Fantasy Basketball Season Kickoff
As the football season kicks off this weekend, the spotlight may primarily rest on the gridiron, but basketball enthusiasts are also gearing up for their own season—especially in the realm of fantasy basketball. With the arrival of fall, it’s the perfect moment for players to dive into mock drafts.
Drafting Styles and Strategies
Participants can choose from various drafting styles, including the traditional snake format or a salary cap format where each contender has $200 to assemble a competitive roster. The strategic choices are plentiful: should one invest heavily in a couple of high-tier players, or is a more even distribution of funds across the roster a better strategy that could yield better performance later in the season?
Recently, fantasy basketball specialist Raphielle Johnson joined a salary cap mock draft organized by Adam King from Fantasy Basketball International. The outcomes provide valuable insights into player valuations as the season approaches.
Player Valuations and Bidding Dynamics
The purpose of this salary cap mock draft was to gauge the monetary value players are projected to hold as the market evolves. Top-tier players such as Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Victor Wembanyama are expected to draw hefty bids, but the important question remains: what are managers truly willing to pay?
Early findings suggest that participants in this draft were somewhat conservative. For instance, Jokić has an average auction price of $85 in Yahoo! leagues and $69.60 in ESPN, yet he was secured for $69 in this mock on Fantrax.
Moreover, four players secured bids exceeding $60: both Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Dončić were valued at $62, Wembanyama at $61, while Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Anthony Davis were also among the top competitors with values of $55, $54, $51, and $50 respectively. Although these high-caliber players carry some health-related uncertainties, they remain top contenders when fit.
Injury Concerns and Their Impact
Particularly notable are the bidding dynamics around players like Joel Embiid and Zion Williamson. In standard drafts, they often evoke mixed opinions on when to draft them; conversely, salary drafters must consider how much to invest. Embiid, who recently underwent knee surgery, was picked for $18, while Williamson, who faced challenges with injuries, was selected for $16.
Williamson’s inconsistency, having played 60 games or more just twice in his six seasons, raises concerns. Nonetheless, when healthy, Embiid notably offers an advantage in nine-category leagues.
Injury concerns extend beyond Embiid and Williamson, impacting players like Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, who has been ruled out for the season, subsequently elevating the values of his teammates Andrew Nembhard ($13) and Bennedict Mathurin ($5). Pascal Siakam‘s bidding price in this round was notably low at $19, despite an average of $30 across other platforms.
Rookie Class Insights
Moving to the rookie class, which typically draws interest, Cooper Flagg of Dallas was the first rookie to attract bids, totaling $19, slightly below his average of nearly $25 in Yahoo! and ESPN drafts. Less interest was shown for other rookies, with Spurs guard Dylan Harper going unbid due to existing backcourt depth. The hope remains for Harper’s recovery in time for the season.
Meanwhile, Phoenix’s Khaman Maluach fetched just $2, with college teammate Kon Knueppel garnering $1. A noteworthy mention is Washington’s Tre Johnson, whose scoring ability may render him a key asset later in the season despite the team’s focus on evolving young talent.
Conclusion
In essence, the mock draft results offer a comprehensive view of player values and the budgetary strategies emerging in fantasy basketball as we approach the season, reflecting shifting dynamics as managers weigh risks, injuries, and potential rewards in their bids.
