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Fantasy Basketball 2024-25 Draft Tips

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) guards in the third quarter at Ball Arena.

As managers prepare for fantasy basketball drafts for the upcoming NBA 2024-25 season, here are some tips to consider.

Fantasy Basketball 2024-25 Draft Tips

The No. 1 Pick Debate

The general consensus for the top two fantasy players are Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama. But which is deserving of the first overall pick? This is a heavily debated topic, as each star makes a strong case. But managers in this situation shouldn’t stress, as this is a win-win scenario.

Jokic was ranked the number-one fantasy player in category leagues for three consecutive seasons (2020-23). Last year, he placed third, just higher than Wembanyama’s ranking at seventh. The 29-year-old has been a model of consistency and durability, only playing under 70 games once in his career. On top of that, the big man’s versatility is elite. His ability to be a triple-double machine, an efficient shooter and stocks contributor allows him to provide excellent multi-category value and is easy to build a team around. In 2023-24, Jokic posted better numbers than Wembanyama in every category except for blocks and threes.

Wembanyama cracking the top 10 fantasy rankings as a rookie is an impressive feat. The Frenchman is a generational talent bound to take another leap in 2024-25 and become a fantasy cheat code. Despite injury concerns because of his build, that was not an issue for him last year, missing only nine games. Still, the San Antonio Spurs will prioritize his long-term health and monitor his games/minutes, especially in non-competitive seasons. Moreover, the seven-foot-four big man has the advantage of being a better defender than Jokic and one of the best in the league. Wembanyama broke numerous records in his first season, and the hype around him is enough alone to convince most managers to take him first. Note that the 20-year-old is the obvious number-one pick in dynasty leagues.

Old Age

Entering a new season in the NBA means players are getting older. Drafting guys nearing the end of their careers is tricky, as injuries, rest and performance are all factors that must be considered.

Currently, the oldest player in the league is LeBron James, who continues to defy Father Time by posting superstar numbers. He had second-round category value in 2023-24 and appeared in 71 contests (his first time playing over 70 since 2017-18). Entering his 22nd season and turning 40 in December, durability and availability are the major concerns with drafting James. Somewhere around the third-round mark is appropriate for him.

Several other notable players are 35+. Stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and James Harden remain high draft picks due to their talent. DeMar DeRozan and Jimmy Butler are a couple of rounds below them, with a change of scenery for the former and injury/consistency concerns for the latter dampening their value a bit. Chris Paul, Al Horford, Brook Lopez and Mike Conley are later picks. Paul, now 39, has issues staying on the court but is projected to start for the Spurs. Horford will always sit out one game of back-to-backs, yet he will take on a larger workload while Kristaps Porzingis is out. Lopez is a great contributor in blocks and threes, although the rest of his stats don’t stand out much. Conley is still expected to start for the Timberwolves, but rookie Rob Dillingham could see some time in that spot.

2023-24 Injuries

A player’s injury history is something to consider. While these are unpredictable, knowing a player’s past health issues can give managers an idea of the risk of drafting them.

Joel Embiid only appeared in 39 games due to a meniscus injury that sidelined him for two months and required surgery. Still, the big man ranked first in category leagues on a per-game basis in 2023-24. Many managers are hesitant to draft him, especially with his extensive injury issues and having never played over 70 games in a season. As a result, he’s fallen to a late first-round pick.

Another star whose career is riddled with injuries is LaMelo Ball, appearing in just 58 games over the last two years (missing 106). Ankle injuries have plagued the 23-year-old. Despite reportedly planning to wear ankle braces this upcoming season, Ball’s ADP is around the third round on some platforms. He can provide second-round value when healthy, but the question is if managers can see that this year.

Between a suspension and a season-ending injury, Ja Morant also didn’t see much of the court last season. With the off-court issues hopefully a thing of the past, if the guard can stay healthy, he has a chance to return to or even exceed fourth-round value.

Zach LaVine, Julius Randle, Desmond Bane, Tyler Herro, Ben Simmons and Mark Williams are other notable names who missed chunks of last season, all playing under 50 games. Meanwhile, injury-prone players like Anthony Davis appeared in a surprising 76 contests.

Stars are high-usage players, so injuries are more likely to happen. It’s expected that they’ll miss some time. Additionally, if an injury-prone player falls far enough in drafts, scooping them up is a move that could pay off if they stay relatively healthy. Trusting them can be hard, but managers sometimes just have to take a risk.

Offseason Moves

As usual, the NBA offseason was a busy time that saw some big deals go down. It’s difficult to remember them all, so I created a thread on X to help managers keep track of the moves and how they affect fantasy.

The NBA also lists all player transactions in 2024. When analyzing the moves, consider the team’s structure, how the stars can impact new additions’ production and which players have a chance to step up or will see their role diminished. For instance, the Dejounte Murray trade created a huge hole in the Atlanta Hawks’ backcourt. This indicates a bump in some numbers for Trae Young, an opportunity for Jalen Johnson to be the second option, new addition Dyson Daniels possibly earning the starting shooting guard job and fantasy relevance and a greater workload for Bogdan Bogdanovic. Meanwhile, having four big core players in New Orleans will likely result in dips in their values.

The most significant deals included:

Rookies

Drafting rookies can be tricky. Even with no big headliners in the 2024 NBA draft, a few guys could still make a fantasy impact. Some are projected to start, which helps their ability to make fantasy-relevant contributions. The top options for drafts are Zach Edey, Alex Sarr, and Zaccharie Risacher, as they should all have roles in the first unit. Their fantasy rankings are closer to the back end of drafts, but they are worth taking fliers on.

There are other rookies to keep an eye on, including Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, Ron Holland II, Donovan Clingan and Dillingham.

 

 

For more tips and draft strategies, click here.

Kayla Fonte, Department Manager

Kayla Fonte, Department Manager

Kayla Fonte is a journalism graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson). She is an avid NBA fan and specializes in fantasy basketball.

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