NORTHWEST DIVISION

Denver Nuggets

Players Added: 

Jerami Grant : Just when you thought the Nuggets couldn’t get any deeper, they take advantage of the Thunder’s fire-sale and get an aggressive combo-forward. Grant not only helped score from inside and outside the arc, but he was also helpful with boards and blocks. The Nuggets are one of the deepest teams in the NBA and his role will likely not be as big as it was in Oklahoma City. Grant won’t be starting this season as he’ll be playing as the first forward off the bench behind Paul Millsap . His scoring will likely drop. Nikola Jokic and Millsap’s ability to shoot the long-ball will take the ball out of Grant’s hands. He’ll have a scoring role with the Nuggets second unit, but Jokic is a much more complete center than Steven Adams and he commands the ball a ton. Grant becomes a player to potentially pick up off the waiver wire. Value drops. 

Players Retained: Paul Millsap

Players Lost: Isaiah Thomas (Wizards), Trey Lyles (Spurs)

 

Minnesota Timberwolves

Players Added: 

Jordan Bell : Bell is not a fantasy target until someone gets hurt. He has a lot of competition for minutes especially with Robert Covington back in the mix. Karl-Anthony Towns will play a lot of minutes and Bell will have to stand out more than Gorgui Dieng in order to get minutes. There are a lot of big men vying for minutes and even though Bell thinks he’s getting more of an opportunity playing for the ‘Wolves, it’ll be hard for him to earn consistent minutes as long as Towns is healthy. 

Jake Layman : Layman is in a similar situation as he was in Portland. There are just a lot of other players who can do what he can do. Layman is a streaky shooter who will be playing behind Andrew Wiggins and Josh Okogie . He will be in a competition for shots. Layman can try to steal a few minutes at PF but it will be a lot harder than getting minutes at SF. 

Noah Vonleh : Vonleh was the Knicks standout forward last season (as sad as that is). He fought hard for rebounds and he could hit jumpers, but he is in a major competition for minutes. He hustles and that will get him on the court, but a true rotation commitment isn’t certain for Vonleh. If Vonleh can play effective defense he will stay in the game. The ‘Wolves need him for his defense more than his scoring ability. 

Shabazz Napier : Napier is walking right into the Derrick Rose role from last year and Jeff Teague is coming off an injury-plagued season. Napier is a quick change of pace guards who will be able to compete and score versus opposing second units. He’ll be a waiver wire target. He should be the first guard off the bench until Jarrett Culver gets feet under him. Expect him to get plenty of back up minutes throughout the season.  

Treveon Graham : There are just way too many forwards and Graham will be the odd man out when training camp begins and he’ll have to impress a lot to earn even 10 minutes per game. He’ll likely be the last guy on the bench. Graham showed mid-range shooting and rebounding ability when given minutes, but he didn’t stand out.

Players Retained

Players Lost: Derrick Rose (Pistons), Dario Saric (Suns), Tyus Jones (Grizzlies), Taj Gibson (Knicks), Anthony Tolliver (Blazers)

Oklahoma City Thunder

Players Added:  

Chris Paul : As of right now, Paul is the Thunder’s top scoring option, but once the season starts, they will try to deal him to a contender for draft picks. The Thunder are in complete rebuild mode, but Paul still has fantasy value being on the Thunder because they will showcase him as much as possible until he’s moved off the team. Expect Paul’s scoring to rise as the Thunder don’t have too many other scorers on the team and Paul doesn’t have to deal with ball-dominant James Harden anymore. Again, he could be moved prior to the start of the season, but the Thunder won’t just give him away. Don’t expect him to be bought out. This all could change. Injuries have hampered Paul in recent years, but he’s still an impactful PG. 

