NBA Preseason Team Previews: Boston Celtics

Preseason is upon us! Over the next two weeks, we will break down each team and give you their fantasy outlook coming into the 2017 NBA regular season. This article will break down the offseason moves, the fantasy MVP for the team, a DFS sleeper and a DFS bust pick.

Projected Starting Lineup:

Kyrie Irving G

Jaylen Brown F

Gordon Hayward F

Marcus Morris F

Al Horford C

Key Bench Players: Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum

Offseason Summary

 The offseason was a busy one for Danny Ainge and the Celtics front office, as the team acquired two huge pieces in Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. The pair figures to fill the majority of the scoring hole left by the departure of Isaiah Thomas to the Cavaliers in the deal for Irving. The team also signed key depth pieces in Marcus Morris, Aron Baynes and drafted talented rookies Jayson Tatum and Semi Ojeleye.

The losses of Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson and Avery Bradley will be felt on the defensive end of the court, with all of them being within the top 15 at their positions in defensive rating over the past two seasons. Fortunately, the aggressiveness of Marcus Smart and Al Horford should maintain a tough defensive presence in this lineup. What the Celtics lack in size (the tallest player on the team is 6-10”) they make up for in toughness. The Celtics will likely be a tough out most nights.

Fantasy MVP: Kyrie Irving

 Irving and Hayward will be fine early round selections in season-long drafts for their high-usage rates. However, much like past seasons on their former squads, the only contribution for roto leagues and daily fantasy lineups will be their scoring outputs. Neither one really fills the stat sheet like you would want a true fantasy MVP to do. But on a nightly basis, there is nobody in the NBA who is more likely to take over a game than Kyrie Irving. The dude can ball. If you are willing to pay up for Uncle Drew, he is one of the best out there at the point guard spot.

Daily Fantasy Sleeper: Marcus Smart

Analysts may be inclined to take Jayson Tatum as the sleeper pick from the Celtics, but I like Smart here. The Celtics offseason moves involved major defensive pieces in Crowder and Bradley, which shows the front office’s confidence in Smart’s ability to develop into a lockdown defender. If Tatum or Jaylen Brown crack the starting lineup, they will still require 30+ minutes from Smart in tougher matchups because Brown and Tatum are likely to be bigger liabilities on the defensive end. Smart is a shot-creator, works well in space and will provide points in multiple stats on a nightly basis. Look for him to be a cheap option in daily that will provide upside in steals, blocks and even points on some nights. Smart is a great choice for the utility spot in your lineups.

Daily Fantasy Bust: Gordon Hayward

This isn’t a knock on Hayward as a player and teammate. I think that under Brad Stevens and in this system, Hayward will have many opportunities to have success in Boston. However, I think that the price won’t be right for season-long or night tournament plays. Hayward ended the season at $7,400 on Draftkings, which is only a few hundred dollars less than top options like Kawhi Leonard ($8,100) and Kevin Durant ($8,200). I believe the value at the small forward position is so deep night-to-night that you will find in most circumstances, you will find yourself going another direction than Hayward. He will be a fine cash-game selection in DFS but I would shy away in tournaments until we are shown he has taken the next step into all-around production.

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