It’s no secret that Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, James Harden and Kevin Durant deserve to be considered among the fantasy basketball league elite based on their performances year after year. While it’s easy to circle the top picks in any fantasy basketball league draft, the real differences between the caliber of teams can often come down to the later rounds. While some fantasy owners are able to find hidden sleeper gems, others are forced to deal with the fantasy busts that could really hurt their overall potential. Here is a look at one potential NBA fantasy league bust from each Atlantic division team.
SG: Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics
The Celtics really shook things up with the additions of Hayward and Kyrie Irving. All signs point towards Boston contending in the Eastern Conference this season. However, it’s important to remember that Hayward isn’t the first option with the Celtics as Irving and Al Horford will both be demand their share of touches. Hayward has the potential to put Boston over the top as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference but it’s important not to reach too early on him in fantasy basketball league drafts.
PF: Serge Ibaka, Toronto Raptors
Toronto’s decision to bring back Ibaka does not necessarily mean he will become a more productive player this season. The Raptors will still lean heavily on DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry with Jonas Valanciunas and Norman Powell also in line for more touches this season. Ibaka is a capable veteran scorer that can stretch the floor with his three-point shooting ability but he can’t be expected to put up big scoring totals on a nightly basis. And the defensive stats – particularly, the blocks that we used to get form him – are all but gone. He’s mostly a points, rebounds and threes guy, so don’t expect him to stuff the statsheet across the board. Anybody expecting Ibaka to be a top-10 option at the power forward position will be very disappointed.
C: Enes Kanter, New York Knicks
Kanter’s trade to the Knicks is perceived to give his fantasy stock a boost this season but that might not necessarily be true. Kanter won’t be playing with Russell Westbrook this season and there is no guarantee the Knicks are nearly as efficient when it comes to putting him in position to finish at the rim. Factor in the presence of Willy Hernangomez and Joakim Noah and suddenly Kanter appears to be in a crowded frontcourt situation. Kanter could still be a decent depth center option but anybody that reaches on him in fantasy basketball league drafts will likely be disappointed.
C: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Embiid has played 31 games with the 76ers. Despite the lingering injury concerns that have surrounded him since his arrival, Philadelphia decided to sign him to a five-year, $148 million deal. The lucrative contract means that he won’t have to prove his self any longer to earn a big contract and it will be interesting to see how he responds this season. There is no guarantee that Embiid will be able to stay healthy for an entire season. On top of that, you can expect that the Sixers are going to rest him from time to time, which will frustrate owners.
Those that reach for him in fantasy basketball league drafts run the risk of him being sidelined by injury and ending up as a major bust this NBA season.
SG: Caris LeVert, Brooklyn Nets
LeVert made a strong impression in Brooklyn at the end of last season but it’s important to keep in mind what the Nets did this offseason when evaluating his potential for this season. Brooklyn traded for D’Angelo Russell and added DeMarre Carroll and Allen Crabbe this offseason. For as impressive as LeVert was towards the end of last year he will fall behind all three of those players in the pecking order for the Nets this season. LeVert could still be a capable depth option just don’t reach on him too early in fantasy basketball league drafts.
The 2017 NBA futures are out. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