Danilo Gallinari : If Paul gets moved, Gallinari becomes the Thunder’s prioritized scorer. Gallinari will have a similar role in OKC as he did in Los Angeles and we can expect him to put up similar numbers. He’ll get just as many shot opportunities as he did with the Clippers and he can score 20 points per game in this offense. Gallinari will also help pull down boards and hit a lot of three-pointers. Steven Adams being an inside-specific Center benefits Gallinari. Target him early in drafts especially with the likelihood of Paul getting traded during the season being high. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander : Gilgeous-Alexander is the prized piece of the return the Thunder got for Paul George and he immediately enters a starting role and he can play both guard spots effectively. If the Thunder get rid of Paul and want to keep Dennis Schroder coming in off the bench, they can look to start Gilgeous-Alexander at PG. He’ll get a lot of minutes and his defense will keep him in the game even longer. He grabbed 1.2 steals last season. He’s good at driving the lane and feeding the cutter. Look to target him later in drafts. 

Mike Muscala : Depending how the starting lineup shakes out, if the Thunder decide to start Gallinari at SF (which they should because it’s his natural position) Muscala will find himself starting. Muscala’s big body alone should make him a starter next to Steven Adams and Muscala can step out and guard the arc while Adams handles the low-post. If Muscala doesn’t start he should be able to play 20 minutes per game. 

Players Retained: Nerlens Noel

Players Lost: Russell Westbrook (Rockets), Paul George (Clippers), Jerami Grant (Nuggets), Markieff Morris (Pistons)

 

Portland Trail Blazers:

Players Added: 

Hassan Whiteside : Whiteside will get a lot of minutes to start because Jusuf Nurkic is hurt and Pau Gasol is old. Whiteside hit a roadblock when it came to his effectiveness towards the end of his Miami tenure. He just couldn’t handle 30 minutes per game. His health issues and general play kept him limited. Some blame is lackadaisical attitude (which could change with the change of scenery), but his legs are banged up. Nurkic isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break and Whiteside will be forced to play more minutes early on. He can once again average a double-double with the Blazers. He won’t have much competition to take minutes away from him. He blocked nearly two shots per game last season.

Kent Bazemore : Bazemore could be a strong sixth man if he can adjust to his role in Portland. He’ll be playing behind the newly extended C.J. McCollum and he’ll also be able to steal minutes at SF. He and Rodney Hood will battle for minutes with Mario Hezonja backing them up. Bazemore should be able to see 25-30 minutes per game and he’ll get open jumpers from the elbow and arc. Bazemore’s scoring could score 12 points per game in this offense and he even grabbed 1.3 steals per game last season.

Anthony Tolliver : Tolliver could be the last man in the rotation for consistent minutes and serve as a bailout three-point shooter for the Blazers. The seasoned veteran can help move the ball around, but because he’s so reliant on three-point shooting, he won’t be a valuable fantasy option unless you desperately need three’s. 

Mario Hezonja : After spending most of last season performing inconsistently, Hezonja got his act together right at the end of the season. He’s good at running the floor and hitting step-back shots, but he will put up a ton of wild shots. He should be able to steal a few minutes, but I doubt he’ll be able to play 20 minutes per game unless he dazzles. When the shot isn’t on, Hezonja will keep taking low-percentage shots until something falls. 

Pau Gasol : Gasol’s age finally caught up to him last season as he played in just 30 games with the Spurs and Bucks. He still has post moves, but he’s a lot slower. He will back up Whiteside and he should still be able to crack the Blazers rotation. It’s not out of the question for him to see 15-20 minutes per game until Nurkic returns. He’s not a fantasy target anymore until he proves that he can bang in the post and stay healthy. The Blazers don’t have the most depth at Center and Gasol can still play a factor and he’ll have games in which he turns back the clock, but don’t expect him to string together double-doubles.

Players Retained: Rodney Hood

Players Lost: Al-Farouq Aminu (Magic), Enes Kanter (Celtics) Seth Curry (Mavericks), Maurice Harkless (Clippers), Evan Turner (Hawks), Meyers Leonard (Heat), Jake Layman (Timberwolves)

Utah Jazz

Players Added: 

Mike Conley : Conley becomes the Jazz second scoring option as a lot of their offense will come out of their back court. He’ll have less focus on him because of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert . Can Conley still average 20 points per game? Yes! It will be harder because Mitchell commands the ball a lot, but he should be able to score 18-22 points per game this season and his assist-numbers will rise because he’s with more skilled players. 

