NBA Rookie Dynasty Rankings

NBA Rookie Dynasty Rankings – Yahoo Sports

Dynasty leagues are a lot of fun, but you really have to be on your game and think ahead. Unlike in re-draft leagues, you make have to come to terms that you’re not in it this year. It’s like a job to be able to track all the players and it helps to know the contracts for guys, too.

On top of tracking the players, you have to track the teams for multiple reasons. Some teams like the Lakers or Knicks are always going to try to spend in free agency, which means it’s less likely lower draft picks can bust out — yes last year was a major exception. Plus, some coaches set up better systems for their guys. The Houston Rockets tend to yield some major fantasy value and so does coach Stan Van Gundy.

With that, here’s a list of the top 50 rookies for this upcoming season. This is for your standard nine-cat fantasy leagues and it lists all the rookies expected to play this year. That means you won’t see Joel Embiid (foot) or some overseas stashes like Dario Saric. They are all ranked as if your team is in the middle of the pack based on the upcoming season. That means if you are in it now, you will want some guys set to produce sooner. If you’re out of it, you might want a stash guy (this will be mentioned in the analysis). You’ll also see the draft pick for players taken in the 2015 NBA Draft in parenthesis.

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1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Wolves (1) – He has to be the top guy and it might not be long before he’s a first-round pick in fantasy leagues. Towns has all the same tools as Anthony Davis with good percentages, shot blocking, rebounds and he might even add some treys. No, I’m not saying he will be the next Brow.

2. D’Angelo Russell, Lakers (2) – This one might take some time. Russell has shown some nice improvement since Summer League. In his first four preseason games, he’s posted 4.3 assists in 16.1 minutes per game. Plus, he’s been deadly from deep. On the other hand, his inside-the-arc game is awful right now, which isn’t a surprise. He could be a top-five point guard once Kobe Bryant is gone because this kid can pass the ball, too. Dimes and 3s? Yes please.

3. Stanley Johnson, Pistons (8) – Is Johnson the third-best player in the draft? Probably not. However, he’s in the best system and his opportunity is terrific. He’s also a very good stat producer with steals, blocks and 3-pointers to go with his prototypical size. Check out this dribble drive from Wednesday:

He’s a darkhorse for ROY, too.

4. Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks (4) – I’ll admit I bumped him down a spot because of this left quad issue. Since his draft workouts, he’s had these injuries: a left quad strain, a left hip injury, a sore left knee, and now another left quad issue. Still, his upside is ridiculous with good percentages, 3-pointers and some big man stats.

5. Emmanuel Mudiay, Nuggets (7) – If you’re in a points league, Mudiay would be in the top three and it’s not close. He’d also be in the top three for eight-cat. The Nuggets starter has the PG job on lock down, so the points and dimes should be there right away. However, I’d be a little concerned with his percentages, lower 3-pointers and high turnovers.

6. Jahlil Okafor, 76ers (2) – He’s a lot like Mudiay. Okafor will crush in points and boards, but that’s about it. He’s also really having a tough time scoring at even the Summer League level and is off to a slow start in the NBA. Okafor should get it figured out soon, but there is a big men are a little riskier, too. Here’s a great stat from Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal: Top-five picks who are 6’6 or shorter play in 87 percent of their games. Top-five picks seven-feet or taller play in just 77 percent of their games, per Stats LLC. He is not a shot blocker and is awful at foul shooting. Those two things destroy his fantasy ceiling in standard leagues.

7. Bobby Portis, Bulls (22) – He tore it up in Vegas. He is tearing it up now. He will probably tear it up for a long time. Portis is a good shot blocker and has a beautiful stroke. Plus, coach Fred Hoiberg is definitely going to want a floor-spacing four for years to come. He could be a peak Chris Bosh guy with more blocks, too. The upside is just too attractive for me with all of his tools as a near-perfect fantasy PF.

8. Mario Hezonja, Magic (5) – One thing I really like about Mario in the short term is how he’s playing shooting guard. He has the potential to be a Danilo Gallinari-type guy, but without the injury risk. Although, Aaron Gordon looks like the real deal, so he might not be the No. 2-3 option. Obviously, there can be multiple studs on one team. See: Warriors, Golden State; Thunder, Oklahoma City. (No I’m not comparing the Magic to those teams)

9. Myles Turner, Pacers (11) – He’s a lot like KP. Turner is already having some knee concerns, which is a sizable red flag. Turner was expected to be a top-five pick before his last season at Texas, but some concerns popped up about his walking gait. If Turner can stay healthy, he has a ton of tools to be a fantasy monster. He’s a top-three pick in re-draft.

