absolutely ballin’ in preseason, scoring 26, 21, and 17 points in the first three games. He only played in 48 games last year and only got 13 mpg, but with the Celtics’ current roster construction, he’s going to ball out. Unless of course, they do something weird and bench Holiday or White
4. Jonathon Kuminga – Last year he played 20 mpg, this year he should do the same. Eating in the preseason, scoring 24, 26, and 28 points in the first three games. He’s on pace to break Wilt’s single-game record by Christmas!
5. Josh Richardson – Really thought he’d start, but early reports seem to think Miami start Lowry with Herro. We’ll monitor it, but if Richardson brings his career average 11 points and one steal per game to our league again I will not overlook a returning Heat Culture two guard. Also he’s 30, did ya’ll know that? Spo’s gonna play him 28 mpg
6. Josh Hart – Grimes has so far won the starting spot, so we retain our elite rebounder who tends to be in the finishing lineup. Low ceiling, very high floor
7. Kelly Olynyk – Collins pushes him firmly to the bench and now he gets to operate with the Jazz’ really fun backups like Agbaji and George. I think he’s gonna eat. Two years ago on the bench for Detroit he averaged 9, 4.5, and 3
8. Alex Caruso – Last year’s number one overall pick is crucial to Chicago’s success. His offense is fine, but he was a first team all defender last season, and those steals really add up in our league
9. Dario Saric – Small ball 5 playing big minutes with CP3? Yeah, sign me up. Especially with Draymond hurt to begin the year. Has a tendency to be hurt, but fits the roster perfectly
10. Nick Richards – He had 14 double doubles last year
11. Ochai Agbaji – I think he’s coming for the Utah starting spot. Not a lights out shooter, but a winning plays guy. Definitely a swing but he played 20 mpg last year and he’s getting better
12. Pat Connaughton – Even though he’s a streaky shooter who had an injured and not that great year last season, he’s a hustle guy, great rebounder, and he’ll get plenty of minutes
13. Christian Braun – Denver need him to play like he did in the playoffs. With no one else to turn to, I think he will, but it’s a major bet on a guy who wasn’t on any of our teams last year
14. Paul Reed – He only got 10 mpg last year, but the fans love him and they need to manage Embiid better now that he’s won his MVP. Breakout year for BBall Paul
15. Caleb Martin – Who knows if Martin will be startin’, but we all saw him go nuclear in the playoffs, and last year he played almost 30 mpg. He’s become invaluable for this shallow Heat team
16. Kenyon Martin Jr – A bet on youth, athleticism, availability, and fit. Kmart Jr checks all of those boxes. Plus, backups for the Clippers get all sorts of playing time
17. Dyson Daniels – The Pelicans are always getting hurt, and with Trey Murphy out until mid-November at least, Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance Jr missing training camp, and Naji Marshall missing the start of the year, Daniels is about to see a ton of the floor early on
18. Gary Trent Jr – A bet on the Schroder Slump that strikes every other year, which would leave the Raptors only other guard with plenty of minutes
19. Drew Eubanks – The Shaq of Troutdale will be backing up the always-injured and terrible defensive anchor Josef Nurkic. Last year for a floundering Blazers team he averaged 6 pts, 5 rbs, and 1 blk in 78 games. Drewbanks will be ready to bring consistency to the backup center spot in Phoenix
20. Georges Niang – Don’t know if I’ve ever seen him miss a corner three. Last year he shot 44/40/86 on 19 mpg. Pretty much gonna have the same role in Cleveland as he did in Philly
21. Malaki Branham – Devonte’ Graham’s suspended the first two games of the season with a DUI, so Branham will have the red carpet rolled out for him. 10 points, 2 assists, and only 1 turnover in his regular season, he’s set to get buckets for this likely bad Spurs team
22. Jock Landale – While I’m a Sengun fan, I just have a feeling Udoka isn’t. Landale brings a bit of that bastard to his game. He’s a great energy sub who brings a change of pace behind Sengun
23. Grayson Allen – He’s been a starter for the Bucks these last two years, getting 10 ppg and shooting 40% from three. I’d rather have that shooting off the bench for the Suns, but I can definitely see him taking that assumed starter role from Okogie for certain matchups. If he maintains eligibility, he’s a lock to play good minutes and shoot the lights out
24. Trey Lyles – He played 74 games for the Kings last year and didn’t start one. 17 mpg, he shot 46/36/81 while grabbing 4 boards. He’s the definition of a solid rotation big
25. Chris Boucher – Boucher played in 76 games for the Raptors last year, averaging 9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 20 minutes. Regardless of how the Raptors arrange their starters, Boucher is set up to keep producing consistently
26. Dorian Finney-Smith – Hasn’t come off the bench since 2019, but with the return of Ben Simmons, it looks like he’ll drop to us. The archetypal 3 and D wing, his only concern is that the Nets have about 7 guys at his position. At 29 years old, he’s in his prime, unlike Royce O’Neale, and he’s too good to bury on the bench. I don’t think he’ll be playing for the Nets all season, but he’s gonna kick the year off strong
27. Jose Alvarado – Looks like this injury should be healed up by the start of the regular season, but Alvarado’s gonna miss all of the preseason. A good player on a constantly hurt team, don’t expect him to come out of the gate firing
28. Taurean Prince – LeBron loves a vet wing who knows how to cut and can shoot. Prince played 22 mpg last year off the Wolves’ bench, and shot 38% from three. He’s got age over Rui, shooting over Vando, and consistency over Wood. Feels like a perfect fit. Has started EVERY preseason game, which is why he’s so low on this list
29. Nickeal Alexander-Walker – He filled in for Ant and McDaniels in the preseason, and is playing plenty. After a good showing at the World Cup for Canada, he’s sneaking up my board.