Bojan Bogdanovic : Bogdanovic is not going to see as many shots in this offense because of how many shots the backcourt will be taking. He should still be able to help grab boards from the elbow. Bogdanovic benefitted a ton from Victor Oladipo being hurt last season and walked into a ton of shots. He’s going to be in a competition for shots. Target him in the second half of fantasy drafts if you want, but don’t pay a premium for him. His scoring average will most likely drop. Joe Ingles will be looking to steal minutes and shots from him off the bench. Bogdanovic’s size and rebounding ability will keep him in the starting lineup, but his scoring will drop. 

Jeff Green : Green is a better player to have off the bench because of his ability to run the floor but with the departure of Derrick Favors the Jazz PF void needs to be filled and Green could end up finding himself starting and he will be the fifth option with the starters and it will be hard for him to find consistent shots. He’ll play strong defense and get steals, but he will be a player to watch for on the waiver wire. 

Ed Davis : Davis will have a role that he’s used to being a back up who gets 15-20 minutes per game. Davis can produce from right under the basket and he’ll fight for boards. If Gobert gets hurt, his value will rise immediately and he’ll start, but until that time, he’ll be a player to keep an eye on. If he’s averaging eight points and eight boards in about 18 minutes of play, pick him up. 

Emmanuel Mudiay : Mudiay will need multiple injuries to occur in order to become fantasy relevant. He has a tough time stringing together a bunch of good games in a row. He’s a better driver than jump-shooter, but he will bring no fantasy relevance. 

Players Retained:

Players Lost: Ricky Rubio (Suns), Derrick Favors (Pelicans), Jae Crowder (Grizzlies), Kyle Korver (FA), Grayson Allen (Grizzlies), Raul Neto (Sixers)

 

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Dallas Mavericks

Players Added: 

Delon Wright : Wright’s value is going up and the Mavs are a great landing spot and he can start for this team next to Luka Doncic . Wright was good in Toronto and he was a hound on the perimeter. He grabbed 3.5 boards and 1.2 steals per game last season. He’ll make the rotation and he’s a good guard to target in the second half of drafts. He’ll attack the rim and fight for loose balls. Even if Wright comes off the bench, he’s destined for 20-plus minutes per game. Expect Wright to average double figures in scoring this season. 

Seth Curry : This isn’t Curry’s first rodeo with the Mavs and depending on how the starting lineup shakes out, Curry could be the first guard off the bench. He was able to contribute positively to the Blazers playoff run and he can grab 20 minutes per game behind Tim Hardaway Jr. and Delon Wright . Curry is a streaky shooter and if his shot isn’t falling, he will see fewer minutes. He doesn’t let up on plays and will hustle for minutes. He can play both guard spots.  

Boban Marjanovic : Marjanovic will likely come off the bench this season behind Maxi Kleber or Dwight Powell . Marjanovic is a fan-favorite and the Mavs will try to get him on the court early, but even behind Powell and Kleber, Marjanovic can only play 15-18 minutes per game. He won’t get a true rotation commitment unless he gets a bit more aggressive on the glass.

Players Retained: Kristaps Porzingis , Dwight Powell , Dorian Finney-Smith , Maxi Kleber , J.J. Barea

Players Lost: Dirk Nowitzki (Retired), Trey Burke (76ers)

 

Houston Rockets:

Players Added: 

Russell Westbrook : Westbrook’s draft stock can only go down, but it won’t plummet. The two most ball-dominant players are sharing the backcourt in Houston and both Westbrook and James Harden will take a lot of shots. Westbrook is still a first-round pick and he’ll get plenty of shots and time with the ball. His scoring will likely drop a bit, but he should still be as effective of a rebounder and his assists shouldn’t suffer much. The Rockets don’t play defense and every game will be a race to 120 meaning more shots are coming for Westbrook. Harden will have a good amount of plays in which he’s bringing up the ball and that could mean a slight decrease in assists for Westbrook. He’s certainly not top pick material anymore, but is Harden?

Tyson Chandler : Father time is catching up to Chandler, but behind Clint Capela , there isn’t much depth and the Rockets went with the grizzled veteran. Chandler is a lot slower now than a few years ago, but he should still be able to play 15 minutes per game. He’s not much of a scorer, but he can still pull down six-to-eight boards per game if he can stay healthy.