10. Devin Booker, Suns (13) – Booker had his “Hey look at me” game on Tuesday, scoring 20 points with three rebounds, three assists and three 3-pointers. He also made all five free throws in his 22 minutes. It probably won’t be long until he’s getting minutes in the teens this season. He could be a Klay-like guy. He’s a stash, obvioulsy.

11. Willie Cauley-Stein, Kings (6) – There’s a reason why the Kings grabbed WCS. He is one of the best bigs in the open floor, a good offensive rebounder and a terrific defender. Thrill is not going to score and isn’t a great shooter, so his upside isn’t quite as high.

12. Jerian Grant, Knicks (19) – Carmelo wants to play with Grant, so why wouldn’t the rest of your fantasy team? Grant is still a little raw and undersized, but he’s a great passer and can shoot a little bit. Once Calderon is gone, we might see Grant get hot.

13. Frank Kaminsky, Hornets (9) – Michael Jordan loves him, but you have to be concerned with his long-term defense forcing him from playing time. Hey, at least he’ll get the opportunity. He’s a top-five re-draft pick.

14. Trey Lyles, Jazz (12) – If he is on another team, Lyles would probably be a few spots higher. He has a terrific set of skills thanks to playing point guard in high school and he can shoot it. The problem is Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert aren’t going anywhere.

15. Nemanja Bjelica, Wolves – The Wolves really want to add 3-pointers and Bjelica would probably be their best guy if Kevin Martin is traded. If he gets a go-ahead for minutes at the three (could happen), we could see him make an impact this year. Remember, he’s 27 years old, though.

16. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets – He’s kind of Towns-y. Jokic has range, can block shots and can board. He could wind up splitting time right away with Jusuf Nurkic.

17. Justise Winslow, Heat (10) – He hasn’t looked good at all. Winslow has no right hand and he’s shaping up to be a defender and not a producer of stats.

18. Justin Anderson, Mavericks (21) – Another guy who slid in the draft, Anderson has looked great early. The Mavs are trusting him with some point guard minutes in the preseason despite how he’s more of a small forward. Chandler Parsons and Wesley Matthews have some big contracts, though.

19. Cameron Payne, Thunder (14) – Prediction? Payne! What happens when Kevin Durant leaves OKC? You’d think Russell Westbrook isn’t far behind, right? Cameron has a nice floor for fantasy value, but it’ll be at least a couple years. If your team is stacked and ready to win now, bump Payne down.

20. Walter Tavares, Hawks – He could wind up being the new Rudy Gobert or he could be the new Nikoloz Tskitshvili. The blocking upside is key here. He’ll take a couple years, though.

21. Rashad Vaughn, Bucks (17) – This kid is explosive. All preseason and in the second half of Summer League, Vaughn really had some nice drives into the paint. Vaughn wasn’t very good at the rim last year at UNLV, though. He’s a decent shooter and the Bucks are good at producing steals for guards with Jason Kidd, so there is a nice ceiling here. Of course, the Bucks having a nice amount of depth on the wing hurts a lot here.

22. Kelly Oubre Jr., Wizards (15) – Oubre was a letdown in Vegas and he started slow in the preseason. However, he blew up against the 76ers on Friday with 16 points on just four FGAs. Still, he is behind an improving Otto Porter and is probably going to need a trade to build his value, which could happen.

23. Tyus Jones, Wolves (24) – A lot of his value lies in the health of Ricky Rubio. If Rubio gets hurt and the Wolves struggles, we might see more of Jones than we bargained for. He doesn’t have the skill side of it and he’s a little undersized. Yes, Isaiah Thomas has been great as an undersized PG, but nobody is like the Pizza Guy.

24. R.J. Hunter, Celtics (28) – He’d be a little higher in a re-draft. Hunter looks aggressive on offense and he’s really hit the ground running as a defender so far. Plus, having some extra size as a shooting guard is a refreshing change from Boston’s diminutive backcourt.