30. Torrey Craig – He’s coming off a solid season with Phoenix, shooting 39% from three. Brings consistency behind Patrick Williams, who needs to have a great year
31. Isaiah Hartenstein – He wasn’t what I’d hoped he’d be last year, but the Knicks’ bench got even more talented around him with DiVincenzo, and one more year under Thibs will have gained him favor
32. Maxi Kleber – A healthy Kleber will play a huge role for this shallow Mavs team. Would love to be able to trust his health
33. Alec Burks – Burks carried Old Man Team when he played last year. This Pistons team needs shooting maybe more than any other team in the league. Burks shot 41% from three on nearly 5 attempts per game
34. Josh Green – Played 25 mpg last year for that sad Mavs team, and I really don’t see many reasons he won’t do that again. I think he’s gonna start, and if he does, maybe take a flyer on Olivier-Maxence Prosper around here
35. Zeke Nnaji – I know I said last year was the year, but this is the year. Uncle Jeff is gone, Cancar tore his ACL, no one wants more DeAndre Jordan minutes. It’s Zeke Nnaji time
36. David Roddy – Tough to tell what Memphis is gonna do with their roster for the first 25 games, but Roddy played 70 games last year at 18 mpg, so he’ll factor in
37. Patrick Beverly – Depending on entirely too many variables, Pat Bev might start for the Sixers, he might be the first man off the bench, he might make a big fuss about lack of playing time on his podcast, and he might get in a verbal dispute and be dismissed from the team. Whatever happens, he’s too good and too loud to not play
38. Isaiah Joe – Will he shoot 41% from three like he did last year or will he fade into obscurity under the 30 talented teenagers OKC keeps drafting?
39. Deni Avdija / Cory Kispert – After being one of my absolute locks at this time last year, Avdija went out and started 40 games. Which is five fewer games than his competitor Corey Kispert started. It’s a true toss-up who will secure that starting spot. Kispert shot 42% from three, Avdija averaged 9, 6.5, and 3. Whoever falls to us should get plenty of time in a wonky Wizards season
40. Sam Hauser – Boston went out and got a lot of deep-cut wing depth this summer (Brissett, Svi, Stevens) but Hauser played in 80 games last year. He’s the incumbent, he just has to stay on his game or he might get buried
41. Justin Holiday – The surprise of the preseason. With the Nuggets taking it easy on MPJ, Holiday’s run with the starters in every game. Malone loves his vets. Holiday’s not a great numbers guy, but everyone scores when they play with Jokic
Tier 4: Good Minutes
1. Larry Nance Jr – Another bet on New Orleans’ terrible health record. Do you really think we get more than 50 games out of Zion this year? Speaking of, Nance himself is hurt. Looks like he should be good to start the season, but he’s going to miss camp
2. Xavier Tillman – Steven Adams got hurt in January and never came back. Reports on his health this summer have been tricky to find. Assuming he’s back, Tillman should get plenty of time as they work Adams into shape
3. Royce O’Neale – O’Neale is savvy. He’s averaged 31 mpg over the last three seasons, and even though the Nets are Team Wing, he’s a coach’s dream and ought to keep producing, so long as Simmons keeps starting
4. Thomas Bryant – He started 25 games for a tumultuous Lakers team last year, putting up 12 points and 7 rebounds. Then he got traded to Denver and played 11 mpg. Due simply to the lack of backup bigs on the Heat roster, Bryant should be out there a lot more than 11 minutes. He has big upside, but he simply doesn’t play that many games. In the last five seasons he’s played 46, 10, 27, 59, and 59 games
5. Jalen Johnson – Quin Snyder seems to like him more than AJ Griffin. A very spotty player, but when he hits he hits
6. Jevon Carter – My guy played all but one game for the Bucks last season, starting half of them. His production was moderate: 8 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and a steal. What he brings to the Bulls this year is tenacity. With him and Caruso on the bench, the other team’s point guard isn’t gonna get a moment of rest. But that doesn’t always translate into fantasy success
7. Reggie Jackson – In a pretty small sample size (18 games) for the Nugs last year, Jackson shot pretty badly but managed 8 points and 3 assists. No one is more aware of Jamaal Murray’s impact on this team than Denver, so look for them to keep his minutes and games reasonable. That means minutes for Jackson, who will have settled into the team more with a full offseason