Players Retained: Austin Rivers , Danuel House , Gerald Green

Players Lost: Chris Paul

 

Memphis Grizzlies

Players Added: 

Jae Crowder : Crowder should be in the Grizzlies starting lineup on opening night. He’ll be able to play both forward spots. He’s not a draft target in fantasy, but he should be watched immediately and picked up if he succeeds early. Josh Jackson and Kyle Anderson will be Crowder’s major competition for minutes. If Andre Iguodala is still on the team opening night, Memphis could opt to start him. He’ll hit elbow jumpers and help grab boards.

Josh Jackson : Jackson has shown promise and whether he ends up starting at SF or coming off the bench behind the SF and PF spots, Jackson has shown that he can drive the lane and he just needs to improve his shot selection. He’s been helpful on the glass grabbing 4.4 boards per game last season and nearly a steal per game. Jackson should be able to play 20 minutes per game in this rotation.

Tyus Jones : Jones took advantage of an injured backcourt and he’ll be the primary guard behind Ja Morant . He’ll play 20-plus minutes per game and he’ll succeed in driving the lane and keeping the offensive pace up-tempo. Expect Jones to be involved in scoring a little more and he should be able to dish out five to six assists per game. 

Dwight Howard (Likely to Be Bought Out): Howard will most likely be waived in the next month.

Andre Iguodala (May Get Bought Out or traded): Unlikely to start the season with Memphis. He could start if he does, but a contender will want him. 

De'Anthony Melton: Melton will have to earn his minutes and he had his ups and downs running the point last year. He will likely be the team’s third point guard, but he could steal some SG minutes as that position is up for grabs and he’ll be battling Dillon Brooks for the starting job but he’ll likely come off the bench. He stole 1.4 balls per game and that put him in good favor with the Coaches. 

Grayson Allen : The Grizzlies need all of the shooting they can get and as long as his immaturity doesn’t get the best of him, he could get back up SG minutes and serve as a bailout option. Allen also has the ability to bring up the ball and drive the lane. It’s a lot less cluttered in Memphis than Utah and he could see his numbers start to rise with more opportunity. 

Solomon Hill (May Get Bought Out): There’s a chance that Hill gets bought out prior to the start of the season and he’s looking at a very limited role if he stays. 

Miles Plumlee : Plumlee has had a tough time staying healthy but this landing spot could be beneficial because Jonas Valanciunas can’t handle a full 30-plus mpg load and Plumlee will have to eat minutes for him. He’ll be used simply as a big body to defend the low post and he won’t provide much offense. 

Players Retained: Jonas Valanciunas

Players Lost: Mike Conley (Jazz), Delon Wright (Mavericks), Jevon Carter (Suns), Avery Bradley (Lakers), C.J. Miles (Wizards), Chandler Parsons (Hawks), 

New Orleans Pelicans

Players Added: 

Lonzo Ball : The Pelicans should look to start Ball alongside Jrue Holiday with JJ Redick coming off the bench. Remember what Ball did in his first year with the Lakers? Expect the Pelicans to let him loose and play a lot of minutes. He’ll score by driving the lane and he’ll help big time with boards and dimes as long as he can stay healthy. Between the LeBron-antics and his health, Ball wasn’t able to get into a groove last season. Expect Ball to play close to 30 minutes per game and his shot to improve throughout the season. His value goes up even more in points leagues because he’s a stat stuffer. 

Brandon Ingram : Ingram should see a complete turnaround season as long as he can stay healthy. Blood Clotting is very serious and if Ingram has more clotting issues he will immediately be shutdown. Ingram should be able to start at SF unless the Pelicans decide to roll with a three-guard offense. Ingram has the ability to run the point from the forward spot and opposing defenses will have a tough time keeping up with him unless they put quicker, smaller guards on him. Ingram won’t have the Lakers drama working against him and he’ll finally have a chance to develop properly. 

JJ Redick : Even if Redick comes off the bench, he’ll play 25-30 minutes per game and he’ll get plenty of shots. He’s made a career off of jump-shooting and he shouldn’t see a drop in shots as the Pelicans will be relying on his veteran leadership and he’s still very good at getting defenders to chase him around the arc. His scoring may drop a tad because of how deep the Pelicans are, but the Pelicans are paying him a lot to take shots. Expect him to be prioritized and it doesn’t matter which unit he ends up with. 

