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Fantasy Basketball Preview: Southeast Division

Fantasy Basketball Preview: Southeast Division

Get ready for your fantasy basketball drafts with Dan Titus’ divisional previews for the 2024-25 NBA season. On today’s program: the southeast.

The market for Paolo Banchero is too high in the category formats. He’s certainly worth a second-round pick in point leagues, but Banchero’s high turnover rate, lack of three-pointers and blocks, and mediocre free throw rate put him well in the category leagues.

Banchero was the lowest-ranked All-Star in category formats, ranking 159th last season. I’m not saying not to draft him – I’m saying that a player in the late third round is significantly behind his true value. However, if we can get playoff Paolo out of trouble, things could get very, very interesting.

Franz Wagner is one of my breakthroughs and if he can improve his 3s it will be another career year.

Be sure to get Jalen Suggs. He’ll start at point guard, which should boost his assist rate after already making strides as a 3-point threat and lockdown defender. Suggs will surpass his ninth-round ADP, which currently slips to pick 100.

There is precedent for Trae Young being worthy of a first-round pick in fantasy. Young ranked 12th in value per game and fourth in overall value during the 2021-22 season before Dejounte Murray left for the A’s. With Murray now gone, expect Young to have a usage rate above 30 percent and an average of 25 points and 10 assists this season.

Jalen Johnson missed 26 games last season, but he has an elite fantasy profile. His services will cost a player in the late third round, while Bogdan Bogdanović’s ADP remains too low, despite trending toward a mid-eighth round pick last week. Bogi is a good source of points, 3s and steals. Keep an eye on Dyson Daniels as a late starter.

I still draft more shares of Onyeka Okongwu (ADP 117) than Capela (91.5), mostly because of ADP. Clint Capela is an automatic double-double. I’m becoming increasingly concerned that his minutes have been dwindling over the last four seasons and that the Hawks are making a long-term financial commitment to Okongwu. Okongwu was efficient on a per-minute basis while also assisting fantasy managers in FG percentage, blocks and rebounds.

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As one of the league’s top defenders, Bam Adebayo is a reliable source of points, boards and steals that will no longer be on draft boards in the fourth round. If he continues to put out 3s, it will be a compelling development for his fantasy profile.

Jimmy Butler’s ADP moves up from a late-to-mid fourth-round pick despite his uncertain contract situation. Still, health has been an issue as Jimmy Buckets hasn’t played more than 65 games since the 2016-17 season. Tyler Herro also has some injury concerns and underperformed compared to his seventh-round ADP. Terry Rozier is also looking for a rebound campaign after his fantasy production failed after he was traded to Miami last year.

Kel’el Ware is a sleeper I targeted in late drafts because he looked great in the preseason and his game reminds me of a cross between LaMarcus Aldridge and Dereck Lively II. Commodity is the innovation Coach Spo is talking about.

LaMelo Ball has first-round potential if he stays healthy. He now wears ankle braces to address the ankle problems that have plagued him the past two seasons. In the late second round, Ball’s ADP could still be valuable, especially given his preseason looks. Miles Bridges advances to the late fifth round, earning his 58th overall pick in nine leagues.

Brandon Miller is the third star in the making. After a strong rookie season, he was selected in the early sixth round. Miller has proven he can be a three-level scorer and a decent fullback, so fantasy managers can feel comfortable using him in the middle of the round.

Mark Williams’ inability to stay healthy causes his fantasy value to plummet until the middle of the ninth round. I see the appeal from a positive perspective, but with an injury history like his, it’s a risky choice. I prefer Zach Edey or even Draymond Green over ADP.

It’s going to be a bumpy ride for every wizard this season. Jordan Poole was miserable for much of last season, but he came back to life when he took over point guard duties. Malcolm Brogdon is injured, so Poole opens the season as primary facilitator, which should improve his assist numbers.

Kyle Kuzma shot 30% from the floor in the preseason. He’s also been shooting balls left and right lately, so I’m down against Kuzma unless you play in a points league.

Alex Sarr is an intriguing candidate known for his defense. However, his offensive bag isn’t ready yet, so Sarr will primarily serve as a rim protector, rebounder and disruptor. I like Jonas Valančiūnas, but I’m worried about his long-term prospects. If he has no intention of leaving DC via trade, an easy double-double awaits in the eighth round.

Bilal Coulibaly is not someone I’m designing now; rather, he’s someone I expect to become fantasy relevant later in the season.