25. Joseph Young, Pacers (43) – It didn’t take long for him to win the backup point guard job. He was a phenomenal scorer at Oregon, making 92.5 percent from the line and only being assisted on 70.3 percent of his 3-pointers to get to 35.7 percent from that range. Although, he really has been counting on his jump shot a lot, so he could be kind of Trey Burke-esque. He obviously ranks much higher in re-draft.

26. Montrezl Harrell, Rockets (32) – Man, this guy can ball and he’s in a great system. Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas are hurt all the time, so we should see Harrell get playing time this year. He can block a ton of shots and can score around the rim (80.9 percent last year!). He also takes 3-pointers, but that part of his game isn’t there yet. He’s like a poor man’s Portis.

27. Chris McCullough, Nets (29) – The Nets are really bad, so he only needs a couple things to happen. McCullough can block shots, but he’s a bad foul shooter at 56.3 percent.

28. Sam Dekker, Rockets (18) – If not for him lighting up Arizona in the tournament, Dekker would have fallen out of the top 20. He’s in a good system, though. Plus, general manager Daryl Morey isn’t shy about trading young players.

29. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Nets (23) – If his offense was as good as his defense, Rondae would have been a top-five pick. In the fantasy world, you either have to be a solid offensive player or be special when it comes to blocking shots. He should get minutes out of the gate, though.

30. Richaun Holmes, 76ers (37) – Man, he’s looked bad this week. He has a huge opportunity in front of him and he might lose it to Christian Wood.

31. Terry Rozier, Celtics (16) – Nobody rose faster than Rose-ier Rozier during the draft season. Well, he has yet to impress and R.J. Hunter has temporarily passed him. He’s a little undersized and he did only make 55.0 percent at the rim in college. Plus, he made just 30.6 percent from deep. That’s a bad formula for fantasy value.

32. Raul Neto, Jazz – I’d be a lot higher on him if he could shoot. Plus, his value will go away once Dante Exum gets back next season. He’s a top-15 re-draft guy, though.

33. Pat Connaughton, Blazers (41) – As you’ve probably heard, the Blazers are really thin. Connaughton could be a 3-point guy and can get to the cup, too. Low long-term upside, of course.

34. Boban Marjanovic, Spurs – He is a giant. Bob is 7’2”, 290 pounds.

35. Delon Wright, Raptors (20) – The Raptors brough back Cory Jo, so that’s another road block for Dorell’s little brother.

36. Rakeem Christmas, Pacers (36) – The Pacers are really thin and Christmas can block some shots. He also made 71.2 percent from the line last year, so that really helps his ceiling.

37. Christian Wood, 76ers – He has to make the team first. Wood is a top-20 rookie to take in re-draft right now, though. If he makes the team, bump him up 8-10 spots.

38. Jordan Mickey, Celtics (33) – Another big-time shot blocker. He’s also playing well in the preseason. Mickey could also be a great five in Stevens’ system.

39. Norman Powell, Raptors (46) – No second-round pick lit it up more in Vegas than Powell. With DeMar DeRozan possibly headed out of town next season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Powell getting 20 minutes as soon as next year. Kid can score.

40. Tibor Pleiss, Jazz – The Jazz have a couple really good big men and Trey Lyles, too.

41. Kevon Looney, Warriors (30) – An uber-talented guy with range, Looney is already out for multiple months and has become an injury-risk.

42. Sasha Kaun, Cavs – He is a bench big at best, but he is on a roster right now.

43. Maurice Ndour, Mavs – The Forest Moon of Ndour! He also may have some re-draft value.

44. Andrew Harrison, Grizzlies (44) – When/if Beno Udrih leaves Memphis, Harrison could be the backup to Mike Conley. Obviously, this is deep digging here.

45. J.P. Tokoto, 76ers (58) – Probably the worst offensive guard in the draft, but he’s a freak athletically. If any other team drafted him, he wouldn’t be on this list.

46. Darrun Hilliard, Pistons (38) – Never count out SVG in turning a guard into gold.

47. Robert Upshaw, Lakers – Blocked-shot specialist. Has to make the team and keep his nose clean.

48. Jarell Martin, Grizzlies (25) – He’s talented, but hurt and buried.

49. Branden Dawson, Clippers (56) – Looked awesome at Summer League. The Clippers are so deep, though.

50. Larry Nance, Jr., Lakers (27) – The Lakers will almost always spend big, so don’t expect Nance to be a factor. The odds of them hitting on a guy like Jordan Clarkson again is slim to none.

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