Derrick Favors : Favors will be playing under the basket a lot rather than squaring up against opposing PF’s. Favors should be able to play 25-30 minutes per game and he’ll compliment Zion Williamson nicely when he’s on the arc. Favors can also hit mid-range jumpers. He’ll have the paint to himself when Williamson lines up at the arc. He’ll most likely start at Center this season. 

Josh Hart : Hart has a lot of competition for minutes, but if he can show his worth playing SF, he can grab minutes behind Ingram. Hart will fight for long boards and steals on the perimeter. He has the ability to bring up the ball and he should still hit 20 minutes per game. Hart won’t be getting as many shots because of the Pelicans depth. He’ll serve as a bailout shooter a decent amount of the time waiting to be fed. 

Players Retained: Darius Miller

Players Lost: Anthony Davis (Lakers), Julius Randle (Knicks), Elfrid Payton (Knicks), Stanley Johnson (Raptors), Cheick Diallo (Suns), Solomon Hill (Grizzlies), Christian Wood (Pistons)

 

San Antonio Spurs

Players Added: 

DeMarre Carroll : Carroll will be coming in off the bench unless Rudy Gay gets injured. Carroll showed his strong driving ability last season and he’ll follow his shots and fight for boards. He can play both forward spots and he can step back and hit long-range jumpers. He should be able to make the rotation splitting time with Gay and if LaMarcus Aldridge operates out of the Center spot, Carroll could end up starting. Carroll should be able to continue to help produce points and boards. 

Trey Lyles : Carroll will have an edge in the rotation over Lyles, but if Aldridge does shift up to Center, Lyles could end up seeing more minutes at PF. Carroll’s skill set is a bit wider than Lyles. Lyles can hit long-range jumpers too, but Carroll’s drive is better and Carroll plays better defense on the perimeter. Expect Lyles to have a more limited role than Carroll to start the season. 

Players Retained: Rudy Gay

Players Lost: Davis Bertans (Wizards)

 

PACIFIC DIVISION

Golden State Warriors

Players Added: 

D'Angelo Russell : Russell will likely start alongside Stephen Curry . Curry will likely play the PG role and Russell should settle in just fine. Klay Thompson should be back in the mix in January/February and then the Warriors will have a decision to make. Russell could be dealt to a contender at the 2020 trade deadline, or he could end up staying with the Warriors and come off the bench behind the Splash Bros. Russell’s scoring when looking at the full season could dip a little bit, especially when Thompson comes back. Fantasy players will still get a lot of use out of Russell for most of their season and if he’s not traded, he’ll lead the Warriors second unit in scoring. Beware drafting him. Things could change.

Willie Cauley-Stein : Cauley-Stein’s value is on the rise because he doesn’t have as much competition for minutes as he did in Sacramento. He’ll start and he should be able to play 25-30 minutes easily. Cauley-Stein can hit mid-range jumpers so he will draw out the bigger defender at times. Expect him to be operating out of the post for the most part because of Draymond Green ’s shooting range. He’ll have the paint to himself and he should be able to thrive with this team. Expect improved production. 

Alec Burks : Burks could end up starting as the Warriors have an open SF spot up for grabs. Burks is a three and D player with quick handles. He can bring up the ball and he’s had health issues in the past but for the most part they are behind him. Expect Burks to be fighting for a starting spot. Alfonzo McKinnie will be his main competition. 

Glenn Robinson III: Another potential starter for the Warriors for the vacant SF spot. Robinson can also hit long-range jumpers and he’s had his own health issues. He won’t be a fantasy draft target until he proves he can produce on the defensive end. 

Omari Spellman : Draymond Green has some relief and Spellman was helpful on the glass and shooting from the field. Spellman should be able to earn 15 minutes in the Warriors rotation. He’s aggressive and doesn’t give up on plays. 

