The 2017-18 NBA season is right around the corner now and that means preparations for the coming fantasy year should already be underway. While it’s no secret that fantasy managers will be targeting Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Stephen Curry among the top options in fantasy basketball, it’s the deep sleeper picks that have the potential to make the difference between making the playoffs and winning a championship. We took the time to look at a long list of potential sleepers in the NBA’s Pacific division that might be worth investing in. Here is a look at the fantasy sleepers in the NBA’s Pacific division.
SF: T.J. Warren, Phoenix Suns
Warren has everything it takes to be a breakout star in 2017-18. The 2014 first round pick averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists for Phoenix last season. Now he has the potential to play even more minutes following the departure of P.J. Tucker. Warren is a versatile forward that can shoot the three-ball and with the increase in minutes he could see a correlating increase in production. The Suns will hope that Warren can take another step forward in his development this season. If that happens then he could emerge as a breakout fantasy star in 2017-18.
SG: Nick Young, Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are loaded with talent so there will only be so many extra touches to go around when it comes to the bench players. However, Young might be an intriguing sleeper candidate for this coming season. Considering the number of times Golden State should win in a blowout, there could be plenty of garbage time minutes for Young to pad his stats. The veteran shooting guard averaged 13.2 points and 2.8 three-point shots in 25.9 minutes per game last season. With more talent around him, Young could maintain that level of production in fewer minutes this season with the potential to even top those averages in 2017-18.
SG: Lou Williams, Los Angeles Clippers
Williams is one of the best sixth men in the NBA. He could have an even bigger role with Los Angeles this coming season. The Clippers lost J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford and Chris Paul, leaving them with some major holes in their backcourt. Considering he averaged 17.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game last season, Williams should be able to help replace some of that production. The potential for him to be overlooked in fantasy drafts could result in Williams excelling as a potential sleeper pick next season.
PF: Skal Labissiere, Sacramento Kings
Buddy Hield will be a big name in fantasy drafts next season – especially after finishing the season strong. He averaged 18.8 points in the final month of the year. However, after taking a closer look at the Kings roster it’s clear that Labissiere will be an intriguing option as well. The 2016 first-round pick averaged 10.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 22.4 minutes per game after the All-Star break. Of course, that coincided with the fact that he had a much bigger role after the team traded away DeMarcus Cousins. He averaged just 8.5 minutes per game before the All-Star break but his per-game action shot up to 22.4 afterwards. He ended up finishing the season with an impressive PER of 16.91.
Considering he is still just 21-years-old and entering his second NBA season he should be primed for a bigger role in Sacramento this coming year. He’s expected to start while Zach Randolph will come off the bench and provide some support.
C: Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are hoping their 2016 second round pick could build on a strong debut from last year. Zubac averaged 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.3 minutes per game after the All-Star break last season. The acquisition of Brook Lopez hurts Zubac’s overall potential, but he could still produce at a better level than expected in a backup role. Zubac showed a glimpse of what he could do for Los Angeles last season. With another year of experience and more minutes off the bench, Zubac has the potential to surprise as a sleeper fantasy pick in 2017-18.
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.
