Every fantasy basketball league manager will be shooting for Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Kevin Durant as the top of their fantasy basketball league drafts. While a high enough draft pick will ensure you land one of them, the lower rounds of the draft will be a lot less predictable. The difference between winning a championship and falling just short can often come down to whether you lock down the one or two sleeper options that can put your team on the top. Here is a look at one sleeper fantasy basketball option for each Southeast division team.
Otto Porter, Washington Wizards
Porter’s 2016-17 season averages weren’t incredible but there is enough to think that he is capable of taking a substantial step forward this year. Porter averaged 13.4 points, 1.5 assists and 0.5 blocks a year ago. He was a consistent three-point shooter and was also very efficient, as evidenced by the fact that he became the first player in NBA history to record more than 110 steals and commit less than 50 turnovers. Porter’s skill set could translate to him becoming an underrated fantasy asset in Washington this season.
Taurean Prince, Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta absolutely gutted its roster in the offseason, which could open the door for a number of young players to step up and produce in bigger roles this season. Prince is one of those players that could be worth keeping an eye on in deep fantasy basketball leagues. With limited competition on the wing, his production could skyrocket in a much bigger role.
James Johnson, Miami Heat
Johnson played for four different NBA teams over his first seven seasons. He seems to have finally found a home in Miami and his familiarity and experience within the organization could help his development this season. Johnson set career-highs across the board a year ago and could see a continued upward trend based on his versatility and opportunity. Johnson was one of five players to average at least one steal, one block and one three-point shot per game last season. He’s north worth reaching on in fantasy basketball leagues by any means, but Johnson could be worth taking a flier on as a sleeper pick this season. He’s not going to score you a ton of points but he adds in some value in deep leagues in the effort categories like steals, blocks and rebounds.
Marvin Williams, Charlotte Hornets
Williams won’t steal a ton of headlines but it you are looking for a consistent option that could deliver some upside while flying under the radar then he is a good bet. Williams ranked in the top-75 in standard fantasy basketball leagues a year ago and there is a good chance he will be a top-80 player once again this season. Williams averaged 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game a year ago. If he can improve even a little bit on those numbers then he could be a strong fantasy basketball league sleeper option this season.
Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
The hype surrounding Gordon has died down over the past couple of years to the point where he might actually be a decent sleeper option. Gordon averaged 11.2 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 42.8 percent from the floor over the first half of last season. Over his final 21 games, he averaged 17.0 points and 6.2 rebounds. If Gordon can pick up from where he left off a year ago then he could emerge as a legitimate top-50 fantasy option this season. Gordon has the potential to be an excellent sleeper pick this year. Just make sure that you don’t let him fall too far in the draft and allow another GM to snag him before you do. We’ve already seen some impressive outings from Gordon in the preseason. He had 19 points, six rebounds, one assist, one block and one three against the Miami Heat on Saturday. He’s now played three impressive games and as long as the Magic actually use him and give him opportunities in the regular season, he should be one of the breakout players of the 2017-18 season.
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.