8. Mo Wagner – Not only did he get 10.5 ppg off the bench last year, he’s also the brother of one of the Magic’s franchise cornerstones. He’s gonna play
9. Kris Murray – Rookies are a crapshoot, but 23-year-old, 6’8 rookies who can shoot the piss out of the ball tend to see the floor
10. Yuta Watanabe – I harped on it all last year, superstar teams need guys like Yuta. He’s big, he hustles, fans love him, and he hits corner threes. The ceiling isn’t that sexy but the floor is nice and high
11. Gary Payton II – He’s 30, he’s had some bad injuries lately, and he doesn’t shoot. But he has Steve Kerr’s trust, and that’s all he needs
12. Jeff Green – Uncle Jeff is 37 years old but played 20 mpg last year for the Nuggets. Udoka isn’t going to like the youth of Houston
13. Jonathan Isaac – He only played 11 games last year, but in that time he got multiple steals in 4 of them, more than 4 rebounds in 6 of them, and more than 9 points in 3 of them. He was as advertised on defense, and he had some moments on the other end. He simply will not stay healthy. But the beginning of the year is a great time for health
14. Nassir Little – Joins a crowded backup wing rotation in Phoenix. Won over Chauncey Billups and earned 26 mpg two years ago and 18 last year. Little’s issue has been staying on the court. Last season he played a four-year career high of 54 games
15. Oshae Brissett – The Celtics have added lots of mediocre wing depth to their bench with Brissett, Svi, and Lamar Stevens. Of the three, I like Brissett to play the most on account of his scrapping for 16 mpg last year on a wing-heavy Pacers team
16. Cody Martin – Was hurt all last year and played only seven games. The Bridges situation muddies it up a bit, but Martin should play plenty of minutes behind the always-injured Gordon Hayward
17. Dennis Smith Jr – Revived his career last year in Charlotte. Now, in Brooklyn, will be looking to bring defense and stability behind Spencer Dinwiddie
18. Keyontae George – Did you see him in Summer League? The Jazz have plenty of undersized scoring guard depth, but George might just be too good to bury on the bench
19. Delon Wright – Wright played 24 mpg for Washington last year and was shockingly consistent. Regardless of where the Wizards want to go, he’ll get in
20. AJ Griffin – Looking to avoid the sophomore slump and capitalize on the departure of John Collins. He played 19 mpg and shot 39% from three. His only downside is Jalen Johnson plays his exact position, so he’s going to have to earn those minutes
21. Talen Horton-Tucker – With the drafting of Keyontae George, THT’s minutes might take a hit. He averaged 10 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds last year, though, and drafting him is a bet on experience over a shiny rookie. Only this low because somehow he’s started every preseason game for the Jazz. Weird, but his eligibility is certainly in question
22. Landry Shamet – He only played 40 games last year, and he’s on a team who’s looking toward the future. He’s only 26, so if he stays healthy he could put up real minutes. But he’s at risk of being traded or falling down the pecking order, and he’s already picked up a toe injury. He’s in my Burn Book, but feel free to give him a shot
23. Cason Wallace – Picking an OKC player is committing yourself to a season of peril and limitless G League roster updates. But Wallace has the size and upside to be a great long-term piece behind Shai and Giddey. Just keep your eye out
24. Precious Achiuwa – Really thought he was going to thrive in Toronto, and maybe under new coaching he will. Regardless, he’s their backup big, and he averaged 9 and 6 last year
25. James Wiseman – Man, this Detroit roster situation is bonkers. All of their bigs were hurt at staggered intervals last season, so we didn’t get a chance to see who was top of the food chain. Monty said one of he or Bagley will win out and the other will fall out of the rotation. Place your bet now
26. Marvin Bagley – Just go re-read the James Wiseman blurb. Both have gone off in preseason during different games. Crapshoot. But a very high upside one
27. Luke Kornet – Boston’s bigs are KP and Horford. Injury-prone doesn’t do it justice. Kornet’s gonna see plenty of the floor
28. Jae Crowder – The Bucks lost even more depth, which leaves more room for Crowder. He’s 33, he barely played last year, but if he can get it together he’s gonna be a great pickup