Players Retained: Klay Thompson , Kevon Looney

Players Lost: Kevin Durant (Nets), DeMarcus Cousins (Lakers), Andre Iguodala (Grizzlies), Quinn Cook (Lakers), Damian Jones (Hawks), Jordan Bell (Timberwolves)

 

Los Angeles Clippers

Players Added: 

Kawhi Leonard : Leonard will be the prioritized scorer and he shouldn’t see much different of a role in Los Angeles as he had in Toronto. Paul George won’t command the ball as much. The Clippers have other scorers and Leonard’s average might drop a tad if that. The Clippers big men won’t be as involved in the scoring and that should keep Leonard’s numbers high. 

Paul George : George will be the second scoring option for the Clippers and he will continue to play deep into games and although I can’t see him scoring 28 points per game, but he should still be able to score 23-25 points per game. The Clippers have more shooters than the Thunder did and George should see his assist-numbers rise because he’s aligned with better shooters. 

Maurice Harkless : Harkless is looking at more competition for minutes than he had in Portland. Harkless will have a better chance stealing PF minutes rather from Leonard at SF. Harkless plays good perimeter defense, but his minutes are bound to drop and he’ll be in a competition with Rodney McGruder and JaMychal Green . He’ll help with three’s and steals when given minutes. 

Players Retained: Patrick Beverley , JaMychal Green , Ivica Zubac , Rodney McGruder , Jonathan Motley

Players Lost: Danilo Gallinari (Thunder), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Garrett Temple (Nets), Wilson Chandler (Nets), Sindarius Thornwell (FA), Tyrone Wallace (FA)

 

Los Angeles Lakers

Players Added: 

Anthony Davis : Davis comes into the season as the Lakers second scoring option. DeMarcus Cousins will also demand the ball and while both will produce, Davis scoring will likely go down. Remember, LeBron James plans on running the point this year and he’ll draw up a ton of plays for himself. Expect Davis to play full minutes from the get-go until he gets hurt. His other stats won’t be impacted as much as his scoring. It’s always a high-risk/high-reward when drafting Davis. His 26 ppg is likely done, but he can still hit 18-20 ppg. Kyle Kuzma will also be taking shots away from him. 

DeMarcus Cousins : Cousins and Davis have been able to coexist previously. The question is whether Cousins can stay healthy. He continues to run into lower-body issues. Cousins will be the third scoring option when on the floor and will naturally be fed more when Davis is off the floor. He’ll get plenty of minutes and alley-oops from James when the Lakers are on transition. His value stays the same as it did with the Warriors. 

Danny Green : Green is being paid a ton, but he’s the team’s fifth scoring option even behind Kyle Kuzma . Green will start at SG and he’ll help with steals on the perimeter. He’s very good at fighting through screens and his main competition for minutes will be Kentavious Caldwell-Pope . Control is in his destiny when it comes to minutes, but are there enough shots to go around for him?

Quinn Cook : At this point, Cook is the third PG on the team behind James and Rajon Rondo . Until we have more clarity, Cook’s role will be limited. Cook has speed and can be useful versus opposing second units, but the Lakers have a lot of PG options including Alex Caruso . It will be hard for Cook to get consistent minutes.

Avery Bradley : Bradley is a strong defender and he should see minutes behind Danny Green , but it’s uncertain whether or not he will see more than 15 minutes per game. He can hit the open three-pointer. Health has not been on Bradley’s side and he’ll have to show his durability before more minutes can be given to him. He’ll help with three’s and steals. 

Jared Dudley : Dudley will bring toughness and it’ll be hard for him to secure legit minutes barring injury. Don’t expect him to be fantasy relevant. He plays strong on the ball defense in the post. He could see minutes behind Anthony Davis , but he will be riding the bench for the most part. 

Troy Daniels : Daniels won’t make much of an impact as he’ll be the last guard off the bench. 

