With the countdown to the 2016-17 NBA season underway, fantasy basketball managers are doing their due diligence to make sure they are prepared for the coming year. That means taking a close look at the potential fantasy bounce back candidates that can so easily be overlooked after they dealt with injuries last season. Here is a look at the top fantasy bounce back candidates at the forward positions.
Chandler Parsons, Memphis Grizzlies
Parsons will look to put last year’s injury issues behind him as a strong bounce back candidate in a seemingly perfect situation joining Memphis this season. Parsons flashed his upside a year ago when he averaged 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 three-point shots in 61 games and the potential is there for him to improve his numbers if he can get over the knee injuries that plagued him. He’s in a better setting know where he’ll be the third or fourth option in the offense behind Mike Conley Jr., Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. In Dallas, he was asked to do too much.
Parsons will be relied on to provide a spark for a Grizzlies’ side that so desperately needs him to emerge as a pure scorer. Memphis handed him a four-year max-deal this summer with the intention of giving him every opportunity to live up to that kind of a deal so don’t overlook him as an underrated fantasy forward that should be a strong bounce back candidate.
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
The combination of an injured left quad and a broken right hand kept Griffin on the sidelines for the second half of last season. Griffin needs to prove that he can stay healthy and it might help that he is entering a contract year with Los Angeles. We all know just how much of a motivational factor the contract can be and the fact that Griffin’s image has taken a sizable hit in recent years, you know he’ll be playing with a big chip on his shoulder. Even though he had a forgettable season in 2015-16, he’s still one of the best power forwards in the game.
Griffin has averaged 21.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists combined over the last two seasons with the Clippers and the potential is there for him to show moderate improvement across the board if he can stay healthy in 2016-17.
Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
Every conversation surrounding Bosh will rely entirely on his health and whether or not he can resume his career after having back-to-back seasons shortened by blood clots. Bosh was reportedly healthy enough to play at the end of last year but agreed with the team that the risk was too high to play. Bosh is still a talented, versatile power forward that has the potential to put up solid numbers as a top scoring threat in Miami if he does make his return. The Heat have not confirmed whether Bosh will be back for the start of the 2016-17 season but keep an eye on the wire to see what the verdict is and don’t overlook the veteran forward if it is confirmed he will be back.
Serge Ibaka, Orlando Magic
The Magic have been heavily criticized for their trade that sent Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and first-round pick Domantas Sabonis to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Ibaka. However, a change of scenario could be the perfect thing for both the Magic and Ibaka. The veteran forward averaged just 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game a year ago but that was buried behind Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and even to an extent both Enes Kanter and Steven Adams in the Oklahoma City offense. Ibaka has the potential to put up much better numbers as one of the main focuses of the Orlando offense this season. Although the frontcourt is also jampacked here with players eyeing minutes – remember that that’s Nikola Vucevic, Bismack Biyombo and Aaron Gordon already there – one would have to think that Ibaka gets plenty of minutes given that he’s the most developed player here and that the Magic gave up a small ransom to get him. That should be enough to make him a smart bounce back candidate at the forward position.