29. Jeremy Sochan – Reporting so far is the Spurs will start Collins, leaving Sochan to us. The good news is they love him there and he stands to play plenty of minutes. The bad news is he’s probably the best example of the kind of player who makes winning plays that do not translate into fantasy success
30. Ty Jerome – A functional backup PG for Cleveland. With Rubio still out of the picture, he’s actually their only backup PG
31. Aaron Nesmith – Nesmith was Indiana’s starting PF last year, which is very much not his natural position. He now steps into the plug and play role off the bench, which Carlisle is going to love. They need a 2 guard? Nesmith. A big wing? Nesmith. A small but experienced 4? Nesmith
32. Seth Curry – While he still shot 40% from three last year, he took his fewest threes per game since 2018. Dallas need him, so he’s gonna play, but he’s a bit of a risk
33. AJ Green – Bucks need shooting and they have very little depth
34. Jaylin Williams – Started 36 games for the Thunder last year. With the arrival of Chet, he looks to slot solidly to the bench. The coaches love him, but it’s always tricky taking an OKC player
35. Brandon Miller – I don’t know. He could start, hell he’s the number two overall pick. One way or another he should be on the court a ton
36. Gabe Vincent – Last year he started for a month and no one in our league even noticed. He’ll play a ton behind DLo, but he was the best available free agent in our league for half the year
37. Cam Whitmore – Looked like a man amongst boys at Summer League, and during preseason. Bullock hurts his chances a bit, but you just can’t take your eyes off this guy
38. Jordan Goodwin – Worried about his non-guaranteed contract. He’s the Suns’ backup PG, but they’ve got so many wings that they might just rotate their stars and never use him. I was so hype at the beginning of the summer
39. Duncan Robinson – The Heat need him to find that shooting stroke again. He really didn’t have it last year, but we’ll give him another try
40. Ayo Dosunmu – With the extension given to Coby White and the summer acquisition of Jevon Carter, Iso Ayo’s road to big minutes could be vanishing right before our eyes. He’s still a promising young player who Chicago should continue to develop, but don’t expect monster minutes
41. Patty Mills – Somebody’s gotta pick up Holiday’s bench minutes in Atlanta, and Patty seems fit for the job
42. Richaun Holmes – No clue. He fills a need on the Mavs, but they need everything so that’s not really saying much
43. Chris Duarte – Made an all-rookie team two years ago then got hurt and hardly played last year. He’s 6’6, and he’s shown he can really let it fly. We’ll see how the Kings use him with Monk already established on the bench
44. Doug McDermott – The Spurs are gonna be different this season, but he played 20 mpg last year, and they shipped Bullock and Bates-Diop, so he should see the floor
45. Keita Bates-Diop – The hipster pick for “guy who’s gonna shock everyone and get some spot starts for the Suns”. Played 67 games for the Spurs last year, shooting 50/39/79 splits on 21 mpg
46. Jarace Walker – Was looking at great playing time until the Pacers got Obi Toppin. Even so, the roster is so light on PFs that they started Aaron Nesmith at the four last year
47. Nic Batum – Might start, might get traded, Clips make no sense and he’s 34
48. Jaime Jaquez Jr – By all accounts he fits this Miami team like a glove. They’re pretty thin everywhere, so the rookie might get some good looks. Especially from a team that loves to take games off
49. Lonnie Walker IV – Started 32 games for the weird Lakers last year. The Nets have entirely too many wings, but logically they’ll trade some of them and either Walker will be one of them or the roster will open up for him
50. Jalen Suggs – Health has been an issue, but when he’s available he’s played meaningful minutes. He’s averaging 25 mpg in his first two years, on a total of 101 games. The Magic have drafted more guards, so it’s a make-or-break season for Suggs. Actually looking like he might start. Who knows. Draft with caution
51. Dru Smith – Attempting to be the Gabe Vincent of this year’s Miami team. I know nothing about him, but that just makes him better
52. Isaac Okoro – The Cavs flirted with starting Okoro last season and it didn’t really work out. An excellent defender, he’ll still find minutes in this deeper wing rotation. But will he shoot enough to be worthwhile?