Players Retained: Rajon Rondo , JaVale McGee , Kentavious Caldwell-Pope , Alex Caruso

Players Lost: Lonzo Ball (Pelicans), Brandon Ingram (Pelicans), Josh Hart (Pelicans), Reggie Bullock (Knicks), Mike Muscala (Thunder), Tyson Chandler (Rockets), Moritz Wagner (Wizards), Isaac Bonga (Wizards) Jemerrio Jones (Wizards), Lance Stephenson (FA)


 

Phoenix Suns

Players Added: 

Ricky Rubio : Rubio has been a poor shooter, but he thinks he’s found his fit in Phoenix. Rubio is a liability and he’ll take down your shooting percentages unless he shows up to training camp with an improved jumper. For some reason the Suns decided to pay him handsomely and he will start at point-guard. His scoring should rise a bit as the lane should be open with more focus going to Devin Booker . Expect him to average seven-to-nine assists per game. The Suns will be on the run a lot and we can expect Rubio to focus more on passing. He has a lot of youth with him and he needs to know his role and be a floor general and not focus on scoring. 

Dario Saric : Saric should not only start, but he should easily see 25-30 minutes per game. Saric is still trying to find his fit in the league. He needs to focus more on the post and getting inside because Deandre Ayton can hit elbow jumpers. Expect Saric to show improvements as his competition for minutes is Aron Baynes and Frank Kaminsky . Expect Saric’s rebounding numbers to improve as he operates more out of the post this season. 

Jevon Carter : Carter has a lot of hype going in as a quick guard and he’ll be battling a few guards for back up minutes and with how much they are paying Tyler Johnson , expect Carter to spend most of the year fighting for a future rotation spot. Carter needs players ahead of him to get hurt in order to get any type of consistency in the Suns’ rotation.

Aron Baynes : Baynes will be in a similar role in Phoenix as he had in Boston. He won’t really be fantasy relevant, but he will fill in at both PF and C and should play about 15-18 minutes per game to start. He’s very physical and will earn more minutes throughout the season. He’ll be the first big man coming in off the bench. 

Cheick Diallo : Diallo will be fighting Baynes for playing time and he will see limited minutes until injuries occur. He was down the depth chart in New Orleans and he’ll essentially be stuck subbing in at Center while Baynes can shift down to PF at times. Frank Kaminsky will be competition for Diallo as well. 

Frank Kaminsky : Kaminsky will likely be outside of the rotation playing 10-13 minutes per game until he shows he is able to use his body for more than just shooting off-balance three-pointers. He’s very slow and yes he’s still young and has shooting range, but he has a lot of other players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Players Retained: Kelly Oubre Jr. 

Players Lost: T.J. Warren (Pacers), Josh Jackson (Grizzlies), De'Anthony Melton (Grizzlies), Richaun Holmes (Kings), Troy Daniels (Lakers) Dragan Bender (Bucks)

 

Sacramento Kings

Players Added: 

Dewayne Dedmon : Dedmon will likely be starting for the Kings, but it’s not a lock that he makes it to 30 minutes per game. It’ll be close and he does having shooting range. I see him playing 20-25 minutes per game. He’ll hit three’s and grab boards, but he won’t be that impactful of a defender and that makes me worried about his minutes because they also signed Richaun Holmes to help fill the void. Marvin Bagley III will also shift up to center at times causing more competition for Dedmon. 

Trevor Ariza : Ariza will come off the bench behind Harrison Barnes and his minutes will be cut a bit from last year because the Kings are a deeper team. Ariza’s main competition for minutes will be Bogdan Bogdanovic . Ariza could still score in double figures in most of his games because of his good long-range shooting ability, but there are a lot of mouths to feed. He’ll still provide help with boards and steals. 

Cory Joseph : Joseph’s role doesn’t change as he’ll be the backup PG to De’Aaron Fox. Joseph won’t be fantasy relevant unless Fox gets hurt. He’ll keep the Kings second unit on the run and he’ll play around 20 minutes per game. Fox can log a lot of minutes and that will keep Joseph out of the game more than Darren Collison would. 

Richaun Holmes : Holmes will likely back up Dedmon to start the season and he’ll be a volume producer. He doesn’t need a lot of minutes to score. He did block 1.1 shots per game and he should be able to come close to hitting 20 minutes per game. Because Dedmon can’t log heavy minutes, we should see more of Holmes next season, but he won’t provide enough production to be a draft target. 

Players Retained: Harrison Barnes

Players Lost: Willie Cauley-Stein (Warriors), Alec Burks (Warriors), Frank Mason (FA)