The NBA season is finally back fantasy basketball enthusiasts! After a long summer with no regular season basketball action, Tuesday night we’ll finally all get to sit on our couches and watch some NBA games! I’m going to start the season long fantasy season off with giving you guys my first sleeper article of the season. To be successful in any fantasy sport, you must be able to work the waiver wire and grab guys who aren’t on everyone else’s radar successfully. Always keep your eye open for the next big player in the league that will help lead you to fantasy glory.
Luckily for you guys, I’m here to help! So, here we go with my top sleeper players to watch for in 2015:
Trey Burke, PG Utah Jazz
Over the off-season, Jazz starting point guard Dante Exum suffered a season-ending knee injury. Now, Burke will be the lead guy on this young Utah team and should be a nice addition to your fantasy squad. He is owned in just 63.2 percent of ESPN fantasy basketball leagues and needs to be a guy you take a look at. Last season, Burke averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. He averaged 30.1 minutes per game as well, starting in 43 games for the Jazz.
During the preseason, Burke has been playing lights out! This Utah team is one that I’m targeting in 2015-16 for players to grab on my fantasy squads. I mean, look at the young talent that they have… Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward just to name a few will give Burke even more fantasy value. Not only will he have a lot of scoring opportunities, he’ll also have plenty of fantasy relevant players to dish the ball to. Look to grab him on the waiver or even in your drafts if possible this year!
Zach LaVine, SG Minnesota Timberwolves
LaVine isn’t quite as sure of a thing as Burke is this season, but he has a ton of fantasy upside. Last season, he averaged 10.1 points, 3.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds per contest. When inserted into the lineup, LaVine was a standout player who really performed well on the court. He shot a cool 84 percent from the charity stripe in his rookie campaign last year as well. LaVine is owned in 61.4 percent of ESPN fantasy basketball leagues.
The biggest question mark for LaVine is whether or not he’ll start for Minnesota in 2015-16. The Timberwolves are packed with a young, talented crop of players who could all make waves within the fantasy world. During the preseason, LaVine has been super tentative on the court, which has caused his play to regress a bit. Now, it’s looking more and more like he’ll be coming off the bench for the T-Wolves, which does hurt his fantasy value a bit, but I do think he will find his way back into the starting five soon enough.
Mason Plumlee, PF Portland Trailblazers
I’m all in on Plumlee in 2015-16! I’ve been talking about this guy all off-season long as a potential fantasy breakout candidate for the upcoming fantasy basketball season. Last year with the Nets, he averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Plumlee shot a solid 57 percent from the field last year, looking to be potentially the third scoring option on a revamped Portland team this season. He is owned in just 55.3 percent of ESPN fantasy basketball leagues this year.
Like the first two players we’ve discussed here, Plumlee is oozing with fantasy potential and plays for a team who needs another player to step up. He will be inserted into the Trailblazers starting five alongside Meyers Leonard, making them a solid duo for fantasy purposes. I’ve actually drafted Plumlee in a couple of my season long leagues this year and feel like he will return a solid value to me, so grab him too if you can.
Zaza Pachulia, C Dallas Mavericks
Now the first three players were all higher owned guys, but Pachulia is owned in just 15.2 percent of ESPN fantasy basketball leagues. The guy has been around for years and has always been a solid option for whatever NBA team he has been a part of. Now, he’s playing for MY Dallas Mavericks team where I think he has plenty of opportunities to flourish this year. Last season in Milwaukee, Pachulia averaged 8.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest. He also shot 78 percent from the free-throw line, which is pretty good for a big man.
Pachulia will be the go-to center option in Dallas in 2015-16! On Saturday, the Mavericks announced that they cut veteran center Samuel Dalembert from the team, making even more room for playing time for Zaza. The Mavericks as a whole aren’t going to be the most fantasy relevant squad this season, but Pachulia will have some upside and is low owned in most leagues, so if you need some help at the center position give him a look.
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