53. Charles Bassey – San Antonio’s backup center, assuming they stick with Wemby at the 4
54. Derrick Jones Jr – He doesn’t score, playmake, or rebound. But Dallas need wing defenders so he should see the floor
55. Aaron Holiday – A vet for Udoka to trust when he gets mad at all the kids in Houston
56. Mike Muscala – I just can’t let go
57. Jordan Walsh – Scrappy rookie who should fit perfectly into a star-heavy team with minimal depth. Might not put up many stats, though
58. Andre Jackson Jr. – The Bucks rookie point guard. Cam Payne cuts into his potential to take off, but he’ll battle with TyTy Washington Jr for that 10-15 minute a night spot
59. Damian Jones – The Cavs are going to give having an actual backup 5 a go. Jones has a low ceiling, but should get minutes. Not the best sell, I know
60. TJ McConnell – The hero of Old Man Team last season took a blow with the signing of Bruce Brown. Now that Nembhard will be coming off the bench, it’ll be interesting to see how much McConnell plays. When he’s out there, he performs, I just worry he won’t be out there much
61. Kris Dunn – Just so many variables. He defends better than any of Utah’s more fun guards, and I think that’ll earn him some minutes. And last year he went on an absolute tear, playing the best basketball of his career. But do they want him to get in the way of Keyontae George? I don’t
62. Danilo Gallinari – Missed all last season with an ACL. Now he finds himself on this rebuilding Wizards team, trying to put up some good enough tape to get traded by the deadline. The main problem is their rookie Bilal Coulibaly. I like him a lot
63. Ziaire Williams – He started 31 games as a rookie, then he got hurt, the rest of the team leap frogged him, and he only played 37 games total last year. When he’s on, he fits this starting lineup without Ja perfectly. But he might never see the floor. I don’t know
64. Davion Mitchell – Off Night played 18 mpg last year, but with the influx of shooting guards he only took 5 shots per game. His defense is valuable and the Kings don’t have any of that, so he’ll still play, but don’t expect him to blow the doors off
65. Isaiah Jackson – Carlisle hates this man and I cannot figure out why. Every time he plays he puts up numbers, he gets 1.5 blocks per game, but he only played 63 games. With the drafting of Jarace Walker, I worry Jackson will be even more of a yo-yo than he was last season
66. Malachi Flynn – Raptor’s backup PG, depending on a lot of roster configuration. Could see the floor, could get buried behind their mountain of wings
67. Devonte’ Graham – Serving a DUI suspension the first two games of this season and looking at Branham possibly taking his role, we need to see a lot out of Graham this year and I’ve got my doubts. But he is their backup PG
68. Rudy Gay – He’s 37 and fresh off of not working for Utah. But, if there’s an organization that can revamp an old small ball five’s career, it’s the Warriors. Especially with Draymond starting the year hurt
69. Bryce McGowans – A lot went wrong for the Hornets last year, but McGowans played 17 mpg in 46 games. Name a backup guard the Hornets have any faith in. Bryce has a shot
70. Jordan McLaughlin – Did you know he’s 5’11? He got 16 mpg last year, but with a couple of higher-scoring additions to the T Wolves this offseason (Shake Milton, Daishen Nix, and some ascension from NAW) he might see even less of the floor
71. Javale McGee – Javale’s 35 and only played 8.5 mpg in 42 games last year. But the Kings lost Richaun Holmes and they dropped Nerlens Noel (who they just signed a month ago) to make room for Javale. So I’d have to think he’ll see the court, right?
