Make those plays. When searching across the fantasy basketball landscape for assists, there are a lot of factors to consider. Most importantly, it takes two. Not only do you need your player to make a play, but then someone else needs to get open and, more importantly, make their shot. Assists are perhaps the category most dependent on others. As we work on building out a balanced team for the 2026-27 fantasy basketball season, let’s take a look at some targets that can help.
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Best Players to Target for Assists in Fantasy Basketball
Darius Garland, G, Los Angeles Clippers
What did I say about relying on others? Brandon Ingram is going to begin the season on the Injured List for the Clippers, and even when he’s healthy, their offensive talent is lacking. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity to be found. Yes, it might be ugly at times, but the Clippers, on their worst day, are still going to score 80 to 90 points a game. That means there should be the opportunity for at least the 23.7 assists the Clippers recorded per game last season.
Even if Ingram is healthy, Garland’s usage is going to be especially high this season. That’s the case for two reasons. Garland is very good, but the Clippers also don’t have many other options. Last season, split between Cleveland and Los Angeles, Garland averaged 6.7 assists per game, but he does have a career high of 8.6.
Los Angeles is going to count on Garland to generate offense. That’s both for himself and others, so while we are targeting assists, Garland should also be good for about 20 points and a few three-pointers per game. In this situation, no competition is a good thing; just watch the field goal percentage depending on how high the usage goes.
Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets
There’s no secret that Sengun is one of the better players in the league. If there’s a category to have success in, Sengun does it. The fact that the Rockets are one of the better and more explosive teams in the league also doesn’t hurt.
If you want to find fault with Sengun, it’s that he only made 0.6 three-pointers per game last season while shooting 69.1% from the free-throw line. Both of those items could potentially improve heading into the 2026-27 season. This off-season, Sengun put some legitimate time into working with Chip Engelland. The shooting coach should help to make Sengun even better and more valuable from a fantasy perspective.
On an overall basis, the center’s 6.2 assists per game last season are solid, but don’t necessarily stand out. However, they should. The takeaway, and not to overstate the obvious, is that Sengun is a center. Big men aren’t supposed to be this good of a facilitator, but Sengun is. Yes, he averaged just 1.1 blocks last season, but he made up for it otherwise.
It is priced into Sengun’s ADP, but those assists give him a great advantage in the post. Getting that production from your center shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, it provides a legitimate advantage. Now, let’s exploit it.
Ryan Rollins, G, Milwaukee Bucks
While he’s now sharing the backcourt with Tyler Herro, the pathway to production is clear for Rollins. Giannis Antetokounmpo is in Miami, so that means the Bucks’ offense is looking for its identity. Rollins will be starting at point guard, and while Herro’s usage will be high, Rollins will also have the ball in his hands often.
Last season was truly a career year for Rollins, and now we get to see how he follows that up. The point guard set career highs across the board, but most notably with 17.3 points and 5.6 assists per game. Rollins is coming off a usage rate of 24.6%, and he proved to be up to the task. Nothing should change with respect to Rollins, but he’s also in position to build on his 27.2% assist rate from a year ago. The scoring might come down a little, but Rollins should continue to be a strong facilitator. That means is 5.6 assists per game from last season should be the floor.
When you get done here, make sure to check out our full 2026 Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit!
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