72. Jalen Smith – The former 10th overall pick has struggled to keep Carlisle’s trust in Indiana. With the drafting of Walker, Smith could flame out entirely. But he’s a talented kid, so keep an eye on him either winning the spot or going somewhere else to flourish
73. Andre Drummond – He only played 12 mpg last year, but he’s a big enough name to make the list
74. Robin Lopez – 8 mpg for Cleveland last year. Don’t get your hopes up, but the last time he was in Milwaukee (4 years ago) he got 14 mpg
Tier Whatever: Take a Swing
1. Naji Marshall – Fills in gaps left by New Orleans’ incessantly injured forwards. His coach calls him “The Knife” because you know exactly what you’re getting out of him every night. Had 22 mpg last year. Has a bone bruise in his knee and will miss the start of the season, which is the only reason he’s this low
2. Bilal Coulibaly – The swing of the draft fell to the swingiest team. Washington could do anything they want this year, and Coulibaly’s about as rough a prospect as you can get. But damn he’s looked good in preseason
3. Moses Moody – Would like to see him get more than 13 mpg before I have confidence picking him. With GP2 back, he might not reach that. But the Warriors have a habit of resting every member of the organization about once a month, so keep your ear to the ground
4. Jaden Hardy – The Mavs need someone to take off, and every time Hardy got an opportunity last year he did just that. He took 7 shots in 14 minutes per game. That’s pretty much a shot every other possession
5. Trey Jemison and EJ Liddell – With all the Pelicans’ injuries, these are the backup bigs and forwards on the roster. It’s desperation time right from the start, but they’ll secure time on the floor
6. Joe Ingles – Old. So old. But Orlando need shooting, so he could see the floor. But they have a ton of young guards, too, so he might just be a locker room guy
7. Derrick Rose – In three years with the Knicks he’s played in 88 games total. He’s 34. But, Memphis don’t have Ja for the first 25 games this year, and they traded Tyus Jones. So in theory, D Rose should see the floor
8. Marjon Beauchamp – The young athlete the Bucks need. With how old and hurt their roster has been the last few years, he should get a chance to show why they drafted him
9. Bol Bol – The hit of last year joins a top-heavy Suns team who need defenders and hustle guys. Bol can do that stuff, right? Just give him a chance!
10. Troy Brown Jr – Wolves will need somebody to step in for those Taurean Prince minutes. I guess that’s this guy
11. Davis Bertans – A bet on OKC’s rehabilitative culture
12. Shake Milton – Gets a fresh start in Minnesota where he’ll be fighting with NAW and McLaughlin for minutes
13. Cedi Osman – Hey, if you wanna ride the rollercoaster, I ain’t gonna stop ya
14. Frank Ntilikina – Frankie Smokes comes to Charlotte hoping to follow the Dennis Smith Jr blueprint. Clifford called him the best defender on the roster. That’s gotta mean at least a few minutes a night
15. Peyton Watson – Remember that double block he had last year? That was the only time I saw him play, but after losing a good chunk of their depth, the Nuggets could turn to their recent draft picks like him or Gillespie
16. Kenny Lofton Jr – He weighed in at 300 lbs for training camp this year, which is so exciting for a 6’8 basketball player. With Memphis’ strange opening 25 games, the G League MVP should see the floor, I just don’t know in what capacity
17. TyTy Washington Jr – It would be asking a lot for TyTy to work into that lineup, but with commonly-injured Cam Payne and rookie Andre Jackson Jr ahead of him, there’s certainly an avenue for his success
18. JT Thor – Cody Martin is back and after 10 games Miles Bridges will be too, so Thor would need to really shine
19. Jordan Hawkins – With all the Pelicans’ injuries, the rookie should get a run in
20. Jalen McDaniels – I love him if Toronto trade OG or Siakim. If they don’t, I worry he’s just another okay wing on the roster
21. Joe Harris – Still an elite shooter and now he’s playing for a Detroit team with pretty much no shooting at all, I just did not like watching him last year
22. Svi Mhykyliuk – Listen, Svi gets minutes wherever he goes. Boston need depth
23. Cam Reddish – It hasn’t worked out in the last two places for Cam, but he’s a shooter, so keep him on the radar
24. Ousmane Dieng – Picking an OKC player is like sticking your hand in the Gom Jabbar, but Dieng is exciting enough to fight his way onto the court
25. Daishen Nix – Nix popped up in Houston last year, but we’ll see if that means anything at all in Minnesota
26. Edmond Sumner – Remember that little stint where it was between him and Cam Thomas to get big numbers without Kyrie and KD and I picked Sumner and if he had just hit a single shot he would’ve been a star? Well now he’s in Charlotte, where there’s no guard depth to speak of
27. Cam Thomas – Speak of the devil. Dennis Smith Jr (and Ben Simmons) are ahead of him on the Nets #FreeCam
28. Jaden Springer – The hero Philly deserve, but are the desperate enough to turn to him?
29. Wenyen Gabriel – Celtics need depth at the 4 and 5. They’re a KP and Horford injury away from really leaning on Gabriel
